A facile, but effective, method has been developed for large-scale preparation of NaLa(MoO4)2 nanorods and microflowers co-doped with Eu3+ and Tb3+ ions (abbreviated as: NLM:Ln3+). The as-synthesized nanomaterials possess a pure tetragonal phase with variable morphologies from shuttle-like nanorods to microflowers by controlling the reaction temperature and the amount of ethylene glycol used. Consequently, the resulting nanomaterials exhibit superb luminescent emissions over the visible region from red through yellow to green by simply changing the relative doping ratios of Eu3+ to Tb3+ ions. Biocompatibility study indicates that the addition of NLM:Ln3+ nanomaterials can stimulate the growth of normal human retinal pigment epithelium (ARPE-19) cells. Therefore, the newly-developed NaLa(MoO4)2 nanomaterials hold potentials for a wide range of multifunctional applications, including bioimaging, security protection, optical display, optoelectronics for information storage, and cell stimulation.

In the past decades, great efforts have been developed for neurobiologists and neurologists to restore nervous system functions. Recently much attention has been paid to electrical stimulation (ES) of the nervous system as a potential way to repair it. Various conductive biocompatible materials with good electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, and long-term ES or electrical stability have been developed as the substrates for ES. In this review, we summarized different types of materials developed in the purpose for ES of nervous system, including conducting polymers, carbon nanomaterials and composites from conducting polymer/carbon nanomaterials. The present review will give our perspective on the future research directions for further investigation on development of ES particularly on the nerve system.

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Ce 1– x O 2 : x %Cu 2+ nanobelts were bioinspired, designed, and fabricated using commercial filter papers as scaffolds by adding Cu(NO 3 ) 2 in the original sol solution of CeO 2 nanobelts, which display excellent catalyst properties for CO oxidation and photocatalytic activity for organic dyes. Compared with pure CeO 2 , CuO belts were synthesized using the same method and the corresponding Ce 0.5 O 2 :50%Cu 2+ bulk materials were synthesized without filter paper as scaffolds; the synthesized Ce 1– x O 2 : x %Cu 2+ nanobelts, especially Ce 0.5 O 2 :50%Cu 2+ nanobelts, can decrease the reaction temperature of CO to CO 2 at 100 °C with the conversion rate of 100%, much lower than the formerly reported kinds of Ce 1– x O 2 : x %Cu 2+ catalysts. Meanwhile, the synthesized Ce 1– x O 2 : x %Cu 2+ nanobelts also display better photocatalytic activity for organic dyes. All of these results provide useful information for the potential applications of the synthesized Ce 1– x O 2 : x %Cu 2+ nanobelts in catalyst fields.