Good Dispersion Research Articles

Facile synthesis of an Ni/LaAlO3 – Perovskite via an MOF gel precursor for the dry reforming of methane

A simple strategy to prepare the pure perovskite phase of lanthanum aluminate (LaAlO3) by calcination of a highly porous, dry MOF precursor gel has been developed. This study demonstrates that the structural and textural properties, such as specific surface area, pore volumes and pore sizes, of precursor-like metal–organic gels (MOG) (MOG-Al-La) based on metal–organic framework (MOF) structures can be modulated by optimizing the solvothermal treatment time. The perovskite obtained after solvothermal treatment at 120 °C for 12 h and calcination at 750 °C maintained the mesoporous characteristics of the MOF precursor, with a small particle size due to the decrease in crystallization temperature. These properties in the support allowed a good dispersion of the active Ni sites, low reducibility, and a strong interaction between them and the support, thus suppressing sintering under the severe catalytic reaction conditions evaluated (GHSV = 120,000 cm3/g·h) for the dry reforming of methane. The resulting MOX-(12 h)-LaAlO3-750-Ni catalyst gave a CH4 average conversion of 75% and CO2 average conversion of 80% after 20 h of reaction. The improved stability of the catalyst was attributed to suppression of the formation of the dense network of carbon filaments that can stress and subsequently fracture the support, cause attrition of the catalyst granules and hinder diffusion of the reactants both through the pores of the support and the interparticle spaces.

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Carboxymethyl Cellulose/Cellulose nanofibrils nanocomposite as coating for food packaging paper

ABSTRACT Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) can be modified to be used as a coating on food paper packaging. Previous research on PVA/CNF composites showed a low viscosity, which impacted their performance on the coating paper process. To overcome this problem, a thickening agent, such as carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), is needed. In this work, the effect of CMC on PVA/CMC/CNF nanocomposites was investigated by varying the concentrations of CMC with PVA/CMC and CNF ratio of 80:20 and 90:10. The nanocomposites were characterized by their physical and tensile properties which could affect their coating performance. Moreover, the coating process was conducted on paper and the performances of the coated paper were studied. The results showed that the increase in CMC concentration led to an increasing viscosity and good zeta potential, suggesting good dispersion. Moreover, the addition of CMC improved the tensile properties of PVA/CMC/CNF nanocomposites. However, SEM analysis of PVA/CMC-1:CNF (80:20) revealed the occurrence of agglomeration which might influence the performance of the coated paper. Interestingly, PVA/CMC-1:CNF (80:20) had an excellent water resistance, with the lowest Cobb60. Moreover, the addition of CMC 1 wt% increased WVTR, which remained lower than the blank sample. Meanwhile, PVA/CMC-2:CNF (80:20) demonstrated the best performance in the oil absorption and tearing resistance test. In summary, the addition of CMC can effectively improve the physical and tensile properties of the PVA/CMC/CNF, as well as the barrier properties and tear strength of the PVA/CMC/CNF coated paper. The results demonstrate the potency of this material as a coating for food packaging paper.

Complexes of glycated casein and carboxymethyl cellulose enhance stability and control release of anthocyanins

To improve the stability and sustained-release property of anthocyanins (ACNs), casein (CA) - dextran (DEX) glycated conjugates (UGCA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were used to prepare ACNs-loaded binary and ternary complexes. The ACNs-loaded binary complexes (ACNs-UGCA) and ternary complexes (ACNs-UGCA-CMC) achieved by 8 min’ ultrasonic treatment with 40 % amplitude. The binary and ternary complexes showed spherical structure and good dispersibility, with the average size of 121.2 nm and 132.4 nm respectively. The anthocyanins encapsulation efficiency of ACNs-UGCA-CMC increased almost 20 % than ACNs-UGCA. ACNs-UGCA-CMC had better colloidal stabilities than ACNs-UGCA, such as thermal stability and dilution stability. Simultaneously, both of the binary and ternary complexes significantly prevented anthocyanins from being degraded by heat treatment, ascorbic acid, sucrose and simulated gastrointestinal environment. The protective effect of ACNs-UGCA-CMC was more significant. Furthermore, ACNs-UGCA-CMC showed slower anthocyanins release in simulated releasing environment in vitro and a long retention time in vivo. Our current study provides a potential delivery for improving the stability and controlling release of anthocyanins.

Enhanced electron transfer pathway of zero-valent iron particles immobilized on coconut shell derived carbon for prolonged Cr(VI) removal

Immobilizing zero-valent iron (ZVI) with modulated structure and good dispersibility is of great potential for the elimination of Cr(VI) in contaminated water or soil, but exploring how the support facilitate and prolong the removal of Cr(VI) by ZVI in terms of the electron transfer is inadequate. Coconut shell derived carbon could be promising for Cr(VI) removal due to the features of large specific surface area and porosity. Accordingly, ZVI particles are dispersed into low-cost and scalable coconut shell derived carbon (CSC) matrix uniformly in this study, with enhanced contact area and interaction of ZVI with CSC for effective elimination of Cr(VI). The optimal ZVI/CSC-0.65 demonstrates an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 307.8 mg/g and long-life Cr(VI) cleanup ability over 144 h. The interface reaction mechanism between ZVI/CSC and Cr contaminant have been systematically studied by various techniques including XRD, SEM/TEM and XPS, etc. ZVI’s aggregation and passivation in ZVI/CSC-0.65 have been greatly alleviated. Further analysis by Tafel polarization and DFT computation suggests ZVI/CSC-0.65 undergoes fast electron transfer, with a much higher adsorption energy (−2.90 eV) than that of pristine ZVI (−0.63 eV). The Bader charge analysis demonstrates that there is 4.40 |e| charge transferring the ZVI to the carbon, encouraging the Cr(VI) adsorption. A micro-battery based mechanism is proposed which provides an additional electron transfer pathway in ZVI/CSC for long-term Cr(VI) removal.

Waste to health: Green synthesis of Zn loaded LTA zeolite prepared from waste glass and aluminum scrap with high antioxidant and antimicrobial activities

The aim of this study is to evaluate the in vitro antibacterial and the antioxidant activities of low cost ZnO@Zn-ZF2 zeolite. The carrier was Na-LTA type zeolite prepared from waste glass and aluminum scraps by alkaline fusion at 550 °C using NaOH as mineralizer followed by hydrothermal crystallization at 60 °C for 6 days. Three samples of ZnO@Zn-ZF2 were prepared with different amount of zinc (2, 4 and 6 wt%). The antioxidant activities of ZnO@Zn-ZF2 zeolite were evaluated by different methods, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical method, reducing power and β-carotene bleaching assay. All particles showed interesting antioxidant activities. Further, the prepared samples exhibited considerable antibacterial activity against Gram- and Gram + bacteria. The obtained results showed that 6ZnO@Zn-ZF2 zeolite had the highest antioxidant and antibacterial activities against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Micrococcus luteus, which can be attributed to the good dispersion of ZnO particles on the zeolite surface.

Finely Dispersed Fe3O4 and Ag Nanoparticles Adhered by Starch Nano‐layers: an Efficient Catalyst for the Synthesis of Pyrano[2,3‐d]Pyrimidines

AbstractHot‐water‐soluble starch (HWSS) was employed as binder for fabrication of a composite from magnetite and Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Electron microscopy images showed a good dispersion of magnetite NPs in the matrix of HWSS. This observation indicates that HWSS tends to coat the maximum surface of magnetite by encapsulation of individual magnetite NPs, leading to disassembly of their aggregates. The HWSS‐coated magnetite NPs were employed as nano‐support for immobilization of fine Ag NPs generated in situ via reduction of Ag+ cations by glucose. Monitoring of the formation and growth of Ag NPs by UV–Vis spectroscopy made it possible to set up an optimal condition for fabrication of the nano‐composite and to verify the supremacy of HWSS‐coated magnetite NPs over bare magnetite NPs as support in this new protocol. Valuable insights into the texture of the nano‐composite were obtained by VSM, FT‐IR and XRD studies. The bio‐derived nano‐composite displayed an interesting magnetic property and an efficient catalytic activity in the three‐component synthesis of pyrano[2,3‐d]pyrimidines. It is a robust heterogeneous catalyst and can be simply retrieved from reaction mixtures by magnetic separation method.

Preparation of Pt/CNT catalyst with high dispersion structure via plasma jet

A plasma jet (a high temperature jet formed by blowing a free arc through high pressure air) method based on free arc was carried out to disperse carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in gas phase while generating Pt nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) on them at the same time. The plasma jet is generated through the discharge between the cathode composed of CNTs, PtCl4 and DI water and the anode with a hole. Plasma jet prepares the Pt/CNT catalyst by directly spraying. The CNT carrier in the catalyst have good dispersion by SEM images. The mean size of Pt-NPs estimated by TEM images is 3.41 nm with the plasma jet method and about 4.77 nm with the commercial Pt/C respectively. It was showed that the bulk of Pt-NPs produced by plasma jet is in metal state in the analysis of XPS measurements. Compared with Pt/C, Pt/CNT have roughly equal catalytic activity and higher durability by cyclic voltammetry measurements. Based on these properties, the plasma injection method solves the problems of carrier dispersion and metal particle preparation at the same time, which greatly simplifies the catalyst preparation process.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Nanosized Polyaniline.

Polyaniline (PANI) is a conductive polymer easily converted into a conducting state. However, its limited mechanical properties have generated interest in fabricating PANI composites with other polymeric materials. In this study, a PANI-prevulcanized latex composite film was synthesized and fabricated in two phases following chronological steps. The first phase determined the following optimum parameters for synthesizing nanosized PANI, which were as follows: an initial molar ratio of 1, a stirring speed of 600 rpm, a synthesis temperature of 25 °C, purification via filtration, and washing using dopant acid, acetone, and distilled water. The use of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100, at 0.1% concentration favored PANI formation in a smaller particle size of approximately 600 nm and good dispersibility over seven days of observation compared to the use of anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) showed that the PANI synthesized using a surfactant was in the emeraldine base form, as the washing process tends to decrease the doping level in the PANI backbone. Our scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the optimized synthesis parameters produced colloidal PANI with an average particle size of 695 nm. This higher aspect ratio explained the higher conductivity of nanosized PANI compared to micron-sized PANI. Following the chronological steps to determine the optimal parameters produced a nanosized PANI powder. The nanosized PANI had higher conductivity than the micron-sized PANI because of its higher aspect ratio. When PANI is synthesized in smaller particle sizes, it has higher conductivity. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed that the current flow is higher across a 5 µm2 scanned area of nanosized PANI because it has a larger surface area. Thus, more sites for the current to flow through were present on the nanosized PANI particles.

Preparation of Self-microemulsion Solids of Kaempferia galanga (L.) Volatile Oil and Its Effect on Rats with Gastric Ulcer.

Kaempferia galanga volatile oil (KVO), the main effective component of the medicinal plant Kaempferia galanga L., possesses a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-angiogenic activities and has therapeutic potential for gastric ulcer (GU). However, poor solubility as well as instability limits the clinical application of KVO. In this study, K. galanga volatile oil self-microemulsion solids (KVO-SSMEDDS) were prepared to improve its bioavailability and stability, and the therapeutic effects were evaluated in a rat model with GU. The ratio of oil phase, emulsifier, and co-emulsifier in the KVO-SMEDDS prescription were optimized by plotting the pseudo-ternary phase diagram with the star point design-response surface method. Based on the optimal prescription, self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) was prepared as solid particles (S-SMEDDS). The prepared KVO-SSMEDDS had a rounded and non-adhesive appearance, formed an O/W emulsion after dissolution in water, and had a uniform particle size distribution with good stability and solubility. It was administered to GU model animals, and the results showed that a certain dose of KVO-SSMEDDS solution could increase the content of gastric mucosal protective factors PGE2, TGF-α, and EGF in gastric tissues and serum, and the expression of inflammatory factors IL-8 and TNF-α was downregulated. Meanwhile, the expression of the NF-κB/COX-2 pathway proteins was inhibited. In conclusion, the prepared KVO-SSMEDDS has good dispersion, solubility, and stability and has a therapeutic effect on rats with GU.

A fluorescent probe based on carbon quantum dots with spectral selectivity for sensitive detection of Cr(VI) and Hg(II) in environmental waters

In this paper, fluorescent carbon dots were prepared by hydrothermal method using 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid and l-Arginine as precursors. The synthesized CDs have excitation-dependent emission with emission peaks at 354 nm and 460 nm, corresponding to the optimal excitation wavelengths of 295 nm and 330 nm, respectively. CDs have good dispersion and resistance to photobleaching in aqueous solution, and can maintain stable fluorescence in highly concentrated salt environment. Based on the inner filter effect, Cr(VI) with strong absorption can shield the excitation light of CDs at 295 nm and absorb the emission fluorescence at 354 nm simultaneously. Due to the intermolecular electrostatic interaction, Hg(II) can coordinate with CDs surface groups and cause static quenching, which significantly reduces the fluorescence intensity of CDs emitted at 460 nm. The linear ranges were 0.1–2 μM and 0.4–5 μM for Cr(VI) and Hg(II) detection, respectively, and limits of detection were 0.024 μM and 0.084 μM. Additionally, the probe was successfully applied to tap water and lake water samples. With high sensitivity and spectral selectivity, this sensing strategy realized the detection of two heavy metal ions by a single fluorescent probe, demonstrating its great potential in the field of environmental metal analysis.

Electrostatic Spraying Microspheres of Nano Boron and Its Constant-Volume Combustion with Potassium Nitrate

ABSTRACT The nanometer boron (nB) powders have become the most promising high-energy additive in the field of fuel-rich solid propellants due to their extremely high gravimetric and volumetric calorific value. However, further applications are limited by its disadvantages such as easy agglomeration, easy oxidation, high ignition temperature, and incomplete energy release. Herein, nB powders were pre-agglomerated into microspheres by electrostatic spray method using fluoropolymer (F2602) as binders. The morphology and structure of the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray energy spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), infrared spectroscopy (IR), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). Results showed that the pre-agglomerated nB microspheres had good dispersion, high sphericity, and no surface oxide. The thermal performance and combustion performance of the samples were characterized by a synchronous thermal analyzer and combustion pressure test device. Results showed that the nB microspheres had the highest oxidation weight gain within 1000°C and lowest activation energy compared to the same scale micron boron. In addition, the microspheres significantly shorten the combustion time and improve the combustion efficiency.The pressurization rate of nB microspheres is 4.12 times that of micron boron powders and 2.85 times that of nB powders. These excellent properties may be related to its unique spherical porous structure. Therefore, the preparation of nB microspheres with controllable structure by electrostatic spraying has a good application prospect.

Amino acid-mediated amorphous copper sulphide with enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency for antibacterial application

Pathogenic bacteria in daily life, such as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), often seriously affect human life and health. The extensive use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, so it is urgent to develop efficient and non-drug-resistant sterilization methods. Here, we use small-molecule cysteine (Cys) as an auxiliary agent to synthesize spherical porous amorphous CuS-Cysteine (CuS-C) nanoparticles, which have good dispersion in aqueous solutions, and explore the reaction mechanism of Cys-induced CuS synthesis. The synthesized composite nanomaterials have strong near-infrared light absorption ability and efficient photothermal conversion ability and can effectively ablate pathogenic bacteria under the irradiation of an 808 nm laser. In addition, antibacterial experiments showed that CuS-C composites had no bactericidal effect without near-infrared light, but they had a good photothermal bactericidal effect on S. aureus and E. coli under radiation conditions. Considering the simple synthesis process, strong photothermal conversion ability, low cost, and suitability for large-scale production, CuS-C nanocomposites, as a promising antibacterial material, will provide a feasible scheme for the treatment of drug-resistant pathogens.

Converting Nanoflower-like Layered Double Hydroxides into Solvent-Free Nanofluids for CO2 Capture.

Due to the flexibility and versatility of the layered crystal structure of layered double hydroxides (LDHs), they have shown great potential in various fields. However, LDH nanosheets (LDH-NSs) are easy to agglomerate, leading to the problem of accumulation, which hinders their further application. Accordingly, once LDHs are combined with solvent-free nanofluids (SFNs), the advantages of LDHs and SFNs could be combined to achieve an extraordinary performance. However, the stacked structure of traditional LDHs is not conducive to the exposure of hydroxyl functional groups, and hydroxyl sites are key to the conversion of LDHs to SFNs. Therefore, in this work, nanoflower-like LDHs (NFLs) with abundant exposed hydroxyl groups were prepared and combined with organic oligomers to achieve a solid-to-liquid transition. The formation mechanism of NFLs and the grafting mechanism of OS-PEA on their surface were identified. The prepared NFL-F3 still has good fluidity and dispersion stability in different solvents after storage for 100 days. The high-saturated grafting density on the surface of NFLs increased the steric hindrance effect of the nanoparticles, thereby improving the dispersion stability and reducing the viscosity of NFL-F3. Notably, the CO2 sorption performance of NFL-F3 is significantly improved, which is attributed to the voids between polymers, physical sorption, and good fluidity caused by high-saturation grafting on the surface of NFL-F3. Finally, by combining the sorption behavior and model fitting, it was confirmed that the physical effect was dominant in CO2 sorption by the NFL-F, which saved energy for the sorption-desorption process of its industrial application. Moreover, NFL-F3 has a good CO2/N2 separation performance and cycle stability. We envision that this general strategy will open up new insights into the construction of innovative low-viscosity LDH-based SFNs with high CO2 capacity and facilitate CO2/N2 selectivity and offer new directions for LDH utilizations.

Stepwise−Process−Controlled Ligand Management Strategy for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Quantum Dot Solar Cells

CsPbI3 perovskite quantum dots (QDs) have attracted much attention in the field of solar cells because of their excellent photovoltaic properties. Conventional modification of long−chain insulating ligands can ensure good dispersion and film−forming stability of QDs, but the limitations of their low defect passivation ability and poor charge transport ability will make them fail to achieve high efficiency in the corresponding solar cell devices. In this study, by introducing “Benzylphosphonic acid” short−chain ligands to the surface of CsPbI3 QDs, the ligands were re−administered on the surface during the preparation of the CsPbI3 QDs as well as during the film−forming process. The strong coordination ability of Benzenephosphonic acid can effectively passivate defects on the surface of CsPbI3 QDs and inhibit non−radiative recombination and phase transition. Meanwhile, this short−chain ligand can effectively promote the charge exchange between adjacent QDs and improve the electrical transport properties of the film. The efficiency of the Benzylphosphonic acid−modified CsPbI3 QDs solar cell reaches 13.91% compared to the unmodified device (PCE of 11.4%). The storage stability and operation stability of the device are also significantly improved. (The efficiency remains at 91% of the original for 800 h of atmospheric storage; the efficiency remains at 92% of the original for 200 h of continuous light exposure.) The present strategy realizes the simultaneous improvement of photovoltaic properties and stability of CsPbI3 QD solar cells and also provides a reference for surface ligand engineering to realize highly efficient and stable perovskite quantum dot solar cells.

Embedding Multiple Magnetic Components in Carbon Nanostructures via Metal-Oxo Cluster Precursor for High-Efficiency Low-/Middle-Frequency Electromagnetic Wave Absorption.

With the advent of wireless technology, magnetic-carbon composites with strong electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption capability in low-/middle-frequency range are highly desirable. However, it remains challenging for rational construction of such absorbers bearing multiple magnetic components that show uniform distribution and favorable magnetic loss. Herein, a facile metal-oxo cluster (MOC) precursor strategy is presented to produce high-efficiency magnetic carbon composites. Nanosized MOC Fe15 shelled with organic ligands is employed as a novel magnetic precursor, thus allowing in situ formation and uniform deposition of multicomponent magnetic Fe/Fe3 O4 @Fe3 C and Fe/Fe3 O4 nanoparticles on graphene oxides (GOs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), respectively. Owing to the good dispersity and efficient magnetic-dielectric synergy, quaternary Fe/Fe3 O4 @Fe3 C-GO exhibits strong low-frequency absorption with RLmin of -53.5 dB at C-band and absorption bandwidth covering 3.44 GHz, while ultrahigh RLmin of -73.2 dB is achieved at X-band for ternary Fe/Fe3 O4 -CNT. The high performance for quaternary and ternary composites is further supported by the optimal specific EMW absorption performance (-15.7 dB mm-1 and -31.8 dB mm-1 ) and radar cross-section reduction (21.72 dB m2 and 34.37 dB m2 ). This work provides a new avenue for developing lightweight low-/middle-frequency EMW absorbers, and will inspire the investigation of more advanced EMW absorbers with multiple magnetic components and regulated microstructures.

Highly effective emulsion liquid membrane based on Triethylamine for extraction of heavy metals: investigation of extraction, de-extraction, swelling, and osmotic pressure gradient

The aim of this work is to produce a stable W/O primary emulsion which is able to extract a wide variety of heavy metals, namely Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Hg2+. The appropriate conditions through which a better extraction was obtained are: concentration of Span 80 (4 wt %); concentration of TEA (10 wt %); internal phase (HCl 0.5 M); emulsification time (4 min); Vmemb/Vint (2.08); Vemul/Vext (0.1); pH of the external solution (4.7) and stirring speed (150 rpm). A second recycling of the emulsion resulted in a drop in extraction about 40%. The morphological study confirmed a good dispersion of internal globules and a good stability of emulsion for up to 60 days. The extraction of metal cations showed very high extraction (> 90%) with very fast kinetics. However, it has been shown that the type of anion to which the metal cation is bound, only affects the extraction efficiency above 100 mg/L. Results extraction of heavy metals are in good analogy with evolution of the osmotic pressure difference between the internal and external phases, leading to a significant swelling of emulsion, while de-extraction also appears to be in accord with extraction with a slightly slower rate.

Organosilicon-grafted silica nanoparticles for vat photopolymerization: Evolution from organic/inorganic hybrid materials to ceramics

Three-dimensional (3D) printing ceramics based on vat photopolymerization (VPP) have attracted increasing interest in recent years because of their intrinsic properties and a wide range of potential applications. To overcome the drawbacks of traditional printing slurries, such as weak interlayer bonding and high viscosity, a series of organosilicon-grafted silica nanoparticles with a core/shell structure were prepared. These grafted nanoparticles possess small size (around 20 nm), good dispersion in photoactive diluents, and excellent photoactivity. Based on them, organic/inorganic hybrid materials with uniform microstructure and excellent mechanical performance (compressive stress 235.4 ± 33.2 MPa) were obtained by the vat photopolymerization technique. Further, oxide ceramics and carbide/oxide ceramic composites (compressive stress around 15 MPa) were prepared by calcination in air and argon, respectively. This study demonstrates the synthesis of organic/inorganic hybrid silica nanoparticles with good photoactivity, and their promising application as 3D-printable raw materials.

Chemically Functionalized Graphene–Boron Nitride/Polypropylene Nanocomposites with Enhanced Nanomechanical and Anti-wear Properties

Polymers are soft materials with large molecular chains, which are softened during frictional wear, leading to bulk detachment of materials and poor wear resistance in addition to their low mechanical strength and hardness. This study developed polypropylene nanocomposites containing hydrothermal assembled graphene and boron nitride (BN@GNs) with good mechanical properties and wear resistance. To ensure good dispersion of the nanoparticles in the polypropylene (PP) matrix, they were functionalized and preparation of masterbatch using polypropylene maleic anhydride (PPMA) was adopted, while the polymer nanocomposites for this study were developed via melt compounding. The addition of the nanoparticles in the PP matrix promoted its wear resistance as all the developed nanocomposites showed a low coefficient of friction (CoF). The wear rate of the nanocomposites was dramatically reduced to a minimum of 2.05 × 10−4 mm3/Nm for the PP/3wt%BN@GNs nanocomposite from around 24.9 × 10−4 mm3/Nm for the pure PP. The nanoindentation test results of the nanocomposites also revealed improvement in their nanomechanical characteristics. For instance, PP/3wt%BN@GNs nanocomposite showed an ideal increase of about 124% nano-hardness and 65.7% nano-elastic modulus when compared to pure PP. In comparison to pure PP, all of the developed nanocomposites displayed lower nano-percentage creep and nanoindenter’s tip penetration depth, which suggest greater plastic deformation resistance.

Preparation of Ni–B composite coating doped with hydrothermally modified synthetic WC@MoS2 powders via ultrasonic-assisted jet electrodeposition for corrosion protection

This work aims to improve nanoparticle agglomeration, which hinders the application of nanoparticles in enhancing coating properties. Superhydrophobic and corrosion-resistant Ni–B– MoS2@WC composite coatings were prepared with the help of a simple and inexpensive combination of hydrothermal and electrodeposition techniques. Hydrothermal treatment at 180°C for 24h greatly reduced the specific surface area and improved the hydrophobicity of WC@MoS2 powder. The WC@MoS2 powder showed good dispersion stability in the electrolyte solution. Ni–B/WC@MoS2 composite coatings were prepared through codeposition with metallic Ni2+ under the action of ultrasonic waves. WC@MoS2 powder doping induced the coatings to exhibit a selective orientation of the (111) crystal plane. Ultrasound-induced cavitation increased the participation of nanopowders in the adsorption codeposition of Ni ions. After WC@MoS2 powder doping, the surface roughness of the prepared composite coatings furthered significantly, facilitating the wettability transition. This work investigated the relationship between the surface wettability of the coatings prepared via jet electrodeposition and WC@MoS2 powder doping under auxiliary ultrasonic power. In addition, the effect of surface hydrophobicity on corrosion resistance was examined through electrochemical corrosion tests. The enhanced corrosion resistance of the composite coatings benefits from their enhanced surface roughness and superhydrophobicity. This research offers a proven strategy for improving nanopowders' wettability and composite coatings' corrosion resistance.

One-pot synthesis of ultrasmall ferric ion coupled mitoxantrone nanoparticles for high bioavailability and effective chemo-ferroptosis combination therapy of breast cancer

Mitoxantrone (MIT) as a first line anticancer drug, is usually suffered from poor bioavailability upon in vivo application. Although previous studies have developed some carriers to improve its bioavailability, they also have the shortage of low drug loading and reproducibility. Herein, we proposed a facile one-pot method to synthesize ultrasmall ferric ion coupled mitoxantrone nanoparticles (Fe-MIT NPs) for effective therapy of breast cancer. The important finding includes: 1) The Fe-MIT NPs exhibited an average size of 40 nm with good dispersity and prolonged circulation in the bloodstream; 2) Fe-MIT NPs showed a high degree of accumulation within the tumor; 3) Fe-MIT NPs had a notable chemotherapy effect on cancer cells, which was achieved by increasing intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS); 4) The loaded Fe3+ within Fe-MIT NPs initiated ferroptosis through the Fenton reaction; 5) The ultrasmall size of the Fe-MIT NPs enabled better penetration of tumors. Therefore, when compared to free MIT, the Fe-MIT NPs delivered superior anticancer benefits. These benefits were observed in MCF-7 cells, MCF-7 multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTS), and MCF-7 tumor-bearing models.