Freestanding Films of Reduced Graphene Oxide Fully Decorated with Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Hydrogen Peroxide Sensing.

Developing thin, freestanding electrodes that work simultaneously as a current collector and electroactive material is pivotal to integrating portable and wearable chemical sensors. Herein, we have synthesized graphene/Prussian blue (PB) electrodes for hydrogen peroxide detection (H2O2) using a two-step method. First, an reduced graphene oxide/PAni/Fe2O3 freestanding film is prepared using a doctor blade technique, followed by the electrochemical deposition of PB nanoparticles over the films. The iron oxide nanoparticles work as the iron source for the heterogeneous electrochemical deposition of the nanoparticles in a ferricyanide solution. The size of the PB cubes electrodeposited over the graphene-based electrodes was controlled by the number of voltammetric cycles. For H2O2 sensing, the PB10 electrode achieved the lowest detection and quantification limits, 2.00 and 7.00 µM, respectively. The findings herein evidence the balance between the structure of the graphene/PB-based electrodes with the electrochemical performance for H2O2 detection and pave the path for developing new freestanding electrodes for chemical sensors.

Clarifying Glycerol Electrooxidation Studies on Pd-Based Catalysts: Insights Into Catalytic Performance and Practical Challenges.

Escalating biodiesel production led to a surplus of glycerol, prompting its exploration as a valuable resource in industrial applications. Electrochemical systems have been studied, specifically employing noble metal catalysts like palladium for glycerol electrooxidation. Despite numerous studies on Pd-based catalysts for glycerol electrooxidation, a comprehensive analysis addressing critical questions related to the economic feasibility, global sourcing of Pd, and the thematic cohesion of publications in this field is lacking. Moreover, a standardized framework for comparing the results of various studies is absent, hindering progress on glycerol technologies. This critical overview navigates the evolution of Pd-based catalysts for glycerol electrooxidation, examining catalytic activity, stability, and potential applications. It critically addresses the geographical sources of Pd, the motivation behind glycerol technology exploration, thematic coherence in existing publications, and the meaningful comparison of results. It correlates the use of Pd-based catalysts with the natural source of Pd and the origin of glycerol derived from biodiesel. The proposed standardized approach for comparing electrochemical parameters and establishing experimental protocols provides a foundation for meaningful study comparisons. This critical overview underscores the need to address fundamental questions to accelerate the transition of glycerol technologies from laboratories to practical applications.

Synergic Renoprotective Effects of Combined ASC Therapy with RAAS Blockade in Experimental Advanced CKD.

Global prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has increased considerably in the recent decades. Overactivity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), associated to renal inflammation and fibrosis, contributes to its evolution. The treatments currently employed to control CKD progression are limited and mainly based on the pharmacological inhibition of RAAS, associated with diuretics and immunosuppressive drugs. However, this conservative management promotes only partial deceleration of CKD evolution and does not completely avoid the progression of the disease and the loss of renal function, which motivates the medical and scientific community to investigate new therapeutic approaches to detain renal inflammation/fibrosis and CKD progression. Recent studies have shown the application of mesenchymal stem cells (mSC) to exert beneficial effects on the renal tissue of animals submitted to experimental models of CKD. In this context, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of subcapsular application of adipose tissue-derived mSC (ASC) in rats submitted to the 5/6 renal ablation model, 15 days after the establishment of CKD, when the nephropathy was already severe. We also verify whether ASC associated to Losartan would promote greater renoprotection when compared to the respective monotherapies. Animals were followed until 30 days of CKD, when body weight, systolic blood pressure, biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical, and gene expression analysis were performed. The combination of ASC and Losartan was more effective than Losartan monotherapy in reducing systolic blood pressure and glomerulosclerosis and also promoted the complete normalization of proteinuria and albuminuria, a significant reduction in renal interstitial macrophage infiltration and downregulation of renal IL-6 gene expression. The beneficial effects of ACS are possibly due to the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory role of factors secreted by these cells, modulating the local immune response. Although studies are still required, our results demonstrated that a subcapsular inoculation of ASC, associated with the administration of Losartan, exerted additional renoprotective effect in rats submitted to a severe model of established CKD, when compared to Losartan monotherapy, thus suggesting ASC may be a potential adjuvant to RAAS-blockade therapy currently employed in the conservative management of CKD.

Insulating 3D-printed templates are turned into metallic electrodes: application as electrodes for glycerol electrooxidation.

We turned printed plastic pieces into a conductive material by electrochemical polymerization of aniline on the plastic surface assisted by graphite. The conductive piece was then turned into a metallic electrode by potentiodynamic electrodeposition. As a proof-of-concept, we built indirect-3D-printed Pd, Pt and Au electrodes, which were used for glycerol electrooxidation.

Conducting, transparent and flexible substrates obtained from interfacial thin films of double-walled carbon nanotubes.

Conducting and transparent interfacial thin films have been prepared from double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) and further deposited over glass and plastic (polyethylene terephtalate-PET) substrates. The morphology, vibrational structure as well as the optical and electrical properties have been evaluated. The influence of the DWCNT purifying treatment, the amount of carbon nanotubes used to prepare the thin films, and the annealing of the films at different temperatures has been evaluated to optimize both electrical and optical properties. Values of sheet resistance ranging from 0.53 to 27.8 kΩ â–¡-1 and transmittance at 550nm from 59 to 90% have been achieved. Similar behavior obtained for films deposited on PET or glass substrates indicate a good reproducibility of the method, besides the high potential for further applications on flexible devices.

Carbon nanotube/Prussian blue thin films as cathodes for flexible, transparent and ITO-free potassium secondary battery.

Thin films of either unpurified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) or iron-filled multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were deposited through the liquid-liquid interfacial route over plastic substrates, yielding transparent, flexible and ITO-free electrodes. The iron species presented in both electrodes (inside of the MWCNT cavities or outside of the SWCNT bundles, related to the catalyst remaining of the growth process) were employed as reactant to the electrosynthesis of Prussian blue (PB), yielding carbon nanotubes/Prussian blue nanocomposite thin films, which were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements. The nanocomposite films were employed as cathodes for flexible, transparent and ITO-free potassium batteries, showing reversible charge/discharge behavior and specific capacitance of 8.3mAhcm(-3) and 2.7mAhcm(-3) for SWCNT/PB and MWCNT/PB, respectively.

Graphene/nickel nanoparticles composites from graphenide solutions.

Nanocomposites between nickel nanoparticles and graphene were obtained starting from nickel cations and graphenide solutions (negatively charged graphene layers) as both reducing agent to nickel cations and graphene source. Different nanomaterials were obtained in two different solvents, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and tetrahydrofuran (THF), with different nickel/graphene ratios. The nanomaterials were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). All the samples consist of large graphene layers highly decorated with crystalline nickel nanoparticles, of size ranging from 2 to 10 nm. Thin films of the samples were deposited on indium-tin oxide (ITO) substrates and electrochemically characterized in alkaline medium, leading to Ni(OH)2/NiOOH redox pair, where the increase of the nickel proportion in the nanocomposites resulted in higher peak currents. The samples obtained in NMP showed the best performance with a fivefold increase of the peak currents, consistent with the lower charge transfer resistance as seen by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).