Amphiphilic Graphene Composites

Intraparticle Molecular Orbital Engineering of Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles as Amplified Theranostics for in Vivo Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Optical theranostic nanoagents that seamlessly and synergistically integrate light-generated signals with photothermal or photodynamic therapy can provide opportunities for cost-effective precision medicine, while the potential for clinical translation requires them to have good biocompatibility and high imaging/therapy performance. We herein report an intraparticle molecular orbital engineering approach to simultaneously enhance photoacoustic brightness and photothermal therapy efficacy of semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) for in vivo imaging and treatment of cancer. The theranostic SPNs have a binary optical component nanostructure, wherein a near-infrared absorbing semiconducting polymer and an ultrasmall carbon dot (fullerene) interact with each other to induce photoinduced electron transfer upon light irradiation. Such an intraparticle optoelectronic interaction augments heat generation and consequently enhances the photoacoustic signal and maximum photothermal temperature of SPNs by 2.6- and 1.3-fold, respectively. With the use of the amplified SPN as the theranostic nanoagent, it permits enhanced photoacoustic imaging and photothermal ablation of tumor in living mice. Our study thus not only introduces a category of purely organic optical theranostics but also highlights a molecular guideline to amplify the effectiveness of light-intensive imaging and therapeutic nanosystems.

Reduced Graphene Oxide-Based Ordered Macroporous Films on a Curved Surface: General Fabrication and Application in Gas Sensors

A new general method for the fabrication of a reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-based ordered monolayer macroporous film composed of a layer of closely arranged pores is introduced. Assisted by the polystyrene microsphere monolayer colloid crystal by a simple solution-heated method, pure rGO, rGO-SnO2, rGO-Fe2O3, and rGO-NiO composite monolayer ordered porous films were examplarily constructed on the curved surface of a ceramic tube widely used in gas sensors. The rGO-oxide composite porous films could exhibit much better sensing performances than those of the corresponding pure oxide films and the composite films without the ordered porous structures in detecting ethanol gas. The enhancement mechanisms induced by distinctive rGO-oxide heterojunctions and porous structures as well as the effects of the rGO content and the pore-size on the sensitivity of the composite films were systematically analyzed and discussed. This study opens up a kind of construction method for an rGO-based composite film gas sensor with uniform surface structures and high performance.

Corrosion inhibition of functional graphene reinforced polyurethane nanocomposite coatings with regular textures

The schematic was drawn to intuitively describe the anti-corrosion mechanism of functional graphene reinforced polyurethane nanocomposite coatings with regular textures.

Improved dispersibility of nano-graphene oxide by amphiphilic polymer coatings for biomedical applications

The poor dispersibility of graphene-based nano-materials in aqueous media is a crucial limitation in their biological applications.

Multisource Synergistic Electrocatalytic Oxidation Effect of Strongly Coupled PdM (M = Sn, Pb)/N-doped Graphene Nanocomposite on Small Organic Molecules

A series of palladium-based catalysts of metal alloying (Sn, Pb) and/or (N-doped) graphene support with regular enhanced electrocatalytic activity were investigated. The peak current density (118.05 mA cm(-2)) of PdSn/NG is higher than the sum current density (45.63 + 47.59 mA cm(-2)) of Pd/NG and PdSn/G. It reveals a synergistic electrocatalytic oxidation effect in PdSn/N-doped graphene Nanocomposite. Extend experiments show this multisource synergetic catalytic effect of metal alloying and N-doped graphene support in one catalyst on small organic molecule (methanol, ethanol and Ethylene glycol) oxidation is universal in PdM(M = Sn, Pb)/NG catalysts. Further, The high dispersion of small nanoparticles, the altered electron structure and Pd(0)/Pd(II) ratio of Pd in catalysts induced by strong coupled the metal alloying and N-doped graphene are responsible for the multisource synergistic catalytic effect in PdM(M = Sn, Pb) /NG catalysts. Finally, the catalytic durability and stability are also greatly improved.

Prolonged Suppression of Neuropathic Pain by Sequential Delivery of Lidocaine and Thalidomide Drugs Using PEGylated Graphene Oxide

The management of patients with neuropathic pain is challenging. Monotherapy with a single pain relief drug may encounter different difficulties, such as short duration of efficacy and hence too many times of drug administration, and inadequate drug delivery. Recently, nanocarrier-based drug delivery systems have been proved to provide promising strategies for efficient drug loading, delivery, and release. In the present study, we developed poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether functionalized graphene oxide (GO) bearing two commonly used drugs of lidocaine (LDC) and thalidomide (THD) as an agent for the treatment of neuropathic pain. The sequential drug release of LDC and THD from the developed LDC-THD-GO nanosheets exhibited a synergistic effect on neuropathic pain in vitro and in vivo, as evidenced by the increased pain threshold in mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesic response tests, and the improved inhibition of proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and nitric oxide. We believed that the present study herein would hold promise for future development of a new generation of potent agents for neuropathic pain relief.

Synergistic plasmonic effects of metal nanoparticle-decorated PEGylated graphene oxides in polymer solar cells

Metal nanostructures that trigger plasmonic near-field effects are often incorporated in organic photovoltaic devices (OPVs) to improve their light-harvesting ability. These nanostructures usually can be positioned in two different locations in a device: (i) within the photon absorption layers and (ii) at the interfaces between the active layer and the metal electrodes. In this study, we developed amphiphilic gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) for use in dual plasmonic nanostructures within OPVs. We employed graphene oxide as the template to anchor the Au NPs, thereby avoiding their aggregation. Furthermore, we added poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) bis(amine) to the synthesis medium to improve the solubility of the nanocomposites, such that they could be dispersed well in water and in several organic solvents. Accordingly, we could incorporate the PEGylated Au NP/graphene oxides readily into both the buffer layer and photoactive layer of OPVs, which, as a result, exhibited obvious enhancements in their photocurrents and overall device efficiencies. Moreover, we observed different spectral enhancement regions when we positioned the nanocomposites at different locations, reflecting the different dielectric environments surrounding the NPs; this unexpected behavior should assist in enhancing the broadband absorption of solar irradiation.

Graphene-based protein biomarker detection

An ability to detect and quantify protein molecules, harbingers of specific pathologies, potentially underpins both early disease diagnosis and an assessment of treatment efficacy. However, the specific detection of a particular protein biomarker in a complex environment is by no means an easy task and requires a progressive improvement in sensor technology. The high surface area, volume, electrical conductance, atomic level thickness and apparent biocompatibility of graphene makes it potentially an exceedingly powerful transducer of biorecognition events; the demands of its application in biosensing, and progress to date are reviewed herein.

Fabrication of SnO₂-reduced graphite oxide monolayer-ordered porous film gas sensor with tunable sensitivity through ultra-violet light irradiation

A new graphene-based composite structure, monolayer-ordered macroporous film composed of a layer of orderly arranged macropores, was reported. As an example, SnO₂-reduced graphite oxide monolayer-ordered macroporous film was fabricated on a ceramic tube substrate under the irradiation of ultra-violet light (UV), by taking the latex microsphere two-dimensional colloid crystal as a template. Graphite oxide sheets dispersed in SnSO₄ aqueous solution exhibited excellent affinity with template microspheres and were in situ incorporated into the pore walls during UV-induced growth of SnO₂. The growing and the as-formed SnO₂, just like other photocatalytic semiconductor, could be excited to produce electrons and holes under UV irradiation. Electrons reduced GO and holes adsorbed corresponding negative ions, which changed the properties of the composite film. This film was directly used as gas-sensor and was able to display high sensitivity in detecting ethanol gas. More interestingly, on the basis of SnO₂-induced photochemical behaviours, this sensor demonstrated tunable sensitivity when UV irradiation time was controlled during the fabrication process and post in water, respectively. This study provides efficient ways of conducting the in situ fabrication of a semiconductor-reduced graphite oxide film device with uniform surface structure and controllable properties.

Nanomaterial-enabled stretchable conductors: strategies, materials and devices

Stretchable electronics are attracting intensive attention due to their promising applications in many areas where electronic devices undergo large deformation and/or form intimate contact with curvilinear surfaces. On the other hand, a plethora of nanomaterials with outstanding properties have emerged over the past decades. The understanding of nanoscale phenomena, materials, and devices has progressed to a point where substantial strides in nanomaterial-enabled applications become realistic. This review summarizes recent advances in one such application, nanomaterial-enabled stretchable conductors (one of the most important components for stretchable electronics) and related stretchable devices (e.g., capacitive sensors, supercapacitors and electroactive polymer actuators), over the past five years. Focusing on bottom-up synthesized carbon nanomaterials (e.g., carbon nanotubes and graphene) and metal nanomaterials (e.g., metal nanowires and nanoparticles), this review provides fundamental insights into the strategies for developing nanomaterial-enabled highly conductive and stretchable conductors. Finally, some of the challenges and important directions in the area of nanomaterial-enabled stretchable conductors and devices are discussed.

An effective non-covalent grafting approach to functionalize individually dispersed reduced graphene oxide sheets with high grafting density, solubility and electrical conductivity

Polymer-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (polymer-FG), produced as individually dispersed graphene sheets, offers new possibilities for the production of nanomaterials that are useful for a broad range of potential applications. Although non-covalent functionalization has produced graphene with good dispersibility and a relatively complete conjugated network, there are few reports related to the effective functionalization of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) using a simple, general method. Herein, we report a facile and effective approach for the preparation of polymer-FG from a non-covalently functionalized pyrene-terminal polymer in benzoyl alcohol (BnOH). This aromatic alcohol (BnOH) was used as the liquid medium for the dispersion of graphene oxide (GO) with a pyrene-terminal polymer, and as an effective reductant; this makes the synthesis procedure convenient and the production of polymer-FG easily scalable because the conversion of GO to RGO and the non-covalent functionalization proceed simultaneously. The resulting polymer-FG sheets show organo-dispersibility, high electrical conductivity and good processability, and have a similar grafting density comparable to covalently made materials, thus making them promising candidates for applications such as electrochemical devices, nanomaterials and polymer nanocomposites. Hence, this work provides a general methodology for preparing individually dispersed graphene sheets with desirable properties.

Well-dispersed graphene-polydopamine-Pd hybrid with enhanced catalytic performance

A graphene-polydopamine hybrid was prepared and decorated with ultrafine Pd nanoparticles to give a stable catalyst that disperses well in polar solvents. Its catalytic activity was investigated in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, K₃[Fe(CN)₆], methylene blue and rhodamine B.

Effect of Pluronic block copolymers on aqueous dispersions of graphene oxide

The effect of Pluronic block copolymers F127 and P123 on aqueous dispersions of graphene oxide (GO) was studied.

Novel green method of preparation of a poly (ethylene oxide)/graphene nanocomposite using organic salt assisted dispersion

Novel green method was developed to prepare nanocomposites of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and graphene in water. This method is environment friendly with no health hazards and can be adapted to any other water soluble polymers.

Fast and facile preparation of PEGylated graphene from graphene oxide by lysosome targeting delivery of photosensitizer to efficiently enhance photodynamic therapy

A fast, facile and mass production method was reported to obtain stable and disperse polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified nanographene (NGO-PEG). Branched polyethylenimine (BPEI) was used to modify the NGO-PEG (NGO-PEG-BPEI) for further application.

Flammability properties and electromagnetic interference shielding of PVC/graphene composites containing Fe3O4 nanoparticles

The presence of combined graphene with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles in PVC matrix can endow the resulting nanocomposites with improved flame retardancy and electromagnetic interference shielding properties besides reinforced mechanical properties.

Graphene-based polyaniline arrays for deoxyribonucleic acid electrochemical sensor: effect of nanostructure on sensitivity

DNA detection sensitivity can be improved by carefully controlling the texture of the sensor substrate, which was normally investigated on metal or metal oxide nanostructured platform. Morphology effects on the biofunctionalization of polymer micro/nanoelectrodes have not been investigated in detail. To extend this topic, we used graphene oxide (GNO) as the supporting material to prepare graphene-based polyaniline nanocomposites with different morphologies as a model for comparing their DNA sensing behaviors. Owing to GNO serving as an excellent support or template for nucleation and growth of polyaniline (PANI), PANI nanostructures grown on GNO substrate were successfully obtained. However, if GNO supporting was absent, the obtained PANI nanowires showed a connected network. Furthermore, adjustment of reaction time can be used for dominating the topographies of PANI-GNO nanocomposites, meaning that different reaction times resulted in various formations of PANI-GNO nanocomposites, including small horns (5 and 12 h), vertical arrays (18 h), and nanotips (24 h). The next-step electrochemical data showed that the DNA electrochemical sensors constructed on the different morphologies possessed different ssDNA surface coverage and hybridization efficiency. Compared with other morphologies of PANI-GNO nanocomposite (5, 12, and 24 h), vertical arrays (18 h) exhibited the highest sensitivity (2.08 × 10(-16) M, 2 orders of magnitude lower than others). It is can be concluded that this nanocomposite with higher surface area and more accessible space can provide an optimal balance for DNA immobilization and DNA hybridization detection.

Immunostimulatory oligonucleotides-loaded cationic graphene oxide with photothermally enhanced immunogenicity for photothermal/immune cancer therapy

Graphene oxide (GO) has attracted tremendous research interest due to its excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Here, we apply the polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyethylenimine (PEI) dual-polymer-functionalized GO (GO-PEG-PEI) as the carrier for efficient CpG delivery. GO-PEG-PEI can significantly promote the production of proinflammatory cytokines and enhance the immunostimulatory effect of CpG. In addition, the NIR optical absorbance of GO-PEG-PEI has been further applied to control the immunostimulatory activity of CpG ODNs, showing remarkably enhanced immunostimulation responses under NIR laser irradiation, owing to the photothermally induced local heating that accelerated intracellular trafficking of nanovectors. This is the first demonstration of using the photothermally enhanced intracellular transportation of nanocarriers for light-controllable CpG delivery. In vivo assay demonstrates that the GO-PEG-PEI-CpG complex provides synergistic photothermal and immunological effects under laser irradiation for cancer treatment, which shows the highest efficiency in tumor reduction, implying the excellent therapeutic efficacy of the GO-PEG-PEI-CpG complex in cancer therapy.

Coating two-dimensional nanomaterials with metal-organic frameworks

We demonstrate the coating of various 2D nanomaterials including MoS2 nanosheets, graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (i.e., ZIF-8) via a facile procedure. Additionally, ternary core-shell structures like Pt-MoS2@ZIF-8, Pt-GO@ZIF-8, and Pt-rGO@ZIF-8 have also been prepared. As a proof-of-concept application, a memory device based on MoS2@ZIF-8 hybrid was fabricated and it exhibited write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory effect with high ON/OFF ratio and long operating lifetime. It is expected that MOF coated 2D nanomaterials may find wide applications in energy storage and conversion, catalysis, sensing, and information storage devices.

Self-assembly and headgroup effect in nanostructured organogels via cationic amphiphile-graphene oxide composites

Self-assembly of hierarchical graphene oxide (GO)-based nanomaterials with novel functions has received a great deal of attentions. In this study, nanostructured organogels based on cationic amphiphile-GO composites were prepared. The gelation behaviors of amphiphile-GO composites in organic solvents can be regulated by changing the headgroups of amphiphiles. Ammonium substituted headgroup in molecular structures in present self-assembled composites is more favorable for the gelation in comparison to pyridinium headgroup. A possible mechanism for headgroup effects on self-assembly and as-prepared nanostructures is proposed. It is believed that the present amphiphile-GO self-assembled system will provide an alternative platform for the design of new GO nanomaterials and soft matters.

Graphene/Ionic liquid composite films and ion exchange

Wettability of graphene is adjusted by the formation of various ionic surfaces combining ionic liquid (IL) self-assembly with ion exchange. The functionalized ILs were designed and synthesized with the goal of obtaining adjustable wettability. The wettability of the graphene surface bearing various anions was measured systematically. The effect of solvent systems on ion exchange ratios on the graphene surface has also been investigated. Meanwhile, the mechanical properties of the graphene/IL composite films were investigated on a nanometer scale. The elasticity and adhesion behavior of the thin film was determined with respected to the indentation deformation by colloid probe nanoindentation method. The results indicate that anions played an important role in determining graphene/IL composite film properties. In addition, surface wetting and mechanics can be quantitatively determined according to the counter-anions on the surface. This study might suggest an alternate way for quantity detection of surface ions by surface force.

An efficient optical-electrochemical dual probe for highly sensitive recognition of dopamine based on terbium complex functionalized reduced graphene oxide

A novel organic-inorganic hybrid sensor based on diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) modified reduced graphene oxide (RGO-DTPA) chelated with terbium ions allows detection of dopamine (DA) through an emission enhancement effect. Its luminescence, peaking at 545 nm, has been improved by a factor of 25 in the presence of DA (detection limit = 80 nM). In addition, this covalently bonded terbium complex functionalized reduced graphene oxide (RGO-DTPA-Tb) can be successfully assembled on a glassy carbon electrode. The assay performed through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) yielded obvious peak separation between DA and excessive amounts of the interfering ascorbic acid (AA).

Polyelectrolyte-stabilized graphene oxide liquid crystals against salt, pH, and serum

Stabilization of colloids is of great significance in nanoscience for their fundamental research and practical applications. Electrostatic repulsion-stabilized anisotropic colloids, such as graphene oxide (GO), can form stable liquid crystals (LCs). However, the electrostatic field would be screened by ions. To stabilize colloidal LCs against electrolyte is an unsolved challenge. Here, an effective strategy is proposed to stabilize GO LCs under harsh conditions by association of polyelectrolytes onto GO sheets. Using sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl)ammonium hydroxide (PMEDSAH), a kind of polyzwitterion, GO LCs were well-maintained in the presence of NaCl (from 0 M to saturated), extreme pH (from 1 to 13), and serum. Moreover, PSS- or PMEDSAH-coated chemically reduced GO (rGO) also showed stability against electrolyte.

Studying reaction intermediates formed at graphenic surfaces

We report in-situ production and detection of intermediates at graphenic surfaces, especially during alcohol oxidation. Alcohol oxidation to acid occurs on graphene oxide-coated paper surface, driven by an electrical potential, in a paper spray mass spectrometry experiment. As paper spray ionization is a fast process and the time scale matches with the reaction time scale, we were able to detect the intermediate, acetal. This is the first observation of acetal formed in surface oxidation. The process is not limited to alcohols and the reaction has been extended to aldehydes, amines, phosphenes, sugars, etc., where reaction products were detected instantaneously. By combining surface reactions with ambient ionization and mass spectrometry, we show that new insights into chemical reactions become feasible. We suggest that several other chemical transformations may be studied this way. This work opens up a new pathway for different industrially and energetically important reactions using different metal catalysts and modified substrate.

Perylene derivative-bridged Au–graphene nanohybrid for label-free HpDNA biosensor

A novel PDI-bridged Au–graphene nanohybrid was synthesized and used to fabricate a label-free hpDNA biosensor.

Synthesis of amphiphilic reduced graphene oxide with an enhanced charge injection capacity for electrical stimulation of neural cells

A facile method was developed to synthesize amphiphilic reduced graphene oxide for electrical stimulation of neural cells with high charge injection capacity.

Preparation of MoS2-coated three-dimensional graphene networks for high-performance anode material in lithium-ion batteries

A novel composite, MoS2 -coated three-dimensional graphene network (3DGN), referred to as MoS2 /3DGN, is synthesized by a facile CVD method. The 3DGN, composed of interconnected graphene sheets, not only serves as template for the deposition of MoS2 , but also provides good electrical contact between the current collector and deposited MoS2 . As a proof of concept, the MoS2 /3DGN composite, used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, shows excellent electrochemical performance, which exhibits reversible capacities of 877 and 665 mAh g(-1) during the 50(th) cycle at current densities of 100 and 500 mA g(-1) , respectively, indicating its good cycling performance. Furthermore, the MoS2 /3DGN composite also shows excellent high-current-density performance, e.g., depicts a 10(th) -cycle capacity of 466 mAh g(-1) at a high current density of 4 A g(-1).