Spherical Nanoparticles Research Articles

Portfolio of colloidally stable gold-gold sulfide nanoparticles and their use in broad-band photoacoustic imaging.

There is an increasing interest in non-invasive photoacoustic imaging and hence demand for non-toxic, stable, optical solid absorbers, particularly in the visible and near-infrared regions enabling deep tissue penetration. The most popular gold nanorods (GNR) suffer from cumbersome synthesis with poor reproducibility and stability under moderate laser exposure. Recently, a new class of nanoparticle, gold-gold sulfide (GGS), was recognized to have strong NIR absorption but lack colloidal stability. Here, we successfully synthesized a portfolio of aqueous GGS nanoparticles (NP) with excellent stability through a one-step, reproducible synthesis: Anionic, cationic, and protein-coated GGS NPs were obtained by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3MPA), branched poly(ethyleneimine) (bPEI) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a coating. All GGS NPs comprise small (<10 nm) and large anisotropic (>30 nm) morphologies and display two absorption bands centered at 530-540 nm and 800-900 nm. The photoacoustic activity (PA) of GGS NPs in solution at the visible (532 nm) and NIR (800 nm) region is similar and independent of the coating. Remarkably, they outperformed the spherical gold NPs and performed comparable to GNRs. In vitro PA microscopy images recorded with visible and NIR lasers revealed that GGS NPs are successfully internalized by triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, used for the proof of principle. A coating-dependent intracellular PA signal in favor of GGS-3MPA was observed. The weakest signal was obtained with the GGS-BSA, indicating a low cellular uptake. These stable, aqueous GGS NPs emerge as promising candidates for broad-band PAI and further biomedical applications.

Gold nanoparticles as innovative therapeutics for oral mucositis: A review of current evidence.

Oral mucositis (OM) remains a debilitating side effect in patients undergoing cancer therapy. DNA damage and oxidative stress generated by radiation and/or chemotherapy activate key inflammatory pathways, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the epithelial barrier, leading to microbial colonization, and ulceration. These ulcerative lesions are often extremely painful, compromising nutrition and oral hygiene, requiring intravenous nutritional support, resulting in longer periods of hospitalization and increased cost. Ulcers often increase the risk of secondary infection, disrupting cancer therapy and patient prognosis. Despite these issues, there is no approved therapy to mitigate OM. Ultrasmall (< 10nm) spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with low toxicity offer unique size- and surface chemistry-dependent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, physicochemical design of AuNPs, including size, capping agent, and surface charge critically influence their colloidal stability, toxicity, and therapeutic efficacy. AuNP below 10nm demonstrate increased therapeutic efficacy due to the high surface area-to-volume ratio, however, particles smaller than 2nm also show increased potential for inducing cellular death. Furthermore, anionic capping agents make AuNPs less toxic with increased anti-inflammatory response, while cationic particles are potent antimicrobials but toxic. Thus, surface chemistry modulation is a promising strategy to design AuNPs (< 10nm) as potential therapeutic agents for OM. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the OM pathophysiology, discusses current interventional concepts, critically analyses the existing literature on AuNP as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial agent and highlights the benefits and challenges associated with using AuNPs as a therapeutic agent against OM.

A promising photocathode for green hydrogen generation from sanitation water without external sacrificing agent: silver-silver oxide/poly(1H-pyrrole) dendritic nanocomposite seeded on poly-1H pyrrole film

Abstract A novel photocathode has shown promise for generating green hydrogen from sanitation water at a rate of 50 µmol/h per 10 cm², using waste water as an electrolyte in a three-electrode cell. This photocathode is composed of two layers: a poly(1H-pyrrole) seeding layer topped with a silver-silver oxide/poly(1H-pyrrole) (Ag-Ag2O-P1HP) dendritic nanocomposite. The nanocomposite exhibits broad light absorption up to 660 nm and possesses a bandgap of 1.8 eV. SEM images reveal that the Ag-Ag2O-P1HP nanocomposite consists of well-ordered semi-spherical nanoparticles, with an average size between 80 and 100 nm. These spherical nanoparticles offer a large surface area, which enhances photon absorption and trapping efficiency. Additionally, the crystalline structure is characterized by a small crystal size of 32 nm, further contributing to the material’s efficiency. Hydrogen generation performance was evaluated by measuring the current density (J ph) under white light and monochromatic light, compared to the dark current (J o). The photocathode’s sensitivity was tested using four different monochromatic wavelengths: 540, 440, 340, and 730 nm. The first three wavelengths – 540, 440, and 340 nm – resulted in high J ph values of −0.19, −0.20, and −0.21 mA/cm², respectively, indicating significant hydrogen production. Conversely, the 730 nm wavelength produced a lower J ph value of −0.17 mA/cm², as the energy at this wavelength is insufficient to induce significant bond vibrations, resulting in limited hydrogen production. The high efficiency, combined with the straightforward fabrication of this photocathode, suggests that it could be scaled up as a prototype for industrial hydrogen generation applications.

Synthesis of Polymeric Nanoparticles Using Fungal Biosurfactant as Stabilizer

Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) are highly valuable across various industries due to their advantageous properties, including biocompatibility and enhanced release control, which are particularly important for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications. Fungi, through secondary metabolism, are capable of producing biosurfactants (BSs)—amphiphilic molecules that reduce surface tension and can therefore substitute synthetic surfactants in PNP stabilization. In this study, we investigated the production of biosurfactants by the endophytic fungus Aspergillus welwitschiae CG2-16, isolated from the Amazon region, as well as its use as a PNP stabilizer. The fungus exhibited a 36% reduction in the surface tension of the culture medium during growth, indicative of BS production. The partially purified biosurfactant demonstrated an emulsification of 24%, a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 280 mg/L, and an FTIR spectrum suggesting a lipopeptide composition. The biosurfactant was employed in the synthesis of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanoparticles via nanoprecipitation and emulsion/diffusion methods. Nanoprecipitation yielded spherical nanoparticles with a low polydispersity index (0.14 ± 0.04) and a high zeta potential (−29.10 ± 8.70 mV), indicating suspension stability. These findings highlight the significant role of biosurfactants in polymeric nanoparticle formation and stabilization, emphasizing their potential for diverse applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and other industrial sectors.

Efficacy Assessment of Sulfated Flavanol Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles against MCF-7 Breast Cancer

Aim: The present research work aims to formulate a cost-effective and less toxic drug for specific and selective delivery at the tumor site. Background: Existing therapeutics, such as chemo, surgery, etc., for fast-paced MCF-7 breast cancer, still face challenges, especially due to their toxic side effects. The unique properties of metal nanoparticles embedded in anti-oxidant plant polymers have sparked great interest in the formulation of less toxic-targeted drugs for cancer cure. Objective: The present work aims to synthesize a targeted formulation of colloidal nanosilver by surface engineering of silver nanoparticles using plant polymers in electrolytic deposition technique, developed indigenously at the institute lab. Methods: A current is passed through an elctrolyte, AgNO3, which splits it into ions. The positive ions of Ag deposit over LDPE wrapped carbon cathode and negative ion, NO3, is liberated. Ag+ ions get capped in-situ. These surface-modified silver nanoparticles formulate a colloidal solution. UV-visible and FTIR spectroscopy, TEM-EDX, and XRD were used to validate asprepared formulation and in vivo human tumor xenograft model in NOD-SCID mouse for efficacy against MCF-7 breast cancer. Results: The as-synthesized formulation consists of pure spherical poly-dispersed silver nanoparticles of average size 5.4 nm, coated with sulphated flavanols. The efficacy evaluation reported that it significantly, T/C = 0.53, reduced tumor volumes with a 100% survival rate and change in animal body weight &lt;4 gms. Conclusion: The as-synthesized formulation can be used as a potential neo-adjuvant or adjuvant drug along with existing therapeutics for MCF-7 breast cancer, significantly reducing the toxicity and cost.

Designing of amiloride loaded citrate functionalized amorphous silica nanoparticles to investigate its genotoxic and cytotoxic potential

In the present work, silica-based nanocarrier for the anticancer drug, amiloride have been synthesized and characterized using various physicochemical techniques. The aim of this work emphasis on investigating the physicochemical properties and cytotoxic effects of citrate-functionalized amiloride loaded silica nanoparticles. Silica nanoparticles synthesis was carried out via condensation reaction, then coated by tris sodium citrate, followed by their functionalization using amiloride through EDC-NHS reaction. SEM and HR-XRD analysis indicated the formation of amorphous spherical silica nanoparticles. The existence of citrate coating was evident from FT-IR and TGA results, which were supported by DLS and zeta potential studies. The formation of amiloride conjugated citrate coated silica nanoparticles (SiNPs-Cit@Ami) was confirmed by the DLS, Zeta potential and UV-Visible spectroscopy. Size of SiNPs-Cit@Ami nanoparticles was found to be around 80nm using TEM. Additionally, these nanoparticles showed high loading efficiency and time-dependent release of amiloride. DNA binding studies were examined using UV–Visible, Fluorescence spectroscopic and Competitive fluorescence studies. The results indicate that SiNPs-Cit@Ami bind to Ct-DNA via minor groove binding mode. Furthermore, the cytotoxic effect of SiNPs-Cit@Ami on HepG2 cell lines was found to be higher than amiloride alone. Our findings suggest that SiNPs-Cit@Ami can be employed as a promising candidate for cancer mitigation.

Cerium oxide anchored free-standing silicon nanowires as potential anode materials for electrochemical supercapacitor

Free-standing 1 D silicon nanowires (Si-NWs) were synthesized by the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) technique and subsequently decorated with cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles synthesized by a solvothermal process. Morphological characterization of the CeO2/Si-NWs nanocomposite validates the homogeneous growth of spherical CeO2 nanoparticles around the Si-NWs, while the N2 adsorption-desorption study indicates a large specific surface area (SSA) and the presence of ink-bottle-shaped pores possessing a significant portion of mesopores. This CeO2/Si-NWs composite electrode demonstrates excellent electrochemical behavior, attaining an impressive specific capacitance (Csp) of 830 F g–1 at a current density of 1.0 A g–1, the anodic material delivers an energy density of 19 Wh kg–1 at a power density of 2.5 kW kg–1, along with exceptional durability, retaining 94% of its capacitance after 2000 charge-discharge cycles. The results show that the CeO2/Si-NWs composite electrode has great potential as an emerging category of anodic material for supercapacitors.

Monosaccharide coating modulate the intracellular trafficking of gold nanoparticles in dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) have emerged as a promising target for drug delivery and immune modulation due to their pivotal role in initiating the adaptive immune response. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have garnered interest as a platform for targeted drug delivery due to their biocompatibility, low toxicity and precise control over size, morphology and surface functionalization. Our investigation aimed to elucidate the intracellular uptake and trafficking of AuNPs coated with different combinations of monosaccharides (mannose, galactose, and fucose) in DCs. We used 30 unique polymer-tethered monosaccharide combinations to coat 16 nm diameter spherical gold nanoparticles and investigated their effect on DCs phenotype, uptake, and intracellular trafficking.DCs internalised AuNPs coated with 100% fucose, 100% mannose, 90% mannose + 10% galactose, and 80% mannose + 20% galactose with highest efficiency. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that 100% fucose-coated AuNPs showed increased lysosomal and endosomal contents compared to other conditions and uncoated AuNPs. Imaging flow cytometry further demonstrated that 100% fucose-coated AuNPs had enhanced co-localisation with lysosomes, while 100% mannose-coated AuNPs exhibited higher co-localisation with endosomes.Furthermore, our data showed that the uptake of carbohydrate-coated AuNPs predominantly occurred through receptor-mediated endocytosis, as evidenced by a marked reduction of uptake upon treatment of DCs with methyl-β-cyclodextrins, known to disrupt receptor-mediated endocytosis. These findings highlight the utility of carbohydrate coatings to enable more targeted delivery of nanoparticles and their payload to distinct intracellular compartments in immune cells with potential applications in drug delivery and immunotherapy.

Biosynthesis of ZnO nanocomposites from Mentha spicata applications of antioxidant, antimicrobial and genotoxicity advances in MCF-7 cell line

This study focuses on enhancing the, Spearmint (Mentha spicata), an aromatic herb indigenous to Europe and Asia, which is valued for its refreshing flavor and potential health benefits. This herb is widely utilized in culinary practices, medicinal applications, and cosmetic formulations. The ethanol extract derived from the M. spicata leaf contains is rich secondary metabolites with various bioactive properties: Specifically, such as tannins, flavonoids, and polyphenols are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, saponins help reduce cholesterol, and alkaloids have analgesic properties. The extract has a total flavonoid content (TFC) of 231.37 ± 2.05 mg GAE/g and a total phenol content (TPC) of 247.32 ± 5.07 mg GAE/g. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized from this extract and subsequently characterized through various analytical techniques. The absorbance measurement at 437 nm confirmed the successful nanoparticle synthesis. FTIR spectra showed water-related absorption bands at 3330 cm−1 and 3337 cm−1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the presence of spherical nanoparticles of about 25.4 nm, while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) illustrated particles ranging from 20 to 50 nm with high crystallinity and a lattice spacing of 0.297 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed their crystalline structure with distinct Bragg reflections at 39.1°, 46.1°, 68.7°, and 79.2°, which corresponding to (111), (200), (220,311) planes, respectively (JCPDS card no. 01–080-1876). Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the high purity of the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals. The nanoparticles demonstrated significant antioxidant activity with radical scavenging rates up to 97.33 %, effective antimicrobial properties, and notable anticancer activity, achieving 99.75 % inhibition of MCF-7 cells at 40 μg/mL. These findings highlight the nanoparticles' potential applications in health and medicine.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Incorporated in Poly-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate/Acrylamide Membrane Trigger the Key Events of Full-Thickness Wound Healing in a Rabbit Model.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles are known to possess anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties and find wide application in the preparation of topical ointments. Wound dressings in the form of hydrogels can replenish the wound microenvironment to aid the healing process in a multidimensional way. We have fabricated a composite hydrogel using 1-3 wt. % ZnO nano-particles, synthesized by chelation reaction, and poly-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA)/acrylamide, synthesized, and co-polymerized in 8 kGy gamma irradiation. Developed powders and composite membranes have been thoroughly analyzed for XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX mapping, DTA/TGA, particle size, shape, morphology, porosity, water uptake, and contact angle. Thermally stable phase-pure ZnO spherical nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of 40 ± 2 nm have been used for fabricating well-dispersed composite with contact angle varying 78o-88o. These membranes, when used invivo, rendered a suitable environment conducive to tissue regeneration and ECM component deposition sequentially. Endowed with antibacterial properties, these hydrogels also demonstrated excelling swelling capacity which proved beneficial in maintaining a moist wound environment aiding in the healing process. An earlier wound closure was achieved with 2%-3% ZnO-pHEMA/acrylamide hydrogels which demonstrate the potential of ZnO nanoparticles in signaling and instructing the wound bed milieu towards the efficient repair.

Efficiently enhancing stability for a low concentration HCHO degradation using hexagonal prism MnCe-MOFs catalysts

The efficient and stable removal of indoor formaldehyde (HCHO) a low concentration, as required by the national standard (≤ 0.08 mg/m3), remains a significant challenge. In this study, we investigated a novel hexagonal prism structure of MnCe-MOFs catalysts, synthesized via the hydrothermal method using DMF (N, N-Dimethylformamide), for the complete degradation of HCHO at ambient temperature. Monometallic and bimetallic MOFs materials, as well as the effects of calcination temperature and the stability of these high-performance catalysts in degrading HCHO were investigated and characterized using EDS, XPS, H2-TPR, IR and ESR. Results demonstrated that HCHO degradation using MnCe-MOFs achieved 97.2% efficiency within 48 hours, maintaining above 96% efficiency after three experimental cycles, exhibiting the highest activity and stability. The high performance was attributed to the columnar structure with abundant pores and a high specific surface area, lower initial reduction temperature, and an abundant presence of surface hydroxyl groups. Moreover, the spherical nanoparticles of MnCe-MOFs were uniformly distributed, and the highly dispersed CeOx provided plentiful active sites, contributing to the catalysts’ high activity and stability.

Based on sodium alginate coatings and dendritic copolymeric modification of curcumin delivery system: pH-sensitive nanospheres and strong tumor cytotoxicity

This study aims to construct a novel drug delivery strategy to address the poor bioavailability and biostability of curcumin. A curcumin delivery strategy, basing on post-polymerization modification of poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethyl azlactone) to obtain conjugates of curcumin and dendritic polymers, combined with sodium alginate coating is reported. The curcumin-polymer conjugates were shown to have good fluorescence properties with fluorescence quantum yields of 0.486 and 0.470, respectively. The composites were characterized as spherical nanoparticles with a desirable particle size of 221.7 nm and massive negatively charged surfaces. These aesthetic properties make it an acceptable drug delivery and release vehicle. In vitro release experiments showed that release of curcumin from the conjugates was controllable and acid-sensitive, which is expected to guide delivery targeting to cancer sites. In addition, biodistribution studies of the gastrointestinal tract of mice showed high levels of exposure. The results of cell imaging showed that conjugates have strong permeability to cancer cell membranes. They have been shown to have strong targeting and inhibitory effects on a variety of cancer cells, with an inhibition rate of up to about 90 %. Therefore, such novel vector designs show great potential in drug delivery mechanism research and cancer therapy.

PD-L1 antibody conjugated dihydrotanshinone I-loaded polymeric nanoparticle for targeted cancer immunotherapy combining PD-L1 blockade with immunogenic cell death

PurposeCombination immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) with chemotherapeutic agents has proven to be highly promising in cancer therapy. However, low response rate, immune-related adverse events, and lack of effectively targeted co-delivery strategy are still major hurdles to overcome for this combination therapeutic regimen. Herein, programmed death-L1 (PD-L1) antibody modified and dihydrotanshinone I (DHT) loaded nanoparticle was prepared for tumor targeting drug delivery, thus achieving immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and immunogenic cell death (ICD) synergistic anti-tumor effects. MethodsThe DHT-loaded nanoparticle (DHT NP) was prepared by the emulsion solvent diffusion method. Atezolizumab (ATEZO) was thiolated with 2-iminothiolane and conjugated to the surface of DHT NP to prepare the ATEZO DHT NP. The drug encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, particle size and drug release were determined. The in vitro cellular uptake, cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis were evaluated on the HGC-27 tumor cell. The in vivo tumor targeting, anti-tumor efficiency and immune regulation were assessed on tumor bearing mice. ResultsThe optimized ATEZO DHT NP was a spherical nanoparticle of about 250 nm with a continuous drug release profile. It was selectively taken up by the tumor cells through PD-L1 receptor-mediated endocytosis, which resulted in enhanced cytotoxicity and cell apoptosis. In vivo imaging further demonstrated its superior tumor tissue targeting ability. When tumor bearing mice were treated with the ATEZO DHT NP, its synergistic anti-tumor effect was much stronger than that of a single drug. Moreover, the tumor targeting delivery of DHT caused tumor necrosis and initiated ICD with release of tumor-associated antigens, which efficiently up-regulated the population of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Notably, there were no obvious system toxicity or tissue damage occur during the whole treatment period. ConclusionThe ATEZO DHT NP could specifically target to tumor and enhance treatment efficiency through combination of PD-L1 blockade with ICD effect.

Bacterial allantoin mediated optimally biosynthesized silver nanoparticles exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial, and seed germination promoting activities

The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) presents a sustainable, cost-effective, and scalable alternative to conventional synthesis techniques. This study investigates microbial allantoin as a biogenic reducing agent for the synthesis of AgNPs, emphasizing their antioxidant, antibacterial, and seed germination enhancement properties. Optimally synthesized allantoin-mediated AgNPs exhibited a crystalline size of 3.66 nm with a band gap energy of 3.39 eV. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis showed spherical nanoparticles with an average particle size of 84 nm, while particle size analysis revealed a zeta potential of −26.7 mV and a hydrodynamic diameter of 137.1 nm. The AgNPs displayed significant free radical scavenging activity, achieving 58% and 70% inhibition in H₂O₂ and DPPH assays, respectively. Furthermore, these AgNPs demonstrated substantial antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Additionally, allantoin-mediated AgNPs promoted germination in Cicer arietinum seeds within 48 h, indicating their potential as plant growth stimulants. This pioneering study on microbial allantoin-derived AgNPs suggests promising applications across pharmaceuticals, environmental science, and cosmetic fields.

New Insight of Nanosheet Enhanced Oil Recovery Modeling: Structural Disjoining Pressure and Profile Control Technique Simulation

This study presents a novel Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) method using Smart Black Nanocards (SLNs) to mitigate the environmental impact of conventional thermal recovery, especially under global warming. Unlike prior studies focusing on wettability alteration via adsorption, this research innovatively models ‘oil film detachment’ in a reservoir simulator to achieve wettability alteration. Using the CMG-STARS (2020) simulator, this study highlights SLNs’ superior performance over traditional chemical EOR and spherical nanoparticles by reducing residual oil saturation and shifting wettability toward water-wet conditions. The structural disjoining pressure (SDP) of SLNs reaches 20.99 × 103 Pa, 16.5 times higher than spherical particles with an 18.5 nm diameter. Supported by the Percus–Yevick (PY) theory, the numerical model achieves high accuracy in production history matching, with oil recovery and water cut fitting within precision error ranges of 0.02 and 0.05, respectively. This research advances chemical EOR technologies and offers an environmentally sustainable, efficient recovery strategy for low-permeability and heavy oil reservoirs, serving as a promising alternative to thermal methods.

Toward a better understanding of the photothermal heating of high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles

We present a theoretical approach, for the first time, to investigate optical and photothermal properties of high-entropy alloy nanoparticles with a focus on FeCoNi-based alloys. We systematically analyze the absorption spectra of spherical nanoparticles composed of pure metals and alloys in various surrounding media. Through comparison with experimental data, we select appropriate dielectric data for the constituent elements to accurately compute absorption spectra for FeCoNi-based high-entropy-alloy nanoparticles. Then, we predict the temperature rise over time within a substrate comprised of Fe nanoparticles exposed to solar irradiation and find quantitative agreement with experimental data for FeCoNi nanoparticles reported in previous studies. The striking similarity between the optical and photothermal behaviors of FeCoNi nanoparticles and their pure iron counterparts suggests that iron nanoparticles can effectively serve as a model for understanding the optical and thermal response of FeCoNi-based alloy nanoparticles. These findings offer a simplified approach for theoretical modeling of complex high-entropy alloys and provide valuable insights into their nanoscale optical behavior.

Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of FeCo₂S₄@g-C₃N₄ Composites for Advanced Energy Storage Applications

At present, the world faces an unprecedented challenge regarding energy issues. To tackle these issues, there is a growing focus on the advancement of advanced energy storage solutions. This study explores the potential of newly developed nanostructures (NSs) made of iron cobalt sulfide-graphitic carbon nitride (FeCo₂S₄@g-C₃N₄) for innovative applications in supercapacitors. The necessary materials were synthesized through the hydrothermal method, ensuring a robust nanostructure foundation. The successful creation of the composite NSs was confirmed through XRD and EDX analysis, verifying both phase purity and compositional consistency. SEM revealed a variety of morphologies, with a unique combination of spherical nanoparticles and sheet-like structures that maximize surface area for enhanced electrochemical interactions. The FeCo₂S₄@g-C₃N₄ NS electrode demonstrated impressive electrochemical performance, demonstrating a specific capacitance of 2460 Fg⁻¹ at 1.5 Ag⁻¹, an energy density of 85.4 Whkg⁻¹, and a power density of 375 Wkg⁻¹. This investigation underscores the promise of FeCo₂S₄@g-C₃N₄ NS for advanced energy storage solutions, potentially paving the way for next-generation supercapacitors with high energy and power outputs.

Synthesis, characterization and magnetic behaviors of La1-xCsxMnO3 (0 ≤x ≤ 0.1) ceramics

In this paper, we focus on the Cs-doping effect at the La-site in La1-xCsxMnO3 (x = 0; 0.05 and 0.1) manganite. Synthesized powders via the sol-gel auto-combustion route have been characterized by structural and magnetic measurements. All samples crystallize into a rhombohedral structure with R 3‾ c space group as confirmed by Rietveld analysis of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. The diffraction analyses as function of temperature reveal a linear evolution of the structural parameters influencing the Jahn-Teller (J-T) distortion. Spherical nanoparticles have been observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses confirmed the expected presence of La, Cs, Mn and O ratio, as well as the phase purity of the synthesized materials. The polycrystalline grain structure was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), where crystallite size obtained from TEM ranges from 21 nm to 120 nm as function of the composition and sintered temperature. The lattices fringes resolved in the high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images confirmed the crystal rhombohedral symmetry of our compounds. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies demonstrate the mixed valence states of manganese ions (Mn4+ and Mn3+) in undoped as well as doped systems. The electron spin resonance (ESR) analyses confirmed the decreasing of the ferromagnetic ordering versus the increase of Cs doping. Soft ferromagnetism has been observed in all our La1-xCsxMnO3 (x = 0; 0.05 and 0.1) samples which can be attributed to the super exchange interaction between the magnetic ions. Surprisingly enough, the magnetization behavior is found to be a sum of ferromagnetic (FM), superparamagnetic (SPM) and paramagnetic (PM) contributions at low temperature (i.e. 4K). As expected, their behavior is PM at room temperature. This work shows how structural and magnetic properties can be greatly affected by small amount of La-substitution by Cs.

Nanoformulation of imidacloprid insecticide with biocompatible materials and its ecological and physiological effects on wheat green aphid, Schizaphis graminum Rondani

Nanoformulation of imidacloprid was prepared using the biocompatible polymer of polyethylene glycol (PEG). TEM image showed that the spherical nanoparticles were 50–150 nm. The lethal concntrationof 30 percent (LC30) and 50 percent (LC50) of the insecticide and its nanoformulation studied on adult female aphids were 21.46 and 58.56 mg a.i./L for pure insecticide, and 3.79 and 4.94 mg a.i./L for nanoformulated insecticide, respectively. The results of the sublethal effect test (LC30) of this insecticide showed that nymphal developmental in nanoimidacloprid (5.55 days) was higher than control (4.22 days). The results showed that the insecticide treatments significantly reduced the demographic characteristics of Schizaphis graminum. The intrinsic rates of increase (r) values of aphids in control, insecticide treatment and its nanoformulation were 0.421, 0.315 and 0.29, respectively. The results of evaluating the effect of the studied insecticide on the specific activity of beta-esterase and glutathione S-transferase showed that there was no significant difference in the activity of this enzymes between the control and the insecticide treatment and its nanoformulation. Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that after conducting additional tests, the insecticide nanoformulation can be used due to its effectiveness in lower concentrations in the management of sucking pests such as aphids.

Sustainable synthesize of beetroot extract-silver-iron oxide (BE-Ag-Fe2O3) bimetallic nanoparticles for antioxidant studies

In this work, beetroot extract is used to synthesize the silver-iron oxide (Ag-Fe2O3) bimetallic nanoparticles, which are then characterized and used for the antioxidant studies. Phenolic components were found to coat the nanoparticles, according to FT-IR analysis. Tannins and flavonoids in the extract serve as stabilizing and reducing agents. SEM revealed spherical bimetallic nanoparticles that were roughly 40 nm in size. Crystallinity and purity were shown by XRD examination, which also revealed unique reflection peaks. Particle size and zeta potential values clearly confirm that, the prepared bimetallic nanoparticles are in nano size and it is stable in nature. Furthermore, in this study, the antioxidant properties of produced bimetallic nanoparticles are examined, and their efficacy is compared to that of beetroot extract. Beetroot extract-silver-iron oxide (BE-Ag-Fe2O3) bimetallic nanoparticles showed improved radical scavenging effectiveness when compared to DPPH. Moreover, bimetallic nanoparticles demonstrated increased radical scavenging efficacy in relation to DPPH and H2O2. Surprisingly, at 20 mg/ml, the BE-Ag-Fe2O3) bimetallic nanoparticles showed good scavenging activity, reaching 84.65%. The produced bimetallic NPs had greater antioxidant activity than the plant extract, according to an analysis of the total antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging activity data. Electron donation property of main constituent of beetroot extract was analysed by density functional theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Consequently, this work implies that beetroot extract assisted bimetallic NPs could be a flexible material with a range of uses in the biomedical area.Graphical