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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2021) | Viewed by 22539

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Prof. Dr. Tibor Pasinszki

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemistry, School of Pure Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Technology, Fiji National University, P.O. Box 7222, Nasinu, Fiji
Interests: reactive molecules; heterocyclic compounds; synthesis of complex drugs for chemotherapy; nanoparticles in catalysis; carbon-based adsorbents; carbon nanomaterial-based sensors; pollutants and toxins in food

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanomaterials are all around us; they are in the air we breathe, in the food we eat, in liquids we drink, in cosmetics, in medicine we take, and in many devices we use in our everyday life. Nanomaterials provide the link between the molecular world and bulk materials and possess specific size-dependent properties. Large effort has been made in recent decades to synthesize new nanomaterials and to study their properties for applications to improve our standard of life, including consumable products or monitoring and cleaning our environment. Chemistry is a key tool in designing materials at the nanoscale either by assembling molecules and atoms or by slicing down bulk materials. Due to the wide range of structural diversity and chemical and physical properties, nanomaterials and their composites are of pronounced interest in many research areas, extending our knowledge in chemistry and providing results that find applications in everyday life.

This Special Issue aims to collect original research articles, communications, and reviews on the topics covering synthesis, structural elucidation, and application of nanomaterials, with special attention to their occurrence in our close environment and consumed industrial products. There is no restriction on the length of the papers.

Prof. Dr. Tibor Pasinszki
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Soft and hard nanoparticles
Core–shell nanoparticles
Synthesis and structure
Nanomaterials in air, water, and soil
Nanomaterials in cosmetics, medicine, and healthcare
Nanomaterials in food and drink
Nanomaterials in water purification and environmental remediation
Nanomaterials in emulsions
Nanomaterials in catalysis
Nanomaterials as stabilizers, pigments, and protective agents
Nanomaterials-based electronic devices
Nanotoxicity

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 32824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thiol-Responsive Gold Nanodot Swarm with Glycol Chitosan for Photothermal Cancer Therapy

by SeongHoon Jo, In-Cheol Sun, Wan Su Yun, Jinseong Kim, Dong-Kwon Lim, Cheol-Hee Ahn and Kwangmeyung Kim

Molecules 2021, 26(19), 5980; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26195980 - 02 Oct 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1740

Abstract

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is one of the most promising cancer treatment methods because hyperthermal effects and immunogenic cell death via PTT are destructive to cancer. However, PTT requires photoabsorbers that absorb near-infrared (NIR) light with deeper penetration depth in the body and effectively convert light into heat. Gold nanoparticles have various unique properties which are suitable for photoabsorbers, e.g., controllable optical properties and easy surface modification. We developed gold nanodot swarms (AuNSw) by creating small gold nanoparticles (sGNPs) in the presence of hydrophobically-modified glycol chitosan. The sGNPs assembled with each other through their interaction with amine groups of glycol chitosan. AuNSw absorbed 808-nm laser and increased temperature to 55 °C. In contrast, AuNSw lost its particle structure upon exposure to thiolated molecules and did not convert NIR light into heat. In vitro studies demonstrated the photothermal effect and immunogenic cell death after PTT with AuNSW. After intratumoral injection of AuNSw with laser irradiation, tumor growth of xenograft mouse models was depressed. We found hyperthermal damage and immunogenic cell death in tumor tissues through histological and biochemical analyses. Thiol-responsive AuNSw showed feasibility for PTT, with advanced functionality in the tumor microenvironment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Everyday Life)

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9 pages, 989 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Carbon Microsphere-Supported Metallic Nickel Nanoparticles as Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts and Their Application for the Reduction of Nitrophenol

by Melinda Krebsz, László Kótai, István E. Sajó, Tamás Váczi and Tibor Pasinszki

Molecules 2021, 26(18), 5680; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26185680 - 18 Sep 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2028

Abstract

Nickel nanoparticles are gaining increasing attention in catalysis due to their versatile catalytic action. A novel, low-cost and facile method was developed in this work to synthesize carbon microsphere-supported metallic nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NP/C) for heterogeneous catalysis. The synthesis was based on carbonizing a polystyrene-based cation exchange resin loaded with nickel ions at temperatures between 500 and 1000 °C. The decomposition of the nickel-organic framework resulted in both Ni-NP and carbon microsphere formation. The phase composition, morphology and surface area of these Ni-NP/C microspheres were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and BET analysis. Elemental nickel was found to be the only metal containing phase; fcc-Ni coexisted with hcp-Ni at carbonization temperatures between 500 and 700 °C, and fcc-Ni was the only metallic phase at 800–1000 °C. Graphitization and carbon nanotube formation were observed at high temperatures. The catalytic activity of Ni-NP/C was tested in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by sodium borohydride, and Ni-NP/C was proved to be an efficient catalyst in this reaction. The relatively easy and scalable synthetic method, as well as the easy separation and catalytic activity of Ni-NP/C, provide a viable alternative to existing nickel nanocatalysts in future applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Everyday Life)

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10 pages, 17361 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Quenching and Sonication Effect on the Mechanical Strength of Silver Nanowires Synthesized Using the Polyol Method

by Junaidi Junaidi, Muhamad Wahyudi Saputra, Roniyus Marjunus, Simon Sembiring and Sutopo Hadi

Molecules 2021, 26(8), 2167; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26082167 - 09 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1845

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of fast cooling (quenching) on thermal properties, mechanical strength, morphology and size of the AgNWs. The synthesis of AgNWs was carried out at three different quenching-medium temperatures as follows: at 27 °C (ambient temperature), 0 °C (on ice), and −80 °C (in dry ice) using the polyol method at 130 °C. Furthermore, the AgNWs were sonified for 45 min to determine their mechanical strength. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the quenched AgNWs had decreased significantly; at 27 °C, the AgNWs experienced a change in length from (40 ± 10) to (21 ± 6) µm, at 0 °C from (37 ± 8) to (24 ± 8) µm, and at −80 °C from (34 ± 9) to (29 ± 1) µm. The opposite occurred for their diameter with an increased quenching temperature: at 27 °C from (200 ± 10) to (210 ± 10) nm, at 0 °C from (224 ± 4) to (239 ± 8) nm, and at −80 °C from (253 ± 6) to (270 ± 10) nm. The lower the temperature of the quenching medium, the shorter the length and the higher the mechanical strength of AgNWs. The UV-Vis spectra of the AgNWs showed peak absorbances at 350 and 411 to 425 nm. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that AgNWs quenched at −80 °C have better thermal stability as their mass loss was only 2.88%, while at the quenching temperatures of 27 °C and 0 °C the mass loss was of 8.73% and 4.17%, respectively. The resulting AgNWs will then be applied to manufacture transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) for optoelectronic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Everyday Life)

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11 pages, 1623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adsorption of Sulfamethazine Drug onto the Modified Derivatives of Carbon Nanotubes at Different pH

by Hiba Mohamed Ameen, Sándor Kunsági-Máté, Péter Noveczky, Lajos Szente and Beáta Lemli

Molecules 2020, 25(11), 2489; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25112489 - 27 May 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2155

Abstract

The sulfamethazine drug interaction with carbon nanotubes was investigated with the aim of improving the adsorption capacity of the adsorptive materials. Experiments were performed to clarify how the molecular environment affects the adsorption process. Single-walled carbon nanotubes have a higher removal efficiency of sulfamethazine than pristine or functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Although the presence of cyclodextrin molecules improves the solubility of sulfamethazine, it reduces the adsorption capacity of the carbon nanotube towards the sulfamethazine drug and, therefore, inhibits the removal of these antibiotic pollutants from waters by carbon nanotubes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Everyday Life)

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11 pages, 4653 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gelatin Hydrolysate Hybrid Nanoparticles as Soft Edible Pickering Stabilizers for Oil-In-Water Emulsions

by Zhongyao Du and Pengjie Wang

Molecules 2020, 25(2), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25020393 - 17 Jan 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3150

Abstract

The aim of this study was to fabricate edible gelatin enzymic digest (GED) based gel particles that can stabilize oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions. The gel particles were generated by covalent crosslinking, with genipin, the individual protein molecules within tannic acid-induced gelatin hydrolysate (GED-TA) particles. The ability of the genipin-treated GED-TA (GP-GED-TA) to stabilize emulsions was evaluated by Turbiscan analysis and droplet-size changes. For comparison, gelatin hydrolysate (GE) and tannic acid-induced gelatin hydrolysate particles (GED-TA) were used as controls. The mean diameters of GED, GED-TA, and GP-GED-TA particles were 0.68 ± 0.1 nm, 66.2 ± 8.4 nm, and 66.9 ± 7.2 nm, respectively. Nanomechanic analysis using atomic force microscopy(AFM) indicated the average Young’s modulu of the GP-GED-TA particles was 760.8 ± 112.0 Mpa, indicating the GP-GED-TA were soft particles. The Turbiscan stability indexes (lower values indicate a more stable emulsion) of the emulsions stabilized with GED, GED-TA, and GP-GED-TA, after storage for three days, were 28.6 ± 1.5, 19.3 ± 4.8, and 4.4 ± 1.3, respectively. After one, or 60 days of storage, the volume-weighted mean diameters (D_[4,3]) of oil droplets stabilized by GP-GED-TA were 1.19 ± 0.11 μm and 1.18 ± 0.1 µm, respectively. The D_[4,3] of oil droplets stabilized by GED-TA, however, increased from 108.3 ± 5.1 μm to 164.3 ± 19.1 μm during the storage. Overall, the GP-GED-TA gel particles have considerable potential for stabilization of O/W emulsions in food products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Everyday Life)

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Review

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23 pages, 1874 KiB

Open AccessReview

Plant-Based Gums and Mucilages Applications in Pharmacology and Nanomedicine: A Review

by Mohammad Sadegh Amiri, Vahideh Mohammadzadeh, Mohammad Ehsan Taghavizadeh Yazdi, Mahmood Barani, Abbas Rahdar and George Z. Kyzas

Molecules 2021, 26(6), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061770 - 22 Mar 2021

Cited by 98 | Viewed by 10898

Abstract

Gums are carbohydrate biomolecules that have the potential to bind water and form gels. Gums are regularly linked with proteins and minerals in their construction. Gums have several forms, such as mucilage gums, seed gums, exudate gums, etc. Plant gums are one of the most important gums because of their bioavailability. Plant-derived gums have been used by humans since ancient times for numerous applications. The main features that make them appropriate for use in different applications are high stabilization, viscosity, adhesive property, emulsification action, and surface-active activity. In many pharmaceutical formulations, plant-based gums and mucilages are the key ingredients due to their bioavailability, widespread accessibility, non-toxicity, and reasonable prices. These compete with many polymeric materials for use as different pharmaceuticals in today’s time and have created a significant achievement from being an excipient to innovative drug carriers. In particular, scientists and pharmacy industries around the world have been drawn to uncover the secret potential of plant-based gums and mucilages through a deeper understanding of their physicochemical characteristics and the development of safety profile information. This innovative unique class of drug products, useful in advanced drug delivery applications, gene therapy, and biosynthesis, has been developed by modification of plant-based gums and mucilages. In this review, both fundamental and novel medicinal aspects of plant-based gums and mucilages, along with their capacity for pharmacology and nanomedicine, were demonstrated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanomaterials for Everyday Life)

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