Polyvinyl Pyrrolidine Research Articles

High-performance asymmetric supercapacitor based on hierarchical hydrothermally grown CuS nanostructures

In this work, various hierarchical CuS were fabricated via an efficient one-step hydrothermal process with different surfactants (polyvinyl pyrrolidine (CS-P), Citric acid (CS-C), Oleic acid (CS-O)) and examined as electrode materials for supercapacitors. XRD, FESEM, HRTEM and BET analysis reveal the fabrication of a hexagonal crystal structure with porous microspheres of CuS-PVP having a BJH pore diameter of 16.241 nm. Among these, the CS-P electrode exhibits a superior specific capacitance of 414.28F/g at 1 A/g of current density in the KOH electrolyte. Additionally, an asymmetric supercapacitor built with CS-P as positive and Activated carbon as negative electrodes exhibited a specific energy of 27.95 Wh/kg at 624.96 W/kg of specific power at 2 A/g and demonstrated outstanding cycling stability with 80.6 % persistence of capacitance for 2500 GCD cycles at 10 A/g. Additionally, an ASC device created for use in real life and tested by charging it for 30 s managed to reach a 3-minute 50-second self-discharging duration. Hence, these favourable electrochemical findings indicate that the hydrothermally grown hierarchical CuS-PVP electrode is a bright potential material in energy storage applications.

Agents of Different Origins for Reduction of Mycotoxins’ Level in Feed

Abstract Toxic secondary metabolites of some fungi (mainly representatives of Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium genera) may contaminate agricultural products, representing serious health hazards to both humans and animals. Along with this, the economic losses due to the mycotoxins’ presence in feed production, including crop and animal feedstuff processing and distribution, motivated the plentiful research of detoxification strategies. Feed supplementation with mineral adsorbents (zeolites, hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS), bentonites, etc.) is the most prominent approach widely applied. Besides these, other products for mycotoxin level reduction based on the constituents of the yeast cell wall or Lactobacilli are often used. Recently, many investigations are directed toward plant-derived products that can efficiently adsorb mycotoxins in their native (biosorbents) or modified forms (e.g. activated carbon, biochar etc.). These renewable, easily accessible and readily prepared sorbents are economically viable and safe alternatives for mycotoxin decontamination of feed resources. Organic polymers (chitosan, cellulose, etc.) as well as synthetic polymers, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidine, also might reduce mycotoxins’ level in feed. Besides these conventional methods, new research trends are nanotechnologies, the promising, effective, low-cost way for mycotoxins’ removal. This overview systematically summarizes information on binding agents of different origins for the reduction of mycotoxins’ levels in feed. Furthermore, the knowledge of potential applications of binding agents in the feed industry is also reviewed and discussed.

Contact Angle Modulation: In Situ Polymer Deposition during Sessile Drop Evaporation.

The drying kinetics of a sessile drop on a solid surface are a widely studied phenomenon because of their relevance to various fields such as coating, printing, medical diagnostics, sensing, and microfluidic technology. Typically, the drop undergoes drying either at a constant contact radius (R) with a decrease in the three-phase contact angle or at a constant contact angle (θ) with a reduction in the radius with time. These two drying modes are referred to as CCR and CCA, respectively. It is not uncommon where both R and θ may decrease during drying, especially in the penultimate stage of drying. In this work, we report a scenario wherein the θ increases while R decreases during the drying process of an aqueous polymer solution on a high surface energy substrate. This behavior is observed across different polymer systems (such as poly(ethylene oxide) and polyvinyl pyrrolidine), varying molecular weights, and polymer concentrations. As the drop dries, the polymer gets deposited at the three-phase contact line, thus reducing the surface energy of the substrate and leading to an increase in the contact angle. The drop responds by attempting to reach a new equilibrium contact angle through slipping. The temporal increase in contact angle follows a power law scaling behavior. This study demonstrates an in situ modulation of contact angle facilitated by evaporation and polymer deposition, showcasing unconventional drying dynamics.

Microneedles for Enhanced Bacterial Pathogen Inactivation and Accelerated Wound Healing

AbstractBacterial wound infections are a significant socioeconomic concern in the modern healthcare industry owing to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stay, and mortality. Bacterial infectious agents that colonize the wound bed develop biofilms, acting as a physical barrier that prevents the effective penetration of topical antimicrobials. Further, bacteria in such infectious wounds express a wide range of virulence factors promoting intercellular transmigration and host cell invasion complicating the treatment regimen. To address this need, a water‐dissolvable poly‐vinyl pyrrolidine (PVP), calcium peroxide (CPO) infused microneedle structure (denoted as PVP/CPO MN) for effective transdermal delivery of antimicrobial payload deep into the tissues is developed. Fluid exudate from the wound bed dissolves the PVP/CPO MN enabling the release of CPO deep into the infected wound bed. A slow catalytic decomposition of CPO results in the sustained release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) deep within the infected wound inhibiting the inter‐ and intracellular pathogens. Here, a systematic study of microneedle fabrication and sterilization after complete packaging is conducted to ensure scalability and safe applicability while maintaining mechanical and antibacterial properties. In vitro, antibacterial efficacy of the microneedles is validated against two common wound pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Moreover, the PVP/CPO MN exhibited significant efficacy in eradicating both extracellular and intracellular bacterial populations within an in vivo porcine wound model. Additionally, the microneedle technology facilitated a faster wound healing, with ≈30% increase compared to control and a 15% improvement over conventional silver dressing.

Effect of Media and Calcium on the Micropropagation of Rudrakhsa (Eleocarpus ganitrus Roxb.)

The Rudraksha tree, scientifically known as Eleocarpus ganitrus Roxb., holds significant religious and medicinal value in India, making it a threatened species. This study was conducted to assess the support of the five different media on the in vitro micropropagation of E. ganitrus using nodal segments as explants. The media; Murashige and Skoog (MS), Lloyd and McCown (WPM) Anderson (AM), Gupta and Durzan (DCR) and Gamborg (B5) were supplemented with antioxidants (citric acid 10mg/l, ascorbic acid 50mg/l, activated carbon (AC) 500mg/l and polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP) 100mg/l), BAP (0.0,0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 5.0 mg/l) NAA (0, 1,0, 2 mg/l) to promote plant growth. The optimal proliferation of shoots was attained by combining BAP (0.5 mg/l) and NAA (0.1 mg/l) in the MS medium, with or without CaCl2·2H2O (ranging from 1.25 to 10.0 mM/l). The calcium content was assessed accordingly. Elevated concentrations of CaCl2·2H2O in the medium mitigated hyper-hydration, with necrosis of the shoot tip notably reduced at 6.5 mM/l CaCl2·2H2O. Healthy shoots were transferred to MS medium supplemented with NAA (1.0 mg/l) to induce root initiation and multiplication. The addition of CaCl2·2H2O (5.0 mM/l) resulted in the highest recorded root multiplication. Plants that underwent successful acclimatization (80%) exhibited regular growth patterns under favorable environmental conditions.

Heterogeneous crystallization of Chlorzoxazone for modulating the physicochemical properties of crystals

The polymer on modulating the crystal's habit is an evolving research in pharmaceutical crystallization. This study demonstrates the crystal habit modification of chlorzoxazone (CHZ) by heterogeneous crystallization (HC) in the binary solvent acetonitrile-ethanol (A-E (1:1)) in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidine (PVP) at concentrations of 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 wt%. The A-E (1:1) and PVP in HC experiments influenced to change the shape of crystals from needle to plate shape and reduced the crystal size producing a lower aspect ratio (in the range of 1.5–2.3). In the presence of PVP, the CHZ size distribution is 65–78 μm which tends to enhance the powder flow-ability of CHZ crystals and as the PVP concentration increases, the nucleation rate decreases. The solubility of size-reduced CHZ crystals at different pH is found to be improved by 1.2–1.4 times. Hence, HC is deemed effective in modifying the physicochemical attributes of CHZ.

Interaction Studies of PVP and CTAB Capped CuO Nanorods with Aldicarb and Chlorpyrifos

Copper oxide uncapped nanorods (UC-CuO), capped with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB-CuO), and polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP-CuO) were utilized for interaction study of Aldicarb (A.D.) and Chlorpyrifos (C.P.) pesticides. Electron microscopy (FE-SEM & TEM) studies confirmed the nanocrystalline structure and nanorod morphology of UC-CuO, CTAB-CuO, and PVP-CuO. The contact angle study showed the hydrophilic nature of the UC-CuO and PVP-CuO with contact angle of 51° and 57°, respectively. While CTAB-CuO exhibited hydrophobic nature with a contact angle of more than 90°. Interaction study of UC-CuO, CTAB-CuO, and PVP-CuO with A.D. and C.P was conducted using UV–vis absorption study (in the 250–400 nm region). UC-CuO showed the specific detection with A.D., while CTAB-CuO have shown with C.P. without using any bio-recognition elements. PVP-CuO did not show systematic change with both pesticides confirming the capping agent-dependent specific interaction of the pesticides.

Formulation, Characterization, Optimization, and In-vitro Evaluation of Rosuvastatin as Nanofiber

Bioavailability is the objective for an optimum formulation. The target of the analysis is to maximize both the fluidity and disintegration profile of class II weakly compounds that are water-soluble. Anti-dyslipidemia drug rosuvastatin calcium (RC) (bioavailability 20%) through formulating as nanofibers (NFs) using electrospinning (ES) technology. Twenty formulas were prepared, and different polymers and polymer combinations with various concentrations were used such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVPK-30), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Three distinct groups of maximum parameters, including polymeric solution, electrospinning method, and ambient parameter, are capable of influencing the creation along with the shape of those ultimate NFs. The prepared formulas of rosuvastatin calcium nanofibers (RC-NFs) were evaluated for nanofibers diameter, dissolution profiles, free standing microscopy with electrons and fourier transformation infrared (FTIR)spectroscopy are also available. As a consequence, the velocity of dissolution increases as the particle’s surrounding area increases because of the its small size decrease to the nano level. The optimum ES parameters of polymeric solution (polymer type, concentration, combination, and effect of solvent type), ES process (injection flow rate, voltage, needle gauge, collector round per minute, needle to collector distance and collector type) and ambient parameter are tested and determined. Results show that four selected formulas of NFs are (F12, F14, F15 and F19) with an average diameter of (95, 120, 100 and 80 nm) respectively. The best ultrafine, smooth and beadless NFs is (F19) determined the fact that the narrower the circumference of the RC-NFs, the quicker its breakdown and the shorter the period of this medicinal component’s liberation.

Nanocrystals loaded collagen/alginate-based injectable hydrogels: A promising biomaterial for bioavailability improvement of hydrophobic drugs

The study aims to improve the solubility of poorly soluble drug by developing an optimized formulation of nanocrystals and extend its release profile by incorporating optimized nanocrystals in a biopolymer based injectable hydrogel. Nanocrystals of Silymarin (SM) were developed by anti-solvent precipitation technique followed by homogenization. Various stabilizers were investigated and combination of polyvinyl pyrrolidine K30 (PVP K30) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in a specific ratio was chosen as a stabilizer for nanocrystals. The optimized nanocrystals possessed mean particle size 172 ± 5.23 nm and PDI of 0.228 ± 0.02. Sodium alginate (Alg) and collagen (Col) based injectable hydrogel in combination with pluronic F127 showed good biocompatibility, mechanical strength and biodegradability. The developed formulation was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The results of FT-IR and TGA showed structural cross-linking between polymers and promising thermal stability of formulation with increasing temperature, respectively. The nanocrystals loaded Alg-Col-F127 injectable hydrogel was degraded completely in 48 h. The results of in vitro release studies and in vivo pharmacokinetic profiling of silymarin nanocrystals laden Alg-Col-F127 injectable hydrogel exhibited controlled release behavior as compared to coarse silymarin suspension and silymarin nanocrystals. Therefore, nanosuspension integrated biopolymer-based hybrid injectable hydrogel system may be used to assist solubility and bioavailability enhancement as well as serve as platform to provide controlled drug release.

INVESTIGATION OF SOLID DISPERSION APPROACH FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TELMISARTAN USING A CENTRAL COMPOSITE DESIGN

Objective: The goal of this study was to use a solid dispersion approach to improve the aqueous solubility and dissolution rate of Telmisartan. Methods: Design of experiment trials was conducted following a central composite design with different combinations of polymers and stirrer rpm and the selected responses (drug release, entrapment efficiency) were determined. The selected optimized formulation was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction, which reflected the changes that occurred in API and excipients after conversion in to the formulation. Results: In the design of experiments, central composite design was implemented and it was observed that polymers concentration (polyvinyl pyrrolidine K25, polyethylene glycol 4000) and stirrer rpm were having a significant impact on the responses (drug release, entrapment efficiency), and variables were having p-value<0.05 which reflected the significant impact. The results of stability study showed a significant no decrease in drug assay values, which reflected the stability behavior of the formulation. The results of comparative dissolution studies revealed that the optimized formulation have improved the drug solubility and dissolution rate. Conclusion: It can be concluded that optimized telmisartan-loaded solid dispersion improved the solubility and dissolution rate of Telmisartan. The optimized formulation was having release>85% release within 30 min. Further, the stability of the formulation was also assessed under the accelerated condition as per ICH which reflected their stability. So, this approach can be employed for improving dissolution rate of other BCS II class drugs.

Electrospun manuka honey@PVP nanofibers enclosing chitosan-titanate for highly effective wound healing

The major challenge in skin tissue engineering is the creation of physically and functionally suitable extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffolds. A manuka honey-treated polyvinyl pyrrolidine (Mh@PVP) composite was successfully electrospun to produce nanofibrous scaffold that aids in the rapid growth of ECM and serves as a vehicle for drug delivery. Different characterizations namely SEM, XRD, and FTIR were utilized to elucidate the fabricated electrospun nanofibrous scaffolds (ENS). By increasing the concentration of manuka honey (Mh) in the formula, the mechanical, tensile, and conductivity properties of the polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP) solutions were significantly improved. As the concentration of honey rose, the width and direction of the ENS produced altered. For wound healing, honey’s ability to heal wounds faster may be boosted by a higher PVP concentration, which makes honey more easily incorporated. Because of its burst-and-continuous methylglyoxal release patterns, which may last for up to seven days, Mh is an excellent choice for helping the body’s healing process. The in vivo assessment of the Mh@PVP nanocomposite nanofiber mat demonstrated a rapid and substantial increase in keratinocyte expression, reflecting great ability for high regenerative wound healing. Most significantly, there is no scarring associated with hair regrowth. This scaffold can mimic skin characteristics and stimulate keratinocyte development.Graphical abstract

Role of graphene nanoparticles on the electrophysical processes in PVP and PVP:ZnTiO3 polymer layers at Schottky diode (SD)

In this paper, a polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP) polymer layer is inserted between the metal–semiconductor (MS) structure to manufacture a metal–polymer–semiconductor (MPS) structure or Schottky diode (SD). The zinc titanate and graphene nanostructures were doped into the PVP layer individually and together to improve the electrical performance of the MPS-type SD. The crystalline size, surface morphology, and band gap energy of the ZnTiO3 nanostructures are examined by the x-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, respectively. It is common to measure the current–voltage (I–V) features (at ±3 V) of these five structures for calculating the reverse saturation current (I 0), barrier height, ideality factor (n), series (R s), and shunt (R sh) resistances as the main electrical parameters utilizing the thermionic emission, Norde, and Cheung models. Also, the forwarded-bias energy-dependent surface states density (N ss) and the forward/reverse biased current conduction mechanisms are studied and discussed. The rectifying ratio (RR) of Al/PVP:Gr-ZnTiO3/p-Si SD has the highest increase among these five SDs while the lowest I 0 and highest R sh are related to the Al/PVP:Gr/p-Si (MPS2) and Al/PVP:ZnTiO3/p-Si (MPS3) SDs, respectively. Therefore, doping Gr into the PVP interlayer increases the electrical conduction in the SDs although PVP:Gr-ZnTiO3 polymer layer improves the RR of SDs.

Fabrication of photochromic and electrochromic (PVP-am)/WO3/MoO3 hydrogel composites and glass films with programmable shapes

Recently, the fabrication of functional and stimuli-responsive hydrogels using deep eutectic solvent derivatives is gaining tremendous scientific recognition owing to their unique self-switching properties. In this study, perfluorinated deep eutectic mixtures were prepared as the template for the synthesis of WO3/MoO3 composites. The metal oxide-based composites were further employed as a chemical crosslinking agent for the polymerization of polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP) and acrylamide (Am), for the construction of (PVP-Am)/WO3/MoO3 hydrogel composites. The hydrogels displayed unique morphologies and mechanical properties. The hydrophilic nature of hydrogels as well as the high concentration of dispersed WO3/MoO3 composites in the polymer network contributes to their photochromic activity and allows an immediate coloration upon exposure to light at a short time. Howbeit, the low concentration of the dispersed WO3/MoO3 composites in the dry glass membrane is responsible for the blue coloration and an extended time of photochromic response. In addition, the electrochromic behavior of the hydrogel composites displayed a strong quasi-rectangular shape potential window as well as a well-defined redox cyclic voltammetry curve when exposed to high voltage. This could be due to the photoredox property of the WO3/MoO3 composites responsible for charge transfer between the different oxidation states.

Adsorption properties and physical characterization of carrageenan/alginate macro and microspheres blended with flexible chain polymers

This work addresses the production and characterization of alginate-carrageenan matrixes, cross-linked with epichlorohydrin in the presence of different flexible chain polymers: polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidine. These matrixes were obtained by ionotropic gelation in two different sizes: macro and microspheres. The different systems were characterized by optical microscopy, SEM and TGA. The obtained matrixes showed differences in their water content, shape and roughness due to the addition of flexible chain polymers into their composition.These matrixes were used for the adsorption of lysozyme. The adsorption process was found to follow a first order kinetics model and was not influenced by the type of polymer attached. In addition, the Langmuir model was the most suitable isotherm model for our data. The addition of polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone decreases the adsorption capacity of the original matrixes, in both macro and micro scale. Finally, it was shown that when decreasing the size of the spheres, their adsorption capacity increases up to 5 times.

Green Spectrophotometric Determination of Two Cephalosporin Drugs Used in COVID-19 Regimen Through Silver Nanoparticle Synthesis.

Cefixime trihydrate (CFX) and cefuroxime axetil (CFU) are antibacterial drugs. They are widely used in the treatment of bacterial infection and recently in COVID-19 treatment. In this article, the two antibacterial drugs, CFX and CFU, were determined by a new simple, sensitive, effective, and green spectrophotometric method via reaction with silver nitrate (AgNO3). The reaction was based on reduction of AgNO3 by the cited drugs to silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidine (PVP) as stabilizing agent. Very intense surface plasmon resonance peaks were obtained at 435 nm for CFX and CFU that allow quantitative determination of the drugs. The calibration curves were linear with concentration ranges of 0.2-1.4 μg/mL and 0.3-2.1 μg/mL for CFX and CFU, respectively. Validation of the proposed method has been done according to ICH (International Conference of Harmonization) guidelines; the method was verified on the Green Analytical Procedure Index and Analytical Greenness metric approach (AGREE) in regard to its greenness and was found to be an excellent green alternative method. A very sensitive and green spectrophotometric method was developed for determination of CFX and CFU in pure and dosage form. The developed method not previously reported for simultaneous determination of CFX and CFU.

Ultrasonic Assisted Facile Synthesis of CuO Nanoparticles and Used as Insecticide for Mosquito Control

The present study deals with the fabrication of copper oxide nanoparticles with high purity via ultrasonic assisted chemical precipitation method. Synthesized CuO nano-mosquitocides rely on the polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP) as stabilizing agent. Synthesized CuO nanoparticles were confirmed via UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, EDX, Fourier-transform infrared and SEM mapping studies. The crystallite size from XRD studies revealed around 13.44 nm. The synthesized CuO nanoparticle was further assessed for mosquito larvicidal activity against south-urban mosquito larvae Aedes aegypti. The synthesized CuO nanoparticle displayed significant activity against Aedes aegypti with the LD50 value of 43.95 μg/mL than precursor copper chloride dihydrate and control permethrin with the LD50 value of 94.31 and 72.44 μg/mL.

Formulation and evaluation of Buccal mucoadhesive tablets of diclofenac sodium using 23 factorial designs

Diclofenac sodium is an NSAID (Non-Steroidal anti-inflammatory widely used in the treatment of pain, migraine, and inflammation). It has been observed that Diclofenac undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism when administered using conventional dosage forms through the oral route. The aim of this study is to formulate and evaluate pre-compression, post-compression factors and release kinetics of buccal mucoadhesive tablets formulated by a 23 factorial method that can prevent the first-pass metabolism of the drug thereby increasing its bioavailability. This formulation increases patient compliance by reducing its dosing frequency. In these formulations, two polymers polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP K30) and Chitosan are used in varying proportions. Eight different formulations were prepared by varying concentrations of the polymers. The buccal mucoadhesive tablets formulated have been evaluated for their general appearance, thickness, hardness, weight variation, friability and other in vitro tests such as swelling and dissolution studies. The evaluation studies demonstrated that formulation F8 showed better properties as a buccal mucoadhesive formulation compared to other formulations.

Inhibitory influence of amino acids on the formation kinetics of methane hydrates in oil-water and oil-brine systems

This experimental study evaluates the inhibition performance of kinetic hydrates inhibitors (KHIs) of three amino acids, namely: glycine, proline, and alanine. It includes the performance comparison with the conventional inhibitor i.e., polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP) on methane (CH4) hydrate in oil systems in two different systems, i.e., deionized and brine water systems. The experiments were conducted in a high-pressure hydrate reactor replicating subsea pipeline conditions, i.e., the temperature of 274 K, pressure 8 MPa, and concentration of 1 wt%, by applying the isochoric cooling technique. The formation kinetics results suggest that all the studied amino acids effectively worked as kinetic inhibitors by potentially delaying CH4 hydrate formations due to their steric hindrance abilities. The interesting phenomenon was observed that the different studied amino acids behave differently in the brine-oil and deionized water-oil systems due to their side chain interaction. In a deionized water-oil system, glycine gives the highest inhibition performance by reducing the hydrate formation risk. On the contrary, in the brine-oil system, proline showed a significant inhibition effect. It should be noted that both glycine and proline were giving almost similar inhibition performance compared to the conventional hydrate inhibitor PVP, however glycine and proline significantly reduced CH4 consumption into hydrate due to their high surface active under CH4 conditions, which strengths the surface tension of the liquid/CH4 interface.Furthermore, according to the findings, it shows that increased side alkyl chain lengths of amino acids increase the efficacy of their kinetic hydration inhibition performance due to better surface adsorption abilities. The amino acids' ability to suppress growth is also linked strongly with hydrophobicity and alkyl side chain length. The findings of this study contribute significantly to current efforts to limit gas hydrate formation in offshore pipelines, particularly in oil-dominant pipelines.

Development of the Amorphous Solid Dispersion of Curcumin: A Rational Selection of Polymers for Enhanced Solubility and Dissolution

The goal of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of hydrophilic polymers in preparing a solid dispersion to enhance the solubility and dissolution of poorly water-soluble drugs, such as curcumin. In order to prepare the solid dispersion, curcumin was uniformly distributed in the polymeric matrix of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000), hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC E5), polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP K30), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) using the kneading and solvent evaporation methods. The developed dispersion formulations were characterized for solubility, dissolution, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Attaining enhanced physical stability with solubility is crucial in the selection of suitable polymer types and ratios. The optimized HPMC E5 and PVP based dispersion displayed 4.3 and 2.8 times greater solubility compared to the pure drug, respectively. The SEM also showed the optimized HPMC-based dispersion was smoother in comparison to the PVP-based dispersion. The XRD and DSC validated the successful modification of the crystal structure of curcumin resulting in the enhancement of its solubility and dissolution. In conclusion, the HPMC E5 formulation was the optimal candidate to create solid amorphous dispersions of curcumin, which might be employed as an effective delivery system.

Formulation of amorphous carbon embedded CuFeS2 hybrids for the electrochemical detection of Quercetin

In the present work, amorphous carbon (a-C) embedded polyvinyl pyrrolidine (PVP)-assisted CuFeS2 (a-C@CuFeS2-PVP) was synthesized using a facile hydrothermal method to facilitate enhanced electrochemical detection of Quercetin (QR). The formation mechanism of CuFeS2-PVP was addressed as a function of hydrothermal temperature (120–200 °C). The produced CuFeS2-PVP and a-C were characterized using XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), Raman spectroscopy, and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) techniques. As-synthesized CuFeS2-PVP and a-C were noticed in terms of micro-flower and layered structures, respectively. The a-C@CuFeS2-PVP modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was employed for the electrochemical detection of QR in Tris-HCl buffer (pH-7.5) by using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometry methods. The a-C@CuFeS2-PVP modified GCE exhibited enhanced electrocatalytic performance towards QR with a linear detection range of 0.5–250 μM and detection limit of 0.12 μM under optimal conditions. The modified GCE exhibited excellent selectivity, sensitivity (128 μA/mM/cm2), stability, and reproducibility for QR determination. The present study demonstrated the possibility of developing various copper-based chalcogenides with different structures for biosensor applications.