Spherical Nanostructures Research Articles

Excited-State Carrier Dynamics in Semiconducting Heterostructures from Self-Sorted NIR Active Dyes.

Heterostructures comprise two or more different semiconducting materials stacked either as co-assemblies or self-sorted based on their dynamics of aggregates. However, self-sorting in heterostructures is rather significant in improving the short exciton diffusion length and charge separation. Despite small organic molecules being known for their self-sorting nature, macrocyclic are hitherto unknown owing to unrestrained assemblies from extended π-conjugated systems. Herein, two near infrared region (NIR) active molecules comprised of porphyrin appended D-π-D (1) and A-π-A (2) have been reported to show the self-assembled 0D and 2D nanostructures via J-aggregates. Interestingly, the mixture of 1 and 2 reveals self-sorting at the molecular level promoting nanosphere and sheet structures which further rolled over to spheres through π-π stacking leading to core-shell type heterostructure. Consequently, electrical conductivity is 10 times higher than the individual assemblies due to excited state electron transfer from 1 to 2 in a mixture, confirmed by femto second-transient absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. These results suggest that controlling the self-sorted heterostructures fosters refining the electronic properties which pave the way for designing novel NIR-absorbed molecules for organic solar cells (OSCs).

In situ growth of three-dimensional walnut-like nanostructures of W-Ni2P@NiFe LDH/NF as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for water decomposition

The design of novel composite nanomaterial structures is important for the construction of advanced electrocatalysts. Nevertheless, obtaining novel electrocatalysts with excellent catalytic activity and stability is still challenging. Herein, new catalysts with a unique nanostructure of W-Ni2P@NiFe LDH/NF composed of W-doped Ni2P ultrafine nanosheets were successfully grown in situ using NiFe LDH nanostructures as the backbone support. The newly produced catalysts showed distinctive three-dimensional spherical nanostructure, beneficial to enhancing electron transport, providing abundant active sites, and promoting gas release. To increase the catalytic effectiveness, a synergy interaction was produced among W-Ni2P with NiFe LDH to yield significantly improved stability and reactivity electrocatalysts. Compared to NiFe LDH/NF and W-Ni2P/NF, the as-obtained spherically-structured W-Ni2P@NiFe LDH/NF catalysts demonstrated high catalytic efficiencies toward OER (222 mV @ 40 mA⋅cm−2), HER (195 mV @ 10 mA⋅cm−2), and total electrolysis (1.7 V @ 10 mA⋅cm−2). Besides, the catalytic activities of W-Ni2P@NiFe LDH/NF electrocatalysts compared well to most published non-precious metal catalysts and even valuable precious metal catalysts. In sum, the proposed approach to construct inexpensive, high-activity, and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts looks promising for advanced future hydrogen energy conversion applications.

Synthesis of bismuth-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte and study of ionic conductivity

ABSTRACT BiYSZ, a Bi3+-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia with 4% molYO1.5, was synthesized using a lamellar liquid crystal template technique. The influence of different doping amounts of Bi3+ on crystal form, morphology and the ionic conductivity has been investigated in detail. In addition, the densification time of BiYSZ has been determined. Analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been utilized to characterize the synthesized powders. The results reveal that BiYSZ, with its stable tetragonal phase and spherical nanostructure, benefits from Bi3+ doping in 4% mol YO1.5-stabilized zirconia, leading to enhanced ionic conductivity. Notably, the optimal formulation with 3 mol% Bi3+ and 4 mol% Y3+ in yttria-stabilized zirconia reaches a maximum ionic conductivity of 7.41 × 10−5 S/cm at 500°C. This formulation also reduces the sintering temperature by 100°C compared to 4YSZ and significantly improves conductivity by an order of magnitude.

Boc‐Protected Phenylalanine and Tryptophan‐Based Dipeptides: A Broad Spectrum Anti‐Bacterial Agent

ABSTRACTDipeptides were constructed using hydrophobic amino acid residues following AMP prediction. After that Boc‐modification was performed on the screened peptides and finally Boc‐Phe‐Trp‐OMe and Boc‐Trp‐Trp‐OMe were synthesized. Even though no inhibition zones were observed in agar well diffusion assays, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) analysis revealed anti‐bacterial activity against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria, with MIC90 ranging from 230 to 400 μg/mL. The crystal violet assay confirmed the dipeptides' biofilm eradication and disruption capabilities. Furthermore, membrane permeabilization assays indicated outer and inner membrane permeabilization, while SEM analysis revealed the formation of fibril and spherical nanostructures, likely contributing to this effect. The peptides also exhibited resistance to protein adsorption, non‐cytotoxicity, and non‐hemolytic properties, making them promising broad‐spectrum anti‐bacterial agents with biofilm eradication and disruption potential. This study concludes that Boc‐protected phenylalanine‐ and tryptophan‐based dipeptides can self‐assemble and can be used as broad‐spectrum anti‐bacterial agents. The self‐assembly of these peptides offers a versatile platform for designing biomaterials with tailored properties and functionalities. Research exploring the anti‐bacterial potential of Boc‐protected dipeptides has been limited, prompting our investigation to shed light on this overlooked area. Our analysis of synthesized Boc‐protected dipeptides revealed notable anti‐bacterial activity, marking a significant advancement. This finding suggests that these dipeptides could emerge as potent, broad‐spectrum anti‐bacterial agents, addressing the urgent need for effective treatments against bacterial resistance and opening new avenues in therapy. This study not only enhances our understanding of these dipeptides but also highlights their potential as innovative and efficacious anti‐bacterial agents, making a substantial impact in the clinical field.

Preparation and Characterization of Tiamulin-Loaded Niosomes for Oral Bioavailability Enhancement in Mycoplasma-Infected Broilers

Mycoplasma infections pose significant challenges in the poultry industry, necessitating effective therapeutic interventions. Tiamulin, a veterinary antibiotic, has demonstrated efficacy against Mycoplasma species. However, the emergence of resistant Mycoplasma species could dramatically reduce the therapeutic potential, contributing to economic losses. Optimizing the tiamulin’s pharmacokinetic profile via nanocarrier incorporation could enhance its therapeutic potential and reduce the administration frequency, ultimately reducing the resistant strain emergence. Niosomes, a type of self-assembled non-ionic surfactant-based nanocarrier, have emerged as a promising drug delivery system, offering improved drug stability, sustained release, and enhanced bioavailability. In this study, niosomal nanocarriers encapsulating tiamulin were prepared, characterized and assessed in Mycoplasma-inoculated broilers following oral administration. Differential scanning colorimetry (DSC) confirmed the alterations in the crystalline state following components integration into the self-assembled structures formed during the formulation procedure. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the spherical nanostructure of the formed niosomes. The formulated nanocarriers exhibited a zeta potential and average hydrodynamic diameter of −10.65 ± 1.37 mV and 339.67 ± 30.88 nm, respectively. Assessment of the pharmacokinetic parameters following oral administration to Mycoplasma gallisepticum-infected broilers revealed the ability of the niosomal nanocarriers to increase the tiamulin’s bioavailability and systemic exposure, marked by significantly higher area under the curve (AUC) (p < 0.01) and prolonged elimination half-life (T1/2) (p < 0.05). Enhanced bioavailability and prolonged residence time are crucial factors in maintaining therapeutic concentrations at reduced doses and administration frequencies. This approach provides a viable strategy to decrease the risk of subtherapeutic levels, thereby mitigating the development of antibiotic resistance. The findings presented herein offer a sustainable approach for the efficient use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine.

CoFe Hydroxide Nanospheres for Enhanced Alkaline Water Splitting and Seawater Oxidation:Anion Doping Effects of Fluorine and Carbonate.

Green hydrogen production can be achieved through electrolysis of fresh water or the use of renewable energy to electrolyze seawater. However, due to the low activity and poor stability of oxygen evolution reaction catalysts, direct electrolysis of alkaline seawater faces significant challenges. Herein, The catalyst F-CoFe(OH)-CO3/NF with three-dimensional nanosphere structure was prepared, The introduction of CO3 2- into the intermediate layer of CoFe hydroxide improves the corrosion resistance of alkaline electrolyte and the doping of F- is to design three-dimensional layered nanostructures, increase the active site, and accelerate the diffusion of the electrolyte. By in situ Raman analysis, partial oxidation of CoFe hydroxide to CoFe (oxy)hydroxide as the active center can accelerating the adsorption of oxygen-related intermediates. In 1 M KOH, it requires overpotentials of 210 mV and 251 mV to drive current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm-2, respectively. And it remained stable at the current density of 100 mA cm-2 for 120 h in 1 M KOH. F-CoFe(OH)-CO3/NF can also catalyzes the decomposition of electrolytic seawater. Compared with hydroxide, anion-doped carbonate hydroxide is more efficient and stable in electrolyte solution, which is of great importance for the development of a new stable electrocatalyst for water decomposition.

Eco-friendly fabrication of copper oxide nanoparticles using peel extract of Citrus aurantium for the efficient degradation of methylene blue dye

This study presents a simple, sustainable, eco-friendly approach for synthesizing copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles using Citrus aurantium peel extract as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. The synthesized CuO and CuO-OP were characterized using various techniques, including surface area measurement (SBET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). DRS analysis determines band gap energy (Eg) of 1.7 eV for CuO and 1.6 eV for CuO-OP. FTIR confirmed the presence of Cu–O bond groups. The XRD and HRTEM results revealed monoclinic and spherical nanostructures, with average particle sizes ranging from 53.25 to 68.02 nm, as determined via Scherer’s equation. EDX analysis indicated incorporation of carbon (1.6%) and nitrogen (0.3%) from the peel extract. The synthesized CuO and CuO-OP NPs exhibited excellent photocatalytic efficiencies for methylene blue dye under UV irradiation, reaching 95.34 and 97.5%, respectively, under optimal conditions; the initial dye concentration was 100 mg/L, the pH was 10, the catalyst dosage was 1 g/L, and the contact time was 120 min. Isothermal studies showed that the adsorption of MB onto the nanoparticles followed the Freundlich isotherm model (R2 = 0.97 and 0.96). Kinetic studies indicated that the degradation followed pseudo-first-order kinetics, with rate constants (K1) of 0.0255 min−1 for CuO and 0.033 min−1 for CuO-OP. The sorption capacities were calculated as 98.19 mg/g for CuO and 123.1 mg/g for CuO-OP. The energy values obtained from the Dubinin–Radushkevich isotherm were 707.11 and 912.87 KJ mol−1, suggesting that chemisorption was the dominant mechanism.

Engineering Nano-Pills to Inhibit Ovarian Cancer Proliferation and Migration through a Combination of Chemical/Nucleic Acid Therapy.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most fatal of all gynecological malignancies, presenting a significant threat to women's health. Its treatment is complicated by severe dose-dependent chemotherapy toxicity, drug resistance, and tumor migration. Herein, an intelligent combination strategy of chemotherapy and nucleic acid therapy, named ApMEmiR&D is developed. This integrated system consists of three parts: the nano-pill, the protective membrane, and the navigation element. Nano-pills are nanospheres assembled from miRNA and doxorubicin (DOX) with the help of ferrous ions (Fe2+). The protective membrane is derived from tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs membrane) originating from the primary tumor microenvironment (TME). The navigation element is the cholesterol-conjugated AS1411 aptamer. The resulting ApMEmiR&D nanoparticles exhibit uniform size, a well-defined nanosphere structure, robust serum stability, and ultra-high drug loading efficiency and capacity. The system can efficiently accumulate in the tumor, allowing for the synergistic inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis without apparent systemic toxicity. The results demonstrate the homing effect of tumor microenvironment-derived macrophage cell membrane and the targeting effect of aptamer, leading to precise drug targeting and immune compatibility, thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy. The success of this strategy paves the way for metastasis inhibition and targeted cancer therapy.

Enhanced Electrochemical Performance of Highly Porous CeO2-Doped Zr Nanoparticles for Supercapacitor Applications.

The aim of this work was to develop an ultrasonic-assisted synthesis method for the fabrication of CeO2-doped Zr nanoparticles that would improve the performance of supercapacitor electrodes. This method, which eliminates the need for high-temperature calcination, involves embedding CeO2 into Zr nanoparticles through 1 hr (CeO2-Zr-1) and 2 hrs (CeO2-Zr-2) of ultrasonic irradiation, resulting in the formation of nanostructures with significant improvements in their electrochemical properties. Through physicochemical analysis, we observed that the CeO2-doped Zr nanoparticles, particularly those treated for 2 hrs (CeO2-Zr-2), exhibit superior crystalline phase purity, optimal chemical surface composition, minimal agglomeration with particle sizes below 50 nm, and an impressive average surface area of 178 m2/g. Compared to the 1 hr irradiation samples (CeO2-Zr-1) and undoped CeO2 nanoparticles, the (CeO2-Zr-2) electrodes demonstrated a remarkable capacitance of 198 Fg-1 at a current density of 1 A/g while maintaining ~94.9% of their capacity after 3750 cycles. This indicates not only good reversibility but also exceptional stability. In (CeO2-Zr-2) samples, the nanospherical structure achieved through ultrasonic synthesis is responsible for the enhanced capacitive behavior and stability, along with the synergistic effects caused by Zr doping, which improves the CeO2 nanoparticle conductivity to a significant extent. Surface areas of the electrodes are larger due to the combination of these two materials, which contribute to their superior performance.

Green approach of cobalt sulfide nanoparticles from novel red stigma of Crocus sativus and multifaceted biomedical advancement

The present study was based on green protocols for synthesizing cobalt sulfide nanoparticles using saffron stigma flower extract (Crocus sativus), as saffron is considered a potent traditional medicine. The novel cobalt sulfide (CoS) nanoparticles prepared by the green approach for the first time with saffron improved showed cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity, as well as significant antitumor activity of Hela, A549, and MCF 7 cells viz in vitro studies. The saffron-cobalt sulfide nanoparticles underwent characterization using various techniques which include the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and the energy dispersive X-ray analysis spectroscopy. Both XRD, and FTIR confirmed the synthesis of pure cobalt sulfide nanoparticles. The resulting saffron-based cobalt sulfide nanoparticles exhibited a nanosphere structure, as confirmed by HRTEM, indicating the formation of nanosphere and microstructures. In vitro studies were conducted to assess the cytotoxicity and cell viability of Hela cells, A549, and MCF-7 cells. And, antibacterial studies were performed against various bacterial strains using different concentrations of cobalt sulfide nanoparticles derived from the red stigma of saffron (Crocus sativus) only the red stigma extract. The MTT assay analysis, cell viability, and morphological studies demonstrated the cytotoxic studies of the synthesized cobalt sulfide nanoparticles on cancer cells. The antibacterial test of the nanoparticles was also evaluated, revealing significant zones of inhibition (mm) against pathogens and cobalt sulfide nanoparticles using saffron extract, showcasing their potent cytotoxic, antibacterial, and antitumor activities with promising biomedical applications.

Carbonaceous C@FeS Flow Electrode for Electrochemcal Capacitive Deionization Application

FeS has attracted much attention in the field of capacitive deionisation of flow electrodes due to its high theoretical specific capacity and wide range of sources. However, it usually exhibits frustrating performance due to its inherent low conductivity and volume expansion during charging and discharging. Herein, we successfully prepared calcium alginate-coated FeS carbon spheres (C@FeS) with a hollow nanosphere structure by a combination of sol-gel and solid-phase sintering using sodium alginate as a carbon source. This unique hollow structure provides enough space for the expansion of FeS and enhances the stability of the sulfide; meanwhile, the internal “surface-line-surface” structure not only facilitates the migration and charge transfer of ions inside, but also provides more active electrosorption sites. When assembled as the flow electrode of the flow electrode capacitive deionisation (FCDI) system, the desalination capacity of the electrode was improved from 25.32 mg g−1 to 53.12 mg g−1. Therefore, the C@FeS composite is expected to provide a new candidate electrode material for the FCDI system, which will make the future desalination process more cost-effective and efficient.

Lapatinib-loaded reductive-responsive hyaluronic acid-cholesterol nanoparticles for inhibiting metastasis of uveal melanoma

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular primary malignancy in adults with highly metastatic characteristics. Currently, there are no effective therapies to prevent metastasis formation in UM, resulting in a poor prognosis. Herein, we report a novel lapatinib-loaded reductive-responsive nanoparticle platform prepared via the self-assembly of amphiphilic hyaluronic acid-cystamine-cholesteryl hemisuccinate conjugate to suppress the distant metastasis of UM. The platform can maintain a stable nanosphere structure in the physiological environment and effectively deliver the drug to UM tumor sites, enhancing intratumoral drug accumulation and penetration. Upon endocytosis, lapatinib-loaded nanoparticles rapidly disintegrate triggered by intracellular glutathione and release the payload, leading to considerable suppression of MuM-2B cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Systemic administration of lapatinib-loaded nanoparticles into mice bearing lung metastases of UM resulted in significantly higher metastasis suppression compared to free lapatinib, with histological analyses indicating no detectable toxicity. This nanotherapeutic platform is expected to provide a promising approach for the safe and efficient prevention of metastasis in UM.

Emergence of novel magnetic states in a spherical structure with mixed spins σ=5/2 and S=2: A Monte Carlo simulation study

This paper employs Monte Carlo simulations to comprehensively explore the magnetic properties of a spherical nanostructure composed of mixed σ=5/2 and S=2 spins. By systematically varying the proportion (p %) of σ or S spins within the sphere, we investigate the system magnetic behavior, including magnetization, hysteresis loops, remanence, and coercive field. Our findings offer valuable insights into the mechanisms governing the magnetic behavior of this spherical structure, potentially contributing to advancements in fields ranging from data storage to biomedical devices.

Hollow Gold-Silver Nanorods-A New, Very Efficient Nanomaterial for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Measurements.

Anisotropic plasmonic nanoparticles usually generate SERS enhancement factors that are significantly larger than those generated by spherical plasmonic nanostructures, so the former are usually preferred as substrates for SERS measurements. Gold nanorods are one of the most commonly used anisotropic nanomaterials for SERS experiments. Unfortunately, even a slight contamination of the surfactant used in the process of the synthesis of gold nanorods has a significant impact on the geometry of the resulting nanostructures. In this work, using easily formed silver nanorods as templates, hollow AuAg nanorods are formed by means of a silver-gold galvanic exchange reaction (in this process, nanostructures with a cavity inside form because one gold atom replaces three silver atoms). Hollow AuAg nanorods are highly active during SERS measurements-for shorter wavelengths of the excitation radiation, they display greater SERS activity than Au nanorods. To our knowledge, this is the first example of the use of hollow plasmonic nanorods for SERS measurements. Elemental mapping of the rods showed that the silver, some of which remained after the galvanic replacement, is mainly located close to the internal cavity that was formed, whereas the gold is mainly located at the outermost regions of the nanostructure. This explains the high chemical stability of these nanostructures.

High-efficiency GaAs TFSC based on Ti plasma enhancement

This study proposed a performance enhancement scheme for GaAs thin-film solar cell (TFSC) based on Ti plasma enhancement. It aims to enhance the light absorption ability of the cell by using surface plasmon excitations of metal nanoparticles, and to predict and optimize the performance of the TFSC using the FDTD method. By introducing Ti nanosphere and pyramid structures on the upper and lower surfaces of the cell, the reflection and transmission losses of light are effectively reduced. This increases the interaction between the cell materials and light, and significantly improves the cell's ability to absorb light. It is shown that Ti nanosphere and pyramid structures can localize the electric field near the metal surface, which greatly enhances the absorption of light on the upper and lower surfaces of the cell. In the wavelength range of 380–1200 nm, the absorption of all bands reaches more than 93 %, with an average absorption rate as high as 97.60 %, and is close to perfect absorption in the wavelength range of 700–900 nm. Meanwhile, the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of the cell reaches 32.72 %, which significantly improves the overall performance of the cell and provides a compelling design solution for the innovation and development of GaAs TFSC technology.

Achieving high kinetics anode materials for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have enormous commercial potential as anode materials for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLIBs). Herein, the copper sulfides (CuS) with a hierarchical nanosphere structure are designed through a facile one-step solvothermal synthetic route. When employed as an anode for ASSLIBs, the CuS hierarchical nanospheres (hn-CuS) exhibited a high capacity of 350 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles at a current density of 250 mA g−1 and an outstanding rate capability. The unique three-dimensional (3D) structure of hn-CuS plays an important role in alleviating the volume expansion, thus obtaining excellent electrochemical properties. Moreover, ex-situ X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the possible kinetics and reaction mechanism of the hn-CuS anode. This work inspired a new promise for preparing the other TMDs as anode materials for ASSLIBs with high performance.

Mn(OH)2-Decorated 3D Architectures Built from Nickel Carbonate Hydroxide Nanostructured Spheres as Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalysts

Mn(OH)₂-Decorated 3D Architectures Built from Nickel Carbonate Hydroxide Nanostructured Spheres as Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalysts

Peroxydisulfate activation by copper nanoparticles doped highly graphitized hollow carbon spheres for thiocyanate degradation

Thiocyanate (SCN-) is a toxic and refractory inorganic pollutant commonly found in industrial wastewater. This paper proposes an innovative solution to enhance the activation of peroxydisulfate (PDS) by designing a highly graphitized hollow carbon nanosphere structure catalyst doped with copper nanoparticles, thereby achieving efficient and complete degradation of SCN-. Specifically, the active sites and electron transfer ability of the catalyst were improved by controlling the pyrolysis temperature and acid etching time during the catalyst preparation process, thereby optimizing the PDS activation rate and SCN- degradation rate. In the optimized Cu-NPs@C/PDS system, a low dose of Cu-NPs@C-650–6 catalyst (0.2 g/L) and PDS ([PDS]0: [SCN-]0 = 3: 1) was sufficient to achieve 100 % degradation of 100 mg/L SCN- within 20 min. The non-radical oxidation pathway combined with singlet oxygen (1O2) and direct electron transfer process was identified as the main degradation mechanism of SCN-. The unique oxidation mechanism provided a higher SCN- degradation reaction rate constant (k1 = 0.39 min−1) and stronger environmental ion resistance. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the CO bond is the primary PDS active site for the formation of inside-out electron delocalization, and the S atom in SCN- is a vulnerable site. This work offers technological support for the treatment of water bodies holding emerging electron-rich pollutants in addition to fresh insights into the creation of efficient catalysts for metal-carbon composites.

Controllable synthesis of NiCoMo-LDH with nanofloral structure assisted by monodisperse spherical silica for asymmetric supercapacitor

Traditional layered double hydroxides (LDH) have disadvantages such as small layer spacing, insufficient active sites and poor electrical conductivity, which seriously restricts their future utilization in the realm of energy storage. In this paper, a controlled synthesis strategy of tercomponent metal NiCoMo-LDH is proposed by using the structural advantages of metal-organic skeleton (MOF) templates, combining structural regulation and atom doping. On the basis of the synthesis of Ni-MOF 74, Co and Mo atoms are introduced for a small amount of doping, and the monodisperse spherical SiO2 is inserted to adjust the pore structure of NiCoMo-MOF, expand the lamellar spacing, and effectively avoid the accumulation and agglomeration of lamella. Finally, NiCoMo-LDH cathode material with loose porous and coarsely curled nanosphere structure was synthesized through the chemical reaction of OH− with SiO2 and the destruction of the skeleton structure of MOF. The specific capacitance of the material is 1423.3 F·g−1 at 0.5 A·g−1, and after 5000 cycles of charging and discharging, 80.0% of the original specific capacitance is sustained. Moreover, NiCoMo-LDH//AC ASC possesses a high energy density of 39.1 Wh·kg−1 at the power density 400 W·kg−1. Combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculation, the fact that metal doping can not only effectively improve the conductivity of electrode materials has been further proved, but also accelerate the electron/ion migration rate, which successfully reveal the synergistic enhancement mechanism of electrochemical properties of materials.

In Vitro Evaluation of Cellular Interactions with Nanostructured Spheres of Alginate and Zinc-Substituted Carbonated Hydroxyapatite.

The increasing demand for effective bone regeneration materials drives the exploration of biomaterials with enhanced bioactivity and biocompatibility, such as zinc-substituted compounds. This study investigates the in vitro cellular interactions with nanostructured spheres composed of alginate/carbonated hydroxyapatite (CHA), compared to zinc-substituted CHA (ZnCHA). This work aimed to compare the physicochemical properties and biological effects of ZnCHA and CHA on osteoblasts. ZnCHA was synthesized using a wet chemical method, followed by characterization through X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, total organic carbon analysis, Wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and BET surface area analysis to assess ion release and structural changes. Biological evaluation was conducted using cell viability, proliferation, and biomineralization assays on osteoblasts. Results showed successful incorporation of zinc and carbonate, leading to reduced crystallinity and increased surface area. Cell viability and proliferation assays indicated ZnCHA's cytocompatibility and enhanced osteoblastic activity, with increased mineralization nodules compared to CHA samples. The study concludes that ZnCHA composites are promising candidates for bone tissue engineering, demonstrating improved cytocompatibility and potential for further preclinical evaluations.