With advances in porous carbon synthesis techniques, hierarchically porous carbon (HPC) materials are being utilized as relatively new sorbents for CO 2 capture applications. These HPC materials were used as a platform to prepare samples with differing textural properties and morphologies to elucidate structure−property relationships. It was found that high microporous content, rather than overall surface area, was of primary importance for predicting good CO 2 capture performance. Two HPC materials were analyzed, each with near identical high surface area (∼2700 m 2 /g) and colossally high pore volume (∼10 cm 3 /g), but with different microporous content and pore size distributions, which led to dramatically different CO 2 capture performance. Overall, large pore volumes obtained from distinct mesopores were found to significantly impact adsorption performance. From these results, an optimized HPC material was synthesized that achieved a high CO 2 capacity of ∼3.7 mmol/g at 25 °C and 1 bar.

In this study well defined silver nanoparticles were synthesized by using carambola fruit extract. After exposing the silver ions to the fruit extract, the rapid reduction of silver ions led to the formation of stable AgNPs in solution due to the reducing and stabilizing properties of carambola fruit juice. The synthesized NPs were analyzed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction pattern. The as-synthesized AgNPs were phase pure and well crystalline with a face-centered cubic structure. The AgNPs were characterized by TEM to determine their size and morphology. The antimicrobial activity of the synthesized AgNPs was investigated against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by agar well diffusion method. This newly developed method is eco-friendly and could prove a better substitute for the current physical and chemical methods for the synthesis of AgNPs.

In the last decade, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), especially superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), have immensely promoted the advancement of diagnostics and theranostics in the biomedical field. The unique properties of the SPIONs-core and the functional gold (Au)-shell together (SPIONS/Au core/shell or CS) have a wide range of biomedical applications including, but not limited to, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dual modality MRI/computed tomography (CT), photo-induced and magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH), drug delivery, biosensors, and bio-separation. Researchers have made much effort to develop synthesis strategies for size control and surface modifications to achieve the desired properties of these CSs for applications in in vitro and in vivo studies. This review highlights recent developments in the synthesis and biomedical applications of SPIONs/Au CSs, including γ-FeO/Au (maghemite), FeO/Au (magnetite), and MFeO/Au (M = divalent metal ions) in the past seven years. More importantly, current trends of SPIONs/Au in relation to the biochemical industry are surveyed. Finally, we outline the developmental needs of SPIONs/Au from the perspective of material synthesis and their novel applications in disease diagnosis and treatment in the near future.

Superparamagnetic nanoferrites are prepared by simple and one step refluxing in polyol synthesis. The ferrite nanoparticles prepared by this method exhibit particle sizes below 10 nm and high degree of crystallinity. These ferrite nanoparticles are compared by means of their magnetic properties, induction heating and cell viability studies for its application in magnetic fluid hyperthermia. Out of all studied nanoparticles in present work, only ZnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4 MNPs are able to produce threshold hyperthermia temperature. This rise in temperature is discussed in detail in view of their magneto-structural properties. Therefore ZnFe2O4 and CoFe2O4 MNPs with improved stability, magnetic induction heating and cell viability are suitable candidates for magnetic hyperthermia.