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Nanoparticles (NPs) are promising candidates for different biomedical applications due to their excellent antimicrobial applications. However, the applications become limited due to the higher cost of NP synthesis. In his research work, Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles (HANPs) have been synthesized in a cost-effective method to apply in biomedical applications. The synthesized HANPs have been characterized by different morphological and antimicrobial characterization methods. Ultraviolet–Visible (UV) spectroscopy was performed and a peak was obtained at 271nm which confirmed the formation of NPs and opened a new door for further analysis. Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) has been performed and the presence of functional groups such as hydroxides carbonates and phosphates have been identified. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis reveals the circular and smaller shape of the synthesized HANPs. The chemical elements of HA have been identified by EDS analysis. Sharp peaks identified by the X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis confirm the formation of crystals in the synthesized HANPs. An excellent antimicrobial performance which is 99.99% has been obtained from the gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial strains. The obtained results suggest the potentiality of the synthesized HANPs in biomedical applications.

As customizable biomaterials, hydrogels have attracted great promise in several industries, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing and regenerative medicine. Three-dimensional networks of these hydrophilic polymers exhibit special properties, such as increased water content, soft and flexible texture and biocompatibility, making them excellent candidates to simulate the extracellular matrix and promote cell development and tissue regeneration. In this review paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of hydrogels, focusing on the design concepts, synthesis processes and characterization techniques. Different types of hydrogel materials, including natural polymers, synthetic polymers and hybrid hydrogels, along with their unique properties and applications are discussed. Improvements in hydrogel-based platforms for controlled drug delivery are being investigated. Recent advances in bioprinting processes using hydrogels to create complex tissue constructs with excellent spatial control are also explored. Hydrogel performance is examined across multiple variables, including mechanical properties, degradation behavior and biological interactions, with an emphasis on the importance of tailoring hydrogel qualities for specific applications. This review paper also provides insights into future directions in hydrogel research, including stimuli-sensitive hydrogels, self-healing hydrogels and bioactive hydrogels, which promise promising advances in the field. In general, the aim of this review paper is to provide the reader with a detailed understanding of hydrogels and all of their potential applications, making them a valuable tool for scientists and researchers working on biomaterials and tissue engineering.

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were created by a top-down wet-chemistry synthesis process (ZnO-A) and then coated with polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA) (ZnO-U). In ZnO-U, strong UV emission was apparent while the parasitic green emission, which normally appears in ZnO suspensions, was suppressed. A standard lift-off process via e-beam lithography was used to fabricate a detector by evaporating Aluminum (Al) as ohmic electrodes on the ZnO nanoparticle film. Photoconductivity experiments showed that linear current-voltage response were achieved and the ZnO-U nanoparticles based detector had a ratio of UV photo-generated current more than 5 times better than that of the ZnO-A based detector. In addition, non-linear current-voltage responses were observed when interdigitated finger Gold (Au) contacts were deposited on ZnO-U. The UV generated current to dark current ratios were between 4 and 7 orders of magnitude, showing better performance than the photodetector with Al contacts. ZnO-U were also deposited on Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Aluminum Gallium Nitride (AlGaN) substrates to create spectrally selective photodetectors. The responsivity of detector based on AlGaN is twice that of commercial UV enhanced Silicon photodiodes. These results confirmed that ZnO nanoparticles coating with PVA is a good material for small-signal, visible blind, and wavelength selective UV detection.

Polycrystalline silicon carbide (P-SiC) films containing SiC nanoparticles and Er were prepared by r.f. reactive magnetron co-sputtering technique with SiC and Er targets on low-temperature silicon (111) and silicon dioxide substrates with the mixed gas of pure argon, methane, and hydrogen. Surface morphology and photoluminescence (PL) properties of them were measured by field-emission scanning electron microscope and Raman spectroscopy. The peak position, intensity, and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of PL spectra were relevant with Er doping levels and deposition conditions.

PbS nanoparticle phosphors embedded in SiO₂ were synthesized at room temperature by the sol–gel method. The as-prepared SiO₂:0.134 mol% PbS nanoparticles were ground and annealed in atmosphere. Changes in the cathodoluminescence (CL) brightness and the surface chemical composition of the SiO₂:0.134 mol% PbS nanoparticle powders were investigated using a Fiber Optics PC2000 spectrometer for CL and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) for the surface chemical analysis. The chemical composition of the powders was analyzed by an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The CL intensity decreased when the powders were irradiated with a beam of electrons at 2 keV energy and a beam current density of 54 mA/cm² in an ultra-high vacuum chamber at oxygen (O₂) pressures ranging between 5 × 10^-8 and 2 × 10^-7 Torr for several hours. The O₂ Auger peak-to-peak height (APPH) decreased as the CL intensity decreased. XPS analysis on the degraded spot showed the development of characteristic SiO, SiO_x, and elemental Si peaks on the low-energy side of the SiO₂ peak. The desorption of O₂ from the surface, which resulted in a decrease in the CL intensity is attributed to the dissociation of SiO₂ into elemental Si and O₂ by the electron bombardment. The degradation was less severe at higher oxygen pressures. PbSO₄ was also formed on the surface during the electron beam degradation process.

Pure poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane and PVDF composite membranes modified by three kinds of inorganic nanoparticles (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, and TiO₂) were made using a phase inversion method and characterized by pure water flux, retention efficiency of Bovine serum albumin (BSA), flux reduction coefficient, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of flux reduction coefficient illustrated that PVDF membrane modified by nanoparticles had better antifouling property in the order of TiO₂, Al₂O₃, SiO₂. The Lewis acid–base properties of the nanoparticle materials were measured by inverse gas chromatography (IGC). The Lewis acid number, K_a, and Lewis base number, K_b, had the following order K_{a TiO2} < K_{a Al2O3} < K_{a SiO2}, and K_{b TiO2} > K_{b Al2O3} > K_{b SiO2}. The experimental results indicated that PVDF membrane modified by nanoparticles with relatively strong base exhibited excellent antifouling performance.

This paper presents the formation of graphene and its application to hydrogen sensors. In this work, the graphene was synthesized by annealing process of 3C-SiC thin films with Ni transition layer. The Ni film was coated on a 3C-SiC layer grown thermal oxided Si substrates and used extracts of the substrate's carbon atoms under rapid thermal annealing (RTA). Various parameters such as ramping speed, annealing time and cooling rate were evaluated for the optimized combination allowed for the reproducible synthesis of graphene using 3C-SiC thin films. Transfer process performed by Ni layer etching in HF solution and transferred graphene onto SiO₂ shows the I_G/I_D ratio of 2.73. Resistivity hydrogen sensors were fabricated and evaluated with Pd and Pt nanoparticles in the room temperature with hydrogen range of 10–50 ppm. The response factor of devices with the Pd catalyst was 1.3 when exposed to 50 ppm hydrogen and it is able to detect as low as 10 ppm hydrogen at room temperature.

A Specialized Nanoparticle for Detection of Cancer Cells.

Chinese Researchers to Carry out Studies on Human Reproductive Regulation.

One-dimensional nanochains consisting of Cu nanoparticles and PVA nanofiber were prepared in the presence of a deoxidant NaHSO₃ by electrospinning. Their morphologies and stability were characterized by TEM and UV-vis spectra. The results show that three kinds of nanochains were formed according to the ratio of diameters of the nanoparticles to the nanofiber, i.e., Cu/PVA is equal to, larger, and smaller than 1. The nanochains are stable in air.

Nanosize SiO₂ particles with narrow size distribution were produced by modified Stober–Fink–Bohn method. Average particle size was determined as 170 nm by SEM image. Organosilica mesoporous molecular sieve (MCM-48) was synthesized. The calcined MCM-48 has pore diameter of 26.8 Å and a surface area of 1024 m²g^-1 by BET (Brunauer–Emmet–Teller) measurement.

The synthesis of the GaAs nanoparticles, having sizes 7 nm to 15 nm, by a low cost electrochemical technique has been reported. The absence of any foreign impurity has been confirmed by the Proton-Induced X-rays Emission analysis. Rutherford Backscattering measurement has been performed in order to estimate the thickness of the nanoparticle-generated thin film as a function of the electrolysis current density. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic study confirms the formation of GaAs and exhibits the binding energy shift of the core shell electrons as an implication of the nanostructure effect. Very weak infrared luminescence due to the radiative recombination of the impurity bound exciton has been detected from yttrium-doped GaAs nanocrystals, even at room temperature.

Nitrilotriacetate precursors have been used for synthesis of oxide materials. High permeability Mn–Zn ferrite with general formula Mn_xZn_1-xFe₂O₄ where x=0.3/0.35/0.4/0.45/0.5/0.55/0.6/0.65/0.7 were prepared using this novel method. Formation of cubic spinel structure was confirmed by XRD, which also provided information on formation of fine particle material. The magnetic properties of these materials were investigated after sintering the same at 950°C, 1150°C, 1250°C and 1350°C in nitrogen atmosphere and at 1050°C in air and were found to be interesting.

Mono- and bimetallic nanowires and particles were selectively synthesized in mesoporous silica templates, in which siliceous FSM-16 and organic–inorganic hybrid HMM-1 were used as templates. The metal nanowires and particles were characterized by several physicochemical methods. The mechanism for formation of Pt wires was studied, and migration of precursor Pt ions in the mesoporous channels is the key to the formation of the wires. The Pt wires can be isolated by dissolving silicate matrix in a good yield, and STM and HRTEM demonstrate that the wires extracted from HMM-1 has a nanonecklace structure, but the wire from FSM-16 shows a nanorod structure. The extracted Pt wires are stabilized by PPh₃. The nanowire composites show unique properties in magnetism and high catalytic performances in CO oxidation reaction.

A variety of DNA, protein or cell microarray devices and systems have been developed and commercialized. In addition to the biomolecule related analysis, they are also being used for pharmacogenomic research, infectious and genetic disease and cancer diagnostics, and proteomic and cellular analysis.¹ Currently, microarray is fabricated on a planar surface; this limits the amount of biomolecules that can be bounded on the surface. In this work, a planar protein microarray chip with nonplanar spot surface was fabricated to enhance the chip performance. A nonplanar spot surface was created by first coating the silica nanoparticles with albumin and depositing them into the patterned microwells. The curve surfaces of the nanoparticles increase the surface area for immobilization of proteins, which helps to enhance the detection sensitivity of the chip. Using this technique, proteins are immobilized onto the nanoparticles before they are deposited onto the chip, and therefore the method of protein immobilization can be customized at each spot. Furthermore, a nonplanar surface promotes the retention of native protein structure better than planar surface.² The technique developed can be used to produce different types of microarrays, such as DNA, protein and antibody microarrays.

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles in the anatase phase were coated on fly ash by using a sol–gel method. The TiO₂ nanoparticles coated on fly ash were produced from titanium tetraisopropoxide (Ti(OPrⁱ)₄ 3.3 M) in absolute ethanol, and the fly ash was added into this alcoholic solution. The ratio of TiO₂ nanoparticles to fly ash in the coating process was 1:10 by weight. The ethanolic solution was loaded into a pouch type cellophane membrane and placed for 1 h in a clear solution which containing 1:1 (v/v) ratio of absolute ethanol and distilled water with 0.5–1% concentrated (25%) ammonia solution. After the dialysis process was completed, the mixture was then allowed to dry in an oven at 100–110°C and was calcined in a furnace over the temperatures range of 400–800°C. TiO₂ nanoparticles were then analyzed and characterized by using the techniques of XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, and BET. The crystalline sizes of anatase form were found to be in the range of 15–20 nm. The characteristics of TiO₂ nanoparticles coated on fly ash were further investigated by utilizing SEM and EDS methodologies. The correlations among crystalline phase, particle size, morphology, and specific surface area were investigated.

The number, size and distribution of nanoparticles in urines of healthy people and stone patients were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the number of nanoparticles in healthy urines are more than that in lithogenic urines. The size of most nanoparticles in healthy urines ranges from 100 to 350 nm. However, the size of nanoparticles in patient urines changes from 100 nm to 1000 nm and more. A dynamic model about the formation of urinary stones was established. From this model, the nanoparticles in normal urines are stable, yet those in patient urines would easily aggregate to larger-size crystals and finally urinary stones formed. The results in this paper provide a new thought for preventing formation and recurrence of urinary stones.

The electromagnetic response of a nanoparticle of an ion-doped polymeric elastic insulator, commonly called an electret, is considered in the continuum model of a uniformly charged elastic sphere. The spectral formulae for the frequency of optically induced spheroidal and torsional shear oscillations driven by bulk force of elastic and dielectric stresses are obtained in analytic form. Particular attention is given to the relaxation dielectric mode of the electrostriction response and its stability in the lowest quadrupole mode. The practical usefulness of ultrafine particles of electrets as biolabels capable of accumulating like-charged inclusions uniformly dispersed over the spherical volume of an elastic matrix is briefly discussed.

Hydrogen storage in a metallic nanoparticle was simulated by classical molecular dynamics. Distribution of hydrogen atoms inside nanoparticle was investigated by changing length and energy parameters of metal–H bonds. Hydrogen atoms diffused into the particle and distributed homogeneously in case of weak metal–H bonds. In case of strong metal–H bonds, a hydrogen-rich surface layer was observed which suppresses the inward diffusion of hydrogen atoms. Structural modification of nanoparticle accompanied by grain boundary formation due to hydrogen loading was also observed. These variations in dynamical and structural features are considered to affect the hydrogen storage properties in nanoparticles.

Nanocrystalline Pd electrocatalyst promoted with transition metal oxide (Co₃O₄, NiO, and CoNiO_x) is successfully synthesized on high surface carbon support by using intermittent microwave heating (IMH) method. The physical properties of the catalysts are characterized by XRD, TEM, and EDX. The results show that there is no significant microstructure change between Pd and Pd-oxide electrocatalysts and the particle sizes are in the range 5.8–3.9 nm. The linear sweep voltammogram and chronoamperometry results for the electro-oxidation of ethanol show that Pd-oxide/C electrocatalysts exhibit much better electrochemical activity and stability as compared with pure Pd/C electrocatalyst. The results show that Pd–CoNiO_x/C exhibits the best stability and highest electro-oxidation activity, indicating the promising potential as an alternative electrocatalysts for the direct ethanol fuel cells.

Hybrid light emitting nanoparticles with diameter range from 2 to 4 nm were prepared via grafting organic-conjugated chains directly onto an inorganic rigid cage polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS). The unique properties of these particles show evidence of quantum confinement effect on the conjugated short chains by two barriers of POSS cage and alkyl chains. The confinement effects are revealed in five aspects. First, the UV and PL spectra redshift as increasing the length of conjugated chains. This phenomenon can be considered as size effect. Second, PL spectra of these nanoparticles in solid film blueshift from that in most of organic solvents, which can be considered as limited intra- or inter-molecular interactions existed within the nanoparticles. Third, the Raman bands of the conjugated chains in these nanoparticles are redshifted and broadening with respect to their bulk counterparts. The systematic peak shifting and broadening of the Raman bands provided additional confirmation that the conjugated chains in hybrid nanoparticles at bulk state are isolated without any π–π stacking. Fourth, TEM and SEM images showed the particle size in a range of 2–4 nm and the nanoparticles in bulk state are noncrystalline materials. Lastly, the PL spectrum of the nanoparticle at low temperature was studied and found no change in PL position and intensity as temperature increasing from 4 K to 150 K.