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Green Synthetic Nanomaterials: Preparation, Mechanism, and Application, 2nd Edition

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Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, science and technology have developed rapidly. To address the rapid development of various fields, nanomaterials have received extensive attention. Scientists from all over the world are studying the basic theoretical knowledge of nanomaterials, and related nanotechnology is widely used in many industries, including (but not limited to) the electronics industry, medical industry, and environmental industry. However, the synthesis of nanomaterials is usually realized with the help of chemical reducing agents and stabilizers that may cause major safety concerns for human health and the environment. Therefore, over the last decade, exhaustive efforts have been made to realize the green synthesis of nanomaterials. Scientists have discovered that many of the substances used in green synthetic nanomaterials are either natural biopolymers or can be fabricated using natural biomaterials under facile conditions. Especially for the three major biopolymers of polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, with the continuous deepening of the preparation and characterization of their nanostructures, various green-prepared nanomaterials have been continuously developed and applied in the fields of medicine, food, and environment.

In this Special Issue, we invite investigators to contribute short communications, full research articles, and timely reviews that are related to the green preparation of nanomaterials, characterizations and applications of medicine, and food and environment. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Discovery of new types of nanostructures in green synthesis, including nanoparticles, nanofibers, and nanocrystals;
Characterization of molecular interactions among green prepared nanomaterials at the dimension of nanoscale;
Innovative techniques to fabricate nanoscale systems for medicine, environment, and food-related applications;
Green development of nanocomposite materials from the combination of biopolymer materials and inorganic nanomaterials (including metal nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, and clay nanosheets).

Prof. Dr. Xiaoying Wang
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Residual Malt from an Artisanal Beer Brewing Process in the Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Mediated by Nucleating and Structure-Directing Agents

by César A. Dueñas-Bolaños, Margarita Cid-Hernández, Gilberto Velázquez-Juárez, Luis A. García-Casillas, Luis J. González-Ortiz, María Judith Sánchez-Peña, Azucena Herrera-González, Oscar Guillermo Zúñiga-González and Edgar J. López-Naranjo

Molecules 2024, 29(7), 1660; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules29071660 - 07 Apr 2024

Viewed by 994

Abstract

Biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely used in varied applications, which are morphology dependent. Consequently, a morphology-controlled synthesis is mandatory. Although there are several studies focused on the plant extract-based biosynthesis of metallic nanoparticles, the use of extracts obtained from agro-wastes is scant. Furthermore, information regarding morphology modification through the use of additional agents is even more scarce. Thus, in this study, AgNPs were synthesized using a malt extract (ME) obtained from an artisanal beer brewing process residue. Additionally, sodium chloride (NaCl), gum arabic (GA), and talc (T) were used in an attempt to modify the morphology of AgNPs. XRD, DLS, SEM, and TEM results demonstrate that stable AgNPs of different sizes and shapes were synthesized. FTIR, HPLC analysis, and the quantification of total proteins, free amino acids, reducing sugars, and total polyphenols before and after AgNPs synthesis showed that ME biomolecules allowed them to act as a source of reducing and stabilizing agents. Therefore, this study provides evidence that ME can be successfully used to biosynthesize AgNPs. Additionally, the antibacterial activity of AgNPs against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria was evaluated. Results indicate that AgNPs show a higher antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthetic Nanomaterials: Preparation, Mechanism, and Application, 2nd Edition)

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22 pages, 4423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Facile Synthesis of Ni-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Using Cashew Gum: Investigation of the Structural, Optical, and Photocatalytic Properties

by Alexsandro Lins, Aimee G. Jerônimo, Ricardo Barbosa, Luan Neves, Pollyana Trigueiro, Luciano C. Almeida, Josy A. Osajima, Francisca A. Pereira and Ramón R. Peña-Garcia

Molecules 2023, 28(23), 7772; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules28237772 - 25 Nov 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 858

Abstract

This work adopted a green synthesis route using cashew tree gum as a mediating agent to obtain Ni-doped ZnO nanoparticles through the sol–gel method. Structural analysis confirmed the formation of the hexagonal wurtzite phase and distortions in the crystal lattice due to the inclusion of Ni cations, which increased the average crystallite size from 61.9 nm to 81.6 nm. These distortions resulted in the growth of point defects in the structure, which influenced the samples’ optical properties, causing slight reductions in the band gaps and significant increases in the Urbach energy. The fitting of the photoluminescence spectra confirmed an increase in the concentration of zinc vacancy defects (V_Zn) and monovacancies (Vo) as Zn cations were replaced by Ni cations in the ZnO structure. The percentage of V_Zn defects for the pure compound was 11%, increasing to 40% and 47% for the samples doped with 1% and 3% of Ni cations, respectively. In contrast, the highest percentage of V_O defects is recorded for the material with the lowest Ni ions concentration, comprising about 60%. The influence of dopant concentration was also reflected in the photocatalytic performance. Among the samples tested, the Zn_0.99Ni_0.01O compound presented the best result in MB degradation, reaching an efficiency of 98.4%. Thus, the recovered material underwent reuse tests, revealing an efficiency of 98.2% in dye degradation, confirming the stability of the photocatalyst. Furthermore, the use of different inhibitors indicated that •OH radicals are the main ones involved in removing the pollutant. This work is valuable because it presents an ecological synthesis using cashew gum, a natural polysaccharide that has been little explored in the literature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Synthetic Nanomaterials: Preparation, Mechanism, and Application, 2nd Edition)

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