Graphene–MWCNT/ABS nanocomposites have been prepared using a solvent-free dry tumble mixing process followed by hot compaction.

SE of MWCNT/ABS compare to MWCNT/PS and Gr/ABS as a function of σdc.

In December 2019, a new disease with pneumonia-like symptoms was spreading throughout Wuhan in China which was entitled as novel coronavirus disease or COVID -19 caused by the virus SARS CoV-2. Within a span of a few days, this disease became a global threat and was termed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, since then the disease has affected more than 1.5 crore people worldwide and around 6.9 lakh people in India as of July 5, 2020. The origin of the COVID-19 disease has been traced back to the bats, but the intermediary contact is unknown. The disease spreads by respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces. In most cases, the virus shows mild symptoms like fever, fatigue, dyspnea, cough, etc. which may become severe if appropriate precautions are not adhered to. For people with comorbidities (usually elderly) the disease may turn deadly and cause pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Disease Syndrome (ARDS), and multi-organ failure, thereby affecting a person's ability to breathe leading to being put on the ventilator support. The reproduction number (Rℴ) of COVID-19 is much higher than its predecessors and genetically similar diseases like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. This paper discusses the epidemiological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its phylogenetic relationship with the previous pandemic causing viruses such as SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV and analyzes the various responses to this global pandemic worldwide, focusing on the actions taken by India and their outcomes.

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are promising building blocks for biomedical devices, attributable to their excellent hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, and dynamic responsiveness to temperature, light, pH, and water content. Although hydrogels find interesting applications...

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Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to public health and food security. Attributable to the heightening occurrence and proliferation of antibiotic‐resistant pathogenic microorganisms, the development of antimicrobial packaging has emerged as a promising technology. Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), a water‐soluble synthetic polymer is contemplated as a promising biocompatible, biodegradable, and low cytotoxic material for various medical, industrial, and commercial applications. To stretch its applications, the polymer material was doped with graphene oxide (GO) decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag). In this study, an eco‐friendly, facile, one‐step chemical reduction route was employed for the synthesis of nanocomposites by an Ag nanoparticle anchored on GO nanoparticle. The polymer nanocomposite thin film was prepared by solution casting technique. Homogeneity of dispersion and surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscope investigation. The inclusion of GO‐Ag nanocomposite in the polymer matrix increases the roughness of the film confirmed by atomic force microscopy analysis. The increment in properties was attributable to excellent H bonding between PVA and GO wherein molecules are strongly intercalated with each other. The tensile strength, as well as thermal stability of the PVA/GO/Ag thin films, was significantly enhanced on the incorporation of GO/Ag nanoparticles confirmed by TGA analysis. PVA/GO/Ag nanocomposites exhibited effective antibacterial activity against gram‐positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia coli. In contrast, no inhibition around pristine PVA was observed. The prepared films proffered an effective antibacterial activity against contagious microorganisms that qualify them for food packaging and different biomedical applications.

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