Functional Nanomaterials for Phototherapies of Cancer

This Review focuses on noncovalent functionalization of graphene and graphene oxide with various species involving biomolecules, polymers, drugs, metals and metal oxide-based nanoparticles, quantum dots, magnetic nanostructures, other carbon allotropes (fullerenes, nanodiamonds, and carbon nanotubes), and graphene analogues (MoS2, WS2). A brief description of π–π interactions, van der Waals forces, ionic interactions, and hydrogen bonding allowing noncovalent modification of graphene and graphene oxide is first given. The main part of this Review is devoted to tailored functionalization for applications in drug delivery, energy materials, solar cells, water splitting, biosensing, bioimaging, environmental, catalytic, photocatalytic, and biomedical technologies. A significant part of this Review explores the possibilities of graphene/graphene oxide-based 3D superstructures and their use in lithium-ion batteries. This Review ends with a look at challenges and future prospects of noncovalently modified graph...

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Noncovalent Functionalization of Graphene and Graphene Oxide for Energy Materials, Biosensing, Catalytic, and Biomedical Applications

Application of peroxymonosulfate and its activation methods for degradation of environmental organic pollutants: Review

Gold nanorods have been receiving extensive attention owing to their extremely attractive applications in biomedical technologies, plasmon-enhanced spectroscopies, and optical and optoelectronic devices. The growth methods and plasmonic properties of Au nanorods have therefore been intensively studied. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the flourishing field of Au nanorods in the past five years. We will focus mainly on the approaches for the growth, shape and size tuning, functionalization, and assembly of Au nanorods, as well as the methods for the preparation of their hybrid structures. The plasmonic properties and the associated applications of Au nanorods will also be discussed in detail.

Gold nanorods and their plasmonic properties

Highly efficient removal of metal ion pollutants, such as toxic and nuclear waste-related metal ions, remains a serious task from the biological and environmental standpoint because of their harmful effects on human health and the environment. Recently, highly porous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with excellent chemical stability and abundant functional groups, have represented a new addition to the area of capturing various types of hazardous metal ion pollutants. This review focuses on recent progress in reported MOFs and MOF-based composites as superior adsorbents for the efficient removal of toxic and nuclear waste-related metal ions. Aspects related to the interaction mechanisms between metal ions and MOF-based materials are systematically summarized, including macroscopic batch experiments, microscopic spectroscopy analysis, and theoretical calculations. The adsorption properties of various MOF-based materials are assessed and compared with those of other widely used adsorbents. Finally, we propose our personal insights into future research opportunities and challenges in the hope of stimulating more researchers to engage in this new field of MOF-based materials for environmental pollution management.

Metal–organic framework-based materials: superior adsorbents for the capture of toxic and radioactive metal ions

A superhydrophobic-superoleophilic PVDF membrane is fabricated via an inert solvent-induced phase inversion for effective separation of both micrometer and nanometer-sized surfactant-free and surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions solely driven by gravity, with high separation efficiency (oil purity in filtrate after separation > 99.95 wt%) and high flux, which is several times higher than those of commercial filtration membranes and reported materials with similar permeation properties.

Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic PVDF membranes for effective separation of water-in-oil emulsions with high flux.

Conventional polymer membranes suffer from low flux and serious fouling when used for treating emulsified oil/water mixtures. Reported herein is the fabrication of a novel superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic poly(acrylic acid)-grafted PVDF filtration membrane using a salt-induced phase-inversion approach. A hierarchical micro/nanoscale structure is constructed on the membrane surface and endows it with a superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic property. The membrane separates both surfactant-free and surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions under either a small applied pressure (<0.3 bar) or gravity, with high separation efficiency and high flux, which is one to two orders of magnitude higher than those of commercial filtration membranes having a similar permeation property. The membrane exhibits an excellent antifouling property and is easily recycled for long-term use. The outstanding performance of the membrane and the efficient, energy and cost-effective preparation process highlight its potential for practical applications.

Salt-Induced Fabrication of Superhydrophilic and Underwater Superoleophobic PAA-g-PVDF Membranes for Effective Separation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions

As an alternative to polymer membranes, ultrathin free-standing single-walled carbon-nanotube network films are used to realize oil/water separation with ultrahigh flux. The films with tunable thickness of the tens of nanometer scale can effectively separate both micrometer and nanometer-sized surfactant-free and surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions with a flux 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than commercial filtration membranes with similar separation performance.

Ultrafast Separation of Emulsified Oil/Water Mixtures by Ultrathin Free‐Standing Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Network Films

A novel cell-targeting, near-infrared light-responsive drug delivery platform based on mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods that are surface-functionalized with aptamer DNA is constructed Aptamer DNA is used as both capping and targeting agent In vitro studies show the feasibility of using this nanocarrier for targeted and noninvasive remote controlled drug delivery and photothermal therapy

Near‐Infrared Light‐Triggered, Targeted Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells by Aptamer Gated Nanovehicles

While the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts is well established, it is extremely challenging to fabricate complex hollow structures with mixed transition metal oxides. Herein, we report a facile in situ growth process of SiO2@Fe3O4@MnO2, followed by an etching method to synthesize a hierarchical hollow structure, namely Fe3O4@MnO2 ball-in-ball hollow spheres (Fe3O4@MnO2 BBHs). The as-prepared Fe3O4@MnO2 BBHs were applied to degrade methylene blue (MB) by catalytic generation of active radicals from peroxymonosulfate (PMS), exhibiting the merits of excellent catalytic performance, easy separation, good stability and recyclability. In this architecture, the degradation process can be divided into three layers. The outer hierarchical MnO2 nanosheets could accumulate and transport the pollutants by electrostatic interactions and catalyze the generation of active radicals for degradation. Both the inner MnO2 nanosheets and the outer Fe3O4 hollows could produce active radicals to accelerate the pollutant degradation. The active catalytic sites also existed in the inner Fe3O4 hollows, which could further degrade the highly concentrated pollutants in the hollows. This work provides new strategies for the controllable synthesis of complex hollow structures and their application in environmental remediation.

Xia Liu

Papers

Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic PVDF membranes for effective separation of water-in-oil emulsions with high flux.

Salt-Induced Fabrication of Superhydrophilic and Underwater Superoleophobic PAA-g-PVDF Membranes for Effective Separation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions

Ultrafast Separation of Emulsified Oil/Water Mixtures by Ultrathin Free‐Standing Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Network Films

Near‐Infrared Light‐Triggered, Targeted Drug Delivery to Cancer Cells by Aptamer Gated Nanovehicles

Formation of Fe3O4@MnO2 ball-in-ball hollow spheres as a high performance catalyst with enhanced catalytic performances