Preparation of Hybrid Sol-Gel Materials Based on Living Cells of Microorganisms and Their Application in Nanotechnology

Microorganism-cell-based biohybrid materials have attracted considerable attention over the last several decades. They are applied in a broad spectrum of areas, such as nanotechnologies, environmental biotechnology, biomedicine, synthetic chemistry, and bioelectronics. Sol-gel technology allows us to obtain a wide range of high-purity materials from nanopowders to thin-film coatings with high efficiency and low cost, which makes it one of the preferred techniques for creating organic-inorganic matrices for biocomponent immobilization. This review focuses on the synthesis and application of hybrid sol-gel materials obtained by encapsulation of microorganism cells in an inorganic matrix based on silicon, aluminum, and transition metals. The type of immobilized cells, precursors used, types of nanomaterials obtained, and their practical applications were analyzed in detail. In addition, techniques for increasing the microorganism effective time of functioning and the possibility of using sol-gel hybrid materials in catalysis are discussed

Conductive Polymers and Their Nanocomposites: Application Features in Biosensors and Biofuel Cells

Conductive polymers and their composites are excellent materials for coupling biological materials and electrodes in bioelectrochemical systems. It is assumed that their relevance and introduction to the field of bioelectrochemical devices will only grow due to their tunable conductivity, easy modification, and biocompatibility. This review analyzes the main trends and trends in the development of the methodology for the application of conductive polymers and their use in biosensors and biofuel elements, as well as describes their future prospects. Approaches to the synthesis of such materials and the peculiarities of obtaining their nanocomposites are presented. Special emphasis is placed on the features of the interfaces of such materials with biological objects

Halogen-free GeO2 conversion electrochemical reduction vs. complexation in (DTBC)(2)Ge[Py(CN)(n)] (n=0...2) complexes

International audience3,5-di-tert-Butylcatecholate (DTBC) germanium complexes (DTBC)2Ge[Py(CN)n]2 (n = 0…2) have been synthesized from GeO2, 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and cyano-substituted pyridines Py(CN)n and characterized by elemental analysis, NMR, IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The structure of 1 (with 4-cyanopyridine) has been determined by X-ray single crystal analysis. UV-VIS spectra have shown that these complexes are stable in CH3CN, toluene and CH2Cl2 solutions; in contrast, they are rapidly decomposed by dimethylformamide and tetrahydrofuran. Complexes 1 and 2 (with 4-cyano and 3-cyanopyridine) are electrochemically reducible in toluene/1 M Bu4NPF6 at E = -1.3…-1.7 V vs. AgCl. The quantum-chemical study of these complexes is in accordance with the unsuccessful attempts to obtain analogous derivatives with 2-cyanopyridine and 2,6-dicyanopyridine

Synthesis, characterization and redox properties of Ar-C=N -> Ge <- N=C-Ar containing system

International audienceNew Schiff base germanate derivative containing the chain Ar-C=N -> Ge <- N=C-Ar was synthesized and characterized by physical methods including X-ray diffraction. The stability of the corresponding radical anion obtained electrochemically was confirmed by cyclic voltammetry, the results were compared with UV-VIS data and quantum chemical calculations

Electrochemical Etching of Germanium in Ionic Liquids without the Use of Toxic and Corrosive Reagents

International audienceFor the first time, the possibility of obtaining porous germanium from both single-crystal and polycrystalline starting materials using environmentally friendly (in contrast to the commonly used HF and HCl) imidazolium ionic liquids (IL) was shown. It was demonstrated that pore formation depended significantly on the viscosity of the IL, on the etching current density and etching time, and on defects and imperfections of the substrate surface. By varying these parameters, the rates of two competing processes - formation and growth of pores and electropolishing - could be adjusted, consequently allowing germanium with a various structured surface, including a porous surface. In particular, using a more viscous IL (for example, [BMIM][PF6] versus [BMIM][BF4]) made it possible to reduce the rate of dissolution of the germanium dioxide surface layer; as a result, the formation and growth of pores became a dominant process. At the same time, the dissolution rate of the already formed porous layer (electropolishing) increased with the etching current density and the number of defects and imperfections of the germanium surface

2-Imidazoline Nitroxide Derivatives of Cymantrene

The 2-imidazoline nitroxide derivatives of cymantrene—2-(η5-cyclopentadienyl)tricarbonylmanganese(I)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl (NNMn) and 2-(η5-cyclopentadienyl)tricarbonylmanganese(I)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-1-oxyl (INMn) were synthesized. It was shown that NNMn and INMn exhibit a sufficiently high kinetic stability both in solids and in solutions under normal conditions. Their structural characteristics, magnetic properties and electrochemical behavior are close to Re(I) analogs. This opens the prospect of using paramagnetic cymantrenes as prototypes in the design of Re(I) half-sandwiched derivatives for theranostics, where therapy is combined with diagnostics by magnetic resonance imaging due to the contrast properties of nitroxide radicals

Targeted Formation of Biofilms on the Surface of Graphite Electrodes as an Effective Approach to the Development of Biosensors for Early Warning Systems

Biofilms based on bacteria Pseudomonas veronii (Ps. veronii) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) and yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) were used for novel biosensor creation for rapid biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) monitoring. Based on the electrochemical measurement results, it was shown that the endogenous mediator in the matrix of E. coli and Ps. veronii biofilms and ferrocene form a two-mediator system that improves electron transport in the system. Biofilms based on Ps. veronii and E. coli had a high biotechnological potential for BOD assessment; bioreceptors based on such biofilms had high sensitivity (the lower limits of detectable BOD5 concentrations were 0.61 (Ps. veronii) and 0.87 (E. coli) mg/dm3) and high efficiency of analysis (a measurement time 5–10 min). The maximum biosensor response based on bacterial biofilms has been observed in the pH range of 6.6–7.2. The greatest protective effect was found for biofilms based on E. coli, which has high long-term stability (151 days for Ps. veronii and 163 days for E. coli). The results of the BOD5 analysis of water samples obtained using the developed biosensors had a high correlation with the results of the standard 5-day method (R2 = 0.9820, number of tested samples is 10 for Ps. veronii, and R2 = 0.9862, number of tested samples is 10 for E. coli). Thus, biosensors based on Ps. veronii biofilms and E. coli biofilms could be a novel analytical system to give early warnings of pollution

An environment-friendly approach to produce nanostructured germanium anodes for lithium-ion batteries

International audienceIn this paper, we propose a halogen-free process for the preparation of germanium micro-scale particles with a nano-structured surface morphology from germanium citrate, an easily accessible and environment-friendly precursor formed from germanium dioxide and citric acid in an aqueous medium. Electrodeposition of nanostructured Ge anodes on copper foil was performed via electrolysis of 1-5% germanium citrate solution in propylene glycol with addition of 5% acetic acid. Cyclic voltammetry data suggested that germanium citrate is an electrochemically inactive compound, but readily undergoes reduction by cathodic hydrogen released in the electrolysis. Such behaviour allows one to run the electrolysis under simple galvanostatic conditions without any need for controlling the potential. Furthermore, no diaphragm is required to separate the cathodic and anodic cell compartments. The electrodeposition produces black and compact films composed of similar to 200 nm germanium particles, which, in turn, consist of nanoparticles no larger than 25 nm in size (SEM and TEM data). XRD and Raman spectroscopy data lead to the conclusion that germanium precipitates in the amorphous phase; however, with an increase in the power of the He-Ne laser (632.8 nm) during Raman spectra recording, it transforms into a nanocrystalline form. Testing germanium anodes in lithium-ion half-cells showed a specific capacity of similar to 600 mA h g(-1) at 1-2C current rates, which is comparable to the best results achieved for Ge anodes produced using more sophisticated and less environment-friendly techniques

Porous Silicon Preparation by Electrochemical Etching in Ionic Liquids

International audienceAnodic etching of n-type {111} silicon in ionic liquid (IL) systems ([RMIM] [X], R = H, Bu; X = BF4-, PF6-), realized under galvanostatic conditions and at room temperature, allowed the formation of porous silicon surfaces with different pore morphology depending on the etching time, current density, and the IL used. The study of the effect of water content in IL on the etching process has shown a water content of 1% to be optimal. The role of the anion on the etching process was elucidated using 1-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([HMIM][BF4]) and 1-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([HMIM] [PF6]) IL systems. [HMIM] [BF4] was found to be most efficient for the formation of a silicon nanostructured array with a pore size of 30-80 nm. The thusprepared porous silicon samples show fluorescence in blue light (475 nm). The NMR spectra of [HMIM] [BF4] ionic liquid before and after etching do not show noticeable changes, which makes it possible to consider this IL as a potentially recyclable etching agent

Cover feature: 2-Carboxyethylgermanium Sesquioxide as a promising anode material for Li-Ion batteries (ChemSusChem 12/2020)

The Cover Feature shows the difference in the lithiation of 1D and 2D materials based on organic germanium sesquioxides (top) and rigid 3D GeO2 (bottom) when used as an anode in lithium-ion batteries. More information can be found in the Full Paper by E. A. Saverina et al. on page 3137 in Issue 12, 2020 (DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202000852)