Micro and Nanosystems - Volume 14, Issue 2, 2022

Nanotechnology has gained momentum in recent years in the field of drug delivery, including nanomedicine and nano-delivery systems. Several applications such as biological agents, chemotherapeutic agents and immunotherapeutic agents are used for the treatment of a number of diseases. This review compiles an updated summary on recent developments in this emerging field of nanomedicines and nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems. The study of nanostructured drug delivery systems helps to understand the efficient transport and controlled release of drugs to the diseased tissues of living organisms. This has stimulated the authors to highlight recent advances in smart nanocarriers composed of biopolymeric nanoparticles such as liposomes, dendrimers, and hydrogels. This review also highlights some critical issues in the design of nanocarrier systems for biomedical applications.

CoFe2O4, the single-phase nanocrystalline material, has potential applications in information storage, sensors and actuators. This ferrite has a tetragonal P4mm crystallographic structure with a crystallite size 42 nm. The CoFe2O4 is prepared by different techniques. The spinal structure of dielectric and hysteresis study disclosed ferroelectric nature over a broad spectrum of frequency and temperature with low dielectric loss. Based on Spinal structure phase metal oxides, a distinct range of properties became useful for different applications. Spinal structure materials have attractive characteristics in electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, dielectric loss, structural and magnetic properties. Spinal structure materials showed efficient essential properties for photovoltaic solar cells.

For several decades, temperature stable, medium permittivity, and low loss dielectric ceramics have been used as resonators, oscillators, filters, and GPS patch antennas for microwave communication systems. Various microwave dielectric ceramics have been proposed and widely used in telecommunication industries. Among the most interesting materials of that kind, magnesium orthotitanate (Mg2TiO4) is recognized as one of the most promising low loss microwave materials, which played an important role in the field of microwave and millimeter wireless communication industry. It was found that by modifying the Mg2TiO4 compound with other materials, their microwave dielectric properties have changed tremendously. The main purpose of this review is to gather information about Mg2TiO4 - based low loss dielectrics used for microwave applications. The study also helps the researchers and technologists to get compact information for Mg2TiO4 -based compounds all over the world.

This review article is constructed in the form of an extensive source for researchers on polymer nanocomposites covering their structure property, manufacturing techniques, and potential applications when a small number of nanosized particles are added to a host polymer matrix. The exceptional structural, mechanical, and electrical properties of polymer nanocomposites after the addition of inorganic solid nanoparticles are elucidated by the large surface area of doped nanoparticles interacted with host polymer matrices. The conventional method of preparation of polymer nanocomposites makes it more interesting from the point of view of production mechanisms. The present brief review provides a sketch of different synthesis techniques, characterization, applications, along with the safety concerns for polymer nanocomposites.

A sustainable energy production system fulfills its goal while being environmentally, socially, and technically sound. The intermittent availability and viability of renewable energy makes this vision a gradual and long-suffering process. In the rapid result-oriented economy, concerns regarding the environment are treated with desperate solutions that may add fuel to the fire. Although substantial research has been going on in the development of emerging technologies and refinement of established systems, we need to be reminded of the larger goal in mind: a benign and sustainable environment. Closing a door on a problem and not opening several new ones is what we must yearn to achieve. Renewable energy systems and their utility may unintentionally harm a different subset of the ecosystem. Solar energy systems are a more recent candidate with a high annual growth rate and thus, are still in the nascent stage to realise the bruised potential of the technology. By 2050, 60 million tons of solar waste will be produced if it is not resolved efficiently. To achieve environmental sustainability, it is imperative to work towards recycling redundant systems, establishing producer responsibility, fulfilling social needs and optimising future technology. By integrating aspects of the research on solar energy systems, their environmental risks, and their potential to create a sustainable ecosystem, this review article attempts to cater to environmental decision making and direct the eventual research and analysis towards their original unified objective.

In the present time, water pollution has become a quibbling issue in the current environmental engineering and protection senario. The most important aspect of nanocomposite is to develop economic and bio-friendly route for the synthesis of nanosamples. Various methods such as ion exchange, reverse osmosis, filtration, adsorption, etc. for removing the metal ions from toxic water were studied. Among these methods, adsorption technique is widely used due to low cost. Basically, over the last years, conducting polymer based nanocomposites showed their application in different heavy metal ions especially Hg (II), Cd(II), Cr(VI), Pb(II), As(V), etc. Among the various conducting polymers, PANI plays the most important role in extracting the necessary heavy metal ions. The current review mainly focuses on the synthesis, adsorption and mechanism of different PANI-based adsorbents like PANI/iron oxide, PANI/ZNO, PANI/GO, and PANI/CHITOSAN, etc., which extract the heavy metal ions.

The novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that has emerged and spread throughout the world causing CoV disease-19 (COVID-19) has since its discovery affected not only humans and animals but also the environment. Because of the highly infectious nature of the virus, and the respiratory aerosol transmission route, face masks and personal protective equipment have become mandatory for public and healthcare workers, respectively. Also, the complex nature of the pathogenicity of the virus, wherein, it has been associated with mild, moderate, and severe life-threatening infections, has warranted increased laboratory testing and placing the infected people in isolation and under constant observation in quarantine centers or at dedicated hospitals. Some infected people, who are generally healthy, and do not show symptoms have been placed in home quarantines. At this juncture, there has been increased amount of Biomedical Waste (BMW), and infectious general waste along with plastic disposable recyclable and non-recyclable waste. The increased BMW along with the potentially hazardous plastic waste collection, segregation, transport, and disposal has assumed increased significance during the ongoing pandemic. Therefore, this review attempts to investigate the current scenario of BMW management and strategies to minimize BMW and prevent potential environmental pollution.

The research on jute fiber reinforced polymer composites is an emergent concern with the development of new materials due to their significant properties like economical, partially biodegradable, and environment friendly. It is wondered that the hydrophilic nature of jute fiber negatively affects the interfacial interaction with hydrophobic polymeric materials in the composite, which then affects the resultant mechanical, microstructural and physico-chemical absorption properties. In order to overcome this fact, researchers have carried out some techniques for fiber surface chemical treatments. On the other hand, due to the low processing costs and design flexibility, thermoplastics deal many benefits over thermoset polymers, and polyethylene shows excellent processing behaviors such as low density, low cost, considerable flex life, outstanding surface hardness, scratch resistance and good electrical insulator. Besides the traditional thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers, montmorillonite nanoclay is also receiving attention to manufacturing fiber polymer nanocomposites for industrial and household applications as well. This review is considered to highlight the progress of jute fiber reinforced polymer nanocomposites. The study also focuses on the several features of jute polymer composites and nanocomposites as a function of fiber chemical treatments.