Pulmonary Toxicity of Boron Nitride Nanomaterials Is Aspect Ratio Dependent.

Boron nitride (BN) nanomaterials have drawn a lot of interest in the material science community. However, extensive research is still needed to thoroughly analyze their safety profiles. Herein, we investigated the pulmonary impact and clearance of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (-BN) nanosheets and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) in mice.

Carbon Nanotubes for Confinement-Induced Energetic Nanomaterials.

Oxidized carbon nanotubes obtained by catalytic chemical vapor deposition were filled with an aqueous solution of nano-energetic materials using a very simple impregnation method. The work compares different energetic materials but focuses especially on an inorganic compound belonging to the Werner complexes, [Co(NH)][NO]. Our results show a large increase in released energy upon heating, which we demonstrate to be related to the confinement of the nano-energetic material either directly by filling of the inner channel of carbon nanotubes or to insertion in the triangular channels between adjacent nanotubes when they form bundles.

Tuning the Reduction of Graphene Oxide Nanoflakes Differently Affects Neuronal Networks in the Zebrafish.

The increasing engineering of biomedical devices and the design of drug-delivery platforms enriched by graphene-based components demand careful investigations of the impact of graphene-related materials (GRMs) on the nervous system. In addition, the enhanced diffusion of GRM-based products and technologies that might favor the dispersion in the environment of GRMs nanoparticles urgently requires the potential neurotoxicity of these compounds to be addressed. One of the challenges in providing definite evidence supporting the harmful or safe use of GRMs is addressing the variety of this family of materials, with GRMs differing for size and chemistry.

Ecotoxicological assessment of commercial boron nitride nanotubes toward tadpoles and host-associated gut microbiota.

Despite the growing interest for boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) due to their unique properties, data on the evaluation of the environmental risk potential of this emerging engineered nanomaterial are currently lacking. Therefore, the ecotoxicity of a commercial form of BNNT (containing tubes, hexagonal-boron nitride, and boron) was assessed toward larvae of the amphibian . Following the exposure, multiple endpoints were measured in the tadpoles as well as in bacterial communities associated to the host gut.

Synthesis of superparamagnetic iron(III) oxide nanowires in double-walled carbon nanotubes.

The synthesis and characterization of superparamagnetic iron(iii) oxide nanowires confined within double-walled carbon nanotubes by capillary filling with a melted precursor (iron iodide) followed by thermal treatment is reported for the first time.