Colloidal inorganic nanocrystal based nanocomposites: Functional materials for micro and nanofabrication

The unique size- and shape-dependent electronic properties of nanocrystals (NCs) make them extremely attractive as novel structural building blocks for constructing a new generation of innovative materials and solid-state devices. Recent advances in material chemistry has allowed the synthesis of colloidal NCs with a wide range of compositions, with a precise control on size, shape and uniformity as well as specific surface chemistry. By incorporating such nanostructures in polymers, mesoscopic materials can be achieved and their properties engineered by choosing NCs differing in size and/or composition, properly tuning the interaction between NCs and surrounding environment. In this contribution, different approaches will be presented as effective opportunities for conveying colloidal NC properties to nanocomposite materials for micro and nanofabrication. Patterning of such nanocomposites either by conventional lithographic techniques and emerging patterning tools, such as ink jet printing and nanoimprint lithography, will be illustrated, pointing out their technological impact on developing new optoelectronic and sensing devices. © 2010 by the authors

Au Nanoparticles Decorated Graphene-Based Hybrid Nanocomposite for As(III) Electroanalytical Detection

Electrochemical sensors integrating hybrid nanostructured platforms are a promising alternative to conventional detection techniques for addressing highly relevant challenges of heavy metal determination in the environment. Hybrid nanocomposites based on graphene derivatives and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are ideal candidates as active materials for detecting heavy metals, as they merge the relevant physico-chemical properties of both the components, finally leading to a rapid and sensitive current response. In this work, a hybrid nanocomposite formed of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets, surface functionalized by π-π interactions with 1-pyrene carboxylic acid (PCA), and decorated in situ by Au NPs, was synthesized by using a colloidal route. The hybrid nanocomposite was characterized by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy with respect to the corresponding single components, both bare and deposited as a layer-by-layer junction onto the electrode. The results demonstrated the high electrochemical activity of the hybrid nanocomposite with respect to the single components, highlighting the crucial role of the nanostructured surface morphology of the electrode and the PCA coupling agent at the NPs-RGO interphase in enhancing the nanocomposite electroactivity. Finally, the Au NP-decorated PCA-RGO sheets were tested by anodic stripping voltammetry of As(III) ion—a particularly relevant analyte among heavy metal ions—in order to assess the sensing ability of the nanocomposite material with respect to its single components. The nanocomposite has been found to present a sensitivity higher than that characterizing the bare components, with LODs complying with the directives established by the U.S. EPA and in line with those reported for state-of-the-art electrochemical sensors based on other Au-graphene nanocomposites

Photocatalytic degradation of methyl-red by immobilised nanoparticles of TiO2 and ZnO

none6noIn this work, we report on the degradation of methyl-red (2-(4-Dimethylamino-phenylazo)-benzoic acid - C.I. 13020) under UV irradiation in the presence of nanosized ZnO and TiO2. Oxide nanocrystals with controlled size were synthesised by using non-hydrolytic approaches and tested for the photocatalysed degradation. The performances of the immobilised nanoparticles were compared with their commercial counterparts after immobilization onto a solid support. The influence of some experimental conditions, namely pH and dye concentration, were investigated by monitoring the dye decoloration spectrophotometrically. Several intermediate by-products were identified by HPLC-MS, showing that two different mechanisms were operative during the photocatalytic oxidationsee at: http://www.iwaponline.com/wst/04904/wst049040183.htmopenR. COMPARELLI; P. D. COZZOLI; M. L. CURRI; A. AGOSTIANO; G. MASCOLO; G. LOVECCHIOR., Comparelli; Cozzoli, Pantaleo Davide; M. L., Curri; A., Agostiano; G., Mascolo; G., Lovecchi

A possible role of fzd10 delivering exosomes derived from colon cancers cell lines in inducing activation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition in normal colon epithelial cell line

Exosomes belong to the family of extracellular vesicles released by every type of cell both in normal and pathological conditions. Growing interest in studies indicates that extracellular vesicles, in particular, the fraction named exosomes containing lipids, proteins and nucleic acid, represent an efficient way to transfer functional cargoes between cells, thus combining all the other cell–cell interaction mechanisms known so far. Only a few decades ago, the involvement of exosomes in the carcinogenesis in different tissues was discovered, and very recently it was also observed how they carry and modulate the presence of Wnt pathway proteins, involved in the carcinogenesis of gastrointestinal tissues, such as Frizzled 10 protein (FZD10), a membrane receptor for Wnt. Here, we report the in vitro study on the capability of tumor-derived exosomes to induce neoplastic features in normal cells. Exosomes derived from two different colon cancer cell lines, namely the non-metastatic CaCo-2 and the metastatic SW620, were found to deliver, in both cases, FZD10, thus demonstrating the ability to reprogram normal colonic epithelial cell line (HCEC-1CT). Indeed, the acquisition of specific mesenchymal characteristics, such as migration capability and expression of FZD10 and markers of mesenchymal cells, was observed. The exosomes derived from the metastatic cell line, characterized by a level of FZD10 higher than the exosomes extracted from the non-metastatic cells, were also more efficient in stimulating EMT activation. The overall results suggest that FZD10, delivered by circulating tumor-derived exosomes, can play a relevant role in promoting the CRC carcinogenesis and propagation

UV and solar-based photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants by nano-sized TiO2 grown on carbon nanotubes

Anew photocatalyst based on nano-sized TiO2 supported on single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with tailored photocatalytic properties upon irradiation by both UV and solar simulated light was successfully employed for the degradation of a mixture of 22 organic pollutants in both ultrapure water and real secondary wastewater effluent. First-order degradation rates showed that under UV irradiation nanosized TiO2 supported on SWCNTs is much more effective than conventional Degussa P25 for degradation of iopamidol, iopromide, diatrizoic acid, diclofenac, triclosan and sulfamethoxazole in ultrapure water. For the remaining organics the degradation rates were comparable being in most of the cases Degussa P25 slightly more effective than nano-sized TiO2 supported on SWCNTs. Reactions performed in real secondary wastewater effluent showed a general reduction of degradation rates. Specifically, such a reduction was in the range 9-87% and 9-96% for the Degussa P25 and the nano-sized TiO2 supported on SWCNTs, respectively. Overall, the nano-sized TiO2 supported on SWCNTs under UV irradiation displayed comparable degradation rates with respect to convention Degussa P25. Under simulated solar irradiation the new prepared photocatalyst showed lower efficiency than Degussa P25 in ultrapure water. Such a gap was greatly reduced when the reactions were carried out in real secondary wastewater effluent. The nano-sized TiO2 supported on SWCNTs demonstrated to have the addition benefit to be easily removed from the aqueous solution by a mild centrifugation or a filtration step and, consequently, can be reused for a further photocatalytic treatment batch. Therefore, the obtained results showed that new photocatalyst based on nano-sized TiO2 supported on SWCNTs has proved to be a promising candidate to be used in a photocatalytic based-AOP and to be integrated with a biological step for the effective removal of emerging organic pollutants

Encapsulation of dual emitting giant quantum dots in silica nanoparticles for optical ratiometric temperature nanosensors

Accurate temperature measurements with a high spatial resolution for application in the biomedical fields demand novel nanosized thermometers with new advanced properties. Here, a water dispersible ratiometric temperature sensor is fabricated by encapsulating in silica nanoparticles, organic capped PbS@CdS@CdS "giant" quantum dots (GQDs), characterized by dual emission in the visible and near infrared spectral range, already assessed as efficient fluorescent nanothermometers. The chemical stability, easy surface functionalization, limited toxicity and transparency of the silica coating represent advantageous features for the realization of a nanoscale heterostructure suitable for temperature sensing. However, the strong dependence of the optical properties on the morphology of the final core-shell nanoparticle requires an accurate control of the encapsulation process. We carried out a systematic investigation of the synthetic conditions to achieve, by the microemulsion method, uniform and single core silica coated GQD (GQD@SiO2) nanoparticles and subsequently recorded temperature-dependent fluorescent spectra in the 281-313 K temperature range, suited for biological systems. The ratiometric response-the ratio between the two integrated PbS and CdS emission bands-is found to monotonically decrease with the temperature, showing a sensitivity comparable to bare GQDs, and thus confirming the effectiveness of the functionalization strategy and the potential of GQD@SiO2 in future biomedical applications

Exosomes for diagnosis and therapy in gastrointestinal cancers

Exosomes are membrane-bound extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by most cells, having a size ranging from 30 to 150 nm, and are involved in mechanisms of cell-cell communication in physiological and pathological tissues. Exosomes are engaged in the transport of biomolecules, such as lipids, proteins, messenger RNAs, and microRNA, and in signal transmission through the intercellular transfer of components. In the context of proteins and nucleic acids transported from exosomes, our interest is focused on the Frizzled proteins family and related messenger RNA. Exosomes can regenerate stem cell phenotypes and convert them into cancer stem cells by regulating the Wnt pathway receptor family, namely Frizzled proteins. In particular, for gastrointestinal cancers, the Frizzled protein involved in those mechanisms is Frizzled-10 (FZD-10). Currently, increasing attention is being devoted to the protein and lipid composition of exosomes interior and membranes, representing profound knowledge of specific exosomes composition fundamental for their application as new delivering drug tools for cancer therapy. This review intends to cover the most recent literature on the use of exosome vesicles for early diagnosis, follow-up, and the use of these physiological nanovectors as drug delivery systems for gastrointestinal cancer therapy

Enhanced performances of RGO-AuNPs hybrids towards electroanalytical applications

In recent years, lot of attention has been devoted to understanding the properties of hybrid nanocomposites, \u201cbrave new materials\u201d made of two or more organic and inorganic components. These systems show enhanced or novel physico-chemical properties with respect to the single components, resulting not only from the sum of the precursors\u2019 ones, but also from interactions occurring at their interface, the so-called \u201cheterojunction\u201d. However, a remaining challenge is to understand in depth the phenomena here originating. In the present work, to start fulfilling this gap, a deep electrochemical study of hybrids made of Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) and Au nanoparticles (NPs) is performed, analysing carefully the role played by each single component of the material on the electrochemical properties. In more details, RGO platforms are surface functionalized with 1-aminopyrene or 1-pyrene carboxylic acid that act as heteronucleation and growing sites of the amine- or thiol-coated Au NPs of different dimensions (from 3 to 20 nm). At first, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements are carried out in order to characterize the different hybrids. Then, the materials are applied as electroanalytical sensors for both organic and inorganic molecules (dopamine and As, respectively) with very promising results, comparable or even better than analogous systems reported in literature. Moreover, preliminary tests on H2O2 detection open the venue to the application of these materials in biosensor applications. The properties of the hybrid nanocomposite, enhanced with respect to those of the single components, are ascribed to charge transfer occurring at the heterojunction from the Au NPs to the RGO, assisted and channelled by the pyrene linker

Polydopamine-Coated Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: From Design to Applications

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have been extensively investigated due to their applications in various fields such as biomedicine, sensing, and environmental remediation. However, they need to be coated with a suitable material in order to make them biocompatible and to add new functionalities on their surface. This review is intended to give a comprehensive overview of recent advantages and applications of iron oxide nanoparticles coated by polydopamine film. The synthesis method of magnetic nanoparticles, their functionalization with bioinspired materials and (in particular) with polydopamine are discussed. Finally, some interesting applications of polydopamine-coated magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles will be pointed out