A pH-responsive dual-emission composite for fast detection of BAs and visual monitoring seafood freshness with large luminescence color difference.

Sensing biogenic amine (BAs) content is very important for assessing food freshness. To address the limitations such as small color difference values (ΔE) and complex preparation of probes for visualizing the freshness of seafood, a pH-responsive ratiometric fluorescent probe (EnEB) was prepared by Eu(NO), trimeric acid (BTC), and hydrochloric acid norepinephrine (Enr). EnEB emitted blue (446 nm) and red fluorescence (616 nm) originating from Enr and Eu, respectively, and exhibiting a fluorescence wavelength difference up to 170 nm.

New features of edge-selectively hydroxylated graphene nanosheets as NIR-II photothermal agent and sonothermal agent for tumor therapy.

Second near-infrared (NIR-II) laser-mediated photothermal therapy and sonothermal therapy using low-intensity focused ultrasound exposure for tumors have attracted increasing attention owing to their ability to penetrate deep tissues and provide noninvasive ablation with high therapeutic efficacy. However, their applications were limited by the shortness of optimal NIR-II photothermal agents and sonothermal agents. In this study, we discovered that the edge-selectively hydroxylated graphene nanosheets (EHG NSs) with excellent water dispersibility and an "intact conjugated plane" were not only an outstanding NIR-II photothermal agent but also an effective sonothermal agent for tumor therapy.

Multifunctional photonic microobjects with asymmetric response in radial direction and their anticounterfeiting performance.

There are few explorations that have integrated multiple properties into photonic microobjects in a facile and controlled manner. In this work, we present a straightforward method to integrate different functions into individual photonic microobject. Droplet-based microfluidics was used to produce uniform droplets of an aqueous dispersion of monodispersed SiO nanoparticles (NPs).

Droplet Microfluidics-Assisted Fabrication of Shape Controllable Iron-Alginate Microgels with Fluorescent Property.

Droplet-based microfluidics-assisted fabrication of alginate microgels has extensive applications in biomaterials, biomedicines, and related fields. This approach is typically achieved by crosslinking droplets of an aqueous solution of sodium alginate with various divalent and trivalent ions, such as Ca, Ba, Sr, etc. Despite the exceptional features exhibited by bulk alginate hydrogels when using iron ions as the crosslinking reagent, including stimulus responsiveness and complex chemistry, no attention has been given to studying the fabrication of Fe-alginate microgels through droplet microfluidics.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria loaded in hydrogel as a long-lasting HS factory for tumor therapy.

The continuous supply of hydrogen sulfide (HS) gas at high concentrations to tumors is considered a promising and safe strategy for tumor therapy. However, the absence of a durable and cost-effective HS-producing donor hampers its extensive application. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) can serve as an excellent HS factory due to their ability to metabolize sulfate into HS.

Cascade Reaction of "Mn -Catechol" Triggered by H O to Integrate Firm Tumor Vessel Embolization and Hypoxic Response Relief.

Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) therapy requires firm and long-term vessel embolization without recanalization. However, firm embolization usually leads to unanticipated hypoxic response which promotes tumor recurrence and metastasis. Herein, an injectable thermosensitive hydrogel containing catechol groups and Mn (PNDM) has been developed to enhance embolization and inhibit hypoxic response utilizing augmented H O after TAE.

Injectable Thermosensitive Iodine-Loaded Starch-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel for Cancer Photothermal Therapy and Anti-Infection.

Although photothermal therapy (PTT) can effectively eliminate tumors, the normal tissues near tumors are inevitably damaged by heat and infected by bacteria, which greatly limits the therapeutic effect. In this work, an injectable thermosensitive hydrogel based on iodine-loaded starch-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNSI) is developed to overcome this problem. FTIR, H NMR, and UV-vis spectra confirm the graft copolymerization of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) with starch and the formation of "iodine-starch" complex.

Naked-eye sensing and target-guiding treatment of bacterial infection using pH-tunable multicolor luminescent lanthanide-based hydrogel.

In this work, a pH-tunable multicolor luminescent lanthanide-based hydrogel (CS/DEX/CP) was prepared based on lanthanide coordination polymer (CP), dextran aldehyde (DEX) and chitosan (CS). The CP was obtained by the self-assembly of guanosine acid (GMP), ciprofloxacin (CIP), Eu, and Tb. As-prepared CS/DEX/CP hydrogel could emit blue, green, and red luminescence of CIP, Tb, and Eu, respectively.

Carboxymethyl chitosan‒promoted luminescence of lanthanide metallogel and its application in assay of multiple metal ions.

In this work, the luminescence of lanthanide supramolecular metallogel formed by the self-assembly of 5,5',5″-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(azanediyl)triisophthalate (HL) and Tb was efficiently promoted by carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS). The total quantum yield of the resultant metallogel (denoted as HL/Tb/CMCS gel) was 9 times higher than the gel without CMCS. The average lifetime of HL/Tb/CMCS gel increased from 0.

Luminescence sensitization of terbium-loaded supramolecular gels by hydroxybenzoic acids and used for salicylates sensing.

The luminescent terbium (Tb)-loaded supramolecular gels were facilely prepared through the self-assembly of Fmoc-diphenylalanine (FmocPhePhe) at room temperature. Hydroxybenzoic acid (HA, the isomers are denoted as 2-HA, 3-HA, and 4-HA depending upon the positions of hydroxyl groups) was used as a sensitizer to Tb. The luminescence sensitization of Tb in the gels was realized by the coordination with hydroxybenzoic acids.

Injectable zwitterionic thermosensitive hydrogels with low-protein adsorption and combined effect of photothermal-chemotherapy.

Injectable hydrogels have been developed as biomedical materials in various fields but the biofouling on their surface limits applications in vivo. In this work, a zwitterionic structure was introduced into an injectable hydrogel based on thermosensitive nanogels to overcome the foreign body reaction. The hydrodynamic diameter of the resultant poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PNS) nanogels was ca.

Multi-Responsive Lanthanide-Based Hydrogel with Encryption, Naked Eye Sensing, Shape Memory, Self-Healing, and Antibacterial Activity.

In this work, we reported a multi-responsive luminescent hydrogel with properties of encryption, naked eye sensing of glucose, shape memory, self-healing, and antibacterial activity. The hydrogel (GA/CCS/DNSA/Eu) was obtained by mixing phenylboronic acid-modified gelatin (GA-DBA), catechol-modified carboxymethyl chitosan (CCS-PCA), 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA), and Eu ions through a facile heating-cooling process. The resultant hydrogel exhibits reversible luminescence and color and phase changes in response to temperature, acid/base, salt, and redox stimuli.

Osmosis manipulable morphology and photonic property of microcapsules with colloidal nano-in-micro structure.

Full visible spectrum photonic droplets and consequent microcapsules with nano-in-micro structure were prepared through microfluidic technique. Photo-curable resin and suspension of monodispersed soft nanogels were used as shell and core of the microcapsules, respectively. Upon UV irradiation, the droplets can be subsequently transformed into photonic microcapsules with an ultrathin polymeric shell.

A heat-set lanthanide metallogel capable of emitting stable luminescence under thermal, mechanical and water stimuli.

Preparing luminescence-stable lanthanide materials in a facile manner has always been an intriguing challenge. Herein we report an easy approach to the preparation of a heat-set lanthanide-based metallogel (H6L/Tb gel) with stable luminescence from 5,5',5''-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(azanediyl) triisophthalate (H6L) as a Tb3+ coordinating ligand. The heat-set H6L/Tb gel exhibits luminescence that mostly retains its intensity in the 0-90 °C temperature range and under mechanical stimulus.

Reversible Redox Switching of Concurrent Luminescence and Visual Color Change Based on Lanthanide Metallogel.

The development of reversible redox supramolecular gels capable of concurrent luminescence switch and visible color change with the facile redox process has always been an intriguing challenge. A redox-responsive supramolecular lanthanide metallogel with strong luminescence and yellow color is obtained via coordination interaction between 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) and europium (Eu). Upon the addition of TiO to the prepared gel (DNSA/Eu gel), the oxidation process of the gel (DNSA/Eu/TiO gel) can be easily achieved by UV irradiation.

Al enhanced room temperature phosphorescence of Pd-porphyrin resided in hybrid supramolecular gels and used for detection of trace Hg ions.

Micelle-hybridized supramolecular hydrogels were constructed through the self-assembly of gelator N,N-dibenzoyl-L-cystine (DBC) and micelles formed from a Gemini surfactant (G). A phosphor, palladium meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (Pd-TCPP) and Al ions were loaded within the hybrid system. Interestingly, the room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of Pd-TCPP can be efficiently enhanced and modulated by the concentration of Al ions.

One-step preparation of nano-in-micro poly(vinyl alcohol) embolic microspheres and used for dual-modal T/T-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

It is crucial to develop dual or multi-modal self-imaging embolic microspheres to evaluate the effects of transcatheter arterial embolization therapy of tumor. However, the preparation of such hybrid microspheres always involved in multiple steps or complicated conditions. Here, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hybrid microspheres with dual-modal T/T-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been prepared based on microfluidic technique in one step.

Magnetic alginate microspheres detected by MRI fabricated using microfluidic technique and release behavior of encapsulated dual drugs.

Alginate microspheres loaded with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIO NPs) have been fabricated by a T-junction microfluidic device combined with an external ionic crosslinking. The obtained microspheres possess excellent visuality under magnetic resonance due to the presence of only 0.6 mg/mL SPIO NPs.

In situ pore-forming alginate hydrogel beads loaded with in situ formed nano-silver and their catalytic activity.

An aqueous mixture of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and sodium alginate (Na-ALG) was added dropwise into an aqueous solution of Ca(NO3)2, leading to the formation of calcium alginate (Ca-ALG) hydrogel beads. Meanwhile Na2CO3 as a pore-forming precursor was transformed in situ into CaCO3 nanoparticles (CaCO3 NPs). SEM images show that CaCO3 NPs aggregates with a size of ∼10 μm were uniformly distributed in the Ca-ALG hydrogel beads.

X-ray visible and uniform alginate microspheres loaded with in situ synthesized BaSO4 nanoparticles for in vivo transcatheter arterial embolization.

The lack of noninvasive tracking and mapping the fate of embolic agents has restricted the development and further applications of the transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) therapy. In this work, inherent radiopaque embolic material, barium alginate (ALG) microspheres loaded with in situ synthesized BaSO4 (denoted as BaSO4/ALG microspheres), have been synthesized by a one-step droplet microfluidic technique. One of the advantages of our microfluidic approach is that radiopaque BaSO4 is in the form of nanoparticles and well dispersed inside ALG microspheres, thereby greatly enhancing the imaging quality.

Ion-unquenchable and thermally "on-off" reversible room temperature phosphorescence of 3-bromoquinoline induced by supramolecular gels.

Ion-unquenchable and thermally on-off reversible room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) can be induced by entrapping 3-bromoquinoline (3-BrQ) into supramolecular gels formed by the self-assembly of a sorbitol derivative (DBS). In comparison with conventional substrates inducing RTP, the gel state 3-BrQ/DBS can produce strong RTP due to the efficient restriction of the vibration of 3-BrQ. Notably, the rather inconvenient deoxygenation is no longer necessary in the preparation of 3-BrQ/DBS gels.

Conducting hydrogels of tetraaniline-g-poly(vinyl alcohol) in situ reinforced by supramolecular nanofibers.

Novel conducting hydrogels (PVA-TA) with dual network structures were synthesized by the grafting reaction of tetraaniline (TA) into the main chains of poly(vinyl alcohol) and in situ reinforced by self-assembly of a sorbitol derivative as the gelator. The chemical structure of the PVA-TA hydrogels was characterized by using FT-IR and NMR. The mechanical strength of the PVA-TA hydrogels was strongly improved due to the presence of supramolecular nanofibers.

Janus photonic crystal microspheres: centrifugation-assisted generation and reversible optical property.

A new strategy to prepare core/shell Janus photonic crystal (PC) microspheres with reversible optical spectrum property is demonstrated. The microfluidic technique was employed to generate the uniform core/shell PC microspheres containing nanogels aqueous suspension. Under centrifugal force, the nanogel particles homogeneously dispersed in the core of microspheres would aggregate in the half of the microspheres, leading to Janus PC microspheres with varied reflection spectra at the different side of the spheres.

Thermodynamically controllable transition from 3D to 2D self-assembly of a hydrogelator induced by the phase behavior of triblock copolymers.

Triblock copolymer PE6200 (PEO(10.5)-PPO(30)-PEO(10.5)) in aqueous solution can undergo a transition from an isotropic micellar phase to an anisotropic lamellar phase at a specific temperature.

Microfluidic fabrication and thermoreversible response of core/shell photonic crystalline microspheres based on deformable nanogels.

Soft photonic crystals (PC) are more appealing due to the responsiveness of the building blocking-deformable nanoparticles to the external stimuli. In this report, we demonstrate, for the first time, the generation of soft core/shell PC microspheres through a combination of a microfluidic technique, encapsulation of well-ordered temperature responsive polymer nanogels suspension, and photopolymerization of a transparent shell resin. This strategy not only ensures the monodispersity of core/shell PC microspheres, but also precisely controls their size, shell thickness, and optical properties by simply adjusting the flow rate ratio and mass fraction of the nanogels.