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In tissue engineering, the pivotal role of scaffolds is underscored, serving as key elements to emulate the native extracellular matrix. These scaffolds must provide structural integrity and support and supply electrical, mechanical, and chemical cues for cell and tissue growth. Notably, electrical conductivity plays a crucial role when dealing with tissues like bone, spinal, neural, and cardiac tissues. However, the typical materials used as tissue engineering scaffolds are predominantly polymers, which generally characteristically feature poor electrical conductivity. Therefore, it is often necessary to incorporate conductive materials into the polymeric matrix to yield electrically conductive scaffolds and further enable electrical stimulation. Among different conductive materials, carbon nanomaterials have attracted significant attention in developing conductive tissue engineering scaffolds, demonstrating excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity in both in vitro and in vivo settings. This article aims to comprehensively review the current landscape of carbon‐based conductive scaffolds, with a specific focus on their role in advancing tissue engineering for the regeneration and maturation of functional tissues, emphasizing the application of electrical stimulation. This review highlights the versatility of carbon‐based conductive scaffolds and addresses existing challenges and prospects, shedding light on the trajectory of innovative conductive scaffold development in tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to examine the use of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), obtained during the production of sugar from sugar beets, and to stabilize subgrades beneath highway pavements or to stabilize foundations built on loess (windblown silt). The research also aims to permanently capture the carbon from PCC in soil. The experimental process involved the collection of representative loess samples, the addition of variable percentages of PCC, and conducting laboratory experiments on compacted PCC soil mixes to evaluate the effect of PCC on subgrades beneath pavement and foundations beneath buildings. Samples of PCC were obtained from the Amalgamated Sugar Corporation, located 187 km away from Pocatello. In addition, soil was collected from local sources in which saturation collapse and damage have occurred in the past. Unconfined compressive strength tests, which index subgrade bearing failures, were performed on both untreated and PCC-treated soils to evaluate the effect of PCC in stabilizing pavement subgrades and foundations as well as sequestering carbon. The experimental test results revealed a significant average increase of 10% to 28% in the strength of loess samples stabilized with 5% PCC compared to the native soil. The chemical composition and microstructure of PCC were further analyzed through energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests. EDX analysis unveiled a carbon content of 9% by weight in PCC, which could contribute to the carbon footprint when it breaks down. Additionally, SEM images displayed an unsymmetrical and sub-rounded microstructure of PCC particles. Based on these findings, the study suggests that utilizing PCC could improve the resistance of loess to saturation collapse and potentially reduce carbon emissions associated with cement or lime production while offering an opportunity to use PCC in soil application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced manufacturing techniques and digital twin technology are rapidly transforming the nuclear industry, offering the potential to enhance productivity, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Customized parts are being produced using additive manufacturing, automation, and robotics, while digital twin technology enables the virtual modeling and optimization of complex systems. These advanced technologies can significantly improve operational efficiency, predict system behavior, and optimize maintenance schedules in the nuclear energy sector, leading to heightened safety and reduced downtime. However, the nuclear industry demands the highest levels of safety and security, as well as intricate manufacturing processes and operations. Thus, challenges such as data management and cybersecurity must be addressed to fully realize the potential of advanced manufacturing techniques and digital twin technology in the nuclear industry. This comprehensive review highlights the critical role of digital twin technology with advanced manufacturing toward nuclear energy to improve performance, minimize downtime, and heighten safety, ultimately contributing to the global energy mix by providing dependable and low-carbon electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to utilize waste products—precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and upcycled recycled concrete aggregate (upcycled RCA or UCA)—in civil works projects. To do so, tests must be performed to determine the engineering properties of the materials in which PCC and UCA are sequestered. PCC is a fine to coarse grain waste product generated during the production of sugar from sugar beets. UCA is produced from demolished and returned concrete by the extraction of primarily calcium and alkalinity. The study also includes the use of both PCC and UCA in the same concrete mix design. The test results on PCC alone show that the optimum content to achieve a minimum 28 MPa (4000 psi) compressive strength is 25% and 30%. The corresponding compressive strength of mixes in which conventional aggregate was replaced by UCA is about 48 MPa (7000 psi) to 55 MPa (8000 psi) at the same water: cement ratio (0.44) by weight. The compressive strength of concrete with 25% to 30% cement replaced by PCC and varying aggregates replaced with UCA ranges from 19.3 to 40 MPa (2800 to 5800 psi). Other tests on PCC and UCA include tensile strength of 2 to 3 MPa (293 to 423 psi) and flexural strength of 1.3 to 1.9 MPa (183 to 279 psi). Analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to identify the constituent elements and chemical compounds present in PCC, including calcium carbonate and silica. Based on the test results, the composition of PCC by weight indicates 45.9% calcium, 39.4% oxygen, and 9.2% carbon. Based on the results of this study, we can expect to reduce carbon emissions in the production of cement and aggregates, as well as utilize waste products in the civil engineering field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are highly prevalent among the aging population. It affects primarily the central nervous system (CNS) but the effects are also observed in the peripheral nervous system. Neural degeneration is a progressive loss of structure and function of neurons, which may ultimately involve cell death. Such patients suffer from debilitating memory loss and altered motor coordination which bring up non-affordable and unavoidable socio-economic burdens. Due to the unavailability of specific therapeutics and diagnostics, the necessity to control or manage NDs raised the demand to investigate and develop efficient alternative approaches. Keeping trends and advancements in view, this report describes both state-of-the-art and challenges in nano-biotechnology-based approaches to manage NDs, toward personalized healthcare management. Sincere efforts are being made to customize nano-theragnostics to control: therapeutic cargo packaging, delivery to the brain, nanomedicine of higher efficacy, deep brain stimulation, implanted stimulation, and managing brain cell functioning. These advancements are useful to design future therapy based on the severity of the patient's neurodegenerative disease. However, we observe a lack of knowledge shared among scientists of a variety of expertise to explore this multi-disciplinary research field for NDs management. Consequently, this review will provide a guideline platform that will be useful in developing novel smart nano-therapies by considering the aspects and advantages of nano-biotechnology to manage NDs in a personalized manner. Nano-biotechnology-based approaches have been proposed as effective and affordable alternatives at the clinical level due to recent advancements in nanotechnology-assisted theragnostics, targeted delivery, higher efficacy, and minimal side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study involves detecting and determining CIP by a new electrochemical sensor based on graphene (Gr) in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) employing voltammetric techniques. Surface morphology studies of the sensing material were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM). In the electroanalysis of CIP at the developed electrode, an enhanced anodic peak response was recorded, suggesting the electro-oxidation of CIP at the electrode surface. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of the electrolytic solution, scan rate, accumulation time, and concentration variation on the electrochemical behavior of CIP. The possible electrode mechanism was proposed based on the acquired experimental information. A concentration variation study was performed using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in the lower concentration range, and the fabricated electrode achieved a detection limit of 2.9 × 10−8 M. The proposed sensor detected CIP in pharmaceutical and biological samples. The findings displayed good recovery, with 93.8% for tablet analysis and 93.3% to 98.7% for urine analysis. The stability of a developed electrode was tested by inter- and intraday analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A prospective study of a cohort of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed patients 7 years after surgery revealed degenerative radiographic changes in 95% of patients, and only 47% were able to return to their previous activity level following ACL reconstruction. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to find the correlation between Semitendinosus graft dimension with respect to patients anthropometry such as age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and true leg length (TLL). Materials and Methods: The proposed study was the patients coming to orthopedics-outpatient department and emergency with 30 complete thickness ACL tears which were screened and recruited based on fulfillment of inclusion and exclusion criteria from January 2020 to August 2021 (20 months duration). The sample size was sufficient to draw conclusive findings. Correlation was calculated by Pearson correlation analysis. The Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was a measure of the linear dependence between two variables X and Y. P≤0.05 was considered for statistically significant. Results: The age has positive correlation with graft length (r=0.11) and relatively strong positive correlation with graft diameter (r=0.437). Height has relatively strong positive correlation with graft length (r=0.4258) and graft diameter (r=0.1375). Weights have strong positive correlation with graft length (r=0.604). TLL also had positive correlation with graft length (0.23) and graft diameter (r=0.1). Conclusion: In selective cases, graft may be reinforced with additional Hamstring tendon harvest like gracilis or any alternative graft such as Bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPB) and Peroneus longus tendon autograft that may be taken to prevent graft failure and future complications. This current data can be a reference for surgeons in preoperative planning and counseling to patients about alternative autograft selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanocomposite electrode of graphene (Gr) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles was fabricated to study the electrochemical oxidation behavior of an anti-inflammatory drug, i.e., cetirizine (CET). The voltametric response of CET for bare CPE, Gr/CPE, ZnO/CPE, and the ZnO-Gr nanocomposite electrode was studied. The modifier materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) to comprehend the surface morphology of the utilized modifiers. The influence of pH, scan rate, and accumulation time on the electrooxidation of CET was examined. It was found that the electrochemical oxidation of CET was diffusion-controlled, in which two protons and two electrons participated. The detection limit was found to be 2.8 × 10−8 M in a linearity range of 0.05–4.0 µM. Study of excipients was also performed, and it was found that they had negligible interference with the peak potential of CET. The validation and utility of the fabricated nanocomposite sensor material were examined by analyzing clinical and biological samples. Stability testing of the nanocomposite electrode was conducted to assess the reproducibility, determining that the developed biosensor has good stability and high efficiency in producing reproducible results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, detection of trimethoprim (TMP) was carried out using a nanostructured zinc oxide nanoparticle-modified carbon paste electrode (ZnO/CPE) with an anionic surfactant and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) with the help of voltametric techniques. The electrochemical nature of TMP was studied in 0.2 M pH 3.0 phosphate-buffer solution (PBS). The developed electrode displayed the highest peak current compared to nascent CPE. Effects of variation in different parameters, such as pH, immersion time, scan rate, and concentration, were investigated. The electrode process of TMP was irreversible and diffusion controlled with two electrons transferred. The effective concentration range (8.0 × 10−7 M–1.0 × 10−5 M) of TMP was obtained by varying the concentration with a lower limit of detection obtained to be 2.58 × 10−8 M. In addition, this approach was effectively employed in the detection of TMP in pharmaceutical dosages and samples of urine with the excellent recovery data, suggesting the potency of the developed electrode in clinical and pharmaceutical sample analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrochemical analysis of theophylline (THP) was investigated by fabricating a carbon paste electrode (CPE) modified with graphene oxide (GO) along with copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles (CuO-GO/CPE). The impact of electro-kinetic parameters such as the heterogeneous rate constant, the scan rate, the accumulation time, the pH, the transfer coefficient, and the number of electrons and protons transferred into the electro-oxidation mechanism of THP has been studied utilizing electrochemical methods such as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The differential pulse voltammetry technique was employed to investigate THP in pharmaceutical and biological samples, confirming the limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of the THP. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were performed to characterize the CuO nanoparticles. The CuO-GO/CPE was more sensitive in THP detection because its electrocatalytic characteristics displayed an enhanced peak current in the 0.2 M supporting electrolyte of pH 6.0, proving the excellent sensing functioning of the modified electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zileuton (ZLT) is an active oral inhibitor of enzyme 5-lipoxygenase, and long-term intake and overdose of ZLT cause adverse effects, leading to critical conditions in patients. This is a well-recognized issue that necessitates a better approach for ZLT sensing. Given the increasing interest in ZLT sensing and the limitations of previous techniques, there is a need for a highly sensitive, robust, and fast operation method that is inexpensive and easy to use. Thus, for the sensitive detection and determination of ZLT, an electrochemical sensor based on graphene was fabricated. Graphene has excellent properties, such as high surface area, low toxicity, conductivity, and electroactive conjugation with biomolecules, making it suitable for sensing. The electrocatalytic property of graphene promotes the redox-coupled reaction of ZLT. Electrochemical investigation of the modifier was carried out by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). An optimization and analysis of the influence of different parameters on the electrochemical behavior of ZLT were carried out using the CV approach. The scan rate study aided in exploring the physicochemical properties of the electrode process, and two electrons with two protons were found to be involved in the electrooxidation of ZLT. The fabricated sensor showed a wide range of linearity with ZLT, from 0.3 µM to 100.0 µM, and the detection limit was evaluated as 0.03 µM under optimized conditions. The analysis of spiked urine samples, with good recovery values for percent RSD, provided support for the efficiency and applicability of the developed electrode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pramipexole (PMXL) belongs to the benzothiazole class of aromatic compounds and is used in treating Parkinson's disease; however, overdosage leads to some abnormal effects that could trigger severe side effects. Therefore, it demands a sensitive analytical tool for trace level detection. In this work, we successfully developed an electrochemical sensor for the trace level detection of PMXL, using the voltammetric method. For the analysis, graphitic carbon nitride (gCN) was opted and synthesized by using a high-temperature thermal condensation method. The synthesized nanoparticles were employed for surface characterization, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. The electrochemical characterization of the material was evaluated by using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique to evaluate the solution–electrode interface property. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) behavior of PMXL displayed an anodic peak in the forward scan, indicating that PMXL underwent electrooxidation, and an enhanced detection peak with lower detection potential was achieved for gCN-modified carbon paste electrode (gCN·CPE). The influence of different parameters on the electrochemical behavior was analyzed, revealing the diffusion governing the electrode process with an equal number of hydronium ions and electron involvement. For the fabricated gCN·CPE, good linearity range was noticed from 0.05 to 500 µM, and a lower detection limit (LD) of 0.012 µM was achieved for the selected concentration range (0.5 to 30 µM). Selectivity of the electrode in PMXL detection was investigated by conducting an interference study, while the tablet sample analysis demonstrates the sensitive and real-time application of the electrode. The good recovery values for the analysis illustrate the efficiency of the electrode for PMXL analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mixed oxide system consisting of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5, was subjected to annealing in air/hydrogen up to 950 °C for 1–4 h to study its sintering behavior. The thermogravimetric–differential scanning calorimetry (TGA–DSC) thermograms indicated the formation of multiple endothermic peaks at temperatures higher than 925 °C. Subsequently, a 30% Ta2O5 and 70% Nb2O5 (mol%) pellet resulted in good sintering behavior at both 900 and 950 °C. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images corroborated these observations with necking and particle coarsening. The sintered pellets contained a 20.4 and 20.8% mixed oxide (Nb4Ta2O15) phase, along with Ta2O5 and Nb2O5, at both 900 and 950 °C, indicating the possibility of the formation of a solid solution phase. In situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) scans also confirmed the formation of the ternary oxide phase at 6 and 19.8% at 890 and 950 °C, respectively. The Hume–Rothery rules could explain the good sintering behavior of the Ta2O5 and Nb2O5 mixed oxides. An oxide composition of 30% Ta2O5 and 70% Nb2O5 (mol%) and a sintering temperature of 950 °C appeared adequate for fabricating well-sintered oxide precursors for subsequent electrochemical polarization studies in fused salts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative intra-articular disorder of cartilage and bone. Knee joint is most commonly involved due to its pivotal role in weight bearing as it is constantly exposed to wear and tear. Osteotomy procedures can achieve normal alignment of the weight bearing axis of the lower limbs. Aim: To evaluate and compare the functional outcome of High Tibial Osteotomy (HTO) and Proximal Fibular Osteotomy (PFO) in medial compartmental osteoarthritis of knee joint. Materials and Methods: This prospective longitudinal study was conducted in a tertiary healthcare centre, IPGMER and SSKMH, Kolkata, West Bangal, India from October 2019 to November 2021 for a duration of 26 months, in which 40 osteotomies were performed around the knee. Considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria 20 proximal fibular osteotomies and 20 high tibial osteotomies were operated avoiding the patients with advanced stage or tricompartmental OA. The scoring system considered for evaluation of the functional outcome was Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and Visual Analouge Scale (VAS) Score. The analysis was done through paired t-test with determining of p-value where value =0.05 was considered for statistically significant. Results: Majority of the patients in the present study were more than 45 years of age. The most frequent age group was 46-50 years followed by 51-55 years. The follow-up period was at least 15 months where the OKS score was 39.35±3.51 and 41.20±4.50 with p-value of 0.1556 and VAS score was 5.50±1.10 and 3.80±1.10 with p value of <0.0001 for PFO and HTO respectively. Only two of the patients developed surgical site infection in both cases. Conclusion: In long term follow-up the final functional status of both treatment modalities were comparable although HTO was considered superior with significant improvement in pain relief perspective than PTO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant growth has been observed in the research domain of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) due to the simplicity in its manufacturing, low cost, and high-energy conversion efficiency. The electrolytes in DSSCs play an important role in determining the photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs, e.g., volatile liquid electrolytes suffer from poor thermal stability. Although low volatility liquid electrolytes and solid polymer electrolytes circumvent the stability issues, gel polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity and enduring stability are stimulating substitutes for liquid electrolytes in DSSC. In this review paper, the advantages of gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are discussed along with other types of electrolytes, e.g., solid polymer electrolytes and p-type semiconductor-based electrolytes. The benefits of incorporating ionic liquids into GPEs are highlighted in conjunction with the factors that affect the ionic conductivity of GPEs. The strategies on the improvement of the properties of DSSCs based on GPE are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy applications rely heavily on p-block elements and transition metals. Silicon is, by far, the most commonly used material in photovoltaic cells and accounts for about 85% of modules sold presently. Of late, thin film photovoltaic cells have gained momentum because of their higher efficiencies. Most of these thin film devices are made out of just five elements, namely, cadmium, tellurium, selenium, indium, gallium and copper. The present manuscript describes an elegant and inexpensive molten salt-based electrolytic process for fabricating a tellurium-coated metallic substrate. A three-electrode set up was employed to coat iridium with tellurium from a molten bath containing lithium chloride, lithium oxide and tellurium tetrachloride (LiCl-Li2O-TeCl4) at 650 °C for a duration ranging from 30 to 120 min under a galvanostatic mode. The tellurium coating was observed to be thick, uniform, smooth and homogeneous. Additionally, the deposited tellurium did not chemically react with the iridium substrate to form intermetallic compounds, which is a good feature from the standpoint of the device's performance characteristics. The present process, being generic in nature, shows the potential for the manufacture of both the coated substates and high-purity elements not just for tellurium but also for other p-block elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanosystems have shown encouraging outcomes and substantial progress in the areas of drug delivery and biomedical applications. However, the controlled and targeted delivery of drugs or genes can be limited due to their physicochemical and functional properties. In this regard, core–shell type nanoparticles are promising nanocarrier systems for controlled and targeted drug delivery applications. These functional nanoparticles are emerging as a particular class of nanosystems because of their unique advantages, including high surface area, and easy surface modification and functionalization. Such unique advantages can facilitate the use of core–shell nanoparticles for the selective mingling of two or more different functional properties in a single nanosystem to achieve the desired physicochemical properties that are essential for effective targeted drug delivery. Several types of core–shell nanoparticles, such as metallic, magnetic, silica-based, upconversion, and carbon-based core–shell nanoparticles, have been designed and developed for drug delivery applications. Keeping the scope, demand, and challenges in view, the present review explores state-of-the-art developments and advances in core–shell nanoparticle systems, the desired structure–property relationships, newly generated properties, the effects of parameter control, surface modification, and functionalization, and, last but not least, their promising applications in the fields of drug delivery, biomedical applications, and tissue engineering. This review also supports significant future research for developing multi-core and shell-based functional nanosystems to investigate nano-therapies that are needed for advanced, precise, and personalized healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exciting features of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), such as high elastic modulus, high thermal and electrical conductivities, robustness, and nanoscopic surface properties make them attractive candidates for the cement industry. They have the potential to significantly enhanceengineering properties. CNTs play an important and critical role as nano-anchors in concrete, which enhance the strength by bridging pores in the composite matrix, thereby ensuring robust mechanical strength. The diameter, dispersion, aspect ratio, and interfacial surface interaction of CNTs affect the physical and mechanical properties of concrete, if due care is not taken. In this paper, the usable amount of CNT is scaled down considerably from 0.5% to 0.025% by weight of the cement and the fluctuation caused by these phenomena is assessed. It is observed that the properties and exact quantities of incorporated CNTs influence the hydration and consistency of the composites. In order to address these issues, the surface functionalization of CNTs and rheological studies of the composites are performed. The hydration products and functional groups are carefully optimized and characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and a Zeta potential analyzer. For Mixes 6 and 7, the compressive and tensile strength of CNTs incorporated in mortar specimens caused 77% and 48% increases in split tensile strength, respectively, and 17% and 35% increases in compressive strength, respectively, after 28 days of curing and compared withthe control Mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate a facile one-pot synthesis of porous "flow-through" ZnO nanoparticle impregnated carbon/silica monoliths with high mechanical strength and interconnected end-to-end pores decorated with functional and catalytic nanoparticles. The materials and conditions for the synthesis were tailored to achieve the desired properties of high mechanical strength, good flow-through permeability, and crack-free morphology. Monoliths were prepared from a resorcinol formaldehyde rout but with the addition of tetraethyl-orthosilicate and a metal oxide precursor, ZnCl2. The monoliths were ambient dried and carbonized under optimized conditions to suppress cracks. Compressive tests of both the resin and carbonized monoliths were performed to examine the effect of the metal oxide precursor on the mechanical properties. The permeability of the monoliths was determined to verify their utility as a flow-through material. The monoliths exhibited a high compressive modulus of ~30 MPa compared with conventional carbon aerogels and a permeability of ~10-12 m². Various characterization techniques were used to analyze the surface morphology, pore texture, and chemical composition of the monoliths. Finally, Ag nanoparticles were incorporated in the monoliths to demonstrate an example of a "flow-through" catalysis application where controlled catalytic conversion of para-nitrophenol into para-aminophenol could be achieved in a continuous flow reactor mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to integrate porous graphene foam (GF) and GF-based nanocomposites into microfluidic channels and even create microfluidic structures within these materials. This is because their irregular interior pore shape and geometry, rough exterior surface, and relatively large material thickness make it difficult to perform conventional photolithography and etching. This challenge has largely hindered the potential of using GF-based materials in microfluidics-based sensors. Here we present a simple approach to create well-defined flow-through channels within or across the GF-based materials, using a liquid-phase photopolymerization method. This method allows embedding of a nanocomposite-based scaffold of GF and titanium nitride nanofibers (GF–TiN NFs) into a channel structure, to realize flow-through microfluidic electrochemical sensors for detecting nitrate ions in agricultural soils. The unique GF–TiN nanocomposite provides high electrochemical reactivity, high electron transfer rate, improved loading capacity of receptor biomolecules, and large surface area, serving as an efficient electrochemical sensing interface with the help of immobilized specific enzyme molecules. The microfluidic sensor provides an ultralow limit of detection of 0.01 mg L−1, a wide dynamic range from 0.01 to 442 mg L−1, and a high sensitivity of 683.3 μA mg−1 L cm−2 for nitrate ions in real soil solution samples. The advantageous features of the GF–TiN nanocomposite, in conjunction with the in situ integration approach, will enable a promising microfluidic sensor platform to monitor soil ions for nutrient management towards sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate an easy, scalable, and two-step synthesis of macroporous carbon, carbon/TiO2 (cTiO2), carbon/MnO2 (cMnO2), and carbon/TiO2/MnO2 (cTiO2/MnO2) composite thin films for energy storage applications. The direct synthesis of the hybrid films was achieved by spin coating, followed by carbonization. The unique multilayered three-dimensional (3D) pore structure of the film permits the synthesis of carbon/TiO2/MnO2 nanocomposites with enhanced metal-oxide nanoparticle loading up to 50 wt %. The as-synthesized porous carbon thin films were tested for their supercapacitor activity and a maximum specific capacitance ~44 F g-1 was achieved with a film thickness of 350 nm. The as-prepared cTiO2, cMnO2, and cTiO2/MnO2 electrodes exhibit high specific capacitances of 178, 237, and 297 F g-1, respectively, at 5 mV s-1, because of their unique properties with impregnated nanoparticles, and direct fabrication on conductive substrates. This simple scalable coating technique is compatible with the high-speed roll-to-roll manufacturing processes and easily generalized for other carbon/metal oxide composites. We demonstrate an easy, scalable, two-step synthesis method similar to the roll-to-roll process for the synthesis of multilayered of macroporous carbon, carbon/TiO2 (cTiO2), carbon/MnO2 (cMnO2), and carbon/TiO2/MnO2 (cTiO2/MnO2) composite thin films for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]