Current Nanomaterials - Volume 7, Issue 1, 2022

The Santa Barbara Amorphous (SBA-15), with a large surface area covered with abundant Si-OH active groups on the walls of its pores, can be modified with various organic compounds to build organic-inorganic hybrid materials, which can be used as a catalyst in organic reactions, drug delivery systems, nano sorbent due to its high capacity for removing heavy metals in waste water and as chemosensors for ions. Tunable and straight channels of SBA-15 facilitate the entrance and diffusion of ions through the channels. This paper presents a review of the past five years of literature covering the application of SBA-15 as an ions chemosensor in the liquid and gaseous media.

Background: There is an unmet need for effective diagnosis and treatment of chronic inflammatory pain and subsequent hypersensitivity (hyperalgesia). The nanotechnology and nanodrug delivery could be a probable answer to solve this problem; this novel technique will surely take the diagnosis of pain and anti-inflammatory therapy to newer heights offering faster pain relief to the patient. Objective: This study aimed to collect more information regarding aspects of nanotechnology- based applications for pain management. Methods: A systemic search has been carried out using PubMed, Google Scholar, CNKI, etc. for relevant articles. Results and Conclusion: The article reviews possible applications of nano science for betterment of anti-inflammatory therapy, which may help pain researchers. Our systematic analysis of previous studies showed that, with the ease of nanotechnology, we can effectively lower down the side effects and tolerance associated with current pain management systems. Advance nanomaterial based therapies will undoubtedly reduce the time span associated along with fewer side effects. By merging nanotechnology aspects along with drug carrier systems, we can effectively design such systems with inherent properties to treat pain.

The application of nanomaterials in drug delivery is a rapidly developing area of interest. The main intention in the development of these drug delivery vehicles is to successfully know the targeted delivery-related efforts and carrying drugs to the required sites of therapeutic action with the reduction in adverse side effects. The task for targeted drug delivery to reach pathological areas has increased advances in nanomedicine. But the high toxicity of uncoated nanoparticles restricts the use in humans. So, to reduce toxicity, the encapsulation of nanoparticles is done with bio-compatible materials. Many efficient delivery systems have been developed in which nanoparticles are loaded with the cancer drug involving bi-layer molecules. The fields of nanotechnology have always played a crucial role in electronics, biology, and medicine. Its application can be appraised, as it involves the materials to be designed at the atomic and molecular level. This article reviews different types of nanomaterials used as delivery vehicles for chemotherapeutic agents and their mechanism of action that improve the therapeutic efficacy of the drugs. The recent scientific advances in the area of chemotherapy are also discussed by emphasizing the prospects in cancer treatments.

Background: The oil removal from industrial effluents is one of the biggest problems faced in the world. It is a very important environmental issue, and it is necessary to solve this problem. In this sense, ZIFs are increasingly important in the environmental area. Objective: This work reports a method for the synthesis of ZIF-zni nanocrystals at room temperature in 1 h, and a performance of the ZIF-zni nano adsorbent in the oil removal from the oil-water emulsion. Methods: ZIF-zni was produced from the solvothermal method, and it was characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, contact angle, infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. Oilwater emulsion was produced by lubricant oil and distilled water. Batch-type adsorption at 200 rpm for 2 h was used to evaluate the potential of ZIF-zni for the separation of the oil-water emulsion with initial oil concentration (100, 300 mg/L) and temperature (30, 60°C). Results: The characterizations showed that the crystalline phase of ZIF-zni was successfully obtained. The ZIF-zni exhibit a very high removal percentage (above 95%) and adsorption capacity. The predictions of multiple linear regression models determined based on the factorial design of experiments are excellent. Conclusion: The value up to 2879 mg/g of adsorption capacity was reached, thus indicating that the use of the nanoadsorbent ZIF-zni has great potential in the process of separating oil-water emulsion.

Background: In this study, we determined the acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) of Mg/Al-Hydrotalcite-like compounds. The MgAl-hydrotalcites were synthesized by the co-precipitation method at room temperature using Mg/Al molar ratios 2:3. The synthesized bioactive nanomaterials were characterized by various physicochemical techniques such as TG/dTG, XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, BET/BHJ, and SEM/EDX. The antacid activity assay was done by converting both synthesized samples into liquids, 1 g of which was added to 50 ml of deionized water at 37°C under vigorous agitation. The acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) was evaluated with 0.1N HCl. The pH was constantly measured using a pH meter and values were recorded every minute up to 35 min. In order to improve the neutralizing power of the samples, we performed an exchange of chlorides by carbonates on the MgAl-HT3 synthesized. The exchanged Mg/Al-Hydrotalcite (MgAl- HTE) showed high acid neutralization capacity (up to 13.5 mEq/g). Objective: This study aimed to synthesize MgAl-hydrotalcite-like compounds and evaluate their acid-neutralizing capacity. In order to can be good candidates for pharmaceutical applications as antacid drugs. Methods: Following methods are used in this study: - Preparation of MgAl-hydrotalcite-like compounds was done by coprecipitation methods. - Characterization of samples was done by physico-chemical techniques such as TG/dTG, XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, BET/BHJ and SEM/EDX. - Evaluation of acid-neutralizing capacity was done by titration procedure (Dose-titration). Results: This protocol describes the preparation of MgAl-hydrotalcite-like compounds using the classical coprecipitation method. The synthesized samples were characterized by various physicochemical techniques such as TG/dTG, XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, BET/BHJ, and SEM/EDX. The as-synthetized samples were used for the evaluation of their acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC). Further, an exchanged of MgAl-Hydrotalcite with carbonate was done for the purpose to increase the acid-neutralizing capacity. Conclusion: In summary, this study describes a simple synthesis of MgAl-Hydrotalcites compounds by a co-precipitation method at constant pH around 10, with a ratio Mg/Al = 3:2 (referred to as MgAl-HT3 and MgAl-HT2). An exchange of the chlorides (not eliminated by washing) by the carbonates was carried out on hydrotalcite with a ratio Mg/Al = 3, and the solid obtained was named MgAl-HT3E. The materials MgAl-HT2, MgAl-HT3, and MgAl-TH3E were used to evaluate antacid activity. To this end, a study was conducted to determine the acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC). As result, the MgAl-HT3E was able to increase acid-neutralizing capacity and maintain an ideal pH. These results could be interesting to prepare novel antacid drugs (due to the low cost of synthesized materials) essentially the hydrotalcite of mg/Al ratio equal to 3 because of its relatively slow kinetics of releasing basic species and therefore of its beneficial action as an antacid.

Background: This research article reports on the post-annealing treatment time effect on the dip-successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) prepared nano-flake-based mesoporous BiOI electrochemical cell's photovoltaic properties. Objective: Our study clarifies that the post-annealing time has a great impact on the photovoltaic behavior and the nano-flake morphology. Methods: At 100°C for 90 mins of post-annealing treatment conditions, the surface morphology converted into a connected uniform crystallized flaky structure, which improves the effective surface area and reduces the BiOI/electrolyte charge transfer resistance confirmed via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. Therefore, the maximum photovoltaic properties (short-circuit current density, Jsc = 1.83mA/cm², open-circuit voltage, Voc = 0.48V and efficiency = 0.28%) have been observed. However, without annealing and beyond 90 mins of post-annealing time, the film quality and crystallinity decreased as a consequence of photovoltaic properties degradation. Results and Conclusion: Our investigation finding is that 90 mins is the optimal post-annealing treatment duration for the dip-SILAR prepared nano-flake-based mesoporous BiOI electrochemical photovoltaic cell at 100°C post-annealing temperature.

Background: Molecular imprinting approach involves a two-step process, template-functional monomer complex and co-polymerization process. The loose polymer networks are known to have limitations towards binding cavities with low specificity and cavity shrinking after template removal lead to inefficient template-based imprinted polymer networks. To overcome optimization of crosslinkers and FMs concentration lead to efficient organic imprinted polymer networks. Methods: The present study focused on selective recognition of caffeine specific cavities in the Molecular Imprinted Polymer (MIP) networks. The degree of crosslinking was optimized based on the template to study the rebinding capacity. Results: A self-assembled co-polymerization with functional monomers (FM) as methyl acrylamide (MAA), ethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate (EDMA) / cross-linker in 1:20,40:60 ratio of FM:crosslinker leads to caffeine with/without networks in imprinted polymers. Furthermore, The synthesized imprinted nano polymers were characterized by UV-VIS, FTIR, GC-MS ,SEM spectral analysis. Conclusion: We have observed that 30-50 nm particle size in MIPs and 60-92 nm particle sizes in NIPs The specific selective binding of caffeine and its analogues as hydrazone, naphthalene and hypoxanthine were investigated.It was proved from rebinding studies that in imprinted nanomaterials polymers with 1:10 :20, 40, 60 (template: FM: crosslinker) had 62-70% maximum specific selectivity.

Background: Thermal decomposition of metal oxalates, which lead to transition metal oxide composite, is considered to be a versatile method for the synthesis of transition metal oxide composite and its extraordinary applications. Objectives: Nanometal oxide composite, especially, nanocobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), is prepared efficiently in a simple, eco friendly and cost effective manner. Various characterization techniques like XRD, FTIR, SEM and EDS are applied to explore the morphology, functional groups, bonding nature and size of the nano particles synthesized. Adsorption of rare earth elements {La(III) and Pr(III)} onto synthesized nanocobalt ferrite is further studied using ICPAES method. Methods: Here, authors make an attempt to exploit meso porous CoFe2O4 synthesized through thermal decomposition method and exploited it as an adsorbent for the adsorption of REEs, namely Lanthanum and Praseodymium in their trivalent oxidation state {La (III) & Pr (III)} using ICPAES technique. Results and Discussion: The influencing parameters such as the adsorption efficiency, which include equilibrium time, pH, initial rare earth element concentration, adsorbent dosage and effect of temperature are studied. Adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamic parameters are analyzed. Conclusion: It is observed that adsorption studies follow pseudo second order kinetics and follow adsorption isotherms of Langmuir. The adsorption capacity is observed to be more than 90%.