The NN Group, key in two new papers
NN Group researchers Dr. Anna Roig, Dr. Deyaa Abol-Fotouh and Dr. Pablo Guardia published two new papers during the last month. Those publications have been achieved in close collaboration with different international institutions, extending the impact of the research done at the ICMAB-CSIC‘s Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites Group.
Dr. Deyaa Abol-Fotouh, from the Egyptian institution Advanced Technology and New Materials Institute (ATNMRI), is currently making a stay at the NN Research Group. He is the first author of the paper In situ shaping of intricated 3D bacterial cellulose constructs using sacrificial agarose and diverted oxygen inflow (Carbohydrate Polymers). Dr. Anna Roig is the last author of this paper, at which the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority participated, too.
Apart from this, Dr. Pablo Guardia has participated in the publication Controllable Synthesis of Defective TiO2 Nanorods for Efficient Hydrogen Production (ACS Applied Electronic Materials). The NN Research Group, from the ICMAB-CSIC, was one of the 9 participating institutions:
- Institute of Wenzhou, Zhejiang University – China
- Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC) – Catalonia, Spain
- Institute of Energy Technologies, Department of Chemical Engineering and Barcelona Research Center in Multiscale Science and Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona – Catalonia, Spain
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST – Catalonia, Spain
- The Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB – CSIC) – Spain
- ICREA – Spain
- Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester – United Kingdom
- Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, CSIC – Spain
Abstract of In situ shaping of intricated 3D bacterial cellulose constructs using sacrificial agarose and diverted oxygen inflow
Bacterial cellulose (BC) is gathering increased attention due to its remarkable physico-chemical features. The high biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and mechanical and thermal stability endorse BC as a suitable candidate for biomedical applications. Nonetheless, exploiting BC for tissue regeneration demands three-dimensional, intricately shaped implants, a highly ambitious endeavor. This challenge is addressed here by growing BC within a sacrificial viscoelastic medium consisting of an agarose gel cast inside polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) molds imprinted with the features of the desired implant. BC produced with and without agarose has been compared through SEM, TGA, FTIR, and XRD, probing the mild impact of the agarose on the BC properties. As a first proof of concept, a PDMS mold shaped as a doll’s ear was used to produce a BC perfect replica, even for the smallest features. The second trial comprised a doll face imprinted on a PDMS mold. In that case, the BC production included consecutive deactivation and activation of the aerial oxygen stream. The resulting BC face clone fitted perfectly and conformally with the template doll face, while its rheological properties were comparable to those of collagen. This streamlining concept conveys to the biosynthesized nanocelluloses broader opportunities for more advanced prosthetics and soft tissue engineering uses.
Abstract of Controllable Synthesis of Defective TiO2 Nanorods for Efficient Hydrogen Production
Nanorods (NRs), with their high atomic surface exposure within a crystalline architecture, facilitate effective diffusion/transport of charge, rendering them particularly suitable for applications requiring both interaction with the media and charge transfer. In this study, we present a straightforward approach to produce brookite-phase titanium dioxide (TiO2) NRs with tunable defects and narrow size distributions by utilizing methylamine hydrochloride and 1,2-hexadecanediol as shape-directing agents. The presence of the Ti3+ defect was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and its effect on the photocatalytic properties of TiO2, with and without Pt loading, show that the longest TiO2 NRs provide the highest photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical hydrogen production activity. Transient photocurrent response analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and Mott–Schottky analysis plots indicate that an increase in temperature significantly reduces the interface barrier and lowers the transport resistance, leading to a 104% improvement in hydrogen production rates from 25 to 60 °C for the longest TiO2 NRs. This study underscores the critical role of the TiO2 nanorod dimensions (18–45 nm) in elevating the hydrogen production efficiency. At 25 °C, rates surged from 1.6 to 2.6 mmol g–1 h–1, and at 60 °C, rates soared from 3.3 to 5.3 mmol g–1 h–1, demonstrating the substantial impact of TiO2 NRs on enhancing hydrogen generation.
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Anna Roig, Deyaa Abol-Fotouh, new paper, pablo Guardia, paper
