Nanoscale Advances最新文献

{"title":"Amyloid formation of mutated Alzheimer's Aβ 16–36 residues peptide and application in toxic lead and uranium ion binding","authors":"Aishwarya Natarajan, Late Ramakrishna Vadrevu, Aruna Jyothi Kora and Krishnan Rangan","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00228A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00228A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Amyloid nanostructures are gaining attention as bio-compatible materials with diverse potential applications. The formation/self-assembly of amyloid fibrils, though implicated in the prognosis of several neurodegenerative diseases, contrastingly can also be explored for their functional properties owing to their unique stability and strength. The physicochemical environment and amino-acid composition are characteristic and specifically crucial for a protein/peptide to form amyloid fibrils. The Aβ peptide involved in the Alzheimer's disease prognosis consists of two central hydrophobic core regions and a central polar region forming a β-hairpin. In this study, a 21 amino acid containing peptide KLVFFAEDVESNRGAIIGLMV is designed introducing point mutations to the original 16–36 residues of the Aβ peptide (G → E at position 25 and K → R at position 28), resulting in a modified Aβ peptide variant. The self-assembling nature of this modified peptide has been explored, and ThT fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy exhibit β-sheet structures. Detailed morphological analysis using SEM, AFM, and confocal microscopy revealed a progression from initial blob-like spongy forms to protofibrils, culminating in branched amyloid fibrils. These strategic mutations enable binding of toxic metals such as uranium and lead, as demonstrated <em>via</em> UV-visible spectroscopy, XPS, AAS and fluorescence spectroscopy, highlighting its promise for environmental remediation.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 20","pages":" 6475-6490"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12395192/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144961708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond application-specific design: a generalized deep learning framework for optical property prediction in TiO2/GaN nanophotonic metasurfaces","authors":"Adrita Anwar, Shahamat Mustavi Tasin, Mahabub Alam Bhuiyan, Nymul Yeachin, Sharnali Islam and Khaleda Ali","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00550G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00550G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Metalenses have garnered significant attention for their remarkable ability to precisely focus light while obviating the inconvenience and intricacy associated with conventional curved lenses. Identifying the best response for these phase gradient optical devices necessitates intensive trial and error analysis of meta-atoms with various shapes, materials and dimensions. In this work, we present an artificial intelligence-based framework to predict the highly skewed, complex transmission and phase responses of the constituent nanorods. Here, we employed a transfer learning model to train on two extensive datasets comprising the optical responses of gallium nitride and titanium dioxide nanopillars, each integrated onto silica substrates. The accuracy of the dataset was assessed through experimental investigation, particularly inspecting transmittance and the refractive index for a TiO<small>₂</small> layer of a certain height. A reasonable agreement has been obtained for both cases. The optimized algorithm estimates the performance in terms of amplitude and phase, attaining minimum Mean Squared Error (MSE) values of 2.3 × 10<small>⁻⁶</small> and 1.31 × 10<small>⁻⁵</small>, respectively, for a wavelength range of 600–700 nm. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed approach, focusing performance was exhibited for two flat lenses: a smaller lens with a 20 μm diameter and a larger lens featuring an identical diameter and focal length of 100 μm. A brief study on the effects of varying angles of incident light has also been conducted. While minimizing the need for typically tedious and at times ineffective repetitive analyses, the parameterized datasets can be beneficial for developing different optical components.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 19","pages":" 6196-6204"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12379349/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144961739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Eco-friendly preparation of titanium dioxide/carbon nitride nanocomposites for photoelectrocatalytic applications","authors":"Hanna Maltanava, Nikita Belko, Konstantin Tamarov, Niko M. Kinnunen, Pauliina Nevalainen, Martynas Zalieckas, Renata Karpicz, Igor Koshevoy, Dmitry Semenov, Sari Suvanto, Sergei Malykhin, Vesa-Pekka Lehto and Polina Kuzhir","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00478K","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00478K","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Titanium dioxide (TiO<small>₂</small>) and its heterostructures are among the most extensively studied materials for photo- and electrocatalytic applications. Optimizing their synthesis remains crucial for enhancing performance and reducing production costs. In this work, we report a simple, eco-friendly method for preparing TiO<small>₂</small>/graphitic carbon nitride (g-C<small>₃</small>N<small>₄</small>) nanocomposites in both powder and thin-film forms. The method takes advantage of the catalytic properties of TiO<small>₂</small> to significantly lower the temperature required for the formation of g-C<small>₃</small>N<small>₄</small> from urea, from 600 °C to 300 °C. Incorporating lyophilization prior to thermal treatment results in a <em>ca</em>. 60% increase in the specific surface area. The materials were evaluated for their photo- and electrocatalytic performance. Upon photoactivation at 385 nm, both TiO<small>₂</small> and TiO<small>₂</small>/g-C<small>₃</small>N<small>₄</small> powders generate the hydroxyl radical, with lyophilization enhancing radical production fivefold. The lyophilized TiO<small>₂</small>/g-C<small>₃</small>N<small>₄</small> nanocomposite exhibits 14% higher photocatalytic activity than its TiO<small>₂</small> counterpart. In electrocatalytic studies, TiO<small>₂</small>/g-C<small>₃</small>N<small>₄</small> thin films demonstrate a 70 mV lower overpotential for oxygen reduction compared to TiO<small>₂</small> films. These results highlight the potential of the synthesized nanocomposites for environmental remediation and in energy-related applications such as fuel cell electrodes.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 18","pages":" 5601-5611"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12322928/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144794935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Proximity effects, exchange bias and magnetic relaxation in γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles","authors":"M. González de la Vega, M. P. Fernández-García, L. Marcano, N. Yaacoub, J. M. Grenèche, D. Martínez-Blanco, A. Adawy, M. Sevilla, A. B. Fuertes, Jesús A. Blanco and Pedro Gorria","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00493D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00493D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Carbon-encapsulated γ-Fe<small>₂</small>O<small>₃</small> nanoparticles (NPs) with emerging proximity effects were synthesized using a single-step solid-state pyrolysis at 750 °C. The morphology and size distribution of the NPs were investigated using high-resolution transmission and scanning electron microscopies revealing that the γ-Fe<small>₂</small>O<small>₃</small> NPs, with an average diameter of 9 nm, are embedded in the amorphous porous carbon matrix. In addition, other trace phases (Fe<small>₃</small>C and metallic-Fe) were also detected through X-ray absorption spectroscopy and Mössbauer spectrometry. Moreover, the dynamics of the system was explored by means of AC susceptibility, magnetic memory and relaxation measurements, together with low-temperature exchange bias, suggesting the emergence of a spin-glass-like state that remains robust under magnetic cooling fields up to 140 kOe. These findings point to a strong exchange coupling between the spins in the ordered core and those on the disordered surface of the maghemite nanoparticles. Furthermore, the identification of robust spin-glass behaviour under high cooling fields and the demonstration of coexisting blocked and superparamagnetic phases at room temperature provide valuable insights for applications in magnetic data storage and spintronics.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 20","pages":" 6491-6503"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12395275/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144961770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fabrication of TiO2@SnS2 core–shell nanocomposites via a thermal decomposition approach for sunlight-driven photodegradation of crystal violet","authors":"Nainy Khera and Jeevanandam Pethaiyan","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00533G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00533G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In the current study, TiO<small>₂</small>@SnS<small>₂</small> core–shell nanocomposites were prepared <em>via</em> a facile thermal decomposition method. The synthesis consists of thermal decomposition of tin chloride pentahydrate and thiourea in the presence of NaOH-modified TiO<small>₂</small> microspheres in diphenyl ether (DPE) at ∼200 °C in air. The synthesized TiO<small>₂</small>@SnS<small>₂</small> core–shell nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TGA, FESEM, TEM, EDXA, UV-DRS, PL and XPS. The XRD results indicate the presence of both TiO<small>₂</small> and SnS<small>₂</small> phases in the core–shell nanocomposites. FESEM, TEM and EDX analyses results confirm uniform coating of SnS<small>₂</small> nanoparticles on the surface modified TiO<small>₂</small> microspheres. XPS analysis results confirm the presence of Sn<small>⁴⁺</small>, Ti<small>⁴⁺</small>, O<small>²⁻</small> and S<small>²⁻</small> in the TiO<small>₂</small>@SnS<small>₂</small> nanocomposites. After their characterization, the TiO<small>₂</small>@SnS<small>₂</small> core–shell nanocomposites were explored for their catalytic activity towards the photodegradation of a toxic dye (crystal violet (CV)) in an aqueous solution under sunlight. The photodegradation efficiency of TiO<small>₂</small>@SnS<small>₂</small> core–shell nanocomposites is better than that of TiO<small>₂</small> microspheres, SnS<small>₂</small> nanoparticles and other metal sulfide nanoparticles/nanocomposites reported in the literature.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 19","pages":" 6032-6048"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12359072/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144961904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Annealing-induced optimization of green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles for improved nanopriming in sustainable agriculture","authors":"Md. Shadman Mostafa, Samia Yeasmin, Md. Mahmodul Hassan Pranto, Syeda Maliha Reza, Taslim Ur Rashid, Harinarayan Das, Mahmudur Rahman and Ahsan Habib","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00354G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00354G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Being a very simple and cost-effective way to improve crop growth, nanopriming has been widely adopted as an efficient and advanced technology in agriculture. In recent years, there has been a drive to use green synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) for nanopriming, which promotes an eco-friendly approach to material synthesis. Among various factors that influence the properties of NPs, annealing plays a critical role in altering their structural and functional characteristics. However, the role of annealing in optimizing green-synthesized NPs for effective nanopriming remains largely unexplored. Here, we present the first report on the effect of annealing on green-synthesized ZnO NPs for effective nanopriming. We analyze surface morphology, crystallinity, elemental composition, and colloidal stability by varying the annealing temperature of as-synthesized ZnO NPs. We show that colloidally stable smaller NPs (annealed at 400 °C) exhibit optimal performance in nanopriming. This finding is supported by practical data showing a significant improvement in germination percentage (up to 61.7%) and shoot length (up to 85.3%) of <em>Momordica charantia</em> seeds treated with 120 mg L<small>⁻¹</small> of ZnO NP annealed at 400 °C. This study not only provides information on the specialized synthesis of ZnO NPs but also paves the way for sustainable agricultural practices to increase food production.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 18","pages":" 5589-5600"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12322744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144794934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bottom-up sono-enzymatic approach to build antimicrobial and antifouling nano-enabled coatings on urinary catheters","authors":"Antonio Puertas-Segura, Leonardo Martín Pérez, Paul Savage, Kristina Ivanova, Gianluca Ciardelli and Tzanko Tzanov","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00577A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00577A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >In this work, an antifouling and antibacterial nano-enabled coating for urinary catheters was synthesised using a bottom-up sono-enzymatic approach. Ceragenin CSA-131, an antimicrobial peptide, and lauryl gallate were nanoformulated into colloidal nanoparticles using high-intensity ultrasound. The obtained nanoparticles (GaCeNPs) were sonochemically deposited, together with sulfobetaine methacrylate (SB), and grafted enzymatically onto APTES-aminated silicone catheter material using laccase. Simultaneously, laccase-oxidised phenolic groups on GaCeNPs mediated the <em>in situ</em> radical polymerisation of the zwitterionic vinyl moieties into polysulfobetaine yielding a functional GaCeNPs_pSB coating. This coating effectively suppressed non-specific protein adsorption, as shown by reduced attachment of FITC-labelled bovine serum albumin, and achieved up to 3-log reduction in the growth of planktonic <em>E. coli</em> and <em>S. aureus</em> after 24 h. Contact angle measurements confirmed surface hydrophilicity (≈85°) of GaCeNPs_pSB-coated silicone for at least 7 days. Biofilm formation on Foley catheters functionalised with GaCeNPs_pSB was reduced by 70% upon incubation for a week in an artificial bladder model with continuous recirculation of infected urine. No adverse effects on fibroblast viability were observed over the same period of time in contact with the coated silicones, demonstrating their excellent biocompatibility (&gt;90%). Altogether, this sono-enzymatically engineered, bio-based coating offers a promising strategy to reduce bacterial colonisation and biofilm formation on urinary indwelling devices and consequently the risk of infection in catheterised patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 18","pages":" 5658-5669"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12336851/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144835733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of sustainable carbon fiber composites using dual dynamic epoxy vitrimers: a synergy of stiffness, flexibility, and recyclability","authors":"Harsh Sharma, Viranchika Bijalwan and Sravendra Rana","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00624D","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00624D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The increasing demand of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites in sectors such as aerospace and wind energy underscores the need for sustainable end-of-life solutions. In this work, a dual dynamic bio-based epoxy consisting of covalent adaptable networks (vitrimers) was developed by blending diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) with acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) in varying ratios, cured with 2,2′-dithiodibenzoic acid (DTBA), and transesterification catalyzed by tin(<small>II</small>) 2-ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)<small>₂</small>). Among the formulations, D70B30 and D50B50 vitrimers exhibited a synergistic balance between mechanical stiffness and flexibility, owing to the aromatic rigidity of DGEBA and the aliphatic softness of AESO. Both vitrimers demonstrated excellent thermal stability (<em>T</em><small>_d5%</small> = 342 °C and 325 °C, respectively), high gel content (&gt;99%), and outstanding self-healing efficiencies (∼92% for D70B30, ∼90% for D50B50) due to dynamic transesterification and disulfide bond exchange mechanisms. They also exhibited rapid stress relaxation and efficient degradability, confirming their vitrimeric behavior. These optimized matrices were used to fabricate CFRP laminates <em>via</em> vacuum-assisted resin infusion molding (VARIM), resulting in composites with remarkable mechanical performance. D70B30-CF showed superior tensile strength (281 MPa) and flexural strength (600 MPa), while D50B50-CF exhibited a more rigid response with higher flexural modulus (58.7 GPa). Additionally, the vitrimer matrix allowed for efficient chemical recycling in EG/DMF at 70 °C, enabling complete matrix dissolution and full recovery of undamaged carbon fibers within 4 hours. Structural and morphological integrity of the recycled fibers was confirmed through FTIR, XRD, and SEM analysis. This study presents a viable strategy for developing high-performance, reprocessable, and recyclable CFRPs using sustainable covalent adaptable networks.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 18","pages":" 5507-5518"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12320733/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144789587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unlocking exceptional EMI shielding in Ti3C2Tx MXenes through controlled microstructure and surface chemistry","authors":"Shahzad Hussain, Resham Siddique, Muhammad Nadeem, Eman Zafar, Sadia Manzoor and Jawwad A. Darr","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00662G","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00662G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The rapid advancement of highly integrated electronics demands next-generation electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials that combine lightweight, ultrathin, flexible, and mechanically robust properties with exceptional shielding effectiveness (SE) to mitigate signal crosstalk and ensure device reliability. In this work, we demonstrate the fabrication of high-performance EMI shields using highly conductive, additive-free aqueous Ti<small>₃</small>C<small>₂</small>T<small>_<em>x</em></small> (T = O, OH, Cl, F) MXene dispersions synthesized under both harsh and mild etching conditions. These dispersions were engineered into freestanding thin films and functionalized cotton fabrics <em>via</em> vacuum-assisted filtration, enabling tunable EMI shielding properties through precise control of etchant chemistry, flake size, microstructure, thickness, and MXene loading. The EMI shielding improved with film thickness, and the 13 μm thick film demonstrated exceptional EMI shielding of 60 dB. The freestanding heat-treated Ti<small>₃</small>C<small>₂</small>T<small>_<em>x</em></small> film with a minimal thickness of 5 μm achieved a remarkable shielding effectiveness of 71 dB (which is 37% higher than that of the untreated film) corresponding to 99.99999% EMI attenuation. This film also exhibited an ultrahigh absolute shielding effectiveness (SSE<small>_<em>T</em></small>) of 72 300 dB cm<small>²</small> g<small>⁻¹</small>, surpassing all previously reported MXene-based shields of comparable thickness. The improved stability was attributed to the thermal conversion of surface OH groups to O-terminations, reducing interflake spacing and enhancing conductivity. The coated cotton fabric achieved an unprecedented SE of 82 dB due to the excellent wave attenuation associated with its porous structure. Notably, the fabric retained its shielding performance even after six months of ambient exposure, highlighting exceptional environmental stability. This study establishes critical structure–property relationships, revealing that induced porosity, meta-structure effects, large flake size, and optimized surface terminations synergistically enhance EMI shielding. By elucidating the interplay between material parameters and shielding performance, this work provides a foundational framework for designing advanced EMI mitigation technologies, paving the way for scalable, high-performance shielding solutions in next-generation flexible and wearable electronics.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 19","pages":" 6179-6195"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12373269/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144961731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biogenic synthesis of ZnO NPs, CuO NPs, and ZnO/CuO nanocomposites for facile degradation of organic pollutants and biomedical applications","authors":"Hafiza Kainat Abid, Abu Bakar Siddique, Azhar Abbas, Muhammad Ashraf Shaheen, Akbar Ali, Mashal Fatima, Ashwag Shami, Maymounah A. Alrayyani, Fakhria A. Al-Joufi and Mohammed A. Assiri","doi":"10.1039/D5NA00583C","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D5NA00583C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The continuous increase in population and industrial activity in several areas, including textiles, leather, plastics, cosmetics, and food processing, produces harmful organic pollutants such as azo dyes, which are harmful to aquatic life and cause water pollution. The remediation of these dyes using photo-responsive metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has become a viable technique for the purification of water. This study synthesized ZnO NPs, CuO NPs, and ZnO/CuO nanocomposites using <em>A. nilotica</em> leaf extract. The NPs and NCs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, EDX, ZP, and PXRD. All the nanomaterials showed energy bandgap in the UV and visible light region (2.15–3.00 eV) evidenced by Tauc's plots, successful capping of NPs by organic moieties, identified by FTIR, and crystallite size in the range of 13.72–16.82 nm, calculated by the PXRD data utilizing the Debye–Scherrer equation and quasi spherical shape analyzed by SEM. Compared to ZnO NPs and CuO NPs, ZnO/CuO NCs showed significantly increased photocatalytic performance of 96% for MB dye degradation and 93% for MO dye degradation in 100 min with rate constant (<em>k</em>) values of about 3.35 × 10<small>⁻²</small> min<small>⁻¹</small> and 2.65 × 10<small>⁻²</small> min<small>⁻¹</small>, respectively. The effect of catalyst dose, pH, water composition, and radical scavengers was also evaluated to optimize the conditions and propose a degradation mechanism and p–n heterojunction with Fermi level shifting for improved exciton generation. The biomedical importance of the ZnO/CuO NCs was assessed by the disc diffusion assay to check the antibacterial potential, and DPPH assay, TFC assay and TPC assay for antioxidant potential. All these studies, along with the reusability of the catalyst, demonstrated the appreciable catalytic efficacy of ZnO/CuO NCs for the water purification of industrial effluents.</p>","PeriodicalId":18806,"journal":{"name":"Nanoscale Advances","volume":" 19","pages":" 6145-6157"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12372208/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144961742","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}