Antimicrobial and Antifouling Effects of Petal-Like Nanostructure by Evaporation-Induced Self-Assembly for Personal Protective Equipment

Although the personal protective equipment (PPE) used by healthcare workers (HCWs) effectively blocks hazardous substances and pathogens, it does not fully rule out the possibility of infection, as pathogens surviving on the fabric surface pose a substantial risk of cross-infection through unintended means. Therefore, PPE materials that exhibit effective biocidal activity while minimizing contamination by viscous body fluids (e.g., blood and saliva) and pathogen-laden droplets are highly sought. In this study, petal-like nanostructures (PNSs) are synthesized through the vertical rearrangement of colloidal lamellar bilayers via evaporation-induced self-assembly of octadecylamine, silica-alumina sol, and diverse photosensitizer. The developed method is compatible with various fabrics and imparts visible-light-activated antimicrobial and superhydrophobic-based antifouling activities. PNS-coated fabrics could provide a high level of protection and effectively block pathogen transmission as exemplified by their ability to roll off viscous body fluids reducing bacterial droplet adhesion and to inactivate various microorganisms. The combination of antifouling and photobiocidal activities results in the complete inactivation of sprayed pathogen-laden droplets within 30 min. Thus, this study paves the way for effective contagious disease management and the protection of HCWs in general medical environments, inspiring further research on the fabrication of materials that integrate multiple useful functionalities.

Efficiency of zero-dimensional and two-dimensional graphene architectural nanocomposites for organic transformations in the contemporary environment: a review

Graphene derivatives-based nanocatalyst finds increasing utilisation in the catalysis field for organic transformations. Researchers have been working on the development of graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and graphene quantum dots with metal or metal oxide nanocomposites over the last few years. These materials exhibit excellent electrical, catalytic, optical, thermal, and magnetic properties. In particular, GO/rGO/GQDs composites assisted by metal or metal oxides have attracted broad attention for their possible applications in organic compound synthesis, drug delivery, sensors, devices, and the related areas of the environment. In this review, we have summarised GO/rGO/GQDs-metal or metal oxide composites using catalyst for organic conversions and synthesis of organic compounds in accordance with the discussion on the key problems and prospects for future study. Furthermore, there is a significant function for the catalytic efficiency of composites assisted by metal or metal oxide nanocatalyst which is categorised by graphene derivatives bases.

Facile preparation of orange-emissive carbon dots for the highly selective detection of silver ions

We have prepared orange-emissive carbon dots, which serve as a highly selective fluorescent method for the detection of silver ions.