Harinarayan Das

Efficient photocatalytic performance of (G ³⁺ , Mo ⁶⁺ ) co-doped BiVO ₄ due to phase distortion, nanorod morphology, favorable band edge alignment, and reduced radiative recombination.

Being a very simple and cost-effective way to improve crop growth, nanopriming has been widely adopted as an efficient and advanced technology in agriculture. In recent years, there has been a drive to use green synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) for nanopriming, which promotes an eco-friendly approach to material synthesis. Among various factors that influence the properties of NPs, annealing plays a critical role in altering their structural and functional characteristics. However, the role of annealing in optimizing green-synthesized NPs for effective nanopriming remains largely unexplored. Here, we present the first report on the effect of annealing on green-synthesized ZnO NPs for effective nanopriming. We analyze surface morphology, crystallinity, elemental composition, and colloidal stability by varying the annealing temperature of as-synthesized ZnO NPs. We show that colloidally stable smaller NPs (annealed at 400 °C) exhibit optimal performance in nanopriming. This finding is supported by practical data showing a significant improvement in germination percentage (up to 61.7%) and shoot length (up to 85.3%) of Momordica charantia seeds treated with 120 mg L⁻¹ of ZnO NP annealed at 400 °C. This study not only provides information on the specialized synthesis of ZnO NPs but also paves the way for sustainable agricultural practices to increase food production.

The prototypical toxic dye rhodamine B (RhB) is perhaps one of the most abundant pollutants in industrial wastewater. Its efficient photocatalytic degradation through composite photocatalysts is crucial for environmental remediation. Here, we synthesized quaternary Bi5O7I/Bi(IO3)3/Bi2(IO4)(IO3)3/BiOIO3 bismuth iodate composites through facile hydrothermal and solvothermal methods. The coexistence of multiple bismuth iodate phases was confirmed by x-ray diffraction analysis, room temperature Raman, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The desired chemical states of Bi, I, and O inside the composites were confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Field emission electron microscopy revealed flower-shaped nanosheet morphology for the composite synthesized at 120 °C, whereas randomly shaped nanoparticles with an average size of 80 nm were formed in the composite calcined at 400 °C. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy further corroborated the existence of multiple phases in the composites. The diffuse reflectance spectroscopy confirmed the optical absorption edges of the composites to be located within the visible range of 1.68–3.16 eV. The flower-shaped quaternary bismuth iodate composite demonstrated 100% degradation of RhB dye within 40 min of optical exposure. This quaternary bismuth iodate composite is suitable for solar harvesting-driven toxic dye remediation.

The computationally cheap DFT functional GGA-PBE+U_d+U_p with van der Waals force in effect has successfully probed the physical properties of experimentally synthesized Bi₂WO₆.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles have versatile applications in biomedical science that require control over shape and size distribution. Thermal decomposition is one of the best methods for controlling the size and shape of produced nanoparticles (NPs). The size distribution can be tuned (5–30 nm) by varying the reaction environment such as precursor concentration, amount of solvent used, temperature ramp, and reflux time. Iron oleate was used as a precursor solution and heated up to reflux temperature (310 °C) for 10 min within the oxygen-free environment by applying N2 gas flow. The XRD pattern confirmed the formation of NPs with a crystallite size of 17 ± 2.45 nm. Transmission electron microscope images showed moderately cubic shapes with a mean particle size of 28.67 ± 7.12 nm. Magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization, coercivity, and remanence were calculated at 23.48 emu/gm, 33 Oe, and 0.6 emu/gm, respectively, which indicated the ferromagnetic nature of the NPs. The Verwey transition was identified from the magnetization vs temperature (FC-ZFC) plot. The bondings of the oleic acid surfactant with the produced NPs were confirmed from Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) data analysis. For the application of hyperthermia, the hydrophobic phase was transferred to the hydrophilic phase using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, which was assured by the FTIR data analysis. The hyperthermia heating of NPs was measured for different concentrations of NPs (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mg/ml), from which specific loss power (SLP) was calculated. Among them, 0.25 mg/ml produced the most prominent SLP (2149 ± 309 w/g) that can be applied for targeted cancer treatment.

Objectives: Despite having profound therapeutic value, the clinical application of resveratrol is restrained due to its <1% bioavailability, arising from the extensive fast-pass effect along with enterohepatic recirculation. This study aimed to develop a self-emulsifying formulation capable of increasing the bioavailability of resveratrol via lymphatic transport. Methods: The resveratrol–phospholipid complex (RPC) was formed by the solvent evaporation method and characterized by FTIR, DSC, and XRD analyses. The RPC-loaded self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) was designed, developed, and optimized using the QbD approach with an emphasis on resveratrol transport through the intestinal lymphatic pathway. The in vivo pharmacokinetic study was investigated in male Wister Albino rats. Results: The FTIR, DSC, and XRD analyses confirmed the RPC formation. The obtained design space provided robustness of prediction within the 95% prediction interval to meet the CQA specifications. An optimal formulation (desirability value of 7.24) provided Grade-A self-emulsion and exhibited a 48-fold bioavailability enhancement compared to the pure resveratrol. The cycloheximide-induced chylomicron flow blocking approach demonstrated that 91.14% of the systemically available resveratrol was transported through the intestinal lymphatic route. Conclusions: This study suggests that an optimal self-emulsifying formulation can significantly increase the bioavailability of resveratrol through lymphatic transport to achieve the desired pharmacological effects.

This study presents a modification of structure-dependent elastic, thermodynamic, magnetic, transport and magneto-dielectric properties of a Ni–Zn–Co ferrite tailored by Gd ³⁺ substitution at the B-site replacing Fe ³⁺ ions.

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticle (CFN) has received attention in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a promising contrast agent due to its higher saturation magnetization and magneto-crystalline anisotropy. However, the in vitro cytotoxicity of CFN has raised concern for its biomedical application as a diagnostic agent. The coating of CFN by a biocompatible polymer such as chitosan (CH) might lessen the biocompatibility concern. Therefore, in this study, we examined the applicability of chitosan-coated cobalt ferrite nanoparticle (CCN) as an MRI contrast dye and investigated its biocompatibility in vivo. Phantom MRI images revealed that the relaxivity of CCN was 121 (±8) mM^–1s^–1, indicating the potential of CCN as a T₂-weighted contrast agent. A single intravenous (iv) administration of CCN (10 mg/kg) improved the contrast of magnetic-resonance-imaging-based angiography (MRA) and brain-MRI in male albino Wistar rats compared to the control. Furthermore, toxicity studies dependent on dose (1–20 mg/kg) and time (1–28 days) in male albino Wistar rats confirmed the in vivo biocompatibility of CCN. The physical, hematological, biochemical, and histopathological observation assured that a single iv injection of CCN up to 20 mg/kg was well adjusted with liver, kidney, heart, and brain functions. The findings of the current study consolidate CCN as a promising candidate for MRI contrast dye.