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Background: In the realm of cancer treatment, sono–X-ray–photodynamic therapy (SXPDT) has garnered significant interest as a novel therapeutic approach. The essential part of SXPDT is the sensitizer, which under X-ray photon and ultrasound sono-irradiation may transform sono and photo-energy into cytotoxic molecules. Photon absorption, targeting, penetration, and oxygen dependence remain challenges in sono–X-ray–photosensitizer (SXPs) design. Rapid advancements in material science have prompted the creation of several SXPs that create cytotoxic species with great selectivity, safety, and noninvasiveness for the treatment of tumors. The current study aims to provide an advanced method of activated cancer treatment by using electroporation to assist the delivery of Roussin salts porphyrin-based conjugated carbon nanoparticles (EP@RRBP-CNP) for the sono–X-ray–photodynamic prostate cancer (PCa) in vivo and in vitro treatment. Materials and methods: Human PCa cells (DU-145) were used in the in vitro study, and the in vivo application groups of the study protocol were Swiss albino mice treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) / testosterone only; they were not given any treatment to induce PCa. The study treatment protocol started only after PCa induction, and involved daily administration of EP@RRBP-CNP as SXPDT sensitizer whether or not to be exposed to photo–(X-ray) or sono–(US) or a combination of them for 3 min for a period of 2 weeks. Results: Indicated that CNP is a useful RRBP delivery mechanism that targets PCa cells directly. Furthermore, EP@RRBP-CNP is a promising SXPS that, when used in conjunction with SXPDT, can be very effective in in vitro treating PCa-DU-145 (in a dose-dependent manner cell viability declined, an increase in the cells population during the G0/G1-phase indicates that the cell cycle was arrested, and an increase in cell population in the Pre-G, autophagic cell death, as well as necrosis and early and late apoptosis, indicate that cell death was induced) and MNU/testosterone-PCa-induced mice in vivo (induced antiproliferative genes, p53, Bax, TNFalpha, caspase 3,9, repressed antiangiogenic and antiapoptotic genes, VEGF and Bcl2, respectively), successfully slowing the growth of tumors and even killing cancer cells, as well as lowering oxidative stress (MDA), improving the functions of the kidneys (urea, creatinine), liver (ALT, AST), and antioxidants (GPx, GPx, GST, CAT, GSH, TAC). SXPDT, the X-ray photo- or sono-chemical RRBP activation mechanism, and the antioxidant capacity of non-activated RRBP can all be linked to this process. Conclusion: On the bases of the findings, EP@RRBP-CNP shows a great promise as a novel, efficient selective delivery system for localized SXPDT-activated prostate cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work presents a study on new organic resistive memory devices, with carbon nanoparticle/cyanoacrylate thin film nanocomposites active layer, which was carried out on the search for the improvement of electrical characteristics and the reduction of the processing cost, in comparison to other similar devices yet reported alongside the literature. Controlled addition of the nanostructured phase to the insulating cyanoacrylate reinforcement matrix provides electrical bistability, enabling the fabrication of two categories of devices, the rewritable and the WORM (Write Once Read Many times memory) ones, by the control of nanocomposite aging time. The resulting memory devices showed a high I ON / I OFF ratio between 104 and 105, and a very low recording voltage of 2.0 V if compared with the values reported alongside the literature, pointing the advantages of the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stages of solid-state processing of nanocomposites, based on nascent disentangled ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (d-UHMWPE) reactor powders (RPs) and carbon nanoparticles (NPs) of various types, were meticulously investigated. The potential for optimizing the filler distribution through variation of the processing parameters, and the impact of the d-UHMWPE RP and nanofiller type on the electrical conductivity of the resulting composites were discussed. The specifics of the dependences of conductivity and tensile strength on the deformation ratio for the composites, oriented under homogeneous shear conditions, were investigated. The obtained results and the results on piezoresistivity and temperature dependency of conductivity in the oriented and compacted composites demonstrated the independence of the UHMWPE matrix orientational strengthening on the filling. The interchangeability of high-temperature uniaxial deformation and deformation under homogeneous conditions for orientational strengthening and electrical conductivity changes in the preliminary oriented composite samples was confirmed. The potential for simultaneously achieving high strength and conductivity in composite tapes and the possibility of directly processing d-UHMWPE RP and NPs mixtures into oriented composite tapes were demonstrated. The overall results suggest that the studied composites may serve as a viable model system for investigating the deformational behavior of conductive networks comprising NPs of varying types and contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations were employed to investigate the effects of phospholipids on the aggregation of hydrophilic, modified carbon-nanoparticle fillers in cis-polyisoprene (cis-PI) composites. The MARTINI force field was applied to model dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipids and hydrophilic modified fullerenes (HMFs). The simulations of DPPC in cis-PI composites show that the DPPC lipids self-assemble to form a reverse micelle in a rubber matrix. Moreover, HMF molecules readily aggregate into a cluster, in agreement with the previous studies. Interestingly, the mixture of the DPPC and HMF in the rubber matrix shows a cluster of HMF is encapsulated inside the DPPC reverse micelle. The HMF encapsulated micelles disperse well in the rubber matrix, and their sizes are dependent on the lipid concentration. Mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were analyzed by calculating the diffusion coefficients (D), bulk modulus (κ), and glass transition temperatures (Tg). The results suggest that DPPC acts as a plasticizer and enhances the flexibility of the HMF-DPPC rubber composites. These findings provide valuable insights into the design and process of high-performance rubber composites, offering improved mechanical and thermal properties for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a microbial catalyst has been developed for use in membraneless microbial fuel cells (MFCs) by employing yeast e and carbon nanoparticles. A series of characterizations were carried out to investigate the stability, performance, and catalytic activity of MFC. Based on the characterizations, the catalyst demonstrated the outstanding catalytic activity and a considerable maximum power density (MPD) of 352 mW·m-2. This was accomplished by means of reactions involving cytochrome c, cytochrome a3, NAD, and FAD that efficiently transfer electrons. The outcome suggested that yeast adoption leads to significant improvement in MFC performance and catalytic activity. In addition, after eight days, the MPD remains at 85% of its initial value, demonstrating outstanding stability in the MFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though iron is one of the vital micronutrients in biological systems excess of which is associated with various illness. Consumption of contaminated water and crops because of its extensive industrial utility is one of the major sources for excess iron in living beings. Hence, we have designed a sensor based on carbon nanoparticles for the detection of Fe (III) and we have also attempted to estimate Fe (III) in spiked water samples. Carbon nanoparticles (CNP) with quantum yield of 40.2 % was synthesized by solid state synthesis from aromatic molecular precursors unlike conventional synthesis methodology. The particle size, stability and optical properties of CNP were investigated by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. CNP manifested a naked color change from colorless to yellow in presence of Fe (III) and 72 % of CNP's emission was quenched at 487 nm on excitation at 377 nm by Fe (III). The detection time was less than a second and limit of detection was calculated as 0.248 µM. The mechanistic aspect of detection was investigated and applicability of CNP was examined in spiked water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Film-like carbon is expected to have various applications, and establishing a method for its mass production is highly desirable. Although there have been reports of obtaining film-like solid carbon using thermal plasma, knowledge about the growth behavior of this film-like carbon has not been sufficient. We analyzed the products and their growth behavior by pyrolysis experiments of C2 hydrocarbons with thermal plasma and investigated the pyrolysis behavior of C2 hydrocarbons with thermal plasma by numerical analysis. Solid products with different residence times were sampled from a sampling port in the reactor, observed by electron microscopy, and analyzed for crystallinity by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The solid products collected by a filter at the reactor outlet were measured by pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC/MS). The pyrolysis of acetylene yielded particulate carbon as in the pyrolysis in the electric furnace, whereas the pyrolysis of ethylene yielded a film-like carbon. The HRTEM image of ethylene pyrolysis products, however, shows lines indicating a stacked graphite structure of several tens of nanometers, indicating a different structure. In the pyrolysis GC/MS of ethylene pyrolysis products, various compounds were detected, whereas in the pyrolysis of acetylene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from three to seven rings were not detected. Reaction kinetic calculations using electron collision reactions were performed to examine the important reactions. The amount of ions produced tends to be larger for the pyrolysis of ethylene than for the pyrolysis of acetylene, indicating that the electron collision reaction is more likely to occur with ethylene in this calculation.

Aspects of solid‐state processing of nascent disentangled ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powders of different syntheses mixed with electrically conductive carbon nanoparticles (NPs) of various types are studied. Effect of multiple parameters of the processing procedures on the electrophysical characteristics of the composite samples is investigated. Such parameters include time of preliminary ultrasonication (US) of NPs, time of US of UHMWPE/NPs mixtures, molding time, temperature, and pressure, deformation degree, etc. It is observed that by selecting optimal values of such parameters it is possible to obtain samples of composites with an extremely segregated structure made of the NPs, with NPs distributed evenly on the surfaces of the compacted UHMWPE powder particles. This ensures high levels of conductivity at very low values of NPs content. The segregated structure is retained when the composites are strengthened using the solid‐state uniaxial shear deformation process. While conductivity of most of the composites filled with various types of NPs monotonously decreases with the deformation ratio, conductivity of the composites filled with exceptionally long double‐walled carbon nanotubes is maintained. The processed oriented composites are also characterized by high EMR shielding properties, as well as interesting temperature dependencies of the electrical conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a composite was manufactured by mixing graphene quantum dots, silicon oxide, and carbon nanoparticles, and the characteristics of the anode materials for secondary batteries were examined. To improve the capacity of the graphene quantum dot (GQD) anode material, the added silicon oxide content was varied among 0, 5, 10, 15, and 30 wt%, and carbon nanoparticles were added as a structural stabilizer to alleviate silicon oxide volume expansion. The physical properties of the prepared GQD/SiOx/C composite were investigated through XRD, SEM, EDS, and powder resistance analysis. Additionally, the electrochemical properties of the manufactured composite were observed through an analysis of the charge–discharge cycle, rate, and impedance of a lithium secondary battery. In the GQD/SiOx/C composite, by adding carbon nanoparticles, an internal cavity was formed that can alleviate the volume expansion of silicon oxide, and the carbon nanoparticles and silicon oxide particles were uniformly distributed. The formed internal cavity had a silicon oxide content of 5 wt%. Low initial efficiency was observed, and above 30 wt%, low cycle stability was observed. The GQD/SiOx/C composite with 15 wt% of silicon oxide added showed an initial discharge capacity of 595 mAh/g, a capacity retention rate of 92%, and a rate characteristic of 81 at 2 C/0.1 C. Silicon oxide was added to improve the capacity of the anode material, and carbon nanoparticles were added as a structural stabilizer to buffer the volume change of the silicon oxide. To use GQD/SiOx/C composite as a highly efficient anode material, the optimal silicon oxide content and carbon nanoparticle mechanism as a structural stabilizer were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanism of action and molecular basis of positive growth effects including yield increase due to carbon nanoparticle (CNP) treatment in rice plants is dissected here. CNP at 500 -750 µg/mL were found to be the optimum dosages showing best seedling growth. CNP treatment resulted increase in stomata size, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency along with low relative humidity, decrease in stomata frequency and internal CO2 concentration. CNP-coupled with water uptake was found to be endocytosis mediated, although CNP uptake was not affected by endocytosis inhibitor application in roots. Genomic analysis resulted major involvement of ABA pathway and stomata size and frequency genes in Arabidopsis and rice. Elevated endogenous ABA in rice seedlings and flag leaves along with increased expression of ABA biosynthetic genes in Arabidopsis and rice AtNCED3, AtNCED6, OsNCED1 confirmed increased ABA synthesis. Negative regulators of ABA pathway, OsSNRK2 down-regulation and up-regulation of stomagen (OsEPFL9) reconfirmed ABA's involvement. CNP treatment exerted cold tolerance in seedlings and water stress tolerance in reproductive stage. CNP treatment under water withheld condition resulted water stress tolerance by maintaining lower stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and higher relative water content. Increased ABA (OsSNRK1, OsSNRK2) and aquaporin (OsPIP2–5 and OsPIP1–3) genes’ expressions could explain the better water stress tolerance in rice plants treated with CNP. Altogether, due to thermomorphogenesis, down-regulation of Phytochrome B transcript resulted altered the ABA pathway and stomatal distribution with size (Graphical Abstract). These changes resulted improved water relation parameters and water use efficiency (WUE) showing improvement in yield. Detailed mechanism of action of CNP in abiotic stress tolerance can be exploited using nano-agriculture at field level.

Objective: To investigate the superiority of preoperative ultrasound-guided titanium clip and nanocarbon dual localization over traditional methods for determining the surgical approach and guiding resection of Siewert type II adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG). Method: This study included 66 patients with Siewert type II AEG who were treated at the PLA Joint Logistics Support Force 900th Hospital between September 1, 2021, and September 1, 2023. They were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 33), in which resection was guided by the dual localization technique, and the routine group (n = 33), in which the localization technique was not used. Surgical approach predictions, proximal esophageal resection lengths, pathological features, and the occurrence of complications were compared between the groups. Result: The use of the dual localization technique resulted in higher accuracy in predicting the surgical approach (96.8% vs. 75.9%, P = 0.02) and shorter proximal esophageal resection lengths (2.39 ± 0.28 cm vs. 2.86 ± 0.39 cm, P < 0.001) in the experimental group as compared to the routine group, while there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications (22.59% vs. 24.14%, P = 0.88). Conclusion: Preoperative dual localization with titanium clips and carbon nanoparticles is significantly superior to traditional methods and can reliably delineate the actual infiltration boundaries of Siewert type II AEG, guide the surgical approach, and avoid excessive esophageal resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fibers have been technically applied in high performance materials and industrial scale applications. Importantly, carbon fiber reinforced composite materials have found applications in aerospace industries. These properties of carbon fiber reinforced composites depend upon the carbon fiber features such as length, orientation, surface properties, adhesion with matrices, etc. To improve the surface properties of carbon fibers and adhesion and interactions with polymers, fiber modification has been suggested as an efficient approach. Carbon nanoparticle or nanocarbon functionalized carbon fibers have been manufactured using various facile physical and chemical approaches such as electrospraying, electrophoretic deposition, chemical vapor deposition, etc. Consequently, the modified carbon fibers have nanocarbon nanoparticles such as graphene, carbon nanotube, nanodiamond, fullerene, and other nanocarbons deposited on the fiber surface. These nanocarbon nanoparticles have fine capability to improve interfacial linking of carbon fibers with the polymer matrices. The chemical vapor deposition has been adopted for uniform deposition of nanocarbon on carbon fibers and chemical methods involving physical or chemical modification have also been frequently used. The resulting advanced epoxy/carbon fiber/nanocarbon composites revealed improved tensile and physical profiles. This review basically aims manufacturing and technical aspects of polymer/fiber/nanofiller nanocomposites toward the development of high performance structures. The resulting morphology, strength, modulus, toughness, thermal stability, and other physical features of the nanocarbon functionalized carbon fibers have been enhanced. In addition, the fabricated polymer/fiber/nanofiller nanocomposites have fine interfacial adhesion, matrix-nanofiller-filler compatibility, and other characteristics. The application areas of these nanomaterials have been found wide ranging including the strengthened engineering structures, supercapacitors, shape memory materials, and several others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracing individual cell pathways among the whole population is crucial for understanding their behavior, cell communication, migration dynamics, and fate. Optical labeling is one approach for tracing individual cells, but it typically requires genetic modification to induce the generation of photoconvertible proteins. Nevertheless, this approach has limitations and is not applicable to certain cell types. For instance, genetic modification often leads to the death of macrophages. This study aims to develop an alternative method for labeling macrophages by utilizing photoconvertible micron-sized capsules capable of easy internalization and prolonged retention within cells. Thermal treatment in a polyvinyl alcohol gel medium is employed for the scalable synthesis of capsules with a wide range of fluorescent dyes, including rhodamine 6G, pyronin B, fluorescein, acridine yellow, acridine orange, thiazine red, and previously reported rhodamine B. The fluorescence brightness, photostability, and photoconversion ability of the capsules are evaluated using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Viability, uptake, mobility, and photoconversion studies are conducted on RAW 264.7 and bone marrow-derived macrophages, serving as model cell lines. The production yield of the capsules is increased due to the use of polyvinyl alcohol gel, eliminating the need for conventional filtration steps. Capsules entrapping rhodamine B and rhodamine 6G meet all requirements for intracellular use in individual cell tracking. Mass spectrometry analysis reveals a sequence of deethylation steps that result in blue shifts in the dye spectra upon irradiation. Cellular studies on macrophages demonstrate robust uptake of the capsules. The capsules exhibit minimal cytotoxicity and have a negligible impact on cell motility. The successful photoconversion of RhB-containing capsules within cells highlights their potential as alternatives to photoconvertible proteins for individual cell labeling, with promising applications in personalized medicine.

AbstractIn this study, several vital electro-optical and dielectric properties of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) dispersed with porous carbon nanoparticles (PCNP) with three different concentrations were measured. NLCs are birefringent materials. Increased birefringence was observed for NLC-PCNP composites. Dielectric study was also performed for NLC dispersed with PCNPs. Dielectric anisotropy was found to be increased for PCNP dispersed NLC system. Contrast ratio was also measured for NLC dispersed with PCNP, and it is found to be enhanced. Decreased threshold voltage was observed after dispersing PCNP into NLC. High birefringence reduces the cell gap so this work may be applicable in the making of flat panel displays (FPDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to investigate the coalescence mechanism of carbon nanoparticles. The analytical objects were two clusters composed of benzene, anthracene, phenanthrene or coronene molecules, and those clusters were placed next to each other. These numerical analyses used isoPAHAP potential to describe the intermolecular interaction and OPLS–AA potential to account for intramolecular interaction. Since the behavior below and above the melting point is entirely different, the melting point of the cluster was first determined. The coalescence behavior was investigated at temperatures 30 K below the melting point, 5 K below the melting point, and 50 K above the melting point. The coalescence of benzene clusters progressed through three stages: fast shrinking at 0–0.4 ns; gradual and constant shrinking at 0.4–4 ns; and little shrinking after 4 ns. This indicates that the coalescence of benzene clusters is analogous to that of inorganic nanoparticles. However, the number of coalescence stages of coronene clusters was more than four. The coronene cluster looked composed of 4–6 molecules of crystallites. Due to the strong interaction among molecules within crystallites, the diffusion of molecules in crystallites would hardly occur. Thus, the coalescence of coronene clusters would proceed with the breaking of crystallites. [Display omitted] • Carbon nanoparticles were assumed as PAH clusters. • Coalescence of carbon nanoparticle was investigated by MD simulation. • Coalescence was multi-staged, different mechanism from metal nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) were prepared by nanosecond laser ablation of graphite powder in liquid. The effect of the liquid medium on photoluminescence (PL) efficiency and wavelength range were studied experimentally. Four solvents, polyethylene glycol, diethanolamine, diethylamine, and ethylenediamine were used as liquid platforms in the synthesis process. Analyzing the chemical components and optical spectral characterization of CNPs was carried out by attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, respectively. Moreover, the size of CNPs was estimated by using dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. Liquid components are determined to be a key factor affecting PL properties and nanoparticle size. The results are valuable in practical applications.

Background: Indocyanine green (ICG) and carbon nanoparticle (CN) have been widely used for radical gastrectomy. However, synchronous application of ICG and CN in gastrectomy has not been tried yet. For the first time, we herein reported a novel strategy using dual tracers in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. Methods: This is a single-center, single-armed, prospective study. For each qualified patient, submucosal CN was injected the day before surgery, and subserosal ICG was injected immediately before surgery. Standard D2 laparoscopic gastrectomy and lymph node examination were subsequently performed. Demographics, lymph nodes (LNs) and postoperative outcome were collected for analysis. To analyze the safety and efficacy of this novel strategy, two contemporary historic control groups using single tracer were established. Results: A total of 60 patients underwent dual tracer laparoscopic gastrectomy and were divided into distal (n = 41) and total (n = 19) groups. An average of 53.3 and 62.2 LNs was harvested from two groups, respectively. The average operation duration was 213.3 and 250.0 min, and intra-operative blood loss was 100.2 ml and 94.7 ml. None received combined organ resection. Margin negativity and R0 resection were achieved in all patients. Three (7.3%) complications occurred in distal group. None required second operation or deceased. Postoperative hospitalization was 9.7 and 9.6 days, respectively. Compared to single tracer, more LNs (p < 0.01), shorter operation time (p < 0.01), less blood lost (p < 0.01) and accelerated postoperative recovery (p < 0.01) were observed in dual tracer group. Conclusions: We propose a novel, feasible and safe tracing strategy for laparoscopic gastrectomy. Clinical Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100051309). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coalescence behavior of soot and carbon black has not been so much discussed. The coalescence rate was obtained from the previous experimental results which measured the decrease in mobility diameter by re-heating with tandem differential mobility analyzer. Employing the rate expression used for sintering metallic and inorganic nanoparticles, it was found that the ease of coalescence varied with particle size. It was also suggested that the mechanism of coalescence may differ depending on the temperature. A model of coalescence kinetics based on crystallinity could not represent experimental coalescence kinetics. [Display omitted] • Estimation of coalescence rate constants for carbon nanoparticles. • Conventional formula greatly overestimates coalescing rate. • Coalescence was multi-staged, different mechanism from metal nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the adsorption of methylene blue (MB), novel bio-polymeric matrices prepared from polylactic acid/sodium alginate (PLA/SA) and polylactic acid/sodium alginate/carbon nanoparticle (PLA/SA/CNP) as green adsorbates were prepared in the form of beads. The developed adsorbent was analyzed using scanning electron microscopes and Fourier transform infrared spectrometers. The percentage of adsorbed dye increased with increasing CNP content, and the optimum ratio was 5% wt. The efficiency of the beads' removal and adsorption capacity were evaluated concerning with (adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial pH, and concentration of adsorbate). After 120 min using 50 mg of PLA/SA/CNP beads, the adsorptive removal process for MB dye was determined to have the maximum rate at pH 9. The models of Langmuir and Freundlich were used to illustrate the experimental data. Langmuir models determined the highest adsorption capacity to be 304.88 mg/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we synthesized carbon nanoparticles with a different method using chitosan, a natural polymer. As a result, carbon nanomaterials were diffused directly through the intestinal membrane, and carbon nanoparticles were obtained. Surface and chemical characterizations of the obtained carbon nanoparticles were determined by different techniques such as FTIR, DLS, SEM, EDX, and UV-visible. Moreover, the cytotoxic effects of the carbon nanoparticles on Saos-2, MCF-7 cancer cells, and HUVEC non-cancerous cells were evaluated with the MTT test. Although the size of these carbon nanoparticles is not as small as carbon nanodots, these nanoparticles were very effective on cancer cells. Interestingly, our results showed that drug-free carbon nanoparticles were remarkably cytotoxic on MCF-7 and Saos-2 cancer cells. In addition, 5FU loaded carbon nanoparticles (IC50: 12 µg/mL) were 3.5 times more effective than 5FU alone (IC50: 43 µg/mL) on MCF-7 cell lines.

Abstract Background Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are suspected lung carcinogens because their shape and size are similar to asbestos. Various MWCNT types are manufactured; however, only MWNT-7 is classified into Group 2B by The International Agency for Research on Cancer. MWNT-7’s carcinogenicity is strongly related to inflammatory reactions. On the other hand, inconsistent results on MWNT-7 genotoxicity have been reported. We previously observed no significant differences in both Pig-a (blood) and gpt (lung) mutant frequencies between MWNT-7-intratracheally treated and negative control rats. In this study, to investigate in vivo MWNT-7 genotoxicity on various endpoints, we attempted to develop a lung micronucleus assay through ex vivo culture targeting the cellular fraction of Clara cells and alveolar Type II (AT-II) cells, known as the initiating cells of lung cancer. Using this system, we analyzed the in vivo MWNT-7 genotoxicity induced by both whole-body inhalation exposure and intratracheal instillation. We also conducted an erythrocyte micronucleus assay using the samples obtained from animals under intratracheal instillation to investigate the tissue specificity of MWNT-7 induced genotoxicities. Results We detected a significant increase in the incidence of micronucleated cells derived from the cellular fraction of Clara cells and AT-II cells in both MWNT-7-treated and positive control groups compared to the negative control group under both whole-body inhalation exposures and intratracheal instillation. Additionally, the erythrocyte micronucleus assay detected a significant increase in the incidence of micronucleated reticulocytes only in the positive control group. Conclusions Our findings indicated that MWNT-7 was genotoxic in the lungs directly exposed by both the body inhalation and intratracheal instillation but not in the hematopoietic tissue.

Abstract In the present study, crystalline cellulose biomass material was converted into carbon nanoparticles via carbonization to activated carbon with micropores of various sizes. This was subsequently subjected to aqueous counter collision (ACC) to produce hydrophobic porous functional particles. Initially, raw crystalline cellulose material was carbonized into activated carbon materials with various pore distributions prior to ACC. Pore distribution depended on the activation time, and was confirmed by nitrogen (N2) adsorption isotherms. The surface areas and pore volumes of carbon activated for 8 h were larger than those of carbon activated for 2 h. When they were subjected to ACC, the width and length of the carbon particles decreased as the number of pulverizing cycles during the ACC treatment increased. Eventually, carbon nanoparticles of 70 nm width that had improved dispersibility and stability were produced. The diameters of the carbon nanoparticles and their dispersibility were dependent on the pore distribution and surface areas of the activated carbon subjected to the ACC treatment. The ACC process facilitated the preparation of carbon nanoparticles from activated carbon derived from biomass, and is, therefore, an important strategy for the sustainable production of a sought-after and valuable resource.

Chitosan plays a crucial role in catalysis, environmental remediation, and sustainable chemistry as a renewable and cationic polysaccharide. Chitosan-based metal catalysts are used in a broad range of chemical transformations. In the study, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were derived from Momordica charantia fruits by microwave irradiation following a green chemistry approach. Three catalysts were designed: Ag(0)-chitosan, Ag(0)-chitosan-M. charantia fruit powder, and Ag(0)-chitosan-CQDs. The catalyst supports were prepared by stabilizing CQDs or M. charantia powder within the polymeric matrix of chitosan beads. Metallic silver particles were anchored onto glutaraldehyde cross-linked chitosan beads from the aqueous solution of silver nitrate. The heterogeneous silver catalysts were used to reduce toxic nitroaromatics (4-nitrophenol, 2-nitroaniline, 1,2-diamino-4-nitrobenzene, 2,4-dinitrophenol). The regeneration of catalysts was also covered. The reused catalysts retained their catalytic activities after ten cycles. The study suggested that presence of CQDs or M. charantia powder could improve the efficiency of the chitosan-based metallic silver catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flame-formed carbon nanoparticles exhibit apparent size-dependent optical and electronic band gaps, consistent with the quantum confinement effect found in semiconductor materials. Understanding the effect of chemical composition on the band gap variations in carbon nanoparticles requires the investigation of the HOMO-LUMO gap of large aromatics. Geometry optimization with empirical force fields, followed by a density functional theory calculation, is employed here to enable the calculation of HOMO-LUMO gaps of aromatic species of sizes substantially larger than those reported in the past. Large hexagonal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are shown to have diminishing HOMO-LUMO gaps, consistent with the behavior of two-dimensional quantum dots and approaching the zero band gap of graphene, while the HOMO-LUMO gap of polyacenes levels off at a finite value. The HOMO-LUMO gap of an aromatic cluster is found to be determined mostly by the large PAH molecules with smaller HOMO-LUMO gaps; small PAH molecules in the cluster make small or negligible contributions to the gap size of the overall cluster. Thus, if the quantum confinement of flame-formed carbon nanoparticles must be understood within the context of particle composition, the dependency of the band gap on particle size may be explained simply by the fact that larger flame-formed carbon nanoparticles contain larger PAH molecules or perhaps more precisely, have higher probabilities of containing more light absorbing species, e.g., large PAH molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liposomal drug delivery systems are emerging as a unique class of drug delivery platforms that are non-toxic, increase the accumulation of drug at the target site and has the ability to respond to various stimuli to perform dynamic functions. To enhance controlled drug release, they have been exploited in depth using nanotechnology strategy utilizing external stimuli like pH, heat, light, enzyme etc. Among them, the photo-responsive behaviour of liposomes is getting attention for its non-invasiveness. Here, in this paper, we have developed a nanocomposite system, synthesized from Phosphatidylcholine vesicles (liposome) and azobenzene nanocluster (a type of carbon nanoparticles) for the first time and studied its drug loading and subsequent UV light-sensitive drug release. The successful formation of nanocomposite of Phosphatidylcholine vesicles (liposome) and azobenzene nanocluster was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). In this work, doxorubicin is used as a model drug. It was observed that Phosphatidylcholine-azobenzene nanocomposite vesicles show a maximum drug loading of 84.68% when compared with only Phosphatidylcholine vesicles (32.25%). Moreover, the Phosphatidylcholine-azobenzene nanocomposite vesicles also demonstrate sustained release in presence of UV (365 nm) light. In presence of UV light, the nanocomposite demonstrated a release of 77.33% in comparison to pure vesicles release of ~ 3.3%. Thus Phosphatidylcholine-azobenzene nanocomposite vesicles provide an example of a photo-responsive liposomal drug delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater, which is rich with heavy elements, dyes, and pesticides, represents one of the most important environmental pollutants. Thus, it has been significant to fabricate environmentally friendly polymers with high adsorption ability for those pollutants. Herein, crosslinked chitosan (C-Cs) was prepared using isopropyl acrylamide and methylene bisacrylamide. Carbon nanoparticles (C-NPs) were also obtained by the treatment of the agricultural wastes, which was used with C-Cs to prepare C-Cs/C-NPs nanocomposite (C-Cs/C-NC). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to investigate the prepared adsorbent. C-Cs, C-NPs, and C-Cs/C-NC were used in water treatment for the adsorption of lead ions (Pb+2) and methylene blue (MB). The adsorption process occurred by the prepared samples was investigated under different conditions, including contact time, as well as different doses and concentrations of adsorbents. The findings exhibited that the adsorption of Pb+2 and MB by C-Cs/C-NC was higher than C-Cs and C-NPs. In addition, the kinetic and isotherm models were studied, where the results showed that the adsorption of Pb+2 and MB by various adsorbents obeys pseudo-second-order and Langmuir isotherms, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are suspected lung carcinogens because their shape and size are similar to asbestos. Various MWCNT types are manufactured; however, only MWNT-7 is classified into Group 2B by The International Agency for Research on Cancer. MWNT-7's carcinogenicity is strongly related to inflammatory reactions. On the other hand, inconsistent results on MWNT-7 genotoxicity have been reported. We previously observed no significant differences in both Pig-a (blood) and gpt (lung) mutant frequencies between MWNT-7-intratracheally treated and negative control rats. In this study, to investigate in vivo MWNT-7 genotoxicity on various endpoints, we attempted to develop a lung micronucleus assay through ex vivo culture targeting the cellular fraction of Clara cells and alveolar Type II (AT-II) cells, known as the initiating cells of lung cancer. Using this system, we analyzed the in vivo MWNT-7 genotoxicity induced by both whole-body inhalation exposure and intratracheal instillation. We also conducted an erythrocyte micronucleus assay using the samples obtained from animals under intratracheal instillation to investigate the tissue specificity of MWNT-7 induced genotoxicities. Results: We detected a significant increase in the incidence of micronucleated cells derived from the cellular fraction of Clara cells and AT-II cells in both MWNT-7-treated and positive control groups compared to the negative control group under both whole-body inhalation exposures and intratracheal instillation. Additionally, the erythrocyte micronucleus assay detected a significant increase in the incidence of micronucleated reticulocytes only in the positive control group. Conclusions: Our findings indicated that MWNT-7 was genotoxic in the lungs directly exposed by both the body inhalation and intratracheal instillation but not in the hematopoietic tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor with fast charging speed and high power density is a promising high-performance energy storage and sensor device in photovoltaic systems. Two-dimensional black phosphorus (BP) is a prospective electrode nanomaterial, but it struggles to fully exert its properties limited by its self-stacking. Herein, by embedding carbon nanoparticles into the interlayer of BP microplates, the designed BP/carbon nanoframe (BP/C NF) forms a certain nano-gap on the substrate for promoting the orderly transport of charges. The corresponding supercapacitor BP/C SC has a capacity of 372 F g−1, which is higher than that constructed from BP microplates (32.6 F g−1). Moreover, the BP/C SC exhibits good stability with a ca. 90% of capacitance retentions after 10,000 repeated bending and long-term cycles. Thus, the proposed strategy of using BP/carbon nanoframes is feasible to develop exceptional flexible energy devices, and it can guide the design of relevant two-dimensional nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Transition metals have been widely studied due to their excellent electrocatalytic properties. However, the poor hydrogen evolution activity, and instability of transition metal phosphides in acid hinder their further application. Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) have several advantages of low cost, simple preparation process, high stability and high electrical conductivity. The structure of transition metal phosphide can be effectively regulated by adding carbon material to improve the hydrogen evolution activity and stability. Methods Carbon nanoparticles rich in hydroxyl, and carboxyl functional groups ( P-CNPs) were prepared using glucose as carbon source. P-CNPs-doped NiCo precursor was prepared by hydrothermal method using nickel foam with high specific surface area as substrate. After phosphating reaction, P-CNPs-doped NiCoP-PC/NF was obtained. Results The cathodic polarization curves in 0. 5 mol/L H2SO4 and l mol/L KOH showed that the overpotential of NiCoP-50PC/NF was as low as 59 mV and 90 mV at 10 ml\/cm' of current density and 50 mg/L of carbon nanoparticles concentration, respectively, which were much lower than that of commercial Pt/C. Moreover, the cathodic polarization curves of NiCoP-50PC/NC in 0. 5 mol/L H2SO4 and l mol/L KOH almost coincide, indicating that there is no obvious attenuation of hydrogen evolution activity, and the NiCoP-50PC/NC has good electrochemical stability. Conclusion The method of doping carbon nanoparticles provides a new way to improve the hydrogen evolution performance of transition metal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper industries will be using a different kind of dyes for producing various kinds of paper. Rhodamine–B (Rh-B) dye is one of the major sources of color effluents from textile and paper dyeing industries, and they cause long-term effects for on an aquatic environment. So this work mainly focused on the synthesis of carbon nanoparticles from neem leaves, characterization and its adsorption and photocatalytic action against Rh-B dye. In this study, Carbon nanoparticles (C NPs) from neem leaves were synthesized for adsorption and photo catalytic degradation of Rh-B dye used in paper industries. The synthesized carbon NPs were characterized by the powder X-Ray Diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The adsorption and photocatalytic properties of Ccarbon NPs were examined for 1 hour by studying the degradation of the Rh-B dye at every 5 minutes time interval through UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results obtained shown that carbonC NPs acts as better adsorbents than as photo catalysts.

In this study, a ternary z-scheme heterojunction of Bi2WO6 with carbon nanoparticles and TiO2 nanotube arrays was used to remove paracetamol from water by photoelectrocatalysis. The materials and z-scheme electrode were characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), EDS mapping, ultraviolet diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV-DRS), photocurrent measurement, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), uv-vis spectroscopy and total organic carbon measurement (TOC). The effect of parameters such as current density and pH were studied. At optimal conditions, the electrode was applied for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of paracetamol, which gave a degradation efficiency of 84% within 180 min. The total organic carbon removal percentage obtained when using this electrode was 72%. Scavenger studies revealed that the holes played a crucial role during the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of paracetamol. The electrode showed high stability and reusability therefore suggesting that the z-scheme Bi2WO6-CNP-TiO2 nanotube arrays electrode is an efficient photoanode for the degradation of pharmaceuticals in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of porous carbon materials for fabrication of high-performance supercapacitors has attracted significant attention in recent years especially for applications in supercapacitors. In the present work, carbon nanoparticle is successfully fabricated by the home-made thermal plasma system and acetylene gas as the raw materials. To achieve this, a direct current (DC) plasma torch is employed. Also, a cooling chamber is used to create a neutral environment and collect carbon nanoparticles. Further, the structure and morphology of the nanoparticles are examined. Through the proposed procedure, carbon nanoparticles with spherical geometry and size of about 20 nm can be produced. In this approach, nanoparticles are physically activated by steam while the specific surface area reaches 1165 m 2 g - 1 and the average pore diameter is measured at 1.7141 nm. The activated carbon nanoparticles are employed in the production of supercapacitor electrodes showing significantly higher specific capacitances reaching up to 853 F g - 1 . Furthermore, this supercapacitor shows a high energy density of 76 Wh kg - 1 at 0.5 A g - 1 with competent cycling performance indicative of its potential suitability for use in electrochemical capacitor production. Therefore, the results of this study verify that activated carbon nanoparticles produced with thermal plasma technique possess suitable properties for supercapacitor production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaporation characteristics of palm biodiesel blended with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with different concentrations and outer diameters at ambient temperatures between 473 and 673 K have been investigated. Nano-additives were dispersed in concentration doses of 100 ppm and 200 ppm and outer diameters of 10–20 nm and 30–50 nm. Results showed that droplets underwent an initial heating period and a steady evaporation period without the occurrence of micro-explosions or puffing. In the steady evaporation period, the D2-law could be applied for all mixtures. Then droplets completely vaporised at the end of their lifetime. MWCNTs with smaller outer diameters (10–20 nm) exhibited a significantly greater enhancement of the evaporation constant across all temperatures, while larger outer diameters (30–50 mm) only provided improvement at higher ambient temperatures (> 600 K). A high degree of temperature dependence with the concentration of larger MWCNTs (30–50 nm) was observed with retardation of evaporation at lower ambient temperatures (< 523 K) and significant enhancement at higher ambient temperatures (> 600 K). The results suggested an internal aggregation mechanism of MWCNTs contributing to heat transfer to be responsible for this behaviour. Smaller MWCNTs (10–20 nm) with lower concentration (100 ppm) were found to provide the maximum enhancement of evaporation in the temperature domain of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node transfer has been known as a physiologic approach for -curing " lymphedema . The transplantation of methylene blue and carbon nanoparticles stained lymph nodes aims to investigate their impact on the survival of transplanted lymph nodes. Methods: Four weeks after transplantation, the survival condition of transplanted lymph nodes was detected by the reconnection with lymphatics, reconnected lympliatic function, HE staining, and distribution of B-cells and Tcells. Also, the number of lymphatics (LYVE-1) and blood vessels (CD31) of transplanted lymph nodes was investigated. Results: Reconnected lymphatic function, the number of transplanted lymph nodes of achieving lymphatic reconstruction, and the surviving and potentially surviving ones were close. Besides, the control group (n = 11, 6031: mean = 9.527 =E 1.017, LYVE-1: mean = 21.45 :2 1.780), the methylene blue group (n = 12, CD31: mean = 9.73 £ 0.8998, LYVE-1: mean = 20.67 & 1.601) and the carbon nanoparticles group (n = 11, CD31:mean = 8.709 2 1.435, LYVE-1: mean = 19.60 2 2.268). After calculation, both CD31 and LYVE-1 showed no significant difference statistically among the three groups. Conclusions: Our findings justify the use of methylene blue and carbon nanoparticles in reverse lymphatic mapping, as they can increase the efficiency of collecting "target lymph nodes" and minimize the iatrogenic injury in the donor area while having no significant adverse effects on the survival condition of transplanted lymph nodes. And this approach is easy to operate and worthy of clinical application and popularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Three types of carbon nanoparticles, namely layered graphene (GN), tubular carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and spherical carbon black (CB), were applied in the intumescent fire‐retardant coatings. The influence of carbon nanoparticle geometry on the fire‐resistant and anti‐aging properties of the intumescent coatings was investigated. The fire protection and smoke density tests show that both spherical CB and tubular CNTs can effectively improve the fire resistance and smoke suppression properties of the coatings, which is attributed to the fact that the addition of either CB or CNTs can promote the swelling process of coating and produce a positive effect on improving the compactness and thickness of char residues. Especially, the coating containing 0.1 wt% CB acquires the lowest flame spread rating (FSR) value of 6.5, smoke density rating (SDR) value of 17.6%, and equilibrium backside temperature of 169.2°C at 900 seconds, showing superior fire resistance and smoke suppression performance. However, the layered GN shows a negative effect on the fire resistance and smoke suppression properties of the coating, which is ascribed to the fact that GN platelets inhibit the intumescent process of coating, resulting in the decrease of barrier effect. The results of accelerated aging test show that the incorporation of either CNTs or CB can weaken the blistering and powdering phenomenon, thus imparting superior durability of integrity and fire resistance to the intumescent coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, crystalline cellulose biomass material was converted into carbon nanoparticles via carbonization to activated carbon with micropores of various sizes. This was subsequently subjected to aqueous counter collision (ACC) to produce hydrophobic porous functional particles. Initially, raw crystalline cellulose material was carbonized into activated carbon materials with various pore distributions prior to ACC. Pore distribution depended on the activation time, and was confirmed by nitrogen (N2) adsorption isotherms. The surface areas and pore volumes of carbon activated for 8 h were larger than those of carbon activated for 2 h. When they were subjected to ACC, the width and length of the carbon particles decreased as the number of pulverizing cycles during the ACC treatment increased. Eventually, carbon nanoparticles of 70 nm width that had improved dispersibility and stability were produced. The diameters of the carbon nanoparticles and their dispersibility were dependent on the pore distribution and surface areas of the activated carbon subjected to the ACC treatment. The ACC process facilitated the preparation of carbon nanoparticles from activated carbon derived from biomass, and is, therefore, an important strategy for the sustainable production of a sought-after and valuable resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the interactions between carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) and biological membranes is critically important for applications of CNPs in biomedicine and toxicology. Due to the complexity and diversity of the systems, most molecular simulation studies have focused on the interactions of CNPs and single component bilayers. In this work, we performed coarse-grained molecular dynamic (CGMD) simulations to investigate the behaviors of fullerenes in the presence of multiple lipid components in the plasma membranes with varying fullerene concentrations. Our results reveal that fullerenes can spontaneously penetrate the plasma membrane. Interestingly, fullerenes prefer to locate themselves in the region of the highly unsaturated lipids that are enriched in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. This causes fullerene aggregation even at low concentrations. When increasing fullerene concentrations, the fullerene clusters grow, and budding may emerge at the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Our findings suggest by tuning the lipid composition, fullerenes can be loaded deeply inside the plasma membrane, which can be useful for designing drug carrier liposomes. Moreover, the mechanisms of how fullerenes perturb multicomponent cell membranes and how they directly enter the cell are proposed. These insights can help to determine fullerene toxicity in living cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green enhanced oil recovery (GEOR) is an environmentally friendly enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process involving the injection of green fluids to improve macroscopic and microscopic sweep efficiencies while boosting tertiary oil production. Carbon nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanotube (CNT), and carbon dots have gained interest for their superior ability to increase oil recovery. These particles have been successfully tested in EOR, although they are expensive and do not extend to GEOR. In addition, the application of carbon particles in the GEOR method is not well understood yet, requiring thorough documentation. The goals of this work are to develop carbon nanoparticles from biomass and explore their role in GEOR. The carbon nanoparticles were prepared from date leaves, which are inexpensive biomass, through pyrolysis and ball-milling methods. The synthesized carbon nanomaterials were characterized using the standard process. Three formulations of functionalized and non-functionalized date-leaf carbon nanoparticle (DLCNP) solutions were chosen for core floods based on phase behavior and interfacial tension (IFT) properties to examine their potential for smart water and green chemical flooding. The carboxylated DLCNP was mixed with distilled water in the first formulation to be tested for smart water flood in the sandstone core. After water flooding, this formulation recovered 9% incremental oil of the oil initially in place. In contrast, non-functionalized DLCNP formulated with (the biodegradable) surfactant alkyl polyglycoside and NaCl produced 18% more tertiary oil than the CNT. This work thus provides new green chemical agents and formulations for EOR applications so that oil can be produced more economically and sustainably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new approach to analyze a structure and to reconstruct of a rough surface with inhomogeneities from the trough to the upper point of about 20 nm is suggested. For such a diagnostic, carbon nanoparticles with both a luminescence in the yellow-green region of the spectrum and a dipole moment, for controlling the distribution of nanoparticles over the surface in the external electric field, are used. As a probe for nanoparticle diagnostics, it is suggested to apply structured light with a significant longitudinal field component, which largely withdraws the limitations imposed by the lateral resolution of the optical system. The recorded luminescence of carbon nanoparticles, that oriented parallel to the longitudinal field component, enabled not only to reproduce the location of maxima and minima of the surface with an accuracy of 6.9%, but also to reconstruct the landscape of the studied surface itself at an error of 7.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanoparticles have demonstrated their potential to develop materials with advanced applications in which their luminescence and biocompatibility are exploited. In the search for sustainable methods to produce these nanoparticles, natural carbon sources such as plant- and animal-based products and by-products have been used. However, the existing procedures are still performed with high temperature, high pressure, and long reaction times. This report proposes a method to synthesize carbon nanoparticles using a tomato extract as the carbon source, followed by precipitation and calcination at a maximum of 60 °C under atmospheric pressure. This calcination temperature is the lowest reported and contributes to establishing a greener synthesis route. The detected fluorescence of these particles covers the entire region of the visible spectrum. The emission intensity is sensitive to zinc cations, demonstrating that this green method produces useful particles in detecting heavy metals similar to those reported by traditional methods. Furthermore, the aqueous solutions of these particles are photothermic when they are irradiated with red light, also showing their usefulness in biomedical developments. Therefore, this green synthesis at a very low temperature contributes to improving the green methods and boosts the sustainable development of advanced functional materials.

In the present study, we synthesized carbon nanoparticles with a different method using chitosan, a natural polymer. As a result, carbon nanomaterials were diffused directly through the intestinal membrane, and carbon nanoparticles were obtained. Surface and chemical characterizations of the obtained carbon nanoparticles were determined by different techniques such as FTIR, DLS, SEM, EDX, and UV-visible. Moreover, the cytotoxic effects of the carbon nanoparticles on Saos-2, MCF-7 cancer cells, and HUVEC non-cancerous cells were evaluated with the MTT test. Although the size of these carbon nanoparticles is not as small as carbon nanodots, these nanoparticles were very effective on cancer cells. Interestingly, our results showed that drug-free carbon nanoparticles were remarkably cytotoxic on MCF-7 and Saos-2 cancer cells. In addition, 5FU loaded carbon nanoparticles (IC50: 12 µg/mL) were 3.5 times more effective than 5FU alone (IC50: 43 µg/mL) on MCF-7 cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although wide variety of molecular precursors have been used for carbonization-based synthesis of fluorescent carbon nanoparticle, biomolecule-derived carbon nanoparticle with tunable fluorescence is difficult to synthesize. Here, we report a generalized approach for the preparation of fluorescent carbon nanoparticle from various biomolecules, such as lactose, ascorbic acid, tyrosine and sucrose. The method involves controlled carbonization of molecular precursor in ethylene glycol at 190°C in the presence of Na3PO4. The presented synthetic method can produce 20–30 mg of nanoparticles in one batch with fluorescence quantum yield in the range of 1–10% and nanoparticles can be conjugated with primary amine-terminated chemical/biochemical by simple incubation. These fluorescent carbon nanoparticles can be transformed into different nanobioconjugates for various biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesives; are joining elements used for production, assembly and repair. Adhesives of different types and properties are widely used today and it is aimed to improve their mechanical properties by adding nanoparticles into the adhesives. In this study, two different epoxy adhesives, which are used in the bonding of metal surfaces in individual and industrial applications, are incorporated in two different epoxy adhesives in the range of 0.5% to 5% by weight, and changes in the adhesive strength of adhesives on different roughened surfaces are examined. While there was an increase in adhesion strength up to 2% to 3.5% according to surface condition, nanoparticle diameter and adhesive type, negative effects of nanoparticles w ere observed after these ratios and decreases in adhesion strength were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) capped carbon nanoparticles (CNPs-PEI), gained by hydrothermal treatment of citric acid and PEI, were transformed into the polyelectrolyte capped CNPs (CNPs-PEI-NTf2) by HCl protonation process and anion exchange process between Cl− and bistrifluoromethanesulfonimide (NTf2−). The CNPs-PEI-NTf2 exhibited superb comparability with polyethylene glycol (PEG200). Their tribological behaviors as the lubricant additives of PEG200 were evaluated under the four-ball mode and steel/steel contact. Amazingly, adding particularly low amount (0.05 wt%) of CNPs-PEI-NTf2 made the friction coefficient and wear volume of PEG200 reduce by 66.1% and 86.6%, respectively. The surface analysis results of wear scars demonstrated that the CNPs-PEI-NTf2 as additives not only directly participated in the formation of mixed boundary lubrication films through the synergistic lubrication effect between the PEI-NTf2 groups and CNPs of CNPs-PEI-NTf2, but also should play the rolling, mending and polishing effects on the rubbing surfaces, and hence exhibited the outstanding friction-reducing and anti-wear functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]