WO-Based Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition as Gas Sensors for NO Detection.

Thin films based on tungsten oxide (WO) were grown by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition on alumina printed-circuit boards to fabricate electrochemical sensors for nitrogen dioxide (NO) detection. Samples exposed to thermal annealing (400 °C for 3 h) were also produced to compare the main properties and the sensor performance. Before gas testing, the morphology and structural properties were investigated.

Exploring the superior adsorption capacity of multi-layer graphene/alginate granules for the removal of methylene blue dye from water.

Graphene-based materials are gaining increasing attention towards their use in manufacturing and environmental applications. In this context, multi-layer graphene (MG) has been recently applied for the adsorption of contaminants from water resulting in promising results. However, the extreme lightness of this material often makes it difficult to handle due to its potential dispersion in the surrounding environment as well as to its transport and loss with the effluent.

A comprehensive characterization of Hermetia illucens derived chitosan produced through homogeneous deacetylation.

The increasing demand for chitin and chitosan is driving research to explore alternative sources to crustaceans. Insects, particularly bioconverters as Hermetia illucens, are promising substitutes as they process food industry waste into valuable molecules, including chitin. Chitosan can be produced by chitin deacetylation: hot deacetylation to obtain a heterogeneous chitosan, the commonly produced, and cold deacetylation to obtain a homogeneous chitosan, not widely available.

Antimicrobial Cu-Doped TiO Coatings on the β Ti-30Nb-5Mo Alloy by Micro-Arc Oxidation.

Among the different surface modification techniques, micro-arc oxidation (MAO) is explored for its ability to enhance the surface properties of Ti alloys by creating a controlled and durable oxide layer. The incorporation of Cu ions during the MAO process introduces additional functionalities to the surface, offering improved corrosion resistance and antimicrobial activity. In this study, the β-metastable Ti-30Nb-5Mo alloy was oxidated through the MAO method to create a Cu-doped TiO coating.

Preliminary investigation on the effect of insect-based chitosan on preservation of coated fresh cherry tomatoes.

Chitosan was produced from Hermetia illucens pupal exuviae by heterogeneous and homogeneous deacetylation. Tomato fruits (Solanum lycopersicum), that are one of the most grown and consumed food throughout the world, were coated with 0.5 and 1% chitosan, applied by dipping or spraying, and stored at room temperature or 4 °C, for a storage period of 30 days.

Cellulose Nanocrystals as Additives in Electrospun Biocompatible Separators for Aprotic Lithium-Ion Batteries.

This work concerns the study of electrospun scaffolds as separators for aprotic lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) composed of the amorphous poly-d,l-lactide (PDLLA), in solution concentrations of 8, 10, and 12 wt % and in different ratios with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). PDLLA has been studied for the first time as a separator, taking into account its amorphous character that could facilitate electrolyte incorporation into the polymer matrix and influence ionic conductivity, together with CNCs, for reducing the hydrophobicity of the scaffolds. The embedding of the nanocrystals in the scaffolds was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Pd-Based Hybrid Nanoparticles As Multimodal Theranostic Nanomedicine.

A nanodelivery system based on palladium nanoparticles (PdNP) and cisplatin (CisPt) was developed by physisorption of the drug onto the PdNP synthesized via a green redox process, using d-glucose and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as reducing and stabilizing/capping agents, respectively. UV-vis analysis and H-evolution measurements were carried out to prove the nanoparticles' capability to act as bimodal theranostic nanomedicine, i.e.

Antimicrobial properties of chitosan from different developmental stages of the bioconverter insect Hermetia illucens.

Growing antimicrobial resistance has prompted researchers to identify new natural molecules with antimicrobial potential. In this perspective, attention has been focused on biopolymers that could also be functional in the medical field. Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer on Earth and with its deacetylated derivative, chitosan, has several applications in biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

Characterization of chitin and chitosan derived from Hermetia illucens, a further step in a circular economy process.

Due to their properties and applications, the growing demand for chitin and chitosan has stimulated the market to find more sustainable alternatives to the current commercial source (crustaceans). Bioconverter insects, such as Hermetia illucens, are the appropriate candidates, as chitin is a side stream of insect farms for feed applications. This is the first report on production and characterization of chitin and chitosan from different biomasses derived from H.

LIPSS Applied to Wide Bandgap Semiconductors and Dielectrics: Assessment and Future Perspectives.

With the aim of presenting the processes governing the Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS), its main theoretical models have been reported. More emphasis is given to those suitable for clarifying the experimental structures observed on the surface of wide bandgap semiconductors (WBS) and dielectric materials. The role played by radiation surface electromagnetic waves as well as Surface Plasmon Polaritons in determining both Low and High Spatial Frequency LIPSS is briefly discussed, together with some experimental evidence.

Laser Irradiation of a Bio-Waste Derived Carbon Unlocks Performance Enhancement in Secondary Lithium Batteries.

Pyrolyzed carbons from bio-waste sources are renewable nanomaterials for sustainable negative electrodes in Li- and Na-ion batteries. Here, carbon derived from a hazelnut shell has been obtained by hydrothermal processing of the bio-waste followed by thermal treatments and laser irradiation in liquid. A non-focused nanosecond pulsed laser source has been used to irradiate pyrolyzed carbon particles suspended in acetonitrile to modify the surface and morphology.

Manganese-containing Bioactive Glass Enhances Osteogenic Activity of TiO Nanotube Arrays.

Titanium and its alloys are the most used biomaterials for orthopedic and dental applications. However, up to 10% of these medical devices still fail, mostly due to implant loosening and suboptimal integration at the implant site. The biomaterial surface plays a critical role in promoting osseointegration, which can reduce the risk of device failure.

Removal of diclofenac from aqueous solutions by adsorption on thermo-plasma expanded graphite.

The adsorption of diclofenac on thermo-plasma expanded graphite (a commercial product) from water solutions was investigated. The adsorbent material was characterized by SEM, TEM, BET, Raman and X-ray diffraction analyses. Typical diffractogram and Raman spectrum of graphitic material, dimension of 24.

Pulsed laser deposition temperature effects on strontium-substituted hydroxyapatite thin films for biomedical implants.

Substituting small molecule drugs with abundant and easily affordable ions may have positive effects on the way countless disease treatments are approached. The interest in strontium cation in bone therapies soared in the wake of the success of strontium ranelate in the treatment of osteoporosis. A new method for producing thin strontium-containing hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA, CaSr(PO)(OH)) films as coatings that render bioinert titanium implant bioactive is reported here.

Electrospun poly(d,l-lactide)/gelatin/glass-ceramics tricomponent nanofibrous scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

Electrospun scaffolds are emerging as extracellular matrix (ECM)mimicking structures for tissue engineering thanks to their nanofibrous architecture. For the development of suitable electrospun scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, the addition of inorganic components has been implemented with the aim to confer important bioactivity like osteoinduction, osteointegration, and cell adhesion to the scaffolds. In this context, we propose a tricomponent electrospun scaffold composed of poly(d,l-lactide), gelatin and RKKP glass-ceramics.

Transition Metal Carbide Core/Shell Nanoparticles by Ultra-Short Laser Ablation in Liquid.

Transition metal carbide nanoparticles are a class of technological interesting materials with a wide range of applications. Among metal carbides, tantalum carbides have good compatibility with the biological environment while molybdenum carbides are used as catalyst in electrochemical reactions. Laser ablation of bulk transition metal targets in some liquids is here reported and laser ablation in organic solvents is used as simple synthetic strategy for the production of carbide nanostructures.

Cu-Releasing Bioactive Glass Coatings and Their in Vitro Properties.

Bioactive glasses are well-known materials suitable for bone-related applications thanks to their biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. In order to improve their in vivo performance, the modification of the glass composition by adding ions with specific biological functions is required. As copper (Cu) possesses antibacterial properties, in this study, 5 wt % of CuO has been added to the 45S5 bioactive glass composition.

Silica Xerogel Obtained by Ultrashort Laser Irradiation of Tetraethyl Orthosilicate.

The formation of an opaque solid foam was induced by the direct interaction between tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and an ultrashort femtosecond laser source(Nd:glass, 527 nm, 10 Hz, 250 fs). The product, which resulted to be a silica xerogel, was characterized by different techniques. In particular, information about the morphology was obtained by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), while the presence of different functional groups was studied through IR measurements.

Placenta Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Hosted on RKKP Glass-Ceramic: A Tissue Engineering Strategy for Bone Regenerative Medicine Applications.

In tissue engineering protocols, the survival of transplanted stem cells is a limiting factor that could be overcome using a cell delivery matrix able to support cell proliferation and differentiation. With this aim, we studied the cell-friendly and biocompatible behavior of RKKP glass-ceramic coated Titanium (Ti) surface seeded with human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cells (hAMSCs) from placenta. The sol-gel synthesis procedure was used to prepare the RKKP glass-ceramic material, which was then deposited onto the Ti surface by Pulsed Laser Deposition method.

Formation of Titanium Carbide (TiC) and TiC@C core-shell nanostructures by ultra-short laser ablation of titanium carbide and metallic titanium in liquid.

Laser ablation of bulk target in liquid allows to obtain stable nanoparticles and nanostructures, also in metastable phases, limiting the use of hazardous reagents and extreme reaction conditions. Titanium carbide (TiC) is a ceramic compound with several technological applications ranging from biocompatible materials to wear resistant coatings. The possibility to obtain core/shell structures expands its range of application due to the ability of modify the surface properties of the core ceramic material.

Interdisciplinary approach to cell-biomaterial interactions: biocompatibility and cell friendly characteristics of RKKP glass-ceramic coatings on titanium.

In this work, titanium (Ti) supports have been coated with glass-ceramic films for possible applications as biomedical implant materials in regenerative medicine. For the film preparation, a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique has been applied. The RKKP glass-ceramic material, used for coating deposition, was a sol-gel derived target of the following composition: Ca-19.

Comparative profiling of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains reveals differential expression of novel unique and conserved small RNAs.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a highly adaptable bacterium that thrives in a broad range of ecological niches and can infect multiple hosts as diverse as plants, nematodes and mammals. In humans, it is an important opportunistic pathogen. This wide adaptability correlates with its broad genetic diversity.

Superhard tungsten tetraboride films prepared by pulsed laser deposition method.

Attempts to synthesize and/or theoretically predict new superhard materials are the subject of an intense research activity. The trials to deposit them in the form of films have just began. WB(2) (77 wt % WB(2) and 23 wt % WB(4)) and WB(4) (65 wt % WB(4) and 35 wt % WB(2)) polycrystalline bulk samples were obtained in this work via electron beam synthesis technique and, subsequently, used as targets for films preparation by the pulsed laser deposition method.

Nanoparticles and thin film formation in ultrashort pulsed laser deposition of vanadium oxide.

The ultrashort pulsed laser deposition of vanadium oxide thin films has been carried out by a frequency-doubled Nd:glass laser with a pulse duration of 250 fs. The characteristics of the plasma produced by the laser-target interaction have been studied by ICCD imaging and optical emission spectroscopy. The results confirm that an emitting plasma produced by ultrashort laser pulses is formed by both a primary and a secondary component.