Asmaa M. Salah, M. R. Hussein, Amna A. Kotp, Ahmed A. Farghali, Mohamed Sh. Abdel-wahab
{"title":"Tuning methanol oxidation activity: impact of Cu content on sputtered NiO thin film electrocatalysts","authors":"Asmaa M. Salah, M. R. Hussein, Amna A. Kotp, Ahmed A. Farghali, Mohamed Sh. Abdel-wahab","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06765-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06765-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Electrochemical methanol oxidation (MOR) is a pivotal process for sustainable energy conversion in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). This study reports the precision fabrication of Cu-doped NiO thin films on FTO substrates via a co-sputtering deposition technique, with Cu concentrations optimized at 2.5, 4, and 7%. Comprehensive characterization (XRD, SEM, EDS, and XPS) confirmed high crystallinity and a systematic increase in film thickness from 53 to 180 nm with higher Cu- loading. Optical analysis revealed a significant band gap narrowing from 3.64 eV (pure NiO) to 3.24 eV (7% Cu-doped NiO), indicating enhanced electronic conductivity. Electrochemical evaluations (CV, EIS, and CA) demonstrated that the 7% Cu-doped NiO catalyst exhibits superior electrocatalytic activity in 1.0 M NaOH, achieving the lowest onset potential of 0.37 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Kinetic insights derived from Tafel analysis further support this trend, where the Tafel slope decreased from 178 mV dec<sup>−1</sup> for pristine NiO to 120 mV dec<sup>−1</sup> for the 7% Cu-doped NiO (linear sweep voltammetry at 5 mV s<sup>−1</sup>), corresponding to a reduction of approximately 32.5%. This reduction in the Tafel slope, coupled with a significantly diminished charge-transfer resistance, indicates faster interfacial electron transfer kinetics. The 7% Cu-doped NiO electrode not only optimized the Ni(II)/Ni(III) redox cycle but also demonstrated exceptional stability across various methanol concentrations (0.25–2.0 M). These findings position Cu-doped NiO as a high-performance, cost-effective electrocatalyst, offering a robust strategy for advancing alkaline DMFC technologies<b>.</b></p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11051-026-06765-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149034817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Unified analytical model for size- and shape-dependent melting temperature and lattice parameter of gold and copper nanoparticles","authors":"Bijan Kumar Gangopadhyay","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06770-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06770-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A unified analytical model is developed to investigate the size- and shape-dependent melting temperature and lattice parameter of face-centered cubic metallic nanoparticles. The model is based on an explicit geometrical evaluation of the fraction of surface atoms relative to the total number of atoms in nanoparticles with arbitrary shape. A direct relationship between the surface-atom fraction and the relaxation factor associated with dangling bonds is established, providing a physically transparent description of nanoscale surface effects. The resulting analytical expressions are applied to gold and copper nanoparticles with spherical, cubic, tetrahedral, and nanofilm geometries. The predicted melting temperatures and lattice parameters show good agreement with available experimental measurements over a wide range of particle sizes. The analysis further demonstrates that increasing particle shape factor enhances both melting-point depression and lattice contraction because of the larger surface-to-volume ratio. Owing to its analytical simplicity and predictive capability, the proposed framework may be extended to investigate other thermodynamic properties of metallic nanomaterials.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148987104","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Novel Pt,Ru-Codoped In₂S₃/Ta₂O₅ heterostructured films for the effective enhancement of visible-light photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B","authors":"Natkritta Boonprakob, Natthakit Huatong, Narong Chanlek, Kemawadee Udonpan, Chaiyuth Sae-Kung, Chen Zhao","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06754-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06754-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>A visible light-responsive Pt,Ru noble metals were introduced by wet impregnation after the In<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub>/Pt,Ru-doped Ta<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> heterostructured catalyst film was produced using a combination of hydrothermal and doctor blading method. XRD, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, SEM, TEM-EDS, and XPS were used to evaluate the physicochemical properties after the composition was enhanced by varying the In<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> content (25–75 wt.%). In addition to exhibiting, a narrow bandgap (~ 2.14 eV) and increased visible light absorption, the optimized In<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub>/Pt,Ru–Ta<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> composite with 75 wt.% In<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> additionally had a larger surface area and uniformly distributed plate-like In<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> on the Ta<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>. XPS investigations indicated strong electronic interactions between the Pt/Ru species and Ta<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>, as evidenced by binding energy shifts and the formation of partially oxidized metal species and oxygen vacancies, which serve as effective charge-trapping sites. Rhodamine B degradation under visible light irradiation was carried out to measure photocatalytic performant, and after 120 min, up to 92.0% removal was achieved. Superoxide radicals (<sup>•</sup>O<sub>2</sub><sup>–</sup>) were exhibited to be the predominant reactive species in scavenger analysis, suggesting effective interfacial electron transportation. The interaction of defect-mediated electronic interactions, metal-induced charge separation, and heterojunction formation are responsible for the enhanced performance. These results indicate that a successful approach for altering the electronic structure and improving the charge carrier dynamics in heterostructured oxide-based photocatalysts is the logical integration of In<sub>2</sub>S<sub>3</sub> with Pt,Ru-modified Ta<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sana Awan, Ivan Oyege, Nelson Mwebesa, Evalyne Mary Kansiime
{"title":"An integrated framework for evaluating nano-enabled agro-inputs: linking environmental fate, exposure and field translation for sustainable crop protection","authors":"Sana Awan, Ivan Oyege, Nelson Mwebesa, Evalyne Mary Kansiime","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06747-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06747-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Nano-enabled agro-inputs (NEAs) include intrinsically active nanomaterials and nanoscale systems that deliver pesticidal molecules, nucleic acids, biological control agents, nutrients, plant signals or defence elicitors. Their evaluation remains fragmented because studies use inconsistent dose metrics, delivery routes, biological endpoints and reporting standards, which limits comparison and obscures environmental and agronomic relevance. This review proposes an environmental exposure–response–translation framework that links material and formulation attributes with environmental and biological conditions governing transformation, persistence, target and non-target exposure and biologically delivered dose. The framework positions environmental fate as the connection between formulation design, biological efficacy, ecological risk and field performance. It also classifies NEAs by the mechanism of the active component and the delivery function of the nanoscale system, while defining minimum evidence requirements for characterisation, dose reporting, efficacy, environmental safety and field validation. By explaining why promising laboratory performance may not translate under realistic agricultural conditions, the framework provides a consistent basis for comparing diverse NEAs and identifying critical evidence gaps. Its application can support the development of nano-enabled crop-protection technologies that achieve measurable agronomic benefits at efficient doses without imposing unacceptable environmental risks.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11051-026-06747-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"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":"Assembling AgBiS2-grafted S-doped TiO2 nanohybrids with an efficient photocatalytic degradation behavior","authors":"Ruaa F. Shafi, Saad H. Ammar, Hussein J. Khadim","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06774-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06774-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Despite the possible of TiO<sub>2</sub> in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants, its low visible light response and fast recombination of the photocharge-carrier restrict its use in its pure form. Therefore, in this work, we investigated whether simultaneous sulfur-doping in TiO<sub>2</sub> (S-TiO<sub>2</sub>) and building of an AgBiS<sub>2</sub>/S-TiO<sub>2</sub> heterojunction can boost visible-light absorption and endorse effective photocharge separation for norfloxacin (NFX) antibiotic degradation. The phase structure, morphologies, optical/photoelectronic properties were explored by XRD, FESEM/TEM, EDX, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), Mott–Schottky (MS), photoluminescence (PL), and electrochemical-impedance-spectroscopy (EIS). The AgBiS<sub>2</sub>/S-TiO<sub>2</sub> nanohybrid accomplished an impressive photodegradation efficiency toward NFX (97.4%) in 1 h under LED illumination. The apparent degradation rate was 0.072 min<sup>−1</sup>, about 12-times that of S-TiO<sub>2</sub>. The achieved charge separation at the (n–n S-type) heterojunction interface prevent the photo-charge recombination, boosting the photocatalytic capability. The proposed mechanism was tested by trapping experiments, which showed that <sup>•</sup>O<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup> was the main degradation component. The present results highlighted AgBiS<sub>2</sub>/S-TiO<sub>2</sub> nanohybrid as an operative and durable photocatalyst system for sustainable decomposition of pharmaceutical-polluted wastewater.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ZIF-8-Conf@AuNRs/HA nanosystem: design, fabrication, and investigation of its therapeutic potential in skin cancer","authors":"Mohammad Beiranvand, Gholamreza Dehghan","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06769-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06769-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Melanoma, as one of the most common malignant skin cancers, is associated with high incidence and metastasis rates, a lack of specific treatment options, and a poor prognosis. Therefore, the development of effective treatments for melanoma is essential. In this study, we engineered a drug delivery nanosystem ZIF-8-Conf@AuNRs/HA that integrates photothermal and phytochemical therapy to enhance antitumor efficacy. This nanocarrier consisted of a zeolite imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) core loaded with the conferone (Conf) phytochemical and a shell composed of gold nanorods (AuNRs) and hyaluronic acid (HA). In vitro studies showed that the designed nanosystem was capable of loading a high amount of Conf with pH-dependent release. In addition, ZIF-8-Conf@AuNRs/HA at a concentration of 400 μg/mL was able to generate hydroxyl radicals and act as a photothermal agent with good efficiency (29.71%). Cellular experiments also showed that the above nanosystem had high cytotoxicity to kill B16-F10 cells even at low concentrations, which was attributed to cellular uptake. In addition, cellular uptake of the nanosystem also caused the appearance of signs of compaction and fragmentation of the tumor cell nucleus. These results indicate that ZIF-8-Conf@AuNRs/HA, with high cytotoxicity through effective cellular uptake and induction of apoptosis as a drug delivery nanocarrier, has a promising prospect for the treatment of melanoma.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148974807","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T. Polek, V. Kalita, Y. Shlapa, S. Solopan, A. Belous, A. Tovstolytkin
{"title":"Magnetic anisotropy evolution in Fe-substituted La0.77Sr0.23Mn1-yFeyO3: from multidomain ceramics to single-domain nanoparticles","authors":"T. Polek, V. Kalita, Y. Shlapa, S. Solopan, A. Belous, A. Tovstolytkin","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06771-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06771-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Magnetic anisotropy in La<sub>0.77</sub>Sr<sub>0.23</sub>Mn<sub>1-y</sub>Fe<sub>y</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (<i>y</i> = 0.0–0.10) nanoparticles and corresponding ceramic samples was investigated using high-field magnetization measurements in the temperature range 100–340 K. Fe substitution leads to a reduction of the saturation magnetization and Curie temperature, indicating suppression of double-exchange interactions and enhancement of magnetic inhomogeneity. A pronounced difference between nanoparticles and ceramic samples is observed, reflecting distinct magnetization mechanisms associated with nearly single-domain and multidomain states, respectively. The high-field magnetization behavior was analyzed using the law of approach to saturation (LAS). For nanoparticles, the high-field asymptote is well described by the classical H<sup>−2</sup> term, yielding stable anisotropy-related parameters. In contrast, ceramic samples show fitting results that are more sensitive to the fitting model and selected field range, indicating that LAS-derived parameters in multidomain or structurally inhomogeneous systems should be interpreted with caution. These results demonstrate that reliable anisotropy evaluation requires taking into account the magnetic microstructure.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ZIF-8@ceftazidime nanocomposite for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa–induced urinary tract infection","authors":"E. Li, Qin Huang, Jidong Zhan","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06748-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06748-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> are difficult to treat due to biofilm-mediated resistance and the limitations of conventional antibiotics like ceftazidime (CAZ). To address this challenge, a nanotherapeutic system, ZIF-8@CAZ, was developed by encapsulating CAZ within a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanocarrier. This nanocomposite exhibited sustained drug release and significantly enhanced in vitro antibacterial efficacy against <i>P. aeruginosa</i> PAO1, as evidenced by a substantially lower minimum inhibitory concentration compared to free CAZ, along with potent anti-biofilm activity. In a murine model of ascending UTI, ZIF-8@CAZ treatment resulted in a dramatic reduction of bacterial burden in bladder tissues, significant attenuation of inflammation (as shown by decreased levels of IL-6 and TNF-α), and superior amelioration of tissue pathology compared to an equivalent dose of free CAZ. Furthermore, comprehensive biosafety evaluations confirmed the excellent biocompatibility of ZIF-8@CAZ, with no observed systemic toxicity. These findings demonstrate that ZIF-8@CAZ is a promising nanoplatform for the effective treatment of biofilm-associated UTIs.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chen Yujiao, Liu Yifan, Li Shanshan, Wang Wei, Zhang Meng, Yan Yousheng
{"title":"Gestational polystyrene nanoplastic exposure impairs placental function via ARG1-associated macrophage polarization imbalance","authors":"Chen Yujiao, Liu Yifan, Li Shanshan, Wang Wei, Zhang Meng, Yan Yousheng","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06764-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06764-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Polystyrene nanoplastics (PSNPs) pose potential risks to maternal and fetal health; however, their effects and underlying mechanisms during pregnancy remain insufficiently understood. The in vivo pregnant mouse model was used to assess placental toxicity induced by PSNPs during gestation, and the in vitro human extravillous trophoblast cell line (HTR8/SVneo) trophoblast‑macrophage co‑culture system was employed to explore the cellular mechanisms by which macrophages mediate PSNP-induced cytotoxicity. RNA-seq of PSNP-exposed placentas revealed enrichment of inflammatory response GO:0006954 and KEGG pathways, and macrophage polarization confirmed a pro-inflammatory shift. Three key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to inflammation-<i>ARG1</i>, <i>CCR5</i> and <i>IL1R2</i>-were validated in vitro by RT-qPCR. In PMA-treated human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 macrophages exposed to PSNPs, <i>ARG1</i> and <i>CCR5</i> were downregulated, whereas IL1R2 was upregulated via RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Notably, among all the markers examined, only ARG1 exhibited consistent downregulation at both the transcriptional (RNA-seq and RT-qPCR) and translational (IHC) levels, suggesting that ARG1 may serve as a robust and reliable indicator of PSNP-induced placental toxicity. Functionally, PSNPs suppressed the M2 anti-inflammatory phenotype and promoted the M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype by inhibiting <i>ARG1</i> expression. Our findings demonstrate that PSNP-induced placental injury is driven by inflammatory macrophage polarization via regulation of <i>ARG1</i>, highlighting a new risk factor for fetal development.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mariana Rigo Passarin, Brayan Vanderlei Anacleto da Silva, Maria Izabel Xavier Scapolan, Emilson R. Viana, Renata Danielle Adati, Marcela Mohallem Oliveira
{"title":"One-pot synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, conducting polymer and luminescent materials for potential optical device applications","authors":"Mariana Rigo Passarin, Brayan Vanderlei Anacleto da Silva, Maria Izabel Xavier Scapolan, Emilson R. Viana, Renata Danielle Adati, Marcela Mohallem Oliveira","doi":"10.1007/s11051-026-06772-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11051-026-06772-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study explores the morphological and optical properties of luminescent nanocomposites synthesized via a one-pot route, integrating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), the Eu<sup>3+</sup> complex [Eu(tta)<sub>3</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>2</sub>], where tta = thenoyltrifluoroacetone, and polypyrrole (PPy), enabling simultaneous polymerization and nanoparticle nucleation in a single reaction medium. By varying the concentrations of pyrrole monomer (Py), chloroauric acid (HAuCl₄), and the Eu<sup>3+</sup> complex, we obtained luminescent hybrid materials, where the conducting polymer acts as a structural matrix for nanoparticle growth, a colloidal stabilizer, and a stabilizing matrix that preserves the europium complex's luminescence quenching. Structural characterization revealed crystalline AuNPs in the face-centered cubic phase, with an average size of 8.5 nm (XRD), and Raman spectra exhibited characteristic peaks corresponding to polypyrrole. Complementary confocal microscopy images revealed dual emission from Eu<sup>3</sup>⁺ and PPy, and AFM demonstrated increased surface roughness in composites, confirming the successful formation of polymer-encapsulated AuNPs. Data also confirmed by TEM images, showing gold nanoparticles coated with the conducting polymer PPy. Optical studies identified the plasmonic band of AuNPs (~ 450 nm), ligand-centered absorption (~ 375 nm), and PPy absorption (~ 250 nm) via UV–Vis spectroscopy. Emission spectra highlighted enhanced Eu<sup>3</sup>⁺ intra-configurational transitions (<sup>5</sup>D<sub>0</sub> → ⁷F<sub>0-4</sub>) in systems with lower-to-medium PPy content and higher HAuCl₄/[Eu(tta)₃(H₂O)₂] ratios, suggesting Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF). The results indicate that the hybrid nanocomposite can enhance optoelectronic sensing by enabling plasmon-based sensing with gold and monitoring through the intensity profile and variation of intra-configurational transition wavelengths. This study highlights the potential for improved optoelectronic devices through the synergistic properties of the nanocomposites.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":653,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nanoparticle Research","volume":"28 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11051-026-06772-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148986326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}