Saccharide‐based nanocarriers for targeted therapeutic and diagnostic applications

Many therapeutic and diagnostic agents suffer from short circulation times or poor selectivity resulting in the need for frequent drug administration and adverse side‐effects. On this basis, selective nanocarriers have been used to address most of the drawbacks via the encapsulation or conjugation of therapeutic and diagnostic agents to allow the targeted release of cargo to diseased sites or tumours, while maintaining low levels of cytotoxicity. Saccharides, which can be classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligo/polysaccharides, have demonstrated great potential in the construction of nanocarriers, as well as the targeted guidance of the nanocarriers to diseased tissues. The fabrication of nanocarriers from natural materials such as polysaccharides affords biodegradability and biocompatibility, and in some instances confers targeting capabilities. The most recent progress in saccharide‐based targeted nanocarriers fabricated via facile one‐pot routes or complex two‐pot synthetic routes is reviewed here, with a particular focus on the high efficiency and flexibility of the one‐pot approach. In addition, inspired by the self‐assembly processes involving saccharides that occur in living organisms, particular emphasis is placed on disease‐targeting nanocarriers that are constructed from or modified by saccharides. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

纳米光热材料在抗菌领域的研究进展

耐药菌的出现极大提高了临床发病率及死亡率,并对人们的生活及医疗系统造成了很大的冲击。耐药菌的快速变异和新抗生素研发的滞后,迫切需要新的抗菌手段以应对上述问题。光热疗法（PTT）是一种将太阳能转换成热能（光热转换）,提高局部温度,进而杀死细菌的新型抗菌技术。PTT具有独特的抗菌机制,产生耐药菌的可能性较低,在抗菌领域具有独特的优势。各种具有光热转换效果的纳米粒子以及基于此设计的纳米复合材料是PTT的关键。该文综述了近年来光热剂（PTAs）在抗菌领域的研究进展,总结了PTAs的种类及应用领域,对PTT抗菌发展存在的问题进行了分析,对未来研究的重点和方向进行了展望,以期对PTAs抗菌材料的研究提供新的思路。     

One-dimensional electrospun ceramic nanomaterials and their sensing applications

One-dimensional sensing materials that are prepared via electrospinning and controlled annealing exhibit intrinsic properties, such as electron transmissivity, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat capacity, as well as optical and mechanical characteristics. Particularly, the electronic transmission characteristics of the ceramic fiber materials, such as the electrical conductivity, photocurrent, magnetoresistance, nanocontact resistance, and dielectric properties, exhibited great potential for applications in the next generation of electronic sensing devices. First, electrospun ceramic materials with different structural and functional characteristics were reviewed here, after which the strategies for improving their properties, as well as the method for assembling the flexible devices, are summarized. Moreover, the electrospun ceramic nanofibers were detailedly discussed regarding applications in device construction and wearable electronics, such as photosensors, gas sensors, mechanical sensors, and other energy storage devices. Finally, the future development direction of the electrospinning technology for multifunctional and wearable electronics skin was proposed.     

Nanofabrication of hybrid nanomaterials: Macroscopically aligned nanoparticles pattern via directed self-assembly of block copolymers

Periodic hybrid nanostructured materials based on aligned inorganic nanoparticles within self-assembled copolymer matrixes aimed to harness the collective properties of generated functional nanomaterials. The nanoparticles are desirable for their useful magnetic, optical, catalytic, and electronic properties owed to the quantum confinement effect. For instance, gold, palladium and platinum as nanoparticles, have shown significant change in the physiochemical properties in comparison to their bulk materials. If the nanoparticles are aligned into well-defined macroscopic periodic nanostructures in diverse of morphologies, the unique collective properties are significantly enhanced. These unique properties can be transformed to improve the performance of storage media, multi-contact tracks solar panels and optoelectronic devices. Within this review, the nanofabrication tools will be presented as an alternative route to conventional top-down methods for the fabrication of periodic nanostructured hybrid materials. A simple approach is reviewed to fabricate periodic nanostructured hybrid systems based on the directed assembly of inorganic nanoparticles into well-defined periodic three-dimensional nanostructures provided by the self-assembling ability of block copolymers. The fabrications of varieties morphologies and the formation mechanism at different dimensions will be discussed as well as the characterization techniques. Finally, several applications of the proposed hybrid nanostructures are highlighted for the next generation of miniaturized devices.     

Synthesis of polymeric and hybrid nanoparticles for electroplating applications

Monodisperse polymeric particles with diameters in the range of 60-1400 nm were prepared by (emulsifier-free) emulsion polymerization and incorporated into electrolytic zinc coatings aiming to improve the corrosion resistance of electrogalvanized steel. Various types of polymeric nanoparticles were thus synthesized in order to assess the effect of the emulsifier, initiator and comonomer type on the particle morphology, stability and codeposition behavior. The polymerization experiments were carried out in laboratory-scale glass reactors and the most promising recipes were successfully scaled-up in a fully automated pilot-scale reactor. Replicates of some representative experiments, which were run both in lab and pilot-scale reactors, indicated excellent reproducibility of the polymerization process. Uniform, polymer-containing zinc coatings were produced by electrolytic codeposition of the nanoparticles from an acid zinc plating bath using a rotating disk electrode (RDE). Hybrid polystyrene/silica nanoparticles with increased silica content were also prepared via emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization, in the presence of an ultrafine aqueous silica sol, to be used in electrocoating applications. The effect of key process parameters, such as initial monomers molar ratio and pH on the size, morphology and silica content of the produced hybrid nanoparticles was investigated.     

Recent advances in amino acid-metal coordinated nanomaterials for biomedical applications

Metal and amino acid (AA),as two kinds of entities,have been widely involved in biomaterials and nano-medicines.Recently,the marriage of them has developed new nanoformulations,amino acid-metal coor-dinated nanomaterials (AMCNs),which show great biomedical application potential in cancer therapy,antibacterial applications,biomedical imaging,etc.With the respective characteristics of metal and AA with rich biological and chemical properties,AMCNs can not only act as drug carriers with specific tumor targeting ability,but also realize synergistic therapy and imaging-guided therapy.Although the design and synthesis of amino acid-metal coordinated nanomaterials have been in-depth investigated,there are few systematic reviews on their biomedical application.In this review,we give a comprehensive sum-mary of recent progresses in the design,fabrication,and biomedical applications of AMCNs.We also pro-pose the future outlooks and challenges in aforementioned field.We expect that this review would contribute some inspiration for future research and development for amino acid metal coordinated nanomaterials.     

Carbon nanohorn‐graphene nanoplate hybrid: An excellent electrode material for supercapacitor application

This study describes the capacitor behavior of carbon nanohorn (CNH)/graphene nanoplate (GNP) hybrid (CNGN). The well‐CNH‐decorated GNP‐plate electrode materials show high capacitance value (≈677 F/g) and can be extensively used in new generation for energy storage. In the hybrid (CNGN), two nanofillers jointly affect the capacitance behavior and increase the capacitance value of the CNGN hybrid. Homogeneous coating of CNH over the GNP plate plays an effective role to enhance the capacitance behavior of the composite. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis of the composite confirmed the CNH coating on the GNP plate. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42118.     

Monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Magnetic nanoparticles that are superparamagnetic with high saturation moment have great potential for biomedical applications. Solution‐phase syntheses have recently been applied to make various kinds of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles with standard deviation in diameter of less than 10%. However, the surface of these nanoparticles is coated with a layer of hydrocarbon molecules due to the use of lipid‐like carboxylic acid and amine in the syntheses. Surface functionalization leads to the formation of water‐soluble nanoparticles that can be further modified with various biomolecules. Such functionalization has brought about several series of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticle systems that have shown promising applications in protein or DNA separation, detection and magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement. The goal of this mini review is to summarize the recent progress in the synthesis and surface modification of monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles and their applications in biomedicine. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Carbonized electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone/metal hybrid nanofiber composites for electrochemical applications

Electrospinning is a very versatile and efficient method of fabricating nanofibers with the desired properties. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in ethanol solution was electrospun into nanofibers and used as a precursor for the preparation of carbon nanofibers. Cobalt chloride was also incorporated with PVP nanofibers to produce carbon nanofiber composites with enhanced electrical conductivity and electrochemical properties. The surface morphology and physical properties of the electrospun nanofibers, carbonized nanofibers, and their composites were observed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The electrochemical behavior of the carbon nanofiber composites was studied by drop‐casting on a working surface of the screen‐printed carbon electrode and examined by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results indicated that carbon nanofiber composites were decorated with cobalt nanoparticles and enhanced the charge‐transfer efficiency on the electrode surface. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45639.     

Recent advances on graphene microstructure engineering for propellant-related applications

As a special polymeric composite and military-strategic material, composite solid propellant has attracted extensive attention and efforts to improve its performances. Graphene been regarded as an ideal material to enhance the performances of propellants, because of its excellent physical and chemical properties, such as ultra-strong strength, large specific surface area, remarkable thermal conductivity, and phenomenal electrical performance. Moreover, the microstructure engineering based on graphene has been demonstrated to reveal effective influences on the composites. Recently, many new advances have been developed in microstructure engineering of graphene for propellant-related applications. In this article, we first present an overview of the main synthesis methods of graphene. Subsequently, these new advances are reviewed, discussed, and summarized carefully. Finally, the application prospects of microstructure engineering of graphene in the propellant field are proposed.     

Highly bright and photostable cyanine dye-doped silica nanoparticles for optical imaging: Photophysical characterization and cell tests

Spherical silica nanoparticles containing fluorescent trimethine indocyanine dyes (λ_abs = 547 nm, λ_em = 570 nm) were prepared using a water-in-oil microemulsion method. The nanoparticles were of 50 nm diameter and were almost monodispersed in aqueous solution at pH 5.5. Entrapment of dye molecules in the silica matrix stabilised photoemission over several hours of continuous irradiation. The photoemission intensity of the indocyanine was increased 13-fold over that recorded in solution. As each nanoparticle contained 110 dye molecules, the photoemission brightness of each particle was enhanced by three orders of magnitude. The fluorescent nanoparticles have been tested as imaging tools in in vitro tests. As an example of non-macrophagic cells, a highly differentiated neuronal cell line (GT1-7) was used and the results showed that the prepared nanoparticles can be incorporated into these cells with no apparent toxicity for up to three days.     

Preparation of sulfonated polysulfone/sulfonated titanium dioxide hybrid membranes for DMFC applications

Sulfonated titanium dioxide (STiO₂) was prepared by the reaction of TiO₂ with 1,3-propanesultone. Novel STiO₂ incorporated sulfonated poly(aryl ether sulfone) (SPAES) nanocomposite proton exchange membranes (PEMs) were made by solution casting. Fourier transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance indicated the successful preparation of STiO₂ and SPAES. The thermogravimetric analysis and oxidative stability testing results implied that SPAES/STiO₂ membranes had better stability than pristine SPAES membrane. Meanwhile, the scanning electron microscopy spectra exhibited that the introduction of sulfonated groups on the surface of TiO₂ significantly improved its dispersibility in SPAES matrix. More specifically, SPAES membrane incorporated with 2%STiO₂ exhibited higher proton conductivity (60 mS cm⁻¹), lower methanol permeability (2.1 × 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹) and better proton selectivity (28.0 × 10⁴ S s cm⁻³) than that of pure SPAES and SPAES/1%TiO₂ membrane. The SPAES-1%STiO₂ membrane showed better performance in direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) test than SPAES and Nafion 117 due to the reduction of methanol crossover. From these results, it is evident that SPAES/STiO₂ nanocomposite PEMs have great potential for applications in DMFCs. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48938.     

Hyperbranched polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (HB‐POSS) nanomaterials for high transmission and radiation‐resistant space and solar applications

Hyperbranched polycarbosiloxanes and polysiloxanes with octafunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) branchpoints and curable alkoxysilane or silanol end‐groups were formulated with linear polysiloxanes to fabricate transparent and robust nanostructured POSS‐containing materials for use in a range of high performance space and solar applications. The effect of methyl vs. phenyl content, architecture and linear polysiloxane mass on transmission, thermal, physical, and proton, electron and UV radiation resistance properties was determined, and the physical properties of the nanomaterials were tailored to produce adhesives, or rigid or flexible coatings as desired. The methyl formulations showed superior electron resistance relative to a commercial space control material and to a POSS‐free HB polymer control material, even when directly exposed to radiation in coating form, whereas the phenyl formulations were shown to have inferior electron and UV resistance. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 3849–3861, 2013     

Plant‐mediated synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles and their applications

Nanobiotechnology deals with the synthesis of nanostructures using living organisms. Among the use of living organisms for nanoparticle synthesis, plants have found application particularly in metal nanoparticle synthesis. Use of plants for synthesis of nanoparticles could be advantageous over other environmentally benign biological processes as this eliminates the elaborate process of maintaining cell cultures. Biosynthetic processes for nanoparticles would be more useful if nanoparticles were produced extracellularly using plants or their extracts and in a controlled manner according to their size, dispersity and shape. Plant use can also be suitably scaled up for large‐scale synthesis of nanoparticles. In view of this, we have reviewed here the use of plants or their extracts in the synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles for various human applications. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Inorganic-organic hybrid polyoxometalate containing supramolecular helical chains: Preparation, characterization and application in chemically bulk-modified electrode

An inorganic-organic hybrid polyoxometalate (POM) (Hbpy)₄[SiMo₁₂O₄₀] (1) (bpy = 2,4-bipyridine), has been prepared and characterized. X-ray diffraction study reveals that compound 1 contains interesting organic double helical chains. The hybrid nanoparticles was used as a solid bulkmodifier to fabricate a three-dimensional chemically modified carbon paste electrode (1-CPE) by direct mixing. The electrochemical behavior and electrocatalysis of 1-CPE has been studied in detail. The results indicate that 1-CPE has a good electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of nitrite in 1 M H₂SO₄ aqueous solution. 1-CPE shows remarkable stability that can be ascribed to the interactions existed between POM anions and organic double helical bpy chains, which are very important for practical applications in electrode modification.     

Recent progress in zinc oxide nanomaterials and nanocomposites: From synthesis to applications

The global market of ZnO grows at an annual rate of 4.03%. ZnO has been used in a wide array of applications owing to its unique chemical, physical, and biological properties. In general, the properties of ZnO, such as band gap, crystallite size, and morphology, depend on the synthesis method and parameters employed. In this review, recent progress in the research on ZnO is presented. This review focuses on the latest advancements in pristine ZnO, doped ZnO, ZnO-based nanocomposites with other metal oxides, carbon-based materials, and spinels. The effect of the synthesis method and conditions on the properties of ZnO is discussed. In particular, recent studies on ZnO prepared through precipitation method, green synthesis, green combustion method, hydrothermal method, microwave-assisted hydrothermal, and sol–gel synthesis are reviewed. The effect of dopants and metal oxides on ZnO characteristics is also laid out. This review aims to provide the readers with a thorough understanding of structure–property relationships achieved by varying the synthesis parameters of ZnO, which will be beneficial for the fabrication of high-performance ZnO-based materials for photocatalytic, biological, gas sensing, and flexible electronic applications.     

化工过程混合故障诊断系统的应用

故障诊断是保障化工过程安全、平稳进行的一个重要工具。主成分分析法(PCA)作为典型的故障诊断方法,已经广泛应用于各类化工过程的故障诊断,但在复杂过程的故障类别判断上还存在不足。而人工免疫系统对于自我-非我的识别能力有助于对故障类别的判断,并且其良好的自适应、自学习能力,有助于在诊断过程中对系统的完善和改进。本文将主成分分析法与人工免疫系统结合,建立了一个新的混合故障诊断系统,实现对于化工过程故障的早期诊断,并用Honeywell公司的UniSim平台建立了一个动态的化工过程模型,对该诊断系统进行了验证。     

有机-无机杂化材料的制备技术和应用前景

综述了有机-无机杂化材料的分类、制备方法和表征手段,并对有机-无机杂化材料在机械、光学、电子、分离、催化、化学和生物等领域的应用进行了简要的评述。这类性能优异的新材料在未来的高科技领域必将有广阔的应用前景。     

NIR‐responsive nanomaterials and their applications; upconversion nanoparticles and carbon dots: a perspective

Near‐infrared (NIR) light responsive materials have received much attention for diverse applications due to their excellent optical properties. This type of material exhibits upconverted luminescence, a non‐linear optical process in which two or more low energy photons, usually from NIR light irradiation are transformed to high energy photons emission through energy transfer upconversion, excited state absorption, photon avalanche or multiphoton absorption. The NIR range of excitation source is favorable for biological imaging and cancer theranostic applications due to their high penetration depth, low autofluorescence, minimal light scattering, reduced photodamage, and negligible phototoxicity. Having these properties, NIR responsive materials such as upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and carbon dots (CDs) which perform upconversion luminescence are actively exploited in a wide variety of applications such as display and sensory technology. While CDs are well known for their versatility in using different chemicals and green precursors to achieve tunable optical properties, UCNPs also have the advantage that a continuous‐wave NIR laser can be used as the excitation source. This article reviews the properties of these two materials in the aspects of luminescence mechanisms and their recent developments in cancer theranostics, display technology, biosensing and metal ions sensing applications. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry