Satisfactory Long-term Stability Research Articles

Highly permeable membrane based on permax and PEG for air dehumidification

In this work, polyethylene glycol (PEG) with varying molecular weights was incorporated into the water-based polyurethane matrix (Permax232) to prepare Permax/PEG blend membranes for air dehumidification. The physical properties of the prepared membranes were characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD and DSC. Furthermore, the influence of PEG molecular weight on the water vapor adsorption and permeability properties of the Permax/PEG blend membranes was investigated. The experimental results showed that blending PEG600 into the Permax232 matrix obtained optimal performance for air dehumidification. The water vapor sorption enthalpy and the permeation activation energy in the membranes were determined. Furthermore, Permax/20PEG600/PAN thin film composite membrane was developed via dip-coating method. The composite membrane showed superior water vapor permeance of 6578 GPU and water vapor/N2 selectivity of 4909 and a satisfactory long-term stability, which had potential industrial application for energy efficient dehumidification.

Microwave-assistance boosted voltage window in oxygen-deficient MnCo2O4.5 for flexible asymmetric supercapacitors

Binder-free oxygen-vacancy-rich MnCo2O4.5 highly crystalline porous nanosheets directly grown on carbon cloth were successfully prepared via a time-saving microwave-assisted hydrothermal route. With the assistance of microwave, the ultrathin porous nanosheets structure, accompanied by rich oxygen vacancies in MnCo2O4.5, presents abundant interspace and pores with good conductivity, resulting in a high specific capacity (522.7 C g−1 at 1 A g−1) and satisfactory long-term stability (87.6 % capacity maintenance after 5000 cycles at 10 A g−1). More importantly, the stable potential window of the obtained MnCo2O4.5 electrode is extended to 1.05 V (0–1.05 V vs. Hg/HgO), surpassing the commonly reported potential window of MnCo2O4.5-based electrode materials, which typically falls below 0.75 V. Moreover, the assembled MnCo2O4.5/a-CC//AC all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a wide stable voltage of 2.05 V, high energy density of 30.8 Wh kg−1 at 1025 W kg−1, with excellent long-term endurance (83.7 % capacity preservation after 6000 cycles at 5 A g−1) and mechanical flexibility. These results demonstrate the promising application of microwave-assisted oxygen-deficient MnCo2O4.5 in flexible wearable devices.

Carbon-dot liposome–based synthesis of gold nanocatalysts for efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol in wastewater

Supported metal nanoparticles (NPs) having high catalytic activity and stability hold great promise in many fields including catalytic wastewater treatment. These NPs can be effectively stabilized by the suitable carriers to achieve satisfactory long-term stability and increased recyclability. Compared with common solid-state supports, catalyst supports with dynamic behavior are expected to endow active sites with additional degrees of freedom for enhanced catalytic performance. Here, a novel dynamical nanocatalyst support utilizing lamellar vesicles formed via self-assembly of lipid-like carbon dots was devised for in situ growth of gold NPs decorated carbon-dot liposomes (AuNPs@CDLs) in catalytic reduction application. CDLs with abundant carbon domains and surface functional groups are ideal hosts for carrying high-density Au NPs, which are beneficial for providing large number of active sites. CDLs also endow high substrate entrapment and adsorption capacity and thereby improve the overall catalytic performance. Our results reveal that AuNPs@CDLs exhibited superior catalytic activity than unsupported Au NPs for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) with sodium borohydride. The increased fluidity in the vesicle membrane also leads to an enhancement of catalytic efficiency. AuNPs@CDLs have been successfully applied in industrial wastewater treatment, with results of almost complete degradation of 4-NP within 3 min. As a dynamically self-assembled support, CDLs can not only improve the stability against salt-induced aggregation and reusability of immobilized metal nanocatalysts, but also enhance the accessibility of active sites through the intrinsic fluidity of vesicle membranes.

Sensitive determination of bisphenol S from food samples using chitosan modified polyaniline: Detection optimization via Box Behnken Design

Increased global awareness and the selective ban on bisphenol A (BPA) toxicity have prompted manufacturers to seek alternatives. Bisphenol S (BPS) emerges as one such alternative for potential food packaging replacement. However, BPS is not exempt from toxicity concerns. In this study, we demonstrate a straightforward method using a polyaniline/chitosan (PANI/Cht) composite drop-coated onto a screen-printed carbon electrode to selectively and sensitively detect BPS in food samples. PANI/Cht sensitivity was optimized through Box Behnken Design, considering factors such as dosage, pH, and contact time. ANOVA analysis highlighted dosage and contact time as significant in sensitive BPS detection. The PANI/Cht sensor exhibits excellent linearity (0.2–50 µM) with a low detection limit of 18.65 nM. Furthermore, the sensor showcases satisfactory reproducibility, selectivity, long-term stability, and recoveries for spiked BPS in real food matrices.

Fabrication and Characterization of an Electrochemical Platform for Formaldehyde Oxidation, Based on Glassy Carbon Modified with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Electrochemically Generated Palladium Nanoparticles.

This study outlines the fabrication process of an electrochemical platform utilizing glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs). The MWCNTs were applied on the GCE surface using the drop-casting method and PdNPs were produced electrochemically by a potentiostatic method employing various programmed charges from an ammonium tetrachloropalladate(II) solution. The resulting GCEs modified with MWCNTs and PdNPs underwent comprehensive characterization for topographical and morphological attributes, utilizing atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy along with energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Electrochemical assessment of the GCE/MWCNTs/PdNPs involved cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy conducted in perchloric acid solution. The findings revealed even dispersion of PdNPs, and depending on the electrodeposition parameters, PdNPs were produced within four size ranges, i.e., 10-30 nm, 20-40 nm, 50-60 nm, and 70-90 nm. Additionally, the electrocatalytic activity toward formaldehyde oxidation was assessed through CV. It was observed that an increase in the size of the PdNPs corresponded to enhanced catalytic activity in the formaldehyde oxidation reaction on the GCE/MWCNTs/PdNPs. Furthermore, satisfactory long-term stability over a period of 42 days was noticed for the GCE/MWCNTs/PDNPs(100) material which demonstrated the best electrocatalytic properties in the electrooxidation reaction of formaldehyde.

Solvent-free fabrication of pore-filling cation-exchange membranes for highly efficient desalination

The traditional route for ion-exchange membrane fabrication usually involves complex procedures that require substantial quantities of organic solvents and optionally undergo post-modification utilizing strong base or acid. Here, we develop a completely green route for cation-exchange membrane fabrication via a simple soaking pore-filling polymerization method using water as the sole solvent. The resulting pore-filling cation-exchange membranes (PFCEMs) exhibited high ion exchange capacity, moderate water uptake, robust mechanical properties, low area resistance (1.3 Ω cm2) and high limiting current density (181 mA cm−2), leading to superior performance for salt desalination. Benefiting from the superior electrochemical properties, PFCEM achieved an ideal desalination rate of 93.4 %, which was comparable to that of the flagship commercial Neosepta CMX membrane (91.5 %). In addition, the low membrane cost and satisfactory long-term stability of the PFCEMs indicated promising features for their scale-up in industrial production and applications.

New insight into interference-free and highly sensitive dopamine electroanalysis

Early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and hyperprolactinemia based on electrochemical dopamine (DA) sensing appears as an efficient and promising practical diagnostic method. However, the coexistence of DA in real samples with ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA), which oxidize at potentials close to its own, prevents the accurate electrochemical DA sensing and therefore, hinders the effective diagnosis of these diseases. In this work, we successfully combined the electrostatic proprieties of GO, the electron transfer properties of an AuNPs@MWCNTs nanocomposite and the ability of thiol group of the amino acid l-cysteine to react chemically with carbonyl groups of UA, to develop a novel approach that enabled complete suppression of interference from AA and UA and hence, accurate DA electroanalysis in the conditions close to those of human blood serum. The chemical reaction between l-cysteine and UA was evidenced by monitoring the DPV responses of UA under different conditions. XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS and FE-SEM revealed the successful synthesis of GO and AuNPs@MWCNTs. The study of the electrode material (GO-AuNPs@MWCNTs) morphology via FE-SEM and HR-TEM showed that AuNPs@MWCNTs are distributed throughout the exfoliated GO layers. The fabricated sensor was calibrated in the concentration range of 0.5–5 μM, in the presence of the highest blood concentrations of AA and UA for healthy individuals. A linear relationship was observed and the LOD was found to be 1.31 nM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the sensor showed good electron transfer kinetics, good repeatability and reproducibility, satisfactory long-term stability, and recoveries in human blood serum.

In-based coordination polymer-derived carbon nanoribbons with abundant CoP nanoparticles in carbon nanotubes for water oxidation.

The sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in overall electrocatalytic water splitting poses a significant challenge in hydrogen production. A series of transition metal phosphides are emerging as promising electrocatalysts, effectively modulating the charge distribution of surrounding atoms for OER. In this study, a highly efficient OER electrocatalyst (CoP-CNR-CNT) was successfully synthesized through the pyrolysis and phosphatization of a Co-doped In-based coordination polymer, specifically InOF-25. This process resulted in evenly dispersed CoP nanoparticles encapsulated in coordination polymer-derived carbon nanoribbons. The synthesized CoP-CNR-CNT demonstrated a competitive OER activity with a smaller overpotential (η10) of 295.7 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a satisfactory long-term stability compared to the state-of-the-art RuO2 (η10 = 353.7 mV). The high OER activity and stability can be attributed to the high conductivity of the carbon network, the abundance of CoP particles, and the intricate nanostructure of nanoribbons/nanotubes. This work provides valuable insights into the rational design and facile preparation of efficient non-precious metal-based OER electrocatalysts from inorganic-organic coordination polymers, with potential applications in various energy conversion and storage systems.

Insights into Enhanced Peroxydisulfate Activation with B and Fe Co-Doped Biochar from Bark for the Rapid Degradation of Guaiacol.

A boron and iron co-doped biochar (B-Fe/biochar) from Masson pine bark was fabricated and used to activate peroxydisulfate (PDS) for the degradation of guaiacol (GL). The roles of the dopants and the contribution of the radical and non-radical oxidations were investigated. The results showed that the doping of boron and iron significantly improved the catalytic activity of the biochar catalyst with a GL removal efficiency of 98.30% within 30 min. The degradation of the GL mainly occurred through the generation of hydroxyl radicals (·OHs) and electron transfer on the biochar surface, and a non-radical degradation pathway dominated by direct electron transfer was proposed. Recycling the B-Fe/biochar showed low metal leaching from the catalyst and satisfactory long-term stability and reusability, providing potential insights into the use of metal and non-metal co-doped biochar catalysts for PDS activation.

Polyamide nanofiltration membranes by vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization: Broad universality of Substrate, wide window of monomer concentration and high reproducibility of performance

Vacuum assistance is used for filtering solid substances onto porous substrates to create composite membranes typically. However, the potential of this approach has rarely been assessed in facilitating the distribution of liquids within those porous substrates to fabricate composite membranes in typical interfacial polymerization. In this work, we demonstrate the advantages of vacuum-assisted interfacial polymerization (VAIP) in terms of substrate universality, monomer concentration range, and performance reproducibility in the fabrication of polyimide nanofiltration membranes. Aqueous solutions of PIP can be homogeneously distributed by vacuum filtration on diverse microfiltration substrates of polyether sulfone (PES), Nylon-66, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), cellulose acetate (CA), and mixed cellulose esters (MCE), respectively. Interfacial polymerization is then performed on these substrates using different concentrations of piperazine (PIP, 0.0075–0.1000 wt%) and trimoyl chloride (TMC, 0.0112–0.1500 wt%). Remarkably, a uniform and ultra-thin polyamide layer with a thickness of 15 nm can be achieved at an exceptionally low PIP concentration of 0.0250 wt%, exhibits a rejection rate of over 98.8 % for Na2SO4 and a water permeance of 25.8 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1. The membranes with a diameter of 30 cm demonstrate reproducibility in nanofiltration performance and satisfactory long-term stability. This method offers a simple yet effective strategy for regulating the liquid distribution and optimizing interfacial polymerization in fabricating polyamide composite membranes.

Mesoporous In2O3/ZnO heterogeneous microtubes replicated from waste willow catkins for high response and rapid detection of NO2 gas at low temperature

Development of low-temperature NO2 sensors has recently gained extensive interests. However, how to realize their over-all sensing abilities of high response and rapid detection is still challenging. Herein, adhering to the concept of sustainable development, waste willow catkins have been selected as template and soaked in Zn/In nitrates solution with two types of molar ratios. Then, the obtained precursors were placed in a furnace to undergo calcination at 500 ℃, generating two biomorphic In2O3/ZnO heterogeneous microtubes. All the tubes were assembled by well-crystallized small-size nanoparticles. Thereinto, 16.4 wt% In2O3/ZnO sensor exhibits well comprehensive gas-sensing performances towards trace NO2 at low 92 °C. That is, its response value (S = 883) and recovery time (10 s) to 10 ppm NO2 are higher and faster than those of most one-dimensional ZnO-based NO2 sensors reported so far. Meanwhile, it also has good selectivity and low detection limit (10 ppb), as well as satisfactory long-term stability and humidity resistance. Therefore, the mesoporous 16.4 wt% In2O3/ZnO heterogeneous microtubes rich in oxygen vacancy defects are available as a candidate for detecting trace NO2 at low temperature.

A transcription factor-based bacterial biosensor system and its application for on-site detection of explosives

Detecting unexploded landmines is critical due to the environmental pollution and potential humanitarian risks caused by buried landmines. Therefore, this study focused on developing a biosensor system capable of detecting explosives safely and efficiently. A novel transcription factor-based Escherichia coli biosensor was designed to detect 1,3-dinitrobenzene (1,3-DNB). The MexT transcription factor from Pseudomonas putida (P. putida) was identified as the fundamental sensing element in this biosensor. The study found that MexT positively regulated the transcription of PP_2827 by binding to the bidirectional promoter region between them, and significantly enhanced the expression of downstream genes under the condition of 1,3-DNB. The MexT-based biosensor for 1,3-DNB was developed by adopting different combinations of the mexT gene and promoters. The optimized biosensor demonstrated adequate sensitivity for detecting 0.1 μg/mL of 1,3-DNB in a liquid solution with satisfactory specificity and long-term stability. Subsequently, the MexT-based biosensor was integrated into a detection device to simulate the in-field exploration of explosives. The system exhibited a detection sensitivity of 0.5 mg/kg for 1,3-DNB in the sand, and realized the detection of on-site and large-scale area and the location of buried 1,3-DNB under the soil. The study provided a novel transcription factor-based bacterial biosensor and a complete system (China Earth Eye, CEE) for sensitive detection of 1,3-DNB. The good performance of this biosensor system can facilitate the development of accurate, on-site, and high-efficient exploration of explosives in real extensive minefields. Moreover, this 1,3-DNB biosensor can be complementary to the 2,4-DNT biosensor reported before, demonstrating its potential applications in military situations.

Toward High-Performance Mg/S Batteries with M4-Assisted Mg(AlCl4 )2 /PYR14TFSI/DME Electrolyte and MoS2 @CMK/S Cathode.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) are considered as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation batteries. However, the popularization of RMBs is seriously plagued due to the lack of suitable non-nucleophilic electrolytes and the passivation of Mg anode. Herein, a novel non-nucleophilic electrolyte is developed by introducing (s)-1-methoxy-2-propylamine (M4) into themagnesium aluminum chloride complex (MACC)-like electrolyte. The as-synthesizes Mg(AlCl4 )2 -IL-DME-M4 electrolyte enables robust reversible cycling of Mg plating/stripping with low overpotential, high anodic stability, and ionic conductivity (8.56mScm-1 ). These features should be mainly attributed to the in situ formation of an MgF2 containing Mg2+ -conducting interphase, which dramatically suppresses the passivation and parasitic reaction of Mg anode with electrolyte. Remarkably, the Mg/S batteries assemble with as-synthesize electrolyte and a new type MoS2 @CMK/S cathode deliver unprecedented electrochemical performance. Specifically, the Mg/S battery exhibited the highest reversible capacity up to 1210mAhg-1 at 0.1C, excellent rate capability and satisfactory long-term cycling stability with a reversible capacity of 370mAhg-1 (coulombic efficiency of ≈100%) at 1.0C for 600 cycles. The study findings provide a novel strategy and inspiration for designing efficient non-nucleophilic Mg electrolyte and suitable sulfur-host materials for practical Mg/S battery applications.

Structural improvement of Sm–Mn oxides for enhanced CO sensing performance

Restricted by an insufficient understanding of the compositional and structural characteristics of the sensing materials that affect the sensing performances, the YSZ-based CO gas sensor remains in a dilemma in terms of further promoting sensitivity, selectivity and long-term stability. In this work, two bimetallic oxides with different crystal structures, perovskite SmMnO3 and mullite SmMn2O5, were prepared and adopted to elucidate the roles of the Mn3+, Mn4+ and surface oxygen vacancies. Compared with SmMnO3, the coexisting coordination modes of Mn3+ and Mn4+ in SmMn2O5 is conducive to generating oxygen vacancies. Furthermore, a SmMn2O5-based sensor with more oxygen vacancies demonstrates a relatively faster response/recovery speed and enhanced sensitivity of 2.05 times that of SmMnO3 under the same operation conditions. Such work may broaden insight into the development of efficient sensing materials that introduce oxygen vacancies through the construction of phase structures without complicated operations. Overall, the sensor attached to SmMn2O5 exhibits a low detection limit (5 ppm), a feasible response/recovery speed (24 s/28 s toward 40 ppm CO operating at 450 °C), satisfactory CO selectivity and long-term stability, highlighting its potential for CO monitoring in harsh environments.

Amorphous high-entropy phosphoxides for efficient overall alkaline water/seawater splitting

Designing and synthesizing cost-effective bifunctional catalysts for overall alkaline water/seawater splitting is still a huge challenge for hydrogen production. Herein, Co/Ni/Fe/Mn based-amorphous high-entropy phosphoxide self-standing electrode (CNFMPO) is synthesized by the facile and fast electrodeposition method. CNFMPO exhibits excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic performances on alkaline water/seawater electrolysis. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotentials of CNFMPO in alkaline water/seawater are as low as 43/73 and 252/282 mV to reach a current density of 10 mA cm−2, respectively. Additionally, two-electrode electrolyzers with CNFMPO||CNFMPO successfully achieve the current density of 10 mA cm−2 at low voltages of 1.54 and 1.56 V for overall alkaline water/seawater splitting, respectively. CNFMPO exhibits satisfactory long-term stability on overall alkaline water/seawater splitting for the surface reconstruction into active metal hydroxide/(oxy)hydroxide, phosphite, and phosphate. Moreover, no hypochlorite is detected during seawater electrolysis for the beneficial chlorite oxidation inhibition of the reconstructed phosphite and phosphate. The excellent catalytic performances of CNFMPO are due to the unique amorphous structure, multi-component synergistic effect, beneficial electronic structure modulation, and surface reconstruction during the catalytic reaction process. Therefore, CNFMPO has shown potential promotion to the development of the water/seawater splitting industry as a promising substituent for noble-metal electrocatalysts. This work provides new insights into the design of efficient bifunctional catalysts for overall water/seawater splitting.

Imide-based covalent organic framework with excellent cyclability as an anode material for lithium-ion battery

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) exhibiting reversible redox behaviors have been identified as promising candidates for constructing electrode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, their extensive application has been limited due to finite redox sites and poor structural stability. In this study, we design and synthesize a novel polyimide covalent organic framework (PI-COF) using the traditional solvothermal method and successfully apply it as an anode material for LIBs. The large conjugated structure of PI-COF accelerates charge transfer, while its large surface area provides more active sites, making PI-COF an attractive anode material for LIBs. Furthermore, the PI-COF anode material demonstrates high reversible specific capacity and excellent long-term cycling stability due to its COF characteristics. Specifically, the PI-COF electrodes deliver a specific capacity of 800 mAh/g at a current density of 200 mA/g after 200 cycles, while a specific capacity of 450 mAh/g at a current density of 1000 mA/g is sustained after 800 cycles. The outstanding lithium storage capacity, particularly the satisfactory long-term cycling stability, establishes PI-COF as a promising material for LIBs.

Temperature-controlled dual-selectivity nitric oxide/acetone sensor constructed from mesoporous SnO2 tubes doped by biomass-derived graphitic carbon

How to achieve good dual-functional selectivity of metal oxide-based sensors to harmful gases remains challenge due to few relevant reports. To this purpose, we selected waste willow catkins as structure-oriented template and carbon source to controllably prepare biomorphic GC/SnO2-500 sensing material by air calcination of 500 °C. Its tubular morphology is cross-linked by 3.51 wt% biomass-derived graphitic carbon (GC) and small-size nanoparticles. It has relatively large specific surface area, uniform mesopore distribution and rich oxygen vacancies. The synergistic effect of above positive factors promotes the rapid gas transport to sensing layer, and also increases the reactive sites and its resistance modulation ability, thus achieving good dual-functional selectivity. At 92 °C, GC/SnO2-500 sensor displays large response value of 802 to 10 ppm NO, and exhibits a good response towards 100 ppm acetone at 217 °C (S = 22). Both of the indexes are better than those of most corresponding gas sensors reported presently. Meanwhile, the sensor has short response time, satisfactory long-term stability and humidity tolerance. Moreover, portable temperature-dependent dual-functional gas-sensing mechanism is also discussed.

High-sensitivity integrated detector with nanostructured hydrogel electrode for ascorbic acid determination

This paper proposed a novel integrated detector with nanostructured hydrogel electrode (IDNHE) for ascorbic acid detection. The electrochemical detector was integrated on printed circuit board (PCB). The IDNHE employed the nanostructured multi-walled carbon nanotubes/polyaniline/polyvinyl alcohol (MWCNTs/PANI/PVA) hydrogel as the working electrode. The PVA hydrogel can not only effectively combine the PANI and substrate through hydrogen bonds, but also greatly improve the stability and durability of the detector. MWCNTs were used to fabricate the nanostructures, increasing the surface area of electrode. The detection mechanism is based on the redox reaction of PANI with ascorbic acid. The detection limit and the sensitivity of IDNHE were 0.9 μM (S/N = 3) and 161.46 mA·μM−1·cm−2, respectively. Moreover, IDNHE has a satisfactory reproducibility (RSD = 1.43 %), repeatability (RSD = 2.35 %) and long-term stability for 90 days. Therefore, this work undoubtedly provides a considerate choice for the lab on a chip, and further a promising application prospect for developing the portable real-time monitoring device.

Ionic liquid-based pore-filling anion-exchange membranes enable fast large-sized metallic anion migration in electrodialysis

The development of low-resistance ion-exchange membranes enabling fast transport of large-sized metallic anions is extremely desirable for the treatment of metal containing effluents using electrodialysis (ED). Herein, mechanically stable ionic liquid-based pore-filling anion-exchange membranes (PFAEMs) with excellent transport performance for large-sized metallic anions were fabricated by impregnating porous polytetrafluoroethylene with ionic liquid (IL) tricapryl(methyl) ammonium chloride, poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene). The superior compatibility between the ILs and polymeric chains ensured the stable existence of quaternary ammonium groups, thus enabling fast metallic anion migration along the continuous pathway in the membrane matrix at a low current density. The prepared PFAEM exhibited a dramatically greater flux of HCrO4− (90.7 μmol m−2 s−1), which was 9.5 and 4.4 times higher than the flagship commercial Neosepta@ASE and Neosepta@AMX membranes, respectively. The area resistance of PFAEM (3.4 Ω cm2) was found to be 3.4 and 2.0 times lower than those of the Neosepta@ASE and Neosepta@AMX membranes, respectively. Besides, the preeminent transport performance of PFAEM to other metal coordination anions revealed the universality of the prepared membrane. Moreover, the extremely high limiting current density and satisfactory long-term stability of PFAEM manifested bright prospects for realizing efficient metal separation in industrial-scale applications.

Biokompatibilni lipidni nanonosači za poboljšanu isporuku fluocinolonacetonida u kožu - fizičkohemijske osobine i in vitro učinak

In order to improve the delivery of topical corticosteroids into inflammatory skin lesions while reducing the likelihood of adverse effects, lipid nanocarriers have received increasing attention. Hence, this study aimed to develop biocompatible nanoemulsions (NEs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) as carriers for fluocinolone acetonide (FA) by carefully optimizing the formulation and process parameters. After an analysis of the relevant physicochemical parameters and stability testing, in vitro release and permeation tests were performed to evaluate whether the nanocarriers affected the penetration of FA into/through the skin compared to a conventional reference product (Sinoderm® cream). The developed NEs exhibited satisfactory physicochemical properties (droplet size <200 nm, PDI<0.2, ZP>|-30| mV, pH ~ 4.75) and long-term stability. Although the developed NLCs initially had satisfactory properties, gelation was observed within 3 months of storage, implying that further formulation testing is required to resolve the limited stability of these systems. In vitro release/permeation findings suggest that the developed nanocarriers (especially NEs) provide better delivery of FA into/though the skin compared to the Sinoderm® cream. Therefore, a lecithin-based NE with a 10% lipid phase (medium-chain triglycerides/oleic acid 3:1) is a promising strategy for improved delivery of FA to the inflamed skin, allowing for ease of application, especially to larger skin surfaces and hairy regions.