Studies on Synthesis and Characterization of Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru Hybrid Magnetic Composites for Reusable Photocatalytic Application

Degradation of dye pollutants by the photocatalytic process has been regarded as the most efficient green method for removal organic dyes from contaminated water. The current research work describes the synthesis of Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru hybrid magnetic composites (HMCs) and their photocatalytic degradation of two azo dye pollutants, methyl orange (MO) and methyl red (MR), under irradiation of visible light. The synthesis of Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru HMCs involves three stages, including synthesis of Fe3O4 magnetic microspheres (MMSs), followed by silica (SiO2) coating to get Fe3O4@SiO2 MMSs, and then incorporation of presynthesized Ru nanoparticles (~3 nm) onto the surface of Fe3O4@SiO2 HMCs. The synthesized HMCs were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TEM, EDS, XPS, BET analysis, UV-DRS, PL spectroscopy, and VSM to study the physical and chemical properties. Furthermore, the narrow band gap energy of the HMC photocatalyst is a significant parameter that provides high photocatalytic properties due to the high light adsorption. The photocatalytic activity of synthesized Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru HMCs was assessed by researching their ability to degrade the aqueous solution of MO and MR dyes under visible radiation, and the influence of various functional parameters on photocatalytic degradation has also been studied. The results indicate that the photocatalytic degradation of MO and MR dyes is more than 90%, and acid media favors better degradation. The probable mechanism of photodegradation of azo dyes by Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru HMC catalysts has been proposed. Furthermore, due to the strong ferromagnetic Fe3O4 core, HMCs were easily separated from the solution after the photocatalytic degradation process for reuse. Also, the photocatalytic activity after six cycles of use is greater than 90%, suggesting the stability of the synthesized Fe3O4@SiO2@Ru HMCs.

A Novel Drug Delivery of Microspheres

Microspheres are multiparticulate drug delivery systems that distribute medications at a predetermined rate to a specific region. Microspheres are free-flowing powders manufactured from biodegradable proteins or synthetic polymers, with particle sizes ranging from 1 to 1000 micrometers. Benefits of using microspheres in medication delivery, bone tissue manufacture, and pollutant absorption and desorption by regeneration .The study demonstrates how microsphere parameters are planned and measured. Bioadhesive microspheres, polymeric microspheres, magnetic microspheres, floating microspheres, and radioactive microspheres are only a few examples of complicated microspheres. Cosmetics, oral medication administration, target drug delivery, ocular drug delivery, gene delivery, and other industries covered in the paper could all benefit from microspheres. To ensure best therapeutic effectiveness, the agent must be delivered to target tissue at an optimal amount during the appropriate timeframe, with low toxicity and adverse effects. There are several methods for delivering the therapeutic substance to the target site in a controlled manner. The use of microspheres as medication carriers is one such technique. The value of microspheres as a novel drug delivery carrier to accomplish site-specific drug delivery was discussed in this article. Keywords: Microspheres, method of preparations, polymer bioadhesion, types of microspheres.

Production, deformation and magnetorheological characteristics of the alginate/chitosan hydrogel magnetic microspheres

To improve dispersion stability and magnetorheological (MR) characteristics of carbonyl iron (CI) particles, we proposed novel hydrogel magnetic microspheres (MPs) dual-coated with alginate (AL) and chitosan (CTS) for the first time. The double-network structures formed by biological crosslinking and chelation reactions are capable to enhance its own structural stability and mechanical properties. The structural characterization, MR properties, and dispersion stability for different MPs were investigated. Additionally, the swelling behaviors were studied by swelling the dried MPs in the deionized water and sodium chloride solution, respectively. The results showed that the AL/CTS hydrogel core/shell MPs displayed the advantages of simple manufacturing, superior MR properties and deformability compared to pure micron-sized CI particles, indicating the improved dispersion stability of the MR fluids compared to that of the pure CI particles-based MR fluids. The introduction of double network structures with natural biopolymers will provide a new thought for the development of MR materials.

Magnetic Agarose Microspheres/Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel as a Trackable Bulking Agent for Vesicoureteral Reflux Treatment

Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) is one of the most common congenital anomalies in the kidney and the urinary tract. Endoscopic subureteral injection of a bulking agent has become popular in VUR treatment due to its high success rates, few complications, and a straightforward procedure. In this study, a novel magnetic bulking agent was prepared by embedding Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles in cross-linked agarose microspheres with diameters of 80–250 μm and dispersing the magnetic microspheres in a hyaluronic acid hydrogel. The bulking agent has good biocompatibility and biosecurity validated by the tests of cytotoxicity, in vitro genotoxicity, animal irritation, skin sensitization, acute systemic toxicity, and pathological analysis after the injection of the bulking agent extract solution into healthy mice as well as injection of the bulking agent into VUR rabbits. The VUR rabbits were created by incising the roof of the intravesical ureter to enlarge the ureteral orifice. The success rate of the bulking agent in treating VUR rabbits using a subureteral transurethral injection technique was 67% (4/6) or 80% (4/5, excluding the unfinished rabbit), and no migrated particles were found in the organs of the rabbits. The transverse relaxation rate of the bulking agent was 104 mM−1s−1. After injection, the bulking agent was long-term trackable through magnetic resonance imaging that can help clinicians to inspect the VUR treatment effect. For the first time, this study demonstrates that the bulking agent with a long-term stable tracer is promising for endoscopic VUR treatment.

Upscaling production of droplets and magnetic particles with additive manufacturing

Purpose Monodisperse microfluidic emulsions – droplets in another immiscible liquid – are beneficial to various technological applications in analytical chemistry, material and chemical engineering, biology and medicine. Upscaling the mass production of micron-sized monodisperse emulsions, however, has been a challenge because of the complexity and technical difficulty of fabricating or upscaling three-dimensional (3 D) microfluidic structures on a chip. Therefore, the authors develop a fluid dynamical design that uses a standard and straightforward 3 D printer for the mass production of monodisperse droplets. Design/methodology/approach The authors combine additive manufacturing, fluid dynamical design and suitable surface treatment to create an easy-to-fabricate device for the upscaling production of monodisperse emulsions. Considering hydrodynamic networks and associated flow resistance, the authors adapt microfluidic flow-focusing junctions to produce (water-in-oil) emulsions in parallel in one integrated fluidic device, under suitable flow rates and channel sizes. Findings The device consists of 32 droplet-makers in parallel and is capable of mass-producing 14 L/day of monodisperse emulsions. This convenient method can produce 50,000 millimetric droplets per hour. Finally, the authors extend the current 3 D printed fluidics with the generated emulsions to synthesize magnetic microspheres. Originality/value Combining additive manufacturing and hydrodynamical concepts and designs, the authors experimentally demonstrate a facile method of upscaling the production of useful monodisperse emulsions. The design and approach will be beneficial for mass productions of smart and functional microfluidic materials useful in a myriad of applications.