Sodium alginate-based high conductive, ultra-stretchable hydrogel fibers for electrolytes of flexible solid-state supercapacitors.

The flexibility and safety of energy storage systems are crucial, and hydrogels as one of the most promising candidates for solid-state electrolytes. We present a conductive hydrogel based on sodium alginate that exhibits ultra-stretchable (4200 %) and high conductivity (16.3 S m-1). The mechanical properties of the conductive hydrogel are achieved by optimizing the topology of the sodium alginate and harnessing the synergistic effect of non-covalent interaction among different components. And a conductive structure within hydrogels was successfully established through the synergistic combination of ion and metal nanoparticles. The flexible supercapacitor (FSC) with conductive hydrogel as solid electrolytes demonstrated an area-specific capacitance of up to 274.28 mF cm-2 at a current density of 1 mA cm-2. And the energy density of the FSC is as high as 187 µWh cm-2 at a power density of 1.2 mW cm-2. The voltage range of the FSC is also extended to 1.4 V. The FSC also exhibited exceptional flexibility and stability, including insensitivity to bending angles and remarkable cycle durability (82.4 % after 10,000 cycles). The study presents a novel design for the development of solid-state electrolytes, with the aim of creating a new generation of FSC that exhibit superior safety and high energy density.

pH-induced fluorescent active sodium alginate-based ionically conjugated and REDOX responsive multi-functional microgels for the anticancer drug delivery.

A sodium alginate (Alg) based REDOX (reduction and oxidation)-responsive and fluorescent active microgel was prepared via water in oil (w/o) mini-emulsion polymerization technique. Here, we initially synthesized sodium alginate-based disulfide cross linked microgels and after that those microgels were tagged with rhodamine amine derivative (RhB-NH2) by ionic interaction to get the pH-responsive fluorescent property. Functionalized microgels were characterized using 1H NMR, FTIR, DLS, HRTEM, FESEM, UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy analyses. Presence of the REDOX-responsive disulfide-containing crosslinkers in the microgels enhances the release of doxorubicin (DOX), an anti-cancer drug in the reducing environment of the cancer-cells (simulated). Existence of the rhodamine-amine derivative in the microgels triggers the pH-dependent fluorescence property by showing fluorescence emission at 560-580 nm at pH 5.5 (cancer cell pH). The cytotoxicity of the biopolymer based microgel was assessed over both cancerous HeLa (IC50 100 µg/mL) and non-cancerous MDCK (IC50 200 µg/mL) cells by MTT assay which showed the synthesized microgel is non-toxic whereas DOX-loaded microgels showed significant toxicity. FACS and cell uptake (in vitro) analyses were conducted to understand the cell apoptosis cycle and behavior of the cancer cells in presence of the DOX-loaded microgels. This pH-responsive fluorescent active alginate-based biomaterial could be a promising material for the anti-cancer drug delivery and other medical fields.

Acid-mediated strategies designed for stretchable and durable polyacrylamide/sodium alginate dual-network hydrogels toward flexible capacitors and wearable sensors.

The utilization of acid as a synthesis assistant provides an effective means to regulate the structure of hydrogels, thereby simplifying the design and preparation process of multifunctional hydrogels. However, there remains a dearth of discourse concerning the utilization of this convenient acid-mediated strategy, which possesses the potential to directly govern molecular interactions within gel networks for rational structure and property design. Herein, we describe the preparation of flexible dual-network conductive hydrogels using polyacrylamide (PAM) and sodium alginate (SA) as substrates, driven by the strategy of acid-mediated (HCI, H2SO4, and H2C2O4) in detail for the first time. Especially, the structure-activity relationship of hydrogels was elucidated through a comparative analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and empirical properties, thereby enhancing the understanding of this field. Furthermore, extensive investigations have been conducted to explore the distinct impacts of acid ions and concentrations. The acid-mediated method exhibits superior versatility and operability compared to the filler modification method, thereby enabling a more convenient acquisition of conductive and robust hydrogels suitable for flexible capacitors and wearable sensors. Consequently, this study presents a straightforward, efficient, and cost-effective universal strategy for targeted functional hydrogel design.

Influences of ultrasonic treatment on the physicochemical properties and microstructure of diacylglycerol-loaded emulsion stabilized with soybean protein isolate and sodium alginate.

This study examined the impacts of ultrasonic power (0, 150, 300, 450, 600, and 750 W) and ultrasonic durations (3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 min) on the physicochemical properties and microstructure of diacylglycerol (DAG)-loaded emulsions stabilized with soybean protein isolate (SPI) and sodium alginate (SA). The findings indicated that the smallest particle size, zeta potential, and contact angle for SPI-SA-DAG emulsions were respectively 5.58 µm, -49.85 mV, and 48.65°, achieved at an ultrasonic power of 450 W. The emulsification properties, loss modulus, storage modulus, and apparent viscosity of the emulsions were optimal at this power setting and at a duration of 9 min. Analytical techniques, including confocal laser scanning-, scanning electron-, and atomic force microscopy, revealed that ultrasonication significantly altered emulsion aggregation state, with the surface roughness (Rq) being minimized at 450 W. These results demonstrated that the stability of SPI-SA-DAG emulsions can be effectively enhanced by an appropriate ultrasonic treatment at 450 W for 9 min. This research provides theoretical support for the broad application of sonication techniques in the food industry.

Encapsulation of lycopene in Pickering emulsion stabilized by complexes of whey protein isolate fibrils and sodium alginate: Physicochemical property, structural characterization and in vitro digestion property.

In present study, whey protein isolate fibrils and sodium alginate complexes (WPIFs-SA) were prepared and further used to stabilize Pickering emulsions for lycopene delivery. The optimal interaction between WPIFs and SA occurred at pH 3.0, with a mass ratio of 2:1. Increasing the oil fractions and the content of WPIFs-SA complexes significantly improved Pickering emulsions' stability, concurrently reducing droplet size and increasing viscoelasticity. Meanwhile, it facilitated the formation of a thicker protective layer and a compact network structure around the oil droplets, offering better protection for lycopene against thermal and photo degradation. In vitro digestion studies revealed that as the oil fractions and complex contents increased, the lipolysis degree decreased. The engineered WPIFs-SA Pickering emulsion could be used as an innovative delivery system for the protection and delivery of lycopene.

Effects of Incorporating Ionic Crosslinking on 3D Printing of Biomass-Fungi Composite Materials.

Biomass-fungi composite materials primarily consist of biomass particles (sourced from agricultural residues) and a network of fungal hyphae that bind the biomass particles together. These materials have potential applications across diverse industries, such as packaging, furniture, and construction. 3D printing offers a new approach to manufacturing parts using biomass-fungi composite materials, as an alternative to traditional molding-based methods. However, there are challenges in producing parts with desired quality (for example, geometric accuracy after printing and height shrinkage several days after printing) by using 3D printing-based methods. This paper introduces an innovative approach to enhance part quality by incorporating ionic crosslinking into the 3D printing-based methods. While ionic crosslinking has been explored in hydrogel-based bioprinting, its application in biomass-fungi composite materials has not been reported. Using sodium alginate (SA) as the hydrogel and calcium chloride as the crosslinking agent, this paper investigates their effects on quality (geometric accuracy and height shrinkage) of 3D printed samples and physiochemical characteristics (rheological, chemical, and texture properties) of biomass-fungi composite materials. Results show that increasing SA concentration led to significant improvements in both geometric accuracy and height shrinkage of 3D printed samples. Moreover, crosslinking exposure significantly enhanced hardness of the biomass-fungi mixture samples prepared for texture profile analysis, while the inclusion of SA notably improved cohesiveness and springiness of the biomass-fungi mixture samples. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the occurrence of ionic crosslinking within 3D printed samples. Results from this study can be used as a reference for developing new biomass-fungi mixtures for 3D printing in the future.

3D Printing Properties of Heat-Induced Sodium Alginate-Whey Protein Isolate Edible Gel.

The objective of this study was to develop a food 3D printing gel and investigate the effects of whey protein isolate (WPI), sodium alginate (SA), and water-bath heating time on the 3D printing performance of the gel. Initially, the influence of these three factors on the rheological properties of the gel was examined to determine the suitable formulation ranges for 3D printing. Subsequently, the formulation was optimized using response surface methodology, and texture analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were conducted. The rheological results indicated that gels with WPI concentrations of 6-7 g, SA concentrations of 0.8-1.2 g, and water-bath heating times of 10-12 min exhibited lower yield stress and better self-supporting properties. The optimized formulation, determined through response surface methodology, consisted of 1.2 g SA, 6.5 g WPI, and a heating time of 12 min. This optimized formulation demonstrated enhanced extrusion capability and superior printing performance. SEM analysis revealed that the optimized gel possessed good mechanical strength, and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful composite formation of the gel. Overall, the results indicate that the optimized gel formulation can be successfully printed and exhibits excellent 3D printing performance.

Sodium Alginate/UiO-66-NH2 Nanocomposite for Phosphate Removal.

Environmental pollution of phosphorus is becoming increasingly concerning, and phosphate removal from water has become an important issue for controlling eutrophication. Modified metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, such as UiO-66-NH2, are promising adsorbents for phosphate removal in aquatic environments due to their high specific surface area, high porosity, and open active metal sites. In this study, a millimeter-sized alginate/UiO-66-NH2 composite hydrogel modified by polyethyleneimine (UiO-66-NH2/SA@PEI) was prepared. The entrapping of UiO-66-NH2 in the alginate microspheres and its modification with PEI facilitate easy separation in addition to enhanced adsorption properties. The materials were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and BET. Static, dynamic, and cyclic adsorption experiments were conducted under different pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage, and initial concentration conditions to assess the phosphate adsorption ability of UiO-66-NH2/SA@PEI. Under optimal conditions of 65 °C and pH = 2, 0.05 g UiO-66-NH2/SA@PEI adsorbed 68.75 mg/g, and the adsorption rate remained at 99% after five cycles of UiO-66-NH2/SA@PEI. These results suggest that UiO-66-NH2/SA@PEI composite materials can be used as an effective adsorbent for phosphate removal from wastewater.

Investigating the synergetic effect of tungsten oxide doping into the 1,3-dicarbonyl moiety grafted chitosan and phytic acid impregnated sodium alginate for efficient U(VI) adsorption.

In this work, chemical modification of the chitosan with ethyl acetoacetate was performed through a base-catalyzed reaction in which epichlorohydrin facilitated the insertion as well as nucleophilic substitution reaction to graft the 1,3-dioxo moiety across the linear chains of the base biopolymer to establish specificity and selectivity for U(VI) removal. The modified chitosan (EAA-CS) was intercalated into phosphate rich alginate matrix (PASA). Later on, the WO3-doped composites with different WO3 to PASA mass ratio were prepared and characterized using FTIR, XPS, SEM-EDS, XRD, and elemental mapping analysis. WO3 significantly contributed to chemically stable inorganic-organic composites with improved porous texture. Among the prepared composites, MCPS-3 microspherical beads, having mass ratio of 30.0 % w/w, exhibited excellent sorption capacity for U(VI) at an optimal pH 4.5. The successful U(VI) sorption was validated by the existence of two U4f peaks at 392.25 and 381.36 eV due to U4f5/2 and U4f7/2 sub-peaks with an intensity ratio of 3:4, respectively. Batch mode sorption kinetics followed pseudo-second-order rate equation (R2 ≈ 0.99, qe,th ≈ 116.88 mg/g, k2 = 0.86 × 10-4 g/mg.min-1) and equilibrium sorption data aligns with Langmuir (R2 = 0.99, qm = 343.85 mg/g at 310 K and pH = 4.5, KL = 2.00 × 10-2 L/mg) and Temkin models (R2 ≈ 0.99). Thermodynamic parameters ΔHo (30.51 kJ/mol), ΔSo (0.19 kJ/mol.K) and ΔGo (-25.64, -26.89, and - 27.91 kJ/mol) at 298, 305, and 310 K, respectively, suggested that the uptake process is feasible, endothermic and spontaneous. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to conclude that MCPS-3 could be a better hydrogel-based biomaterial for appreciable uranium recovery.

Adsorption behavior and mechanism of cu(II) by sodium alginate/carboxymethylcellulose/magnesium hydroxide (SC-MH) hydrogel.

In the present work, an environmentally-friendly, reusable hydrogel ball characterized by its great adsorption capacity to Cu(II) was synthesized. The preparation of this hydrogel drew on sodium alginate (SA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as primary composition elements. The endeavor brought novelty by ingeniously infusing it with slurry magnesium hydroxide (MH). The factors (pH, SC-MH amount, initial concentration, adsorption time) that are critical to adsorption were also investigated. FTIR, SEM-EDS and XPS were used to reveal the adsorption mechanism of Cu on SC-MH. The results show that the surface of SC-MH is rough, and there are a large number of gully-like structures conducive to adsorption, which are rich in hydroxyl and carboxyl groups. Under the optimum conditions, the maximum adsorption capacity reached 215.68 mg/g. Based on its high R2 value (0.999), the Langmuir model is determined to be the most appropriate for describing the adsorption behavior, indicating monolayer homogeneous adsorption. The kinetic data align well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis reveals the adsorption process to be spontaneous and endothermic, as demonstrated by a negative ΔG and positive ΔH (38.8859 KJ/mol). The mechanism involves electrostatic attraction, chelation, Mg(OH)2 adsorption and ion exchange.

MXene reinforced microporous bacterial cellulose/sodium alginate dual crosslinked cryogel for bone tissue engineering.

The entangled assembly of bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers does not provide a three-dimensional (3D) macroporous structure for cellular infiltration thus hindering its use as a scaffold for bone tissue engineering. In addition, it is difficult to achieve uniform dispersion of bioactive agents in entangled BC nanofibers. To address this, the BC nanofibers were integrated with MXene, a two-dimensional nanomaterial known for its electrical signaling and mechanical strength, along with sodium alginate to form cryogel. The cryogel was fabricated using a cross-linking to enhance its mechanical properties, pores for cellular infilteration. MXene incorporation not only increased water absorption (852% to 1446%) and retention (692% to 973%) ability but also significantly improved the compressive stress (0.85 MPa to 1.43 MPa) and modulus (0.22 MPa to 1.17 MPa) confirming successful MXene reinforcement in cryogel. Biological evaluation revealed that the optimum concentration of MXene increased the cell proliferation and the osteogenic role of fabricated scaffolds was also confirmed through osteogenic gene expressions. The macropores in reconstructed MXene-BC-based cryogel provided ample space for cellular proliferation. The osteogenic role of the scaffold was examined through various gene expressions. The Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QTPCR) revealed that MXene-loaded scaffolds especially in low concentration, had an obvious osteogenic effect hence concluding that BC can not only be reconstructed into the desired form but osteogenic property can be induced. These findings can open a new way of reconstructing BC into a more optimal structure to overcome its structural limitations and retain its natural bioactivities.

Enhanced biodegradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol in packed bed biofilm reactor by impregnation of polyurethane foam with Fe3O4 nanoparticles: Bio-kinetics, process optimization, performance evaluation and toxicity assessment.

In this work, an effort has been made to enhance the efficacy of biological process for the effective degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol (2, 4-DCP) from wastewater. The polyurethane foam was modified with Fe3O4 nanoparticles and combined with polyvinyl alcohol, sodium alginate, and bacterial consortium for biodegradation of 2, 4-DCP in a packed bed biofilm reactor. The maximum removal efficiency of 2, 4-DCP chemical oxygen demand, and total organic carbon were found to be 92.51 ± 0.83 %, 86.85 ± 1.32, and 91.78 ± 1.24 %, respectively, in 4 days and 100 mg L-1 of 2, 4-DCP concentration at an influent loading rate of 2 mg L-1h-1 and hydraulic retention time of 50 h. Packed bed biofilm reactor was effective for up to four cycles to remove 2, 4-DCP. Growth inhibition kinetics were evaluated using the Edward model, yielding maximum growth rate of 0.45 day-1, inhibition constant of 110.6 mg L-1, and saturation constant of 62.3 mg L-1.

Physical and biological properties of alginate-based cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions: Study of two different production strategies.

Nanoemulsions are a promising alternative for essential oil incorporation into active coatings. The influence of the preparation steps order on nanoemulsions' physical properties is still little explored. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the sequence of preparation steps and of the oil and polymer concentration on the stability, physical properties, and antifungal activity of alginate-based cinnamon essential oil nanoemulsions. The nanoemulsions were produced by two strategies: (I) preparation directly into an alginate solution (Ultra-Turrax at 10,000 rpm for 5 min + Ultrasound 150 W for 3 min); and (II) preparation in water (Ultra-Turrax at 10,000 rpm for 5 min + Ultrasound 150 W for 3 min) followed by homogenization with a sodium alginate solution (Ultra-Turrax at 10,000 rpm for 1, 3 or 5 min). The nanoemulsion prepared by the second strategy showed better stability, physical properties, and antifungal activity. In general, the presence of alginate hindered the cavitation effects of ultrasound, leading to the increase of droplets size and consequently affecting emulsions stability, turbidity, and antifungal properties.

Chitosan-alginate/R8 ternary polyelectrolyte complex as an oral protein-based vaccine candidate induce effective mucosal immune responses.

Vaccination is the most effective method for preventing infectious diseases. Oral vaccinations have attracted much attention due to the ability to boost intestinal and systemic immunity. The focus of this study was to develop a poly (lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA)-based ternary polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) with chitosan, sodium alginate, and transmembrane peptides R8 for the delivery of antigen proteins. In this study, the antigen protein (HBf), consisting of the Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) antigens HBHA, Ag85B, and Bfra, was combined with R8 to generate self-assembled conjugates. The results showed that PEC presented a cross-linked reticular structure to protect the encapsulated proteins in the simulated gastric fluid. Then, the nanocomposite separated into individual nanoparticles after entering the simulated intestinal fluid. The ternary PEC with R8 promoted the in vivo uptake of antigens by intestinal lymphoid tissue. Moreover, the ternary PEC administered orally to mice promoted the secretion of specific antibodies and intestinal mucosal IgA. In addition, in the mouse models of MAP infection, the ternary PEC enhanced splenic T cell responses, thus reducing bacterial load and liver pathology score. These results suggested that this ternary electrolyte complex could be a promising delivery platform for oral subunit vaccine candidates, not limited to MAP infection.

3D-Printed Hydrogels with High-Strength and Anisotropy Mediated by Chain Rigidity.

Extrusion-based 3D printing is a facile technology to construct complex structures of hydrogels, especially for tough hydrogels that have shown demonstrated potential in load-bearing materials and tissue engineering. However, 3D-printed hydrogels often possess mechanical properties that do not guarantee their usage in tissue-mimicking, load-bearing components, and motion sensors. This study proposes a novel strategy to construct high-strength and anisotropic Fe3+ cross-linked poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/sodium alginate double network hydrogels. The semi-flexible sodium alginate chains act as a "conformation regulator" to promote the formation of strong intermolecular interactions between polymer chains and lock the more extended conformation exerted by the pre-stretch, enabling the construction of 3D-printed hydrogel structures with high orientation. The equilibrated anisotropic hydrogel filaments with a water content of 50-60 wt.% exhibit outstanding mechanical properties (tensile strength: 9-44 MPa; elongation at break: 120-668%; Young's modulus: 7-62 MPa; toughness: 26-52 MJ m- 3). 3D-printed anisotropic hydrogel structures with high mechanical performance show demonstrated potential as loading-bearing structures and electrodes of flexible triboelectric nanogenerators for versatile human motion sensing.

Preparation and characterization of metal-polyphenol networks encapsulated in sodium alginate microbead hydrogels for catechin and vitamin C delivery.

A novel encapsulation system was designed, utilizing sodium alginate (SA) polysaccharide as the matrix and easily absorbed Fe2+ as the metal-organic framework, to construct microbead scaffolds with both high catechins (CA) and vitamin C (Vc) loading and antioxidant properties. The structure of microbead hydrocolloids was investigated using SEM, XPS, FTIR, XRD and thermogravimetry, and the antioxidant activity, in vitro digestion and the release of CA and Vc were evaluated. These results revealed that the microbead hydrocolloids SA-CA-Fe and SA-CA-Vc-Fe exhibited denser and stronger cross-linking structures, and the formation of inter- and intramolecular hydrogen and coordination bonds improved thermal stability. Moreover, SA-CA-Fe (44.9 % DPPH and 47.8 % ABTS) and SA-CA-Vc-Fe (89.9 % DPPH and 89.3 % ABTS) displayed strong antioxidant activity. Importantly, they were non-toxic in Caco2 cells. The SA-CA-Fe and SA-CA-Vc-Fe achieved significantly higher CA (56.9 and 62.7 %, respectively) and Vc (42.2 %) encapsulation efficiency while maintaining higher CA and Vc release in small intestinal environment. These results suggested that SA polysaccharide-based encapsulation system using Fe2+ framework as scaffold had greater potential for delivery and controlled release of CA and Vc than conventional hydrocolloids, which could provide new insights into the construction of high loading, safe, targeted polyphenol delivery system.

The Effects of Endometrial Mesenchymal Stem Cells on The In Vitro Maturation of Germinal Vesicle Oocytes in Hanging Drop and Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Co-Culture Systems.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to investigate the co-culture effects of human endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EnMSCs) with mouse oocytes to enhance their maturation and development by using the hanging drop and sodium alginate hydrogel methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this experimental study, we prepared human EnMSCs (2.5×105 cells/mL) and co-cultured them with partially denuded mouse oocytes by the hanging drop (n=120) and sodium alginate hydrogel (n=120) methods. Control oocytes (n=230, total) were cultured in both systems in the absence of human EnMSCs for 18 hours. Both survival and maturation rates of the oocytes were analysed morphologically. After insemination with capacitated sperm, the fertilization and development of the embryos up to the blastocyst stage were assessed and compared statistically for all of the study groups via one-way ANOVA and the t tests. RESULTS: Oocytes cultured in the hanging drop method had a significantly higher survival rate than their control group (92.60 ± 4.36% vs. 84.20 ± 3.12%, P=0.018). There were no significant differences between the two experimental groups in terms of survival. The mean percent of oocytes that reached the metaphase II (MII) stage was 64.35 ± 3.19% and fertilised was 62.25 ± 4.43% in the hanging drop method; these rates were 63.43 ± 1.92% and 58.14 ± 4.14 in sodium alginate hydrogel method, respectively. These rates were higher than their controls (P<0.050), but there were no statistical differences between the two experimental groups (P>0.050). Among the studied groups, the highest significant blastocyst rate (32.55 ± 2.18%) was observed in the hanging drop experimental group (P=0.0017). CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that human EnMSCs improve the survival, maturation, and development rates of oocytes and they could have future clinical applications.

Hydrogel binding sodium alginate based optical fiber surface plasmon resonance for calcium ion trace detection.

A plasmonic tilted fiber Bragg grating (TFBG)-based sensor for the detection of calcium ion (Ca2+) was proposed and demonstrated experimentally. Hydrogel material was synthesized by utilizing hydrogen bond recombination between cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Sodium alginate (SA) was incorporated into this hydrogel material, resulting in a composite membrane with specific binding properties for Ca2+. The membrane was applied as a coating on the surface of a gold-coated TFBG. The CNC/PVA-SA modified gold on the TFBG surface enhanced the localized refractive index changes caused by variations of Ca2+ concentrations. The experimental results demonstrated an impressive limit of detection (LOD) of approximately 0.025 fM, which is five orders of magnitude better than the current LODs of similar Ca2+ sensors. And the proposed Ca2+ sensor exhibited a wide dynamic range of 10-16 M to 10-6 M.

Unveiling the synergy: Biocompatible alginate-cellulose hydrogel loaded with silk fibroin and zinc ferrite nanoparticles for enhanced cell adhesion, and anti-biofilm activity.

Combining a biocompatible hydrogel scaffold with the cell-supportive properties of silk fibroin (SF) and the unique functionalities of ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles creates a promising platform for advanced nanobiomaterials. The research is centered on synthesizing a natural hydrogel using cellulose (Cellul) and sodium alginate (SA) combined with SF and zinc ferrite nanoparticles. A range of analytical and biological assays were conducted to determine the biological and physicochemical properties of the nanobiocomposite. The hemolysis and 2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays indicated that the SA-Cellul hydrogel/SF/ZnFe2O4 nanobiocomposite was a biocompatible against human dermal fibroblasts (Hu02) and red blood cells (RBC). In addition, aside from demonstrating outstanding anti-biofilm activity, the nanobiocomposite also promotes the Hu02 cells adhesion, showcasing the synergistic effect of incorporating SF and ZnFe2O4 nanoparticle. These promising results show that this nanobiocomposite has potential applications in various biomedical fields.

"Seaweed Structure" design for solid gel electrolyte with hydroxide ion conductivity enabling flexible zinc air batteries.

The construction of solid-state electrolytes for flexible zinc-air batteries is extremely challenging. A flexible and highly conductive solid electrolyte designed with a "seaweed structure" is reported in this work. Sodium alginate serves as the backbone to form a robust network structure, and the grafted quaternary ammonium groups provide channels for rapid ion transport, achieving excellent flexibility and hydroxide conductivity. The conductivity of the modified electrolyte membrane (QASA) is 5.23 × 10-2 S cm-1 at room temperature and reaches up to 8.51 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 75 °C. In the QASA based battery, bending at any angle is realized, and the power density is up to 57.28 mW cm-2. This work provides a new way to prepare high conductivity, green solid-state zinc-air batteries, and opens up a research line of thought for flexible energy storage materials.