Optically activated and interrogated plasmonic hydrogels for applications in wound healing

We disclose the use of hybrid materials featuring Au/Ag core/shell nanorods in porous chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol scaffolds for applications in tissue engineering and wound healing. The combination of Au and Ag in a single construct provides synergistic opportunities for optical activation of functions as near infrared laser tissue bonding, and remote interrogation to return parameters of prognostic relevance in wound healing monitoring. In particular, the bimetallic component ensures optical tunability, enhanced shelf life and photothermal stability, serves as a reservoir of germicidal silver cations, and changes in near‐infrared and visible color according to the environmental level of oxidative stress. At the same time, the polymeric blend is ideal to bind connective tissue upon photothermal activation, and to support fabrication processes that provide high porosity, such as electrospinning, thus putting all the premises for cellular repopulation and antimicrobial protection.     

A Novel MXene/Ecoflex Nanocomposite-Coated Fabric as a Highly Negative and Stable Friction Layer for High-Output Triboelectric Nanogenerators

The triboelectric material properties and mechanical stability of the contact layer are vital to achieving durable triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) with high output performance. Herein, a novel MXene/Ecoflex nanocomposite is introduced as a promising triboelectric material because of its highly negative triboelectric properties and mechanical stability. The MXene/Ecoflex nanocomposite with a fabric-based waterproof TENG (FW-TENG) is fabricated and designed to universally harvest energy from various human motions as well as the natural environment (rain and wind). The fabricated FW-TENG delivers a maximum output peak power of 3.69 mW and a power density of 9.24 W m⁻², respectively, at a matching load resistance of 4.5 MΩ under a frequency of 4.5 Hz and a force of 8 N. Furthermore, the applicability of this device in various products is investigated. The FW-TENG can protect against a crash caused by rainy and humid weather. An FW-TENG-based self-powered smart active device that detects motion on a carpet is demonstrated and is equipped with sleep monitoring motion sensors. The FW-TENG not only has self-powered benefits and excellent mechanical amenability but is also exceptionally reliable and stable against water intrusion, which are important characteristics to realize next-generation wearable/portable technologies.     

甘氨酸和赤藓糖醇胶饵对红火蚁工蚁的毒杀效果

前期研究发现甘氨酸和赤藓糖醇对红火蚁Solenopsis invicta Buren有较好的毒杀效果,为进一步挖掘这两种物质的实际应用价值,在室内测试了甘氨酸和赤藓糖醇不同浓度配比的水溶液及胶状饵剂对红火蚁工蚁的毒杀效果.结果显示,20％的配比为1∶3、3∶1的赤藓糖醇和甘氨酸溶液喂饲48 h红火蚁工蚁的死亡率分别为83.1％和84.93％,而72h后,死亡率分别为95.07％和95.21％,与取食茚虫威饵剂的工蚁死亡率(48 h:92.57％;72 h:100％)无显著差异.20％的配比为1∶3、3∶1的赤藓糖醇和甘氨酸水凝胶颗粒喂饲48 h红火蚁工蚁的死亡率分别为58.94％和55.05％,而72 h后,死亡率分别为85.11％和80.05％,显著低于取食茚虫威饵剂的工蚁死亡率(48 h:95.71％;72 h:99.59％).研究结果为进一步利用开发红火蚁环保型饵剂提供参考.     

Smart hydrogels for bioseparation

Smart hydrogels are hydrogels which alter their dimension (i.e., either swell or shrink) dramatically upon a small change in an environmental condition, such as temperature, pH, ionic strength, salt type, solvent, etc. Due to large changes in the swelling ratio, the smart hydrogels have been used widely in the separation of various molecules including proteins. Bioseparation using smart hydrogels is convenient, cost effective, and operable in mild conditions. The use of mild conditions during separation is critical for proteins which can be easily denatured or degraded. Smart hydrogels currently used in bioseparation and their limitations as well as improvements to be made are described here. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optical absorption investigations for efficient crystal violet dye removal from wastewater via carbon nanotubes:Montmorillonite-based nanocomposite

The current study reports a facile method to fabricate functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes and montmorillonite clay mineral-based nanocomposite matrix and its detailed characterization using spectroscopic and morphological techniques. The nanocomposites have been studied for their potential applications in the treatment of contaminated water using batch adsorption studies. The investigations conducted using optical absorption spectroscopic measurements for the adsorption process indicate that the nanocomposite matrix can effectively remove almost 98% of the dye from aqueous solution. The nanocomposites have showed fast and strong adsorption behaviour for the dye with the maximum adsorption capacity (q_m) of ~467.3 mg g⁻¹ in 25 min. The experimental data at equilibrium were also correlated with the theoretical adsorption isotherm and kinetic models. The results demonstrate that the experimental data fits well to the Freundlich adsorption isotherm model and conforms to second-order kinetics. Furthermore, the nanocomposite exhibits good recyclability without any marked decrease in the adsorption performance even after five adsorption cycles of usage which indicates its potential application as reusable adsorbent for the efficient removal of hazardous dyes from contaminated water.