Synthesis of Ag/AgCl modified anhydrous basic bismuth nitrate from BiOCl and the antibacterial activity

Bismuth-based two-dimensional nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and treatment

The intrinsic high X-ray attenuation and insignificant biological toxicity of Bi-based nanomaterials make them a category of advanced materials in oncology. Bi-based two-dimensional nanomaterials have gained rapid development in cancer diagnosis and treatment owing to their adjustable bandgap structure, high specific surface area and strong NIR absorption. In addition to the single functional cancer diagnosis and treatment modalities, Bi-based two-dimensional nanomaterials have been certified for accomplishing multi-imaging guided multifunctional synergistic cancer therapies. In this review, we summarize the recent progress including controllable synthesis, defect engineering and surface modifications of Bi-based two-dimensional nanomaterials for cancer diagnosis and treatment in the past ten years. Their medical applications in cancer imaging and therapies are also presented. Finally, we discuss the potential challenges and future research priorities of Bi-based two-dimensional nanomaterials.

Sequential-Dependent Synthesis of Bimetallic Silver-Chromium Nanoparticles for Multichannel Sensing, Logic Computing, and 3 in 1 Information Protection

Bimetallic nanomaterials (BNMs) have been used in sensing, biomedicine, and environmental remediation, but their multipurpose and comprehensive applications in molecular logic computing and information security protection have received little attention. Herein, This synthesis method is achieved by sequentially adding reactants under ice bath conditions. Interestingly, Ag-Cr NPs can dynamically selectively sense anions and reductants in multiple channels. Especially, ClO^- can be quantitatively detected by oxidizing Ag-Cr NPs with detection limits of 98.37 nM (at 270 nm) and 31.83 nM (at 394 nm). Based on sequential-dependent synthesis process of Ag-Cr NPs, Boolean logic gates and customizable molecular keypad locks are constructed by setting the reactants as the inputs, the states of the resulting solutions as the outputs. Furthermore, dynamically selective response patterns of the Ag-Cr NPs can be converted into binary strings to exploit molecular crypto-steganography to encode, store, and hide information. By integrating the three dimensions of authorization, encryption, and steganography, 3 in 1 advanced information protection based on Ag-Cr nanosensing system can be achieved, which can enhance the anti-cracking ability of information. This research will promote the development and application of nanocomposites in the field of information security and deepen the connection between molecular sensing and the information world.

General low-temperature growth of two-dimensional nanosheets from layered and nonlayered materials

Most of the current methods for the synthesis of two-dimensional materials (2DMs) require temperatures not compatible with traditional back-end-of-line (BEOL) processes in semiconductor industry (450 °C). Here, we report a general BiOCl-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach for the low-temperature synthesis of 27 ultrathin 2DMs. In particular, by mixing BiOCl with selected metal powders to produce volatile intermediates, we show that ultrathin 2DMs can be produced at 280-500 °C, which are ~200-300 °C lower than the temperatures required for salt-assisted CVD processes. In-depth characterizations and theoretical calculations reveal the low-temperature processes promoting 2D growth and the oxygen-inhibited synthetic mechanism ensuring the formation of ultrathin nonlayered 2DMs. We demonstrate that the resulting 2DMs exhibit electrical, magnetic and optoelectronic properties comparable to those of 2DMs grown at much higher temperatures. The general low-temperature preparation of ultrathin 2DMs defines a rich material platform for exploring exotic physics and facile BEOL integration in semiconductor industry.

Cu(I) Metal-Organic Framework Composites with AgCl/Ag Nanoparticles for Irradiation-Enhanced Antibacterial Activity against E. coli

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as prospective antibacterial agents or synergistic agents for their versatile chemical building components and structures. In this work, copper(I) halide MOFs of Cu(I)bpyCl (bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine) composited with AgCl/Ag nanoparticles were synthesized, and their antibacterial activities were measured against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The attached chlorine in Cu(I)₂Cl₂ nodes of the MOFs served as loading sites for silver ions, in which AgCl and concomitant metallic Ag nanoparticles were in situ generated. Exceptional antibacterial activity against E. coli was realized with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of ∼7.8 μg mL^-1, while the MIC value was ∼16 μg mL^-1 against S. aureus. Enhanced antibacterial activity against E. coli with light irradiation was measured by the disk diffusion method compared with that under dark conditions.

Preparation of a Bi6O5(OH)3(NO3)5·2H2O/AgBr composite and its long-lasting antibacterial efficacy

A novel Bi₆O₅(OH)₃(NO₃)₅·2H₂O/AgBr (6535BBN/AgBr) composite with long-lasting antibacterial efficacy was prepared. The microstructure of the composite was characterized. AgBr nanoparticles (NPs) were sandwiched in 6535BBN nanosheets (NSs) or loaded on their surfaces. The utilization of 6535BBN as carriers contributed to the long-term lasting antibacterial activity of the composite after storage in water or 0.9% NaCl. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by inhibition zones against E. coli. The inhibition zone diameters of 6535BBN/AgBr stored in water for 0 h, 8 h, 16 h, and 48 h were measured as 22.50, 21.71, 20.43, and 20.29 mm, respectively. The activity of the composite after storage in water for 48 h remained 90.2% of that in the beginning. After storing in 0.9% NaCl for 16 h, the activity was determined to be 90.1% of that in the beginning. In comparison with the rapid decrease in the antibacterial activity of pure AgBr, the slow reduction of 6535BBN/AgBr after storage indicates long-lasting efficacy. The excellent dispersion states of 6535BBN/AgBr powders after storage in solutions were revealed, and the positive relationship between the dispersion state and its long-lasting antibacterial activity was suggested. Based on the unique load-on-carrier (LOC) structure, the long-lasting antibacterial performance was promoted by the synergy of the sharp-edge-cutting effect of 6535BBN NSs, prolonged ROS antibacterial effect, and restrained sterilization effects of silver ions caused by their slow release.

The observation of the curative effect of silver-containing dressings combined with hydrogel on healing of immunosuppression-induced skin ulcerations

BACKGROUND

Local inflammatory reaction is the basis of wound healing. Inappropriate inflammatory reaction will delay wound healing.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the effect of silver-containing dressings combined with hydrogel on healing of immunosuppression-induced skin ulcerations (IISU).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 48 cases of patients with IISU admitted to The First People's Hospital of Jiande from March 2018 to March 2019. According to the different treatment methods, the patients were divided into the observation group and the control group, with 24 cases in each group. Patients in the observation group were treated with silver-containing dressings combined with hydrogel, while patients in the control group were treated with silver-containing dressings alone. Initially, patients in the observation group and control group were treated with the same method of debridement and cleaning. Afterwards, for patients in the observation group, the wounded surface was coated with a layer of hydrogel. Both groups had the wound covered with a silver-containing dressing as the inner dressing, and gauze was used as the outer dressing to wrap and fix the wound. The dressing change frequency was the same for both groups. The effective rate, basic healing rate, and complete healing rate of the two groups were compared after one week and two weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

The effective rate of dressing application and wound healing rate in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P< 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A silver-containing dressing combined with hydrogel as the inner dressing can provide a better environment for wound healing, significantly shorten the course of treatment of patients with IISU, promote the early recovery of patients, and improve the quality of life of patients. Therefore, it can be applied in clinical practice.

Lignin-containing Nanocellulose for in situ Chemical-Free Synthesis of AgAu-based Nanoparticles with Potent Antibacterial Activities

Lignin-containing nanocelluloses (LNCs) have the properties of both lignin and nanocellulose and could overcome the limits of both individual components in metallic nanoparticle synthesis. However, studies on LNCs are still limited, and the potential of such nanomaterials for metallic nanoparticle synthesis has not been fully unraveled. In this study, monometallic silver, gold nanoparticles, and Ag-Au-AgCl nanohybrids were synthesized in situ utilizing LNCs in a chemical-free approach. The parameters, including Ag⁺ and Au³⁺ concentrations as well as [Au³⁺]/[Ag⁺] ratios, were investigated for their effects on the nanoparticle synthesis. The characterizations, including UV-vis spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), confirmed the coexistence of Ag, Au, and AgCl while indicating the key role of lignin and oxygen-containing functional groups in the nanoparticle synthesis. The as-synthesized AgNPs-, AuNPs-, and nanohybrids-LNC samples were tested for their antibacterial activities. In comparison to the monometallic AgNPs-LNC sample, nanohybrids-LNC synthesized with 0.063 mM Au³⁺ loading showed superior antibacterial activities with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) at 5 μg/mL against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and 10 μg/mL against Gram-negative Salmonella typhimurium with controlled Ag⁺ release. The results indicated that LNCs can be used to synthesize metallic nanoparticles, and the resultant Ag-Au-AgCl nanohybrids were a potent antibacterial agent with reduced environmental impacts.

Hybrid levan-Ag/AgCl nanoparticles produced by UV-irradiation: properties, antibacterial efficiency and application in bioactive poly(vinyl alcohol) films

Foodborne diseases caused by resistance of microorganisms to multiple antimicrobial agents have emerged as a major public health concern around the world. The search for potential antimicrobials has resulted in the emergence of metal nanoparticles for protection against these infections. In this study an eco-friendly and green approach was used to biosynthesize hybrid Ag/AgCl nanoparticles (NPs), using levan from Bacillus mojavensis as a stabilizing/reducing agent, with a high efficiency against a broad spectrum of foodborne bacteria as well as biofilm formations. The morphology and physicochemical characteristics of levan-Ag/AgCl NPs were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectroscopy (UV), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The hybrid levan-Ag/AgCl was evaluated for antibacterial activity against foodborne pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringiensis). The study demonstrated the strong efficiency of hybrid levan-Ag/AgCl NPs as a potent inhibitor against all tested strains, with much higher activity against Gram-negative than Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, bacterial strains were found to be highly sensitive to hybrid levan-Ag/AgCl NPs in comparison to the tested antibiotics. As a possible application of levan-Ag/AgCl NPs as an additive in packaging, PVA films with different amounts of hybrid levan-Ag/AgCl NPs were prepared by casting and their antibacterial, mechanical, and optical properties and ability to expand the shelf life of beef meat were explored. Interestingly, the amount of Ag leached out from films was below the permissible limit. This work demonstrates the strong antibacterial action of hybrid levan-Ag/AgCl NPs and their potential use in bioactive packaging material.