Single-walled carbon nanotube/lyotropic liquid crystal hybrid materials fabricated by a phase separation method in the presence of polyelectrolyte

Ferrihydrite nanoparticles entrapped in shear-induced multilamellar vesicles

HYPOTHESIS

Ferrihydrite (Fh) nanoparticles are receiving considerable scientific interest due to their large reactive surface areas, crystalline structures, and nanoparticle morphology. They are of great importance in biogeochemical processes and have the ability to sequester hazardous and toxic substances. Here, the working hypothesis was to entrap fractal-like Fh nanoparticles, with a radius of gyration of 6.2 nm and a primary building block of polydisperse spheres with a radius of 0.8 nm, in a shear-induced multilamellar vesicle (MLV) state using a 40 wt% polyethylene glycol dodecyl ether surfactant.

EXPERIMENTS

Small- and Wide- Angle X-ray scattering revealed the equilibrium state of the non-ionic planar lamellar phase, the Fh dispersion, and their mixture. The MLV state was induced by using a shear flow in a Taylor-Couette geometry of a rheometer.

FINDINGS

The nonionic surfactant initially exhibited a lamellar gel phase with two distinct d-spacings of 11.0 and 9.7 nm, which collapsed into the MLV state under shear flow. The Fh nanoparticles induced bilayer attraction by suppressing lamellar layer undulations, decreasing the d-spacing. These results are helpful in the understanding of the relationship between nanoparticle size and nanoparticle-bilayers interactions and provides insight on Fh encapsulations in a kinetically stable MLVs state.

Incorporation of graphene oxide into C12E4/C12mimBr hybrid lyotropic liquid crystal and its thermo-sensitive properties

Schematic illustration of the formation of GO/C₁₂E₄/C₁₂mimBr lamellar and hexagonal LLC composites.

Aptamer-conjugated nanomaterials for specific cancer cell recognition and targeted cancer therapy

Based on their unique advantages, increasing interest has been shown in the use of aptamers as target ligands for specific cancer cell recognition and targeted cancer therapy. Recently, the development of aptamer-conjugated nanomaterials has offered new therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment with better efficacy and lower toxicity. We highlight some of the promising classes of aptamer-conjugated nanomaterials for the specific recognition of cancer cells and targeted cancer therapy. Recent developments in the use of novel strategies that enable sensitive and selective cancer cell recognition are introduced. In addition to targeted drug delivery for chemotherapy, we also review how aptamer-conjugated nanomaterials are being incorporated into emerging technologies with significant improvement in efficiency and selectivity in cancer treatment.

Ordered carbon nanotubes–n-dodecyl tetraethylene monoether liquid crystal composites through phase separation induced by poly(ethylene glycol)

We used a phase separation method to incorporate carbon nanotubes into the lamellar phase of a surfactant.

Comparative study of n-dodecyl tetraethylene monoether lyotropic liquid crystals incorporated with graphene and graphene oxide

Graphene incorporated into the hydrophobic layer of C₁₂E₄ LLC while GO incorporated into the hydrophilic layer of C₁₂E₄ LLC.

Nanoparticles in liquid crystals and liquid crystalline nanoparticles

Combinations of liquid crystals and materials with unique features as well as properties at the nanoscale are reviewed. Particular attention is paid to recent developments, i.e., since 2007, in areas ranging from liquid crystal-nanoparticle dispersions to nanomaterials forming liquid crystalline phases after surface modification with mesogenic or promesogenic moieties. Experimental and synthetic approaches are summarized, design strategies compared, and potential as well as existing applications discussed. Finally, a critical outlook into the future of this fascinating field of liquid crystal research is provided.