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Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 32716

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ana María Díez-Pascual

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Guest Editor

Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Analítica, Universidad de Alcalá, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona Km. 33.6, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
Interests: nanomaterials; polymers; nanocomposites; inorganic nanoparticles; antibacterial agents; surfactants; interphases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Research on carbon-based nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and its derivatives, nanodiamond, fullerenes, and other nano-sized carbon allotropes, has experienced sharp exponential growth over the last years. The infinite possibilities to modify and tailor carbon nanomaterials is associated with their small size, approaching the size of many fundamental biomolecules. Their large specific surface area, high electrical and thermal conductivity, unique optical properties, and superior mechanical properties have paved the way for a broad range of applications. In particular, fullerene derivatives have been applied to solar energy scavenging, graphene has been widely used in flexible electronics, carbon nanotubes have been tailored to have molecular recognition capability, carbon or graphene quantum dots have been extensively used for bioimaging and sensing owing to their photoluminescence properties, and nanodiamonds have been demonstrated to be useful in super-resolution imaging and nanoscale temperature sensing.

This Special Issue aims to offer a forum for the publication of original research/review articles regarding carbon-based nanomaterials. It covers all branches and aspects of new processing techniques and testing methods, as well as their applications. Novel surface modifications of carbon nanomaterials to tailor their physico–chemical properties are welcomed. Authors are encouraged to submit their original works stressing the applications of carbon nanomaterials in a variety of fields, such as electronics, energy storage, biomedicine, sensing, and so forth.

We aim to gather contributions from renowned researchers in the field in order to make this Issue a reference for the entire scientific community working on the fundamental and applied research of carbon nanomaterials. We want this Issue to reflect the plethora of carbon nanomaterials and the variety of strategies that have been developed in order to enhance their performance.

Prof. Dr. Ana María Díez-Pascual
Guest Editor

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Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

graphene
quantum dots
carbon nanotubes
fullerenes
nanodiamonds
biomedical applications
sensing applications
electronic applications
surface functionalization

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 223 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0

by Ana M. Díez-Pascual

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 9321; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23169321 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1288

Abstract

Carbon-based nanomaterials are currently attracting a lot of interest in many fields, ranging from medicine and biotechnology to electronics, energy storage, and sensing applications [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

12 pages, 2204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Luminescence, Paramagnetic, and Electrochemical Properties of Copper Oxides-Decorated TiO₂/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites

by Daniela Bala, Iulia Matei, Gabriela Ionita, Dragos-Viorel Cosma, Marcela-Corina Rosu, Maria Stanca, Carmen Gaidau, Maria Baleanu, Marian Virgolici and Ioana Stanculescu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 14703; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms232314703 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1464

Abstract

The properties of newly synthesized Cu₂O/CuO-decorated TiO₂/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites (NC) were analyzed aiming to obtain insight into their photocatalytic behavior and their various applications, including water remediation, self-cleaning surfaces, antibacterial materials, and electrochemical sensors. The physico-chemical methods of research were photoluminescence (PL), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The solid samples evidenced an EPR signal that can be attributed to the oxygen-vacancy defects and copper ions in correlation with PL results. Free radicals generated before and after UV-Vis irradiation of powders and aqueous dispersions of Cu₂O/CuO-decorated TiO₂/GO nanocomposites were studied by EPR spectroscopy using two spin traps, DMPO (5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide) and CPH (1-hydroxy-3-carboxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine), to highlight the formation of hydroxyl and superoxide reactive oxygen species, respectively. The electrochemical characterization of the NC modified carbon-paste electrodes (CPE) was carried out by CV and DPV. As such, modified carbon-paste electrodes were prepared by mixing carbon paste with copper oxides-decorated TiO₂/GO nanocomposites. We have shown that GO reduces the recombination process in TiO₂ by immediate electron transfer from excited TiO₂ to GO sheets. The results suggest that differences in the PL, respectively, EPR data and electrochemical behavior, are due to the different copper oxides and GO content, presenting new perspectives of materials functionalization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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13 pages, 8257 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Palladium and Platinum Decorated Granulated Carbon Nanocomposites for Catalytic Chlorate Elimination

by Emőke Sikora, Gábor Muránszky, Ferenc Kristály, Béla Fiser, László Farkas, Béla Viskolcz and László Vanyorek

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10514; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms231810514 - 10 Sep 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1321

Abstract

Granulated carbon nanotube-supported palladium and platinum-containing catalysts were developed. By using these, remarkable catalytic activity was achieved in chlorate ion hydrogenation. Nitrogen-doped bamboo-like carbon nanotubes (N-BCNTs) loaded gel beads were prepared by using Ca²⁺, Ni²⁺ or Fe³⁺ ions as precursors for cross-linking of sodium alginate. The gel beads were carbonized at 800 °C, and these granulated carbon nanocomposites (GCNC) were used as supports to prepare palladium and platinum-containing catalysts. All in all, three catalysts were developed and, in each case, >99 n/n% chlorate conversion was reached in the aqueous phase by using the Pd-Pt containing GCNCs, moreover, these systems retained their catalytic activity even after repeated use. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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13 pages, 2804 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on Superior Mesoporous Activated Carbons for Ultra Power Density Supercapacitor from Biomass Precursors

by Joon-Hyuk Bang, Byeong-Hoon Lee, Young-Chul Choi, Hye-Min Lee and Byung-Joo Kim

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8537; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23158537 - 01 Aug 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2067

Abstract

A kenaf-derived activated carbon (KAC) for a high-power density supercapacitor was developed in this study through phosphoric acid activation. The N₂/77K isothermal adsorption–desorption curve was used to estimate the textural properties of KAC based on BET and BJH and the pore size distribution based on NLDFT. The electrochemical properties of KAC were analyzed by using the coin-type cell applying 1 M SPBBF₄/PC electrolyte, and the specific surface area and total pore volume were 1490–1942 m²/g and 1.18–3.18 cm³/g, respectively. The pore characteristics of KAC varied according to the activation temperature, and most KAC showed a mesoporous structure. As the activation temperature increased, the mesopore volume increased up to 700 °C, then decreased. The mesoporous structure of KAC resulted in a substantial decrease in the Warburg impedance as the ion diffusion resistance decreased. Hence, the specific capacitance of KAC decreased from 82.9 F/g to 59.48 F/g as the charge–discharge rate increased from 1 mA/g to 10 mA/g, with the rate of reduction at approximately 30%. The rate of reduction of KAC’s specific capacitance was 50% lower compared with commercial activated carbon; hence, KAC is a more suitable electrode-active material for high power density supercapacitors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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19 pages, 2946 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction of Strong Transversal s(TE) Exciton–Polaritons in C₆₀ Thin Crystalline Films

by Vito Despoja and Leonardo Marušić

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(13), 6943; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23136943 - 22 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1589

Abstract

If an exciton and a photon can change each other’s properties, indicating that the regime of their strong bond is achieved, it usually happens in standard microcavity devices, where the large overlap between the ’confined’ cavity photons and the 2D excitons enable the hybridization and the band gap opening in the parabolic photonic branch (as clear evidence of the strong exciton–photon coupling). Here, we show that the strong light–matter coupling can occur beyond the microcavity device setup, i.e., between the ’free’ s(TE) photons and excitons. The s(TE) exciton–polariton is a polarization mode, which (contrary to the p(TM) mode) appears only as a coexistence of a photon and an exciton, i.e., it vanishes in the non-retarded limit (

c \to \infty

). We show that a thin fullerene C

_{60}

crystalline film (consisting of N C

_{60}

single layers) deposited on an Al

_{2}

_{3}

dielectric surface supports strong evanescent s(TE)-polarized exciton–polariton. The calculated Rabi splitting is more than

Ω = 500

meV for

N = 10

, with a tendency to increase with N, indicating a very strong photonic character of the exciton–polariton. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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12 pages, 5886 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Constructing a Carbon-Encapsulated Carbon Composite Material with Hierarchically Porous Architectures for Efficient Capacitive Storage in Organic Supercapacitors

by Rene Mary Amirtha, Hao-Huan Hsu, Mohamed M. Abdelaal, Ammaiyappan Anbunathan, Saad G. Mohamed, Chun-Chen Yang and Tai-Feng Hung

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6774; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126774 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1811

Abstract

Hierarchical porous activated carbon (HPAC) materials with fascinating porous features are favored for their function as active materials for supercapacitors. However, achieving high mass-loading of the HPAC electrodes remains challenging. Inspired by the concepts of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites and hydrogels, a novel hydrogel-derived HPAC (H-HPAC) encapsulated H-HPAC (H@H) composite material was successfully synthesized in this study. In comparison with the original H-HPAC, it is noticed that the specific surface area and pore parameters of the resulting H@H are observably decreased, while the proportions of nitrogen species are dramatically enhanced. The free-standing and flexible H@H electrodes with a mass-loading of 7.5 mg/cm² are further prepared for electrochemical measurements. The experiments revealed remarkable reversible capacitance (118.6 F/g at 1 mA/cm²), rate capability (73.9 F/g at 10 mA/cm²), and cycling stability (76.6% of retention after 30,000 cycles at 5 mA) are delivered by the coin-type symmetric cells. The cycling stability is even better than that of the H-HPAC electrode. Consequently, the findings of the present study suggest that the nature of the HPAC surface is a significant factor affecting the corresponding capacitive performances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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13 pages, 2882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Function of Graphene Oxide as the “Nanoquencher” for Hg²⁺ Detection Using an Exonuclease I-Assisted Biosensor

by Ting Sun, Xian Li, Xiaochuan Jin, Ziyi Wu, Xiachao Chen and Jieqiong Qiu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(11), 6326; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23116326 - 05 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1785

Abstract

Graphene oxide is well known for its excellent fluorescence quenching ability. In this study, positively charged graphene oxide (pGO25000) was developed as a fluorescence quencher that is water-soluble and synthesized by grafting polyetherimide onto graphene oxide nanosheets by a carbodiimide reaction. Compared to graphene oxide, the fluorescence quenching ability of pGO25000 is significantly improved by the increase in the affinity between pGO25000 and the DNA strand, which is introduced by the additional electrostatic interaction. The FAM-labeled single-stranded DNA probe can be almost completely quenched at concentrations of pGO25000 as low as 0.1 μg/mL. A simple and novel FAM-labeled single-stranded DNA sensor was designed for Hg²⁺ detection to take advantage of exonuclease I-triggered single-stranded DNA hydrolysis, and pGO25000 acted as a fluorescence quencher. The FAM-labeled single-stranded DNA probe is present as a hairpin structure by the formation of T–Hg²⁺–T when Hg²⁺ is present, and no fluorescence is observed. It is digested by exonuclease I without Hg²⁺, and fluorescence is recovered. The fluorescence intensity of the proposed biosensor was positively correlated with the Hg²⁺ concentration in the range of 0–250 nM (R² = 0.9955), with a seasonable limit of detection (3σ) cal. 3.93 nM. It was successfully applied to real samples of pond water for Hg²⁺ detection, obtaining a recovery rate from 99.6% to 101.1%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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14 pages, 3492 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transformation of Cellulose via Two-Step Carbonization to Conducting Carbonaceous Particles and Their Outstanding Electrorheological Performance

by Tomas Plachy, Erika Kutalkova, David Skoda and Pavlina Holcapkova

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(10), 5477; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23105477 - 13 May 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3053

Abstract

In this study, cellulose was carbonized in two-steps using hydrothermal and thermal carbonization in sequence, leading to a novel carbonaceous material prepared from a renewable source using a sustainable method without any chemicals and, moreover, giving high yields after a treatment at 600 °C in an inert atmosphere. During this treatment, cellulose was transformed to uniform microspheres with increased specific surface area and, more importantly, conductivity increased by about 7 orders of magnitude. The successful transition of cellulose to conducting carbonaceous microspheres was confirmed through SEM, FTIR, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Prepared samples were further used as a dispersed phase in electrorheological fluids, exhibiting outstanding electrorheological effects with yield stress over 100 Pa at an electric field strength 1.5 kV mm⁻¹ and a particle concentration of only 5 wt%, significantly overcoming recent state-of-the-art findings. Impedance spectroscopy analysis showed clear interfacial polarization of this ER fluid with high dielectric relaxation strength and short relaxation time, which corresponded to increased conductivity of the particles when compared to pure cellulose. These novel carbonaceous particles prepared from renewable cellulose have further potential to be utilized in many other applications that demand conducting carbonaceous structures with high specific surface area (adsorption, catalyst, filtration, energy storage). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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14 pages, 4687 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Functionalization of Tailored Porous Carbon Monolith for Decontamination of Radioactive Substances

by Joonwon Bae, Gyo Eun Gu, Yeon Ju Kwon, Jea Uk Lee and Jin-Yong Hong

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 5116; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23095116 - 04 May 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1976

Abstract

As the control over radioactive species becomes critical for the contemporary human life, the development of functional materials for decontamination of radioactive substances has also become important. In this work, a three-dimensional (3D) porous carbon monolith functionalized with Prussian blue particles was prepared through removal of colloidal silica particles from exfoliated graphene/silica composite precursors. The colloidal silica particles with a narrow size distribution were used to act a role of hard template and provide a sufficient surface area that could accommodate potentially hazardous radioactive substances by adsorption. The unique surface and pore structure of the functionalized porous carbon monolith was examined using electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). The effective incorporation of PB nanoparticles was confirmed using diverse instrumentations such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A nitrogen adsorption/desorption study showed that surface area and pore volume increased significantly compared with the starting precursor. Adsorption tests were performed with ¹³³Cs ions to examine adsorption isotherms using both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. In addition, adsorption kinetics were also investigated and parameters were calculated. The functionalized porous carbon monolith showed a relatively higher adsorption capacity than that of pristine porous carbon monolith and the bulk PB to most radioactive ions such as ¹³³Cs, ⁸⁵Rb, ¹³⁸Ba, ⁸⁸Sr, ¹⁴⁰Ce, and ²⁰⁵Tl. This material can be used for decontamination in expanded application fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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18 pages, 7859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ab Initio Study of the Interaction of a Graphene Surface Decorated with a Metal-Doped C₃₀ with Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and Ozone

by Mónica Canales, Juan Manuel Ramírez-de-Arellano, Juan Salvador Arellano and Luis Fernando Magaña

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 4933; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23094933 - 29 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1545

Abstract

Using DFT simulations, we studied the interaction of a semifullerene C₃₀ and a defected graphene layer. We obtained the C₃₀ chemisorbs on the surface. We also found the adsorbed C₃₀ chemisorbs, Li, Ti, or Pt, on its concave part. Thus, the resulting system (C₃₀-graphene) is a graphene layer decorated with a metal-doped C₃₀. The adsorption of the molecules depends on the shape of the base of the semifullerene and the dopant metal. The CO molecule adsorbed without dissociation in all cases. When the bottom is a pentagon, the adsorption occurs only with Ti as the dopant. It also adsorbs for a hexagon as the bottom with Pt as the dopant. The carbon dioxide molecule adsorbs in the two cases of base shape but only when lithium is the dopant. The adsorption occurs without dissociation. The ozone molecule adsorbs on both surfaces. When Ti or Pt are dopants, we found that the O₃ molecule always dissociates into an oxygen molecule and an oxygen atom. When Li is the dopant, the O₃ molecule adsorbs without dissociation. Methane did not adsorb in any case. Calculating the recovery time at 300 K, we found that the system may be a sensor in several instances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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16 pages, 3245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Resolving the Mechanism of Acoustic Plasmon Instability in Graphene Doped by Alkali Metals

by Leonardo Marušić, Ana Kalinić, Ivan Radović, Josip Jakovac, Zoran L. Mišković and Vito Despoja

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(9), 4770; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23094770 - 26 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1635

Abstract

Graphene doped by alkali atoms (AC

_{x}

) supports two heavily populated bands (

π

and

σ

) crossing the Fermi level, which enables the formation of two intense two-dimensional plasmons: the Dirac plasmon (DP) and the acoustic plasmon (AP). Although the mechanism [...] Read more.

Graphene doped by alkali atoms (AC

_{x}

) supports two heavily populated bands (

π

and

σ

) crossing the Fermi level, which enables the formation of two intense two-dimensional plasmons: the Dirac plasmon (DP) and the acoustic plasmon (AP). Although the mechanism of the formation of these plasmons in electrostatically biased graphene or at noble metal surfaces is well known, the mechanism of their formation in alkali-doped graphenes is still not completely understood. We shall demonstrate that two isoelectronic systems, KC

_{8}

and CsC

_{8}

, support substantially different plasmonic spectra: the KC

_{8}

supports a sharp DP and a well-defined AP, while the CsC

_{8}

supports a broad DP and does not support an AP at all. We shall demonstrate that the AP in an AC

_{x}

is not, as previously believed, just a consequence of the interplay of the

π

and

σ

intraband transitions, but a very subtle interplay between these transitions and the background screening, caused by the out-of-plane interband

C (π) \to A (σ)

transitions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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12 pages, 1822 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two-Photon–Near Infrared-II Antimicrobial Graphene-Nanoagent for Ultraviolet–Near Infrared Imaging and Photoinactivation

by Wen-Shuo Kuo, Yen-Sung Lin, Ping-Ching Wu, Chia-Yuan Chang, Jiu-Yao Wang, Pei-Chi Chen, Miao-Hsi Hsieh, Hui-Fang Kao, Sheng-Han Lin and Chan-Chi Chang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(6), 3230; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23063230 - 17 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1752

Abstract

Nitrogen doping and amino group functionalization through chemical modification lead to strong electron donation. Applying these processes to a large π-conjugated system of graphene quantum dot (GQD)-based materials as electron donors increases the charge transfer efficiency of nitrogen-doped amino acid-functionalized GQDs (amino-N-GQDs), resulting in enhanced two-photon absorption, post-two-photon excitation (TPE) stability, TPE cross-sections, and two-photon luminescence through the radiative pathway when the lifetime decreases and the quantum yield increases. Additionally, it leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species through two-photon photodynamic therapy (PDT). The sorted amino-N-GQDs prepared in this study exhibited excitation-wavelength-independent two-photon luminescence in the near-infrared region through TPE in the near-infrared-II region. The increase in size resulted in size-dependent photochemical and electrochemical efficacy, increased photoluminescence quantum yield, and efficient two-photon PDT. Therefore, the sorted amino-N-GQDs can be applicable as two-photon contrast probes to track and localize analytes in in-depth two-photon imaging executed in a biological environment along with two-photon PDT to eliminate infectious or multidrug-resistant microbes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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12 pages, 5790 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Turn on” Fluorescence Sensor of Glutathione Based on Inner Filter Effect of Co-Doped Carbon Dot/Gold Nanoparticle Composites

by Thi-Hoa Le, Ji-Hyeon Kim and Sang-Joon Park

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 190; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23010190 - 24 Dec 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2860

Abstract

Glutathione (GSH) is a thiol that plays a significant role in nutrient metabolism, antioxidant defense and the regulation of cellular events. GSH deficiency is related to variety of diseases, so it is useful to develop novel approaches for GSH evaluation and detection. In this study we used nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dot-gold nanoparticle (NPCD–AuNP) composites to fabricate a simple and selective fluorescence sensor for GSH detection. We employed the reductant potential of the nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon dots (NPCDs) themselves to form AuNPs, and subsequently NPCD–AuNP composites from Au³⁺. The composites were characterized by using a range of spectroscopic and electron microscopic techniques, including electrophoretic light scattering and X-ray diffraction. The overlap of the fluorescence emission spectrum of NPCDs and the absorption spectrum of AuNPs resulted in an effective inner filter effect (IFE) in the composite material, leading to a quenching of the fluorescence intensity. In the presence of GSH, the fluorescence intensity of the composite was recovered, which increased proportionally to increasing the GSH concentration. In addition, our GSH sensing method showed good selectivity and sensing potential in human serum with a limit of detection of 0.1 µM and acceptable results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

17 pages, 2628 KiB

Open AccessReview

Graphene for Antimicrobial and Coating Application

by Viritpon Srimaneepong, Hans Erling Skallevold, Zohaib Khurshid, Muhammad Sohail Zafar, Dinesh Rokaya and Janak Sapkota

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(1), 499; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23010499 - 02 Jan 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4222

Abstract

Graphene is a versatile compound with several outstanding properties, providing a combination of impressive surface area, high strength, thermal and electrical properties, with a wide array of functionalization possibilities. This review aims to present an introduction of graphene and presents a comprehensive up-to-date review of graphene as an antimicrobial and coating application in medicine and dentistry. Available articles on graphene for biomedical applications were reviewed from January 1957 to August 2020) using MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. The selected articles were included in this study. Extensive research on graphene in several fields exists. However, the available literature on graphene-based coatings in dentistry and medical implant technology is limited. Graphene exhibits high biocompatibility, corrosion prevention, antimicrobial properties to prevent the colonization of bacteria. Graphene coatings enhance adhesion of cells, osteogenic differentiation, and promote antibacterial activity to parts of titanium unaffected by the thermal treatment. Furthermore, the graphene layer can improve the surface properties of implants which can be used for biomedical applications. Hence, graphene and its derivatives may hold the key for the next revolution in dental and medical technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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17 pages, 3224 KiB

Open AccessReview

Role of Defect Engineering and Surface Functionalization in the Design of Carbon Nanotube-Based Nitrogen Oxide Sensors

by Manuel A. Valdés-Madrigal, Fernando Montejo-Alvaro, Amelia S. Cernas-Ruiz, Hugo Rojas-Chávez, Ramon Román-Doval, Heriberto Cruz-Martinez and Dora I. Medina

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(23), 12968; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms222312968 - 30 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2606

Abstract

Nitrogen oxides (NO_x) are among the main atmospheric pollutants; therefore, it is important to monitor and detect their presence in the atmosphere. To this end, low-dimensional carbon structures have been widely used as NO_x sensors for their outstanding properties. In particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely used as toxic-gas sensors owing to their high specific surface area and excellent mechanical properties. Although pristine CNTs have shown promising performance for NO_x detection, several strategies have been developed such as surface functionalization and defect engineering to improve the NO_x sensing of pristine CNT-based sensors. Through these strategies, the sensing properties of modified CNTs toward NO_x gases have been substantially improved. Therefore, in this review, we have analyzed the defect engineering and surface functionalization strategies used in the last decade to modify the sensitivity and the selectivity of CNTs to NO_x. First, the different types of surface functionalization and defect engineering were reviewed. Thereafter, we analyzed experimental, theoretical, and coupled experimental–theoretical studies on CNTs modified through surface functionalization and defect engineering to improve the sensitivity and selectivity to NO_x. Finally, we presented the conclusions and the future directions of modified CNTs as NO_x sensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Carbon-Based Nanomaterials 3.0)

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