Carbon Nanostructures Research Articles

Engineered hybrid carbon nanohorns-lipid platforms for the delivery of cisplatin to the colorectal cancer

Carbon nanostructures are considered distinctive multi-functional drug delivery platforms for cancer therapy. However, their potential biocompatibility is still a significant challenge and rational design of these carriers is a prospect in the context of efficient cancer therapy. Herein, we report on the synthesis of two bio-inspired carbon nanohorns (CNH) platforms with tumor targeting capabilities for the delivery of cisplatin. Oxidized CNH wrapped with either polyethylene glycol (PEG) and fusogenic lipids (PEG/DSPG CNH-CP) or glutamic acid-cisplatin complex (CNH-GA-CP), revealed nanosized dahlia-like structure approved by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Further structure features analysis by using RAMAN, FTIR spectroscopy and TGA indicated CNH surface modification. Excitingly, the superior nanofeatures of the CNH platforms was due to the reduced hydrophobic interactions, and thus closely linked to the surface modifications. Both platforms preserved cisplatin toxicity in vitro on C26 cells. The PEGylated nanoplatform demonstrated elongated circulation time compared to the free drug, and showed a site-specific delivery to the tumor site, while reducing the accumulation within kidney. Following 3 i.v. doses at 3 mg/kg of cisplatin, PEGylated CNH significantly delayed tumor growth and improved the life span of C26-bearing BALB/c mice. These notable results were further approved by the histopathological data, demonstrating reduced degeneration, necrosis and inflammation in both kidney and liver tissues following PEGylated nanoplatform administration. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the systemic toxicity of cisplatin including nephrotoxicity can be resolved by delivering this chemotherapeutic through a rationally-fabricated surface-modified carbon nanoplatform to improve the cancer therapy outcome.

Torsional properties of spiral carbon nanocones

Carbon nanostructure plays a unique role in advanced nanodevices. This work investigated the torsional properties and underlying mechanisms of spiral carbon nanocones (SCN) via atomistic simulations. The SCN exhibits four deformation stages, including linear elastic, nonlinear elastic, plastic and failure. The elastic phase is characterized by compressive stress at the inner covalent bond and tensile stress at the outer edge. The plastic transition is initiated at the innermost region, accompanied by in-plane folding. The interlayer interactions of the SCN facilitate its capacity to elicit an axial response during torsion. The resulting axial forces are governed by the layer number, cone angle, and the dimensions of both inner and outer radii. Outer radius exerts the most significant influence on SCN via the interlayer contact area. Furthermore, the inner radius and cone angle are intrinsically linked to the structural stiffness of the inner bore, which affects the axial mechanical response of the SCN during the nonlinear elastic and plastic phases. The Pearson correlation coefficient analysis has validated that these two parameters are the most crucial for SCN torsional performance. This work elucidates the prospective utility of SCN as a novel twist-to-push actuator for advanced nanodevices.

Advances in manufacturing of carbon-based molecular nanomaterials based on rice husk/hull waste

This review highlights potential application areas for carbon-based molecular nanoparticles, such as carbon dots, carbon nanotubes, graphene quantum dots, and carbon quantum dots. The success of nano-manufacturing hinges on robust collaboration between academia and industry to advance applicable manufacturing techniques. Choosing the right approach is crucial, one that integrates the carbon base of nanomaterials with the required properties and impurities, as well as the scalability of the process. Molecular, in this context, refers to the nanoscale carbon structures that form the basis of these materials, including their arrangement, bonding, and properties at the molecular level. The article also explores the characterization of different types of molecular nanomaterials. Nanomaterials are increasingly used in almost every contemporary industry, including construction, textiles, manufacturing, and computing. This article reviews the most prominent sectors globally that employ nanomaterials. Biomasses containing lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose have become some of the most extensively studied. Initially, rice waste was utilized for bulk materials, but lately, the production of multifunctional materials has surged in interest. Carbon nanostructures derived from rice waste offer a broad spectrum of applications and enhanced biocompatibility. Recent advancements, challenges, and trends in the development of multifunctional carbon-based nanomaterials from renewable rice waste resources are considered.

Isolation of nanostructured carbon particles from sugarcane jaggery: Evaluation of their antioxidant and cytotoxic features

Recent studies found nanostructured carbon particles (NCPs) in various food products due to advanced cooking methods that carbonized the food components. The NCPs are formed in the food production processes, but their potential health effects are still unknown. Hence, this work aimed to isolate nanostructured carbon particles from processed foods and investigate their impact on the cytotoxic features using Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (hMSCs) as a model. The NCPs were isolated through combined techniques, including centrifugation, dialysis, and filtration. The isolated NCPs morphological features were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In TEM images, we observed 5–20 nm in diameter dot-like carbon nanostructures. To predict the NCP's toxicological profile, we evaluated the NCP's impact on hMSC viability, mitochondrial health, and expression of genes. The NCPs reduce 18 % and 32 % of hMSCs viability at 400 μg/mL treatment for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Also, NCP exposure triggers alterations in the expression of GSR and NFKB1. These findings suggest that NCPs present in processed foods can influence the gene expression of hMSCs and moderately affect cellular processes. The NCPs could apply to biomedical applications, including bio-imaging and antioxidant therapy.

Laser-Assisted Preparation of TiO2/Carbon/Ag Nanocomposite for Degradation of Organic Pollutants.

The ever-increasing expansion of chemical industries produces a variety of common pollutants, including colors, which become a global and environmental problem. Using a nanocatalyst is one of the effective ways to reduce these organic contaminants. With this in mind, a straightforward and effective method for the production of a novel nanocatalyst based on lignin-derived carbon, titanium dioxide nanoparticles, and Ag particles (TiO2/C/Ag) is described. The preparation of carbon and Ag particles (in sub-micro and nano size) was carried out by laser ablation in air. The nanocomposite was synthesized using a facile magnetic stirrer of TiO2, C, and Ag. According to characterization methods, a carbon nanostructure was successfully synthesized through the laser irradiation of lignin. According to scanning electron microscope images, spherical Ag particles were agglomerated over the nanocomposite. The catalytic activities of the TiO2/C/Ag nanocomposite were tested for the decolorization of methylene blue (MB) and Congo red (CR), employing NaBH4 in a water-based solution at 25 °C. After adding fresh NaBH4 to the mixture of nanocomposite and dyes, both UV absorption peaks of MB and CR completely disappeared after 10 s and 4 min, respectively. The catalytic activity of the TiO2/C/Ag nanocomposite was also examined for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) using a NaBH4 reducing agent, suggesting the complete reduction of 4-NP to 4-aminophenol (4-AP) after 2.30 min. This shows excellent catalytic behavior of the prepared nanocomposite in the reduction of organic pollutants.

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of carbon nanostructures

The interaction of any substance with the body is determined by several parameters, namely: its penetration, distribution, transformation and excretion, in other words, ADME properties. Naturally, this fully applies to such a class of compounds as carbon nanostructures (CN). They are mainly formed by sp2-hybridized carbon atoms (with the exception of nanodiamonds formed by sp3-hybridized atoms). However, their properties differ markedly from each other. This review is devoted to examining these differences. This review includes fullerenes, nanoionions, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns, graphene and its derivatives, and nanodiamonds.

Investigation of simultaneous production of H2 and separable carbon from CH4 in a fluidised bed of NiO/Ca2Fe2O5/CaO particles

This work investigated the possibility of simultaneous production of hydrogen/syngas and separable solid carbon in a fluidised bed by using CH4-CO2 cycles and exploring the carbon growth over solid catalytic particles of NiO/Ca2Fe2O5/CaO. This two-stage process included i) stage I: H2-rich gas and carbon were simultaneously generated from the interaction between CH4 and NiO/Ca2Fe2O5/CaO particles; and ii) stage II: the reduced/carbon-deposited particles were regenerated in CO2. Following our previous successful demonstration of the process for stable hydrogen production over cycles, this study focused on the formation of solid carbon and aimed at understanding its growth mechanism as well as demonstrating the potential of using fluidisation as a means of automatic carbon separation. By tracking the carbon growth history and the change in phases of the reacted NiO/Ca2Fe2O5/CaO particles at temperatures from 700 to 900 °C, we discovered the formation of various forms of nano-structured carbon from CH4 conversion (e.g. partial oxidation, pyrolysis). These include carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon graphite sheets, carbon onions (CNOs), and carbon fibres. Amorphous carbon was also observed, particularly in the initial stage of CH4 conversion. Higher temperatures like 800 °C and 900 °C gave faster kinetics of CH4 conversion and more formation of solid carbon. Fe3C phase was observed on the reduced catalytic particles and could act as an intermediate phase or carbon sink for carbon growth. The results suggested that other mechanisms for carbon deposition, such as directly over Fe sites, may also exist. Fluidisation with a higher U/Umf ratio separated more carbon-rich fines from the bulk catalytic particles in the fluidised bed. Fluidising with air at 700 °C effectively removed amorphous carbon on the reacted catalytic particles, whilst structured carbon remained. Full separation and purification to obtain pure carbon require furthers optimisation of e.g. fluidisation parameters and material design.

N, F Co-Doped Carbon Derived from Spent Bleaching Earth Waste as Oxygen Electrocatalyst Support.

Affordable nitrogen and fluorine co-doped carbon nanostructure was prepared from the hazardous industrial waste of edible oil refinery, spent bleaching earth (SBE), and used as raw material for obtaining high-performance non-noble metal bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts. Waste SBE contains 35 % residue non-saturated oil as a carbon source and the assistance of montmorillonite (MMT) as the template. This study converts waste SBE into a fluorine-doped carbon nanostructure through a pyrolysis process followed by removing the aluminosilicate layers of the MMT by HF etching. Furthermore, the impregnation of the support with Co and Fe nitrates readily gives rise to N, F co-doped carbon (NFC) electrocatalysts, as confirmed by XPS analysis. Electrochemical results evidenced that the Co-NFC catalyst proved to be a valuable bifunctional competitor for oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction in alkaline media, showing activity in both reactions and superior stability compared with the Fe-NFC catalyst in accelerated tests. This work offers a straightforward, economical, and eco-friendly strategy for designing N, F co-doped carbon-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reactions in electrochemical devices.

Plasma-enabled growth of vertically oriented carbon nanostructures for AC line filtering capacitors

Self-standing vertically oriented carbon nanostructures (VCNs) were synthesized using a large-scale microwave plasma under low-pressure conditions, employing methane as a carbon precursor. The influence of plasma operational and substrate conditions on nanostructure growth and morphology were systematically studied. Furthermore, post-synthesis N-doping of VCNs with nitrogen content of 2.4 at% N was achieved using an Ar-N2 microwave plasma. Plasma-enabled direct deposition of VCNs, both doped and un-doped, onto nickel foils has been accomplished. The assessment of the developed nanostructures as electrodes in high-frequency AC filtering capacitors, has demonstrated an overall capacitance of approximately 480 µF at 100 Hz, with a cut-off frequency of 4 kHz for a phase angle of −45°. The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the appropriate structural and morphological properties peculiar for the directly deposited on nickel foil VCNs providing binder-free electrode fabrication, thus enhancing the electrode’s conductivity and charge transfer kinetics. This plasma-enabled approach for electrode design on a large scale, coupled with excellent filtering performance, paves the way for many applications in high-frequency scenarios, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional electrolytic capacitors.

Nanoporous Carbon Materials as Solid Contacts for Microneedle Ion-Selective Sensors.

Continuous sensing of biomarkers, such as potassium ions or pH, in wearable patches requires miniaturization of ion-selective sensor electrodes. Such miniaturization can be achieved by using nanostructured carbon materials as solid contacts in microneedle-based ion-selective and reference electrodes. Here we compare three carbon materials as solid contacts: colloid-imprinted mesoporous (CIM) carbon microparticles with ∼24-28 nm mesopores, mesoporous carbon nanospheres with 3-9 nm mesopores, and Super P carbon black nanoparticles without internal porosity but with textural mesoporosity in particle aggregates. We compare the effects of carbon architecture and composition on specific capacitance of the material, on the ability to incorporate ion-selective membrane components in the pores, and on sensor performance. Functioning K+ and H+ ion-selective electrodes and reference electrodes were obtained with gold-coated stainless-steel microneedles using all three types of carbon. The sensors gave near-Nernstian responses in clinically relevant concentration ranges, were free of potentially detrimental water layers, and showed no response to O2. They all exhibited sufficiently low long-term potential drift values to permit calibration-free, continuous operation for close to 1 day. In spite of the different specific capacitances and pore architecture of the three types of carbon, no significant difference in potential stability for K+ ion sensing was observed between electrodes that used each material. In the observed drift values, factors other than the carbon solid contact are likely to play a role, too. However, for pH sensing, electrodes with CIM as a carbon solid contact, which had the highest specific capacitance and best access to the pores, exhibited better long-term stability than electrodes with the other carbon materials.

A universal cooperative assembly-oriented strategy for VS4 nanorod decoration on carbon nanostructures with enhanced magnesium storage properties

A universal cooperative assembly-oriented strategy for VS4 nanorod decoration on carbon nanostructures with enhanced magnesium storage properties

Cu@Zn@800 bimetallic-based carbon nanomaterials for dark-catalyzed degradation and 4-NP-catalyzed reduction of azo dyes

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were adaptable templates that might be used to create multifunctional materials containing carbon nanostructures. In this work, we had prepared a novel Cu-MOF using fumaric acid (H2FA) and N,N′-bis(pyridin-3-yl)isophthalamide (3-bpia) as the mixed ligands. Then, the Cu-MOF was served as a template to derive bimetallic-based carbon nanomaterials by introducing a second metal through doped ZnO by both re-calcined and directly calcined methods (Cu@Zn@800) and single-metal-based carbon nanomaterials (Cu@800). Cu@Zn@800 was able to catalyze the degradation of azo dyes at a rate higher than 99.40 % because of its capacity to create h+ and ·OH active substances and the uniformity of its metal active sites. Additionally, Cu@Zn@800 might use NaBH4 to decrease 4-NP in 30 s with the rate of decline was over 100 %. Cu@Zn@800 was a special and efficient dual-functional material that might be used in a variety of ways to remove contaminants from water.

Synthesis and structural analysis of graphene nanosheets via microwave atmospheric pressure plasma

This study reports the effective synthesis of multilayered graphene sheets via microwave atmospheric pressure plasma. This innovative approach streamlines and expedites graphene production and other carbon nanostructures, eliminating the need for catalysts, solvents, or complex processing conditions. Ethanol is directly injected into a microwave-generated argon plasma plume, leading to the formation of graphene. Raman spectroscopy revealed characteristic peaks (2D, G, and D bands) confirming graphene composition, with defects indicated by the D band. X-ray diffraction analysis supported these findings, indicating a broad peak at 25∘ corresponding to the (002) plane, affirming a multi-layered graphene structure. Scanning electron microscopy exhibited crumpled, randomly oriented graphene sheets, albeit with uneven structures suggesting impurity incorporation. The presence of defects was quantified through the intensity ratio of the D to G band (ID/IG) in Raman spectroscopy, revealing a value of 0.80, signifying the presence of defects in the synthesized graphene. The 2D to G band intensity ratio (I2D/IG) suggested the existence of 7–10 graphene layers, highlighting the need for further optimization for enhanced graphene quality and purity.

Precursor‐Mediated Direct Growth of Defect‐Rich Hierarchical Nanocarbons for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Peroxide Production†

Comprehensive SummaryCarbon‐based nanomaterials show great potential in selective electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) through two‐electron (2e−) pathway for H2O2 production, which provides an eco‐friendly alternative to industrial energy‐intensive anthraquinone process. However, it still remains challenging to directly construct topological defects, which makes it difficult to study the working mechanism on 2e– ORR. Herein, we propose a precursor‐mediated chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach for direct growth of topological defect‐rich hierarchical nanocarbons. Boric acid (H3BO3) is introduced into the precursor for disturbing the nucleation and growth through decomposing B‐containing species, which can in situ induce the formation of pentagon defects. The topological defect is found to be capable of introducing lattice strain, which can modify the electronic structure of nanocarbons and promote the key intermediate (*OOH) formation, thus greatly enhancing the 2e– ORR performance. Experimentally, the 2e– ORR selectivity shows a positive correlation to the topological defect density, where the average H2O2 selectivity reaches above 90% over a wide potential range with optimized concentration of H3BO3 as mediator. Moreover, in a flow cell, the hierarchical nanocarbons achieve a high H2O2 production rate of 998 mmol·gcatalyst−1·h−1 over 20 h of continuous electrocatalysis with stable current density (>100 mA·cm–2) and Faradaic efficiency (> 90%). This work provides a straightforward method for the synthesis of active metal‐free carbon‐based catalyst for sustainable H2O2 production.

High-performance cellulose-based nanostructured carbons for rechargeable batteries

Binder-free, highly porous carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with novel sponge-like pore structures were synthesized for the first time via centrifugal spinning of cellulose-based polymers, and SnO2 was introduced to improve the electrochemical performance. Cellulose-based binder-free centrifugally spun carbon-coated SnO2/carbon nanofibers (C@SnO2/CNFs) were employed as anodes in Na-ion batteries. Owing to their highly porous morphology with novel sponge-like pore structures and SnO2 nanoparticles providing rapid Na-ion transport, better electrolyte accessibility, and good mechanical strength, the C@SnO2/CNFs showed outstanding electrochemical performance, with a high reversible capacity of 660 mAh/g at 50 mA/g, high rate capability, and excellent cycling performance. The specific capacity of C@SnO2/CNFs was approximately 390 mAh/g after 2000 cycles at 0.2 A/g. These results prove that the combination of centrifugal spinning, carbon coating, and heat treatment is a promising and sustainable approach for creating cellulose-based carbon nanostructures with highly porous structures that can be used to synthesize high-performance electrodes for energy storage systems.

Molten Salt Preparation of Carbon Nanostructures for Metal-Ion Storage Applications

Efficient electrical energy storage relies on the preparation of low-cost yet high-quality carbon nanostructures. This presentation introduces innovative molten salt approaches for generating such carbon materials, leveraging diverse carbon sources such as natural or synthetic graphite, biomass waste, and plastic materials. Electrochemical exfoliation of various graphite materials in molten salt is demonstrated to yield electrolytic carbon nanostructures, including graphene nanosheets, carbon nanotubes, and onion-like carbon nanoparticles. The distinctive morphology, structure, and electrical conductivity of these carbon materials are investigated, and their impact on Na-ion and Li-ion storage performances is thoroughly discussed. Furthermore, the presentation explores the molten salt-assisted carbonization of corn lignocellulosic waste, resulting in carbon materials with tailored morphological and compositional characteristics conducive to efficient Li-ion and Na-ion storage performance. Additionally, insights are provided into the transformation of waste plastic materials into graphene-based nanostructures through molten salt techniques, with a focus on their electrical and electrochemical performances. This comprehensive exploration not only underscores the versatility of molten salt methodologies in synthesizing diverse carbon nanostructures but also sheds light on their potential applications in advancing energy storage technologies. References A.R. Kamali*, H. Zhao, J. Alloy. Compd. 949 (2023) 169819H. Zhao, A. Rezaei, A.R. Kamali*, J. Electrochem. Soc. 169 (2022) 054512R. Li, A.R. Kamali*, Chem. Eng. Sci. 265 (2023) 118222A.R. Kamali*, S. Li, Appl. Energy 334 (2023) 120692A.R. Kamali*, J. Yang, Polym. Degrad. Stab. 177 (2020) 109184A. Rezaei, B. Kamali, A.R. Kamali*, Measurement 150 (2020) 107087A.R. Kamali* et al., J. Mater. Chem. A 5 (2017) 19126-19135A.R. Kamali*, Carbon 123 (2017) 205-215

(Invited) Fullerenes for Bio-Applications: The Way of Water

Nano-materials are emerging as important components for a series of bio-applications. In this context, carbon nanostructures such as graphene, carbon nanotubes and fullerenes have unique chemical and physical properties that make them attractive for such applications. Carbon nanomaterials have been used in tissue engineering, biosensing and drug delivery. They have also shown anti-microbial activity. They can be loaded with drugs for controlled local delivery. More importantly, the surface of carbon nanomaterials can be functionalised to enhance their biocompatibility by increasing their water-solubility.In this talk, I will present an update on our work in using fullerenes and their derivatives for developing bio-nanomaterials. I shall focus on the combination of carbon nanostructures and polymeric materials which can result in supramolecular hydrogels with interesting properties. Hydrogels are emerging as important materials in applications such as cellular scaffoldings in regenerative medicine/tissue engineering, tissue replacements, wound dressings, etc.I will present the synthesis of supramolecular hydrogels made from fullerenes of different sizes (C60, C84 and C90–92) that have been hydroxylated and functionalised with hydrophilic oligoethylene glycol chains. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no attempts made at incorporating higher fullerenes and their derivatives into such extended supramolecular structures, before now.I will also show possibilities for extending our approach to endohedral fullerenes such as N@C60. I will show how we can use advanced techniques including AFM to characterise the elasticity of the hydrogels formed. The ability to incorporate endohedral fullerenes in hydrogels may be important in extending the possibility for using these materials as sensors in vitro or even in vivo, exploiting the quantum properties of such molecular systems such as their extended electron and nuclear spin lifetimes.

(Invited) Electron Transport in Nanocarbon Networks for Energy Conversion and Storage Applications

Carbon nanostructures have attracted great attention in recent years as novel electrode materials in batteries with increased capacity and conductivity as well as enhanced material stability. In these nanostructures, nanocarbons such as carbon nanotubes and graphene nanoplatelets are interconnected to construct their three-dimensional networks around the host materials for Li deposition. This work focuses on the study of electron transport phenomena in these nanocarbon networks with two model material systems: (1) single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks co-embedded with silica microparticles (Fig. (a)), and (2) free-standing three-dimensional graphene (3DG) structures with polymeric surface modifications (Fig. (b)). We characterize the materials for electrical conductivity and thermopower with varying material contents in the composites to reveal several key factors determining their energy-dependent carrier transport characteristics. It is found that in these three-dimensional nanocarbon networks, carrier tunneling at the junctions between nanocarbons along with the network morphology predominantly determines the transport properties. Simultaneous increase in electrical conductivity and thermopower is achieved for SWCNT networks co-embedded with silica microparticles by increasing silica content up to 40 w.t.% at a fixed CNT content. The enhanced electron transport is attributed to the reduced junction distances due to the intimate network formation on the surface of silica particles with a polymer binder. Our transport theory based on the Landauer formalism for junction tunneling reveals that the junction modification with polymer can alter the potential barrier heights for both electrons and holes at the junction to significantly change the transport properties of the composite. Doping of nanocarbons is also investigated for their impacts on the junction transport and the geometric factor of the networks. Finally, we also investigate the use of these carbon nanostructures in solid-state thermoelectric (TE) energy harvesters and ionic TE capacitors to harvest thermal energy from temperature gradients and fluctuations. Figure 1

(Invited) Carbon Nanostructures for Targeted Delivery and Health Monitoring in Plants

To meet the demand for food and bioenergy of a rapidly growing global population requires novel and convergent approaches to enhance photosynthetic organism function. Nanotechnology is enabling the development of targeted and species independent tools for advancing plant bioengineering and precision agriculture.My research group has developed carbon nanotube-based sensors capable of real-time sensing of plant signaling molecules. These nanosensors enabled the creation of plant sentinels that communicate the health status of plants to electronic devices. Near-infrared (nIR) fluorescent single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were designed and interfaced with plant leaves to report hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a key signaling molecule associated with the onset of plant stress. The sensor nIR fluorescence response (>900 nm) is quenched by H2O2 with selectivity against other stress-associated signaling molecules and within the plant physiological range (10–100 H2O2 μM). In vivo remote nIR imaging of H2O2 sensors enabled optical monitoring of plant health in response to stresses including UV-B light (−11%), high light (−6%), and a pathogen-related peptide (flg22) (−10%), but not mechanical leaf wounding (<3%). The sensor’s high biocompatibility was reflected on similar leaf cell death (<5%) and photosynthetic rates to controls without SWCNT. These optical nanosensors report early signs of stress and will improve our understanding of plant stress communication, provide novel tools for precision agriculture, and optimize the use of agrochemicals in the environment.We also developed targeted carbon-based nanomaterials as tools for precise chemical delivery (carbon dots, CDs) and gene delivery platforms (SWCNTs) to plant organelles (chloroplasts) and vasculature (phloem). A biorecognition approach of coating the nanomaterials with a rationally designed chloroplast targeting peptide improved the delivery of CDs with molecular baskets (TP-β-CD) for delivery of agrochemicals and of plasmid DNA coated SWCNT (TP-pATV1-SWCNT) from 47% to 70% and from 39% to 57% of chloroplasts in leaves, respectively. Plants treated with TP-β-CD (20 mg/L) and TP-pATV1-SWCNT (2 mg/L) had a low percentage of dead cells, 6% and 8%, respectively, similar to controls without nanoparticles, and no permanent cell and chloroplast membrane damage after 5 days of exposure. Orthogonally, the surfaces of carbon dot nanocarriers were functionalized with sucrose, enabling rapid and efficient foliar delivery into the plant phloem, a vascular tissue that transports sugars, signaling molecules, and agrochemicals through the whole plant. The chemical affinity of sucrose molecules to sugar membrane transporters on the phloem cells enhances the uptake of biocompatible carbon dots with β-cyclodextrin molecular baskets (suc-β-CD) that can carry a wide range of agrochemicals. The nanoparticle fluorescence emission properties allowed detection and monitoring of rapid translocation (<40 min) in the vasculature of wheat leaves by confocal and epifluorescence microscopy. The suc-β-CDs more than doubled the delivery of chemical cargoes into the leaf vascular tissue. The sucrose coating of nanoparticles approach enables unprecedented targeted delivery to roots with ≈70% of phloem-loaded nanoparticles delivered to roots.The use of plant biorecognition molecules mediated delivery provides an approach for guiding nanocarriers with their cargoes to plant organelles, cells and tissues and whole plants and engineering safer and efficient agrochemical and biomolecule delivery tools. Communication and actuation of plants mediated by nanosensors and targeted nanostructures can turn plants into technology and lead to a more precise and sustainable agriculture with reduced environmental impact.

(Nanocarbons Division Poster Award, 1st Place) Nd2O3 Templated Carbon Nanostructures for Energy Storage

Increased energy consumption has triggered the development of various energy storage devices. Supercapacitors have gained attention as energy storage devices due to their high-power density and long cycle life. The energy density of supercapacitor can be increased by combining electric double layer capacitance (EDLC) and pseudocapacitance (PC). A hybrid material based on rare-earth metal oxide templated carbon will be presented that combines both EDLC and PC within the same material. Specifically, neodymium hydroxide (Nd(OH)3) reacted with acetylene and steam to form carbon coated Nd2O3. Both Nd(OH)3 nanorods and nanospheres were used to prepared templated carbon followed by partial or complete washing of metal oxide. The resulting carbon exhibit the surface area of 1245 m2/g. Asymmetric coin cell was constructed with capacitance of 180.5 F/g and energy density of 76.8 Wh/kg This work paves the door to develop novel hybrid supercapacitors.