Antifungal Hybrid Graphene-Transition-Metal Dichalcogenides Aerogels with an Ionic Liquid Additive as Innovative Absorbers for Preventive Conservation of Cultural Heritage.

The use and integration of novel materials are increasingly becoming vital tools in the field of preventive conservation of cultural heritage. Chemical factors, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but also environmental factors such as high relative humidity, can lead to degradation, oxidation, yellowing, and fading of the works of art. To prevent these phenomena, highly porous materials have been developed for the absorption of VOCs and for controlling the relative humidity. In this work, graphene and transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) were combined to create three-dimensional aerogels that absorb certain harmful substances. More specifically, the addition of the TMDs molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide in such macrostructures led to the selective absorption of ammonia. Moreover, the addition of the ionic liquid 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride promoted higher rates of VOCs absorption and anti-fungal activity against the fungus Aspergillus niger. These two-dimensional materials outperform benchmark porous absorbers in the absorption of all the examined VOCs, such as ammonia, formic acid, acetic acid, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde. Consequently, they can be used by museums, galleries, or even storage places for the perpetual protection of works of art.

Imidazolium Salts for Candida spp. Antibiofilm High-Density Polyethylene-Based Biomaterials.

The species of Candida present good capability to form fungal biofilms on polymeric surfaces and are related to several human diseases since many of the employed medical devices are designed using polymers, especially high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Herein, HDPE films containing 0; 0.125; 0.250 or 0.500 wt% of 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C16MImCl) or its analog 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (C16MImMeS) were obtained by melt blending and posteriorly mechanically pressurized into films. This approach resulted in more flexible and less brittle films, which impeded the Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis biofilm formation on their surfaces. The employed imidazolium salt (IS) concentrations did not present any significant cytotoxic effect, and the good cell adhesion/proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells on the HDPE-IS films indicated good biocompatibility. These outcomes combined with the absence of microscopic lesions in pig skin after contact with HDPE-IS films demonstrated their potential as biomaterials for the development of effective medical device tools that reduce the risk of fungal infections.