Synthesis and characterization of TEMPO-oxidized peptide-cellulose conjugate biosensors for detecting human neutrophil elastase

Here we describe the synthesis and characterization of a peptide-cellulose conjugate biosensor based on TEMPO-oxidized nanofibrillated cellulose (tNFC) for detecting elevated levels of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) in chronic wounds. The fluorescent peptide HNE substrate constructed from n-succinyl-Ala-Pro-Ala-7-amino-4-methyl-coumarin was attached to the TEMPO-oxidized cellulose surface via polyethylene glycol linker. The characterization of the biosensor conjugate shows a high degree of peptide incorporation onto the surface with the degree of substitution of 0.057. The relatively small crystallite size of 26.0 Å compared to other cellulose- and nanocellulose-based materials leads to a large specific surface area which can promote access of HNE to the enzyme substrates due to decreased steric interactions. Likewise, the porosity for tNFC was found to be higher than all other samples, including the nanocellulosic aerogel, lending to its hydrogel-like nature. The properties of tNFC were compared to other cellulose-based materials. The volume of each crystallite and volume ratio to the largest sample was calculated. tNFC was found to occupy the smallest space resulting in high amounts of sensors per crystallite unit volume. With a small crystallite volume and large number of sensors, the tNFC peptide-cellulose conjugate biosensor could provide a more sensitive system and is a good candidate for point of care diagnostic devices for detecting elevated protease levels in humans.

Combining Soft- and Hard-Templating Approaches in MWW-Type Zeolites

A combination of hard-templating (HT) and soft-templating (ST) approaches was studied to obtain MWW-type materials with intermediate physicochemical properties. The HT methodology involved the introduction of carbon particles as hard templates during gel synthesis to obtain a layered zeolitic precursor (LZP) with particles possessing a microspherical morphology. The LZP obtained was treated with surfactants as soft templates to expand the layers of the LZP, followed by a pillaring procedure. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis and N2 adsorption. The results demonstrate that the obtained material possesses intermediate properties from both approaches, with interparticle mesopores/macropores and pore sizes between 18 and 46 Å. However, the ST procedure causes a partial disruption of some microspheres, forming small crystallite aggregates, and results in a decrease in the number of interparticle mesopores/macropores previously formed by the HT method.

Comments on A new theory for X-ray diffraction

In an article entitled A new theory for X-ray diffraction [Fewster (2014). Acta Cryst. A70, 257–282], hereafter referred to as NTXRD, it is claimed that when X-rays are scattered from a small crystallite, whatever its size and shape, the diffraction pattern will contain enhanced scattering at angles of exactly 2θB, whatever the orientation of the crystal. It is claimed that in this way scattering from a powder, with randomly oriented crystals, gives rise to Bragg scattering even if the Bragg condition is never satisfied by an individual crystallite. The claims of the theory put forward in NTXRD are examined and they are found to be in error. Whilst for a certain restricted set of shapes of crystals it is possible to obtain some diffraction close to (but not exactly at) the Bragg angle as the crystallite is oriented away from the Bragg condition, this is generally not the case. Furthermore, contrary to the claims made within NTXRD, the recognition of the origin of the type of effects described is not new, and has been known since the earliest days of X-ray diffraction.

A facile in situ approach to fabricate N,S-TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposite with excellent activity for visible light induced water splitting for hydrogen evolution

The efficient charge separation, small crystallite size and enhanced specific surface area in N,S-TiO2/g-C3N4 nanocomposites make the system pivotal and unique for hydrogen evolution.

Mechanical Alloying of Fe-Nb-N with Different Ball to Powder Weight Ratio for the Formation of Fe-NbC Composite

Milling process through mechanical alloying method was performed on a powder mixture of Fe-80.11 wt%, Nb-17.62 wt% and C-2.26 wt% to produce Fe-NbC composite by in situ reaction. Ball to powder weight ratio parameter was selected since formation of phase and microstructure characteristics of this composite were expected to depend on ball collision event during milling. The as-milled and sintered Fe-NbC was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM). We found that formation of Fe-NbC by in situ required mechanical alloying of the mixture using 10:1 of ball to powder weight ratio to achieve small crystallite size and more homogeneous of NbC phase.

An Overview on the Photocatalytic Activity of Nano-Doped-TiO2 in the Degradation of Organic Pollutants

This paper aims to review and summarize the recent works on the photocatalytic degradation of various organic pollutants in the presence of nano-doped-TiO2 photocatalysts. In this regard, three main aspects are examined: (a) the presence of various dopants (metal dopants, nonmetal dopants, halogen dopants, metalloid dopants, and codopants) in the formation of nano-doped-TiO2 photocatalysts, (b) the effect of the presence of dopants on the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants, and (c) the effects of various operating parameters on the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in the presence of nano-doped-TiO2 photocatalysts. Reports resulted suggest that the formation of a high percentage of the anatase phase, small crystallite size, and high specific surface area of the nano-doped-TiO2 photocatalysts depends on the presence of various dopants in the photocatalysts. The majority of the dopants have the potential to improve the photocatalytic efficiency of nano-doped-TiO2 in the degradation of organic pollutants. The photocatalytic degradation of organic compounds depends on the calcination temperature of the prepared doped TiO2, initial reactant concentration, dosage of doped TiO2, and dopant doping concentration.

Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetoelectric Nanocomposites

A simple citrate gel process was used to prepare nanocomposites of xCuFe2O4–(1−x)BiFeO3 (henceforth, CFBF) and xNi0.75Co0.25Fe2O4-(1-x)BiFeO3 (henceforth, NCFBF) with x=0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4. The phase was found to be formed at 500 °C and 700 °C for CFBF and NCFBF respectively. TEM observation showed that the average particles size is around 40 nm. The variation of the dielectric constant and the dielectric loss with frequency showed dispersion in the low frequency range. All the samples exhibit strong magnetic characteristics. The coercivity and squareness increased with the increase in annealing temperature and were maximum for samples annealed at 500°C and 700°C for CFBF and NCFBF nanocomposites, respectively, and further decrease in coercivity is attributed to decrease in aspect ratio and pinning effects in the nanocrysatllites. The ME coefficient αE showed strong dependence on HBias and maximum value of ME coefficients were 303 and 309 mV/cm Oe at magnetic field frequency of 50 kHz for CFBF and NCFBF nanocomposites respectively. The large values of ME coefficients are attributed to low coercivity, large magnetization and small crystallite size of constituent phases.

X-ray diffraction characterization of the microstructure of close-packed hexagonal nanomaterials

A general least-squares technique for X-ray diffraction line broadening analysis has been developed. The technique can be used to determine single, double, and triple line broadening effects caused by small particle sizes, microstrain, stacking faults, or all three presented in a closed-packed hexagonal nanomaterial. The technique was applied to characterize the microstructure of β-Ni(OH)2, a negative electrode material in nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. Double line broadening effects caused by both small crystallite sizes and stacking faults in β-Ni(OH)2 were detected and analyzed. Triple line broadening effects caused simultaneously by small crystallite sizes, microstrain, and stacking faults were detected in β-Ni(OH)2 after activation and charge-discharge cycle tests. The triple line broadening effects were found to be selective and most pronounced for diffraction lines with h−k=3n±1. The broadening effects were larger when l=even, but smaller when l=odd. The shape and the average size of the crystallites, microstrain, and stacking fault probability in β-Ni(OH)2 changed dramatically after activation and charge-discharge cycles. The method was also applied to characterize and investigate the microstructure of nano ZnO materials. Results indicate that no selective broadening appears in the XRD patterns of the nano ZnO materials. The average crystallite sizes were different slightly, and the stacking fault probabilities differed significantly with different dopants.

Analysis of Polymorphic Nanocrystals ofTiO2by X-Ray Rietveld Refinement and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy: Acetaldehyde Decomposition

In this work,TiO2nanocrystals were synthesized by the sol-gel method. These materials were annealed at 200 and500∘C; and characterized by the XRD-Rietveld refinement; and by BET and TEM. As for the low-temperature-treated sample (200∘C), nanocrystals with small crystallite sizes (7 nm) and high abundance of anatase, coexisting with the brookite phase, were obtained. Meanwhile, the sample annealed at500∘C showed an increased crystallite size (22 nm) and an important polymorphic increment. The sample annealed at200∘C showed a high activity in the photocatalytic decomposition of acetaldehyde.