Themed collection Optical nanomaterials for biomedical and environmental applications

Environmental applications of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles primarily comprise contaminant adsorbents, catalysts, and sensors for hazardous substances, etc.

Blue, yellow and red emissive N,S-CQDs were synthesized via a one-step solvothermal method. The isothiocyanate functional group was attached to the red emissive CQDs during synthesis, which were applied to achieve the labeling of BSA.

Developing a highly efficient array-based sensing platform for sulfur-containing metal salt (SCM) analysis is imperious due to its potential to harm the environment and human health.

Thienothiophenes are proved to be suitable for designing quantum dots for highly sensitive and customizable optical probes for biosensing, imaging and optoelectronic applications.

A potential strategy is devised to promote defect-mediated photocatalysis using LED light and immobilised spray-coated Nb and W codoped SnO₂ thin-film photoelectrodes to degrade mixed dyes sustainably and with significant cycling stability.

A g-CNS-based novel, affordable, and portable dual-mode detection system for rapid and reliable p-NP analysis.

Photoactivatable carbon dots bearing photocleavable 2-nitrobenzyl quenchers enable tunable luminescence in solution and live cells, offering new opportunities for bioimaging.

By combining the photothermoelectric effect, Joule thermal effect and photoinduced bolometric effect, the fabricated Bi₂Se₃–PtSe₂ heterojunction exhibits broad-spectrum UV–THz detection and stable operation in a wide temperature range of 183 K–501 K.

The use of nanostructures as drug delivery vehicles for various anticancer medications represents an innovative biomedical application, reducing severe side effects by enabling targeted delivery to tumor cells.

Cholesterol and glucose are two important biomarkers that are linked to different human diseases. CD@AgNP hybrid nanostructure was used as turn-on probe for detection of these biomarkers.

In this study, we revealed trap states' impact on MoS₂ photodetector photocurrent changes during optical ON/OFF cycles. Results show trap states significantly affect performance, providing a basis to optimize 2D material-based photodetectors.

Nanowires, such as the ones used in energy applications, pose unique challenges in characterization due to their complexity and fragility. AFM provides a multimetrological platform with its various feedback methods to tackle this issue with finesse.

The rapid and precise quantification and identification of proteins as key diagnostic biomarkers hold significant promise in allergy testing, disease diagnosis, clinical treatment, and proteomics.

This study presents a thermoelectric biosensor using Ag₂Se nanofilms on 3D-printed resin for precise H₂O₂ detection. It accurately quantifies S. sanguinis and MRSA, achieving a detection threshold of 10⁴ CFU ml⁻¹, meeting clinical standards.

The differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) into neural progenitor cells (NPCs) is a promising approach for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and regenerative medicine.