Antibiotic-Loaded Boron Nitride Nanoconjugate with Strong Performance against Planktonic Bacteria and Biofilms

NIR responsive scaffold with multistep shape memory and photothermal-chemodynamic properties for complex tissue defects repair and antibacterial therapy

Complex tissue damage accompanying with bacterial infection challenges healthcare systems globally. Conventional tissue engineering scaffolds normally generate secondary implantation trauma, mismatched regeneration and infection risks. Herein, we developed an easily implanted scaffold with multistep shape memory and photothermal-chemodynamic properties to exactly match repair requirements of each part from the tissue defect by adjusting its morphology as needed meanwhile inhibiting bacterial infection on demand. Specifically, a thermal-induced shape memory scaffold was prepared using hydroxyethyl methacrylate and polyethylene glycol diacrylate, which was further combined with the photothermal agent iron tannate (FeTA) to produce NIR light-induced shape memory property. By varying ingredients ratios in each segment, this scaffold could perform a stepwise recovery under different NIR periods. This process facilitated implantation after shape fixing to avoid trauma caused by conventional methods and gradually filled irregular defects under NIR to perform suitable tissue regeneration. Moreover, FeTA also catalyzed Fenton reaction at bacterial infections with abundant H2O2, which produced excess ROS for chemodynamic antibacterial therapy. As expected, bacteriostatic rate was further enhanced by additional photothermal therapy under NIR. The in vitro and vivo results showed that our scaffold was able to perform high efficacy in both antibiosis, inflammation reduction and wound healing acceleration, indicating a promising candidate for the regeneration of complex tissue damage with bacterial infection.

High-yield synthesis of hydroxylated boron nitride nanosheets and their utilization in thermally conductive polymeric nanocomposites

Hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) possess remarkable potential for various applications due to their unprecedented properties. However, the scalable production of BNNSs with both expansive surface and high solubility continues to present a significant challenge. Herein, we propose an innovative and efficient two-step method for manufacturing hydroxyl-functionalized BNNSs (OH-BNNSs). Initially, hydroxyl groups are covalently attached to bulk hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) surfaces through H2O2 treatment. Then, the hydroxyl-functionalized h-BN undergoes exfoliation on account of a sudden increase in interlayer gas pressure generated by the vigorous decomposition of H2O2 in alkali solutions, resulting in the creation of OH-BNNSs. This approach produces relatively large flakes with an average dimension of 1.65 μm and a high yield of 45.2%. The resultant OH-BNNSs exhibit remarkable stability and dispersibility in a range of solvents. Their integration into thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) significantly enhances both thermal conductivity and stability, attributed to the excellent compatibility with the resin matrix. This study represents a significant advancement in the functionalization and exfoliation of h-BN, opening new avenues for its promising applications in polymer composites.

Silver and Antimicrobial Polymer Nanocomplexes to Enhance Biocidal Effects

Antimicrobial resistance has become a major problem over the years and threatens to remain in the future, at least until a solution is found. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and antimicrobial polymers (APs) are known for their antimicrobial properties and can be considered an alternative approach to fighting resistant microorganisms. Hence, the main goal of this research is to shed some light on the antimicrobial properties of Ag-NPs and APs (chitosan (CH), poly-L-lysine (PLL), ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PLL), and dopamine (DA)) when used alone and complexed to explore the potential enhancement of the antimicrobial effect of the combination Ag-NPs + Aps. The resultant nanocomplexes were chemically and morphologically characterized by UV-visible spectra, zeta potential, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the Ag-NPs, APs, and Ag-NPs + APs nanocomplexes were tested against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and the Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, as well as the fungi Candida albicans (C. albicans). Overall, the antimicrobial results showed potentiation of the activity of the nanocomplexes with a focus on C. albicans. For the biofilm eradication ability, Ag-NPs and Ag-NPs + DA were able to significantly remove S. aureus preformed biofilm, and Ag-NPs + CH were able to significantly destroy C. albicans biofilm, with both performing better than Ag-NPs alone. Overall, we have proven the successful conjugation of Ag-NPs and APs, with some of these formulations showing potential to be further investigated for the treatment of microbial infections.

Fractional Factorial Design to Evaluate the Synthesis and Electrochemical Transfer Parameters of h-BN Coatings

In this study, we present a fractional factorial design approach for exploring the effects and interactions of key synthesis and electrochemical transfer parameters on the roughness and wettability of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) coatings, due to their essential role in biofilm formation. The studied parameters for the synthesis process include precursor mass, growth time, and substrate conditioning, whereas for the transfer process, applied voltage and aqueous medium concentration were studied. Through this polynomial model, we confirmed the strong influence of precursor mass and medium concentration parameters on h-BN surface roughness and its resulting antibiofilm properties.