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There are currently no targeted delivery systems to satisfactorily treat bone-related disorders. Many clinical drugs consisting of small organic molecules have a short circulation half-life and do not effectively reach the diseased tissue site. This coupled with repeatedly high dose usage that leads to severe side effects. With the advance in nanotechnology, drugs contained within a nano-delivery device or drugs aggregated into nanoparticles (nano-drugs) have shown promises in targeted drug delivery. The ability to design nanoparticles to target bone has attracted many researchers to develop new systems for treating bone related diseases and even repurposing current drug therapies. In this review, we shall summarise the latest progress in this area and present a perspective for future development in the field. We will focus on calcium-based nanoparticle systems that modulate calcium metabolism and consequently, the bone microenvironment to inhibit disease progression (including cancer). We shall also review the bone affinity drug family, bisphosphonates, as both a nano-drug and nano-delivery system for bone targeted therapy. The ability to target and release the drug in a controlled manner at the disease site represents a promising safe therapy to treat bone diseases in the future., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) is a severe, irreversible, or even life-threatening cerebral complication of radiotherapy in patients with head and neck tumors, and there is no satisfying prevention and effective treatment available for these patients. Amifostine (AMF) is a well-known free radical scavenger with demonstrated effectiveness in preventing radiation-induced toxicity. However, the limited permeability of AMF across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) when administered intravenously reduces the effectiveness of AMF in preventing RIBI. Herein, we construct a nanoparticle (NP) platform for BBB delivery of AMF. AMF is conjugated with 1,2-dioleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine- n -[poly(ethylene glycol)]-hydroxy succinamide [DSPE-PEG-NHS, PEG M 2000], and the product is DSPE-PEG-AMF. Then, the nanoparticles (DAPP NPs) were formed by self-assembly of poly(lactic- co -glycolic acid) (PLGA), DSPE-PEG-AMF, and polysorbate 80 (PS 80). PEG shields the nanoparticles from blood clearance by the reticuloendothelial system and lengthens the drug circulation time. PS 80 is used to encapsulate nanoparticles for medication delivery to the brain. The results of our study showed that DAPP NPs were able to effectively penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in healthy C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, in a well-established mouse model of X-knife-induced brain injury, treatment with DAPP NPs (corresponding to 250 mg/kg AMF) was found to significantly reduce the volume of brain necrosis compared to mice treated with AMF (250 mg/kg). Importantly, the use of DAPP NPs was also shown to significantly mitigate the effects of radiation-induced neuronal damage and glial activation. This work presents a convenient brain-targeted AMF delivery system to achieve effective radioprotection for the brain, providing a promising strategy with tremendous clinical translation potential.

Cancer vaccines based on DNA encoding oncogenes have shown great potential in preclinical studies. However, the efficacy of DNA vaccines is limited by their weak immunogenicity because of low cellular internalisation and insufficient activation of dendritic cells (DCs). Calcium phosphate (CP) nanoparticles (NPs) are biodegradable vehicles with low toxicity and high loading capacity of DNA but suffer from stability issues. Here we employed adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a dual functional agent, i.e. stabiliser for CP and immunological adjuvant, and applied the ATP-modified CP (ACP) NPs to the DNA vaccine. ACP NP-enhanced cellular uptake and improved transfection efficiency of DNA vaccine, and further showed the ability to activate DCs that are critical for them to prime T cells in cancer immunotherapy. As a result, a higher level of antigen-specific antibody with stronger tumour growth inhibition was achieved in mice immunised with the ACP-DNA vaccine. Overall, this one-step synthesised ACP NPs are an efficient nano-delivery system and nano-adjuvant for cancer DNA vaccines.

Cancer vaccines have attracted increasing attention for their application in tumor immunotherapy. DNA vaccines are one of them that have been proven very promising with the advantages of safety, rapid design, and low cost. However, the low stability, ineffective cell internalization, and low immunostimulation hinder their wide application. Thus, developing targeted and safe systems to effectively deliver DNA vaccines becomes a vital step. In this study, we report the development of mannose- and bisphosphonate (BP)-modified calcium phosphate (CP) nanoparticles (NPs) as efficient vaccine delivery vehicles by targeting C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) on antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Using a model antigen ovalbumin (OVA)-encoded plasmid DNA (pOVA) as a model vaccine, we demonstrate that mannose-modified and BP-stabilized CP (MBCP) nanoparticles are mono-dispersed for enhanced uptake by APCs and subsequently induce OVA antigen presentation and immunostimulation. Mice immunized with MBCP-pOVA nanovaccines show a significantly stronger anti-OVA antibody response with a quicker IgG1 and IgG2a antibody production than unmodified NPs. Moreover, MBCP-pOVA immunization significantly inhibits the growth of OVA-expressing E.G7 tumor cells in C57BL/6J mice. Our data collectively suggest that the modifications to enhance the stability and targeting ability of MBCP NPs are essential for effective delivery of DNA vaccines and promote robust anti-tumor immunity.

Microbial degraders play crucial roles in wastewater treatment processes, but their use is limited as most microbes are yet unculturable. Stable isotope probing (SIP) is a cultivation-independent technique identifying functional-yet-uncultivable microbes in ambient environment, but is unsatisfactory for substrates with low assimilation rate owing to the low isotope incorporation into DNA. In this study, we used acetonitrile as the target low-assimilation chemical in many wastewater treatment plants and attempted to identify the active acetonitrile degraders in the activated sludge, via DNA-SIP and magnetic-nanoparticle mediated isolation (MMI) which is another cultivation-independent approach without the requirement of substrate labeling. The two approaches identified different active acetonitrile degraders in a 3-day short-term anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX). MMI enriched significantly more acetonitrile-degraders than SIP, showing the advantages in identifying the active degraders for low-assimilation substrates. Sequencing batch reactor (SBR, 30-day degradation) helped in more incorporation of 15 N-labeled acetonitrile into the active degraders, thus the same acetonitrile-degraders and acetonitrile-degrading genes were identified by SIP and MMI. Different acetonitrile degraders between ANAMMOX and SBR were attributed to the distinct hydrological conditions. Our study for the first time explored the succession of acetonitrile-degraders in wastewater and identified the active acetonitrile-degraders which could be further enriched for enhancing acetonitrile degradation performance. These findings provide new insights into the acetonitrile metabolic process in wastewater treatment plants and offer suggestive conclusions for selecting appropriate treatment strategy in wastewater management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) has great potential to revolutionize biomedical research and disease therapy. The specific and efficient genome editing strongly depends on high efficiency of delivery of the CRISPR payloads. However, optimization of CRISPR delivery vehicles still remains a major obstacle. Recently, various non-viral vectors have been utilized to deliver CRISPR tools. Many of these vectors have multi-layer structures assembled. In this review, we will introduce the development of CRISPR-Cas9 systems and their general therapeutic applications by summarizing current CRISPR-Cas9 based clinical trials. We will highlight the multi-layer nanoparticles (NPs) that have been developed to deliver CRISPR cargos in vitro and in vivo for various purposes, as well the potential building blocks of multi-layer NPs. We will also discuss the challenges in making the CRISPR tools into viable pharmaceutical products and provide potential solutions on efficiency and biosafety issues., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

In recent years, nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials have attracted a great deal of attention due to their unique and potentially useful features. In this review, several representative types of nanocellulose and modification methods for antimicrobial applications are mainly focused on. Recent literature related with the preparation and applications of nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials is reviewed. The fabrication of nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials for wound dressings, drug carriers, and packaging materials is the focus of the research. The most important additives employed in the preparation of nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials are presented, such as antibiotics, metal, and metal oxide nanoparticles, as well as chitosan. These nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials can benefit many applications including wound dressings, drug carriers, and packaging materials. Finally, the challenges of industrial production and potentials for development of nanocellulose-based antimicrobial materials are discussed., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The biosynthesis of nanoparticles in bioreactors using microbial, plant, or animal cells is at the forefront of nanotechnology. We demonstrated for the first time that luminescent, water-soluble ZnO nanocrystals (bio-ZnO NCs) can be spontaneously biosynthesized in the mammalian blood circulation, not in cells, when animals were fed with Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 aqueous solution. Serum albumin, rather than metallothioneins or glutathione, proved to play the pivotal role in biosynthesis. The bio-ZnO NCs were gradually taken up in the liver and degraded and excreted in the urine. Thus, we propose that in mammals such as rodents, bovinae, and humans, excess metal ions absorbed into the cardiovascular system via the intestine can be transformed into nanoparticles by binding to serum albumin, forming a "provisional metal-pool", to reduce the toxicity of free metal ions at high concentration and regulate metal homeostasis in the body. Furthermore, the bio-ZnO NCs, which showed favorable biocompatibility, were functionalized with the anticancer drug daunorubicin and effectively achieved controlled drug release mediated by intracellular glutathione in tumor xenograft mice.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) participate in vessel recovery and maintenance of normal endothelial function. Therefore, pitavastatin-nanoparticles (NPs)-engineered EPC may be effective in repairing injured vasculature. Pitavastatin-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) NPs were obtained via ultrasonic emulsion solvent evaporation with PLGA as the carrier encapsulating pitavastatin. The effects and mechanism of pitavastatin-NPs on EPC proliferation in vitro were evaluated. Then, EPC that internalized pitavastatin-NPs were transplanted into rats after carotid artery injury. EPC homing, re-endothelialization, and neointima were evaluated by fluorescence labeling, evans Blue and hematoxylin/eosin (H&E) staining. Pitavastatin-NPs significantly improved EPC proliferation compared with control and pitavastatin group. Those effects were blocked by pretreatment with the pharmacological phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) blockers LY294002. After carotid artery injury, more transplanted EPC were detected in target zone in Pitavastatin-NPs group than pitavastatin and control group. Re-endothelialization was promoted and intimal hyperplasia was inhibited as well. Thus, pitavastatin-NPs promote EPC proliferation via PI3K signaling and accelerate recovery of injured carotid artery.

Because they generate excellent images, nanoparticles (NPs), especially biosynthesized NPs, provide a new solution for tumor imaging. In this research, we unveil a novel type of biosynthesized NPs featuring multicolor fluorescence. These NPs exhibit little cytotoxicity to cells. The explored NPs, designated Zn-ZFP-GST NPs (Zinc NPs in abbreviation), are generated from leukemia cells treated with a Zn 2+ solution, while zinc-finger protein and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were also identified in the Zinc NPs. Under near-UV illumination, the Zinc NPs simultaneously emit green, yellow, and red fluorescence. In addition, the intensity of the fluorescence increases with the existence of sulfides. Besides, the NPs are encapsulated by microvesicles (MVs) shed from the plasma membrane. As observed in whole-body research of nude mice, the NP-MVs migrate via blood circulation and are distinguished by their fluorescent signals. Furthermore, the folic acid (FA) &AVR2 (human VEGF antibody)-coated NP-MVs are exploited to target the tumor location, and the feasibility of this approach has been confirmed empirically. The Zinc NPs shed light on an alternative solution to tumor detection.

Herein, we present a freestanding and flexible 3D nanocomposite made of polyhedral spherical FeCoS2 and nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanofibers (FeCoS2@N-HCNFs) that is synthesized through coaxial electrospinning, high-temperature calcination, and a facile solvothermal process. As a binder-free anode composite for potassium-ion batteries (PIBs), FeCoS2@N-HCNF presents a high specific discharge capacity on the first lap (701.2 mA h g−1 at 100 mA g−1) and superior cycling stability (132.6 mA h g−1 at 3200 mA g−1 after 600 cycles). The impressive electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the unique 3D structure, such as the enormous specific surface area of the mesoporous structure beneficial for K+ transfer, the three-dimensional hollow carbon nanofiber scaffold enhances the structural stability, and polyhedral spherical FeCoS2 improves the overall specific capacity. According to the above description, the FeCoS2@N-HCNF anode is a promising candidate for advanced potassium-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discovered two antibacterial bimetallic nanoparticles (AuRh and AuRu NPs), that possess antibacterial activities against multi-drug resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria and can cure wound infections. None of the nanoparticles comprising just one of these metals elements shows any antibiotic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An energetic micro-initiator through integrating Al/Ni nano-multilayers with Cu film bridge was investigated in this study. The Cu film bridge was initially fabricated with wet etching, and Al/Ni nano-multilayers were alternately deposited on the surface of Cu film bridge by magnetron sputtering. The periodic layer structure of Al/Ni nano-multilayers was verified by scanning electron microscopy. The exothermic reaction in Al/Ni nano-multilayers can be initiated with onset reaction temperature as low as 503 K, and the total reaction heat is about 774.6 J/g. This energetic micro-initiator exhibited improved performances with lower threshold voltage, smaller initiation energy, and higher explosion temperature compared with Cu film bridge. An extra violent explosion phenomenon with longer duration time and larger quantities of ejected product particles was detected on this energetic micro-initiator by high-speed camera. Overall, the electric explosion performances of Cu film bridge can be improved evidently with the integration of Al/Ni nano-multilayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing the electronic structure of an electrocatalyst has been supposed to a valid approach to facilitate the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. Herein, a core–shell architecture comprising a Pt nanoparticle (NP) encapsulated into single-atomic Co species anchored on nickel iron double layered hydroxide substrate (PtCo–NiFe LDH) was established. The PtCo–NiFe LDH catalyst displays the remarkable electrocatalytic HER performance (29 mV@10 mA cm−2), better than the NiFe LDH (183 mV@10 mA cm−2) and commercial Pt/C (30 mV@10 mA cm−2). In addition, it also possesses excellent stability for up to 25 h, and the morphology and structure have hardly undergone any significant changes. It is supposed that the efficient electronic relation between Pt NP and atomically-distributed Co site on NiFe LDH could give rise to plentiful active sites and enhanced conductivity, and thus raise excellent catalytic properties. This work would improve the design and construction of efficient electrocatalysts for a sustainable green energy system.The acquired PtCo-NiFe LDH has been successfully prepared and used as HER electrocatalystGraphical Abstract: Optimizing the electronic structure of an electrocatalyst has been supposed to a valid approach to facilitate the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. Herein, a core–shell architecture comprising a Pt nanoparticle (NP) encapsulated into single-atomic Co species anchored on nickel iron double layered hydroxide substrate (PtCo–NiFe LDH) was established. The PtCo–NiFe LDH catalyst displays the remarkable electrocatalytic HER performance (29 mV@10 mA cm−2), better than the NiFe LDH (183 mV@10 mA cm−2) and commercial Pt/C (30 mV@10 mA cm−2). In addition, it also possesses excellent stability for up to 25 h, and the morphology and structure have hardly undergone any significant changes. It is supposed that the efficient electronic relation between Pt NP and atomically-distributed Co site on NiFe LDH could give rise to plentiful active sites and enhanced conductivity, and thus raise excellent catalytic properties. This work would improve the design and construction of efficient electrocatalysts for a sustainable green energy system.The acquired PtCo-NiFe LDH has been successfully prepared and used as HER electrocatalyst [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we have developed a new cost-effective counter-electrode based on the Bi 2 S 3 /carbon nanofibers (Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs), which synthesized by combining the advantages of electrospinning technology and hydrothermal method. And by adjusting the concentration of Bi 2 S 3 , the Bi 2 S 3 nanoparticles were densely grown on the surface of carbon nanofibers without agglomeration. The dye-sensitized solar cells fabricated using Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs nanocomposite as counter electrode exhibit an overall power conversion efficiency of 7.64 % measured at 100 mWcm–2 illumination (AM 1.5 G), which is significantly higher than that of the most commonly used but expensive Pt counterpart (7.12 %). • Electrospun and hydrothermal techniques were used to synthesize the Bi 2 S 3 /carbon nanofibers (Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs). • A novel composite of Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs was first synthesized and used as counter electrode for DSSCs. • The DSSCs based on Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs CE achieved a PCE of 7.64%, which is significantly higher than Pt CE (7.12%). Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) counter electrode (CE) is needed to have both good electrical conductivity and high catalytic activity, and composite materials are better meet these two requirements. In this work, Bi 2 S 3 /carbon nanofiber (CNFs) composites are synthesized by simple electrospinning and hydrothermal methods, and after optimization of the content of Bi 2 S 3 , the large amount Bi 2 S 3 nanoparticles are grown densely on CNFs without agglomeration. Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs composites are first introduced into DSSCs as CE. The optimized Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs composites are of great electrochemical performance and obtain a photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.64 %, which is better than common used Pt CE (7.12 %). Thus Bi 2 S 3 /CNFs CE has great prospects based on low cost and simple fabrication process to develop Pt-free CEs which could accelerate the large-scale application of DSSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive and flexible hydrogen sensor based on organic nanofibers decorated by Pd nanoparticles (NPs) was designed and fabricated for low-concentration hydrogen detection. Pd NPs were deposited on organic nanofiber materials by DC magnetron sputtering. The temperature dependence of the sensitivity at 25 ppm H2 was characterized and discussed, and the maximum response of the sensor increased linearly with increasing measurement temperature. Performances of the hydrogen sensor were investigated with hydrogen concentration ranging from 5 ppm to 50 ppm. This sensor exhibits high sensitivity, with the response up to 6.55% for H2 as low as 5 ppm, and the output response of the hydrogen sensor increased linearly with the square root of hydrogen concentration. A cycling test between pure nitrogen and 25 ppm hydrogen concentration was performed, and the hydrogen sensor exhibited excellent consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical mixing of monofunctional noble metal catalysts, such as Pt/C or Ru/IrO 2 , increases the commercial cost and stability risk of electrodes. Therefore, it is desirable to develop a multifunctional electrocatalyst for zinc-air batteries and integrated electrolytic devices. To develop an effective way to fabricate high-performance multifunctional electrocatalysts by modifying advanced nanostructures, a coaxial electrospinning approach with in-situ synthesis and subsequent carbonization was used to construct a highly integrated three-function catalyst composed of graphitic carbon-encapsulated cobalt nanoparticles embedded into one-dimensional (1D) porous hollow carbon nanofibers (CoNC-HCNFs). Under the synergistic effect of the active material and the advanced nanostructure, the as-prepared CoNC-HCNFs demonstrated an operating overpotential of 186 mV (10 mA cm−2) for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a half-wave potential of 0.83 V (vs. RHE at 10 mA cm−2) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and a potential of 1.58 V (10 mA cm−2) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). With their exceptional multifunctional activities, two CoNC–HCNF-based aqueous zinc-air batteries (ZABs) in series could drive an alkaline water electrolyzer for splitting water. Furthermore, due to the superior mechanical flexibility and rechargeability of the solid-state ZAB, it has great application prospects in powering portable and wearable electronics. This research is expected to offer inspiration for the development of other excellent MOF-based hollow carbon nanofibers and to enable them to be adopted more widely in electrochemical energy conversion and energy storage. [Display omitted] • Porous hollow carbon nanofibers embedded with Co nanoparticles were fabricated. • The hollow structure was prepared via coaxial electrospinning and hydrolyzation. • The CoNC-HCNFs catalysts exhibit the multifunctional activity of ORR, OER and HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel H 2 sensor based on Pd nanoparticles loaded on oxidized Ni foam is fabricated. • Ppb-level H 2 can be stably detected by the sensor activated by 4 % H 2 treatment. • The activated mechanism of the sensor is proposed firstly and analyzed innovatively. • H 2 with a large concentration range (7 ppb-2 %) can be detected by the sensor at 30 °C. • It has high cycling stability, humidity stability and selectivity, and is suitable for RT. A novel hydrogen sensor with ppb-level detection limit was fabricated in this work. The oxidized Ni foam was chosen as the substrate, whose 3D porous structure contributed to gas circulation, and insulating NiO nanowrinkles provided a large specific surface area. Pd nanoparticles as hydrogen sensing material were loaded on it by magnetron sputtering. Unprecedentedly, the incompletely reversible lattice distortion caused by the generation of Pd-H β-phase was applied to activate the hydrogen sensor, which significantly improved the response to low concentration H 2. The activation mechanism was proposed firstly and analyzed innovatively. Therefore, hydrogen with a large concentration range (7 ppb ∼ 2 %) can be detected by the prepared sensor, and the response changes regularly as H 2 concentration changes. The optimum temperature of the sensor is 30 °C, and it exhibits high cycling stability, humidity stability and gas selectivity. This work provides a brand new strategy for the development of low detection limit hydrogen sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A three-dimensional hierarchical catalyst (Co/CoFe NAs@NCNFs) was fabricated. • Co/CoFe NAs@NCNFs exhibited excellent catalytic activity for ORR, OER and HER. • The catalyst was used as a cathode catalyst for MFC and to drive water splitting. • The peak power density of the MFC can reach 2139.6 ± 43 mW m−2. Herein, a novel MOF-derived trifunctional electrocatalyst with a three-dimensional hierarchical structure of N -doped carbon nanofibers (NCNFs) compounded with vertically grown nanosheets loaded with Co and CoFe alloy nanoparticles is reported. It is found that Co/CoFe NAs@NCNFs has a good half-wave potential of 0.83 V for ORR, the overpotential of 290 mV and 103 mV for OER and HER, respectively. When Co/CoFe NAs@NCNFs catalyst is employed on the cathode of a microbial fuel cell (MFC), the peak power density of the MFC can reach 2139.6 ± 43 mW m−2, which is 1.56 times better than that of commercial Pt/C. Furthermore, the assembled MFCs can also successfully drive the water splitting. The above excellent performance is mainly due to the structure of the interwoven NCNF networks combined with nanosheets which greatly enhances the surface area and mass transfer capacity of the material, and the loaded nanoparticles are constructed into a large number of Fe-N x -C and Co-N x -C active sites, further increasing the catalytic performance of Co/CoFe NAs@NCNFs. This work could provide a novel approach to the regeneration and conversion of clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The 3D Co 9 S 8 @NPC composite is synthesized by simple template method and annealing. • The unique structure enhances the stability of the system for ions transmission. • The Co 9 S 8 @NPC electrode exhibits outstanding potassium storage performances. • Kinetic behaviors and insertion mechanism of K+ are investigated via DFT. In this work, we synthesized a three-dimensional porous nitrogen-doped carbon composite with a uniform dispersion of MOF-derived Co 9 S 8 nanoparticles (3D Co 9 S 8 @NPC) via a simple template method combining with in situ high temperature pyrolysis. As K-ion battery anode, the 3D Co 9 S 8 @NPC exhibits a high specific capacity of 315 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 after 200 cycles, as well as a capacity of 223 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 1000 cycles, which is superior to the performance of KIB metal sulfide-based anode materials reported previously. The excellent performance is attributed to more pore structure and active sites in 3D Co 9 S 8 @NPC, which reduce efficiently K+ diffusion length and accelerate the insertion/extraction of K+. The 3D N-doped carbon matrix also speeds up electron transport and buffers the volume expansion of Co 9 S 8. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that due to the small energy change of K ion on Co 9 S 8 surface, the 3D Co 9 S 8 @NPC electrode is expected to show ideal rate capability in the K-ion battery system. This work provides ideas to craft other 3D structure anodes towards high-performance metal-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crack-free samples were made from Nb nanoparticles modified Ni60 hard-facing alloy using laser metal deposition. Addition of Nb nanoparticles was carried out to modify the columnar dendrites and eutectic microstructures by providing large number of nucleation sites. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanoparticles addition on cracking susceptibility of Ni–Cr–B–Si alloy. The results show that with addition of Nb nanoparticles, the cracking susceptibility reduced significantly with acceptable hardness loss. Large hard phases were refined and the columnar dendrites were converted to equiaxed grains, leading to a separated eutectic microstructure which restrain the initiation and growth of cracks. The study demonstrated a new method to tackle the cracking problem of laser manufactured Ni–Cr–B–Si alloys, accelerating the adoption of Ni–Cr–B–Si alloys on additive manufacturing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of new readout methods with established analytical devices allows methodological innovations in analytical sciences. Herein, we present a new sensing platform by combining an ultrasensitive element analyzer, namely the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and a lateral flow strip (LFS). Ag x Au y bimetallic nanoparticles (Ag x Au y BNPs) are selected as the labels to deliver the optimal quantitative performance by analyzing the Ag (I) signal from the test (T) line of LFS. For prototypical application in pathogen detection, the LIBS-LFS sensor can achieve a detection limit of 1.6 cfu mL−1 of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) within 10 min, which is superior to conventional methods. Importantly, the signals of Ag x Au y BNPs for visual and LIBS analysis are stable and still readable after the detection is finished and the test strip is stored for up to 13 days, suggesting a potential for long-term data preservation. This combination of LIBS with LFS provides a new concept toward integrated nano/analytical devices that can benefit various application scenarios. • Quantitative performance of lateral flow strip (LFS) needs to be improved. • The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is applied to develop a LFS sensor. • LIBS is firstly applied to detect pathogen by in situ analyzing element label on LFS. • The sensor achieves a LOD of 1.6 cfu mL−1 of S. aureus within 10 min. • The LIBS signals are still readable after the detection is finished for 13 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]