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Topic Review
Manganese and Manganese Oxide Nanoparticles
Manganese and its oxides in the form of nanoparticles could be a promising alternative for gadolinium-based contrast agents used in diagnostic imaging. Manganese, which is essential for living organisms as an enzyme cofactor, under excessive exposure—for example, due to water contamination or as an occupational hazard for welders—can lead to neurological disorders, including manganism—a condition similar to Parkinson’s disease. This review attempts to summarise the available literature data on the potential applications of manganese and manganese oxide nanoparticles.
  • 1.8K
  • 18 May 2021
Topic Review
Noble Metal Nanoparticles in SERS
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has become one of the most attractive analytical techniques due to its versatility and high sensitivity for a variety of analytes like dyes, food additives, pesticides, explosives, DNA, and other biomolecules at very low concentrations. Furthermore, SERS analysis possesses a broad range of properties: it is non-destructive, portable, easy to perform, highly sensitive, fast, cost-effective, and can be used when samples are present in water since the background signal is negligible. SERS substrates may consist of metallic nanoparticles, roughened metallic surfaces, or nanoengineered surfaces with metallic nanoparticles deposited on a solid support.  
  • 1.8K
  • 20 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Detecting Organochlorine Pesticides by SERS
Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) embody highly lipophilic hazardous chemicals that are being phased out globally. Due to their persistent nature, they are still contaminating the environment, being classified as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). They bioaccumulate through bioconcentration and biomagnification, leading to elevated concentrations at higher trophic levels. Studies show that human long-term exposure to OCPs is correlated with a large panel of common chronic diseases. Due to toxicity concerns, most OCPs are listed as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Conventionally, separation techniques such as gas chromatography are used to analyze OCPs (e.g., gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or electron capture detection (GC/ECD)).
  • 1.8K
  • 23 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Two-Dimensional MoTe2 Hetero-Phase Homojunctions
Two-dimensional (2D) hetero-phase homojunctions comprise a semiconducting phase of a material as the channel and a metallic phase of the material as electrodes. In particular, MoTe2 exhibits intriguing properties and its phase is easily altered from semiconducting 2H to metallic 1T′ and vice versa, owing to the extremely small energy barrier between these two phases. MoTe2 thus finds potential applications in electronics as a representative 2D material with multiple phases. 
  • 1.8K
  • 19 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Interactions between Atmospheric Oxygen and MoS2 Crystals
MoS2 belongs to a class of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs). TMDCs share a common formula MeX2, where Me is a transition metal element from group four (Ti, Zr, Hf), five (V, Nb or Ta) or six (Mo, W), and X is a chalcogen (S, Se or Te). Their crystalline structure comprises an inner Me layer sandwiched by two X layers. Herein, thermal oxidation of the microscopic MoS2 flakes is reviewed. An impact of relative humidity is also mentioned.
  • 1.8K
  • 26 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Ionic Liquids in DSSCs
The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) which are considered as the third-generation solar cells have a huge potential to be commercialized due to their low cost, simplicity in fabrication, and promising photon-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency. Nevertheless, a high cell efficiency can only be achieved when an organic solvent is incorporated into the formulation of the electrolyte, which is prone to evaporation and leakage. As a result, DSSCs become unsuitable for long-run usage due to thermal instability in the electrolyte. The early intention of incorporating ionic liquids (ILs) into the electrolyte was to curb the abovementioned problem and to enable the DSSCs to function as a sustainable energy device. ILs have been incorporated into the electrolyte formulation and the extent of how the ILs can affect the cell efficiency in various electrolyte states is highlighted. This sheds light on the true purpose of introducing ILs into DSSC electrolyte, which is to enhance the ionicity of the electrolyte.
  • 1.8K
  • 26 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Environmental Applications of Nanocellulose-Based Membranes
Extensive research and development in the production of nanocellulose, a green, bio-based, and renewable biomaterial has paved the way for the development of advanced functional materials for a multitude of applications. From a membrane technology perspective, the exceptional mechanical strength, high crystallinity, tunable surface chemistry, and anti-fouling behavior of nanocellulose, manifested from its structural and nanodimensional properties are particularly attractive. Thus, an opportunity has emerged to exploit these features to develop nanocellulose-based membranes for environmental applications including water filtration, environmental remediation, and for the development of pollutant sensors and energy devices.
  • 1.8K
  • 09 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Hybrid Protein–DNA Nanotechnology
Proteins and DNA exhibit key physical chemical properties that make them advantageous for building nanostructures with outstanding features. Both DNA and protein nanotechnology have growth notably and proved to be fertile disciplines. The combination of both types of nanotechnologies is helpful to overcome the individual weaknesses and limitations of each one, paving the way for the continuing diversification of structural nanotechnologies. Recent studies have implemented a synergistic combination of both biomolecules to assemble unique and sophisticate protein–DNA nanostructures. These hybrid nanostructures are highly programmable and display remarkable features that create new opportunities to build on the nanoscale.
  • 1.8K
  • 03 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Wind Energy based on Triboelectric Nanogenerators
The utilization of various distributed energy is becoming a prominent research topic due to the rapid development of the Internet of Things and wireless condition monitoring systems. Among the various distributed energy sources, wind energy has the advantages of being widely distributed, renewable and pollution-free, and is a very promising mechanical energy for power supply. Traditional wind energy harvesting methods based on electromagnetic and piezoelectric effects have issues with complex structure, large size, severe mechanical structures, and high installation costs. The low frequency and irregular nature of ambient mechanical energy makes these methods generally inefficient and inevitably hinders the further exploitation of wind energy. The triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) based on frictional charging and electrostatic effects can also be used for wind power generation and are increasingly favored by researchers as TENGs are easier to be miniaturized and assembled, and can realize large-scale manufacturing in comparison.
  • 1.8K
  • 28 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Silicon Nanowires Synthesis by MACE
Silicon is the undisputed leader for microelectronics among all the industrial materials and Si nanostructures flourish as natural candidates for tomorrow’s technologies due to the rising of novel physical properties at the nanoscale. In particular, silicon nanowires (Si NWs) are emerging as a promising resource in different fields such as electronics, photovoltaic, photonics, and sensing. Despite the plethora of techniques available for the synthesis of Si NWs, metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) is today a cutting-edge technology for cost-effective Si nanomaterial fabrication already adopted in several research labs. During these years, MACE demonstrates interesting results for Si NW fabrication outstanding other methods. A critical study of all the main MACE routes for Si NWs is here presented, providing the comparison among all the advantages and drawbacks for different MACE approaches. All these fabrication techniques are investigated in terms of equipment, cost, complexity of the process, repeatability, also analyzing the possibility of a commercial transfer of these technologies for microelectronics, and which one may be preferred as industrial approach. 
  • 1.8K
  • 23 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Structure of Endohedral Fullerenes
Fullerenes have a unique structure, capable of both encapsulating other molecules and reacting with those on the exterior surface. Fullerene derivatives have also been found to have enormous potential to address the challenges of the renewable energy sector and current environmental issues, such as in the production of n-type materials in bulk heterojunction solar cells, as antimicrobial agents, in photocatalytic water treatment processes, and in sensor technologies. Endohedral metallofullerenes, in particular, can possess unpaired electron spins, driven by the enclosed metal atom or cluster, which yield valuable magnetic properties. These properties have significant potential for applications in molecular magnets, spin probes, quantum computing, and devices such as quantum information processing,, atomic clocks, and molecular magnets. 
  • 1.8K
  • 02 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Biomedical Applications of Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles
Magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles have excellent biocompatibility, stability, and diverse biomedical uses, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and antidiabetic properties, as well as tissue engineering, bioimaging, and drug delivery applications. Magnesium oxide nanoparticles demonstrate substantial biocompatibility and display significant antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and antioxidant properties.
  • 1.8K
  • 28 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Nanotechnology in Cosmetics and Cosmeceuticals
Nanomaterials (NM) arouse interest in various fields of science and industry due to their composition-tunable properties and the ease of modification. They appear currently as components of many consumer products such as sunscreen, dressings, sports clothes, surface-cleaning agents, computer devices, paints, as well as pharmaceutical and cosmetics formulations. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) in products for topical applications improves the permeation/penetration of the bioactive compounds into deeper layers of the skin, providing a depot effect with sustained drug release and specific cellular and subcellular targeting. Nanocarriers provide advances in dermatology and systemic treatments. Examples are a non-invasive method of vaccination, advanced diagnostic techniques, and transdermal drug delivery.
  • 1.8K
  • 04 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Covalent Organic Framework Composites
Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline, porous materials formed by the self-assembly of organic building blocks. Composite materials containing COFs have raised increasing interest. To date, various synthesis techniques have emerged that allow for the preparation of crystalline and porous COF composites with different materials offering highly efficient tools for analytical applications.
  • 1.8K
  • 08 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Photodynamic Therapy for Deep-Seated Tumors
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) works through the photoactivation of a specific photosensitizer (PS) in a tumor in the presence of oxygen. PDT is widely applied in oncology to treat various cancers as it has a minimally invasive procedure and high selectivity, does not interfere with other treatments, and can be repeated as needed. A large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and singlet oxygen is generated in a cancer cell during PDT, which destroys the tumor effectively. However, the efficacy of PDT in treating a deep-seated tumor is limited due to three main reasons: Limited light penetration depth, the low oxygen concentration in the hypoxic core, and poor PS accumulation inside a tumor. Thus, PDT treatments are only approved for superficial and thin tumors. With the advancement of nanotechnology, PDT to treat deep-seated or thick tumors is becoming a reachable goal. In this review, we provide an update on the strategies for improving PDT with nanomedicine using different sophisticated-design nanoparticles, including two-photon excitation, X-ray activation, targeting tumor cells with surface modification, alteration of tumor cell metabolism pathways, the release of therapeutic gases, improvement of tumor hypoxia, and stimulation of host immunity.
  • 1.8K
  • 11 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Ultracentrifugation Techniques for Nanoparticles Ordering
A centrifugal field can provide an external force for the ordering of nanoparticles. Especially with the knowledge from in-situ characterization by analytical (ultra)centrifugation, nanoparticle ordering can be rationally realized in preparative (ultra)centrifugation. This study summarizes the work back to the 1990s, where intuitive use of centrifugation was achieved for the fabrication of colloidal crystals to the very recent work where analytical (ultra)centrifugation is employed to tailor-make concentration gradients for advanced materials. This review is divided into three main parts. In the introduction part, the history of ordering microbeads in gravity is discussed and with the size of particles reduced to nanometers, a centrifugal field is necessary. In the next part, the research on the ordering of nanoparticles in analytical and preparative centrifugation in recent decades is described. In the last part, the applications of the functional materials, fabricated from centrifugation-induced nanoparticle superstructures are briefly discussed.
  • 1.8K
  • 05 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Spins in Semiconductor Nanoparticles
- Spin-dependent phenomena in semiconductors are analyzed starting from a theory of the dynamic nuclear polarization via numerous insightful findings in the realm of characterization and control through the nuclear spin polarization in nanoparticles and their aggregates into microparticles as potential contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications.  - Electron spin-dependent process of the photosensitized generation of singlet oxygen in porous silicon (Si) for photodynamic therapy application and design of Si-based nanoparticles with electron spin centers for MRI contrasting for cancer theranostics are discussed.  
  • 1.8K
  • 12 Jan 2021
Topic Review
Textile Fabric Coatings for UV Protection
The rapid progress in the use of textile fabric materials in various industrial and domestic applications requires the inclusion of smart functions to achieve comfortable and safety properties to the end users. Advances in the development of coatings for sustainable textile fabrics for UV protection are presented here.
  • 1.8K
  • 10 Nov 2022
Topic Review
CNT-Based Chemical Sensors
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) combine high electrical conductivity with high surface area and chemical stability, which makes them very promising for chemical sensing. 
  • 1.8K
  • 10 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Biosynthesis of Nanoparticles Using Plant Extracts
Plant extracts and essential oils have a wide variety of molecules with potential application in different fields such as medicine, the food industry, and cosmetics. Furthermore, these plant derivatives are widely interested in human and animal health, including potent antitumor, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and bactericidal activity. Given this diversity, different methodologies were needed to optimize the extraction, purification, and characterization of each class of biomolecules. In addition, these plant products can still be used in the synthesis of nanomaterials to reduce the undesirable effects of conventional synthesis routes based on hazardous/toxic chemical reagents and associate the properties of nanomaterials with those present in extracts and essential oils. 
  • 1.7K
  • 10 Apr 2023
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