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In this work, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were obtained from flax fibers by an acid hydrolysis assisted by sonochemistry in order to reduce reaction times. The cavitation inducted during hydrolysis resulted in CNC with uniform shapes, and thus further pretreatments into the cellulose are not required. The obtained CNC exhibited a homogeneous morphology and high crystallinity, as well as typical values for surface charge. Additionally, CNC membranes were developed from CNC solution to evaluation as a drug delivery system by the incorporation of a model drug. The drug delivery studies were carried out using chlorhexidine (CHX) as a drug and the antimicrobial efficiency of the CNC membrane loaded with CHX was examined against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (S. Aureus). The release of CHX from the CNC membranes is determined by UV-Vis. The obtaining methodology of the membranes proved to be simple, and these early studies showed a potential use in antibiotic drug delivery systems due to the release kinetics and the satisfactory antimicrobial activity.

Tissue engineering aims to regenerate and restore damaged human organs and tissues using scaffolds that can mimic the native tissues. The requirement for modern and efficient biomaterials that are capable of accelerating the healing process has been considerably increased. In this work, a novel electrospun poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanoporous membrane incorporated with niobium pentoxide nanoparticles (Nb2O5) for biomaterial applications was developed. Nb2O5 nanoparticles were obtained by microwave‐assisted hydrothermal synthesis, and different concentrations (0, 1, 3, and 5% wt/wt) were tested. Chemical, morphological, mechanical, and biological properties of membranes were evaluated. Cell viability results demonstrated that the membranes presented nontoxic effects. The incorporation of Nb2O5 improved cell proliferation without impairing the wettability, porosity, and mechanical properties of membranes. Membranes containing Nb2O5 nanoparticles presented biocompatible properties with suitable porosity, which facilitated cell attachment and proliferation while allowing diffusion of oxygen and nutrients. This study has demonstrated that Nb2O5 nanoparticle‐loaded electrospun PLA nanoporous membranes are potential candidates for drug delivery and wound dressing applications.

Silver-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (Ag-rGO) nanosheets were prepared by single chemical and thermal processes, with very low concentration of silver. The resulting carbon framework consists of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets or 3D networks, decorated with anchored silver nanoparticles. The Ag-rGO nanosheets were dispersed into a polymer matrix and the composites evaluated for use as biological scaffolds. The rGO material in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) has been tested for antimicrobial activity against Gram-positiveStaphylococcus aureus(S. Aureus) bacteria, after exposure times of 24 and 120 hours, as well as in the determination of cell viability on cultures of fibroblast cells (NIH/3T3). Using 1 mL of Ag-rGO in PDMS the antibacterial effectiveness againstStaphylococcus aureuswas limited, showing an increased amount of Colony Forming Units (CFU), after 24 hours of contact. In the cell viability assay, after 48 hours of contact, the group of 1 mL of Ag-rGO with PDMS was the only group that increased cell viability when compared to the control group. In this context, it is believed these behaviors are due to the increase in cell adhesion capacity promoted by the rGO. Thus, the Ag-rGO/PDMS hybrid nanocomposite films can be used as scaffolds for tissue engineering, as they limit antimicrobial activity.

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The nano/microstructures with highly porous surface area have attracted tremendous attention, particularly the synthesis and tailoring of porous and hollow materials of high performance. In this paper, an easy method of cost-effective synthesis of hollow ceramic fiber membranes based on Hydroxyapatite, TiO 2 and ZrO 2 stabilized with Yttrium, is proposed by a single chemical route (polymeric precursor method) and a bio-template route (easy to degrade in thermal conditions). This article reports also the ZrTiO 4 nanowires synthesis on a silicon (100) wafer in a single step deposition/ thermal treatment. Template-directed membrane synthesis strategy was associated to the polymeric precursor route and spin-coating deposition technique. In this method, ZrTiO 4 nanowire ceramic were synthesized by spin-coating thermal treatment technique using polycarbonate membrane as a template. According to the results, after heat-treatment by the template removal, the ZrTiO 4 nanowire consists of uniformly deposited crystalline and porous nanoparticles that exhibited a higher surface area and a higher porosity. The polycrystalline nanowires were obtained at by thermal treatment with diameter in the range of 60-100 nm. Photoluminescence spectra were collected for fiber at room temperature. These characterizations demonstrate the morphology of structures formed, showing its hollow and porous conformation, suitable applications to advanced reinforced or device component material.

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