Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as a noninvasive strategy for treating cancer and infectious diseases through near-infrared (NIR)-induced localized hyperthermia. MXenes, a family of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides, have recently attracted considerable attention owing to their ultrahigh photothermal conversion efficiency. Herein, Nb2CTx and Ti3C2Tx were synthesized via hydrothermal and MILD methods, respectively. Their crystallinity and thermal stability were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy confirmed strong NIR absorption. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) verified the formation of exfoliated and delaminated MXene nanosheets. Hydrodynamic diameter of 301.9 nm and zeta potential of -32.44 mV were determined for Nb2CTx which was larger and more negative compared to Ti3C2Tx with size of 178.2 nm and zeta potential of -26.69 mV. A higher photothermal conversion efficiency (η) of 84.12% was determined for Ti3C2Tx compared with 66.69% for Nb2CTx. The antibacterial activity of both MXenes showed a dose-dependent effect against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), while Ti3C2Tx exhibited stronger antibacterial performance. Under NIR irradiation, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of both MXenes decreased by twofold, indicating enhanced photothermal antibacterial performance. Under dark conditions, both MXenes showed limited cytotoxicity toward normal cells up to 200 µg/mL, while Ti3C2Tx exhibited pronounced cytotoxicity against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells, which was further enhanced under NIR irradiation. Overall, these findings characterize the NIR-responsive antibacterial activity and in vitro cytotoxicity of Ti3C2Tx and Nb2CTx, providing a basis for further evaluation of their biomedical applicability.
Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces are emerging as a means of shaping the propagation
environment in terahertz wireless systems, yet the tunable elements available at these
frequencies remain a limiting factor. Existing graphene metasurfaces treat the material as
a continuous sheet whose only adjustable parameter is the gate-controlled chemical
potential. The central novelty of this work is to introduce the graphene nanoribbon width,
through its quantum-confinement bandgap, as an independent structural design
parameter, and to show that there exists a finite window of ribbon width in which this
confinement is beneficial for terahertz phase control rather than detrimental. This is
examined through a computational model that couples a tight-binding band structure to
the Kubo surface conductivity and a resonant reflective unit cell. The analysis reveals that
the ribbon width controls the achievable phase range through the confinement gap: below
roughly three nanometres the large gap removes the carriers responsible for the reactive
conductivity and the reflection phase is largely frozen, whereas above this width the phase
range rises and saturates at up to about 250 degrees for a single-layer cell, accompanied by
monotonically decreasing loss. An optimal design window is identified in which the
bandgap lies between approximately 0.30 and 0.50 electronvolts, corresponding to ribbon
widths of about four to six nanometres, where the cell retains a wide phase range while
suppressing residual absorption relative to a bulk-graphene reference. The conductivity
model is verified against the analytic Drude limit, and the predicted single-layer phase
range is benchmarked against published full-wave results for an equivalent graphene cell,
with which it is quantitatively consistent. A parametric study across relaxation time and
substrate thickness shows that the in-window cell retains lower loss than a bulk-graphene
reference over the range of realistic graphene quality, while the operating band over which
the cell holds a usable phase range and its stability under oblique incidence up to sixty
degrees are both quantified. A sixteen-by-sixteen array constructed from in-window cells
steers a beam to a prescribed direction with low sidelobe degradation, while a narrow,
over-confined array suffers visible pattern distortion. The results identify ribbon width as
a concrete design parameter for terahertz reconfigurable surfaces and quantify the window
in which quantum confinement is beneficial rather than detrimental.
Understanding the coupled transport of water and ions under nanoscale confinement is essential for advancing nanofluidic applications. In this work, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the electrohydrodynamic transport behavior of aqueous NaCl solution within graphene nanochannels containing an intercalated graphene layer. The results show that in a narrow channel, the intercalated layer induces strong confinement effects, leading to complete suppression of anion migration and nearly 100% unidirectional water transport, resembling the function of biological nanoscale pumps. This geometry-induced directional transport suggests a feasible strategy for designing solid-state nanofluidic pumps or ion-rectifying elements. Furthermore, both ion and water fluxes increase nearly linearly with field strength, while ion translocation times follow a power-law relationship (τ∼E-1), consistent with the one-dimensional Langevin model. Such predictable field-dependent responses highlight the potential of intercalated graphene nanochannels as electrically programmable nanofluidic components. The hydration numbers of ions remain nearly constant, suggesting that the enhanced transport originates from dynamic acceleration rather than structural rearrangement. Overall, this study provides microscopic insights into the interplay between confinement geometry and water-ion coupling, and offers theoretical guidance for the rational design of graphene-based nanochannels for controllable molecular transport, selective separation, and functional nanofluidic device application.
Resistive random-access memory-based in-memory computing offers a route beyond the von Neumann bottleneck, and the ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductor gallium oxide (GaO) is an attractive memristor material owing to its chemical and thermal stability. However, purely electrically driven GaO-based electrochemical metallization (ECM) devices still suffer from stochastic conductive-filament growth and poor resistance-state uniformity. Herein, a vertical Ag/AlO/GaO/Pt memristor was fabricated. The ultrathin AlO(5 nm) barrier layer not only suppresses the rapid vertical migration of Agions but also promotes Agnucleation at multiple sites, thereby transforming stochastic single-filament growth into controllable, parallel multi-filament conduction. On the electrically operated device, conductive atomic force microscopy directly revealed 33 discrete current hotspots across a 25marea. The metallic-like positive temperature coefficient of resistance in the low-resistance state, together with the area-dependent resistance, provides strong evidence for a multi-filament conduction mechanism. COMSOL Multiphysics simulations further clarified the current-homogenization effect afforded by the AlOinterlayer. The device exhibits stable bipolar switching (cycles, on/off ratio), multi-level conductance modulation, and lower operating voltages than comparable devices reported in the literature. It also successfully emulates the transition from short-term memory to long-term memory, spike-timing-dependent plasticity, and learning-forgetting behavior. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) built from the experimentally measured conductance states achieves a classification accuracy of 95.68% on the MNIST benchmark dataset, with an average energy consumption of approximately 2.14 nJ per pulse. Notably, without resorting to heterojunction engineering or intentional doping, a single ultrathin AlOinterlayer fabricated by standard processing is sufficient to enable controllable modulation of ECM conductive filaments. This work thus provides a viable and transferable strategy toward array-compatible GaO-based neuromorphic devices.
Abstract The rational design of nanostructured heterophase materials has emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing charge storage and transport in electrochemical energy-storage systems. Herein, a dual-phase CoS 2 /Co 3 S 4 nanostructured heterostructure was synthesized via a hydrothermal route and investigated as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Structural characterization confirmed the formation of crystalline CoS 2 and Co 3 S 4 phases, while electron microscopy revealed hierarchical micro–nanostructures composed of interconnected nanoparticles that provide abundant electrochemically active interfaces. The electrochemical charge storage behavior was systematically evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge–discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in both three- and two-electrode configurations. Detailed kinetic analysis using b- value determination and Dunn’s model demonstrated the combined contribution of surface-controlled and diffusion-governed charge-storage processes. The electrode delivered a specific capacitance of 716.8 F g −1 at 0.5 A g −1 in a three-electrode system. In a two electrode configuration, the symmetric supercapacitor delivered a capacitance of 303.3 F g −1 with an energy density of 2.42 Wh kg −1 at a power density of 60 W kg −1 . The device also demonstrated appreciable electrochemical stability with capacitance retention of 90% and 88% after 2000 charge–discharge cycles in three- and two-electrode systems, respectively. The enhanced performance is attributed to heterophase-induced charge-transfer pathways and improved ion accessibility arising from the hierarchical nanostructure. This study highlights the role of intrinsic phase-engineered cobalt sulfide nanostructures in governing electrochemical functionality and provides insights for the development of advanced nanomaterials for next-generation energy-storage technologies.
The rational design of nanostructured heterophase materials has emerged as an effective strategy for enhancing charge storage and transport in electrochemical energy-storage systems. Herein, a dual-phase CoS2/Co3S4nanostructured heterostructure was synthesized via a hydrothermal route and investigated as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Structural characterization confirmed the formation of crystalline CoS2and Co3S4phases, while electron microscopy revealed hierarchical micro-nanostructures composed of interconnected nanoparticles that provide abundant electrochemically active interfaces. The electrochemical charge storage behavior was systematically evaluated using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in both three- and two-electrode configurations. Detailed kinetic analysis usingb-value determination and Dunn's model demonstrated the combined contribution of surface-controlled and diffusion-governed charge-storage processes. The electrode delivered a specific capacitance of 716.8 F g-1at 0.5 A g-1in a three-electrode system. In a two electrode configuration, the symmetric supercapacitor delivered a capacitance of 303.3 F g-1with an energy density of 2.42 Wh kg-1at a power density of 60 W kg-1. The device also demonstrated appreciable electrochemical stability with capacitance retention of 90% and 88% after 2000 charge-discharge cycles in three- and two-electrode systems, respectively. The enhanced performance is attributed to heterophase-induced charge-transfer pathways and improved ion accessibility arising from the hierarchical nanostructure. This study highlights the role of intrinsic phase-engineered cobalt sulfide nanostructures in governing electrochemical functionality and provides insights for the development of advanced nanomaterials for next-generation energy-storage technologies.
Voriconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug widely used to treat life-threatening fungal infections, including invasive aspergillosis and severe candidiasis. Despite its efficacy, large inter- and intra-patient pharmacokinetic variability and frequent drug-drug interactions can lead to subtherapeutic or toxic plasma concentrations, making therapeutic drug monitoring essential. Recently, several aptamer selections for voriconazole have been reported, including two independent selections from our laboratory that yielded multiple aptamer families. In this work, we systematically characterize these aptamers by measuring their binding affinities under various conditions using thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence spectroscopy and evaluating their selectivity against structurally related antifungal drugs. A new aptamer named VO3 with a dissociation constant (KD) value of 26μM and high selectivity was identified. The effect of the buffer components such as NaCl and MgCl2was assessed, and VO3 maintained binding activity even in up to 1 M NaCl and in the absence of Mg2+ions. Furthermore, the interaction ofα- andβ- cyclodextrins with voriconazole was studied using a competitive titration method, and onlyβ-cyclodextrin could compete with the aptamer for binding to voriconazole. This study shows that ThT fluorescence is a useful label-free method to study voriconazole aptamers and that aptamers can be used to probe target binding to nanoscale host molecules.
Solid-state nanopores has shown great potential for analyzing single molecules. Electron beam-induced carbon deposition enables precise tuning of nanopore dimension to adapt different molecule sizes. In this work, we investigate the stability of carbon-coated Si and SiN nanopores in a nanopore-gated nanocavity device, during electrical measurements in various solutions. Our results show that the conductance of bare nanopores increase over the measurement time, indicating pore expansion caused by electrochemical corrosion of the nanopore walls. Moreover, the corrosion accelerates with increasing voltages and electrolyte concentrations. In stark contrast, carbon-coated devices effectively resist electrochemical corrosion due to strong C=C bonds in the coating layer, exhibiting remarkable stability even in highly concentrated electrolytes and under strong electric fields. Furthermore, the carbon coating does not promote undesired surface interactions with analyte molecules during the translocation measurements. More importantly, we demonstrate that promptly releasing the electrical bias after trapping the molecule on a carbon-coated nanopore significantly reduces the risk of nonspecific adsorption onto the carbon-coated surface. Our results show that the stable, precisely size controlled, carbon-coated nanopores can play an important role for single molecule trapping and analysis.
Chemotherapy remains the primary treatment for most patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), yet its efficacy is often limited by severe adverse effects. Drug repurposing offers a promising strategy to accelerate oncology drug development. Disulfiram (DSF), a licensed anti-alcoholism agent, has demonstrated broad-spectrum anticancer activity in preclinical models. However, its clinical translation for oncology is hindered by poor aqueous solubility, rapid metabolism, and lack of tumor selectivity. To overcome these limitations, we developed a novel targeted drug delivery system (Apt-NPs-DSF) by encapsulating disulfiram (DSF) within albumin nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with the nucleolin-targeting AS1411 aptamer. Apt-NPs-DSF had an average size of 96.4 ± 7.4 nm and was negatively charged with a zeta potential of -19.1 ± 2.2 mV. Furthermore, DSF was released from the albumin NPs with a typical sustained release profile. Apt-NPs-DSF demonstrated favorable serum stability and hemocompatibility. Of note, aptamer-guided NPs were preferentially internalized by nucleolin-expressing CT26 colon cancer cells vs control cells. Moreover,in vitrocytotoxicity assay revealed that Apt-NPs-DSF significantly enhanced the killing of CT26 colon cancer cells. Importantly,in vivostudy confirmed that Apt-NPs-DSF achieved superior antitumor efficacy without raising systemic toxicity, outperforming non-targeted counterparts. Collectively, these results suggest that Apt-NPs-DSF has potential in the targeted treatment of colon cancer.
High-performance microwave-absorbing materials require a precise balance between dielectric and magnetic losses to achieve optimal impedance matching. Herein, we report the synthesis of ZnFe2O4@PANI composites via a magnetic-field-aidedin-situoxidative polymerization method. Systematic characterization reveals that the PANI coating promotes interfacial polarization and conduction loss, while the external magnetic field during synthesis influences the dispersion and local magnetic environment of the ZnFe2O4@PANI cores. Consequently, the magnetically-assisted ZnFe2O4@PANI composite (Z3) exhibits superior electromagnetic performance, achieving a minimum reflection loss of-33.4 dB at 8.65 GHz, substantially outperforming the non-magnetic-field-assisted counterpart (Z2,-18.9 dB). The enhanced microwave absorption performance is associated with magnetic-field-regulated microstructural evolution, which contributes to improved impedance matching and a balanced magneto-dielectric response. These findings demonstrate that magnetic-field-assisted synthesis is an effective strategy for engineering advanced composites with high-efficiency, frequency-tunable microwave absorption capabilities.
Research into carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) from point sources and the atmosphere is essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. Cyanometallate (CM) coordination polymers (CPs) containing tetraamine ligands share structural similarities with some of the most effective metal-organic frameworks for carbon capture; however, their potential for CO2adsorption remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we synthesised a series of CM CPs using ferrocyanide and tetracyanonickelate (TCNi) building blocks with 1,2-bis(3-aminopropylamino)ethane (323) incorporated directly into the coordination network through a scalable, one-pot, room-temperature synthesis. Single-crystal x-ray diffraction of Ni-323-FeIIrevealed a new two-dimensional CP in which the 323 ligand coordinates to Ni centres in both facial (fac) and meridional (mer) configurations. Incorporation of the 323 ligand into the coordination network was further confirmed by infrared (IR) spectroscopy through characteristic vibrational bands. Under pure CO2, the ferrocyanide materials Ni-323-FeIIand Zn-FeII-323 adsorbed 2.29 and 3.00 g CO2per 100 g of material, respectively. In the TCNi series, Co-Ni-323 exhibited a higher CO2uptake (2.36 g per 100 g) than Cu-Ni-323 (1.84 g per 100 g). Adsorption-desorption cycling of Cu-Ni-323 and Zn-FeII-323 demonstrated stable performance over ten cycles. Interestingly, under atmospheric conditions, Zn-FeII-323 consistently adsorbed 2.44-2.65 g of gas per 100 g of material over ten cycles. However, additional studies are required to determine the identity of the adsorbed gas. This work demonstrates a simple, scalable, and environmentally friendly route to CM CPs using aqueous, room-temperature synthesis while highlighting the challenges associated with CO2adsorption when tetraamine ligands are coordinated to metal centres. These findings provide valuable insight into the design of cyanometallate CPs for carbon capture applications.
Abstract
Nanotechnology offers a promising approach by enabling slower, controlled release of fertilizer, improving nutrient uptake, and reducing the overall quantity of fertilizer needed, compared to conventional chemical fertilizers, which are often inefficient, require intensive application, and often lead to nutrient leaching into the soil. Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were synthesized using Fusarium graminearum autolysate, then complexed with casein micelles (CuMC), and subsequently CuMC were encapsulated within calcium carbonate composite microspheres (CuMS). Maize was treated with Hoagland solution containing a copper source substituted with CuNPs, CuMC, or CuMS. After 30 days, the plantlets were harvested, their length and fresh and dry weight were measured, and copper content and leaf chlorophyll content were assessed. 
CuNPs were spherical, small, negatively charged, showing a cubic phase structure, with biomolecules on their surface, and exhibited promising antimicrobial activity. CuMC were spherical with an average diameter of 133.65 nm, while CuMS were mesoporous with a mean size of 1.09 µm. The treatment of maize with CuMC increased the fresh weight of stems and roots by 15-20%, while CuMS increased the fresh weight of leaves, stems, and roots, as well as the dry weight of leaves by 14-32%. Application of CuNPs, CuMC, and CuMS resulted in higher chlorophyll content (9-24%), whereas CuNPs treatment increased copper concentration (15-42%). Casein micelles and calcium carbonate composite microspheres serve as effective carrier materials that encapsulate CuNPs and slow their degradation rate. CuNPs-based composites enhance maize growth and increase chlorophyll content, demonstrating great potential as environmentally friendly nanofertilizers for agricultural applications.
Vapor-solid (VS) growth presents a robust alternative to vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) techniques for the fabrication of nanowires (NWs), particularly in applications involving doping, accurate control of composition and heterointerfaces, and formation of high-uniformity NW arrays. Despite many obvious advantages, surprisingly few efforts have been undertaken to establish VS growth of GaAs-based NWs, especially in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) growth. This review encompasses recent developments and breakthroughs in catalyst-free VS growth of GaAs-based NWs through selective-area MBE. It emphasizes the significance of template design on NW characteristics and examines the important roles of twin defects, growth facets, dopants and dilute group-V species, such as silicon (Si) and antimony (Sb), on growth dynamics, adatom diffusion, and crystal phase purity. Si doping emerges as a critical factor in stabilizing twin defects, improving axial growth, NW uniformity, and n-type conduction in GaAs NWs otherwise not feasible in VLS-type growth. The inclusion of dilute Sb in these nanostructures further promotes surfactant action while reducing twin defects, resulting in high-aspect-ratio NWs with superior structural and optical properties. These findings are supported by microscopic growth models that illustrate the relevance of twin defects and competing growth facets. The selective-area MBE growth is further applied to VS-grown ternary AlGaAs NWs as well as axial AlGaAs/GaAs(Sb) and InGaAs/GaAs(Sb) NW heterostructures and their growth-structure-property relationships are elucidated by correlated high-resolution electron microscopy and micro-photoluminescence spectroscopy. This review therefore underscores VS growth of GaAs-based NWs under MBE processes as a versatile approach for the precise engineering of NW heterostructures and implementation on Si substrates.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) has emerged as a versatile structural material and targeting ligand within cancer drug delivery systems and nanomedicine applications, owing to its biodegradability, tunable chemistry, and strong affinity for CD44 and related receptors. This review examines studies published from 2019 to 2026, with emphasis on high-quality research in leading journals, and connects the structural parameters of HA with quantitative drug delivery efficiency and therapeutic performance. The major HA-based carrier systems, including micelles, liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, metal-organic frameworks, and electrospun fiber systems, are critically analyzed in relation to HA molecular weight, degree of substitution, and ligand density, as well as their effects on hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, colloidal stability, and cellular uptake. Across these studies, the most effective designs generally feature nanoscale dimensions that balance circulation and tumor penetration while maintaining near-neutral or slightly negative surface potentials to minimize nonspecific interactions, highlighting the importance of rational physicochemical design for improving therapeutic performance. Quantitative models of drug release, together within vitropotency indices such as half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and combination index, as well asin vivopharmacokinetic and efficacy indicators including half-life, area under the curve (AUC), and tumor-to-organ ratio, demonstrate how the configuration of HA influences therapeutic selectivity and systemic safety. To improve the rigor and reproducibility of future studies, this review further proposes a concise reporting framework integrating materials characterization, biological evaluation, and animal experiments, while highlighting the current limitations in standardization and cross-study comparability. In conclusion, this review summarizes the current design principles of HA-based nanocarriers while critically discussing the remaining challenges, including CD44 heterogeneity, microenvironmental competition, and the lack of standardized evaluation strategies. Together, these perspectives provide practical guidance for the rational design, comparative evaluation, and clinical translation of next-generation HA-based nanocarriers.
The ZnxCd1-xS nanocrystals with different Zn2+/Cd2+ratios were solvothermally incubated in water-soluble nanoreactors formed by inverse miniemulsion. Notably, Zn0.5Cd0.5S nanocrystals with larger grain sizes were obtained from polyacrylamide (PAM) nanoreactors, where the PAM solution served as a key component for precursor ripening. The miniemulsion-derived nanoreactors remained stable during nanocrystal incubation, with a size of approximately 160 nm. The obtained ZnxCd1-xS nanocrystals exhibited a cubic structure, and their band gap (Eg) was tunable from 3.83 eV (x= 1) to 2.64 eV (x= 0). The catalytic performance of the nanocrystals was optimized by adjusting both the Zn2+/Cd2+ratio and the PAM concentration in the nanoreactors. Specifically, Zn0.5Cd0.5S nanocrystals incubated in nanoreactors containing 10.0 mg g-1PAM achieved an enhanced grain size of 15 nm, displaying a tunable band gap of 2.58 eV and a weaker luminescence intensity. These nanocrystals exhibited the best catalytic degradation efficiency by balancing the light absorption and the photogenerated charge redox ability, thereby providing a selective strategy for the design of the advanced semiconductor materials.
Epitaxial CdSe/ZnSe submonolayer quantum dots (SMQDs), formed from CdSe coverages below one monolayer (ML), often exhibit a double-peak excitonic structure in their photoluminescence spectra. The narrower, higher-energy peak corresponds to excitons localized within the SMQDs. The lower-energy peak is broader, which is not typical of donor-bound excitons, and has therefore been attributed in previous studies to morphological features of the quantum dots. The identification of the origin of the low-energy peak is technologically relevant for quantum applications of the SMQDs. To clarify the origin of this excitonic structure, we grew several CdSe SMQDs samples with nominal coverages of 0.5 and 0.25 MLs embedded in both non-intentionally doped and Cl-doped ZnSe barriers. The heterostructures were systematically characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy. A direct comparison of the excitonic properties of the CdSe SMQDs samples grown within ZnSe barriers with varyingn-type impurity doping clearly demonstrates that the relative intensity and line shape of the lower-energy peak depend strongly on donor concentration. These findings overturn the previous morphological interpretation and conclusively demonstrate that the lower-energy component originates from donor impurities. It corresponds to localized excitons bound to single or multiple neutral donors and/or to negative trions formed at low temperature. The intensity in both cases depends on donor doping level.
