Laser Synthesis and Photocatalytic Properties of Bismuth Oxyhalides Nanoparticles.

Photocatalysis offers a powerful approach for water purification from toxic organics, hydrogen production, biosolids processing, and the conversion of CO into useful products. Further advancements in photocatalytic technologies depend on the development of novel, highly efficient catalysts and optimized synthesis methods. This study aimed to develop a laser synthesis technique for bismuth oxyhalide nanoparticles (NPs) as efficient and multifunctional photocatalysts.

Aptamer's Structure Optimization for Better Diagnosis and Treatment of Glial Tumors.

Oncological diseases are a major focus in medicine, with millions diagnosed each year, leading researchers to seek new diagnostic and treatment methods. One promising avenue is the development of targeted therapies and rapid diagnostic tests using recognition molecules. The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly exploring nucleic acid-based therapeutics.

Nonstoichiometry as a hidden aspect of TbAl(BO) optical properties.

TbAl(BO) should not be considered as a strictly stoichiometric compound. A variety of TbAl(BO) ( = -0.1-0.

Visualization of Brain Tumors with Infrared-Labeled Aptamers for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery.

Gliomas remain challenging brain tumors to treat due to their infiltrative nature. Accurately identifying tumor boundaries during surgery is crucial for successful resection. This study introduces an innovative intraoperative visualization method utilizing surgical fluorescence microscopy to precisely locate tumor cell dissemination.

Synthesis of silicon carbide in a matrix of graphite-like carbon prepared via carbonization of rigid-rod polyimide Langmuir-Blodgett films on silicon substrate.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a wide-band gap semiconductor that exceeds other semiconducting materials (except diamond) in electrical, mechanical, chemical, and radiation stability. In this paper, we report a novel approach to fabrication of SiC nano films on a Si substrate, which is based on the endotaxial growth of a SiC crystalline phase in a graphite-like carbon (GLC) matrix. GLC films were formed by carbonization of rigid rod polyimide (PI) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films on a Si substrate at 1000 °C in vacuum.

Systematic rare Earth doping to adopt an 32 type huntite structure in NdSc(BO) crystals.

This study is focused on determining the type and quantity of REE impurities responsible for converting the structure of NdSc(BO) into an 32 polymorph. According to the single crystal X-ray diffraction of RNdSc(BO) (R = Sm-Lu, + + = 4) the samples probably contain several polymorphic modifications. However, the predominant structure has been defined as 32 for R = Eu, Er, Tm, and Yb and 321 for R = Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, and Ho.

Plasmonic Nanocomposites of ZnO-Ag Produced by Laser Ablation and Their Photocatalytic Destruction of Rhodamine, Tetracycline and Phenol.

Hydrosphere pollution by organic pollutants of different nature (persistent dyes, phenols, herbicides, antibiotics, etc.) is one of the urgent ecological problems facing humankind these days. The task of water purification from such pollutants can be effectively solved with the help of modern photocatalytic technologies.

Unraveling the Structural and Compositional Peculiarities in CTAB-Templated CeO-ZrO-MnO Catalysts for Soot and CO Oxidation.

Structure-performance relationships in functional catalysts allow for controlling their performance in a wide range of reaction conditions. Here, the structural and compositional peculiarities in CTAB-templated CeO-ZrO-MnO catalysts prepared by co-precipitation of precursors and their catalytic behavior in CO oxidation and soot combustion are discussed. A complex of physical-chemical methods (low-temperature N sorption, XRD, TPR-H, Raman, HR TEM, XPS) is used to elucidate the features of the formation of interphase boundaries, joint phases, and defects in multicomponent oxide systems.

Ni-Based SBA-15 Catalysts Modified with CeMnO for CO Valorization via Dry Reforming of Methane: Effect of Composition on Modulating Activity and H/CO Ratio.

Dry reforming of methane with ratio CH/CO = 1 is studied using supported Ni catalysts on SBA-15 modified by CeMnO mixed oxides with different Ce/Mn ratios (0.25, 1 and 9). The obtained samples are characterized by wide-angle XRD, SAXS, N sorption, TPR-H, TEM, UV-vis and Raman spectroscopies.

Magnetic Nanoscalpel for the Effective Treatment of Ascites Tumors.

One of the promising novel methods for radical tumor resection at a single-cell level is magneto-mechanical microsurgery (MMM) with magnetic nano- or microdisks modified with cancer-recognizing molecules. A low-frequency alternating magnetic field (AMF) remotely drives and controls the procedure. Here, we present characterization and application of magnetic nanodisks (MNDs) as a surgical instrument ("smart nanoscalpel") at a single-cell level.

Development of DNA aptamers for visualization of glial brain tumors and detection of circulating tumor cells.

Here, we present DNA aptamers capable of specific binding to glial tumor cells , , and for visualization diagnostics of central nervous system tumors. We selected the aptamers binding specifically to the postoperative human glial primary tumors and not to the healthy brain cells and meningioma, using a modified process of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment to cells; sequenced and analyzed ssDNA pools using bioinformatic tools and identified the best aptamers by their binding abilities; determined three-dimensional structures of lead aptamers (Gli-55 and Gli-233) with small-angle X-ray scattering and molecular modeling; isolated and identified molecular target proteins of the aptamers by mass spectrometry; the potential binding sites of Gli-233 to the target protein and the role of post-translational modifications were verified by molecular dynamics simulations. The anti-glioma aptamers Gli-233 and Gli-55 were used to detect circulating tumor cells in liquid biopsies.

Unraveling the low-temperature activity of Rh-CeO catalysts in CO oxidation: probing the local structure and Red-Ox transformation of Rh species.

The local structure of the active sites is one of the key aspects of establishing the nature of the catalytic activity of the systems. In this work, a detailed structural investigation of the Rh-CeO catalysts prepared by the co-precipitation method was carried out. The application of a variety of physicochemical methods such as XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TEM, TPR-H, and XAS revealed the presence of highly dispersed Rh species in the catalysts: Rh single ions and RhO clusters.

Laser-Based Synthesis of TiO-Pt Photocatalysts for Hydrogen Generation.

The development of visible-light active titanium dioxide is one of the key challenges in photocatalysis that stimulates the development of TiO-based composite materials and methods for their synthesis. Here, we report the use of pristine and Pt-modified dark titanium dioxide prepared via pulsed laser ablation in liquid (Nd:YAG laser, 1064 nm, 7 ns) for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from alcohol aqueous solutions. The structure, textural, optical, photoelectrochemical, and electrochemical properties of the materials are studied by a complex of methods including X-ray diffraction, low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, electrophoretic light scattering, diffuse reflection spectroscopy, photoelectrochemical testing, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Domain Structure, Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polycaprolactone-Based Multiblock Polyurethane-Ureas under Control of Hard and Soft Segment Lengths.

A series of multiblock polyurethane-ureas (PUU) based on polycaprolactone diol (PCL) with a molecular mass of 530 or 2000 g/mol, as well as hard segments of different lengths and structures, were synthesized by the step-growth polymerization method. The chemical structure of the synthesized multiblock copolymers was confirmed by IR- and NMR-spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) were used to determine the relaxation and phase transition temperatures for the entire series of the obtained PUU.

Development and Processing of New Composite Materials Based on High-Performance Semicrystalline Polyimide for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Their Biocompatibility.

Samples of composite materials based on high-performance semicrystalline polyimide R-BAPB (based on the dianhydride R: 1,3-bis-(3',4,-dicarboxyphenoxy)benzene and diamine BAPB: 4,4'-bis-(4″-aminophenoxy)diphenyl)) filled with carbon nanofibers and micron-sized discrete carbon fibers were obtained by FFF printing for the first time. The viscosity of melts of the composites based on R-BAPB, thermal, mechanical characteristics of the obtained composite samples, their internal structure, and biocompatibility were studied. Simultaneously with FFF printing, samples were obtained by injection molding.

Rheological and Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Crystallizable Polyimide-Based Nanocomposites Filled with Carbon Nanotubes: Computer Simulations and Experiments.

Recently, a strong structural ordering of thermoplastic semi-crystalline polyimides near single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was found that can enhance their mechanical properties. In this study, a comparative analysis of the results of microsecond-scale all-atom computer simulations and experimental measurements of thermoplastic semi-crystalline polyimide R-BAPB synthesized on the basis of dianhydride R (1,3-bis-(3',4-dicarboxyphenoxy) benzene) and diamine BAPB (4,4'-bis-(4″-aminophenoxy) biphenyl) near the SWCNTs on the rheological properties of nanocomposites was performed. We observe the viscosity increase in the SWCNT-filled R-BAPB in the melt state both in computer simulations and experiments.

Electrochemical Study of Semiconductor Properties for Bismuth Silicate-Based Photocatalysts Obtained via Hydro-/Solvothermal Approach.

Three bismuth silicate-based photocatalysts (composites of BiSiO and BiSiO) prepared via the hydro-/solvothermal approach were studied using electrochemical methods. The characteristic parameters of semiconductors, such as flat band potential, donor density, and mobility of their charge carriers, were obtained and compared with the materials' photocatalytic activity. An attempt was made to study the effect of solution components on the semiconductor/liquid interface (SLI).

Synthesis and Growth of Rare Earth Borates NaSrR(BO) (R = Ho-Lu, Y, Sc).

NaSrR(BO) (R = Ho-Lu, Y, Sc) compounds were obtained for the first time. Their structures exhibit disordered positions of Sr and Na atoms while RO polyhedra are connected through the BO groups. Large distances between R atoms and high transparency in the range of 250-900 nm make them promising for phosphor applications.

Structure- and Interaction-Based Design of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Aptamers.

Aptamer selection against novel infections is a complicated and time-consuming approach. Synergy can be achieved by using computational methods together with experimental procedures. This study aims to develop a reliable methodology for a rational aptamer in silico et vitro design.

Antibacterial Ferroelectric Hybrid Membranes Fabricated via Electrospinning for Wound Healing.

In the present study, wound healing ferroelectric membranes doped with zinc oxide nanoparticles were fabricated from vinylidene fluoride-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer and polyvinylpyrrolidone using the electrospinning technique. Five different ratios of vinylidene fluoride-tetrafluoroethylene to polyvinylpyrrolidone were used to control the properties of the membranes at a constant zinc oxide nanoparticle content. It was found that an increase of polyvinylpyrrolidone content leads to a decrease of the spinning solution conductivity and viscosity, causing a decrease of the average fiber diameter and reducing their strength and elongation.

Investigation of Polyetherimide Melt-Extruded Fibers Modified by Carbon Nanoparticles.

The fibers based on thermoplastic partially crystalline polyetherimide R-BAPB modified by vapor grown carbon nanofibers (VGCF) were prepared by melt extrusion, exposed to orientational drawing, and crystallized. All of the samples were examined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray scattering, and differential scanning calorimetry to study how the carbon nanofiller influences on the internal structure and crystallization behavior of the obtained R-BAPB fibers. The mechanical properties of the composite R-BAPB fibers were also determined.

Development of Electrochemical Aptasensor for Lung Cancer Diagnostics in Human Blood.

We describe the preparation and characterization of an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor to lung cancer tumor markers in human blood. The highly reproducible aptamer sensing layer with a high density (up to 70% coverage) on the gold electrode was made. Electrochemical methods and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to study the stability of the aptamer layer structure and binding ability.

Study of an EuBO-ScBO system and EuSc(BO), EuSc(BO) orthoborates.

The EuBO-ScBO system was investigated by solid state synthesis and DSC methods. In this system, a new EuSc(BO) compound was found. It crystallizes in the 3̄ space group with unit cell parameters of = 4.

Structure and Properties of Biodegradable PLLA/ZnO Composite Membrane Produced via Electrospinning.

These days, composite materials based on polymers and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are widely used in optoelectronics and biomedicine. In this work, composite membranes of polylactic acid and ZnO NPs containing 5-40 wt.% of the latter NPs were produced by means of electrospinning.

Highly Defective Dark Nano Titanium Dioxide: Preparation via Pulsed Laser Ablation and Application.

The development of methods to synthesize and study the properties of dark titania is of the utmost interest due to prospects for its use, primarily in photocatalysis when excited by visible light. In this work, the dark titania powder was prepared by pulsed laser ablation (Nd:YAG laser, 1064 nm, 7 ns) in water and dried in air. To study the changes occurring in the material, the thermal treatment was applied.