Interactions between hen egg-white lysozyme, PEG2,000, and PLA50 at the air-water interface

In this paper, we compared the efficiency of polymer films, made of a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG2,000)/poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA50) mixture, or a PEG2,000-PLA50 copolymer, to prevent adsorption of a model protein, the hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL), at the air-water interface. This was achieved by analyzing the surface pressure/surface area curves, and the X-ray reflectivity data of the polymer films spread on a Langmuir trough, obtained in absence or in presence of the protein. For both the mixture and the copolymer, the amount of protein adsorbed at the air-water interface decreases when the density of the polymer surface coverage increases. It was shown that even in a condensed state, the polymer film made by the mixture can not totally prevent HEWL molecules to adsorb and penetrate the polymer mixed film, but however, protein molecules would not be directly exposed to the more hydrophobic phase, i.e. the air phase. It was also shown that the configuration adopted by the copolymer at the interface in its condensed state would prevent adsorption of HEWL molecules for several hours; this would be due in particular to the presence of PEG segments in the interfacial film.     

Poly(β-cyclodextrin)-mediated Polylactide-cholesterol Stereocomplex Micelles for Controlled Drug Delivery

A series of host-guest interaction-adjusted polylactide stereocomplex micelles was prepared via the self-assembly of 4-armed poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lactide/D-lactide)-cholesterol(4-armed PEG-b-PLLA/PDLA-CHOL) and poly(β-cyclodextrin)(PCD) with the molar ratios of CHOL/β-CD at 1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:2 in an aqueous environment. The hydrodynamic diameters of the micelles ranged from 84.1 nm to 107 nm depending on the molar ratio of CHOL/β-CD. It was shown that the micelle with the largest proportion of PCD possessed excellent abilities in drug release, cell internalization as well as proliferation inhibitory effect toward human A549 lung cancer cells. The results demonstrated that the stereocomplex and host-guest interactions-mediated PLA micelles exhibited great potential in sustained drug delivery.     

Poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-cyclodextrin)-mediated polylactide-cholesterol stereocomplex micelles for controlled drug delivery

A series of host-guest interaction-adjusted polylactide stereocomplex micelles was prepared via the self-assembly of 4-armed poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(L-lactide/D-lactide)-cholesterol (4-armed PEG-b-PLLA/PDLA-CHOL) and poly(β-cyclodextrin) (PCD) with the molar ratios of CHOL/β-CD at 1:0.5, 1:1, and 1:2 in an aqueous environment. The hydrodynamic diameters of the micelles ranged from 84.1 nm to 107 nm depending on the molar ratio of CHOL/β-CD. It was shown that the micelle with the largest proportion of PCD possessed excellent abilities in drug release, cell internalization as well as proliferation inhibitory effect toward human A549 lung cancer cells. The results demonstrated that the stereocomplex and host-guest interactions-mediated PLA micelles exhibited great potential in sustained drug delivery.     

Deciphering the Structure and Chemical Composition of Drug Nanocarriers: From Bulk Approaches to Individual Nanoparticle Characterization

Drug nanocarriers (NCs) with sizes usually below 200 nm are gaining increasing interest in the treatment of severe diseases such as cancer and infections. Characterization methods to investigate the morphology and physicochemical properties of multifunctional NCs are key in their optimization and in the study of their in vitro and in vivo fate. Whereas a variety of methods has been developed to characterize “bulk” NCs in suspension, the scope of this review is to describe the different approaches for the NC characterization on an individual basis, for which fewer techniques are available. The accent is put on methods devoid of labelling, which could lead to artefacts. For each characterization method, the principles and approaches to analyze the data are presented in an accessible manner. Aspects related to sample preparation to avoid artefacts are indicated, and emphasis is put on examples of applications. NC characterization on an individual basis allows gaining invaluable information in terms of quality control, on: i) NC localization and fate in biological samples; ii) NC morphology and crystallinity; iii) distribution of the NC components (drugs, shells), and iv) quantification of NCs’ chemical composition. The individual characterization approaches are expected to gain increasing interest in the near future.     

Comparison of growth methods for Si/SiO2 nanostructures as nanodot hetero-emitters for photovoltaic applications

Two different growth mechanisms are compared for the fabrication of Si/SiO₂ nanostructures on crystalline silicon (c-Si) to be used as hetero-emitter in high-efficiency solar cells: (1) The decomposition of substoichiometric amorphous SiO_x (a-SiO_x) films with 0 < x < 1.3 and (2) the dewetting of thin amorphous silicon (a-Si) layers.The grown layers are investigated with regard to their structural properties, their passivation quality for c-Si wafer substrates and their electrical properties in order to evaluate their suitability as a nanodot hetero-emitter. While by layer decomposition, no passivating nanodots could be formed, the dewetting process allows fabricating nanodot passivation layers at temperatures as low as 600 °C. The series resistance through Ag/[Si-nanodots in SiO₂]/c-Si/Al structures for dewetting is similar to nanostructured silicon rich SiO_x films. Still, a nanodot hetero-emitter which exhibits both a satisfying passivation of the substrate and induces a high band bending by doping at the same time could not be fabricated yet.     

Effect of Different π-Conjugated Dyes Containing 4,5-Diazafluorenone-9- Hydrazone on The Performance of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this study, two ligands and their ruthenium complexes are synthesized and their photovoltaic properties for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) of new substances substituted by 4,5-diazafluorenone-9-hydrazone groups is investigated. The structures of the compounds are determined by FTIR, UV-Vis, HNMR, CNMR, and MS spectroscopic techniques. The photovoltaic and electrochemical properties of these compounds are investigated and the applicability in DSSCs as photo sensitizers is studied. Photovoltaic cell efficiencies (PCEs) of the devices are in the range 0.08-1.54% under simulated AM 1.5 solar irradiation of 100 mW/cm², and the highest open-circuit voltage (V_oc) reaches 0.43 V. When the photovoltaic performance of the DSSC devices is compared, it indicates that PCEs assume the following: P1–Ru > > P2–Ru > P1 > P2. The PCE value of 1.54% is obtained with DSSC based on P1–Ru under AM irradiation (100 mW/cm²). DSSC based on the P1–Ru produced efficiency of 1.54% whereas DSSC-based P1 exhibits the device performance with an efficiency of 0.08% under illumination. These results suggest that a larger π-conjugated bridge and a richer electron donor of P1–Ru are beneficial for the photovoltaic performance of DSSC.     

BioMOFs: Metal–Organic Frameworks for Biological and Medical Applications

The class of highly porous materials called metal–organic frameworks offer many opportunities for applications across biology and medicine. Their wide range of chemical composition makes toxicologically acceptable formulation possible, and their high level of functionality enables possible applications as imaging agents and as delivery vehicles for therapeutic agents. The challenges in the area encompass not only the development of new solids but also improvements in the formulation and processing of the materials, including tailoring the morphology and surface chemistry of the frameworks to fit the proposed applications.     

Thermal phase transitions in antimony (III) oxides

Previous reports of the thermal behaviour of antimony trioxide show significant disagreement on the values for the temperatures associated with specific thermal events. In this reappraisal, samples of both polymorphs of Sb₂O₃ (senarmontite and valentinite) have been analysed using X-ray diffraction and simultaneous differential thermal/thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The senarmontite-valentinite phase transition has been observed to occur as a multi-stage event commencing at temperatures as low as 615±3 °C—evidence of oxidation to Sb₂O₄ under inert atmosphere may indicate that the depression is related to surface- or bulk-bound water. Valentinite produced by mechanical milling of senarmontite exhibits the reverse phase transition to senarmontite at a lower than normal temperature (445±3 °C). Oxidation temperatures of 531±4 °C for senarmontite and 410±3 °C for mechanically derived valentinite were also recorded.     

Effect of wet-chemical substrate smoothing on passivation of ultrathin-SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/n-Si(111) interfaces prepared with atomic oxygen at thermal impact energies

Ultrathin SiO₂ layers for potential applications in nano-scale electronic and photovoltaic devises were prepared by exposure to thermalized atomic oxygen under UHV conditions. Wet-chemical substrate pretreatment, layer deposition and annealing processes were applied to improve the electronic Si/SiO₂ interface properties. This favourable effect of optimized wet-chemical pre-treatment can be preserved during the subsequent oxidation. The corresponding atomic-scale analysis of the electronic interface states after substrate pre-treatment and the subsequent silicon oxide layer formation is performed by field-modulated surface photovoltage (SPV), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopic ellipsometry in the ultraviolet and visible region (UV-VIS-SE).