Although graphene oxide (GO) has been reported to be able to be edge functionalized or basal-plane functionalized separately, no research has been done on comparing both the molecular structure and interfacial properties of them. In this study, an alkyl amine was grafted to the epoxy group on the basal planes of GO (b-GO) and carboxyl group at the edges of GO (e-GO) separately by using different synthetic approach. With the combination of various molecular structure and morphology characterization methodologies, we proved that the reaction site for e-GO was only with the carboxyl group at the edge of GO and that for b-GO was epoxy group on the basal plane of GO, indicating that GO could be controllably functionalized (fGOs), and the structure of fGOs could be tuned. Study of the interfacial behavior of fGOs at liquid−liquid interface showed that the interfacial tension reducing capability of e-GO was broader than that of b-GO, and for alkyl oil phase, b-GO was slightly better than e-GO, and both were better than traditional nonionic surfactant. Study of the interfacial behavior of fGOs at liquid−solid interface demonstrated that, after absorption, b-GO arranged vertically on the metal surface, forming dense, compact, and strong film, while e-GO aligned horizontally to form loosely assembled film, resulting in higher interfacial shear strength than that of b-GO. Our results indicate the possibilities for tuning the interfacial properties of GO at both liquid−liquid and liquid−solid interfaces, which may be promising in the potential applications in controlled drug delivery, surface protection, absorption and separation, lubrication, nanocomposite, and catalyst fields.

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Graphene oxide (GO) can be readily modified for particular applications due to the existence of abundant oxygen-containing functional groups. Graphene oxide-based materials (GOBMs), which are biocompatible and hydrophilic, have wide potential applications in biomedical engineering and biotechnology. In this review, the preparation and characterization of GO and its derivatives are discussed at first. Subsequently, the biocompatibility and tribological behavior of GOBMs are reviewed. Finally, the applications of GOBMs as lubricants in bio-tribological systems are discussed in detail.

Rapid and effective osseointegration, as a critical factor in affecting the success rate of titanium (Ti) implants in orthopedic applications, is significantly affected by their surface microstructure and chemical composition. In this work, surface microgrooved Ti–6Al–4V alloys with graphene oxide coating (Ti–G–GO) were fabricated by a combination of laser processing and chemical assembly techniques. The osteogenic capability in vitro and new bone formation in vivo of the implants were systematically investigated, and biomechanical pull-out tests of the screws were also performed. First, in vitro studies indicated that the optimal microgroove width of the titanium alloy surface was 45 μm (Ti–G), and the optimum GO concentration was 1 mg/mL. Furthermore, the effects of the surface microstructure and GO coating on the in vitro bioactivity were investigated through culturing bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on the surface of titanium alloy plates. The results showed that the BMSCs cultured on the Ti–G–GO group exhibited the best adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, compared with that on the Ti–G and Ti groups. Micro-computed tomography evaluation, histological analysis, and pull-out testing demonstrated that both Ti–G and Ti–G–GO implants had the higher osseointegration than the untreated Ti implant. Moreover, the osteogenic capability of the Ti–G–GO group appeared to be superior to that of the Ti–G group, which could be attributed to the improvement of surface wettability and apatite formation by the GO coatings. These results suggest that the combination of the microgroove structure and GO coatings exhibits considerable potential for enhancing the surface bioactivation of materials, and the combination modification is expected to be used on engineered titanium alloy surfaces to enhance osseointegration for orthopedic applications.

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Upon evaporation, ZnO nanorods in a nanofluid droplet undergo rapid and spontaneous chemical and morphological transformation into centimetre-long Zn(OH)2 fibres, via a mechanism very different from that for coffee rings. We show that the detailed nanostructure and micromorphology in the residual thin film depend intricately on the ambient moisture, nanofluid solvent composition and substrate surface chemistry. Upon thermal annealing, these Zn(OH)2 fibres readily undergo further chemical and morphological transformation, forming nanoporous fibres with the pore size tuneable by temperature. Our results point to a simple route for generating a self-assembled 3D structure with ultralong and nanoporous ZnO/Zn(OH)2 fibres/belts, and may also be of interest to the fields of evaporation controlled dynamic self-assembly, non-equilibrium crystallisation, and flow and fingering instabilities in nanofluids.

The osteogenic capacity of synthetic bone substitutes is will be highly stimulated by a well-established functional vascularized network. Cobalt (Co) ions are known that can generate a hypoxia-like response and stimulates the production of kinds of angiogenic factors. Herein, we investigated the mechanism of cobalt-doped bioactive borosilicate (36B 2 O 3 , 22CaO, 18SiO 2 , 8MgO, 8K 2 O, 6Na 2 O, 2P 2 O 5 ; mol%) glass scaffolds for bone tissues repairing and blood vessel formation in the critical-sized cranial defect site of rats and their effects on the hBMSCs in vitro were researched. The scaffolds can control release Co 2+ ions and convert into hydroxyapatite soaking in simulative body fluids (SBF). The fabircated scaffolds without cytotoxic strongly improves HIF-1α generation, VEGF protein secretion, ALP activity and upregulates the expression of osteoblast and angiogenic relative genes in hBMSCs. Eight weeks after implantation, the bioactive glass scaffolds with 3wt % CoO remarkablely enhance bone regeneration and blood vascularized network at the defective site. In conclusion, as a graft material for bone defects, low-oxygen simulated cobalt-doped bioactive glass scaffold is promising.

Endothelial dysfunction initiates and exacerbates hypertension, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular complications in diabetic mellitus. FGF21 is a hormone that mediates a number of beneficial effects relevant to metabolic disorders and their associated complications. Nevertheless, it remains unclear as to whether FGF21 ameliorates endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, we investigated the effect of FGF21 on endothelial function in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We found that FGF21 reduced hyperglycemia and ameliorated insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic mice, an effect that was totally lost in type 1 diabetic mice. However, FGF21 activated AMPKα, suppressing oxidative stress and enhancing endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation of aorta in both types, suggesting a mechanism that is independent of its glucose-lowering and insulin-sensitizing effects. In vitro, we identified a direct action of FGF21 on endothelial cells of the aorta, in which it bounds to FGF receptors to alleviate impaired endothelial function challenged with high glucose. Furthermore, the CaMKK2-AMPKα signaling pathway was activated to suppress oxidative stress. Apart from its anti-oxidative capacity, FGF21 activated eNOS to dilate the aorta via CaMKK2/AMPKα activation. Our data suggest expanded potential uses of FGF21 for the treatment of vascular diseases in diabetes.