Eco-friendly fabrication of graphene from apple biomass precursor

9. Simpozijum "Hemija i zaštita životne sredine" sa međunarodnim učešćem : Knjiga izvoda ; 4-7. jun 2023; Kladovo, Srbija9th Symposium Chemistry and Environmental Protection with international participation : Book of Abstracts ; 4-7th June 2023 ; Kladovo, Serbi

The Mechanism Behind Pd(II) and Carbofuran-Induced Change of Graphene Quantum Dots Photoluminescence Intensity

The increasing presence of pesticides and heavy metals in the environment and their negative impact on human, animal, and plant health, demand green, low-cost, and simple methods for their monitoring. Due to photoluminescence (PL) in the visible part of the spectrum, biocompatibility, and ecological acceptability, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are at the center of attention in the field of optical sensing. GQDs show great potential as PL sensors for Pd(II) ions and insecticide carbofuran. In this work, FTIR spectroscopy and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation were used to resolve the mechanism of PL change in the presence of these analytes

Photo-induced prooxidative and antioxidative properties of gamma-irradiated graphene quantum dots

9. Simpozijum "Hemija i zaštita životne sredine" sa međunarodnim učešćem : Knjiga izvoda ; 4-7. jun 2023; Kladovo, Srbija9th Symposium Chemistry and Environmental Protection with international participation : Book of Abstracts ; 4-7th June 2023 ; Kladovo, Serbi

Comparative Analysis of Different Methods for Graphene Nanoribbon Synthesis

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are thin strips of graphene that have captured the interest of scientists due to their unique structure and promising applications in electronics. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of morphological properties of graphene nanoribbons synthesized by different methods. Various methods have been reported for graphene nanoribons synthesis. Lithography methods usually include electron-beam (e-beam) lithography, atomic force microscopy (AFM) lithography, and scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) lithography. Sonochemical and chemical methods exist as well, namely chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and anisotropic etching. Graphene nanoribbons can also be fabricated from unzipping carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We propose a new highly efficient method for graphene nanoribbons production by gamma irradiation of graphene dispersed in cyclopentanone (CPO). Surface morphology of graphene nanoribbons was visualized with atomic force and transmission electron microscopy. It was determined that dimensions of graphene nanoribbons are inversely proportional to applied gamma irradiation dose. It was established that the narrowest nanoribbons were 10-20 nm wide and 1 nm high with regular and smooth edges. In comparison to other synthesis methods, dimensions of graphene nanoribbons synthesized by gamma irradiation are slightly larger, but the yield of nanoribbons is much higher. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used for structural analysis of graphene nanoribbons. Results of photoluminescence spectroscopy revealed for the first time that synthesized nanoribbons showed photoluminescence in the blue region of visible light in contrast to graphene nanoribbons synthesized by other methods. Based on disclosed facts, we believe that our synthesis method has good prospects for potential future mass production of graphene nanoribbons with uniform size, as well as for future investigations of carbon nanomaterials for applications in optoelectronics and biological labeling

Measurement of EMI Shielding Performance of Graphene Oxide and Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene Thin Films

Graphene and its derivatives have become the scientific community's focus due to their remarkable electronic, mechanical, and optical properties. In this work, we prepared two graphene-based materials, graphene oxide (GO) and electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EEG), and performed morphological and structural analysis. Both materials showed good dispersibility in water. GO is composed of mainly single- and few-layer graphene sheets, while EEG is predominately multi-layer graphene. EEG showed better thermal stability under nitrogen flow compared to GO. We also performed ElectroMagnetic Interference (EMI) shielding performance measurements of these materials.29th International Symposium on Analytical and Environmental Problems : Proceedings; November 13-14, 2023; Szeged, Hungary

Facile synthesis of L-cysteine functionalized graphene quantum dots as a bioimaging and photosensitive agent

Nowadays, a larger number of aggressive and corrosive chemical reagents as well as toxic solvents are used to achieve structural modification and cleaning of the final products. These lead to the production of residual, waste chemicals, which are often reactive, cancerogenic, and toxic to the environment. This study shows a new approach to the modification of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) using gamma irradiation where the usage of reagents was avoided. We achieved the incorporation of S and N atoms in the GQD structure by selecting an aqueous solution of L-cysteine as an irradiation medium. GQDs were exposed to gamma-irradiation at doses of 25, 50 and 200 kGy. After irradiation, the optical, structural, and morphological properties, as well as the possibility of their use as an agent in bioimaging and photodynamic therapy, were studied. We measured an enhanced quantum yield of photoluminescence with the highest dose of 25 kGy (21.60%). Both S- and N-functional groups were detected in all gamma-irradiated GQDs: amino, amide, thiol, and thione. Spin trap electron paramagnetic resonance showed that GQDs irradiated with 25 kGy can generate singlet oxygen upon illumination. Bioimaging on HeLa cells showed the best visibility for cells treated with GQDs irradiated with 25 kGy, while cytotoxicity was not detected after treatment of HeLa cells with gamma-irradiated GQDs

Antibacterial potential of electrochemically exfoliated graphene sheets

Electrochemically exfoliated graphene is functionalized graphene with potential application in biomedicine. Two most relevant biological features of this material are its electrical conductivity and excellent water dispersibility. In this study we have tried to establish the correlation between graphene structure and its antibacterial properties. The exfoliation process was performed in a two electrode-highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrochemical cell. Solution of ammonium persulfate was used as an electrolyte. Exfoliated graphene sheets were dispersed in aqueous media and characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance, zeta potential, contact angle measurements and surface energy. Antibacterial assays have shown lack of the significant antibacterial activity. Major effect on bacteria was slight change of bacteria morphology. Membrane remained intact despite significant change of chemical content of membrane components.This is the peer reviewed version of the paper: Marković, Z. M., Matijašević, D. M., Pavlović, V. B., Jovanović, S. P., Holclajtner-Antunović, I. D., Špitalský, Z., Mičušik, M., Dramićanin, M. D., Milivojević, D. D., Nikšić, M. P., & Todorović Marković, B. M. (2017). Antibacterial potential of electrochemically exfoliated graphene sheets. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 500, 30–43. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2017.03.110][https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021979717303776?via%3Dihub

Singlet oxygen generation by higher fullerene-based colloids

In this paper, the results of the synthesis and characterization of higher fullerene-based colloids is presented. The generation of singlet oxygen (1)O2 ((1)Delta g) by fullerenc water-based colloids (nC60, nC70 and nC84) was investigated. It was found by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy that the generation of singlet oxygen was the highest by the nC84 colloid. The amplitude of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal was two orders of magnitude higher than the amplitude of the EPR signals which originated from nC60 and nC70. The surface morphology and the structure of the particles of the water-based colloids were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM study showed that the average size of the nC60, nC70 and nC84 were 200, 80 and 70 nm, respectively. In addition, the particle size distribution of the nC60, nC70 and nC84 colloids was determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements

Recent advances in the label-free characterization of exosomes for cancer liquid biopsy: From scattering and spectroscopy to nanoindentation and nanodevices

Exosomes (EXOs) are nano-sized vesicles secreted by most cell types. They are abundant in bio-fluids and harbor specific molecular constituents from their parental cells. Due to these characteristics, EXOs have a great potential in cancer diagnostics for liquid biopsy and personalized medicine. Despite this unique potential, EXOs are not yet widely applied in clinical settings, with two main factors hindering their translational process in diagnostics. Firstly, conventional extraction methods are time-consuming, require large sample volumes and expensive equipment, and often do not provide high-purity samples. Secondly, characterization methods have some limitations, because they are often qualitative, need extensive labeling or complex sampling procedures that can induce artifacts. In this context, novel label-free approaches are rapidly emerging, and are holding potential to revolutionize EXO diagnostics. These methods include the use of nanodevices for EXO purification, and vibrational spectroscopies, scattering, and nanoindentation for characterization. In this progress report, we summarize recent key advances in label-free techniques for EXO purification and characterization. We point out that these methods contribute to reducing costs and processing times, provide complementary information compared to the conventional characterization techniques, and enhance flexibility, thus favoring the discovery of novel and unexplored EXO-based biomarkers. In this process, the impact of nanotechnology is systematically highlighted, showing how the effectiveness of these techniques can be enhanced using nanomaterials, such as plasmonic nanoparticles and nanostructured surfaces, which enable the exploitation of advanced physical phenomena occurring at the nanoscale level

Enrichment of Cxcl12 promoter with TET2: a possible link between promoter demethylation and enhanced gene expression in the absence of PARP-1

Previously, we described the link between C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (Cxcl12) gene induction and DNA hypomethylation in the absence of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). We have now firmly established that demethylation is the primary cause of gene induction on the basis of Cxcl12 gene upregulation upon treatment with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine (5-aza). Since the demethylation state of Cxcl12 is favored by PARP-1 absence, we investigated the presence of ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins on the Cxcl12 promoter in order to corroborate the relationship between the demethylation process and increased gene expression that occurs in the absence of PARP-1. Analysis was performed on the promoter region within CpG islands of Cxcl12 from control mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3T3) and PARP-1 knock-out mouse embryonic fibroblasts (PARP1-/-). The lack of PARP-1 increased the abundance of TET2 on the Cxcl12 promoter, suggesting that TET-mediated demethylation provoked by the absence of PARP-1 could account for the observed increased expression of this chemokine. Deciphering the regulation of DNA (de)methylation factors that control Cxcl12 expression may provide an additional therapeutic approach in pharmacological interventions where gene switching on or off based on targeted stimulation or inhibition is necessary