Introduction

Infections are a significant concern in wound healing in hospitals and in everyday life. Most wound dressings available today are passive solutions for infections because they protect the wound and do not treat the infection on-site, relying on local/systemic antibiotic administration. Also, monitoring infections throughout therapy is difficult, as it requires changing the dressing regularly for visual wound assessment, which affects tissue regeneration. This research aims to develop an innovative wound dressing with antibacterial properties and optical biosensor performance for treating and monitoring infected wounds.

Methods

Electrospun nanofibers (NFs) were loaded with a pH indicator, allowing for the real-time visualization of the infection presence through pH variations at the wound and improving the mechanical strength. Moreover, polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with an antibiotic were prepared by emulsion evaporation for long-term and controlled local release to treat bacterial infection. The NFs and NPs were incorporated into a hydrogel composite.

Results

The NFs presented a similar size and shape, and the NPs were monodispersed, with a spherical morphology. The pH-responsive color change of the composite hydrogel was simulated in vitro, turning instantaneously blue for basic pH (mimicking an infected wound) and yellow for slightly acidic pH (healthy skin). The antibiotic release allowed significant bacterial biofilm inhibition. For the optimized NPs dose, the composite exhibited adequate mechanical properties and no cytotoxicity. Overall, the results highlighted that the nanomaterials composite presented the best compromise concerning physicochemical, morphological, mechanical, and biological properties.

Conclusions

Smart nanomaterials simultaneously allowed for pH monitoring with the antibiotic release, endowing an antibacterial activity. Thus, this research is crucial to ease the monitoring/infection elimination of the wound with a reduced number of dressing replacements. This work adds a new study for designing smart multifunctional nanomaterials, combining several syntheses to fight infections and providing real-time information through an optical biosensor.

Ternary oxides like ZTO have attracted much attention as a green alternative to typical semiconductor technologies. ZTO has a wide variety of applications, but its current production methods, (vapor-based depositions and hydrothermal) are complex and involve high pressures and long reaction times. Solution Combustion Synthesis is a great candidate to overcome these issues, allowing to reduce the complexity of producing ZTO nanostructures. Solution combustion synthesis was used to produce ZTO- and ZTO-Ag-doped nanostructures. Precursor solutions of ZnO and SnO were produced and mixed in several ratios to form a ZTO precursor solution. The solutions were placed in a furnace, the synthesis was performed at 300ºC, and several annealing temperatures were explored. ZTO powders presented a mixture of ZnO, SnO₂, and ZnSnO₃ phases. When increasing the annealing temperature, a crystallinity increase and the growth of different nanostructures were observed. In order to obtain a pure ZTO phase, the influence of the surfactant in the growth of the nanostructures was studied using EDA but the formation of ZnO was favoured. Doping ZTO with silver might bring interesting advantages for electronic applications, therefore ZTO-Ag nanostructures were also produced. The use of silver nitrate led to the precipitation of SnCl₂. ZTO-Ag doped powders revealed the dominance of the ZnO phase. Finaly, the Zn:Sn ratio was confirmed to be identical to the Zn:Sn ratio of the ZTO precursor solution. The obtained results proved that solution combustion synthesis is a reliable method to produce ZTO nanostructures and can be a low-cost, green, alternative to typical production methods.

Branquinho, et al,(2016). Solution Combustion Synthesis: Applications in Oxide Electronics https://doi.org/10.5772/64761

Rovisco, et al,(2018). Seed-layer free zinc tin oxide tailored nanostructures for nanoelectronic applications: Effect of chemical parameters https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.8b00743

Sodium-ion batteries (Na-ion batteries) have emerged as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to sodium’s natural abundance, low cost, and compatibility with existing lithium-based infrastructure. As the global demand for cost-effective and sustainable energy storage solutions increases, Na-ion systems are gaining considerable attention. However, their commercial viability is currently hindered by challenges such as low energy density, poor rate performance, and limited long-term cycling stability. To address these limitations, the development of advanced electrode materials and functional additives is crucial. In this study, an oxygen-rich nanostructured graphene oxide (OR-NGO) material was synthesized via a modified Hummers method and incorporated into hard carbon (HC) anodes to improve electrochemical performance. Unlike typical carbon-based additives that rely primarily on increasing surface area, OR-NGO enhances the electrode function through its high concentration of redox-active oxygen functional groups and increased edge site exposure. These characteristics facilitate additional pseudocapacitive Na⁺ storage and improve both ionic and electronic transport at the electrode–electrolyte interface. To optimize its effect, three additive loadings (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 wt%) were evaluated, with the 1.0 wt% OR-NGO sample exhibiting the most favorable electrochemical characteristics. The composite electrode demonstrated enhanced reversible capacity, superior rate capability, and improved cycling retention compared to pristine hard carbon. These findings highlight the synergistic role of chemical functionalization and nanoscale structuring in OR-NGO, underscoring its potential as a high-performance additive. This strategy offers a promising pathway for advancing sodium-ion battery technologies toward practical applications in large-scale energy storage systems.

Within the Carbon Capture and Utilization technologies framework, porous materials—such as Ordered Mesostructured Silicas (OMSs) and Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs)—are promising sorbents for CO₂ capture due to their high adsorption capacities, ease of regeneration, and stability. This work focuses on a comparison between two classes of hybrid organic–inorganic adsorbents for CO₂ capture: amino-modified OMSs and MOFs. Among the OMSs, two MCM-41 samples composed of 100–500nm particles with 3 nm mesopores were synthesized using different silicon sources: TEOS (tetraethyl orthosilicate) and FSA (fluorosilicic acid) derived from industrial waste. Owing to their high surface area resulting from their mesostructure, these materials are well-suited for surface functionalization to improve CO₂ adsorption. In this study, both samples were functionalized with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane, yielding NH₂@TEOS-MCM-41 and NH₂@FSA-MCM-41. For comparison a 3D ultramicroporous MOF based on a benzoquinone derivative—3,6-N-ditriazolyl-2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone (trz₂An)—coordinated with cobalt(II) (CoMOF) was proposed. Its pore size (3.4 Å) enables selective CO₂ separation via size-dependent adsorption (molecular sieving), as this dimension closely match the kinetic diameter of CO₂. CO₂ capture performance was assessed through dynamic adsorption tests using 5–10% CO₂ in N₂. At 10% CO₂ and 30 °C, NH₂@TEOS-MCM-41 showed a higher uptake (~1000 μmol/g) than CoMOF (~700 μmol/g), with the difference becoming more pronounced at 5% CO₂: ~829 μmol/g and ~317 μmol/g respectively. Conversely, CoMOF offered easier regeneration at room temperature under N₂, whereas NH₂@TEOS-MCM-41 required also heating at 120 °C. The different performances arise mainly from their distinct CO₂ adsorption mechanisms: chemisorption for NH₂@TEOS-MCM-41, forming ammonium carbamates through interactions between amino groups and CO₂ and physisorption for CoMOF, governed by weak intermolecular forces with MOF’s porous surface. The adsorption heats derived from microcalorimetry and the FTIR confirm the mentioned mechanisms. Additionally, NH₂@FSA-MCM-41, synthesized from FSA with similar amine loading, showed even better performance: ~1000 μmol/g (5% CO₂) and ~1200 μmol/g (10% CO₂).

Transparent polycrystalline ceramics have been developed in response to the growing demand for new materials with multiple applications in advanced technologies. Yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) is a ceramic material, intensively studied due to its superior qualities, which include optical clarity, biocompatibility, and chemical and thermal stability. In biotechnology, it can be used to create fluorescent labels, drug delivery systems, antimicrobial materials, lasers, and protective windows, among other applications. This paper aims to clarify certain methodological issues related to the synthesis of Y₂O₃ doped with rare earth ions. In this regard, a hydrothermal process involving the use of nitrates as a cation source, along with urea and polyethylene glycol, was employed. The influence of the process parameters (the type and concentration of raw materials, reaction time and temperature, the influence of surfactant and intermediate steps, etc.) on the properties of Y₂O₃ was analyzed. Furthermore, the effectiveness of oxide doping was also evaluated. FTIR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to determine the chemical bonds, crystal structure, and purity of the material. The morphological properties influence the applicability of the oxide in the biotechnology field, so as not to raise toxicity problems in the liver or kidneys. The particles' rounded edges and spherical shape were visible under SEM microscopy. Studies on the optical properties confirmed the efficiency and applicability of the proposed method for obtaining yttrium oxide-based ceramics with potential applications in biotechnology.

Acknowledgements: This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-IV-P2-2.1-TE-2023-0417 (BioYDetect, Contract no. 30TE/2025), within PNCDI IV, and by the Core Program within the National Research Development and Innovation Plan 2022-2027, project no. 2307.

As technology advances and electronic devices evolve toward ultrathin and flexible architectures, the requirements for materials used in such applications become increasingly demanding. At the same time, the decreasing availability of indium resources in the Earth's crust is driving the search for alternative materials to replace conventional indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent electrodes. Consequently, current research efforts are focused on identifying materials and structures that can simultaneously meet the critical requirements of high optical transparency, electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and mechanical flexibility.

In this context, flexible, highly transparent, and conductive nitride/metal/nitride (NMN) electrodes based on SiN/Ag/SiN trilayer structures were fabricated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates using the high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technique. The influence of the individual layer thicknesses on the optoelectronic and mechanical properties of the NMN electrodes was systematically investigated. The optimized structure, designed as SiN₃₇/Ag₁₀/SiN₃₇, exhibited outstanding performance, achieving a maximum average transmittance of 99.4% in the visible range, a low sheet resistance of 2 Ω/□, and a high figure of merit at 550 nm (FoM₅₅₀ = 270 × 10⁻³ Ω⁻¹). Moreover, the electrode maintained its structural integrity and optoelectronic performance after 1000 mechanical bending cycles, confirming its excellent potential for application in flexible electronic devices.

These results highlight the potential of SiN/Ag/SiN as an efficient alternative to ITO as a transparent conductive oxide, offering superior optical transparency, electrical conductivity, and mechanical resilience. The findings pave the way for further advancements in the development of next-generation flexible transparent electronics, with potential applications in wearable devices, flexible displays, and optoelectronic systems.

Hybrid nanomaterials offer new opportunities for performance enhancement and the synergy that arises from the combination of two or more oxide components, making them indispensable in the development of technological devices. By combining TiO₂ with ZnO, materials with promising structures are obtained due to their excellent chemical stability under different conditions, absence of toxicity, and superior photocatalytic activity in the visible light region. The selection of the optimal method influences the performance characteristics of the desired material, depending on the intended purpose.

In the present paper, ZnO-TiO₂ materials were obtained using zinc acetate and titanium (IV) isopropoxide as the cation sources, and a two-step precipitation process was conducted. The obtained solution was stirred and maintained at a temperature of ~ 60°C until a colloidal precipitate formed, and the separation of the precursor from the supernatant was performed by centrifugation–decantation and washing steps. The prepared nanomaterials were synthesized at 550 °C for 3 h, and their properties were studied in terms of structure, morphology, and wettability capacity. SEM microscopy revealed a porous structure with agglomerated formations and nanometric particles, and EDX analysis confirmed the material's chemical composition and purity at the atomic level. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the existence of M-O bonds in the structure of the hybrid material, due to the appearance in the spectrum of absorption bands that can be associated with Zn-O and Ti-O. The XRD analysis revealed the coexistence of crystalline phases specific to each component. The materials developed exhibit strong hydrophilicity, demonstrating their potential for designing a wide variety of sensors.

Acknowledgments: This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-IV-P2-2.1-TE-2023-0417, within PNCDI IV, and by the Core Program within the National Research Development and Innovation Plan 2022-2027, with the support of MCID, project no. 2307 (µNanoEl).

Zinc oxide plays a crucial role across various industries thanks to its wide-ranging properties, which become even more effective when produced at the nanoscale. However, growing environmental concerns have driven the search for greener methods of obtaining this material. Nanomaterials synthesized using raw plant materials offer great potential for biomedical applications, thanks to their nanoscale dimensions, high surface area, biocompatibility, and favorable physical and chemical characteristics. Moreover, these materials are cost-effective, readily accessible, energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable. In this regard, herbal gums are widely utilized across various applications because of their exceptional traits, including high stability, viscosity, adhesive and emulsifying capabilities, and notable surface activity. A simple and environmentally friendly synthesis method was developed for the production of ZnO nanoparticles, utilizing three naturally derived polysaccharide gums—acacia gum, guar gum, and xanthan gum—for biomedical applications. Each of these gums acts as a stabilizing and reducing agent, contributing to the efficient formation of ZnO nanoparticles while also enhancing their biocompatibility and functional properties. The formation of ZnO nanoparticles using polysaccharide gums was validated through FTIR, XRD, thermal analysis, SEM, Raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopies. ZnO is a notable semiconductor known for its wide band gap and high exciton binding energy, all while being non-toxic. Its impressive characteristics, including excellent thermal and mechanical stability, biodegradability, strong room-temperature luminescence, and inherent antibacterial activity, make it highly versatile. As a result, ZnO finds applications across a broad spectrum of fields such as catalysis, piezoelectric devices, chemical sensing, the paint and cosmetics industries, the food sector, and various biomedical uses. ZnO nanoparticles exhibit notable antimicrobial activity, primarily due to their capacity to disrupt bacterial cell walls. Additionally, they can induce the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and facilitate the release of metal ions within cells, both of which contribute to their strong antibacterial effects.

Introduction:

One of the most versatile semiconducting polymers, owing to its unique advantages such as good environmental stability, ease of preparation, and reversible acid/base doping/dedoping chemistry, is Polyaniline (PANI). However, conductive PANi is insoluble and has poor processability; therefore, much effort has been made to overcome these major drawbacks. In this work, we employ the Pickering Emulsion Polymerization Technology (PEmPTech) as a facile method for improving the processability of semiconducting polyaniline by obtaining microparticles.

Methods:

The prepared composites and nanoparticles were characterized using various methods, including FT-IR spectroscopy, Zeta Potential, and conductivity measurements. Morphological studies were conducted using scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy.

Results:

We have emulsified aniline in the presence of an initiator and various types of silica-modified nanoparticles. We have obtained microparticles of PANi that are semiconducting and are dispersible in aqueous solvent, thus improving the polymer’s processability. The synthesis method we used is simple compared to other techniques and has great potential for various applications, including electronics devices, sensors, fuel cells, and biomedical applications.

PEmPTech successfully prepared the new polyaniline composite PEmPTech. The type of modified silica nanoparticles added to the emulsion had a distinct effect on the morphology of the composites. The method reported in this study can be used for the preparation of other composite nanostructures based on polyaniline.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be filled with various substances [1-4]. The substances used as fillers have different physical properties, such as work function, and melting temperature. SWCNTs can be filled through various methods, which are determined according to the melting temperature required. High-melting-temperature substances are inserted via the solution method. Substances with a low melting temperature are inserted into SWCNTs via the the melt method. Metallocenes are inserted into SWCNTs with the gas-phase method. Depending on the work function of the substance, theFermi level of the SWCNTs is expected to vary. The Fermi level can be shifted up or down in the filled SWCNTs. In this work, the SWCNTs were filled with bismuth. Bismuth is a metal with a low melting temperature (271°C), and there are no examples of bismuth being used as a filler for SWCNTs in the literature. Bismuth has a low work function. The filling procedure was conducted at temperatures as low as 400°C. The physical properties of the bismuth-filled SWCNTs were analyzed via Raman spectroscopy.

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