Montmorillonite Intercalated Norfloxacin and Tobramycin for New Drug-Delivery Systems

The urgent need of safe, therapeutically and patient-compliant drug delivery systems (DDSs) continuously stimulates researchers to explore novel tools and strategies to monitor the loading and release of drugs. In this context, this study demonstrates that montmorillonite clay (MMT) is an appropriate material for changing the release behavior of Tobramycin and Norfloxacin drugs into medium. The DDSs were prepared by the intercalation of Tobramycin or Norfloxacin between MMT layers. The MMT-drug systems were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transforms infrared (FT-IR). After insertion of the drugs between the layers of MMT, the periodicity in c-axis changed because of the formation of layered hybrid structures. The release of drugs was investigated using UV-spectrophotometer. The release rates are found to be dependent on pH of the medium. Moreover, we found that the percentage of release increases as the pH increases, however the release rate is low. These findings would be beneficial for controlled release of drugs for prolonged time in the future.

Physical Expansion of Layered Graphene Oxide Nanosheets by Chemical Vapor Deposition of Metal-Organic Frameworks and their Thermal Conversion into Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbons for Supercapacitor Applications

Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets show good electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance in electrochemical devices. However, strong van der Waals attraction between adjacent nanosheets causes GO materials to collapse, reducing the exposed surfaces and limiting electron/ion transport in porous electrodes. GO nanosheets mixed with Zn₅ (OH)₈ (NO₃ )₂ ⋅2 H₂ O (ZnON) nanoplates create a layered composite structure. Exposing the resultant GO/ZnON to 2-methylimidazole vapor leads to the conversion of ZnON into the zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-8. The transformation of ZnON into ZIF-8 leads to a huge physical expansion of the interlayer space between the GO sheets. Annealing the material at high temperature caused the ZIF-8 to be converted into highly porous nitrogen-doped carbon, but the GO nanosheets maintained a large separation and high surface area. The morphology and porous structure of the post-annealing carbon material was sensitive to the initial ratio of ZnON to GO. The optimized sample exhibited several favorable features, including a large surface area, high degree of graphitization, and a high amount of nitrogen doping. Using chemical vapor deposition of metal-organic frameworks to physically expand nanomaterials is a novel method to increase the surface area and porosity of materials. It enabled the synthesis of nanoporous carbon electrodes with high capacitance, good rate capability, and long cyclic stability in supercapacitor devices.

Synthesis of Hollow Co-Fe Prussian Blue Analogue Cubes by using Silica Spheres as a Sacrificial Template

Herein, we report a novel method for the formation of hollow Prussian blue analogue (CoFe–PBA) nanocubes, using spherical silica particles as sacrificial templates. In the first step, silica cores are coated by a CoFe–PBA shell and then removed by etching with hydrofluoric acid (HF). The cubic shape of CoFe–PBA is well‐retained even after the removal of the silica cores, resulting in the formation of hollow CoFe–PBA cubes. The specific capacity of the hollow CoFe–PBA nanocubes electrodes is about two times higher than that of solid CoFe–PBA nanocubes as storage materials for sodium ions. Such an improvement in the electrochemical properties can be attributed to their hollow internal nanostructure. The hollow architecture can offer a larger interfacial area between the electrolyte and the electrode, leading to an improvement in the electrochemical activity. This strategy can be applied to develop PBAs with hollow interiors for a wide range of applications.

Synergetic nanoporous Mn–Ru oxides as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Nanoporous Mn–Ru mixed oxides were derived from Mn–Ru CP nanocubes with a similar morphology through annealing in air at 400 degree for effecient electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen.

Cyanide bridged coordination polymer nanoflakes thermally derived Ni3C and fcc-Ni nanoparticles for electrocatalysts

We have reported a controlled crystal growth process, which allows the formation of NiCNNi CP nanoflakes derived Ni₃C and fcc-Ni nanoparticles.

Prussian blue derived iron oxide nanoparticles wrapped in graphene oxide sheets for electrochemical supercapacitors

This work reports the synthesis of hybrid materials combining graphene oxide (GO) sheets with Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles which can be converted into porous GO/iron oxide hybrids for supercapacitor applications.

Hydrogels Containing Prussian Blue Nanoparticles Toward Removal of Radioactive Cesium Ions

Recent reports have demonstrated the practical application of Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles toward environmental clean-up of radionuclide 173Cs. Herein, we prepared a large amount of PB nanoparticles by mixing both iron(III) chloride and sodium ferrocyanide hydrate as starting precursors. The obtained PB nanoparticles show a high surface area (440 m2. g-1) and consequently an excellent uptake ability of Cs ions from aqueous solutions. The uptake ability of Cs ions into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPA) hydrogel is drastically increased up to 156.7 m2. g-1 after incorporating our PB nanoparticles, compared to 30.2 m2 . g-1 after using commercially available PB. Thus, our PB-containing PNIPA hydrogel can be considered as an excellent candidate for the removal of Cs ions from aqueous solutions, which will be useful for the remediation of the nuclear waste.

Correction: Nanostructuring of nanoporous iron carbide spheres via thermal degradation of triple-shelled Prussian blue hollow spheres for oxygen reduction reaction

Correction for ‘Nanostructuring of nanoporous iron carbide spheres via thermal degradation of triple-shelled Prussian blue hollow spheres for oxygen reduction reaction’ by Mohamed B. Zakaria et al., RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 10341–10351.

Nanostructuring of nanoporous iron carbide spheres via thermal degradation of triple-shelled Prussian blue hollow spheres for oxygen reduction reaction

A controlled thermal treatment of the triple-shelled Prussian blue hollow spheres yielded well-retained nanoporous iron carbide for efficient electrocatalytic ORR.

Layer-by-layer motif hybridization: nanoporous nickel oxide flakes wrapped into graphene oxide sheets toward enhanced oxygen reduction reaction

Herein we report a novel strategy involving the hybridization of nanoporous NiO flakes with graphene oxide (GO) sheets.

Synthesis of highly strained mesostructured SrTiO(3)/BaTiO(3) composite films with robust ferroelectricity

A new class of highly stable ferroelectric material, that is, a mesostructured SrTiO(3)/BaTiO(3) composite film, obtained by a surfactant-templated sol-gel method is reported. Due to the concave surface geometry and abundant hetero-interface between SrTiO(3) (ST) and BaTiO(3) (BT) phases, a large number of strains can be created in the composite film, thereby leading to dramatic enhancement of ferroelectric property (see scheme).

Synthesis of mesoporous titania nanoparticles with anatase frameworks and investigation of their photocatalytic performance

In this research paper, we synthesize various types of mesoporous titania nanoparticles (MTNs) with suitable surface area and pore size while creating anatase frameworks by applying hydrothermal treatment or calcination at different temperatures. Wide-angle XRD patterns and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms reveal that the MTNs with crystallized anatase frameworks can be synthesized after an optimized hydrothermal treatment. In contrast, calcination of MTNs at high temperature caused the collapse of mesoporous structure, resulted in drastic reduction of the surface area of the MTNs. In addition, we investigate the photocatalytic activity of the prepared MTNs by measuring the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The results show that the reaction rates of the photocatalytic MB decomposition strongly depend on the degree of crystallinity in the MTNs frameworks and on the surface area of MTNs.

Furanoditerpenes of Fibraurea chloroleuca

Fibraurin, chasmanthin, and palmarin were isolated from the stems of FIBRAUREA CHLOROLEUCA, Fam. Menispermaceae. The structure of the minor constituent, palmarin, was determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.