Hexagonal Nanoparticles Research Articles

Non-invasive ultra-sensitive detection of breast cancer biomarker using cerium nanoparticle functionalized graphene oxide enabled impedimetric aptasensor

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane protein and a key biomarker implicated in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Early and precise detection of EGFR is crucial for effective diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic intervention. However, conventional EGFR detection techniques, such as biopsy and immunohistochemistry, are often invasive, time-consuming, and limited in sensitivity, highlighting the demand for non-invasive, highly sensitive detection methods. In this study, we fabricated a cerium oxide (CeO₂) and graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite-based aptasensor for the non-invasive detection of EGFR using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The CeO₂-GO nanocomposite was synthesized via the sol-gel method and characterized through UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, and XRD, confirming the crystalline structure of hexagonal CeO₂ nanoparticles on amorphous GO sheets. The nanocomposite was functionalized with aptamers specific to EGFR using covalent coupling reactions. The EIS analysis of the fabricated aptasensor (GCE/CeO₂-GO/EGFR-Apt/BSA) demonstrated a wide linear detection range from 10 fg mL-1 to 100 ng mL-1, with an ultralow detection limit of 1.87 fg mL-1 in PBS, 3.16 fg mL-1 in serum, 5.31 fg mL-1 in sweat, and 6.14 fg mL-1 in saliva samples. These results highlight the aptasensor's high sensitivity, specificity, and potential for real-time, non-invasive EGFR monitoring in clinical samples such as serum, sweat, and saliva. This approach would facilitate early detection of cancer and personalized diagnostics in point-of-care settings.

Direct detection of melamine in milk via surface-enhanced Raman scattering using gold-silver anisotropic nanostructures

As the degree of anisotropy in nanoparticle morphology increases, the resulting electromagnetic enhancement can be significantly intensified. Herein, we have attempted to develop anisotropic gold-silver (a-AuAg) nanoparticles deposited on a titanium sheet (a-AuAg@Ti) as a highly efficient Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) sensor for rapid detection of health-hazardous milk adulterants like melamine. Hierarchical a-AuAg nanoparticles have been synthesized via a facile seed and growth-mediated method, followed by immobilization on a titanium sheet using a drop-casting technique. The structural, morphological, chemical, and optical properties of a-AuAg@Ti sensors have been systematically investigated and correlated with their respective SERS performance. Morphological analysis revealed the occurrence of triangular, hexagonal, and pentagonal-shaped nanoparticles with an average particle size of ∼ 23 to 26 nm. Preliminary SERS analysis using Rhodamine 6G (R6G) probe molecule revealed significantly higher SERS activity for a-AuAg nanoparticles compared to their spherical counterparts. This could be attributed to the lightning rod effect associated with the synthesized anisotropic nanostructures. An enhancement factor of 1.7 x 108 has been estimated for a-AuAg@Ti sensor with excellent signal reproducibility. Further, the efficacy of melamine detection has been investigated by spiking it into water and milk samples. The estimated lower detection limit (LDL) near picomolar and nanomolar concentrations have been obtained for melamine-spiked samples in water and milk, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis for melamine revealed an LDL of only 0.1 µM, indicating the higher sensitivity of a-AuAg@Ti SERS sensor. Moreover, we have also analyzed commercial milk products to verify the melamine contents, but none of them showed melamine-specific fingerprint bands. Our findings highlight the superior sensitivity of a-AuAg@Ti substrates for real-time melamine detection, making them excellent optical sensing tools for food safety analysis.

Highly efficient catalytic activity of MXene Nanosheet supported on CuFeO2 nanoparticles applied on hydrogen evolution

The development of efficient and clean renewable energy to replace fossil fuels has been a prominent topic in recent years, with HER in the field of renewable energy widely regarded as a promising avenue. The HER involves the adsorption and desorption of hydrogen ions, making the electron transfer rate particularly crucial. This study employed a novel chemical solution route under an ambient atmosphere to prepare highly crystalline hexagonal ferromagnetic material CuFeO2 nanoparticles. By incorporating the Nanosheet material MXene, forthputting its unique strong interlayer Van Der Waals forces, CuFeO2 is embedded within the layers of MXene. Compounding CuFeO2 with MXene increases the active sites of the material, enhancing electron transfer rates and reducing the required potential for HER. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results demonstrated a significant reduction in resistance upon the addition of MXene. The best HER performance was observed in CFO-300mg MX, exhibiting the lowest overpotential of −0.5 V vs. RHE and a Tafel slope of 147 mV dec−1.

Engineering the plasmonic activities of copper nanostructures for SERS and photocatalysis

Nanoparticles of plasmonic metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) have numerous applications due to their localized surface plasmon resonance. Among these, nanoparticles of Cu remain underexplored when compared to Au and Ag, although the former is much cheaper. Here we report the surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), interaction of molecule with a plasmonics and photocatalysis applications of Cu nanostructures. Hexagonal and cubic shaped Cu nanostructures were successfully synthesized by varying the reaction conditions in a polyol synthesis method. Rapid nucleation at an elevated temperature (140 °C) and subsequent slow growth at lower temperature (80 °C) in presence of PVP polymeric stabilizer resulted in the formation of uniform cube shaped Cu nanoparticles (Cucube). Whereas polyol synthesis at a low temperature (80 °C) resulted in hexagonal Cu nanoparticles (Cuhex). Cuhex exhibited higher SERS enhancement compared to Cucube. Specifically, Using 532, 633 and 785 nm lasers, Cuhex showed enhancement factor 9.0×105. The detection limit as low as 10-10 M for RhB using Cuhex. Moreover, based on emission and time-dependent measurements, strong molecular and plasmonic interactions reveal energy transfer from RhB molecules to the Cu nanostructures. Additionally, Cuhex showed very good catalytic and visible light plasmonic photocatalytic activities for the para-nitrophenol (p-NP) reduction reaction.

Visible Light-Sensitive Sustainable Quantum Dot Crystals of Co/Mg Doped Natural Hydroxyapatite Possessing Antimicrobial Activity and Biocompatibility.

Cutting-edge research in advanced materials is increasingly turning toward the development of novel multifunctional nanomaterials for use in high-tech applications. This research uses the solid-state method as a solvent-free technique to create multifunctional quantum dot (QD) hydroxyapatite (HA) crystals from bovine bone waste. By incorporating cobalt (Co) and magnesium (Mg) into the HA structure, the crystallinity of the hexagonal HA nanoparticles (99.7%), showing QD crystals is enhanced. Oxygen vacancies on the surfaces of the HA nanoparticles contributed to their bandgap falling within the visible light range. In addition, the dopants substituted calcium in the HA crystal structure and generated a divalent oxidation state, shifting the bandgap of natural HA toward red wavelengths (3.26 to 1.94eV). Moreover, the incorporation of Co led to magnetization within the HA structure through spin polarization. Additionally, the doped QD crystals of HA nanoparticles showed significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and bacteriophages MS2, particularly under visible light exposure. In short, the Co/Mg co-doped HA nanoparticles exhibited ferromagnetic properties, sensitivity to visible light, biocompatibility, and considerable antimicrobial effects, establishing their potential as sustainable multifunctional materials for biomedical applications, especially in anti-infection treatments.

Lasing from Doubly Degenerate Bound States in the Continuum.

This paper reports dual-mode vortex lasing with a topological charge of -2 via doubly degenerate bound states in the continuum. We patterned a photonic crystal slab with hexagonal TiO2 nanoparticles arranged in a hexagonal lattice to support doubly degenerate bound states in the continuum at the Γ point, and the finite array was truncated to have a square boundary. Because emission from bound states in the continuum at the Γ point is forbidden, lasing emerges at off-Γ points, where the double degeneracy is lifted, resulting in two lasing peaks close in wavelength. The coherence time of vortex lasing is about 1.4 ps under pulsed pumping with a width of 75 fs. Polarization- and angle-resolved spectral measurements reveal that the two lasing peaks show orthogonal polarization states.

Lead-free Polymer Composite Film for Photon Energy Influenced Piezoelectric Nanogenerator based on Photoactive SnS2

Piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs) can power microelectronics, which convert weak mechanical vibrations to electrical impulses; however, low output voltage and poor mechanical durability limit PENG use. Thus, we provide photoactive SnS2 nanofillers in a PVDF matrix for piezoelectric nanogenerators (PPENGs). Raman spectroscopy demonstrates improvement of the electroactive β-phase of PVDF due to adding photoactive hexagonal SnS2 nanoparticles with a band gap of 2.4 eV. Sandwiching the PVDF-SnS2 composite between ITO-coated substrates with silver paste contacts fabricated the PPENG. The open-circuit voltage of PPENG is 24.4 V in the dark and 72.9 V under illumination with a short-circuit current of 0.75 μA, showing its outstanding photo responsiveness. The high light absorption of SnS2 and PVDF-SnS2 interfacial polarization caused the improved response. High-performance optoelectronic and energy harvesting applications may employ this photoactive piezoelectric nanogenerator development technique.

Assessment of the inhibition performance of ZIF-8 on corrosion Mitigation of API 5L X65 steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl: Experimental and theoretical insight

The synthesis and application of ZIF-8 as an effective corrosion inhibitor for the corrosion of API 5L X65 steel in 3.5 wt% NaCl have been studied. The synthesized ZIF-8 was characterized using some surface probe approaches, which include field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The results showed that ZIF-8 exhibited regular hexagonal and orthorhombic-shaped nanoparticles. An approximately 62% yield was achieved. Electrochemical studies such as open circuit potential (OCP), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed. The polarization results show that ZIF-8 is a mixed-type inhibitor, revealing a strong impact on both the anodic and cathodic polarization current values. The EIS studies reveal an increase in the charge transfer resistance upon the introduction of ZIF-8. The existence of a strong protective film adsorbed on X65 steel was recognized via XPS and FT-IR analysis. The highest inhibition efficiency value of 98.1% was recorded at a concentration of 0.120 wt% ZIF-8. Quantum chemical computations in the framework of DFT and molecular dynamic simulation were used to determine the reaction sites on the inhibitor, and as such, in-depth insight into the reaction mechanism was revealed.

Comparative study of CO adsorption on Au, Cu, MoO2 and MoS2 2D Nanoparticles

This study focuses on a comparative analysis of the electronic properties of triangular, irregular hexagonal, and octagonal 2D nanoparticles containing 10, 12, and 14 motifs, made of Au, Cu, MoO2, and MoS2. The investigation was carried out using density functional theory. The formation energies and vibrational frequencies demonstrate that the 2D nanostructure configurations can exist as stable structures. Edge atoms with lower coordination numbers than central atoms, are the preferred sites for CO adsorption. Using orbital-weighting dual descriptors calculated from Fukui functions enabled the identification of a majority nucleophilic attack sites in Au and Cu nanoparticles, while MoO2 and MoS2-based nanoparticles present almost as many electrophilic sites as nucleophilic sites. The charge transferred between the nanostructures and the CO molecule and the redistribution of the projected density of states were used to assess the strength of interfacial bonds and the nature of the fundamental interaction involved in the bonding.

Enhancing the electrochemical performance of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 by surface modification with homemade high-purity hexagonal phase tungsten oxide nanoparticles

Nickel-rich layered oxides with high energy density and acceptable cost are considered as one of the most ideal cathode materials for power batteries. However, its large-scale production and application still face the challenge in terms of rapid capacity fading and poor structural stability, which has prompted research into surface coating materials/technologies within both academic and industrial fields. In this work, A feasible and environmental friendly fabrication method of high-purity hexagonal phase tungsten oxide (h-WO3) nanoparticles as surface modification of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2(NCM) is proposed.The results indicate that NCM modified with h-WO3 has lower Li+/Ni2+ mixing rate, superior rate performance, and better cycling stability than the pristine NCM. Although tungsten oxide is widely used as surface modification due to its excellent physical and chemical properties, but its crystal type has not been considered, and there is little research on the theoretical explanation of h-WO3 modification.This work reveals the working mechanism of h-WO3 from the perspective of interface and crystal type, which can provide meaningful reference for obtaining nickel-rich layered oxides with excellent electrochemical properties.

Nanostructured hexagonal S-doped CeO2 for effective Rh-B and MB dye degradation

The photocatalytic efficiency of CeO2−xSx (x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5) hexagonal nanoparticles (HNPs) prepared through the hydrothermal method were tested by performing the degradation of Rhodamine-B and Methylene blue dyes under UV light irradiation. These compounds were thoroughly characterised using XRD, FESEM, EDX, HRTEM, XPS, ESR, FTIR, Raman, UV–vis DRS, BET and PL techniques. XRD analysis verified the cubic crystal structure of S-doped and pure CeO2 HNPs. HRTEM images clearly affirmed that S-doped CeO2 is made from HNPs. Over 94 % of Rh-B and 72 % of MB dyes were degraded by S-doped CeO2 for 180 min under UV light exposure, demonstrating its efficacy towards the photocatalytic activity (PCA). S-doped CeO2 HNPs have enhanced the PCA due to the reduction in the recombination rate of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, the rise in oxygen vacancy (Ov) and the narrowed optical band-gap. The photoluminescence findings clearly validated the increased PCA of S-doped CeO2. The scavenger tests confirmed the OH• and •O2− radicals participation in the quick degradation of both Rh-B and MB dyes.

Upconversion-nanoparticle-assisting near-infrared photosensitive effect at 1550 nm in organic photorefractive devices

The near-infrared (NIR) photosensitive photorefractive device is a promising optoelectronic unit in the optical signal/information processing and telecommunication. In this work, the upconversion-assisting NIR photosensitive device is presented by adding the upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) to the photorefractive composite with (Vlieg et al., 2022; Vlieg et al., 2022) [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) as visible photosensitizer. The XRD and TEM results indicated the hexagonal β-phase nanoparticles of UCNPs. The PL measurement under the 1550-nm excitation showed the upconversion emission peaks of NaYF4:Er@NaYF4 nanocrystals at the visible lights of 525 nm, 545 nm and 650 nm. The SEM images revealed that the CRA-DR1 photorefractive composite takes on a good morphology due to the uniform distribution of UCNPs. The two-beam coupling (TBC) experiment without external electric filed indicated the coupling gain coefficient of 77.4 cm−1 at 1550 nm in the CRA-DR1/ECZ/PC61BM/(5 %)UCNPs composite. This upconversion-assisting photosensitive effect will open up the novel approaches for organic NIR photorefractive devices.

Rational design of self-assembling ultrashort peptides for the shape- and size-tunable synthesis of metal nanostructures.

Peptides have attracted great interest as platforms for the design of nanocomposite hydrogels due to their distinct bioactivity, biofunctionality and biocompatibility. Previously, we have reported on a family of peptides that self-assembled to form stabilised three-dimensional hydrogel networks, displaying potent antimicrobial activity. In this paper, we report on the use of these hydrogelator sequences and their analogues as stabilisers and growth controllers to synthesise anisotropic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of different sizes and shapes. In particular, hollow spherical nanoparticles were obtained for HG2.81-AuNPs, whereas hexagonal nanoparticles were observed for TOH_1N-AuNPs and PentaOH-AuNPs in their respective hydrogel networks. The PentaOH-AuNPs' hydrogel exhibited excellent results with high antimicrobial potency against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and negligible cytotoxicity. On the other hand, TOH_1N-AuNPs showed no antibacterial activity and no cytotoxicity, demonstrating the versatility of these peptides. This work gives credence towards the development of these materials towards further applications such as in tissue culture technology and wound dressing materials.

Influence of annealing temperature on the structure, morphology, optical property and antibacterial response of phytochemicals-assisted synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles

Abstract Antibiotic overuse has caused a variety of bacterial pathogens to develop new resistance mechanisms. As a result, discovering an appropriate replacement for the standard antibiotics has become an immediate concern. The present work demonstrates a facile, eco-friendly and economical method for the synthesis of hexagonal wurtzite zinc oxide nanoparticles (ω-ZONPs) using the ethanolic extract of triphala. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the triphala extract proved the presence of certain secondary metabolites, which aids in the formation of ω-ZONPs. The influence of annealing temperature on the antibacterial action of as-synthesized ω-ZONPs was studied for three different annealing temperatures. X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, field emission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses were used to examine the impact of annealing temperature on the structure, particle size and morphology of ω-ZONPs. Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed the change in intensity of the characteristic peaks in ω-ZONPs with different annealing temperatures. From UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, variation in the band gap of ω-ZONPs with increasing annealing temperature was detected. Kirby Bauer disc diffusion was adopted to examine the antibacterial potential of ω-ZONPs against bacterial strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ω-ZONPs annealed at 200 °C inhibited the growth of three bacterial pathogens, E. coli, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa and exhibited effective antibacterial activity in comparison with ω-ZONPs annealed at relatively high temperatures. Thus, the antibacterial potential of ω-ZONPs could be further explored as disease controlling agents and such prototypes could be made available for commercial mass production.

Bioinspired Synthesis and Characterization of Dual-Function Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Saccharopolyspora hirsuta: Exploring Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities.

Microbial synthesis offers a sustainable and eco-friendly approach for nanoparticle production. This study explores the biogenic synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) utilizing the actinomycete Saccharopolyspora hirsuta (Ess_amA6) isolated from Tapinoma simrothi. The biosynthesized ZnO-NPs were characterized using various techniques to confirm their formation and properties. UV-visible spectroscopy revealed a characteristic peak at 372 nm, indicative of ZnO-NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the crystalline structure of the ZnO-NPs as hexagonal wurtzite with a crystallite size of approximately 37.5 ± 13.60 nm. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis showed the presence of both spherical and roughly hexagonal ZnO nanoparticles in an agglomerated state with a diameter of approximately 44 nm. The biogenic ZnO-NPs exhibited promising biomedical potential. They demonstrated selective cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines, demonstrating higher efficacy against Hep-2 cells (IC50 = 73.01 µg/mL) compared to MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 112.74 µg/mL). Furthermore, the biosynthesized ZnO-NPs displayed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus with clear zones of inhibition of 12.67 mm and 14.33 mm, respectively. The MIC and MBC values against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus ranged between 12.5 and 50 µg/mL. These findings suggest the potential of S. hirsuta-mediated ZnO-NPs as promising biocompatible nanomaterials with dual applications as antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

Phase-controlled synthesis of starch-derived Mo2C–MoC/C heterostructure catalyst for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction

The electronic structure of molybdenum carbide closely resembles that of Pt, making it a promising candidate material for replacing noble metal catalysts. However, the primary challenge is the controlled and eco-friendly synthesis of molybdenum carbide. Herein, we developed a sustainable and controlled method for synthesizing a heterostructure catalyst for the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) using starch as the raw material. Through a hydrothermal redox reaction and subsequent temperature-programmed treatment under an inert atmosphere, the hexagonal Mo2C-cubic MoC heterostructure nanoparticles were dispersed on a carbon matrix. Our investigation into the synthesis process extensively covered the growth of MoO2 nanocrystals and hydrochar during the hydrothermal redox reaction, as well as the phase evolution during the subsequent temperature-programmed treatment. Electrochemical assessments demonstrated the catalyst's remarkable efficiency for the hydrogen evolution reaction across both acidic and alkaline media, achieving a current density of 10 mA/cm2 with an overpotential of 139.4 mV in 1 M KOH solution and 160.7 mV in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. Combining a series of electrochemical characterizations and applying the distribution of relaxation times (DRT) analysis to operando electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data, the superior kinetic performance of the Mo2C–MoC/C was demonstrated, outperforming that of single-phase molybdenum carbide. Furthermore, the catalyst has demonstrated remarkable stability even at high current densities in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes, underscoring its potential as a cathode catalyst in both alkaline water electrolyzers and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers.

Spontaneous symmetry breaking in plasmon lattice lasers.

Spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) is key for our understanding of phase transitions and the spontaneous emergence of order. In this work, we report that, for a two-dimensional (2D) periodic metasurface with gain, SSB occurs in the lasing transition. We study diffractive hexagonal plasmon nanoparticle lattices, where the K-points in momentum space provide two modes that are degenerate in frequency and identically distributed in space. Using femtosecond pulses to energize the gain medium, we simultaneously capture single-shot real-space and Fourier-space images of laser emission. By combining Fourier and real space, we resolve the two order parameters for which symmetry breaking simultaneously occurs: spatial parity and U(1) (rotational) symmetry breaking, evident respectively as random relative mode amplitude and phase. The methodology reported in this work is generally applicable to 2D plasmonic and dielectric metasurfaces and opens numerous opportunities for the study of SSB and the emergence of spatial coherence in metaphotonics.

Rapid Response and Quick Recovery LPG Sensor Fabricated Using Aqueous Sol–Gel Synthesized ZnO/Zn(OH)2 Hexagonal Nanoparticles

Rapid Response and Quick Recovery LPG Sensor Fabricated Using Aqueous Sol–Gel Synthesized ZnO/Zn(OH)2 Hexagonal Nanoparticles

Greenly synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles: An efficient, cost-effective catalyst for dehydrogenation of formic acid and with improved antioxidant and phyto-toxic properties

Formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation is of particular industrial interest as a source of alternative fuels such as H2. However, the development of economical, highly efficient, and selective catalysts for this reaction is a challenging task. Most highly selective catalysts for the conversion of formic acid (FA)/sodium formate (SF) system into hydrogen are based on precious noble metals. Rendering their large-scale utilization more cumbersome and expensive. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to explore a facile and cost-effective strategy for the fabrication of a simple structured solid nano-catalyst with outstanding performance and selectivity for H2 generation without CO evolution from the FA/SF system. In the current study, a phenolic-enriched extract of wild olive leaves was employed for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO@WOLE-NPs). TEM analysis revealed that the size of ZnO@WOLE nanoparticles was about33 nm. Zeta potential evaluation (38.39 ± 1.32 mV) demonstrated the significant stability of the nanoparticles. XRD analysis provided insights into the formation of hexagonal wurtzite phase ZnO nanoparticles. The reaction conditions were optimized. These resulting ZnO@WOLE-NPs showed extraordinarily high catalytic performance and about 80 % selectivity for H2 generation from the FA/SF system at 50 °C. A turn over frequency and activation energy values for dehydrogenation of FA were noted as 1519 h−1 and 32.1 kJ mol−1, respectively. The kinetics and thermodynamics of FA dehydrogenation were also determined. Furthermore, ZnO@WOLE-NPs exhibited potent antioxidant activity against hydroxyl, DPPH, superoxide, and peroxide radicals. Moreover, the synthesized nanoparticles demonstrated the highest seed germination of Okra seed at a concentration of 1.25 µg mL−1. Whereas, the highest shoot length and root length were observed at the concentration of 1 µg mL−1.

An R-type hexagonal ferrite nanoparticles-based electrochemical sensor for Levofloxacin detection in pharmaceutical and clinical specimens

The usage of Levofloxacin (LEV) has increased in recent years for the treatment of bacterial infections in both human and veterinary fields. In this context, there has been a significant demand for the development of a highly sensitive and cost-effective approach to LEV quantification. In this study, R-type hexagonal ferrite nanoparticles (SrSn2Fe4O11-NPs) were prepared by an auto-ignition methodology and various analytical techniques were used for the materiaĺs characterization, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer Emmett and Teller (BET) analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis. The characterization confirmed that the prepared material has a crystalline structure single-phase with a crystalline size of 35.02 nm. The R-type hexagonal ferrite nanoparticles were immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by a simple drop-casting approach to developing an efficient electrochemical sensor (SrSn2Fe4O11-NPs/GCE) for sensitive and selective LEV detection through an extended concentration range (0.06 × 10−6 to 170 × 10−6 M) and a low detection limit of (41.5nM). The developed sensor was applied successfully to quantitatively determine LEV in clinical samples and pharmaceutical preparations with excellent recoveries from 95.2 to 102.5 %.