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Hydrogenation reactions in water at elevated temperatures are challenging for heterogeneous catalysts. Thus, we present a simple, cheap, scalable, and sustainable approach for synthesizing an efficient and stable Ni catalyst supported on highly porous nitrogen-doped carbon (NDC) in pellet form. The performance of this catalyst was evaluated in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of lignocellulosic biomass-derived compounds, i.e., glucose (Glu), xylose (Xyl), and vanillin (V), using a continuous-flow system. The as-prepared 35 wt% Ni on NDC catalyst exhibited a high catalytic performance in all three aqueous-phase hydrogenation reactions, i.e., the conversion of Glu, Xyl, and V was 96.3 mol%, 85 mol%, and 100 mol% and the yield of sorbitol (Sor), xylitol (Xyt), and 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (MMP) was 82 mol%, 62 mol%, and 100 mol%, respectively. This high activity was attributed to the high specific surface area of NDC and mainly to the heterojunction effects stabilizing and adjusting the homogenously and highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles (ANi = 20 m2 g−1) on the surface of NDC. Changing the electron density in the nickel nanoparticles allows the high performance of the catalyst for a long time on stream (40 h) with minimized Ni leaching and without the loss in catalytic performance.

In the quest for biocompatible nanocarriers for biomedical applications, a great deal of effort is put on engineering the nanocomposites surface in order to render them specific to the particular purpose. We developed biocompatible PLGA-b-PEG-based nanoparticles carrying a double functionality (i.e., carboxylic and acetylenic) able to serve as flexible highly selective grafting centers for cancer diagnosis and treatment. As a proof of concept, the nanocarrier was successfully functionalized with a tailored fluorescent molecule by means of click chemistry and with a targeting agent specific for glioblastoma multiforme via amidic bond formation.

A novel highly biocompatible nanosystem containing Mg nanoparticles is reported, characterized and tested as a suitable and non-toxic tool for photothermal therapy. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014.