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Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have attracted significant attention due to their unique electronic, optical, physical, and chemical properties. As nanoscale fragments of graphene rich in electrons, GQDs offer enhanced capabilities that elevate their potential across a wide range of applications. This review paper delves into the synthesis, characterization, and applications of functionalized graphene quantum dots (FGQDs), which exhibit exceptional photoelectronic properties resulting from quantum confinement and edge effects. These features position FGQDs as promising materials for optoelectronic technologies. The review also highlights various functionalization strategies, providing valuable insights for researchers seeking to optimize GQDs for specific applications. By understanding the correct functionalization techniques, researchers can tailor the properties of FGQDs to enhance their performance in a range of applications. This article offers an in-depth discussion of synthetic approaches for producing FGQDs with diverse chemical groups and functionalities, alongside a thorough overview of characterization techniques, ranging from morphological and crystallographic analysis to componential and absorption spectroscopy. Furthermore, the review explores the growing potential of FGQDs in biomedical applications, including biosensing, bioimaging, drug delivery, and therapeutics. It underscores the advances in research and development that are crucial for unlocking the full biomedical potential of FGQDs, while also addressing the challenges that remain to be tackled in the future. As the field continues to evolve, the insights presented in this review provide a solid foundation for future breakthroughs in the synthesis and application of FGQDs.

An efficient sensing surface is fabricated through incorporating ruthenium on electropolymerized poly-(4-aminodiphenylamine)(Padpa) film by potentiodynamic cycling of 4-aminodiphenylamine (4-adpa) in an acidic medium. The mechanism of electropolymerization comprises the conversion of protonated monomer to di-imine species and generates positively charged radical-intermediate via dimerization step. The surface morphology of deposited film on electrode surface is studied using SEM and XPS techniques. The electrocatalytic appraisal of constructed (Ru/Padpa/GCE) sensing interface is examined towards the electro-oxidation of guaifenesin (GUA) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometric (CA) methods. The Ru/Padpa/GCE sensing interface displayed a linear response of GUA from 1.5 to 45 µg/mL with the limit of detection (LOD) of 48.8 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The obtained higher activity of Ru/Padpa/GCE is mainly attributed to its larger active surface area, faster electron transfer kinetics, and higher catalytic sites from the interface. The Ru/Padpa/GCE sensing interface is further applied for the determination of GUA in pharmaceutical (cough syrup, and human urine) samples with a recovery of 97.1–101.0 %. The diffusion coefficient of GUA (1.51 × 10-6 cm2/s) is also obtained via theoretical electrochemical method, which ensures that Ru/Padpa/GCE sensing interface can be considered as a potential candidate for clinical diagnostic analysis.

The electro-oxidation of urea (EOU) is a remarkable but challenging sustainable technology, which largely needs a reduced electro-chemical potential, that demonstrates the ability to remove a notable harmful material from wastewater and/or transform the excretory product of humans into treasure. In this work, an Ni2P-nanoparticle-integrated porous nickel oxide (NiO) hetero-structured nanosheet (Ni2P@NiO/NiF) catalyst was synthesized through in situ acid etching and a gas-phase phosphating process. The as-synthesized Ni2P@NiO/NiF catalyst sample was then used to enhance the electro-oxidation reaction of urea with a higher urea oxidation response (50 mA cm−2 at 1.31 V vs. RHE) and low onset oxidation potential (1.31 V). The enhanced activity of the Ni2P@NiO/NiF catalyst was mainly attributed to effective electron transport after Ni2P nanoparticle insertion through a substantial improvement in active sites due to a larger electrochemical surface area, and a faster diffusion of ions occurred via the interactive sites at the interface of Ni2P and NiO; thus, the structural reliability was retained, which was further evidenced by the low charge transfer resistance. Further, the Ni2P nanoparticle insertion process into the NiO hetero-structured nanosheets effectively enabled a synergetic effect when compared to the counter of the Ni2P/NiF and NiO/NiF catalysts. Finally, we demonstrate that the as-synthesized Ni2P@NiO/NiF catalyst could be a promising electrode for the EOU in urea-rich wastewater and human urine samples for environmental safety management. Overall, the Ni2P@NiO/NiF catalyst electrode combines the advantages of the Ni2P catalyst, NiO nanosheet network, and NiF current collector for enhanced EOU performance, which is highly valuable in catalyst development for environmental safety applications.

Structural engineering is an effective methodology for the tailoring of the quantities of active sites in nanostructured materials for fuel cell applications. In the present study, Co nanoparticles were incorporated into the network of 3D nitrogen-doped carbon tubes (Co@NCNTs) that were obtained via the molten-salt synthetic approach at 800 °C. Morphological representation reveals that the Co@NCNTs are encompassed with Co nanoparticles on the surface of the mesoporous walls of the carbon nanotubes, which offers a significant active surface area for electrochemical reactions. The CoNPs/NCNTs-1 (treated with CaCl2) nanomaterial was used as a potential candidate for the electro-oxidation of hydrazine, which improved the response of hydrazine (~8.5 mA) in 1.0 M NaOH, as compared with CoNPs/NCNTs-2 (treated without CaCl2), NCNTs, and the unmodified GCE. Furthermore, the integration of Co helps to improve the conductivity and promote the lower onset electro-oxidation potential (−0.58 V) toward the hydrazine electro-oxidation reaction. In particular, the CoNPs/NCNTs-1 catalysts showed significant catalytic activity and stability performances i.e., the i-t curves showed notable stability when compared with their initial current responses, even after 10 days, which indicates the significant durability of the catalyst materials. This work could present a new approach for the design of efficient electrode materials, which can be used as a favorable candidate for the electro-oxidation of liquid fuels in fuel cell applications.

To develop the corrosion resistance and improve the biological performance of a titanium implant (Ti6Al4V alloy), a series of mineral (M = Zn and Mg)-substituted hydroxyapatite (MHA), chitosan-MHA (CS-MHA), halloysite nanotube-MHA (HNT-MHA), and HNT-CS-MHA composite coatings were fabricated on the anodized titanium alloy by electrodeposition. The surface morphology and cross section of various coated composites were investigated by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM). Furthermore, the functional groups and phase structure of the composite coatings were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). Corrosion behaviors of the composite coatings were also investigated by polarization and impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Moreover, the cell-material interaction of the composite coating was observed in vitro with human osteoblast MG63 cells for cell proliferation at 1, 4, and 7 days of incubation. Consequently, HNT-CS-MHA-Ti may have potential applications in the field of orthopedic and dental implants.

This paper proposes an effective management system for stand-alone solar photovoltaic (PV) using real-time data with Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS). The abrupt movement of fleeting clouds often gives rise to PV power output fluctuations which in turn affect the power quality and system stability due to scattered solar radiation reception. These variations can limit through a ramp-limit controller and employing a DC link controller to maintain the stable DC link voltage. The battery is used in the system for continuous power application and the sudden variations in charging and discharging of battery power can create stress on the battery. These sudden changes in a battery will be removed by the super-capacitor (SC) unit and achieves a fast DC link voltage regulation. Hence, the high energy and power density devices such as battery and SC units will deliver more stable power into the system. The control scheme is tested in Matlab/Simulink and validated by Real-Time Hardware-in-Loop (HIL) simulator using periodic one-minute data for one year from the solar PV power plant from real-time.

The prime objective of the present work is to develop biocompatible overlayer-deposited titanium alloys to replace already available titanium alloy-based biomaterials for implantation applications. Here, we prefer to use a bilayer coating on titanium alloys instead of single coating. The adhesion and biocompatibility of titanium alloy is improved by coating with a bilayer, for example, PEDOT-HNT/CS-MHA composite using the electrochemical deposition method. Corrosion behavior of the PEDOT-HNT/CS-MHA bilayer composite coating was investigated in the PBS medium by polarization studies. The functional groups, phase purity, surface morphology, and wettability of the PEDOT-HNT/CS-MHA were characterized by various instrumental techniques like FTIR, XRD, SEM, and contact angle techniques. From the above studies, it is proved that PEDOT-HNT/CS-MHA-coated Ti alloy showing a better biocompatibility and corrosion resistance than the PEDOT-HNT-deposited Ti alloy. In addition, the in vitro bactericidal and cell viability studies were also carried out to further confirm the biocompatibility of the protective coating. Hence, the bilayer deposition has shown excellent stability and biocompatibility and can be used for the potential biomaterials for orthopedics applications.