Enhancing corrosion resistance of mild steel in hydrochloric acid with Chiquita banana sap extract.

The corrosion of metals is still a huge challenge for various industries, and the pursuit of effective treatments ensures environmental sustainability. In this study, we utilized Chiquita banana sap-water extract (BSWE) to prevent mild steel from electrochemical corrosion in a 0.1 M HCl at room temperature. Corrosion resistance was assessed using various electrochemical methodologies, combining with surface characterization techniques. The results showed a high level of effectiveness when the corrosion current density decreased from 3292.67 µA cm-2 (for the sample immerged in the blank solution) to 187.33 µA cm-2 after 24 hours of immersion in the solution containing BSWE at a 2000 ppm concentration, equivalent to corrosion efficiency of 94.32%. Surface characterization revealed diminished corrosion on the inhibited steel surface due to the formation of a protective layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results demonstrated the presence of BSWE ingredients combining with iron oxides and hydroxides to form a smooth protective layer. Furthermore, theoretical calculations also indicated that the addition of BSWE can reduce steel surface damage when exposing to corrosive environment. The inhibitor based on banana sap extract can be referred to as a sustainable protective coating since it is biodegradable, abundantly available in banana plants and free of other harmful substances.

Electrochemical immunosensing of tumor markers.

The rising incidence and mortality rates of cancer have led to a growing need for precise and prompt early diagnostic approaches to effectively combat this disease. However, traditional methods employed for detecting tumor cells, such as histopathological and immunological techniques, are often associated with complex procedures, high analytical expenses, elevated false positive rates, and a dependence on experienced personnel. Tracking tumor markers is recognized as one of the most effective approaches for early detection and prognosis of cancer. While onco-biomarkers can also be produced in normal circumstances, their concentration is significantly elevated when tumors are present. By monitoring the levels of these markers, healthcare professionals can obtain valuable insights into the presence, progression, and response to treatment of cancer, aiding in timely diagnosis and effective management. This review aims to provide researchers with a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in tumor markers using electrochemical immunosensors. By highlighting the latest developments in this field, researchers can gain a general understanding of the progress made in the utilization of electrochemical immunosensors for detecting tumor markers. Furthermore, this review also discusses the current limitations associated with electrochemical immunosensors and offers insights into paving the way for further improvements and advancements in this area of research.

Enriched photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical activities of a 2D/0D g-C3N4/CeO2 nanostructure.

Sunlight-powered photocatalysts made from CeO2 nanosized particles and g-C3N4 nanostructures were produced through a thermal decomposition process with urea and cerium nitrate hexahydrate. The preparation of g-C3N4, CeO2, and a binary nanostructured g-C3N4/CeO2 photocatalyst was done through a facile thermal decomposition method. The structural properties were analyzed using powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photocatalyst properties were characterized by using crystal violet (CV), a UV-Vis spectrophotometer, photocurrent and electron impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The structural and morphological analyses revealed that the g-C3N4/CeO2 nanostructures significantly enhanced the photoactivity for CV dye degradation under simulated sunlight, with a degradation rate of 94.5% after 105 min, compared to 82.5% for pure g-C3N4 and 45% for pure CeO2. This improvement was attributed to the noticeable visible light absorption and remarkable charge separation abilities of the nanostructures. Additionally, the g-C3N4/CeO2 nanostructures showed notable PEC performance under simulated sunlight. This study presents an easy and efficient method for producing g-C3N4 photocatalysts decorated with semiconductor materials and provides insights for designing nanostructures for photocatalytic and energy applications.

Carbon Nitride Coupled Co3O4: A Pyrolysis-Based Approach for High-Performance Hybrid Energy Storage.

Graphitic carbon nitride (CN) is a cost-effective and easily synthesized supercapacitor electrode material. However, its limited specific capacity has hindered its practical use. To address this, we developed a binary nanostructure by growing nanosized Co3O4 particles on CN. The CN-Co-2 composite, synthesized via thermal decomposition, exhibited a remarkable specific capacity of 280.64 C/g at 2 A/g. Even under prolonged cycling at 10.5 A/g, the retention rate exceeded 95%, demonstrating exceptional stability. In an asymmetric capacitor device, the CN-Co composite delivered 20.84 Wh/kg at 1000 W/kg, with a retention rate of 99.97% over 20,000 cycles, showcasing outstanding cycling stability. Controlled cobalt source adjustments yielded high-capacity electrode materials with battery-like behavior. This optimization strategy enhances energy density by retaining battery-like properties. In summary, the CN-Co composite is a promising, low-cost, easily synthesized electrode material with a high specific capacity and remarkable cycling stability, making it an attractive choice for energy storage applications.

Ternary nanocomposites of CdS/WO3/g-C3N4 for hydrogen production.

The sustainable rise in global warming and the consumption of fossil fuels considerably contribute to energy and environmental issues. To address these issues, semiconductor heterostructures can be used to generate clean energy sources as alternative energy sources and to reduce environmental impacts. Herein, we report the synthesis of a ternary semiconductor of the CdS/WO3/g-C3N4 (i.e. C-CNW) nanostructured composite for hydrogen production and dye degradation under visible-light irradiation. The structural properties of the prepared materials were studied using a series of investigational analyses. The 3C-CNW nanostructure photocatalyst exhibited faster malachite green (MG) dye photodegradation within 105 min and the highest hydrogen production rate is 868.23 µmol g-1 h-1 under visible light illumination. Moreover, the photocatalytic hydrogen production of the 3C-CNW nanostructure photocatalyst with various scavengers was analyzed. Its higher photocatalytic activity is ascribed to the Z-scheme mechanism, which induces rapid diffusion of photoinduced charges within the ternary photocatalyst with its optical bandgap. This proposed strategy is useful to improve photocatalysts that play a role in mitigating energy and environmental issues.

Role of SnO2 Nanoparticles for a Self-Forming Barrier Layer on a Mild Steel Surface in Hydrochloric Acid Medium Containing Piper betle Leaf Extract.

The self-formation of a porous organic thin-film via corrosion inhibitor supports wide applications of carbon steel in industry. Unfortunately, serious damages could be concentrated to the pinhole and/or pore locations in the porous organic film, resulting in the localized corrosion even when an optimal concentration of organic corrosion inhibitors is used. In this work, SnO2 nanoparticles are used for producing the more robust barrier layer via the self-migration of nanoparticles, resulting in a higher corrosion resistance, smooth and uniform protective layer, as well as the existence of SnO2 in the protective layer that could directly affect the high inhibition performance. Therefore, the work suggests a new way to make a more robust thin film that could extend the use of organic corrosion inhibitors.

Pseudocapacitive Features of Freestanding Nickel-Zinc Organometallic Nanostructure for High-energy Density Coin-cell Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

Binder-free two-dimensional mesh-like structure of nickel-zinc metal-organic framework on in-situ-coated carbon cloth (Ni-Zn MOF/CC) and Ni-Zn MOF powder were developed via a solvo-hydrothermal reaction for electrochemical storage application. The electrochemical properties of these electrodes show that the electrodes self-assembled on carbon cloth substrates exhibit remarkably excellent performance. The Ni-Zn MOF/CC electrode exhibited a capacitance of 653.54 F/g at 1 A/g through a capacity retaining of 87.65% after 10000 cycles. Furthermore, the Ni-Zn MOF//AC coin-cell asymmetric supercapacitor device (CASD) exhibited remarkable energy and power densities of 54.31 Wh/kg and 825 W/kg, respectively, with adequate capacitance retention up to 94.63% over 5000 cycles at 1.5 V. The CASD also exhibited a significant power density of 4950 W/kg at 19.67 W h/kg, which suggests that these in-situ developed MOF-based electrodes may discover application in energy storage devices.

BiFeO3/Fe2O3 electrode for photoelectrochemical water oxidation and photocatalytic dye degradation: A single step synthetic approach.

Herein, mixed-phase BiFeO3/Fe2O3 (BF-M) nanocomposite has been successfully prepared in a simple single-step synthetic strategy and its structural, physicochemical and magnetic properties have been characterized. The performance of as-synthesized mixed-phase BF-M catalyst has been investigated in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation and photocatalytic dye degradation analysis by comparing with the partials Fe2O3 with BiFeO3 (BF-P). The BF-M photocatalyst has degraded 95.7% of the rhodamine B (RhB) dye while BF-P has degraded 82.1% in 80 min. In addition, the BF-M electrode exhibited 0.57 mA cm-2 photocurrent density which was 1.83 times higher than the BF-P electrode (0.31 mA cm-2), signifying that the formation of a mixed-phase nanostructure interface is advantageous in enhancing light absorption capacity and reducing the rate of electron-hole recombination.

In-situ Pt nanoparticles decorated BiOBr heterostructure for enhanced visible light-based photocatalytic activity: Synergistic effect.

Advanced functional materials for photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) generation using abundant solar energy are the core of new and renewable energy research. In this paper, we report the in-situ deposition of platinum quantum-sized particles (Pt QDs) on bismuth oxybromide (BBr) 3D marigold flowers with exposed (101)/(110) facets (i.e. BBr-Pt) hierarchies prepared by a simple solvo-thermal method acting as a surfactant/structure stabilizer in the presence of CTAB. Synthesized samples were characterized by a series of analytical techniques. Intimate contact as demonstrated by HRTEM, effect of Pt loading in 3D-BiOBr nanostructure on photocatalytic H2 production and crystal violet (CV) dye degradation rate under white LED light irradiation was studied. This was greatly improved by loading Pt QDs on BBr, the latter showing the highest photocatalytic activity for BBr-2Pt nanostructure, due to the synergistic effect of quantum-sized Pt nanoparticles and exposed ((101) and (110) planes). The BBr-2Pt nanostructure photocatalysts showed highest H2 generation of 320.69 µmol g-1, which is 142 folds larger than bare BBr (2.26 µmol g-1).

Onion-Ring-like Carbon and Nitrogen from ZIF-8 on TiO2/Fe2O3 Nanostructure for Overall Electrochemical Water Splitting.

The carbon and nitrogen derived from ZIF-8 embedded in TiO2/Fe2O3 (i.e., C,N-ZIF/TiFe) nanostructures exhibit superior electrocatalytic performance toward oxygen evolution reactions (OER), hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), and overall H2O splitting. The results showed that the C,N-ZIF/TiFe nanostructure was the best catalyst in comparison to ZIF/TiFe and TiFe nanostructures toward HER and OER. These results revealed that combining the highly active carbon and nitrogen from ZIF-8 with a TiO2/Fe2O3 semiconductor enriched the overall H2O splitting. A possible OER mechanism is attributed to some groups that support the surface active site of the catalyst and adsorbent intermediate species. Finally, this inexpensive electrocatalyst was synthesized without noble metals and showed superior electrocatalytic activity and great stability with the potential to achieve ground-breaking and novel applications in fuel cells.

Ultra-sonication-assisted silver nanoparticles using Panax ginseng root extract and their anti-cancer and antiviral activities.

A simple, inexpensive ultra-sonication method was used to synthesize quasi spherical silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with an aqueous extract from Panax ginseng roots. This method has the advantages of being completely eco-friendly and allows increased reaction rates, uniform dispersal of the nanoparticles in liquids, and effective breaking of aggregates. Biomolecules present in plant extracts are often used to reduce metal ions to nanoparticles in a single-step green synthesis route. The formation of the AgNPs was characterized using UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy- dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The formation of AgNPs (456 nm) was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy. HR-TEM analysis revealed that most of the AgNPs were quasi spherical with sizes ranging from approximately 5 to 15 nm. The crystalline nature of the AgNPs was confirmed by XRD, and the presence of elemental silver was confirmed by energy-dispersive X -ray analysis. The AgNPs showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity towards HeLa cells in vitro (3.88% at 0.005 M, 5.11% at 0.01 M, 7.52% at 0.015 M, 11.19% at 0.02 M, and 19.45% at 0.025 M) as revealed by sulforhodamine B assay. They were also shown to be virucidal against the influenza A virus (strain A/PR/8). Hence, the present facile, eco-friendly, and efficient method results in the synthesis of AgNPs that can act as an alternative biomaterial for future biomedical applications.

Sacrificial-template-free synthesis of core-shell C@Bi2S3 heterostructures for efficient supercapacitor and H2 production applications.

Core-shell heterostructures have attracted considerable attention owing to their unique properties and broad range of applications in lithium ion batteries, supercapacitors, and catalysis. Conversely, the effective synthesis of Bi2S3 nanorod core@ amorphous carbon shell heterostructure remains an important challenge. In this study, C@Bi2S3 core-shell heterostructures with enhanced supercapacitor performance were synthesized via sacrificial- template-free one-pot-synthesis method. The highest specific capacities of the C@Bi2S3 core shell was 333.43 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. Core-shell-structured C@Bi2S3 exhibits 1.86 times higher photocatalytic H2 production than the pristine Bi2S3 under simulated solar light irradiation. This core-shell feature of C@Bi2S3 provides efficient charge separation and transfer owing to the formed heterojunction and a short radial transfer path, thus efficiently diminishing the charge recombination; it also facilitates plenty of active sites for the hydrogen evolution reaction owing to its mesoporous nature. These outcomes will open opportunities for developing low-cost and noble-metal-free efficient electrode materials for water splitting and supercapacitor applications.

Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Activity of SnO2-ZnO Quantum Dots Anchored on g-C3N4 Nanosheets for Photocatalytic Pollutant Degradation and H2 Production.

A zero-dimensional/two-dimensional heterostructure consists of binary SnO2-ZnO quantum dots (QDs) deposited on the surface of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets. The so-called SnO2-ZnO QDs/g-C3N4 hybrid was successfully synthesized via an in situ co-pyrolysis approach to achieve efficient photoactivity for the degradation of pollutants and production of hydrogen (H2) under visible-light irradiation. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images show the close contacts between SnO2-ZnO QDs with the g-C3N4 in the ternary SnO2-ZnO QDs/g-C3N4 hybrid. The optimized hybrid shows excellent photocatalytic efficiency, achieving 99% rhodamine B dye degradation in 60 min under visible-light irradiation. The enriched charge-carrier separation and transportation in the SnO2-ZnO QDs/g-C3N4 hybrid was determined based on electrochemical impedance and photocurrent analyses. This remarkable photoactivity is ascribed to the "smart" heterostructure, which yields numerous benefits, such as visible-light-driven fast electron and hole transfer, due to the strong interaction between the SnO2-ZnO QDs with the g-C3N4 matrix. In addition, the SnO2-ZnO QDs/g-C3N4 hybrid demonstrated a high rate of hydrogen production (13 673.61 µmol g-1), which is 1.06 and 2.27 times higher than that of the binary ZnO/g-C3N4 hybrid (12 785.54 µmol g-1) and pristine g-C3N4 photocatalyst (6017.72 µmol g-1). The synergistic effect of increased visible absorption and diminished recombination results in enhanced performance of the as-synthesized tin oxide- and zinc oxide-modified g-C3N4. We conclude that the present ternary SnO2-ZnO QDs/g-C3N4 hybrid is a promising electrode material for H2 production and photoelectrochemical cells.

PTPN11 mutations in pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia: results from the Children's Cancer Group.

The PTPN11 gene encodes SHP-2, a nonreceptor protein tyrosine phosphatase that relays signals from activated growth factor receptors to p21(ras) (Ras) and other signaling molecules. Somatic PTPN11 mutations are common in patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) and have been reported in some other hematologic malignancies. We analyzed specimens from 278 pediatric patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) who were enrolled on Children's Cancer Group trials 2941 and 2961 for PTPN11 mutations. Missense mutations of PTPN11 were detected in 11 (4%) of these samples. None of these patients had mutations in NRAS; however, one patient had evidence of a FLT3 alteration. Four of the patients with PTPN11 mutations (36%) were boys with French-American-British (FAB) morphology M5 AML (P=0.012). Patients with mutations also presented with elevated white blood cell counts. There was no difference in clinical outcome for patients with and without PTPN11 mutations. These characteristics identify a subset of pediatric AML with PTPN11 mutations that share clinical and biologic features with JMML.