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Nucleation kinetics of liquid antisolvent precipitation of a poorly water soluble drug curcumin in presence of ultrasound and surfactants have been estimated. Ultrasound and stabilizers were found to have opposing effects on induction time (τ ind), metastable zone width (MSZW) and nucleation rates (J) of curcumin during antisolvent precipitation. The use of ultrasound (in presence or absence of stabilizers) was found to decrease τ ind and MSZW drastically while the values of nucleation rates were found to increase. In contrast to these observations, use of stabilizers (in presence or absence of ultrasound) were found to increase MSZW, increase τ ind and lower the nucleation rates (J) of curcumin. The solid-liquid interfacial energies (γSL) for curcumin in aqueous ethanolic solutions (with and without stabilizers) have also been calculated using experimentally estimated induction time (τ ind) and supersaturation data. The values of solid-liquid interfacial energies were found to be in the range of 1.5-3.5 mJ/m(2). In comparison to these values, the values of γSL predicted by Mersmann equation and equation proposed by Bennema and Sohnel were found to be significantly higher and were in the range of 10-30 mJ/m(2).

In the past decade, there has been phenomenal progress in the field of nanomaterials, especially in the area of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this review, we have elucidated a contemporary synopsis of properties, synthesis, functionalization, toxicity, and several potential biomedical applications of CNTs. Researchers have reported remarkable mechanical, electronic, and physical properties of CNTs which makes their applications so versatile. Functionalization of CNTs has been valuable in modifying their properties, expanding their applications, and reducing their toxicity. In recent years, the use of CNTs in biomedical applications has grown exponentially as they are utilized in the field of drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensors, bioimaging, and cancer treatment. CNTs can increase the lifespan of drugs in humans and facilitate their delivery directly to the targeted cells; they are also highly efficient biocompatible biosensors and bioimaging agents. CNTs have also shown great results in detecting the SARS COVID-19 virus and in the field of cancer treatment and tissue engineering which is substantially required looking at the present conditions. The concerns about CNTs include cytotoxicity faced in in vivo biomedical applications and its high manufacturing cost are discussed in the review. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42823-022-00364-4.

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