Electrostatic Self-Assembly Enabling Integrated Bulk and Interfacial Sodium Storage in 3D Titania-Graphene Hybrid.

Room-temperature sodium-ion batteries have attracted increased attention for energy storage due to the natural abundance of sodium. However, it remains a huge challenge to develop versatile electrode materials with favorable properties, which requires smart structure design and good mechanistic understanding. Herein, we reported a general and scalable approach to synthesize three-dimensional (3D) titania-graphene hybrid via electrostatic-interaction-induced self-assembly.

Parasitic Reactions in Nanosized Silicon Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

When designing nano-Si electrodes for lithium-ion batteries, the detrimental effect of the c-LiSi phase formed upon full lithiation is often a concern. In this study, Si nanoparticles with controlled particle sizes and morphology were synthesized, and parasitic reactions of the metastable c-LiSi phase with the nonaqueous electrolyte was investigated. The use of smaller Si nanoparticles (∼60 nm) and the addition of fluoroethylene carbonate additive played decisive roles in the parasitic reactions such that the c-LiSi phase could disappear at the end of lithiation.

Enhanced in vitro and in vivo cellular imaging with green tea coated water-soluble iron oxide nanocrystals.

Fully green and facile redox chemistry involving reduction of colloidal iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)3) through green tea (GT) polyphenols produced water-soluble Fe3O4 nanocrystals coated with GT extracts namely epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin (EC). Electron donating polyphenols stoichiometrically reduced Fe(3+) ions into Fe(2+) ions resulting in the formation of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and corresponding oxidized products (semiquinones and quinones) that simultaneously served as efficient surface chelators for the Fe3O4 nanoparticles making them dispersible and stable in water, PBS, and cell culture medium for extended time periods. As-formed iron oxide nanoparticles (2.

In vitro mechanistic study towards a better understanding of ZnO nanoparticle toxicity.

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) elicit significant adverse effects in various cell types, organisms and in the environment. The toxicity of nanoscale ZnO has often been ascribed to the release of zinc ions from the NPs but it is not yet understood to which extent these ions contribute to ZnO NP toxicity and what are the underlying mechanisms. Here, we take one step forward by demonstrating that ZnO-induced Jurkat cell death is largely an ionic effect involving the extracellular release of high amounts of Zn(II), their rapid uptake by the cells and the induction of a caspase-independent alternative apoptosis pathway that is independent of the formation of ROS.

Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 protects against toxicity induced by silica nanoparticles but not by zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1) is an antioxidant enzyme located predominantly in the mitochondrial outer membrane and endoplasmic reticulum and has been shown to protect cells from lipid peroxidation induced by a variety of cytostatic drugs and pro-oxidant stimuli. We hypothesized that MGST1 may also protect against nanomaterial-induced cytotoxicity through a specific effect on lipid peroxidation. We evaluated the induction of cytotoxicity and oxidative stress by TiO(2), CeO(2), SiO(2), and ZnO in the human MCF-7 cell line with or without overexpression of MGST1.

Mapping the surface adsorption forces of nanomaterials in biological systems.

The biological surface adsorption index (BSAI) is a novel approach to characterize surface adsorption energy of nanomaterials that is the primary force behind nanoparticle aggregation, protein corona formation, and other complex interactions of nanomaterials within biological systems. Five quantitative nanodescriptors were obtained to represent the surface adsorption forces (hydrophobicity, hydrogen bond, polarity/polarizability, and lone-pair electrons) of the nanomaterial interaction with biological components. We have mapped the surface adsorption forces over 16 different nanomaterials.

Water-soluble superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles with biocompatible coating for enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Ultrasmall superparamagnetic Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (USIRONs) were synthesized by a novel, easily scalable chemical reduction of colloidal iron hydroxide under hydrothermal conditions. The average crystallite size (5.1 ± 0.

Microwave assisted fast and facile synthesis of SnO(2) quantum dots and their printing applications.

An efficient synthesis of highly crystalline SnO(2) QDs with a narrow size distribution (4.27 +/- 0.67 nm) was achieved by microwave-assisted decomposition of Sn(OtBu)(4) in ionic liquid.