"Template synthesized" silica nanotubes (SNTs) provide unique features such as end functionalization to control drug release, inner voids for loading biomolecules, and distinctive inner and outer surfaces that can be differentially functionalized for targeting and biocompatibility. Very limited information is available about their biological interactions. This work evaluates the influence of size and surface charge of SNTs on cellular toxicity and uptake. Results additionally indicate endocytosis to be one possible mechanism of internalization of SNTs.
Utilizing
and reducing carbon dioxide is a key target in the fight
against global warming. The photocatalytic performance of bulk graphitic
carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is usually limited by
its low surface area and rapid charge carrier recombination. To develop
g-C3N4 more suitable for photocatalysis, researchers
have to enlarge its surface area and accelerate the charge carrier
separation. In this work, novel hybrid graphitic carbon nitride and
carbon (H-g-C3N4/C) composites
with various carbon contents have been developed for the first time
by a facile one-step pyrolysis method using melamine and natural soybean
oil as precursors. The effect of carbon content on the structure of
H-g-C3N4/C composites and the
catalytic activity for the photoreduction of CO2 with H2O were investigated. The results indicated that the introduction
of carbon component can effectively improve the textural properties
and electronic conductivity of the composites, which exhibited imporved
photocatalytic activity for the reduction of CO2 with H2O in comparison with bulk g-C3N4. The
highest CO and CH4 yield of 22.60 μmol/g-cat. and
12.5 μmol/g-cat., respectively, were acquired on the H-g-C3N4/C-6 catalyst with the carbon
content of 3.77 wt % under 9 h simulated solar irradiation, which
were more than twice as high as that of bulk g-C3N4. The remarkably increased photocatalytic performance arises
from the synergistic effect of hybrid carbon and g-C3N4.
The integration of SPIONs with SNTs imparts the superparamagnetic characteristics of SPIONs onto the SNTs, creating unique magnetic nanoparticles with multifunctionality. The MNTs showed promising results as a MRI contrast agent with high NMR relaxivities, little cytotoxicity and high cell-labeling efficiency.
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