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19 pages, 16985 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Luminescent Carbonaceous Nanoparticles as Silkworm Feed for Fabricating Fluorescent Silkworm Silk

by Wenkai Chen, Yangsheng Zhong, Gangrong Fu, Wenxuan Lai, Ziwen Pan, Yulian Yang, Fangyan Chen and Huichao Yan

Coatings 2023, 13(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13010031 - 24 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1356

Abstract

In biomedical engineering, optics, and photonics, fluorescent silkworm silk has many potential applications, but its complex preparation process and the environmental pollution of corresponding chemical dyeing methods hinder its development. Herein, we provide a green and effective method for fabricating fluorescent silkworm silk [...] Read more.

In biomedical engineering, optics, and photonics, fluorescent silkworm silk has many potential applications, but its complex preparation process and the environmental pollution of corresponding chemical dyeing methods hinder its development. Herein, we provide a green and effective method for fabricating fluorescent silkworm silk with enhanced mechanical properties. Citric acid and urea were selected as raw materials for synthesizing carbon dots (CDs), which were applied as additives of silkworm feed to produce fluorescent silkworm silks by microwave-assisted methods. The results showed that a diet of mulberry leaf with 0.5 wt% CDs was safe for silkworms and did not affect silk yield. CDs rapidly entered silkworms and accumulated in their blood and silk glands. After feeding for 90 min, the silk gland fluorescence appeared prominent. Compared with ordinary silk, the highest elongation at break of the CD-modified silk was 22.24%, and the breaking strength was 28.07 MPa, which were increases of 5.05 and 22.84%, respectively. The CD-modified silk displayed intrinsic blue fluorescence when exposed to a 405 nm laser, exhibited no cytotoxic effect on L929 cells and had excellent cell adhesion. The strategy proposed in this work is not only environmentally friendly but can also produce high-quality fluorescent silk on a large scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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12 pages, 3626 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation of Mortar with Fe₂O₃ Nanoparticles for Radiation Shielding Application

by M. I. Sayyed, Nouf Almousa and Mohamed Elsafi

Coatings 2022, 12(9), 1329; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12091329 - 12 Sep 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 1453

Abstract

The current study aims to investigate the radiation shielding properties of mortar samples with Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles for radiation protection applications. For the reference mortar (free Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles) and the mortar with different concentrations of Fe₂O [...] Read more.

The current study aims to investigate the radiation shielding properties of mortar samples with Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles for radiation protection applications. For the reference mortar (free Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles) and the mortar with different concentrations of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles, we experimentally measured the transmission factor (I/I0) for four different thicknesses of the prepared mortar. The I/I₀ results indicated that the transmission of the photons through the mortars decreases with increases in the mortar’s thickness. The lowest TF was found for the mortar coded as MI-25 (contains 25 wt.% of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles), which gives an indication about the development in the attenuation ability of the prepared mortar samples due to the addition of Fe₂O₃. Similarly, the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) results showed an increasing trend with the addition of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles for the four tested energies. These results confirm that increasing the ratio of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can lead to a remarkable improvement in the gamma ray shielding. We reported the half value layer (HVL) and we found that the HVL for the reference mortar at 0.06 MeV is 1.223 cm, while it changed from 1.19 to 1.074 cm for the mortar with 5 and 25 wt.% of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The HVL results demonstrated that increasing the ratio of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles can lead to a notable reduction in the HVL. The tenth value layer results proved that we can develop new mortars for radiation shielding applications by introducing more concentrations of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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15 pages, 7888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Electrochemical Conductivity of Surface-Coated Gold Nanoparticles/Copper Nanowires onto Screen-Printed Gold Electrode

by Norzila Kusnin, Nor Azah Yusof, Nurul Asyikeen Ab Mutalib, Faruq Mohammad, Jaafar Abdullah, Suriana Sabri, Shuhaimi Mustafa, Ahmad Farabi Mohamad Saman, Fatin Nabilah Mohd Faudzi and Ahmed A. Soleiman

Coatings 2022, 12(5), 622; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12050622 - 2 May 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2118

Abstract

Electrochemical application has been widely used in the study of biosensors. Small biomolecules need a sensitive sensor, as the transducer that can relay the signal produced by biomolecule interactions. Therefore, we are improvising a sensor electrode to enhance electrochemical conductivity for the detection [...] Read more.

Electrochemical application has been widely used in the study of biosensors. Small biomolecules need a sensitive sensor, as the transducer that can relay the signal produced by biomolecule interactions. Therefore, we are improvising a sensor electrode to enhance electrochemical conductivity for the detection of small DNA molecule interaction. This work describes the enhanced electrochemical conductivity studies of copper nanowires/gold nanoparticles (CuNWs/AuNPs), using the screen-printed gold electrode (SPGE). The AuNPs were synthesized using the Turkevich method as well as characterized by the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) analysis for the particle size and absorption nature, respectively. Further, the surface morphology and elemental analysis of a series of combinations of different ratios of CuNWs-AuNPs-modified SPGE were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) combined with an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The results indicate that the nanocomposites of CuNWs-AuNPs have been randomly distributed and compacted on the surface of SPGE, with AuNPs filling the pores of CuNWs, thereby enhancing its electrochemical conductivity. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) method was used for the evaluation of SPGE performance, while the characterization of the electrochemical conductivity of the electrode modified with various concentrations of AuNPs, CuNWs, and different volumes of dithiopropionic acid (DTPA) has been conducted. Of the various parameters tested, the SPGE modified with a mixture of 5 mg/mL CuNWs and 0.25 mM AuNPs exhibited an efficient electrochemical conductivity of 20.3 µA. The effective surface area for the CuNWs-AuNPs-modified SPGE was enhanced by 2.3-fold compared with the unmodified SPGE, thereby conforming the presence of a large active biomolecule interaction area and enhanced electrochemical activity on the electrode surface, thus make it promising for biosensor application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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17 pages, 6299 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Synthesis of Multipotent Antioxidants for Functionalization of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

by Syed Tawab Shah, Zaira Zaman Chowdhury, Mohd Rafie Johan, Irfan Anjum Badruddin, Hussein Alrobei and Sarfaraz Kamangar

Coatings 2022, 12(4), 517; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12040517 - 11 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1754

Abstract

Multipotent antioxidants (MPAO) were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR. The functionalized nanoparticles (IONP@AO) were characterized by FTIR, XRD, Raman, HRTEM, FESEM, VSM, and EDX. IONP@AO1 and IONP@AO2 have average particles size of 10 nm and 11 nm, respectively. The functionalized IONP@AO has [...] Read more.

Multipotent antioxidants (MPAO) were synthesized and characterized by FTIR, NMR. The functionalized nanoparticles (IONP@AO) were characterized by FTIR, XRD, Raman, HRTEM, FESEM, VSM, and EDX. IONP@AO1 and IONP@AO2 have average particles size of 10 nm and 11 nm, respectively. The functionalized IONP@AO has a superparamagnetic nature, with saturation magnetization of 45 emu·g⁻¹. Structure-based virtual screening of the designed MPAO was performed by PASS analysis and ADMET studies to discover and predict the molecule’s potential bioactivities and safety profile before the synthesis procedure. The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of DPPH analysis results showed a four-fold decrease in radical scavenging by IONP@AO compared to IONP. In addition to antioxidant activity, IONP@AO showed suitable antimicrobial activities when tested on various bacterial and fungal strains. The advantage of the developed nanoantioxidants is that they have a strong affinity towards biomolecules such as enzymes, proteins, amino acids, and DNA. Thus, synthesized nanoantioxidants can be used to develop biomedicines that can act as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer agents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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15 pages, 45230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Amidation on the Release Profiles of Insulin Drug from Chitosan-Based Matrices

by Wasmia Mohammed Dahan, Faruq Mohammad, Abdelrahman O. Ezzat, Ayman M. Atta, Hissah Hamad Al-Tilasi and Hamad A. Al-Lohedan

Coatings 2022, 12(4), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12040465 - 29 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1724

Abstract

The present study deals with the comparative analysis of insulin drug release from pure chitosan (CS) and its crosslinked amide derivatives. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of fatty acid derivatives on the release profiles of insulin drug from [...] Read more.

The present study deals with the comparative analysis of insulin drug release from pure chitosan (CS) and its crosslinked amide derivatives. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of fatty acid derivatives on the release profiles of insulin drug from CS-based matrices. In order to form cross-linked CS-based amide derivatives, the CS biopolymer was reacted with four different fatty acids with varying amount of unsaturation, including stearic acid (SA), oleic acid (OA), linoleic acid (LA), and linolenic acid (LLA), and then subjected to cross-linking. Following this, the pure CS and cross-linked CS amide derivatives were loaded with insulin drug and were characterized thoroughly by making use of various instrumental techniques such as FTIR, UV–Vis, TGA, HRTEM, DLS, PDI, and zeta potential studies. In addition, the insulin release profiles were studied and compared between pure CS and CS amides at two different pHs, 7.4 and 1.2. Finally, the insulin drug release data was investigated with five different pharmacokinetic models (zero, first, Higuchi, Kersmeyer–Peppas, and Hixson models). From the analysis, the cross-linked CS amides was found to be superior to pure CS, and within the amide derivatives, the one with a high amount of unsaturation, LLA-derived CS biopolymer, was shown to be better for the release of insulin drug by means of the diffusion and dissolution pathways. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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22 pages, 6424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanoliposome Use to Improve the Stability of Phenylethyl Resorcinol and Serve as a Skin Penetration Enhancer for Skin Whitening

by Huan Xia, Yan Tang, Rufei Huang, Jinlian Liang, Siying Ma, Derong Chen, Yuqing Feng, Yaling Lei, Qi Zhang, Yan Yang and Yadong Huang

Coatings 2022, 12(3), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12030362 - 9 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3179

Abstract

Phenylethyl resorcinol (PR) is a potent tyrosinase inhibitor and a cosmeceutical skin lightening agent. However, the application of PR is limited by photoinstability and poor solubility. In this study, we formulated and optimized phenylethyl resorcinol loaded nanoliposomes (PR-NLPs) to improve the stability and [...] Read more.

Phenylethyl resorcinol (PR) is a potent tyrosinase inhibitor and a cosmeceutical skin lightening agent. However, the application of PR is limited by photoinstability and poor solubility. In this study, we formulated and optimized phenylethyl resorcinol loaded nanoliposomes (PR-NLPs) to improve the stability and effective delivery of PR. PR-NLPs were prepared by the ethanol injection method and optimized by a single factor experimental and Box–Behnken design. In addition, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) as the UBA absorber was added to PR-NLPs, which significantly improved the photostability of PR. The mean size, polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential of the optimized PR-NLPs were 130.1 ± 3.54 nm, 0.225 ± 0.02, and −43.9 ± 3.44 mV, respectively. The drug encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading efficiency (LC) of PR-NLPs were 96.81 ± 3.46% and 8.82 ± 0.6%, respectively. These PR-NLPs showed good physicochemical stability for 3 months at 4 °C and 25 °C in the dark. They showed typical sustained and prolonged drug-release behavior in vitro. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay and cellular uptake demonstrated that the PR-NLPs had excellent biocompatibility and cell transport ability. It significantly inhibited tyrosinase activity and reduced melanin production in B16F10 cells at concentrations of 20 or 30 μg/mL. Moreover, the PR-NLPs enhanced the PR into the skin. These results indicate that PR-NLPs can be used as a nanocarrier to improve the transdermal delivery of PR. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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14 pages, 3207 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photodynamic Therapy with an AlPcS₄Cl Gold Nanoparticle Conjugate Decreases Lung Cancer’s Metastatic Potential

by Anine Crous and Heidi Abrahamse

Coatings 2022, 12(2), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12020199 - 3 Feb 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1964

Abstract

Cancer metastasis and the risk of secondary tumours are the leading causes of cancer related death, and despite advances in cancer treatment, lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. A crucial characteristic of metastases is cell invasion potential, which [...] Read more.

Cancer metastasis and the risk of secondary tumours are the leading causes of cancer related death, and despite advances in cancer treatment, lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. A crucial characteristic of metastases is cell invasion potential, which is mainly determined by cell motility. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), known for its minimally invasive cancer treatment approach, has been extensively researched in vitro and is currently being developed clinically. Due to their physicochemical and optical properties, gold nanoparticles have been shown to increase the effectivity of PDT by increasing the loading potential of the photosensitizer (PS) inside cancer cells, to be biocompatible and nontoxic, to provide enhanced permeability and retention, and to induce lung cancer cell death. However, effects of gold nano phototherapy on lung cancer metastasis are yet to be investigated. The aim of this in vitro study was to determine the inhibitory effects of PS-gold nano bioconjugates on lung cancer metastasis by analysing cell proliferation, migration, cell cycle analysis, and extracellular matrix cell invasion. The findings indicate that nano-mediated PDT treatment of lung cancer prevents lung cancer migration and invasion, induces cell cycle arrest, and reduces lung cancer proliferation abilities, elaborating on the efficacy of the nano-mediated PDT treatment of lung cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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15 pages, 2716 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Polydopamine-Coated Copper-Substituted Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Dual Cancer Therapy

by Prabhakar Busa, Ravindranadh Koutavarapu and Yaswanth Kuthati

Coatings 2022, 12(1), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings12010060 - 5 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3092

Abstract

Combinational therapy using chemodynamictherapy (CDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) is known to enhance the therapeutic outcome for cancer treatment. In this study, a biocompatible nano formulation was developed by coating polydopamine (PDA) over doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded copper-substituted mesoporous silica (CuMSN) nanoparticles. PDA coating not [...] Read more.

Combinational therapy using chemodynamictherapy (CDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) is known to enhance the therapeutic outcome for cancer treatment. In this study, a biocompatible nano formulation was developed by coating polydopamine (PDA) over doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded copper-substituted mesoporous silica (CuMSN) nanoparticles. PDA coating not only allowed selective photothermal properties with an extended DOX release but also enhanced the water solubility and biocompatibility of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites displayed a monodispersed shape and pH-dependent release characteristics, with an outstanding photothermal conversion and excellent tumor cell inhibition. The cellular-uptake experiments of CuMSN@DOX@PDA in A549 cells indicated that nanoparticles (NPs) aided in the enhanced DOX uptake in tumor cells compared to free DOX with synergistic anti-cancer effects. Moreover, the cell-viability studies displayed remarkable tumor inhibition in combinational therapy over monotherapy. Thus, the synthesized CuMSN@DOX@PDA NPs can serve as a promising platform for dual cancer therapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Nanoparticles: Surface Modification, Characterization and Its Application)

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