In real life applications, supercapacitors (SCs) often can only be used as part of a hybrid system together with other high energy storage devices due to their relatively lower energy density in comparison to other types of energy storage devices such as batteries and fuel cells. Increasing the energy density of SCs will have a huge impact on the development of future energy storage devices by broadening the area of application for SCs. Here, we report a simple and scalable way of preparing a three-dimensional (3D) sub-5 nm hydrous ruthenium oxide (RuO2) anchored graphene and CNT hybrid foam (RGM) architecture for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes. This RGM architecture demonstrates a novel graphene foam conformally covered with hybrid networks of RuO2 nanoparticles and anchored CNTs. SCs based on RGM show superior gravimetric and per-area capacitive performance (specific capacitance: 502.78 F g−1, areal capacitance: 1.11 F cm−2) which leads to an exceptionally high energy density of 39.28 Wh kg−1 and power density of 128.01 kW kg−1. The electrochemical stability, excellent capacitive performance, and the ease of preparation suggest this RGM system is promising for future energy storage applications.

Innovation in the last decade has endowed nanotechnology with an assortment of tools for delivery, imaging, and sensing in cancer research-stealthy nanoparticle vectors circulating in vivo, assembled with exquisite molecular control, capable of selective tumor targeting and potent delivery of therapeutics; intense and photostable quantum dot-based tumor imaging, enabling multicolor detection of cell receptors with a single optical excitation source; arrays of semiconducting nanowire and carbon nanotube sensor elements for selective multiplexed sensing of cancer markers without the need for probe labeling. These rapidly emerging tools are indicative of a burgeoning field ready to expand into medical applications. This review attempts to outline most of the current nanoparticle toolset for therapeutic release by liposomes, dendrimers, smart polymers, and virus-based systems. Advantages of nanoparticle-based imaging and targeting by use of nanoshells and quantum dots are also explored. Finally, emerging nanoelectronics-based sensing and a global discussion on the utility of each nanoparticle system addresses their fundamental advantages and shortcomings in cancer research.

We demonstrate the use of surface Zeta potential measurements as a new tool to investigate the interactions of iron oxide nanoparticles and cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) nanoparticles with human normal breast epithelial cells (MCF10A) and cancer breast epithelial cells (MCF7) respectively. A substantial understanding in the interaction of nanoparticles with normal and cancer cells in vitro will enable the capabilities of improving diagnostic and treatment methods in cancer research, such as imaging and targeted drug delivery. A theoretical Zeta potential model is first established to show the effects of binding process and internalization process during the nanoparticle uptake by cells and the possible trends of Zeta potential change is predicted for different cell endocytosis capacities. The corresponding changes of total surface charge of cells in the form of Zeta potential measurements were then reported after incubated respectively with iron oxide nanoparticles and CPMV nanoparticles. As observed, after MCF7 and MCF10A cells were incubated respectively with two types of nanoparticles, the significant differences in their surface charge change indicate the potential role of Zeta potential as a valuable biological signature in studying the cellular Biomed Microdevices

We report the controlled synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotube−quantum dot (CNT-QD) heterojunctions using the ethylene carbodiimide coupling procedure (EDC). Thiol-stabilized ZnS-capped CdSe quantum dots containing amine terminal groups (QD−NH 2 ) were conjugated with acid-treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) ranging from 400 nm to 4 µm in length. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the conjugation process.The unique electrical, mechanical, and chemical properties of carbon nanotubes have made them intensively studied materials in the field of nanotechnology. [1][2][3][4] A number of device applications of these nanoscale materials have been envisioned. [5][6][7][8][9][10] Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) 11 and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) 12,13 under special conditions have been shown to possess ballistic conduction behavior, which makes them attractive candidates for field-emission devices. 14 SWCNTs indicate either metallic or semiconductor behavior depending on their chirality 15 and radial dimension. 16,17 Although the electronic properties of MWCNTs 18-20 are less well known, they have been shown to exhibit either metallic 19 or semiconducting properties 20 depending on their outermost shell. The intershell interactions in an MWCNT are weak; therefore, electrical transport is confined to the outermost shell. 17 It has been shown recently that it is possible to manipulate the electrical properties of an MWCNT by using current-induced oxidation to break down systematically the outermost shells layer by layer. 21 This opens up the possibility of selecting the tube with the desired electrical property. In addition, doping 8 and the introduction of defects 20 or distortion 22 into the CNTs have also been utilized for manipulating their energy-band structure. The versatile electrical properties of CNTs make them promising candidates for nanoscale electronic devices, 12,14,23,24 especially transistors. 25,26 In most of the previous work on CNT-based nanoscale transistors, control over the electrical

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Herein, SiO2 nanotubes have been fabricated via a facile two step hard-template growth method and evaluated as an anode for Li-ion batteries. SiO2 nanotubes exhibit a highly stable reversible capacity of 1266 mAhg−1 after 100 cycles with negligible capacity fading. SiO2 NT anodes experience a capacity increase throughout the first 80 cycles through Si phase growth via SiO2 reduction. The hollow morphology of the SiO2 nanotubes accommodates the large volume expansion experienced by Si-based anodes during lithiation and promotes preservation of the solid electrolyte interphase layer. The thin walls of the SiO2 nanotubes allow for effective reduction in Li-ion diffusion path distance and, thus, afford a favorable rate cyclability. The high aspect ratio character of these nanotubes allow for a relatively scalable fabrication method of nanoscale SiO2-based anodes.

Herein, porous nano-silicon has been synthesized via a highly scalable heat scavenger-assisted magnesiothermic reduction of beach sand. This environmentally benign, highly abundant, and low cost SiO2 source allows for production of nano-silicon at the industry level with excellent electrochemical performance as an anode material for Li-ion batteries. The addition of NaCl, as an effective heat scavenger for the highly exothermic magnesium reduction process, promotes the formation of an interconnected 3D network of nano-silicon with a thickness of 8-10 nm. Carbon coated nano-silicon electrodes achieve remarkable electrochemical performance with a capacity of 1024 mAhg−1 at 2 Ag−1 after 1000 cycles.

Since their discovery, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been considered to be promising candidates for polymer-based solar cells, but their functional incorporation and utilization in such devices have been limited due to processing bottlenecks. Here, we demonstrate the realization of controlled placement of a single-walled CNT (SWNT) monolayer network at four different positions in polymer-fullerene bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. SWNTs were deposited by dip-coating from a hydrophilic suspension, and a very brief, largely nondestructive argon plasma treatment of the active layer was utilized for incorporation of a SWNT layer within or above it. We demonstrate that SWNTs on the hole-collection side of the active layer lead to an increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the photovoltaic devices from 4 to 4.9% (under AM 1.5 G, 1.3 suns illumination). This is the highest reported PCE for polymer-based solar cells incorporating CNTs, upon consideration of expected scaling of device parameters for 1 sun illumination. We also observe that SWNTs deposited on the top of the active layer lead to major electro-optical changes in the device functionality, including an increased fluorescence lifetime of poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT).