scholarly journals Cellulose-Based Nanofibers Processing Techniques and Methods Based on Bottom-Up Approach—A Review

Polymers ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 286
Author(s):  
Ana Kramar ◽  
Francisco Javier González-Benito
Keyword(s):  
High Surface ◽  
Cellulose Nanofibers ◽  
Cellulose Nanofibrils ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Good Control ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Cellulose Derivatives ◽  
Natural Polymers ◽  
Bottom Up

In the past decades, cellulose (one of the most important natural polymers), in the form of nanofibers, has received special attention. The nanofibrous morphology may provide exceptional properties to materials due to the high aspect ratio and dimensions in the nanometer range of the nanofibers. The first feature may lead to important consequences in mechanical behavior if there exists a particular orientation of fibers. On the other hand, nano-sizes provide a high surface-to-volume ratio, which can have important consequences on many properties, such as the wettability. There are two basic approaches for cellulose nanofibers preparation. The top-down approach implies the isolation/extraction of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and nanocrystals (CNCs) from a variety of natural resources, whereby dimensions of isolates are limited by the source of cellulose and extraction procedures. The bottom-up approach can be considered in this context as the production of nanofibers using various spinning techniques, resulting in nonwoven mats or filaments. During the spinning, depending on the method and processing conditions, good control of the resulting nanofibers dimensions and, consequently, the properties of the produced materials, is possible. Pulp, cotton, and already isolated CNFs/CNCs may be used as precursors for spinning, alongside cellulose derivatives, namely esters and ethers. This review focuses on various spinning techniques to produce submicrometric fibers comprised of cellulose and cellulose derivatives. The spinning of cellulose requires the preparation of spinning solutions; therefore, an overview of various solvents is presented showing their influence on spinnability and resulting properties of nanofibers. In addition, it is shown how bottom-up spinning techniques can be used for recycling cellulose waste into new materials with added value. The application of produced cellulose fibers in various fields is also highlighted, ranging from drug delivery systems, high-strength nonwovens and filaments, filtration membranes, to biomedical scaffolds.

Current Applications of Biopolymer-based Scaffolds and Nanofibers as Drug Delivery Systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (37) ◽  
pp. 3997-4012
Author(s):  
Tatiana Rita de Lima Nascimento ◽  
Marilia Mattar de Amoêdo Campos Velo ◽  
Camila Félix Silva ◽  
Sara Brito Silva Costa Cruz ◽  
Brenna Louise Cavalcanti Gondim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Surface ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Polymeric Materials ◽  
Renewable Resource ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Wound Dressings ◽  
Natural Polymers ◽  
Implantable Medical Devices ◽  
Polymeric Nanofibers ◽  
Health Application

Background: The high surface-to-volume ratio of polymeric nanofibers makes them an effective vehicle for the release of bioactive molecules and compounds such as growth factors, drugs, herbal extracts and gene sequences. Synthetic polymers are commonly used as sensors, reinforcements and energy storage, whereas natural polymers are more prone to mimicking an extracellular matrix. Natural polymers are a renewable resource and classified as an environmentally friendly material, which might be used in different techniques to produce nanofibers for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, implantable medical devices, antimicrobial barriers and wound dressings, among others. This review sheds some light on the advantages of natural over synthetic polymeric materials for nanofiber production. Also, the most important techniques employed to produce natural nanofibers are presented. Moreover, some pieces of evidence regarding toxicology and cell-interactions using natural nanofibers are discussed. Clearly, the potential extrapolation of such laboratory results into human health application should be addressed cautiously.

scholarly journals Biotin-Conjugated Cellulose Nanofibers Prepared via Copper-Catalyzed Alkyne-Azide Cycloaddition (CuAAC) “Click” Chemistry

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarina Goodge ◽  
Margaret Frey
Keyword(s):  
Ascorbic Acid ◽  
Click Reaction ◽  
Colorimetric Assay ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Cellulose Nanofibers ◽  
High Surface Area ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Solvent Ratio ◽  
Step Process ◽  
Cellulose Membranes

As potential high surface area for selective capture in diagnostic or filtration devices, biotin-cellulose nanofiber membranes were fabricated to demonstrate the potential for specific and bio-orthogonal attachment of biomolecules onto nanofiber surfaces. Cellulose acetate was electrospun and substituted with alkyne groups in either a one- or two-step process. The alkyne reaction, confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy, was dependent on solvent ratio, time, and temperature. The two-step process maximized alkyne substitution in 10/90 volume per volume ratio (v/v) water to isopropanol at 50 °C after 6 h compared to the one-step process in 80/20 (v/v) at 50 °C after 48 h. Azide-biotin conjugate “clicked” with the alkyne-cellulose via copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC). The biotin-cellulose membranes, characterized by FTIR, SEM, Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and XPS, were used in proof-of-concept assays (HABA (4′-hydroxyazobenzene-2-carboxylic acid) colorimetric assay and fluorescently tagged streptavidin assay) where streptavidin selectively bound to the pendant biotin. The click reaction was specific to alkyne-azide coupling and dependent on pH, ratio of ascorbic acid to copper sulfate, and time. Copper (II) reduction to copper (I) was successful without ascorbic acid, increasing the viability of the click conjugation with biomolecules. The surface-available biotin was dependent on storage medium and time: Decreasing with immersion in water and increasing with storage in air.

scholarly journals Mechanical Properties of Hybrid Graphene Nanoplatelet-Nanosilica Filled Unidirectional Basalt Fibre Composites

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1468
Author(s):  
Ummu Raihanah Hashim ◽  
Aidah Jumahat ◽  
Mohammad Jawaid
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Polymer Composites ◽  
Glass Fibre ◽  
Graphene Nanosheets ◽  
High Surface ◽  
High Surface Area ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Basalt Fibre ◽  
Graphene Nanoplatelet ◽  
Dispersion State

Basalt fibre (BF) is one of the most promising reinforcing natural materials for polymer composites that could replace the usage of glass fibre due to its comparable properties. The aim of adding nanofiller in polymer composites is to enhance the mechanical properties of the composites. In theory, the incorporation of high strength and stiffness nanofiller, namely graphene nanoplatelet (GNP), could create superior composite properties. However, the main challenges of incorporating this nanofiller are its poor dispersion state and aggregation in epoxy due to its high surface area and strong Van der Waals forces in between graphene sheets. In this study, we used one of the effective methods of functionalization to improve graphene’s dispersion and also introducing nanosilica filler to enhance platelets shear mechanism. The high dispersive silica nanospheres were introduced in the tactoids morphology of stacked graphene nanosheets in order to produce high shear forces during milling and exfoliate the GNP. The hybrid nanofiller modified epoxy polymers were impregnated into BF to evaluate the mechanical properties of the basalt fibre reinforced polymeric (BFRP) system under tensile, compression, flexural, and drop-weight impact tests. In response to the synergistic effect of zero-dimensional nanosilica and two-dimensional graphene nanoplatelets enhanced the mechanical properties of BFRP, especially in Basalt fibre + 0.2 wt% GNP/15 wt% NS (BF-H0.2) with the highest increment in modulus and strength to compare with unmodified BF. These findings also revealed that the incorporation of hybrid nanofiller contributed to the improvement in the mechanical properties of the composite. BF has huge potential as an alternative to the synthetic glass fibre for the fabrication of mechanical components and structures.

scholarly journals Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Palm CNF-ZnO Nanocomposites with Antibacterial and Reinforcing Properties

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (11) ◽  
pp. 5781
Author(s):  
Janarthanan Supramaniam ◽  
Darren Yi Sern Low ◽  
See Kiat Wong ◽  
Loh Teng Hern Tan ◽  
Bey Fen Leo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Cellulose Nanofibers ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Salmonella Typhi ◽  
Particle Sizes ◽  
Mechanical Reinforcement ◽  
Uniform Size ◽  
Preparation Methods ◽  
Potential Applications

Cellulose nanofibers (CNF) isolated from plant biomass have attracted considerable interests in polymer engineering. The limitations associated with CNF-based nanocomposites are often linked to the time-consuming preparation methods and lack of desired surface functionalities. Herein, we demonstrate the feasibility of preparing a multifunctional CNF-zinc oxide (CNF-ZnO) nanocomposite with dual antibacterial and reinforcing properties via a facile and efficient ultrasound route. We characterized and examined the antibacterial and mechanical reinforcement performances of our ultrasonically induced nanocomposite. Based on our electron microscopy analyses, the ZnO deposited onto the nanofibrous network had a flake-like morphology with particle sizes ranging between 21 to 34 nm. pH levels between 8–10 led to the formation of ultrafine ZnO particles with a uniform size distribution. The resultant CNF-ZnO composite showed improved thermal stability compared to pure CNF. The composite showed potent inhibitory activities against Gram-positive (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)) and Gram-negative Salmonella typhi (S. typhi) bacteria. A CNF-ZnO-reinforced natural rubber (NR/CNF-ZnO) composite film, which was produced via latex mixing and casting methods, exhibited up to 42% improvement in tensile strength compared with the neat NR. The findings of this study suggest that ultrasonically-synthesized palm CNF-ZnO nanocomposites could find potential applications in the biomedical field and in the development of high strength rubber composites.

scholarly journals Electrospun Nanofibers for Sensing and Biosensing Applications—A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (12) ◽  
pp. 6357
Author(s):  
Kinga Halicka ◽  
Joanna Cabaj
Keyword(s):  
High Surface ◽  
High Surface Area ◽  
Toxic Metal ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Electrospun Nanofibers ◽  
Clinical Diagnostics ◽  
Loading Capacity ◽  
Electrospun Nanofiber ◽  
Sensing Platforms ◽  
Different Types

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.

scholarly journals Study of the geometry of open channels in a layer-bed-type microfluidic immobilized enzyme reactor

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Nagy ◽  
Robert Huszank ◽  
Attila Gaspar
Keyword(s):  
Immobilized Enzyme ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Volumetric Flow Rate ◽  
Enzyme Reactor ◽  
Channel Pattern ◽  
Immobilized Enzyme Reactor ◽  
Split Flow ◽  
Parallel Streams ◽  
Enzymatic Microreactors

AbstractThis paper aims at studying open channel geometries in a layer-bed-type immobilized enzyme reactor with computer-aided simulations. The main properties of these reactors are their simple channel pattern, simple immobilization procedure, regenerability, and disposability; all these features make these devices one of the simplest yet efficient enzymatic microreactors. The high surface-to-volume ratio of the reactor was achieved using narrow (25–75 μm wide) channels. The simulation demonstrated that curves support the mixing of solutions in the channel even in strong laminar flow conditions; thus, it is worth including several curves in the channel system. In the three different designs of microreactor proposed, the lengths of the channels were identical, but in two reactors, the liquid flow was split to 8 or 32 parallel streams at the inlet of the reactor. Despite their overall higher volumetric flow rate, the split-flow structures are advantageous due to the increased contact time. Saliva samples were used to test the efficiencies of the digestions in the microreactors. Graphical abstract

scholarly journals A Review on Biosensors and Recent Development of Nanostructured Materials-Enabled Biosensors

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1109
Author(s):  
Varnakavi. Naresh ◽  
Nohyun Lee
Keyword(s):  
High Surface ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Biological Response ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Recent Decade ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Electrical Signal ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Color Tunability

A biosensor is an integrated receptor-transducer device, which can convert a biological response into an electrical signal. The design and development of biosensors have taken a center stage for researchers or scientists in the recent decade owing to the wide range of biosensor applications, such as health care and disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, water and food quality monitoring, and drug delivery. The main challenges involved in the biosensor progress are (i) the efficient capturing of biorecognition signals and the transformation of these signals into electrochemical, electrical, optical, gravimetric, or acoustic signals (transduction process), (ii) enhancing transducer performance i.e., increasing sensitivity, shorter response time, reproducibility, and low detection limits even to detect individual molecules, and (iii) miniaturization of the biosensing devices using micro-and nano-fabrication technologies. Those challenges can be met through the integration of sensing technology with nanomaterials, which range from zero- to three-dimensional, possessing a high surface-to-volume ratio, good conductivities, shock-bearing abilities, and color tunability. Nanomaterials (NMs) employed in the fabrication and nanobiosensors include nanoparticles (NPs) (high stability and high carrier capacity), nanowires (NWs) and nanorods (NRs) (capable of high detection sensitivity), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (large surface area, high electrical and thermal conductivity), and quantum dots (QDs) (color tunability). Furthermore, these nanomaterials can themselves act as transduction elements. This review summarizes the evolution of biosensors, the types of biosensors based on their receptors, transducers, and modern approaches employed in biosensors using nanomaterials such as NPs (e.g., noble metal NPs and metal oxide NPs), NWs, NRs, CNTs, QDs, and dendrimers and their recent advancement in biosensing technology with the expansion of nanotechnology.

scholarly journals Water uptake of various electrospun nonwovens

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-158
Author(s):  
Katharina Wulf ◽  
Volkmar Senz ◽  
Thomas Eickner ◽  
Sabine Illner
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Surface Modification ◽  
Water Absorption ◽  
Water Uptake ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Polymer Composition ◽  
Water Wetting ◽  
Morphology Changes

AbstractIn recent years, nanofiber based materials have emerged as especially interesting for several biomedical applications, regarding their high surface to volume ratio. Due to the superficial nano- and microstructuring and the different wettability compared to nonstructured surfaces, the water absorption is an important parameter with respect to the degradation stability, thermomechanic properties and drug release properties, depending on the type of polymer [1]. In this investigation, the water absorption of different non- and plasma modified biostable nanofiber nonwovens based on polyurethane, polyester and polyamide were analysed and compared. Also, the water absorption by specified water wetting, the contact angle and morphology changes were examined. The results show that the water uptake is highly dependent on the surface modification and the polymer composition itself and can therefore be partially changed.

scholarly journals From Macro to Mesoporous ZnO Inverse Opals: Synthesis, Characterization and Tracer Diffusion Properties

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Shravan Kousik ◽  
Diane Sipp ◽  
Karina Abitaev ◽  
Yawen Li ◽  
Thomas Sottmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Porosity ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Stop Band ◽  
Correlation Spectroscopy ◽  
Laser Scanning Microscopy ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Confocal Laser ◽  
Inverse Opals ◽  
Mesoporous Zno

Oxide inverse opals (IOs) with their high surface area and open porosity are promising candidates for catalyst support applications. Supports with confined mesoporous domains are of added value to heterogeneous catalysis. However, the fabrication of IOs with mesoporous or sub-macroporous voids (<100 nm) continues to be a challenge, and the diffusion of tracers in quasi-mesoporous IOs is yet to be adequately studied. In order to address these two problems, we synthesized ZnO IOs films with tunable pore sizes using chemical bath deposition and template-based approach. By decreasing the size of polystyrene (PS) template particles towards the mesoporous range, ZnO IOs with 50 nm-sized pores and open porosity were synthesized. The effect of the template-removal method on the pore geometry (spherical vs. gyroidal) was studied. The infiltration depth in the template was determined, and the factors influencing infiltration were assessed. The crystallinity and photonic stop-band of the IOs were studied using X-Ray diffraction and UV-Vis, respectively. The infiltration of tracer molecules (Alexa Fluor 488) in multilayered quasi-mesoporous ZnO IOs was confirmed via confocal laser scanning microscopy, while fluorescence correlation spectroscopy analysis revealed two distinct diffusion times in IOs assigned to diffusion through the pores (fast) and adsorption on the pore walls (slow).

scholarly journals Solar-blind ultraviolet photodetector based on vertically aligned single-crystalline β-Ga2O3 nanowire arrays

Nanophotonics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (15) ◽  
pp. 4497-4503
Author(s):  
Liying Zhang ◽  
Xiangqian Xiu ◽  
Yuewen Li ◽  
Yuxia Zhu ◽  
Xuemei Hua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Average Diameter ◽  
Nanowire Arrays ◽  
Etching Technique ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Solar Blind ◽  
Vertically Aligned

AbstractVertically aligned nanowire arrays, with high surface-to-volume ratio and efficient light-trapping absorption, have attracted much attention for photoelectric devices. In this paper, vertical β-Ga2O3 nanowire arrays with an average diameter/height of 110/450 nm have been fabricated by the inductively coupled plasma etching technique. Then a metal-semiconductor-metal structured solar-blind photodetector (PD) has been fabricated by depositing interdigital Ti/Au electrodes on the nanowire arrays. The fabricated β-Ga2O3 nanowire PD exhibits ∼10 times higher photocurrent and responsivity than the corresponding film PD. Moreover, it also possesses a high photocurrent to dark current ratio (Ilight/Idark) of ∼104 and a ultraviolet/visible rejection ratio (R260 nm/R400 nm) of 3.5 × 103 along with millisecond-level photoresponse times.

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