Powder Suspension Research Articles

Production and mechanical characterization of Titanium Carbide ISOL target disks fabricated by direct ink writing

Titanium carbide boasts a large variety of high-temperature applications from aerospace to electronics and is also employed as Isotope Separation On-Line target for the production of Radioactive Ion Beams, which are employed in numerous research and technological fields, ranging from nuclear physics to medical applications. High working temperature, open and tailored porosity and resistance to thermal stresses are fundamental characteristics for this kind of targets. In this work, an extrusion-based additive manufacturing technique (Direct Ink Writing) was used for the fabrication of complex three-dimensional macro-porous structures in the shape of disks with dimensions compatible for their use as targets. An ink containing a suspension of TiC powders with solid loading of 47.5 vol% was prepared and its rheological properties were investigated. Afterwards, single filaments with an average diameter of 0.36 mm were produced and characterized with four-point bending tests to determine the bulk material tensile strength and Young's modulus. TiC targets were then manufactured and their mechanical properties were characterized with the Ball on Three Balls approach, a biaxial flexural test suitable for disk-shaped samples. For both flexural tests, a Finite Element model was developed representatively reproducing the experimental results. The calculated tensile strength values for both filaments and disks were analyzed with Weibull's statistical approach to provide reference stress limit, corresponding to a survival probability of 99.9%.

Synthesis and Characterization of Zeolite NaY Dispersed on Bamboo Wood.

Zeolites in powder form have the potential to agglomerate, lowering access to active sites. Furthermore, a suspension of fine zeolite powder in liquid media is difficult to separate. Such drawbacks could be improved by dispersing zeolite crystals on support materials. This work demonstrates the dispersion of zeolite NaY crystals on bamboo wood by mixing the wood with zeolite gel before hydrothermal treatment. The syntheses were performed with acid-refluxed and non-refluxed wood. The phase of zeolites, particle distribution and morphology, zeolite content in the wood, and zeolite-wood interaction were investigated using X-ray diffraction, X-ray tomography, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen sorption analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Higher zeolite content and better particle dispersion were obtained in the synthesis with the acid-refluxed wood. The composite of NaY on the acid-refluxed wood was demonstrated to be an effective adsorbent for Ni(II) ions in aqueous solutions, providing a higher adsorbed amount of Ni(II) per weight of NaY.

Calcium-phosphate coatings obtained by microarc oxidation (review)

This literature review examines the topic of microarc oxidation of calcium phosphate coatings, which has received considerable attention in recent years due to its potential application in biomedical and engineering fields. The advantages of the microarc oxidation method for obtaining protective coatings are described. The main attention is paid to the formation of coatings under various modes of the microarc oxidation process and with the help of electrolytes containing suspended powders of various elements and concentrations. The review examines various aspects of the technology, including the underlying principles, the types of coatings that can be obtained, and the methods used to determine the characteristics. In addition, the review examines the potential applications of microarc oxidation in calcium phosphate coatings in various fields, such as biomedical implants, aerospace components and tissue engineering. It discusses the advantages of coatings, such as improved osseointegration, corrosion resistance and wear protection, as well as the potential for the inclusion of bioactive molecules in coatings to further improve their performance. Overall, the review concluded that calcium phosphate coatings have great potential for various applications, but further research is needed to fully understand the potential of this innovative technology and optimize its performance for specific applications.

Wear resistance of sensors based on surface plasmon resonance phenomenon

Surface plasmon resonance is used for detecting and measuring various analytes characteristics by sensitive elements in sensor devices. At this, the problem of wear of the sensitive elements, contacting with gaseous and liquid environments whose characteristics are measured, arises during operation of sensor devices based on the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon. Wear of a surface gold nanolayer may be caused by various factors such as maintenance (cleaning before measurements), chemical reactions and abrasiveness of the environment. This problem becomes particularly significant when suspensions are measured. Solid particles in the suspensions have abrasive properties, which leads to modifications of the surface, reduction of the thickness and damage of the sensitive gold layer. As a result, more frequent replacements of sensitive elements are required significantly increasing the measurements cost. In this paper, influence of water suspensions of an optical polishing powder “Polarite” on the wear and the associated changes of the characteristics of a sensitive element is investigated. The need to find solutions of the problem of improving its wear resistance is highlighted.

Topical ocular protein delivery based on protein powder suspensions in semifluorinated alkanes

The field of ocular diseases, specifically retinal diseases is a successful target area for protein drugs with various marketed products. Besides the intraocular treatment of the retina, the topical treatment of corneal or conjunctival diseases is a promising approach. Topical ocular protein formulations face the challenges of poor penetration and potentially low stability. In this study we tested suspensions based on the semifluorinated alkane F6H8 to improve the topical ocular protein delivery. Such suspensions are well known for the increased protein stability compared to aqueous solutions. Furthermore, F6H8 is well known as vehicle for ocular delivery due to its easy spreading on the cornea.Penetration of a model mAb and its Fab fragment was tested in an ex vivo corneal penetration test. The amount of penetrated protein was increased when the protein powder suspensions were used compared to the respective aqueous solutions. Sodium caprate as penetration enhancer at 5 mg/ml substantially increased the Fab fragment (7-fold) and the mAB (3-fold) concentration in the corneal tissue when applied as an aqueous solution. The effect was surprisingly more pronounced, when Fab fragment (31-fold) or mAb (13-fold) and the penetration enhancer were formulated as F6H8 suspensions. The same penetration enhancement from suspensions could be achieved with 2.5 mg/ml, but the penetration was reduced compared to 2.5 mg/ml in the aqueous solution. A test based on stratified human keratinocytes did not indicate eye irritation by the tested formulations.Furthermore, stability studies for bevacizumab suspensions in semifluorinated alkanes were investigated and showed superior long-term stability compared to the marketed aqueous solution. Overall results demonstrate the high potential of topical ocular protein delivery using powder suspensions in non-aqueous vehicles based on semifluorinated alkanes.

Photocatalytic Z-scheme Overall Water Splitting: Insight into Different Optimization Strategies for Powder Suspension and Particulate Sheet Systems.

Achieving solar light-driven photocatalytic overall water splitting is the ideal and ultimate goal for solving energy and environment issues. Photocatalytic Z-scheme overall water splitting has undergone considerable development in recent years; specific approaches include a powder suspension Z-scheme system with a redox shuttle and a particulate sheet Z-scheme system. Of these, a particulate sheet has achieved a benchmark solar-to-hydrogen efficiency exceeding 1.1%. Nevertheless, owing to intrinsic differences in the components, structure, operating environment, and charge transfer mechanism, there are several differences between the optimization strategies for a powder suspension and particulate sheet Z-scheme. Unlike a powder suspension Z-scheme with a redox shuttle, the particulate sheet Z-scheme system is more like a miniaturized and parallel p/n photoelectrochemical cell. In this review, we summarize the optimization strategies for a powder suspension Z-scheme with a redox shuttle and particulate sheet Z-scheme. In particular, attention has been focused on choosing appropriate redox shuttle and electron mediator, facilitating the redox shuttle cycle, avoiding redox mediator-induced side reactions, and constructing a particulate sheet. Challenges and prospects in the development of efficient Z-scheme overall water splitting are also briefly discussed.

Fabrication of an in situ-grown TiO2 nanowire thin film and its enhanced photocatalytic activity.

TiO2 is a promising photocatalyst used in practical environmental remediation. TiO2 photocatalysts are usually implemented in two forms: suspended powder and immobilized thin films. A simple technique for fabricating TiO2 thin film photocatalyst was developed in this work. The fabricated TiO2 thin film photocatalyst featured a homogeneous nanowire layer grown in situ on the parent Ti plate. The optimized fabrication protocol was to soak the ultrasonically cleaned and acid-washed Ti plate in 30% H2O2 solution containing 3.2mM melamine and 0.29M HNO3 at 80°C for 72h and then anneal at 450°C for 1h. TiO2 nanowires with uniform diameters were homogeneously arrayed on the Ti plate surface. The thickness of the TiO2 nanowire array layer was 1.5μm. The pore properties of the TiO2 thin film were close to those of P25. The band gap of the fabricated photocatalyst was 3.14eV. The photocatalytic activity of the fabricated photocatalyst toward 10mg/L RhB and 1mg/L CBZ demonstrated greater than 60% degradation under 2h UVC irradiation. The RhB and CBZ degradation efficiencies remained at a good level after 5 consecutive cycles. Mechanical wearing, such as 2min sonication, will not lead to significant suppression of the photocatalytic activity. Photocatalytic RhB and CBZ degradation using the fabricated photocatalyst favored an acidic > alkaline > neutral environment. The presence of Cl- slightly suppressed the photocatalytic degradation kinetics. However, RhB and CBZ photocatalytic degradation kinetics were promoted in the copresence of SO42- or NO3-.

Exploring thermal-plasma spraying technology for advanced aluminum-based materials

The plasma system was applied on two different powder system suspensions of Al-Ni and Al-Mo to synthesize different phases using a combinatorial approach. Effects of different process variables such as power level, reactor pressure, powder suspension characteristics, etc. on the characteristics of each set of powders formed separately from the mentioned suspended powder mixtures were investigated. Irrespective of the applied powder suspension system, the obtained powders contained large spherical particles that were surrounded by a cloud of fine porous particles. Different phases such as Al, Mo, Al5Mo, Mo2C, Al4C3 and AlOx were detected in the particles of the Al-Mo powder system and Al, Ni, Al4C3, AlNi, AlOx and Al3Ni in those of the Al-Ni powder system. The reasons for the formation of carbides and oxides were investigated and attributed to the air leaks that occurred during the process of solidification and/or the presence of an oxygen-laden liquid in the suspensions.

Application of fingermark enhancement techniques on Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland £10 and £5 polymer banknotes in a pseudo-operational trial

The aim of this study was to apply the two most effective enhancement sequences for latent fingermarks on Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland polymer banknotes (£10 and £5), as determined in a previous study, to a pseudo-operational trial. The two enhancement sequences established as being the most effective for these types of notes were superglue fuming using PolycyanoUV followed by black magnetic powder, and black powder suspension. Both enhancement sequences included a fluorescence examination before enhancement, and after-treatment using white light, followed by Infrared light. The study conducted by Joannidis et al. was carried out in a controlled laboratory environment where all variables, i.e., the position and age of each fingermark, were known and controlled. However, these conditions do not accurately mirror those of polymer notes seized as part of a criminal investigation. The two most effective enhancement sequences were therefore tested in a pseudo-operational trial to determine whether they would be as effective when applied to banknotes that mimicked those seized in an investigation. To mimic these conditions 102 banknotes from each bank (each containing a mixture of circulated and uncirculated banknotes) were left out in the laboratory for four weeks for the laboratory staff to randomly handle. The results from this pseudo operational trial confirmed the outcomes of the previous study. Superglue fuming (using PolyCyano UV) followed by black magnetic powder was found to be effective in enhancing fingermarks on both Clydesdale Bank and Royal Bank of Scotland polymer banknotes (£10 and £5). This was closely followed in effectiveness by powder suspension which, although it gave slightly poorer results than superglue followed by black magnetic powder, was also effective at enhancing ridge detail. This study also confirmed that Infrared light (730–800 nm), with the addition of an 815 nm filter for notes processed using superglue and black magnetic powder,aided in the reduction of background pattern interference when photographing any ridge detail.

Development of taste-masking microcapsules containing azithromycin by fluid bed coating for powder for suspension and in vivo evaluation

This research aims to develop bitter taste-masking microcapsules containing azithromycin (AZI) by a simpler and familiar method, fluid-bed coating technology, in comparison with Zithromax®. Cores of microcapsules, AZI microparticles, were prepared by fluid-bed granulation, then taste-masking polymer was covered on by fluid-bed coating technique. Eudragit L100, Eudragit RL100, and ethyl cellulose in single and combined with Eudragit L100 and Eudragit E100 were used as taste-masking polymers. The obtained microcapsules were characterised by taste-masking ability, in vitro release, SEM, coating thickness, and coating efficiency. Combination of ethyl cellulose and Eudragit E100 (3:1) in coating thickness of 45.13 ± 2.12% w/w prevents AZI release from microcapsules below bitter taste threshold (1.78 ± 1.17 µg/ml). Bioavailability of powders containing AZI microcapsules and pH modulators (50 mg Na3PO4 and 35 mg Mg(OH)2) was not significantly different from the reference product (Zithromax®, Pfizer, New York, NY) in the rabbit model (p > 0.05). These results support the possibility of developing a generic product containing AZI.

Granulated WC-Co obtained by spray drying from aqueous suspensions

Aqueous suspensions of hard metal powders and their use are known to have significant environmental and economic advantages over the systems employed nowadays using organic solvents. The present research describes developing a novel and less harmful processing route for hard metal production. Aqueous spray drying is convenient for obtaining dried WC-Co granules without extensive agglomeration. The spray-dried powders exhibit good flowability due to their shape and relatively narrow particle size distribution. The spray-dried granules have been pressed and sintered in an industrial sintering oven under a vacuum. The characterisation of the samples has highlighted the size, morphology, and some technological properties, while the sample's metallurgical properties have been assessed for the sintered compacts. By employing the abovementioned processes, both the granules and the subsequent hard metals revealed appropriate properties with biphasic (Co-WC) sintered compacts, which prove that such a process is feasible.

A Method for Preparing Superparamagnetic Nanomaterial

Substances with superparamagnetism, a special magnetic effect, are magnetized under external magnetic field. When the applied magnetic field disappears, superparamagnetic substances have almost zero magnetization intensity, with quite small coercivity. The performance of magnetic powder or magnetic suspension used in magnetic particle detection greatly affects detection sensitivity. This paper studies a new method for preparing nano-superparamagnetic non-destructive testing materials by combing membrane technology and chemical co-precipitation method. Magnetic nano-ferroferric oxide particles were prepared by preparing membrane reactor based on chemical co-precipitation method to find the optimal synthesis conditions for nano-ferroferric oxide particles. Polymer nano-magnetic materials with good dispersibility, superparamagnetism, high dispersibility, uniform particle size distribution were obtained, which can well detect cracks, especially small cracks. It is a good magnetic nondestructive testing material.

Generalized Method for Normalizing the Degree of Thixotropy/Rheopexy to Evaluate the Structure of Powder Suspensions

Generalized Method for Normalizing the Degree of Thixotropy/Rheopexy to Evaluate the Structure of Powder Suspensions

Cardioprotective effect of Ginger in a rat model of myocardial damage and its possible intervention in PERK-ATF4-CHOP-PUMA apoptotic pathway

For today the exact mechanisms of myocardial infarction and ischemia/reperfusion injury are still not fully understood. ER stress and integrated stress response pathways are thought to play an essential role in myocardial damage. This includes activation of endoplasmic reticulum kinase PERK, induction of activating transcription factor ATF4, expression of pro-apoptotic transcription factor CHOP and P53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) involved in apoptosis control. We used a rat model of isoproterenol-induced myocardial damage to elucidate the possible cardioprotective effect of Ginger through the influence on ER stress-induced apoptotic pathway. We also compared its effect with the ACE inhibitor Captopril. Male albino Wistar rats received 1.0 or 2.0 ml of Zingiber officinale (Ginger) powder suspension (200 mg/ml) daily by intra-gastric intubation for 28 days. Isoproterenol at a dose of 85 mg/kg was IP injected on the 27th and 28th days. Serum aspartate transaminase (AST) level was measured using kinetic kit. Heart tissue was used for RNA extraction, evaluation of gene expression by Q-RT-PCR, immuno-histochemical determination of caspase-3 expression and histopathological studies. Our results showed that Isoproterenol administration increased CHOP-mRNA expression 4 folds in cardiac muscle tissue compared to normal control. Ginger pretreatment significantly decreased both CHOP and ATF4, and PUMA mRNA expression compared to Isoproterenol-treated groups. A significant reduction in ATF4 mRNA expression in a group pretreated with Captopril and Ginger compared to normal control group was observed. The results showed that Ginger reduced AST serum levels which correlated with results of histopathological studies of heart tissue. Our findings suggest that the protective effects of Ginger against myocardium damage induced by Isoproterenol may be mediated by reducing­ the endoplasmic reticulum stress by affecting the ATF4-CHOP-PUMA pathway. Keywords: AST, ATF4, Captopril, CHOP, Ginger, ischemia-reperfusion, Isoproterenol, myocardial damage, PUMA

Antimicrobial activity of Curcuma longa L. on Escherichia coli

Curcuma longa is a plant that has stood out in research evaluating antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiprotozoal, anticarcinogenic and antifungal activity. The discovery of new alternatives for the development of drugs originating from active principles of plants is necessary considering the high adaptive capacity of different microorganisms. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of extracts of oleoresin and powder suspension of rhizomes of Curcuma longa against the bacterium Escherichia coli. In this study, no antimicrobial activity was observed for the extracts of turmeric powder and oleoresin against Escherichia coli. There is a wide variety of results obtained in the literature in the face tests of C. longa on the different microorganisms, some positive, demonstrating antimicrobial action, and others negative. This divergence is justified by factors such as: different methodologies used, climate, soil types, fertilization, water availability of the plant’s cultivation, as well as the form of harvest and storage, which interfere in the components present and in their concentration in the plant. Although the results of this study were negative, it does not mean that the plant does not have antimicrobial activity, being indicated the continuity in the assays, aiming to identify the factors that generate disagreement between the studies already carried out.

Abstract CT114: Data from first-in-human study of EXS21546, an A2A receptor antagonist, now progressing into phase 1 in RCC/NSCLC

Abstract Background: EXS21546 (discovered in collaboration with Evotec) is a clinical stage A2AR selective antagonist with high potential in cancer immunotherapy as a combination agent. A completed healthy volunteer (HV) first-in-human (FIH) study is now being followed by the IGNITE Phase 1/2 trial in patients, which includes the retrospective study of an adenosine-specific patient enrichment biomarker strategy. Methods: A 3-part Phase 1 FIH study in 60 HV was completed (NCT04727138). Parts 1 and 2 were double-blind, placebo-controlled single ascending dose (SAD) and multiple ascending dose (MAD) studies investigating EXS21546 safety, tolerability, PK and PD. Part 3 was a 3-period, open label, randomized, sequential study evaluating bioavailability of oral EXS21546 as a granule in capsule vs reference powder suspension. The ongoing Phase 1/2 IGNITE trial will study EXS21546 in patients with immunotherapy relapsed or refractory RCC or NSCLC directly in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor. This combination aims to leverage the properties of A2AR antagonism in the tumor microenvironment, to drive the immune system through PD-1 inhibition. IGNITE will also provide clinical data to support the validation of our adenosine signature to identify patients with adenosine rich tumor microenvironments who may benefit from treatment (Alt et al, 2022). Data will be continually reassessed to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose. A dose escalation phase will be followed by an expansion phase. Results: PK/PD modeling of Phase 1 study results, along with the EXS21546 safety profile, allowed identification of a potential therapeutic starting dose. PK results aligned with design specifications, based upon predictive preclinical modeling, and support twice-daily (BID) dosing for continuous A2AR antagonism. EXS21546 induced dose-dependent inhibition of CREB phosphorylation in CD8-positive cells, with the PD profile mirroring plasma exposure. Inhibition of A2AR signaling was sustained over the BID dosing period, demonstrating a level of lasting target engagement. PoP PK/PD simulations informed the starting dose and dosing regimen for the Phase 1/2 trial. EXS21546 was well-tolerated with no CNS adverse events reported in the SAD at all doses and in the MAD at 150 mg BID. The majority of adverse events were considered mild and unrelated to EXS21546, with the exception of one Grade 3 Serious Adverse Event of elevated ALT/AST. Conclusions: Safety and tolerability of our A2AR antagonist EXS21546 were confirmed in a HV study, allowing selection of a starting dose for the ongoing IGNITE Phase 1/2 study. IGNITE trial design was based on extensive simulations to enable the most efficient continuous reassessment method settings, and will allow further verification of the patient enrichment biomarker strategy. Citation Format: Nieves Diaz, Holly Garratt, Aleksandra Zemla-Brown, Maria Dominguez, Eric Helmer, Isabella Alt, Robert Sehlke, Norbert Hieger, Thomas Winkler-Penz, Christophe Boudesco, Gregory Vladimer, Tom Wilde, Philip Evans, Antoine Italiano, Michael Krams. Data from first-in-human study of EXS21546, an A2A receptor antagonist, now progressing into phase 1 in RCC/NSCLC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 2 (Clinical Trials and Late-Breaking Research); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(8_Suppl):Abstract nr CT114.

Comparison of carbon and iron oxide based powder suspension formulations

Powder suspensions (PS) are a fingermark development technique made up of a mixture of an insoluble powder and surfactant solution. In the UK, carbon-based PS is used operationally on adhesive surfaces while iron oxide-based PS is used on flexible plastics. In NSW, Australia, only carbon-based suspensions are used due to a lack of research using iron oxide PS in an Australian context. In this research, a range of iron oxide powders and surfactant types were tested to optimise two iron oxide formulations. General observations found that thinner suspensions improved the ease of use in this technique while slightly improving the quality of developed fingermarks. The first optimised formulation involved a magnetic iron-oxide from Fisher Scientific mixed with a dilute Triton X-100 surfactant, and the other an iron-oxide nanopowder from Sigma Aldrich mixed with a 4% Tween 20 solution. The two formulations were then compared with a pre-mixed carbon-based PS, Wet Powder. This comparison showed that the effectiveness of each formulation is heavily dependent on substrate type. Both formulations had issues with heavy background staining on different kinds of surfaces. However, Wet Powder was shown to be the most consistently effective fingermark detection technique overall, especially on adhesive tapes. Despite this, iron-oxide PS were still a highly effective fingermark development technique, notably on plastic surfaces.

Polymeric carbon nitride-based photocathodes for visible light-driven selective reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide

Polymeric carbon nitrides (PCN) are sustainable, tunable, non-toxic and chemically stable materials that represent highly promising heterogeneous photocatalysts for light-driven hydrogen peroxide production via selective reduction of dioxygen. However, most of the studies on photocatalytic H2O2 production using PCN-based photocatalysts reported so far have used PCN powder suspensions and have been carried out in the presence of additional (sacrificial) electron donors, such as aliphatic or aromatic alcohols. Herein, we report the first multicomponent hybrid photocathode based on PCN that is capable of selective reduction of dioxygen to H2O2 under visible light irradiation (420 nm LED). A comparative analysis of various photocathode architectures is carried out using electronic absorption spectroscopy, surface photovoltage spectroscopy, open-circuit photopotential spectroscopy, and photocurrent measurements, including in-situ detection of formed H2O2 using microelectrodes. Notably, the ability of PCN-based photocathodes to catalyze the light-driven reduction of O2 to H2O2 in the absence of any additional electron donor is unambiguously demonstrated. Our study thus highlights the intrinsic nature of the photocatalytic activity of PCN in H2O2 production, and paves the way for the development of further PCN-based photocathodes in which PCN could be coupled with more effective light absorbers to increase the overall performance.

Regorafenib loaded self-assembled lipid-based nanocarrier for colorectal cancer treatment via lymphatic absorption

Oral chemotherapy can improve the life quality of patients; however, the therapeutic effects are limited by low bioavailability and rapid in vivo elimination of anticancer drugs. Here, we developed a regorafenib (REG)-loaded self-assembled lipid-based nanocarrier (SALN) to improve oral absorption and anti-colorectal cancer efficacy of REG through lymphatic absorption. SALN was prepared with lipid-based excipients to utilize lipid transport in the enterocytes and enhance lymphatic absorption of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract. The particle size of SALN was 106 ± 10 nm. SALNs were internalized by the intestinal epithelium via the clathrin-mediated endocytosis, and then transported across the epithelium via the chylomicron secretion pathway, resulting in a 3.76-fold increase in drug epithelial permeability (Papp) compared to the solid dispersion (SD). After oral administration to rats, SALNs were transported by the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and secretory vesicles of enterocytes and were found in the lamina propria of intestinal villi, abdominal mesenteric lymph, and plasma. The oral bioavailability of SALN was 65.9-fold and 1.70-fold greater than that of the coarse powder suspension and SD, respectively, and was highly dependent on the lymphatic route of absorption. Notably, SALN prolonged the elimination half-life of the drug (9.34 ± 2.51 h) compared to the solid dispersion (3.51 ± 0.46 h), increased the biodistribution of REG in the tumor and gastrointestinal (GI) tract, decreased biodistribution in the liver, and showed better therapeutic efficacy than the solid dispersion in colorectal tumor-bearing mice. These results demonstrated that SALN is promising for the treatment of colorectal cancer via lymphatic transport and has potential for clinical translation.

Impact of Ball Milling on the Hydrogen Evolution Performance of Cu2Sn0.38Ge0.62S3 Photocatalytic Particles Synthesized via a Flux Method.

Ball milling has been shown empirically to produce fine photocatalytic particles from large bulky particles but to drastically reduce the photocatalytic activity of such material during water splitting due to mechanical damage to the photocatalyst surfaces. If the damaged photocatalyst surfaces could be removed or reconstructed, the reduced particle sizes resulting from milling would be expected to provide enhanced photocatalytic activity. In the present study, fine particles of crystalline Cu2Sn0.38Ge0.62S3 (CTGS), which is responsive to long wavelength light up to the near-infrared region, were synthesized by a flux method and subsequent ball milling. A photocathode made of such particles showed significantly enhanced photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance under simulated sunlight while the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity of a powder suspension system made from the same material exhibited a typical decrease. The CTGS crystalline particles synthesized using the flux method were found to be highly crystalline but to have relatively large micrometer-scale sizes. Ball milling reduced the particle size but produced an amorphous coating of oxidized species that lowered the photocatalytic activity of the powder suspension system. Typical surface modifications of a photocathode made from this material, consisting of wet chemical processes, also served as an etching treatment to successfully remove the minimally crystalline surface layer and provide greater PEC activity. These data suggest the benefits of combining flux crystal growth with ball milling and the appropriate chemical etching process to obtain high-crystallinity fine photocatalytic particles responsive to long wavelength light with improved PEC hydrogen evolution activity.