scholarly journals Research Progress on the Applications of Electrospun Nanofibers in Catalysis

Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
M. Olga Guerrero-Pérez

During the last two decades, electrospinning has become a very popular technique for the fabrication of nanofibers due to its low cost and simple handling. Nanofiber materials have found utilization in many areas such as medicine, sensors, batteries, etc. In catalysis, these materials also present important advantages, since they present a low resistance to internal diffusion and a high surface area to volume ratio. These advantages are mainly due to the diameter–length proportion. A bibliographic analysis on the applications of electrospun nanofibers in catalysis shows that there are two important groups of catalysts that are being investigated, based on TiO2 and in carbon materials. The main applications found are in photo- and in electro-catalysis. The present study contributes by reviewing these catalytic applications of electrospun nanofibers and demonstrating that they are promising materials as catalysts, underlining some works to prove the advantages and possibilities that these materials have as catalysts. On one hand, the possibilities of synthesis are almost infinite, since with coaxial electrospinning quite complex nanofibers with different layers can be prepared. On the other hand, the diameter and other properties can be controlled by monitoring the applied voltage and other parameters during the synthesis, being quite reproducible procedures. The main advantages of these materials can be grouped in two: one related to their morphology, as has been commented, relative to their low resistance and internal diffusion, that is, their fluidynamic behavior in the reactor; the second group involves advantages related to the fact that the active phases can be nanoscaled and dispersed, improving the activity and selectivity in comparison with conventional catalytic materials with the same chemical composition.

Química Nova ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiza Mercante ◽  
Rafaela Andre ◽  
Juliana Macedo ◽  
Adriana Pavinatto ◽  
Daniel Correa

ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBERS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS: ADVANCES IN THE LAST DECADE. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the development of nanomaterials with improved properties compared to their counterparts at the micro- and macroscopic scale. In this context, nanofibers obtained by electrospinning technique are highly attractive due to the unique combination of high surface area/volume ratio, porosity, flexibility, mechanical performance, simple processing and relatively low cost. In addition, the possibility to buildup nanofibers with different compositions, structures and properties allows the design of nanostructures for a wide range of applications. In this review, we will discuss the advances of the last decade in the use of the electrospinning to obtain nanofibers with different compositions and morphologies for varied applications. Specifically, we are interested in providing an overview of the state of the art in relation to the application of nanofibers in different areas, including healthcare, environment, sensing and energy. Finally, we will discuss the real perspective in terms of industrial application and future trends that have been pursued to improve the performance of electrospun nanofibers. This review will help researchers to understand the evolution and challenges of the area and will also stimulate even more interest in the development of new devices based on electrospun nanofibers


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6357
Author(s):  
Kinga Halicka ◽  
Joanna Cabaj

Sensors and biosensors have found applications in many areas, e.g., in medicine and clinical diagnostics, or in environmental monitoring. To expand this field, nanotechnology has been employed in the construction of sensing platforms. Because of their properties, such as high surface area to volume ratio, nanofibers (NFs) have been studied and used to develop sensors with higher loading capacity, better sensitivity, and faster response time. They also allow to miniaturize designed platforms. One of the most commonly used techniques of the fabrication of NFs is electrospinning. Electrospun NFs can be used in different types of sensors and biosensors. This review presents recent studies concerning electrospun nanofiber-based electrochemical and optical sensing platforms for the detection of various medically and environmentally relevant compounds, including glucose, drugs, microorganisms, and toxic metal ions.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashoka Gamage ◽  
Thiviya Punniamoorthy ◽  
Terrence Madhujith

Environmental pollution is becoming a major global issue with increasing anthropogenic activities that release massive toxic pollutants into the land, air, and water. Nanomaterials have gained the most popularity in the last decades over conventional methods because of their high surface area to volume ratio and higher reactivity. Nanomaterials including metal, metal oxide, zero-valent ions, carbonaceous nanomaterials, and polymers function as adsorbents, catalysts, photocatalysts, membrane (filtration), disinfectants, and sensors in the detection and removal of various pollutants such as heavy metals, organic pollutants, dyes, industrial effluents, and pathogenic microbial. Polymer-inorganic hybrid materials or nanocomposites are highly studied for the removal of various contaminants. Starch, a heteropolysaccharide, is a natural biopolymer generally incorporated with other metal, metal oxide, and other polymeric nanoparticles and has been reported in various environmental remediation applications as a low-cost alternative for petroleum-based polymers. Therefore, this chapter mainly highlights the various nanomaterials used in environmental remediation, starch-based hybrid nanomaterials, and their application and limitations.


Author(s):  
Ravindra Kumar Gautam ◽  
Shivani Soni ◽  
Mahesh Chandra Chattopadhyaya

Water pollution by anthropogenic activities is proving to be of critical concern as the heavy metals affect aquatic organisms and can quickly disperse to large distances. This poses a risk to both human health and the aquatic biota. Hence, there is a need to treat the wastewater containing toxic metals before they are discharged into the water bodies. During recent years, magnetic nanoparticles came to the foreground of scientific interest as a potential adsorbent of novel wastewater treatment processes. Magnetic nanoparticles have received much attention due to their unique properties, such as extremely small size, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, surface modifiability, multi functionality, excellent magnetic properties, low-cost synthesis, and great biocompatibility. The multi-functional magnetic nanoparticles have been successfully applied for the reduction of toxic metal ions up to ppb level in waste-treated water. This chapter highlights the potential application of magnetic nanoparticles for the removal of heavy metals.


Author(s):  
Ravindra Kumar Gautam ◽  
Shivani Soni ◽  
Mahesh Chandra Chattopadhyaya

Water pollution by anthropogenic activities is proving to be of critical concern as the heavy metals affect aquatic organisms and can quickly disperse to large distances. This poses a risk to both human health and the aquatic biota. Hence, there is a need to treat the wastewater containing toxic metals before they are discharged into the water bodies. During recent years, magnetic nanoparticles came to the foreground of scientific interest as a potential adsorbent of novel wastewater treatment processes. Magnetic nanoparticles have received much attention due to their unique properties, such as extremely small size, high surface-area-to-volume ratio, surface modifiability, multi functionality, excellent magnetic properties, low-cost synthesis, and great biocompatibility. The multi-functional magnetic nanoparticles have been successfully applied for the reduction of toxic metal ions up to ppb level in waste-treated water. This chapter highlights the potential application of magnetic nanoparticles for the removal of heavy metals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. E. A. Botteon ◽  
L. B. Silva ◽  
G. V. Ccana-Ccapatinta ◽  
T. S. Silva ◽  
S. R. Ambrosio ◽  
...  

AbstractGold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are highlighted due to their low toxicity, compatibility with the human body, high surface area to volume ratio, and surfaces that can be easily modified with ligands. Biosynthesis of AuNPs using plant extract is considered a simple, low-cost, and eco-friendly approach. Brazilian Red Propolis (BRP), a product of bees, exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities. Here, we described the biosynthesis of AuNPs using BRP extract (AuNPextract) and its fractions (AuNPhexane, AuNPdichloromethane, AuNPethyl acetate) and evaluated their structural properties and their potential against microorganisms and cancer cells. AuNPs showed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band at 535 nm. The sizes and morphologies were influenced by the BRP sample used in the reaction. FTIR and TGA revealed the involvement of bioactive compounds from BRP extract or its fractions in the synthesis and stabilization of AuNPs. AuNPdichloromethane and AuNPhexane exhibited antimicrobial activities against all strains tested, showing their efficacy as antimicrobial agents to treat infectious diseases. AuNPs showed dose-dependent cytotoxic activity both in T24 and PC-3 cells. AuNPdichloromethane and AuNPextract exhibited the highest in vitro cytotoxic effect. Also, the cytotoxicity of biogenic nanoparticles was induced by mechanisms associated with apoptosis. The results highlight a potential low-cost green method using Brazilian red propolis to synthesize AuNPs, which demonstrated significant biological properties.


The article reviews some significant research trends in the development of innovative products from electrospun nanofibers. In one area of investigation, high surface area poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/tea polyphenols (TPs) porous composite nanofiber membranes (CNFMs) were prepared successfully by electrospinning and applied to adsorption of silver ions. In another area of research electrospun PVA/SiO2 separator membranes were presented and their electrochemical performance was evaluated for use in Li-ion batteries. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used to prepare nanofiber based membranes due to advantages such as low cost, water solubility, and biodegradability. In yet another work, a mixture of formic acid (FA), acetic acid (AA), and acetone was used, for the first time, as a ternary solvent system to dissolve poly(E-caprolactone) (PCL). In addition, as a biomaterial reinforcement, various amounts of cellulose microfibrils (CMF) (1.5, 3, and 5wt. %), extracted from rice husk, were added to PCL solution, and subsequently the prepared suspensions were individually electrospun.


SURG Journal ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nishath Khan

Electrospinning is a technology that has been widely used as a novel method for the generation of nano scale fibres. Electrospun fibres are used in a wide range of applications from electronics to textile. The viability and popularity of this technology can be evidenced by its ease of use and the simplicity of the science behind building the electrospinning machine. The generated fibres have a high surface area- to- volume ratio, the fibrous mats are highly porous and display excellent mechanical properties when compared to other materials of the same scale. In the past decade, this technology has taken off with the use of biocompatible and biodegradable polymers. This review is a summary of the different ways in which electrospinning can be used in the biomedical field. This article analyzes the recent advances of this technology in tissue engineering, drug delivery and in enzyme immobilisation, which once again showcases the versatility of the electrospinning procedure.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1621 ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Elisabete D. Pinho ◽  
Albino Martins ◽  
José V. Araújo ◽  
Rui L. Reis ◽  
Nuno M. Neves

ABSTRACTPioneer works on nanocomposites were focused in carbon nanofibers or nanotubes dispersed in epoxy matrix, a viscous liquid facilitating the compounding stage. The interest in developing new composites aimed for biomedical applications led us to design new nanocomposites based in biodegradable polymers with demonstrated biological performance.We report herein the development of micro-nano composites by extruding poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) microfibers with two different diameters, 200 and 500 µm, reinforced with electrospun chitosan nanofibers. Analysis of the microfibers showed high levels of alignment of the reinforcing phase and excellent distribution of the nanofibers in the composite. Its geometry facilitates the development of orthotropy, maximizing the reinforcement in the axial fiber main axis.The biodegradable microfiber composites show an outstanding improvement of mechanical properties and of the kinetics of biodegradation, with very small fractions (0.05 and 0.1 wt.%) of electrospun chitosan nanofibers reinforcement. The high surface area-to-volume ratio of electrospun nanofibers combined with the increased water uptake capability of chitosan justify the accelerated kinetics of biodegradation of the composite as compared with the unfilled synthetic polymer.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuong Ha La Phan ◽  
Quang Trung Tran ◽  
Duc Anh Dinh ◽  
Ko Kang Bok ◽  
Chang-Hee Hong ◽  
...  

We introduce a novel structure of ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown on ZnO NRs (ZnO NRs/NRs) via a facile, low-cost, and environmentally friendly synthesis for galactose biosensor application. The galactose oxidase enzyme (GalOx) is immobilized on the ZnO NR/NR surface to form the novel electrode structure (GalOx|ZnO NRs/NRs). The GalOx|ZnO NR/NR electrode has a linear detection range of current density from 11.30 μA/mm2 to 18.16 μA/mm2 over a galactose concentration range from 40 mM to 230 mM, indicating the increment of electrode sensitivity up to 60.7%. The ZnO NR/NR morphology with a high surface area to volume ratio has a great contribution to the electrochemical performance of galactose biosensor. Our results propose a straightforward approach to fabricate architecturally ZnO-based nanostructure for biosensor application.


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