Journal of Cluster Science最新文献

{"title":"Bifunctional Ag–Co₃O₄/g-C₃N₄ p-n Heterostructure for Photodegradation of Methyl Orange and Antimicrobial Function","authors":"Debapriya Pradhan,&nbsp;Susanta Kumar Biswal,&nbsp;Gourisankar Roymahapatra,&nbsp;Rasmirekha Pattanaik,&nbsp;Rishabh Kamal,&nbsp;Suresh Kumar Dash","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03023-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03023-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The advancement of efficient photo catalytic materials for environmental applications has become a rapidly growing area of research in recent years. This study emphasizes the photodegradation of Methyl Orange (MO), an anionic dye, under natural solar light using an innovative heterogeneous Ag@Co₃O₄/g-C₃N₄ catalyst synthesized via a green method using <i>Syzygium cumini</i> leaf extract. A comprehensive set of characterization techniques, were employed to investigate the crystal structure, surface morphology, functional groups, elemental composition, and optical properties of the synthesized material. The BET analysis indicated that the nanocomposite possessed a surface area of 68.4 m²/g, while the energy band gap, determined from Tauc’s plot, was approximately 2.25 eV. The photo catalytic performance was investigated by MO dye degradation with changing factors such as dye solution pH, dye concentration, catalyst dose, and irradiation period. Within 60 min, the catalyst attained a maximum degradation efficiency of 99% when exposed to solar radiation at pH 5, dye concentration of 60 ppm and catalyst dosage of 150 mg which followed pseudo-first order kinetic model with highest rate constant of 0.065 min^− 1. The Ag@Co₃O₄/g-C₃N₄ nanocomposite showed high stability and reusability throughout numerous degradation cycles. The radical detection analysis showed the vital role of OH^. and O₂⁻. in the degradation mechanism. Incorporating Ag into Co₃O₄ and forming a p-n heterojunction with g-C₃N₄ greatly lowered charge recombination rates, functioning as an electron reservoir and boosting photocatalytic performance followed by Z heterojunction mechanism. The antibacterial analysis revealed notable inhibition against both bacterial strains, showing 60% antibacterial activity against S. aureus and 80% against E. coli. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were determined to be 62.5 µg/mL for S. aureus and 15.63 µg/mL for E. coli, respectively. This composite appears to be a highly promising material for dealing with a wide range of environmental contaminants in future applications.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Computational Exploration of PtSSe Janus as a Potential Anode Material in Lithium-Ion Batteries Applications","authors":"Ohoud S. Al-Qurashi,&nbsp;Nuha Wazzan","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03029-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03029-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The transition metal dichalcogenides MX₂ <span>(:(text{M}=text{m}text{e}text{t}text{a}text{l}:text{a}text{t}text{o}text{m}text{s},:text{X}=text{S},:text{S}text{e},:text{T}text{e}))</span> exhibit great consideration due to their unique properties in material products. In particular, the two-dimensional Janus demonstrates remarkable performance as an electrode material in rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Janus 1T-PtSSe and 2 H-PtSSe monolayers are investigated, and their electronic and electrochemical properties were studied using the density functional theory (DFT). The 1T-PtSSe monolayer is a semiconductor. However, in the presence of lithium atoms, 1T-PtSSe transitions from a semiconductor to a metallic character, thereby enhancing its electrical conductivity as an electrode material. Bader charges and charge density difference were investigated, and their results confirm that the Li atom is chemically bonded to a 1T-PtSSe monolayer. Ab initio molecular dynamics showed that the 1T-PtSSe monolayer has excellent structural stability compared to the 2 H-PtSSe monolayer. The energy diffusion barriers are low at 0.38 eV on the Se side. The theoretical storage capacity for 4 × 4 × 1 supercells for 1T-PtSSe monolayer reaches 525 mA h/g, and the average open circuit voltage is 0.30 V. Overall, our results conclude that 1T-PtSSe monolayer has excellent characteristics as electrode materials of LIBs.</p><h3>Graphic abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Size- and Composition-Dependent Luminescence in Tetrahedral Superatomic Clusters","authors":"Yijiao Hua,&nbsp;Tingli Du,&nbsp;Si Zhou,&nbsp;Jijun Zhao,&nbsp;Yu Guo,&nbsp;Xiaowei Yang","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03028-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03028-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The precise synthesis of closed-shell superatomic clusters has unlocked their potential in catalysis and electronics, yet a deep understanding of their fundamental optical properties remains limited. Herein, we systematically reveal the size-composition-luminescence correlation of tetrahedral superatomic clusters using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT). Our calculations reveal that these clusters exhibit high structural stability and tunable optical characteristics. Alkaline-earth metal clusters (Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) show energy gaps ranging from 0.51 to 2.42 eV, with broad absorption from the visible to the infrared (547 ~ 2285 nm) and corresponding emission covering both the NIR-I and NIR-II regions (954 ~ 1814 nm). In contrast, coinage metal clusters (Cu, Ag, Au) possess narrower energy gaps (1.95 ~ 2.46 eV) and are largely confined to the visible and NIR-I spectral windows. Excited-state analysis further indicates that Cu₂₀, Ag₂₀, Au₂₀, Mg₄, Ca₄ and Mg₁₀ exhibit localized excitation character, whereas Sr₄ and Ba₄ demonstrate a charge-transfer excitation mechanism. Importantly, we identify a consistent red-shift in absorption with increasing atomic radius or cluster size. These findings elucidate the underlying structure–property relationships in superatomic clusters and provide a theoretical foundation for the rational design of tunable luminescent materials.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green Synthesis of Silver and Chitosan–Silver Nanoparticles Using Endostemon viscosus Leaf Extract: Characterization and Biological Activities","authors":"R. Meena,&nbsp;A. Bharathi,&nbsp;Mansour K. Gatasheh,&nbsp;N. Anis Ahmed,&nbsp;B. Ravindran,&nbsp;S. Murugesan","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03022-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03022-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A green and eco-friendly approach was employed to synthesis silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and chitosan–silver nanoparticles (Chi-Ag NPs) using leaf extract of <i>Endostemon viscosus</i> (Roth) M.R. Ashby as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent. Nanoparticle formation was confirmed by UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction Spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis. The Ag NPs displayed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 439 nm, while Chi-Ag NPs showed a slight red shift to 445 nm due to chitosan interaction. XRD confirmed their crystalline structure, while FTIR revealed functional groups associated with amines, alkynes, aromatics, alkyl aryl ethers, and chitosan polysaccharide frameworks. FE-SEM images revealed Ag NPs (rod-shaped) and Chi-Ag NPs (spherical particles with some aggregation). The Polydispersity Index value for Ag NPs (1.0) and Chi-Ag NPs (0.5). Both Ag and Chi-Ag NPs exhibited strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Antioxidant assays revealed significant radical scavenging efficiency with IC₅₀ values of 7.44 and 127.2 µg/mL (DPPH assay) and 9.2 and 32.57 µg/mL (ABTS assay) for Ag and Chi-Ag NPs, respectively. In vitro anticancer evaluation against a human breast cancer cell line demonstrated IC₅₀ values of 39.82 µg/mL (Ag NPs) and 42.94 µg/mL (Chi-Ag NPs). The apoptotic studies of Ag NPs and Chi-Ag NPs revealed the presence of orangish bodies, nuclear shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and nucleus disintegration. These findings indicate that green-synthesized Ag and Chi-Ag NPs are structurally stable, biologically active, and hold promise for sustainable biomedical applications.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147796723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles by Bacillus paralicheniformis AZ14 Isolated from Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals","authors":"Asbern J. F. D’Silva,&nbsp;Joephil D. Dias,&nbsp;Judith M. Braganca","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03024-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03024-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A mucoid pinkish white pigmented bacterium was isolated from Himalayan salt crystals on Zobell Marine Agar. The bacterium stained Gram positive with a rod shaped morphology. Phylogenetic analysis using 16 S rRNA gene sequence, revealed the isolate to be <i>Bacillus paralicheniformis.</i> The isolate was resistant to selenite and showed tolerance up to 800 mM selenite with a change in colour of the culture medium from yellow to brick red. <i>B. paralicheniformis AZ14</i> showed excellent uptake of selenite at 88.73 ± 0.06% when grown in presence of 10 mM selenite. Ultrasonication was performed to lyse the cells and obtain the intracellularly synthesized selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) which showed an absorption peak at 265 nm by UV-Visible Spectrophotometry. Fourier Transform Infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR) confirmed the presence of functional groups of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids associated with the SeNPs while X-ray Diffraction (XRD) revealed that the SeNPs were majorly crystalline in nature. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed that the SeNPs had an average diameter of 75.80 ± 0.36 nm with a low polydispersity index of 0.454 ± 0.02 and Zeta potential of -15.30 ± 0.30 mV. The SeNPs biosynthesized by <i>B. paralicheniformis</i> AZ14 showed four different conformations such as selenium nanospheres (diameter 50.85 ± 0.35 nm), selenium spheres (diameter 277.10 ± 0.40 nm), selenium nanorods (diameter 99.46 ± 0.37 nm) and selenium florets as observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The selenium nanoparticles exhibited excellent antioxidant activity %RSA_ABTS at 82.37 ± 0.19% and antimicrobial activity towards <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MTCC 737). The SeNPs were biocompatible with no hemotoxicity to RBCs. This study is one of the first studies that highlights the selenotolerant nature of <i>B. paralicheniformis</i> AZ14 isolated from Himalayan pink salt crystals. The synthesised SeNPs can have potential applications in biotechnological and medical fields due to their antioxidant, antimicrobial and therapeutic properties.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147796722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green Synthesis and Characterization of NiO Nanoparticles using Kenger Gum: Evaluation of Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm and Anticancer Properties","authors":"Zehra Çiçek,&nbsp;Güney Gürsoy,&nbsp;Esen Çakmak,&nbsp;Saniye Tekerek,&nbsp;Esin Kiray,&nbsp;Ayça Tanriverdi","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03019-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03019-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In this study, it was aimed to determine the characterization properties of Nickel Oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) obtained by green synthesis method using gum Kenger along with their antimicrobial, antibiofilm and anticancer potentials. The morphological and crystalline properties related to the characterization of the obtained NiO NPs were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) methods. Thermal properties of the NPs were analyzed by Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, Differential thermal analysis) (DTA) and Derivative Thermogravimetry (DTG). Antimicrobial, antibiofilm tests were performed to evaluate the biological activities of NiO NPs. The anticancer activity of NPs was determined in human neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) by cell viability (MTT assay), caspase-3 (Caspase-3/CPP32 Fluorometric Assay), apoptosis/necrosis and cell cycle (Flow cytometry assay) analyses. The crystal structure of the synthesized nanoparticles was confirmed in XRD analysis. FE-SEM analysis revealed that the particle size distribution of NiO NPs predominantly ranged from 20 to 50 nm.When evaluated in terms of biological activities, the obtained NiO NPs were found to be effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria, which have increased in recent years. It exhibited strong antimicrobial activity especially against clinically important strains such as <i>E. coli</i>,<i> P. aeruginosa</i>,<i> A. baumannii</i> and <i>S. aureus</i>. In cytotoxicity assays carried out on SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line, NiO NPs decreased cell viability dose-dependently and the IC₅₀ value was calculated as 23.26 ± 0.59 µg/mL. Cell cycle assays showed that NiO NPs arrested cells in G0/G1 phase and accordingly suppressed cell proliferation. No significant change was detected in caspase-3 activity, which is an apoptosis marker. However, in apoptosis/necrosis assay, a dose-dependent increase was observed, especially in the rate of necrotic cells. These findings indicate that green synthesized NiO NPs, with their structural properties, may be among the biological agents with strong antimicrobial, antibiofilm and anticancer potential.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10876-026-03019-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosynthesis of Crystalline Selenium Nanoparticles Using Rhizospheric Bacillus cereus from Mica-Rich Agricultural Soil","authors":"Saibal Ghosh,&nbsp;Shouvik Mahanty,&nbsp;Sristi Das,&nbsp;Shreeya Purkait,&nbsp;Gopala Krishna Darbha,&nbsp;Raktim Pal,&nbsp;Santanu Majumder","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03020-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03020-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient with well-documented biological importance and diverse functional roles. Organic and elemental nanoforms of Se demonstrate greater reactivity, higher bioavailability, and lower toxicity compared to inorganic forms. This study proposes the biosynthesis of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) using a soil-borne bacterium (<i>Bacillus cereus</i>). The synthesis of SeNPs through rhizospheric bacteria isolated from mica-rich agricultural soil is more environmentally friendly and cost-effective than conventional chemical synthesis methods. The synthesized nanoparticles were purified, dried, and initially characterized by UV-VIS spectroscopy, which showed a prominent peak at 282 nm, a characteristic feature of SeNPs. The crystalline phases were further confirmed by matching the XRD results with the JCPDS reference code 06–0362. Surface characterization was carried out using FTIR and XPS analyses, and the FE-SEM and TEM imaging confirmed predominantly hexagonal nanoparticles with an average diameter of 43.2 ± 21.6 nm (TEM) and 43 ± 224 nm (SEM). The findings highlight the potential of this biosynthesized approach for producing nanoscale SeNP with desirable structural properties. Future studies will focus on evaluating the stability, biological activity, and agricultural or biomedical applications of the synthesized SeNPs.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10876-026-03020-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation and characterization of Bi₂O₃/ZnO/AgBr Composite: An Advanced Reusable Photocatalyst for the Degradation of Structurally Diverse Organic Dyes as Simulating Real Wastewater Under Simulated Solar Light","authors":"Fatemeh Mosayebi,&nbsp;Ghadamali Bagherian,&nbsp;Mohammad Bakherad,&nbsp;Mahdi Mirzaee","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03008-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03008-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Organic water pollutants comprise a diverse group of compounds, with organic dyes being a prominent category due to their widespread industrial uses. In this research, a new composite comprises Bi₂O₃, ZnO, and AgBr semi-conductors was prepared by the hydrothermal method and used for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, crystal violet, rhodamine B, safranin O, methyl orange, and alizarin red, with different aromatic structures. The prepared composite was characterized by XRD, FESEM, TEM, BET, FT-IR, DRS, PL, EIS, and PZC techniques. Furthermore, some influential parameters on degradation efficiency such as the pH, dye concentration, and time were optimized. The optimal pH is the natural pH for MB, CV, MO, SO, and AR, while RhB requires pH 10. Best dye concentrations are 10 mg/L for CV, SO, MB; 15 mg/L for RhB and MO; and 20 mg/L for AR. Optimal catalyst dosages are 15 mg (AR), 20 mg (MB), 25 mg (MO/SO), and 30 mg (RhB/CV). Irradiation times are 80 min for CV and MB, 100 min for RhB/MO/AR, and 140 min for SO. Use of some scavengers demonstrated that the superoxide radical anions (O2.⁻) and the holes (h⁺) play crucial roles in the degradation process. LC-Mass and TOC analyses were also used to confirm decomposition of dyes into smaller fragments up to complete mineralization. Our experiments showed that the prepared composite declined 30% of its efficiency after five cycles of reuse. Kinetic of the photocatalytic performance was also examined by the use of different light sources, in which 100 W xenon lamp and unfiltered sunlight irradiation, show higher activities in degradation of different industrial wastewater contaminants.</p>\u0000 <span>AbstractSection</span>\u0000 Graphical Abstract\u0000 <div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div>\u0000 \u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147738003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural Modification of Gelatin-Based Conjugates for Hydrophobic Drug Delivery: Superior Efficacy of Poloxamer 403 Grafting in Curcumin and Paclitaxel Co-Loading","authors":"Huy Q. Ly,&nbsp;Thi Thanh Giang Nguyen,&nbsp;Anh Dao Nguyen,&nbsp;Van Toan Nguyen","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03021-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03021-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The structural modification of gelatin (Ge) plays a crucial role in improving its utility as a nanocarrier for hydrophobic chemotherapeutics. In this work, we systematically compared amphiphilic poloxamer 403 (P403) grafting with hydrophilic methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) modification to elucidate their impact on different characteristics. The successful synthesis of Ge-based conjugates was verified using complementary analytical techniques. Physicochemical characterization of curcumin (CUR)-loaded nanoparticles revealed that GeP403 formed uniform spherical nanogels, whereas Ge-mPEG yielded rod-like nanostructures; both systems exhibited hydrodynamic sizes below 200 nm, PDI values &lt; 0.3, and negative surface charge. Importantly, GeP403 showed a ~7-fold higher loading efficiency compared to the hydrophilic mPEG control, underscoring the superior drug-capturing capacity of the amphiphilic P403 graft. Optimized co-loading conditions for dual delivery were established at 10% CUR and 1% paclitaxel (PTX) (w/w). The resulting GeP403 nanogels displayed pH-responsiveness, with accelerated drug release under acidic conditions, suggesting enhanced intracellular or tumor-site activation. GeP403 effectively mitigated the hemolytic effects associated with free drugs. Moreover, drug-free nanogels exhibited excellent cytocompatibility in NIH/3T3 and MCF-7 cells. The CUR and PTX combination produced synergistic anticancer effects with a mean Combination Index of 0.08 ± 0.09, which were relatively retained upon encapsulation, supporting the potential of GeP403 nanogels to lower systemic toxicity while maintaining therapeutic efficacy. In conclusion, these findings prove that poloxamer 403 grafting confers marked advantages over hydrophilic modification in terms of morphology, drug-loading capacity, and biomedical performance. GeP403 nanogels represent a promising platform for the co-delivery of hydrophobic chemotherapeutics in breast cancer therapy.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147707788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interface-Engineered ZnO Nanorods Decorated with Clustered FeCo2S4 for Enhanced OER Electrocatalysis","authors":"Rusul Alabada,&nbsp;G. PadmaPriya,&nbsp;Supriya S.,&nbsp;Subhashree Ray,&nbsp;Maher Ali Rusho,&nbsp;Saodatkhon Ibragimova,&nbsp;Rafiqjon Kazakov,&nbsp;Zukhra Atamuratova,&nbsp;Aseel Smerat,&nbsp;Mounir M. Bekhit,&nbsp;Ehab I. Taha","doi":"10.1007/s10876-026-03018-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10876-026-03018-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study presents a rationally interface-engineered hybrid electrocatalyst that effectively mitigates interfacial charge-transfer limitations in the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Vertically aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod arrays were utilized as a structurally robust and electronically favorable scaffold, facilitating efficient interfacial coupling with the active FeCo₂S₄ phase. A catalytically active FeCo₂S₄ layer was integrated onto the ZnO nanorods to create a heterostructured interface with enhanced electronic connectivity. Comprehensive characterization by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis confirmed the successful integration of the two materials, revealing a highly porous morphology and the coexistence of beneficial redox-active species. The interfacial coupling between ZnO nanorods and the FeCo₂S₄ layer led to markedly improved OER activity through facilitated charge-transfer kinetics. The ZnO@FeCo₂S₄ electrode required an overpotential of 401 mV to reach 100 mA cm^− 2, together with a small Tafel slope of 44 mV dec^− 1, indicating accelerated OER kinetics. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) further confirmed a significantly reduced charge transfer resistance, indicating accelerated reaction kinetics. These findings demonstrate that interface engineering between a conductive oxide scaffold and a spinel sulfide phase is an effective strategy for improving OER kinetics using earth-abundant materials.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":618,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Cluster Science","volume":"37 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147707796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}