Facile One-Step Electrodeposition Preparation of Cationic Pillar[6]arene-Modified Graphene Films on Glassy Carbon Electrodes for Enhanced Electrochemical Performance

Enhancing the Stability and Photothermal Conversion Efficiency of ICG by Pillar[5]arene-Based Host-Guest Interaction

Indocyanine green (ICG) is a classical near-infrared (NIR) photothermal reagent that can be employed in clinical medical detection. Under neutral conditions, ICG can adsorb NIR light effectively for photothermal (PTT) and photodynamic (PDT) therapy. However, ICG is easily degraded in weak acid environments, which seriously restricts its application. In this work, a cationic water-soluble pillar[5]arene (WP5) was selected as the stabilizing agent for ICG. Thanks to the host-guest interaction between WP5 and alkyl sulfonate, the stability and the photothermal conversion efficiency of ICG increased remarkably upon addition of WP5 as investigated by UV-vis spectrum and photothermal studies. Furthermore, an in vitro study showed higher efficiency of WP5&ICG in killing cancer cells in a shorter treatment time than the free ICG. Hence, it is hopeful that WP5 can be a new type of supramolecular host in enhancing the stability and photothermal conversion efficiency of photosensitizers.

Nanocomposite Materials Based on Electrochemically Synthesized Graphene Polymers: Molecular Architecture Strategies for Sensor Applications

The use of graphene and its derivatives in the development of electrochemical sensors has been growing in recent decades. Part of this success is due to the excellent characteristics of such materials, such as good electrical and mechanical properties and a large specific surface area. The formation of composites and nanocomposites with these two materials leads to better sensing performance compared to pure graphene and conductive polymers. The increased large specific surface area of the nanocomposites and the synergistic effect between graphene and conducting polymers is responsible for this interesting result. The most widely used methodologies for the synthesis of these materials are still based on chemical routes. However, electrochemical routes have emerged and are gaining space, affording advantages such as low cost and the promising possibility of modulation of the structural characteristics of composites. As a result, application in sensor devices can lead to increased sensitivity and decreased analysis cost. Thus, this review presents the main aspects for the construction of nanomaterials based on graphene oxide and conducting polymers, as well as the recent efforts made to apply this methodology in the development of sensors and biosensors.

Correction: Direct electrodeposition of cationic pillar[6]arene-modified graphene oxide composite films and their host–guest inclusions for enhanced electrochemical performance

Correction for ‘Direct electrodeposition of cationic pillar[6]arene-modified graphene oxide composite films and their host–guest inclusions for enhanced electrochemical performance’ by Qunpeng Duan et al., RSC Adv., 2020, 10, 21954–21962, DOI: 10.1039/D0RA03138K.