Development of a simple paste for 3D printing of drug formulations containing a mesoporous material loaded with a poorly water-soluble drug

Poorly soluble drugs represent a substantial portion of emerging drug candidates, posing significant challenges for pharmaceutical formulators. One promising method to enhance the drug's dissolution rate and, consequently, bioavailability involves transforming them into an amorphous state within mesoporous materials. These materials can then be seamlessly integrated into personalized drug formulations using Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques, most commonly via Fused Deposition Modeling. Another innovative approach within the realm of AM for mesoporous material-based formulations is semi-solid extrusion (SSE). This study showcases the feasibility of a straightforward yet groundbreaking hybrid 3D printing system employing SSE to incorporate drug-loaded mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) into two different drug formulations, each designed for distinct administration routes. MMC was loaded with the poorly water-soluble drug ibuprofen via a solvent evaporation method and mixed with PEG 400 as a binder and lubricant, facilitating subsequent SSE. The formulation is non-aqueous, unlike most pastes which are used for SSE, and thus is beneficial for the incorporation of poorly water-soluble drugs. The 3D printing process yielded tablets for oral administration and suppositories for rectal administration, which were then analyzed for their dissolution behavior in biorelevant media. These investigations revealed enhancements in the dissolution kinetics of the amorphous drug-loaded MMC formulations. Furthermore, an impressive drug loading of 15.3 % w/w of the total formulation was achieved, marking the highest reported loading for SSE formulations incorporating mesoporous materials to stabilize drugs in their amorphous state by a wide margin. This simple formulation containing PEG 400 also showed advantages over other aqueous formulations for SSE in that the formulations did not exhibit weight loss or changes in size or form during the curing process post-printing. These results underscore the substantial potential of this innovative hybrid 3D printing system for the development of drug dosage forms, particularly for improving the release profile of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Electrochemical Doping and Structural Modulation of Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks

In this study, we introduce an electrochemical doping strategy aimed at manipulating the structure and composition of electrically conductive metal-organic frameworks (c-MOFs). Our methodology is exemplified through a representative c-MOF, Ni3(HITP)2 (HITP=2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11-hexaiminotriphenylene), synthesized into porous thin films supported by nanocellulose. While the c-MOF exhibits characteristic capacitive behavior in neutral electrolyte; it manifests redox behaviors in both acidic and alkaline electrolytes. Evidence indicates that the organic ligands within c-MOF undergo oxidation (p-doping) and reduction (n-doping) when exposed to specific electrochemical potentials in acidic and alkaline electrolyte, respectively. Interestingly, the p-doping process proves reversible, with the c-MOF structure remaining stable across cyclic p-doping/de-doping. In contrast, the n-doping is irreversible, leading to the gradual decomposition of the framework into inorganic species over a few cycles. Drawing on these findings, we showcase the versatile electrochemical applications of c-MOFs and their derived composites, encompassing electrochemical energy storage, electrocatalysis, and ultrafast actuation. This study provides profound insights into the doping of c-MOFs, offering a new avenue for modulating their chemical and electronic structure, thereby broadening their potential for diverse electrochemical applications.

Laser irradiation of photothermal precursors - a novel approach to produce carbon materials for supercapacitors

A wide array of carbon materials finds extensive utility across various industrial applications today. Nonetheless, the production processes for these materials continue to entail elevated temperatures, necessitate the use of inert atmospheres, and often involve the handling of aggressive and toxic chemicals. The prevalent method for large-scale carbon material production, namely the pyrolysis of waste biomass and polymers, typically unfolds within the temperature range of 500-700 °C under a nitrogen (N2 ) atmosphere. Unfortunately, this approach suffers from significant energy inefficiency due to substantial heat loss over extended processing durations. In this work, we propose an interesting alternative: the carbonization of photothermal nanocellulose/polypyrrole composite films through CO2 laser irradiation in the presence of air. This innovative technique offers a swift and energy-efficient means of preparing carbon materials. The unique interaction between nanocellulose and polypyrrole imparts the film with sufficient stability to retain its structural integrity post-carbonization. This breakthrough opens up new avenues for producing binder-free electrodes using a rapid and straightforward approach. Furthermore, the irradiated film demonstrates specific and areal capacitances of 159 F g-1 and 62 μF cm-2 , respectively, when immersed in a 2 M NaOH electrolyte. These values significantly surpass those achieved by current commercial activated carbons. Together, these attributes render CO2 -laser carbonization an environmentally sustainable and ecologically friendly method for carbon material production.

Kraft Lignin-Derived Microporous Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Adsorbent for Air and Water Purification

The study presents a streamlined one-step process for producing highly porous, metal-free, N-doped activated carbon (N-AC) for CO2 capture and herbicide removal from simulated industrially polluted and real environmental systems. N-AC was prepared from kraft lignin─a carbon-rich and abundant byproduct of the pulp industry, using nitric acid as the activator and urea as the N-dopant. The reported carbonization process under a nitrogen atmosphere renders a product with a high yield of 30% even at high temperatures up to 800 °C. N-AC exhibited a substantial high N content (4-5%), the presence of aliphatic and phenolic OH groups, and a notable absence of carboxylic groups, as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Boehm's titration. Porosity analysis indicated that micropores constituted the majority of the pore structure, with 86% of pores having diameters less than 0.6 nm. According to BET adsorption analysis, the developed porous structure of N-AC boasted a substantial specific surface area of 1000 m2 g-1. N-AC proved to be a promising adsorbent for air and water purification. Specifically, N-AC exhibited a strong affinity for CO2, with an adsorption capacity of 1.4 mmol g-1 at 0.15 bar and 20 °C, and it demonstrated the highest selectivity over N2 from the simulated flue gas system (27.3 mmol g-1 for 15:85 v/v CO2/N2 at 20 °C) among all previously reported nitrogen-doped AC materials from kraft lignin. Moreover, N-AC displayed excellent reusability and efficient CO2 release, maintaining an adsorption capacity of 3.1 mmol g-1 (at 1 bar and 25 °C) over 10 consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles, confirming N-AC as a useful material for CO2 storage and utilization. The unique cationic nature of N-AC enhanced the adsorption of herbicides in neutral and weakly basic environments, which is relevant for real waters. It exhibited an impressive adsorption capacity for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) at 96 ± 6 mg g-1 under pH 6 and 25 °C according to the Langmuir-Freundlich model. Notably, N-AC preserves its high adsorption capacity toward 2,4-D from simulated groundwater and runoff from tomato greenhouse, while performance in real samples from Fyris river in Uppsala, Sweden, causes a decrease of only 4-5%. Owing to the one-step process, high yield, annual abundance of kraft lignin, and use of environmentally friendly activating agents, N-AC has substantial potential for large-scale industrial applications.

Ambient Aqueous Synthesis of Imine-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) and Fabrication of Freestanding Cellulose Nanofiber@COF Nanopapers

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are usually synthesized under solvothermal conditions that require the use of toxic organic solvents, high reaction temperatures, and complicated procedures. Additionally, their insolubility and infusibility present substantial challenges in the processing of COFs. Herein, we report a facile, green approach for the synthesis of imine-linked COFs in an aqueous solution at room temperature. The key behind the synthesis is the regulation of the reaction rate. The preactivation of aldehyde monomers using acetic acid significantly enhances their reactivity in aqueous solutions. Meanwhile, the still somewhat lower imine formation rate and higher imine breaking rates in aqueous solution, in contrast to conventional solvothermal synthesis, allow for the modulation of the reaction equilibrium and the crystallization of the products. As a result, highly crystalline COFs with large surface areas can be formed in relatively high yields in a few minutes. In total, 16 COFs are successfully synthesized from monomers with different molecular sizes, geometries, pendant groups, and core structures, demonstrating the versatility of this approach. Notably, this method works well on the gram scale synthesis of COFs. Furthermore, the aqueous synthesis facilitates the interfacial growth of COF nanolayers on the surface of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). The resulting CNF@COF hybrid nanofibers can be easily processed into freestanding nanopapers, demonstrating high efficiency in removing trace amounts of antibiotics from wastewater. This study provides a route to the green synthesis and processing of various COFs, paving the way for practical applications in diverse fields.

Tetraphenylporphyrin electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction: applicability of molecular volcano plots to experimental operating conditions

Recent years have seen an increasing interest in molecular electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Efficient hydrogen evolution would play an important role in a sustainable fuel economy, and molecular systems could serve as highly specific and tunable alternatives to traditional noble metal surface catalysts. However, molecular catalysts are currently mostly used in homogeneous setups, where quantitative evaluation of catalytic activity is non-standardized and cumbersome, in particular for multistep, multielectron processes. The molecular design community would therefore be well served by a straightforward model for prediction and comparison of the efficiency of molecular catalysts. Recent developments in this area include attempts at applying the Sabatier principle and the volcano plot concept - popular tools for comparing metal surface catalysts - to molecular catalysis. In this work, we evaluate the predictive power of these tools in the context of experimental operating conditions, by applying them to a series of tetraphenylporphyrins employed as molecular electrocatalysts of the HER. We show that the binding energy of H and the redox chemistry of the porphyrins depend solely on the electron withdrawing ability of the central metal ion, and that the thermodynamics of the catalytic cycle follow a simple linear free energy relation. We also find that the catalytic efficiency of the porphyrins is almost exclusively determined by reaction kinetics and therefore cannot be explained by thermodynamics alone. We conclude that the Sabatier principle, linear free energy relations and molecular volcano plots are insufficient tools for predicting and comparing activity of molecular catalysts, and that experimentally useful information of catalytic performance can still only be obtained through detailed knowledge of the catalytic pathway for each individual system.

Combinatorial 3D printed dosage forms for a two-step and controlled drug release

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) and selective laser sintering (SLS) are two of the most employed additive manufacturing (AM) techniques within the pharmaceutical research field. Despite the numerous advantages of different AM methods, their respective drawbacks have yet to be fully addressed, and therefore combinatorial systems are starting to emerge. In the present study, hybrid systems comprising SLS inserts and a two-compartment FDM shell are developed to achieve controlled release of the model drug theophylline. Via the use of SLS a partial amorphization of the drug is demonstrated, which can be advantageous in the case of poorly soluble drugs, and it is shown that sintering parameters can regulate the dosage and release kinetics of the drug from the inserts. Furthermore, via different combinations of inserts within the FDM-printed shell, various drug release patterns, such as a two-step or prolonged release, can be achieved. The study serves as a proof of concept, highlighting the advantages of combining two AM techniques, both to overcome their respective shortcomings and to develop modular and highly tunable drug delivery devices.

In vitro high-content tissue models to address precision medicine challenges

The field of precision medicine allows for tailor-made treatments specific to a patient and thereby improve the efficiency and accuracy of disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and at the same time would reduce the cost, redundant treatment, and side effects of current treatments. Here, the combination of organ-on-a-chip and bioprinting into engineering high-content in vitro tissue models is envisioned to address some precision medicine challenges. This strategy could be employed to tackle the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has made a significant impact and paradigm shift in our society. Nevertheless, despite that vaccines against COVID-19 have been successfully developed and vaccination programs are already being deployed worldwide, it will likely require some time before it is available to everyone. Furthermore, there are still some uncertainties and lack of a full understanding of the virus as demonstrated in the high number new mutations arising worldwide and reinfections of already vaccinated individuals. To this end, efficient diagnostic tools and treatments are still urgently needed. In this context, the convergence of bioprinting and organ-on-a-chip technologies, either used alone or in combination, could possibly function as a prominent tool in addressing the current pandemic. This could enable facile advances of important tools, diagnostics, and better physiologically representative in vitro models specific to individuals allowing for faster and more accurate screening of therapeutics evaluating their efficacy and toxicity. This review will cover such technological advances and highlight what is needed for the field to mature for tackling the various needs for current and future pandemics as well as their relevancy towards precision medicine.

In situ thermal image analysis of selective laser sintering for oral dosage form manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a fast-growing approach to produce personalized oral dosage forms. Even though some AM technologies are promising as alternative to conventional compounding with resulting dosage manipulation, they still suffer from a lack of quality control. Due to the high regulatory demands and standards applied to dosage forms in the case of dose accuracy and tablet properties such as friability, effective quality control is a key feature in promoting AM as a valid technology for patient-tailored medications. One of the AM techniques used is selective laser sintering, which allows for capturing the surface state layer-by-layer during the printing process. It provides the opportunity to apply non-destructive quality control based on image analysis extracting essential data at each layer of the sintering process. This work is devoted to establishing the value of data gathered via thermal image analysis for the subsequent quality control.

Selective laser sintering additive manufacturing of dosage forms: Effect of powder formulation and process parameters on the physical properties of printed tablets

Large batches of placebo and drug-loaded solid dosage forms were successfully fabricated using selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing in this study. The tablet batches were prepared using either copovidone (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and vinyl acetate, PVP/VA) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and activated carbon (AC) as radiation absorbent, which was added to improve the sintering of the polymer. The physical properties of the dosage forms were evaluated at different pigment concentrations (i.e., 0.5 and 1.0 wt%) and at different laser energy inputs. The mass, hardness, and friability of the tablets were found to be tunable and structures with greater mass and mechanical strength were obtained with increasing carbon concentration and energy input. Amorphization of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the drug-loaded batches, containing 10 wt% naproxen and 1 wt% AC, was achieved in-situ during printing. Thus, amorphous solid dispersions were prepared in a single-step process and produced tablets with mass losses below 1 wt%. These findings show how the properties of dosage forms can be tuned by careful selection of the process parameters and the powder formulation. SLS 3D printing can therefore be considered to be an interesting and promising technique for the fabrication of personalized medicines.

Processability of mesoporous materials in fused deposition modeling for drug delivery of a model thermolabile drug

The incorporation of drug-loaded mesoporous materials in dosage forms prepared with fused deposition modeling (FDM) has shown the potential to solve challenges relating to additive manufacturing techniques, such as the stability of poorly-soluble drugs in the amorphous state. However, the addition of these non-melting mesoporous materials significantly affects the mechanical properties of the filament used in FDM, which in turn affects the printability of the feedstock material. Therefore, in this study a full-factorial experimental design was utilized to investigate different processing parameters of the hot melt extrusion process, their effect on various mechanical properties and the potential correlation with the filaments' printability. The thermolabile, poorly-soluble drug ibuprofen was utilized as a model drug to assess the potential of two mesoporous materials, Mesoporous Magnesium Carbonate (MMC) and a silica-based material (MCM-41), to thermally protect the loaded drug. Factorial and principal components analysis displayed a correlation between non-printable MCM-41 filaments and their mechanical properties where printable filaments had a maximum stress >7.5 MPa and a Young's modulus >83 MPa. For MMC samples there was no clear correlation, which was in large part attributed to the filaments' inconsistencies and imperfections. Finally, both mesoporous materials displayed a thermal protective feature, as the decomposition due to the thermal degradation of a significant portion of the thermolabile drug was shifted to higher temperatures post-loading. This highlights the potential capability of such a system to be implemented for thermosensitive drugs in FDM applications.

Molecular surface modification of silver chalcogenolate clusters

This study presents a molecular surface modification approach to synthesizing a family of silver chalcogenolate clusters (SCCs) containing the same [Ag12S6] core and different surface-bonded organic ligands (DMAc or pyridines;...

Rocking-Chair Proton Batteries with Conducting Redox Polymer Active Materials and Protic Ionic Liquid Electrolytes

Rechargeable batteries that use redox-active organic compounds are currently considered an energy storage technology for the future. Functionalizing redox-active groups onto conducting polymers to make conducting redox polymers (CRPs) can effectively solve the low conductivity and dissolution problems of redox-active compounds. Here, we employ a solution-processable postdeposition polymerization (PDP) method, where the rearrangements ensured by partial dissolution of intermediated trimer during polymerization were found significant to produce high-performance CRPs. We show that quinizarin (Qz)- and naphthoquinone (NQ)-based CRPs can reach their theoretical capacity through optimization of the polymerization conditions. Combining the two CRPs, with the Qz-CRP as a cathode, the NQ-CRP as an anode, and a protic ionic liquid electrolyte, yields a 0.8 V proton rocking-chair battery. The conducting additive-free all-organic proton battery exhibits a capacity of 62 mAh/g and a capacity retention of 80% after 500 cycles using rapid potentiostatic charging and galvanostatic discharge at 4.5 C.

Dual-functional ionic porous organic framework for palladium scavenging and heterogeneous catalysis

Porous organic frameworks (POFs) with predesigned structures and tunable porosities have been widely studied in adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis. Introducing ionic structure into the framework endows POFs with new functionalities that may extend their applications. Here, we report new applications for a guanidinium-based ionic POF (IPOF-Cl) in palladium scavenging and heterogeneous catalysis. Due to the ionic framework and the porous structure, the IPOF-Cl displays fast adsorption kinetics and high adsorption capacities (up to 754 mg g-1) of Na2PdCl4 in aqueous solutions via a chemisorption (ion exchange) process. Significantly, it shows excellent scavenging activity towards trace amount of [PdCl4]2- in aqueous solution. More importantly, the loaded [PdCl4]2- species on the IPOF substrate are further reduced into ultrafine Pd nanoparticles with size of ∼2-5 nm. The obtained IPOF-Pd(0) nanocomposite containing uniformly distributed Pd nanoparticles and hierarchical porous structure demonstrates high activity in catalyzing a range of Suzuki coupling reactions. This study provides new routes for the development of ionic porous organic materials for applications in metal scavenging and catalysis.

An Alternative to Carbon Additives: The Fabrication of Conductive Layers Enabled by Soluble Conducting Polymer Precursors - A Case Study for Organic Batteries

Utilizing organic redox-active materials as electrodes is a promising strategy to enable innovative battery designs with low environmental footprint during production, which can be hard to achieve with traditional inorganic materials. Most electrode compositions, organic or inorganic, require binders for adhesion and conducting additives to enable charge transfer through the electrode, in addition to the redox-active material. Depending on the redox-active material, many types and combinations of binders and conducting additives have been considered. We designed a conducting polymer (CP), with a soluble, trimeric unit based on 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (E) and 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene (P) as the repeat unit, acting as a combined binder and conducting additive. While CPs as additives have been explored earlier, in the current work, the use of a trimeric precursor enables solution processing together with the organic redox-active material. To evaluate this concept, the CP was blended with a redox polymer (RP), which contained a naphthoquinone (NQ) redox group at different ratios. The highest capacity for the total weight of the CP/RP electrode was 77 mAh/g at 1 C in the case of 30% EPE and 70% naphthoquinone-substituted poly(allylamine) (PNQ), which is 70% of the theoretical capacity given by the RP in the electrode. We further used this electrode in an aqueous battery, with a MnSO₄ cathode. The battery displayed a voltage of 0.95 V, retaining 93% of the initial capacity even after 500 cycles at 1 C. The strategy of using a solution-processable CP precursor opens up for new organic battery designs and facile evaluation of RPs in such.

In Vitro Investigation of Thiol-Functionalized Cellulose Nanofibrils as a Chronic Wound Environment Modulator

There is currently a huge need for new, improved therapeutic approaches for the treatment of chronic wounds. One promising strategy is to develop wound dressings capable of modulating the chronic wound environment (e.g., by controlling the high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and proteases). Here, we selected the thiol-containing amino acid cysteine to endow wood-derived cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) with bioactivity toward the modulation of ROS levels and protease activity. Cysteine was covalently incorporated into CNF and the functionalized material, herein referred as cys-CNF, was characterized in terms of chemical structure, degree of substitution, radical scavenging capacity, and inhibition of protease activity. The stability of the thiol groups was evaluated over time, and an in vitro cytotoxicity study with human dermal fibroblasts was performed to evaluate the safety profile of cys-CNF. Results showed that cys-CNF was able to efficiently control the activity of the metalloprotease collagenase and to inhibit the free radical DPPH (1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical), activities that were correlated with the presence of free thiol groups on the nanofibers. The stability study showed that the reactivity of the thiol groups challenged the bioactivity over time. Nevertheless, preparing the material as an aerogel and storing it in an inert atmosphere were shown to be valid approaches to increase the stability of the thiol groups in cys-CNF. No signs of toxicity were observed on the dermal fibroblasts when exposed to cys-CNF (concentration range 0.1-0.5 mg/mL). The present work highlights cys-CNF as a promising novel material for the development of bioactive wound dressings for the treatment of chronic wounds.

Combined Catalysis for Engineering Bioinspired, Lignin-Based, Long-Lasting, Adhesive, Self-Mending, Antimicrobial Hydrogels

The engineering of multifunctional biomaterials using a facile sustainable methodology that follows the principles of green chemistry is still largely unexplored but would be very beneficial to the world. Here, the employment of catalytic reactions in combination with biomass-derived starting materials in the design of biomaterials would promote the development of eco-friendly technologies and sustainable materials. Herein, we disclose the combination of two catalytic cycles (combined catalysis) comprising oxidative decarboxylation and quinone-catechol redox catalysis for engineering lignin-based multifunctional antimicrobial hydrogels. The bioinspired design mimics the catechol chemistry employed by marine mussels in nature. The resultant multifunctional sustainable hydrogels (1) are robust and elastic, (2) have strong antimicrobial activity, (3) are adhesive to skin tissue and various other surfaces, and (4) are able to self-mend. A systematic characterization was carried out to fully elucidate and understand the facile and efficient catalytic strategy and the subsequent multifunctional materials. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis confirmed the long-lasting quinone-catechol redox environment within the hydrogel system. Initial in vitro biocompatibility studies demonstrated the low toxicity of the hydrogels. This proof-of-concept strategy could be developed into an important technological platform for the eco-friendly, bioinspired design of other multifunctional hydrogels and their use in various biomedical and flexible electronic applications.

An Aqueous Conducting Redox-Polymer-Based Proton Battery that Can Withstand Rapid Constant-Voltage Charging and Sub-Zero Temperatures

Electrodes based on organic matter operating in aqueous electrolytes enable new approaches and technologies for assembling and utilizing batteries that are difficult to achieve with traditional electrode materials. Here, we report how thiophene-based trimeric structures with naphthoquinone or hydroquinone redox-active pendent groups can be processed in solution, deposited, dried and subsequently polymerized in solid state to form conductive (redox) polymer layers without any additives. Such post-deposition polymerization offers efficient use of material, high mass loading (up to 10 mg cm-2 ) and good flexibility in the choice of substrate and coating method. By employing these materials as anode and cathode in an acidic aqueous electrolyte a rocking-chair proton battery is built. The battery shows good cycling stability (85 % after 500 cycles), withstands rapid charging, with full capacity (60 mAh g-1 ) reached within 100 seconds, allows for direct integration with photovoltaics, and retains its favorable characteristics even at -24 °C.

Conducting Redox Polymer as a Robust Organic Electrode-Active Material in Acidic Aqueous Electrolyte towards Polymer-Air Secondary Batteries

Organic materials receive increasing attention as environmentally benign and sustainable electrode-active materials. We present a conducting redox polymer (CRP) based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) with naphthoquinone pendant group, which is formed from a stable suspension of a trimeric precursor and an oxoammonium cation as oxidant. This suspension allows us to easily coat the polymer onto a current collector, opening up use of roll-to-roll processing or ink-jet printing for electrode preparation. The CRP showed a full capacity of 76 mAh g^-1 even at a high C rate of 100 C in acidic aqueous electrolyte. These properties make the CRP a promising candidate as anode-active material; a polymer-air secondary battery was fabricated with the CRP as anode, a conventional Pt/C catalyst as cathode, and sulfuric acid aqueous solution as electrolyte. This battery yielded a discharge voltage of 0.50 V and showed good cycling stability with 97 % capacity retention after 100 cycles and high rate capabilities up to 20 C.

Multifunctional Polymer-Free Mineral Plastic Adhesives Formed by Multiple Noncovalent Bonds

Supramolecular adhesives have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years, resulting in their development for different applications. However, creating supramolecular adhesives with reversible and reusable properties is still a challenge. Here, a synthesis route to obtain supramolecular adhesives is presented in which no polymeric compounds are involved in the preparation. The adhesive is formed by intermolecular coulomb forces between amorphous magnesium carbonate nanoparticles and the low-molecular-weight drug ibuprofen, which results in an amorphous composite material that is transparent, shapeable, stretchable, and self-healing, making it reusable. It is demonstrated that this hybrid material provides a simple means of gluing a wide variety of materials, including metals, glass, paper, and plastics, and that is reversible and possesses reusability. The material disrupts the traditional concept of polymer-based adhesives and may be used as a sustainable mineral plastic in applications such as 3D printing.

Elastic Aerogels of Cellulose Nanofibers@Metal-Organic Frameworks for Thermal Insulation and Fire Retardancy

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with high microporosity and relatively high thermal stability are potential thermal insulation and flame-retardant materials. However, the difficulties in processing and shaping MOFs have largely hampered their applications in these areas. This study outlines the fabrication of hybrid CNF@MOF aerogels by a stepwise assembly approach involving the coating and cross-linking of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with continuous nanolayers of MOFs. The cross-linking gives the aerogels high mechanical strength but superelasticity (80% maximum recoverable strain, high specific compression modulus of ~ 200 MPa cm³ g^-1, and specific stress of ~ 100 MPa cm³ g^-1). The resultant lightweight aerogels have a cellular network structure and hierarchical porosity, which render the aerogels with relatively low thermal conductivity of ~ 40 mW m^-1 K^-1. The hydrophobic, thermally stable MOF nanolayers wrapped around the CNFs result in good moisture resistance and fire retardancy. This study demonstrates that MOFs can be used as efficient thermal insulation and flame-retardant materials. It presents a pathway for the design of thermally insulating, superelastic fire-retardant nanocomposites based on MOFs and nanocellulose.

Highly Porous Amorphous Calcium Phosphate for Drug Delivery and Bio-Medical Applications

Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) has shown significant effects on the biomineralization and promising applications in bio-medicine. However, the limited stability and porosity of ACP material restrict its practical applications. A storage stable highly porous ACP with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of over 400 m2/g was synthesized by introducing phosphoric acid to a methanol suspension containing amorphous calcium carbonate nanoparticles. Electron microscopy revealed that the porous ACP was constructed with aggregated ACP nanoparticles with dimensions of several nanometers. Large angle X-ray scattering revealed a short-range atomic order of <20 Å in the ACP nanoparticles. The synthesized ACP demonstrated long-term stability and did not crystallize even after storage for over 14 months in air. The stability of the ACP in water and an α-MEM cell culture medium were also examined. The stability of ACP could be tuned by adjusting its chemical composition. The ACP synthesized in this work was cytocompatible and acted as drug carriers for the bisphosphonate drug alendronate (AL) in vitro. AL-loaded ACP released ~25% of the loaded AL in the first 22 days. These properties make ACP a promising candidate material for potential application in biomedical fields such as drug delivery and bone healing.

Homogeneous Differential Magnetic Assay

Assays are widely used for detection of various targets, including pathogens, drugs, and toxins. Homogeneous assays are promising for the realization of point-of-care diagnostics as they do not require separation, immobilization, or washing steps. For low concentrations of target molecules, the speed and sensitivity of homogeneous assays have hitherto been limited by slow binding kinetics, time-consuming amplification steps, and the presence of a high background signal. Here, we present a homogeneous differential magnetic assay that utilizes a differential magnetic readout that eliminates previous limitations of homogeneous assays. The assay uses a gradiometer sensor configuration combined with precise microfluidic sample handling. This enables simultaneous differential measurement of a positive test sample containing a synthesized Vibrio cholerae target and a negative control sample, which reduces the background signal and increases the readout speed. Very low concentrations of targets down to femtomolar levels are thus detectable without any additional amplification of the number of targets. Our homogeneous differential magnetic assay method opens new possibilities for rapid and highly sensitive diagnostics at the point of care.

Cellulose Nanofiber @ Conductive Metal-Organic Frameworks for High-Performance Flexible Supercapacitors

Conductive metal-organic frameworks (c-MOFs) show great potential in electrochemical energy storage thanks to their high electrical conductivity and highly accessible surface areas. However, there are significant challenges in processing c-MOFs for practical applications. Here, we report on the fabrication of c-MOF nanolayers on cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with formation of nanofibrillar CNF@c-MOF by interfacial synthesis, in which CNFs serve as substrates for growth of c-MOF nanolayers. The obtained hybrid nanofibers of CNF@c-MOF can be easily assembled into freestanding nanopapers, demonstrating high electrical conductivity of up to 100 S cm^-1, hierarchical micromesoporosity, and excellent mechanical properties. Given these advantages, the nanopapers are tested as electrodes in a flexible and foldable supercapacitor. The high conductivity and hierarchical porous structure of the electrodes endow fast charge transfer and efficient electrolyte transport, respectively. Furthermore, the assembled supercapacitor shows extremely high cycle stability with capacitance retentions of >99% after 10000 continuous charge-discharge cycles. This work provides a pathway to develop flexible energy storage devices based on sustainable cellulose and MOFs.

Cladophora Cellulose: Unique Biopolymer Nanofibrils for Emerging Energy, Environmental, and Life Science Applications

Because of its natural abundance, hierarchical fibrous structure, mechanical flexibility, potential for chemical modification, biocompatibility, renewability, and abundance, cellulose is one of the most promising green materials for a bio-based future and sustainable economy. Cellulose derived from wood or bacteria has dominated the industrial cellulose market and has been developed to produce a number of advanced materials for applications in energy storage, environmental, and biotechnology areas. However, Cladophora cellulose (CC) extracted from green algae has unprecedented advantages over those celluloses because of its high crystallinity (>95%), low moisture adsorption capacity, excellent solution processability, high porosity in the mesoporous range, and associated high specific surface area. The unique physical and chemical properties of CC can add new features to and enhance the performance of nanocellulose-based materials, and these attributes have attracted a great deal of research interest over the past decade. This Account summarizes our recent research on the preparation, characterization, functionalization, and versatile applications of CC. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the uniqueness of CC with respect to material structure, properties, and emerging applications. We discuss the potential of CC in energy storage, environmental science, and life science, with emphasis on applications in which its properties are superior to those of other nanocellulose forms. Specifically, we discuss the production of the first-ever paper battery based on CC. This battery has initiated a rising interest in the development of sustainable paper-based energy storage devices, where cellulose is used as a combined building block and binder for paper electrodes of various types in combination with carbon, conducting polymers, and other electroactive materials. High-active-mass and high-mass-loading paper electrodes can be made in which the CC acts as a high-surface-area and porous substrate while a thin layer of electroactive material is coated on individual nanofibrils. We have shown that CC membranes can be used directly as battery separators because of their low moisture content, high mesoporosity, high thermal stability, and good electrolyte wettability. The safety, stability, and capacity of lithium-ion batteries can be enhanced simply by using CC-based separators. Moreover, the high chemical modifiability and adjustable porosity of dried CC papers allow them to be used as advanced membranes for environmental science (water and air purification, pollutant adsorption) and life science (virus isolation, protein recovery, hemodialysis, DNA extraction, bioactive substrates). Finally, we outline some concluding perspectives on the challenges and future directions of CC research with the aim to open up yet unexplored fields of use for this interesting material.

Synthesis of Porous Organic Polymers with Tunable Amine Loadings for CO2 Capture: Balanced Physisorption and Chemisorption

The cross-coupling reaction of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene with terephthaloyl chloride gives a novel ynone-linked porous organic polymer. Tethering alkyl amine species on the polymer induces chemisorption of CO₂ as revealed by the studies of ex situ infrared spectroscopy. By tuning the amine loading content on the polymer, relatively high CO₂ adsorption capacities, high CO₂-over-N₂ selectivity, and moderate isosteric heat (Q_st) of adsorption of CO₂ can be achieved. Such amine-modified polymers with balanced physisorption and chemisorption of CO₂ are ideal sorbents for post-combustion capture of CO₂ offering both high separation and high energy efficiencies.

Exploring the Use of Amine Modified Mesoporous Magnesium Carbonate for the Delivery of Salicylic Acid in Topical Formulations: In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Drug Release Studies

Salicylic acid (SA) has for a long time been used to treat various skin disorders due to its anti-inflammatory, bacteriostatic, and antifungal properties. In the present work, mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC), a promising drug carrier, was modified with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane to enable loading of SA. The amine modified MMC (aMMC) was successfully loaded with 8 wt.% of SA via a solvent evaporation method. SA was later completely released from the carrier in less than 15 min. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of the functionalized material was evaluated. aMMC was found to be non-toxic for human dermal fibroblast cells with particle concentration of up to 1000 µg/mL when exposed for 48 h. The presented results form the basis of future development of aMMC as a potential carrier for SA in dermatological applications.

Interlinking supertetrahedral chalcogenolate clusters with bipyridines to form two-dimensional coordination polymers for photocatalytic degradation of organic dye

Chalcogenolate clusters Cd6Ag4(EPh)16(DMF)3(CH3OH) (E = S, Se) with supertetrahedral structures are isolated. Further interlinking the clusters with organic linker 4,4'-trimethylenedipiperidine in the stepwise assembly approach forms two-dimensional coordination polymers. The clusters and the coordination polymers show tunable band gaps and efficient photocatalytic activities for the degradation of aqueous dye solution. This study demonstrates the great potential of using chalcogenolate clusters and their coordination polymers in photocatalysis applications.

Highly Transparent, Flexible, and Mechanically Strong Nanopapers of Cellulose Nanofibers @Metal-Organic Frameworks

Freestanding nanopapers were fabricated by the assembly of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) onto cellulose nanofibers (CNFs). The CNFs are wrapped by continuously nucleated MOF layers (CNF@MOF) by interfacial synthesis, with the charge density on the surface of the CNFs and the dosage of the surfactant polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) being carefully adjusted. The obtained CNF@MOF nanofibers with long-range, continuous, hybrid nanostructures were very different to the composites formed by aggregation of MOF nanoparticles on the substrates. Four typical MOFs (HKUST-1, Al-MIL-53, Zn-MOF-74, ZIF-CO₃ -1) were successfully grown onto CNFs in aqueous solutions and further fabricated into freestanding nanopapers. Because of their unique nanostructures and morphologies, the corresponding flexible nanopapers exhibit hierarchical meso-micropores, high optical transparency, high thermal stability, and high mechanical strength. A proof-of-concept study shows that the CNF@MOF nanopapers can be used as efficient filters to separate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air. This work provides a new path for structuring MOF materials that may boost their practical application.

Sustainable Porous Carbon Materials Derived from Wood-Based Biopolymers for CO₂ Capture

Porous carbon materials with tunable porosities and functionalities represent an important class of CO₂ sorbents. The development of porous carbons from various types of biomass is a sustainable, economic and environmentally friendly strategy. Wood is a biodegradable, renewable, sustainable, naturally abundant and carbon-rich raw material. Given these advantages, the use of wood-based resources for the synthesis of functional porous carbons has attracted great interests. In this mini-review, we present the recent developments regarding sustainable porous carbons derived from wood-based biopolymers (cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin) and their application in CO₂ capture.

Inorganic carbonate composites as potential high temperature CO2 sorbents with enhanced cycle stability

A calcium magnesium carbonate composite (CMC) material containing highly porous amorphous calcium carbonate (HPACC) and mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC) was synthesized. CMCs with varying HPACC : MMC mol ratios and high BET surface area (over 490 m² g⁻¹) were produced. The CMCs retained the morphology shared by HPACC and MMC. All these materials were built up of aggregated nanometer-sized particles. We tested the CO₂ uptake properties of the synthesized materials. The CMCs were calcined at 850 °C to obtain the corresponding calcium magnesium oxide composites (CMOs) that contained CaO : MgO at different mol ratios. CMO with CaO : MgO = 3 : 1 (CMO-3) showed comparable CO₂ uptake at 650 °C (0.586 g g⁻¹) to CaO sorbents obtained from pure HPACC (0.658 g g⁻¹) and the commercial CaCO₃ (0.562 g g⁻¹). Over 23 adsorption–desorption cycles CMOs also showed a lower CO₂ uptake capacity loss (35.7%) than CaO from HPACC (51.3%) and commercial CaCO₃ (79.7%). Al was introduced to CMO by the addition of Al(NO₃)₃ in the synthesis of CMC-3 to give ACMO after calcination. The presence of ∼19 mol% of Al(NO₃)₃ in ACMO-4 significantly enhanced its stability over 23 cycles (capacity loss of 5.2%) when compared with CMO-3 (calcined CMC-3) without adversely affecting the CO₂ uptake. After 100 cycles, ACMO-4 still had a CO₂ uptake of 0.219 g g⁻¹. Scanning electron microscope images clearly showed that the presence of Mg and Al in CMO hindered the sintering of CaCO₃ at high temperatures and therefore, enhanced the cycle stability of the CMO sorbents. We tested the CO₂ uptake properties of CMO and ACMO only under ideal laboratory testing environment, but our results indicated that these materials can be further optimized as good CO₂ sorbents for various applications.

A Ca/Mg/Al oxide composite was synthesised and showed a high CO₂ uptake of 0.537 g g⁻¹ at 650 °C with high uptake even after 100 cycles.

Development of a Sensitive Induction-Based Magnetic Nanoparticle Biodetection Method

We developed a novel biodetection method for influenza virus based on AC magnetic susceptibility measurement techniques (the DynoMag induction technique) together with functionalized multi-core magnetic nanoparticles. The sample consisting of an incubated mixture of magnetic nanoparticles and rolling circle amplified DNA coils is injected into a tube by a peristaltic pump. The sample is moved as a plug to the two well-balanced detection coils and the dynamic magnetic moment in each position is read over a range of excitation frequencies. The time for making a complete frequency sweep over the relaxation peak is about 5 minutes (10 Hz⁻10 kHz with 20 data points). The obtained standard deviation of the magnetic signal at the relaxation frequency (around 100 Hz) is equal to about 10-5 (volume susceptibility SI units), which is in the same range obtained with the DynoMag system. The limit of detection with this method is found to be in the range of 1 pM.

A Modified In Situ Method to Determine Release from a Complex Drug Carrier in Particle-Rich Suspensions

Effective and compound-sparing methods to evaluate promising drug delivery systems are a prerequisite for successful selection of formulations in early development stages. The aim of the study was to develop a small-scale in situ method to determine drug release and supersaturation in highly concentrated suspensions of enabling formulations. Mesoporous magnesium carbonate (MMC), which delivers the drug in an amorphous form, was selected as a drug carrier. Five model compounds were loaded into the MMC at a 1:10 ratio using a solvent evaporation technique. The μDiss Profiler was used to study the drug release from MMC in fasted-state simulated intestinal fluid. To avoid extensive light scattering previously seen in particle-rich suspensions in the μDiss Profiler, an in-house-designed protective nylon filter was placed on the in situ UV probes. Three types of release experiments were conducted for each compound: micronized crystalline drug with MMC present, drug-loaded MMC, and drug-loaded MMC with 0.01% w/w hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. The nylon filters effectively diminished interference with the UV absorption; however, the release profiles obtained were heavily compound dependent. For one of the compounds, changes in the UV spectra were detected during the release from the MMC, and these were consistent with degradation of the compound. To conclude, the addition of protective nylon filters to the probes of the μDiss Profiler is a useful contribution to the method, making evaluations of particle-rich suspensions feasible. The method is a valuable addition to the current ones, allowing for fast and effective evaluation of advanced drug delivery systems.

Spectroscopic and Physicochemical Characterization of Sulfonated Cladophora Cellulose Beads

The work presents a full physicochemical characterization of sulfonated cellulose beads prepared from Cladophora nanocellulose intended for use in biological systems. 2,3-Dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) beads were sulfonated, and transformation of up to 50% of the aldehyde groups was achieved, resulting in highly charged and porous materials compared to the compact surface of the DAC beads. The porosity could be tailored by adjusting the degree of sulfonation, and a subsequent reduction of the aldehyde groups to hydroxyl groups maintained the bead structure without considerable alteration of the surface properties. The thermal stability of the DAC beads was significantly increased with the sulfonation and reduction reactions. Raman spectroscopy also showed to be a useful technique for the characterization of sulfonated cellulose materials.

Towards Tunable Protein-Carrier Wound Dressings Based on Nanocellulose Hydrogels Crosslinked with Calcium Ions

A Ca²⁺-crosslinked wood-based nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) hydrogel was investigated to build knowledge toward the use of nanocellulose for topical drug delivery applications in a chronic wound healing context. Proteins of varying size and isoelectric point were loaded into the hydrogel in a simple soaking procedure. The release of the proteins from the hydrogel was monitored and kinetics determining parameters of the release processes were assessed. The integrity of the hydrogel and proteins were also studied. The results showed that electrostatic interactions between the proteins and the negatively-charged NFC hydrogel structure played a central role in the loading process. The release of the proteins were governed by Fickian diffusion. An increased protein size, as well as a positive protein charge facilitated a slower and more sustained release process from the hydrogel matrix. At the same time, the positively-charged protein was shown to increase the post-loading hydrogel strength. Released proteins maintained structural stability and activity, thus indicating that the Ca²⁺-crosslinked NFC hydrogel could function as a carrier of therapeutic proteins without compromising protein function. It is foreseen that, by utilizing tunable charge properties of the NFC hydrogel, release profiles can be tailored to meet very specific treatment needs.

Amorphous Calcium Carbonate Constructed from Nanoparticle Aggregates with Unprecedented Surface Area and Mesoporosity

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), with the highest reported specific surface area of all current forms of calcium carbonate (over 350 m² g^-1), was synthesized using a surfactant-free, one-pot method. Electron microscopy, helium pycnometry, and nitrogen sorption analysis revealed that this highly mesoporous ACC, with a pore volume of ∼0.86 cm³ g^-1 and a pore-size distribution centered at 8-9 nm, is constructed from aggregated ACC nanoparticles with an estimated average diameter of 7.3 nm. The porous ACC remained amorphous and retained its high porosity for over 3 weeks under semi-air-tight storage conditions. Powder X-ray diffraction, large-angle X-ray scattering, infrared spectroscopy, and electron diffraction exposed that the porous ACC did not resemble any of the known CaCO₃ structures. The atomic order of porous ACC diminished at interatomic distances over 8 Å. Porous ACC was evaluated as a potential drug carrier of poorly soluble substances in vitro. Itraconazole and celecoxib remained stable in their amorphous forms within the pores of the material. Drug release rates were significantly enhanced for both drugs (up to 65 times the dissolution rates for the crystalline forms), and supersaturation release of celecoxib was also demonstrated. Citric acid was used to enhance the stability of the ACC nanoparticles within the aggregates, which increased the surface area of the material to over 600 m² g^-1. This porous ACC has potential for use in various applications where surface area is important, including adsorption, catalysis, medication, and bone regeneration.