Surface tuned polyethersulfone membrane using an iron oxide functionalized halloysite nanocomposite for enhanced humic acid removal.

Nanomodification of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes has been shown to be a simple and efficient technique for the preparation of high-performance membranes. In this work, an iron oxide functionalized halloysite nanoclay (Fe-HNC) nanocomposite was prepared and used as a nanofiller for polyethersulfone (PES) membranes. The effect of Fe-HNC concentration on the filtration performance of the membrane was investigated by varying the nanocomposite dosage (0-0.5 wt %) in the casting dope. Various characterization studies showed that the incorporation of Fe-HNC nanocomposites improved the membrane morphology and enhanced the surface properties, thermal stability, mechanical strength, hydrophilicity, and porosity. The permeability to pure water and filtration of humic acid (HA) were significantly improved by incorporating Fe-HNC into the PES membranes. The membrane with Fe-HNC loading of 0.1 wt % exhibited the highest pure water permeability (174.3 L/(m2 h bar)) and removal of HA (90.1 %), which were 1.8 times and 29 % higher, respectively than the pristine PES membrane. Moreover, fouling studies showed the enhanced antifouling ability of the Fe-HNC nanocomposites modified PES membranes, especially against irreversible fouling. Continuous membrane regeneration-based fouling removal studies from HA showed that the PES/0.1 wt % Fe-HNC membrane exhibited a high fouling recovery of 70.4 % with very low reversible and irreversible fouling resistance of 9.61 % and 14.78 %, respectively, compared to the pristine PES membrane (fouling recovery: 40.4 %; reversible fouling: 21.7 %; irreversible fouling: 20.1 %). Overall, the Fe-HNC nanocomposite proved to be an effective nanomodifier for improving the permeability of PES membranes and the antifouling ability to treat HA polluted aqueous streams.

A Review of Advanced Multifunctional Magnetic Nanostructures for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy Integrated into an Artificial Intelligence Approach.

The new era of nanomedicine offers significant opportunities for cancer diagnostics and treatment. Magnetic nanoplatforms could be highly effective tools for cancer diagnosis and treatment in the future. Due to their tunable morphologies and superior properties, multifunctional magnetic nanomaterials and their hybrid nanostructures can be designed as specific carriers of drugs, imaging agents, and magnetic theranostics. Multifunctional magnetic nanostructures are promising theranostic agents due to their ability to diagnose and combine therapies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the development of advanced multifunctional magnetic nanostructures combining magnetic and optical properties, providing photoresponsive magnetic platforms for promising medical applications. Moreover, this review discusses various innovative developments using multifunctional magnetic nanostructures, including drug delivery, cancer treatment, tumor-specific ligands that deliver chemotherapeutics or hormonal agents, magnetic resonance imaging, and tissue engineering. Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to optimize material properties in cancer diagnosis and treatment, based on predicted interactions with drugs, cell membranes, vasculature, biological fluid, and the immune system to enhance the effectiveness of therapeutic agents. Furthermore, this review provides an overview of AI approaches used to assess the practical utility of multifunctional magnetic nanostructures for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, the review presents the current knowledge and perspectives on hybrid magnetic systems as cancer treatment tools with AI models.

Date pits activated carbon for divalent lead ions removal.

Phosphoric acid impregnated activated carbon from date pits (DPAC) was prepared through single step activation. Prepared DPAC was studied for its structural, elemental, chemical, surface and crystal nature. Adsorption ability of the DPAC was assessed through divalent lead ions separation studies. Effect of adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, operating temperature and initial feed concentration on lead removal by DPAC was studied. Maximum Pb(II) adsorption capacity of 101.35 mg/g was attained for a contact time of 30 min and pH of 6 at 30°C. Increase in initial feed concentration enhanced the adsorption ability of DPAC and the rise in adsorbent dosage resulted in improved Pb(II) removal efficiency. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the lead adsorption on DPAC was exothermic and instantaneous in nature. Kinetic and equilibrium studies confirmed the suitability of pseudo-second order and Langmuir isotherm for divalent lead ions binding on DPAC. Reusability studies showed that HCl was the effective regeneration medium and the DPAC could be reused for a maximum of 4 times with slight reduction in Pb(II) removal efficiency (<10%). Results indicated the promising use of date pits biomass as a low cost and efficient starting material to prepare activated carbon for divalent lead ions removal.

Nature-Inspired, Graphene-Wrapped 3D MoS2 Ultrathin Microflower Architecture as a High-Performance Anode Material for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

In response to the increasing concern for energy management, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been extensively researched as an attractive anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The proficient cycling durability and good rate performance of SIBs are the two key parameters that determine their potential for practical use. In this study, nature-inspired three-dimensional (3D) MoS2 ultrathin marigold flower-like microstructures were prepared by a controlled hydrothermal method. These microscale flowers are constructed by arbitrarily arranged but closely interconnected two-dimensional ultrathin MoS2 nanosheets. The as-prepared MoS2 microflowers (MFs) have then been chemically wrapped by layered graphene sheets to form the bonded 3D hybrid MoS2-G networks. TEM, SEM, XRD, XPS, and Raman characterizations were used to study the morphology, crystallization, chemical compositions, and wrapping contact between MoS2 and graphene. The ultrathin nature of MoS2 in 3D MFs and graphene wrapping provide strong electrical conductive channels and conductive networks in an electrode. Benefitting from the 2 nm ultrathin crystalline MoS2 sheets, chemically bonded graphene, defect-induced sodium storage active sites, and 3D interstitial spaces, the prepared electrode exhibited an outstanding specific capacity (606 mA h g-1 at 200 mA g-1), remarkable rate performance (345 mA h g-1 at 1600 mA g-1), and long cycle life (over 100 cycles with tremendous Coulombic efficiencies beyond 100%). The proposed synthesis strategy and 3D design developed in the present study reveal a unique way to fabricate promising anode materials for SIBs.

Designed Synthesis of Nanostructured Magnetic Hydroxyapatite Based Drug Nanocarrier for Anti-Cancer Drug Delivery toward the Treatment of Human Epidermoid Carcinoma.

Superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles on hydroxyapatite nanorod based nanostructures (Fe3O4/HAp) were synthesized using hydrothermal techniques at 180 °C for 12 h and were used as drug delivery nanocarriers for cancer cell therapeutic applications. The synthesized Fe3O4/HAp nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET)-analysis, and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The morphologies of the Fe3O4/HAp nanocomposites show 15 nm Fe3O4 nanoparticles dispersed in the form of rods. The BET result shows that the synthesized samples have a high specific surface area of 80 m² g-1 with mesoporous structures. Magnetic measurements revealed that the sample has high saturation magnetization of 18 emu/g with low coercivity. The Fe3O4/HAp nanocomposites had a large specific surface area (SSA), high mesoporous volume, and good magnetic property, which made it a suitable nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery systems. The chemotherapeutic agent, andrographolide, was used to investigate the drug delivery behavior of the Fe3O4/HAp nanocomposites. The human epidermoid skin cancer cells (A431) were used as the model targeting cell lines by treating with andrographolide loaded Fe3O4/HAp nanosystems and were further evaluated for their antiproliferative activities and the induction of apoptosis. Also, the present nanocomposite shows better biocompatibility, therefore it can be used as suitable drug vehicle for cancer therapy applications.