Good Water Dispersibility Research Articles

Anti-corrosive properties of vermiculite-enhanced waterborne epoxy resins with two-dimensional exfoliation

Abstract Although waterborne epoxy resin coatings are widely used in the field of anti-corrosion, micropores and micro defects in their coatings are the key factors restricting their further development. The exfoliated vermiculite was stripped by a physical one-step stripping method, with good water dispersion and dense lamellar structure. As the nano-filler, it can effectively fill the micro defects in the coating, make the coating structure more compact, and effectively prevent the intrusion of corrosive media. When exfoliated vermiculite was added at 1%, two orders of magnitude increased the electrochemical impedance modulus to 2.276×106 Ω cm2 and the corrosion current was correspondingly reduced to 1.186×10−8 A cm−2, showing excellent corrosion resistance. Adding 1% exfoliated vermiculite creates a “labyrinth effect” in the coating that extends the penetration path of the corrosion particles, thus effectively preventing corrosion of the underlying metal substrate. This enables the coating to better cope with harsh corrosive environments and provides a viable idea for coating protection.

Antihepatoma activity of Marsdenia tenacissima polysaccharide-decorated selenium nanoparticles by regulating the Bax/Bcl-2/caspases and p21/Akt/cyclin A2 signaling pathways

Combining selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) with bioactive polysaccharides is one of the effective ways to overcome the shortcomings of SeNPs and polysaccharides and obtain novel antitumor drug candidates. In this study, a heteropolysaccharide (MTP70) with moderate antihepatoma activity was isolated from the stems of Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn. To further improve the antihepatoma activity of MTP70 and the application of SeNPs, a novel stable nanoparticle (MTP-SeNP) was designed and fabricated. MTP-SeNPs (Se content of 8.25 %) were characterized as monodisperse spherical nanoparticles (50 nm) with MTP70 wrapped on the surface of the SeNPs by the formation of CO⋯Se bonds and possessed high stability and good dispersion in water for almost a month. In addition, MTP-SeNPs showed higher inhibitory effect compared with MTP70. MTP-SeNPs could effectively inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HepG2 cells by inducing apoptosis and arresting the cell cycle at the S phase, which were closely related to the activation of the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspases and p21/Akt/Cyclin A2 signaling pathways. Our results provide a theoretical basis for further development and application of M. tenacissima polysaccharide, and show that MTP-SeNPs could be explored as a promising anti-hepatoma agent in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries.

Graphene Oxide-Based Antifungal Pesticide Delivery System for Tobacco Fungal Disease (Tobacco Target Spot) Control.

In recent years, nanocarrier-based pesticide delivery systems have provided new possibilities for the efficient utilization of pesticides. In this research, we developed a hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin-modified graphene oxide (GO-HP-β-CD) nanocarrier for pyraclostrobin (Pyr) delivery and studied its application for tobacco target spot disease control. GO-HP-β-CD has excellent pesticide-loading performance for Pyr (adsorption capacity of 1562.5 mg/g) and good water dispersibility and stability. Besides, GO-HP-β-CD shows pH-responsive release performance. In addition, GO-HP-β-CD also has better leaf affinity than Pyr, and it can effectively adhere to the leaf surface after simulated washing. The results of antifungal experiments indicate that GO-HP-β-CD-Pyr has a good preventive effect on tobacco target spot disease, and its EC50 value is 0.384 mg/L, which is lower than Pyr. Specifically, this nanopesticide formulation does not contain toxic organic solvent or additive, so it has good environmental friendliness. Therefore, we believe that the GO-HP-β-CD-Pyr nanopesticide has brilliant potential in the prevention and control of tobacco diseases.

Study on the Reuse of Shield Mud from Clay Stratum in Synchronous Grouting Slurry

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of replacing the fly ash in synchronous grouting material by reusing the shield mud produced in the clay stratum during the shield construction of Wuhan Rail Transit Line 11. The test utilizes the shield mud from the clay stratum to replace the fly ash material in synchronous grouting at percentages of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%, and research and analyses are conducted on the fluidity, stability, strength, and resistance to water dispersion of the slurry after the replacement; at the same time, improvements in the undesirable phenomenon produced by the synchronous grouting slurry are also examined after the replacement. The results show that, when the fly ash is replaced by shield mud at 80%, the mortar still has good stability and strength performance, but, at the same time, the initial value of consistency and the phenomenon of flow time loss is too large. Through the adjustment of the water–binder ratio and the addition of an appropriate amount of a polycarboxylate superplasticizer agent, the adverse phenomenon of the slurry is effectively improved, and the compressive strength and ease of the slurry are also improved. At the same time, when adding an appropriate amount of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), the slurry has good water dispersion resistance, but, with the gradual increase in HEMC, the fluidity of the slurry deteriorates and the compressive strength decreases. The test proves that the shield mud in the clay stratum can be used to replace most of the fly ash in an appropriate proportion, which not only solves the problem of the shield mud being difficult to work with, but also provides more valuable insights for tunneling projects.

A Green Synthesis of Au-Ag Alloy Nanoparticles using Polydopamine Chemistry: Evaluation of their Anticancer Potency Towards Both MCF-7 Cells and their Cancer Stem Cells Subgroup.

Limited chemotherapy efficacy and cancer stem cells (CSCs)-induced therapeutic resistance are major difficulties for tumour treatment. Adopting more efficient therapies to eliminate bulk-sensitive cancer cells and resistant CSCs is urgently needed. Based on the potential and functional complementarity of gold and silver nanoparticles (AuNPs or AgNPs) on tumour treatment, bimetallic NPs (alloy) have been synthesized to obtain improved or even newly emerging bioactivity from a combination effect. This study reported a facile, green and economical preparation of Au-Ag alloy NPs using biocompatible polydopamine (PDA) as a reductant, capping, stabilizing and hydrophilic agent. These alloy NPs were quasi-spherical with rough surfaces and recorded in diameters of 80 nm. In addition, these alloy NPs showed good water dispersity, stability and photothermal effect. Compared with monometallic counterparts, these alloy NPs demonstrated a dramatically enhanced cytotoxic/pro-apoptotic/necrotic effect towards bulk-sensitive MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The underlying mechanism regarding the apoptotic action was associated with a mitochondria-mediated pathway, as evidenced by Au3+/Ag+ mediated Mitochondria damage, ROS generation, DNA fragmentation and upregulation of certain apoptotic-related genes (Bax, P53 and Caspase 3). Attractively, these Au-Ag alloy NPs showed a remarkably improved inhibitory effect on the mammosphere formation capacity of MCF-7 CSCs. All the positive results were attributed to incorporated properties from Au, Ag and PDA, the combination effect of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy and the nano-scaled structure of Au-Ag alloy NPs. In addition, the high biocompatibility of Au-Ag alloy NPs supported them as a good candidate in cancer therapy.

Modulated upconversion luminescence of water-dispersed NaErF4@NaYF4 nanoparticles by introducing Tm3+/Ho3+ as energy capture centers under multi-wavelength NIR excitation

Water-dispersed red upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have great application prospects in the biomedical field. Thus, a series of Er3+-based upconversion nanoparticles (Er-UCNPs) with excellent red upconversion luminescence under three-wavelength NIR excitation (808/980/1550 nm) were prepared by a simple thermal decomposition method, and then further functionalized by PAA to achieve good water dispersibility. Compared with NaErF4 bare core, the emission intensity of Er-UCNPs samples doping of 0.5%Tm3+ and 0.5%Ho3+ as energy capture centers was significantly enhanced, and further improved after coating with NaYF4 inert shell. Meanwhile, among all Er-UCNPs@NaYF4 samples, NaErF4@NaYF4 exhibited the highest emission intensity and longest luminescence lifetime due to the efficient suppression of luminescence quenching effect, while NaErF4:0.5%Tm3+@NaYF4 showed highest red luminescence purity owing to the energy transfer process between Tm3+(3H5) and Er3+(4I13/2). The hydrophilic Er-UCNPs@NaYF4@PAA samples still maintained good red luminescence under multi-wavelength excitation. The luminescence enhancement mechanism in Er-UCNPs@NaYF4 was discussed in detail based on spectral characteristics. The as-prepared water-dispersed Er-UCNPs@NaYF4@PAA with bright red luminescence under multi-wavelength NIR excitation will have potential applications in targeted therapy and deep tissue imaging.

Site engineering of linear conjugated polymers to regulate oxygen adsorption affinity for boosting photocatalytic production of hydrogen peroxide without sacrificial agent

Artificial photosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a hopeful alternative to the industrial anthraquinone process. However, rational fabrication of the photocatalysts for the production of H2O2 without any sacrificial agents is still a formidable challenge. Herein, two kinds of linear conjugated polymers (LCPs) including pyridinic N functionalized polymer (DEB-N2) and pyridinic N non-contained polymer (DEB-N0) were successfully synthesized. DEB-N2 displays enhanced light capturing ability and good dispersion in water, leading to a substantial initial H2O2 generation rate of 3492μmol g-1h−1 as well as remarkable photocatalytic stability in pure water. Furthermore, the temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and density functional theory (DFT) analysis reveal that highly electronegative pyridine-N atoms in DEB-N2 boost the adsorption affinity of oxygen molecules, which facilitates the occurrence of the oxygen reduction reaction, therefore enhancing the performance of photocatalytic H2O2 production. This study unveils that the presence of pyridinic N in DEB-N2 has a significant impact on photocatalytic H2O2 production, suggesting the precise manipulation of the chemical structure of polymer photocatalysts is essential to achieve efficient solar-to-chemical energy conversion.

Biocompatible fluorescent carbon nanoparticles as nanocarriers for targeted delivery of tamoxifen for regression of Breast carcinoma

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among females worldwide, and its high metastasis rates are the leading cause of death just after lung cancer. Currently, tamoxifen (TAM) is a hydrophobic anticancer agent and a selective estrogen modulator (SERM), approved by the FDA that has shown potential anticancer activity against BC, but the non-targeted delivery has serious side effects that limit its ubiquitous utility. Therefore, releasing anti-cancer drugs precisely to the tumor site can improve efficacy and reduce the side effects on the body. Nanotechnology has emerged as one of the most important strategies to solve the issue of overdose TAM toxicity, owing to the ability of nano-enabled formulations to deliver desirable quantity of TAM to cancer cells over a longer period of time. In view of this, use of fluorescent carbon nanoparticles in targeted drug delivery holds novel promise for improving the efficacy, safety, and specificity of TAM therapy. Here, we synthesized biocompatible carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) using chitosan molecules without any toxic surface passivating agent. Synthesized CNPs exhibit good water dispersibility and emit intense blue fluorescence upon excitation (360 nm source). The surface of the CNPs has been functionalized with folate using click chemistry to improve the targeted drug uptake by the malignant cell. The pH difference between cancer and normal cells was successfully exploited to trigger TAM release at the target site. After six hours of incubation, CNPs released ∼ 74 % of the TAM drug in acidic pH. In vitro, studies have also demonstrated that after treatment with the synthesized CNPs, significant inhibition of the tumor growth could be achieved.

A biomimetic lubricating nanosystem for synergistic therapy of osteoarthritis

Failure of articular cartilage lubrication and inflammation are the main causes of osteoarthritis (OA), and integrated treatment realizing joint lubrication and anti-inflammation is becoming the most effective treat model. Inspired by low friction of human synovial fluid and adhesive chemical effect of mussels, our work reports a biomimetic lubricating system that realizes long-time lubrication, photothermal responsiveness and anti-inflammation property. To build the system, a dopamine-mediated strategy is developed to controllably graft hyaluronic acid on the surface of metal organic framework. The design constructs a biomimetic core–shell structure that has good dispersity and stability in water with a high drug loading ratio of 99%. Temperature of the solution rapidly increases to 55 °C under near-infrared light, and the hard-soft lubricating system well adheres to wear surfaces, and greatly reduces frictional coefficient by 75% for more than 7200 times without failure. Cell experiments show that the nanosystem enters cells by endocytosis, and releases medication in a sustained manner. The anti-inflammatory outcomes validate that the nanosystem prevents the progression of OA by down-regulating catabolic proteases and pain-related genes and up-regulating genes that are anabolic in cartilage. The study provides a bioinspired strategy to employ metal organic framework with controlled surface and structure for friction reduction and anti-inflammation, and develops a new concept of OA synergistic therapy model for practical applications.

The influence of multi-scale tough liquid fiber toughening agent on the mechanical properties of oil well cement-based composite materials

Cementing is a key process in drilling engineering, and the cement sheath in cementing can sometime have problems such as significant brittleness, low toughness, and low resistance to impact damage, especially in perforation and fracturing environments where the cement sheath is more susceptible to damage. In response to the above issues, three types of inorganic carbon fibers, including 1 mm carbon fiber, 2 mm carbon fiber, and nanocarbon fiber, were studied indoors to investigate the influence of their ratios on the mechanical properties of cement paste. The optimal mixture of 1 mm carbon fiber, 2 mm carbon fiber, and nanocarbon fiber in a ratio of 3:2:1 was selected, and a multi-scale liquid fiber toughening agent BS-54 was obtained through special liquefaction process treatment. The liquid fiber toughening agent BS-54 has good water dispersibility and can evenly disperse in the slurry water, effectively improving the dispersion and addition of multi-scale fibers in cement slurry. The cement slurry prepared with multi-scale dispersed liquid fiber toughening agent has good rheological properties, water loss, and thickening properties. The addition of multi-scale dispersed liquid fiber toughening agent to cement slurry significantly increases the tensile strength, impact strength, and compressive strength of cement paste, effectively reduces the elastic modulus of cement paste, improves the strength of cement paste, and achieves toughening effect. Microscopic analysis shows that the active nanoparticles dispersed by multi-scale dispersed liquid fiber toughening agents can interweave between gaps, and the dense cross-linked structure formed by their multi-scale micro nano structure improves the toughness and strength of cement slurry. Moreover, the multi-scale dispersed liquid fiber toughening agent cement slurry ensures that the cement stone sample has good integrity under external impact, which is conducive to improving the impact resistance of the cement stone.

Preparation and characterization of hybrid polypyrrole nanoparticles as a conducting polymer with controllable size

Hybrid polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles were prepared using a low-temperature oxidative polymerization process in an acidic solution with polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a template and amine source. The results showed that the nanoparticles have an amorphous structure in the X-ray diffractogram and exhibited good dispersibility in water, uniform size, and a specific conductivity ranging from 0.1 to 6.9 S/cm. The particle size could be tuned from 85 to 300 nm by varying the reactant concentration. Undoping the samples with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution altered the optical absorption properties and surface roughness of the particles. However, it did not affect the particle size. The nanoparticles also exhibited optical sensing properties based on their UV–vis absorption changes with the pH. Moreover, nanoparticles could have potential applications in gene delivery and bio-adsorption for contaminant removal. This work demonstrates a simple and effective method for preparing hybrid polypyrrole nanoparticles with controllable size, dispersibility, and conductivity for various nanotechnology, biotechnology, and environmental engineering purposes.

Combustion Synthesis of Functionalized Carbonated Boron Nitride Nanoparticles and Their Potential Application in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

In this research, we developed boron-rich nanoparticles that can be used for boron neutron capture therapy as potential carriers for boron delivery to cancerous tissues. Functionalized carbonated boron nitride nanostructures (CBNs) were successfully synthesized in self-propagating combustion waves in mixtures of high-nitrogen explosives and boron compounds. The products’ composition, morphology, and structural features were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen sorption analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The extreme conditions prevailing in combustion waves favor the formation of nanosized CBN hollow grains with highly disordered structures that are properly functionalized on the surface and inside the particles. Therefore, they are characterized by high porosity and good dispersibility in water, which are necessary for medical applications. During biological tests, a concentration-dependent effect of the obtained boron nitride preparations on the viability of normal and neoplastic cells was demonstrated. Moreover, the assessment of the degree of binding of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles to selected cells confirmed the relationships between the cell types and the concentration of the preparation at different incubation time points.

The Preparation of Crumpled Graphene Oxide Balls and Research in Tribological Properties.

In this study, crumpled graphene oxide balls (CGBs) were prepared via capillary compression using a rapidly evaporating aerosol droplet method. The CGBs were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The size distributions of crumpled particles were obtained using a laser nanometer particle size analyzer (DLS). The dispersibility of the water and the ionic liquid (IL) was tested by ultrasonic dispersion. The tribological properties of water or ionic liquids containing crumpled graphene oxide ball additives (W/IL-CGB) were tested by a reciprocating friction tester and compared with water/ionic liquids with graphene oxide. The morphology of the wear scar was observed by a three-dimensional optical microscope and its lubrication mechanism was analyzed. The results show that the CGBs were successfully prepared by rapid evaporation of aerosol droplets, and the obtained CGBs were crumpled paper spheres. The CGBs had good water dispersion and ionic liquid dispersion, and IL-CGB has excellent anti-friction and anti-wear effects on steel-steel friction pairs. During the friction process, the CGB was adsorbed at the interface of the steel-steel friction pair to form a protective layer, which avoids the direct contact of the friction pair, thereby reducing friction and wear.

Rod-shaped cellulose nanocrystal/Cu9S5 antibacterial nanocomposites for microfiltration

The development of high-performance antibacterial agents is crucial for controlling bacterial contamination and water purification, while the easy aggregation of the nanomaterials significantly limits their antibacterial activities. Inspired by the palygorskite nanorods' immobilization effect for nanoparticles and rod-shaped structure and surface-rich groups of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), we in-situ grew the Cu9S5 nanoparticles on the renewable CNCs of different length/diameter ratios to fabricate cellulose nanocrystal/Cu9S5 (CNC/Cu9S5) antibacterial nanocomposites. The size of Cu9S5 nanoparticles shrank from 44 nm before compounding with CNCs to around 4 nm after in-situ growing on CNCs surface, and the obtained CNC/Cu9S5 nanocomposites with good water dispersibility showed excellent antibacterial properties (CNC-M/Cu9S5: 4.6 log reduction rate of S. aureus) by combining the physical puncture effect of CNC-M and copper ions releasing. Afterward, the antibacterial glass fiber/CNC-M/Cu9S5 microfiltration membrane was constructed by depositing the CNC-M/Cu9S5 on glass fiber microfiltration membrane, which showed high filtration flux, high retention capacity for bacteria and good bactericidal performance (>99.9% sterilization rate for S. aureus), suggesting its great potential for water purification.

Increasing the Particle Size and Magnetic Property of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles through a Segregated Nucleation and Growth Process.

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) with good water dispersibility were prepared by the thermal decomposition of iron acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)3) in the high-boiling organic solvent polyethylene glycol (PEG) using polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a modifier. The nucleation and growth processes of the crystals were separated during the reaction process by batch additions of the reaction material, which could inhibit the nucleation but maintain the crystal growth, and products with larger particle sizes and high saturation magnetization were obtained. The method of batch addition of the reactant prepared IONs with the largest particle size and the highest saturation magnetization compared with IONs reported using PEG as the reaction solvent. The IONs prepared by this method also retained good water dispersibility. Therefore, these IONs are potentially suitable for the magnetic separation of cells, proteins, or nucleic acids when large magnetic responses are needed.

Fabrication of PVA-based electromagnetic interference shielding composite film by improving the dispersibility of carbon nanomaterial via m-LDH modification

A good dispersion of carbon (C) nanoparticles is a crucial factor to ensure good electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) performance of polymer-based composite films. In the present work, water-dispersed monolayer layered double hydroxides (m-LDH) was used to modify the C nanoparticles via an in-situ growth method and applied as the conductive fillers for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composite films. The prepared C@m-LDH hybrids displayed good water dispersibility due to the in-situ growth of m-LDH with high dispersibility and small particle size on the surface of C nanoparticles, as well as the synergistic effect of styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer attached to the m-LDH surface. The property testing experiments for the PVA composite films demonstrated that compared with pristine C nanoparticles, as-prepared C@m-LDH hybrids exhibited greatly enhanced the electrical conductivity and higher EMI SE performance. Moreover, PVA/C@m-LDH composite film exhibit remarkably low permeation thresholds, especially PVA/CB@m-LDH composite film, CB@m-LDH content is only 0.4 wt%. In order to further improve the electrical conductivity and EMI SE performance, hybrid fillers of CB@m-LDH/CNT@m-LDH were added in the composite films with different mass ratios. Among, the polymer composite films containing 30 wt% CB@m-LDH/CNT@m-LDH with a mass ratio of 12:1 achieves a high EMI SE value up to 29 dB at a thickness of 0.2 mm, indicating the potential use of these materials for electromagnetic shielding application in the X-band frequency region. The present study paves the way for designing high-performance polymer-based composite film by Cnanoparticles functionalization and altering processing conditions for efficient microwave shielding material.

Advancements in the synthesis of carbon dots and their application in biomedicine

As a sort of fluorescent carbon nanomaterial with a particle size of less than 10 nm, carbon dots (CDs) have their own merits of good dispersibility in water, stable optical properties, strong chemical inertness, stable optical properties, and good biosecurity. These excellent peculiarities facilitated them like sensing, imaging, medicine, catalysis, and optoelectronics, making them a new star in the field of nanotechnology. In particular, the development of CDs in the fields of chemical probes, imaging, cancer therapy, antibacterial and drug delivery has become a hot topic in current research. Although the biomedical applications in CDs have been demonstrated in many research articles, a systematic summary of their role in biomedical applications is scarce. In this review, we introduced the basic information of CDs in detail, including synthesis approaches of CDs as well as their favorable properties including photoluminescence and low cytotoxicity. Subsequently, the application of CDs in the field of biomedicine was emphasized. Finally, the main challenges and research prospects of CDs in this field were proposed, which might provide some detailed information in designing new CDs in this promising biomedical field.

Tuning Surface, Phase, and Magnetization of Superparamagnetic Magnetite by Ionic Liquids: Single-Step Microwave-Assisted Synthesis.

Achieving colloidal and chemical stability in ferrofluids by surface modification requires multiple steps, including purification, ex situ modification steps, and operation at high temperatures. In this study, a single-step microwave-assisted methodology is developed for iron oxide nanoparticle (IONP) synthesis utilizing a series of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) with chloride, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, and pyrrolide anions as the reaction media, thus eliminating the use of volatile organics while enabling rapid synthesis at 80 °C as well as in situ surface functionalization. The characterized surface functionality, hydrodynamic particle size, magnetization, and colloidal stability of the IONPs demonstrate a strong dependence on the IL structure, ion coordination strength, reactivity, and hydrophilicity. The IONPs present primarily a magnetite (Fe3O4) phase with superparamagnetism with the highest saturation magnetization at 81 and 73 emu/g at 10 and 300 K, respectively. Depending on the IL coating, magnetization and exchange anisotropy decrease by 20 and 2-3 emu/g (at 35 wt % IL), respectively, but still represent the highest magnetization achieved for coated IONPs by a coprecipitation method. Further, the surface-functionalized superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles show good dispersibility and colloidal stability in water and dimethyl sulfoxide at 0.1 mg/mL concentration over the examined 3 month period. This study reports on the intermolecular and chemical interactions between the particle surface and the ILs under synthetic conditions as they relate to the magnetic and thermal properties of the resulting IONPs that are well suited for a variety of applications, including separation and catalysis.

A novel ternary magnetic nanobiocomposite based on tragacanth-silk fibroin hydrogel for hyperthermia and biological properties.

This study involves the development of a new nanocomposite material for use in biological applications. The nanocomposite was based on tragacanth hydrogel (TG), which was formed through cross-linking of Ca2+ ions with TG polymer chains. The utilization of TG hydrogel and silk fibroin as natural compounds has enhanced the biocompatibility, biodegradability, adhesion, and cell growth properties of the nanobiocomposite. This advancement makes the nanobiocomposite suitable for various biological applications, including drug delivery, wound healing, and tissue engineering. Additionally, Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized in situ within the nanocomposite to enhance its hyperthermia efficiency. The presence of hydrophilic groups in all components of the nanobiocomposite allowed for good dispersion in water, which is an important factor in increasing the effectiveness of hyperthermia cancer therapy. Hemolysis and 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the nanobiocomposite for in-vivo applications. Results showed that even at high concentrations, the nanobiocomposite had minimal hemolytic effects. Finally, the hyperthermia application of the hybrid scaffold was evaluated, with a maximum SAR value of 41.2W/g measured in the first interval.

Investigating antitumor therapeutic efficacy using magnetic hyperthermia of Fe3O4 nanoparticles

Four sets of Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal method using ethylene glycol (EG) and water reaction mixture. The EG coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles were characterized using XRD (X-ray diffraction) and DLS (dynamic light scattering). The nanoparticles hydrodynamic sizes are in the range 60-100 nm and showed good dispersibility in water and cellular medium without any aggregation. The specific absorption rate (SAR) under an alternating magnetic field (AMF) was measured to evaluate the magneto hyperthermic effect of the nanoparticles under field amplitudes of 51.85, 43.87, 35.89, and 27.92 kA/m and field frequencies in the range 384.5-167.30 kHz. The nanoparticles synthesized using 30% EG showed the highest SAR value of 372.95 W/g, whereas the particles synthesized using 70% EG showed a SAR value of 217.12 W/g. SAR values show a linear dependency on the AC frequency whereas the field amplitude displayed a nonlinear effect on the SAR. Breast cancer cells (MDA) treated with the nanoparticles for 30 minutes under an AMF of frequency of 384.5 kHz and strength of 24.67 kA/m showed a 50% decrease in cell viability. The cellular viability further decreased to 25% after 24 h treatment under the AMF which is remarkable for the therapeutic application of the nanoparticles. The apoptotic cell death showed a dependency on the AMF frequency and strength combinations.