Search Results (48)

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer high porosity for water remediation but face challenges in handling as powders. We address these limitations by physically immobilizing Fe–BTC MOF within calcium-crosslinked low-methoxyl pectin matrices (PE–Ca–MOF). Solvent-cast films and freeze-dried foams were fabricated using water-based and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-assisted Fe–BTC dispersions, preserving MOF and pectin structures confirmed by FT–IR. PVP improved Fe–BTC dispersion and reduced particle size, enhancing distribution and plasticizing the matrix proved by DSC. Incorporation of water-dispersed Fe–BTC increased the equilibrium adsorption capacity but reduced the initial adsorption rate, while the PVP-assisted foam further enhanced uptake in comparative batch tests through its more open porous structure. At pH 7, PE–Ca–5%MOF films showed high adsorption capacities and removal efficiencies for paraquat (35.5 mg/g, 70.6%) and tetracycline (14.5 mg/g, 46.8%), while maintaining Zn²⁺ uptake compared to calcium-pectin films without MOF. Adsorption followed pseudo-first-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherms. Green regeneration with acetic acid enabled >80% capacity retention over five adsorption–desorption cycles. Foam architectures increased porosity and active-site accessibility (SEM), improving performance even at lower MOF loadings. Overall, controlling MOF dispersion and composite morphology enables efficient, reusable, and environmentally friendly bio-based adsorbents for water purification. Full article

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) offers a decentralized and renewable solution to global freshwater scarcity. Bio-derived and hybrid aerogels, characterized by ultra-high porosity and hierarchical pore structures, show significant potential for high water uptake and energy-efficient, low-temperature regeneration. This PRISMA-guided systematic review synthesizes evidence on silica, carbon, MOF-integrated, and bio-polymer aerogels, emphasizing green synthesis and circular design. Our analysis shows that reported water uptake reaches up to 0.32 g·g⁻¹ at 25% relative humidity (RH) and 3.5 g·g⁻¹ at 90% RH under static laboratory conditions. Testing protocols vary significantly across studies, and dynamic testing typically reduces these values by 20–30%. Ambient-pressure drying and solar-photothermal integration enhance sustainability, but performance remains highly dependent on device architecture and thermal management. Techno-economic models estimate water costs from USD 0.05 to 0.40 per liter based on heterogeneous assumptions and system boundaries. However, long-term durability and real-world environmental stressor data are severely underreported. Bridging these gaps is essential to move from lab-scale promise to scalable, commercially viable deployment. We propose a strategic roadmap toward 2035, highlighting the need for improved material stability, standardized testing protocols, and comprehensive life cycle assessments to ensure the global viability of green aerogel technologies. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the morphological impact of carbamazepine (CBZ) coated with carbon nanodots functionalised with silver nanoparticles (CNDs@AgNPs) and metal–organic framework (MOF-5) nanoparticles on the hearts of male rats with experimental epilepsy. Methods: Seventy male Wistar rats were randomly selected for the study and divided into ten groups of seven animals each. Haematoxylin–eosin staining was performed on heart tissue, and the levels of interleu-kin-6 (IL-6) and catalase (CAT) and the oxidative stress index (OSI) were determined bio-chemically. In addition, we performed morphological measurements of the heart. Results: When the heart tissues were evaluated histopathologically in all groups, it was observed that cells with pyknotic nuclei and haemorrhagic areas increased in the heart images, especially in the PTZ group with epilepsy only. Histologically normal cardiac cells and cardiac tissue were observed in the other groups. The distance between the atria was below 10 mm only in PTZ + CBZ 50 mg/kg and PTZ + CNDs@MOF-5 25 mg/kg groups. The distance between the apex of the heart and the base of the heart was the lowest in CNDs@MOF-5 25 mg/kg and CNDs@MOF-5 50 mg/kg groups. Conclusions: PTZ-induced epilepsy causes significant histopathological changes, while cardiac tissue structure is largely preserved in the treatment groups. In our literature review, we did not find any previous studies examining the effects of carbamazepine coated with two different types of nanoparticles on the cardiac morphology in an experimental epilepsy model. Full article

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising materials for environmental remediation, particularly in photocatalysis. In this work, a novel ZMIP nanocomposite was fabricated by integrating MIP-202(Zr) bio-MOF with ZnO nanoparticles. For the first time, ZnO nanoparticles were green-synthesized using water lettuce extract and incorporated into MIP-202(Zr) via a mild hydrothermal route. The resulting hybrid was applied as a visible-light photocatalyst for carbamazepine (CBZ) degradation in real pharmaceutical wastewater. Structural analyses (XRD, FTIR, TEM, EDS) verified the successful incorporation of ZnO into the MIP-202(Zr) framework. The composite exhibited a narrowed bandgap of 2.74 ± 0.1 eV compared to 4.05 ± 0.06 eV for pristine MIP-202 and 3.77 ± 0.04 eV for ZnO, highlighting enhanced visible-light utilization in ZMIP. Operational parameters were optimized using response surface methodology, where CBZ removal reached 99.37% with 84.39% TOC mineralization under the optimal conditions (90 min, pH 6, 15 mg/L CBZ, 1.25 g/L catalyst). The catalyst maintained stable performance over five reuse cycles. Radical quenching and UHPLC-MS analyses identified the dominant reactive oxygen species and generated intermediates, elucidating the degradation mechanism and pathways. Beyond CBZ, the ZMIP photocatalyst effectively degraded other pharmaceuticals, including doxorubicin, tetracycline, paracetamol, and ibuprofen, achieving degradation efficiencies of 82.93%, 76.84%, 72.08%, and 67.71%, respectively. Application on real pharmaceutical wastewater achieved 78.37% TOC removal under the optimum conditions. Furthermore, the supplementation of the photocatalytic system by inorganic oxidants ameliorated the degradation performance, following the order KIO₄ > K₂S₂O₈ > KHSO₅ > H₂O₂. Overall, ZMIP demonstrates excellent activity, reusability, and versatility, underscoring its potential as a sustainable photocatalyst for real wastewater treatment. Full article

Arsenic pollution in potable water is a significant worldwide health concern. This study systematically evaluates current progress in adsorption technology, the most promising restorative approach, to provide a definitive framework for future research and use. The methodology entailed a rigorous evaluation of 91 peer-reviewed studies (2012–2025), classifying adsorbents into three generations: (1) Natural adsorbents (e.g., agricultural/industrial wastes), characterized by cost-effectiveness but limited capacities (0.1–5 mg/g); (2) Engineered materials (e.g., metal oxides, activated alumina), which provide dependable performance (84–97% removal); and (3) Advanced hybrids (e.g., MOFs, polymer composites), demonstrating remarkable capacities (60–300 mg/g). The primary mechanisms of removal are confirmed to be surface complexation, electrostatic interactions, and redox precipitation. Nevertheless, the critical analysis indicates that despite significant laboratory efficacy, substantial obstacles to field implementation persist, including scalability limitations (approximately 15% of materials are evaluated beyond laboratory scale), stability concerns (e.g., structural collapse of MOFs at extreme pH levels), and elevated costs (e.g., MOFs priced at approximately $230/kg compared to $5/kg for alumina). The research indicates that the discipline must transition from only materials innovation to application science. Primary objectives include the development of economical hybrids (about $50/kg), the establishment of uniform WHO testing standards, and the implementation of AI-optimized systems. The primary objective is to attain sustainable solutions costing less than $0.10 per cubic meter that satisfy worldwide deployment standards via multidisciplinary cooperation. Full article

Aerogel sponges of bio-based polymers loaded with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly promising for environmental applications, but a central challenge is to improve their stability and efficiency for removal processes. Here, the effective incorporation of the MOFs MIL-100(Fe) and ZIF-8 in composite aerogels of chitosan–pectin–lactic acid is reported. The presence of pectin was critical to loading the MOFs efficiently and homogeneously, while the incorporation of lactic acid induced a large increase in the Young’s modulus and provided structural preservation in aqueous solutions. The presence of MOFs enhanced the removal of two dyes, methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB), under batch and flow conditions, with removal efficiencies of methyl orange of about 85% and 90% when loaded with ZIF-8 and MIL-100(Fe), respectively. Bentonite, celite 545, and two ionenes were loaded for comparison. Factors beyond charge-to-charge electrostatic interactions influenced the removal, since no correlations were obtained between the electrical charges of dyes, fillers, and polymers. The kinetic data were analyzed by adapting the Langmuir kinetic model, incorporating absorption and desorption processes, which allowed the recovery of the respective rate constants. Full article

Recently, the emerging class of hydroxamate-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has demonstrated significant structural diversity and chemical robustness, both essential for potential applications. Combining the favorable hard–hard Bi-O interactions and chelating chemistry of hydroxamate groups, a rigid and symmetrical three-dimensional bismuth-hydroxamate metal–organic framework was successfully prepared via solvothermal synthesis and structurally elucidated via X-ray crystallography. The MOF, namely SUM-91 (SUM = Sichuan University Materials), features one-dimensional Bi-oxo secondary building blocks (SBUs), which are bridged by chelating 1,4-benzenedihydroxamate linkers. With the demonstrated permanent porosity and molecular sieving effect (CO₂ vs. N₂), SUM-91 was also found to be stable under harsh chemical conditions (aqueous solutions with pH = 2–12 and various organic solvents). As the structural robustness of SUM-91 could be attributed to the finetuning of the coordinative sphere of Bi centers, this work shed light on the further development of (ultra-)microporous materials with high stability and selective adsorption properties. Full article

Metal-ion capacitors (MICs) have emerged as advanced hybrid energy storage devices that combine the high energy density of batteries with the superior power density and long cycle life of supercapacitors. By leveraging a unique configuration of faradaic and non-faradaic energy storage mechanisms, MICs offer a balanced performance that meets the diverse requirements of modern applications, including renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and portable electronics. MICs employ diverse ions such as lithium, sodium, and potassium, which provide flexibility in material selection, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. For instance, lithium-ion capacitors (LICs) excel in compact and high-performance applications, while sodium-ion (NICs) and potassium-ion capacitors (KICs) provide sustainable and affordable solutions for large-scale energy storage. This review highlights the advancements in electrode materials, including carbon-based materials, transition metal oxides, and emerging candidates like MXenes and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), which enhance MIC performance. The role of electrolytes, ranging from organic and aqueous to hybrid and solid-state systems, is also examined, emphasizing their influence on energy density, safety, and operating voltage. Additionally, the article discusses the environmental and economic benefits of MICs, including the use of earth-abundant materials and bio-derived carbons, which align with global sustainability goals. The review concludes with an analysis of practical applications, commercialization challenges, and future research directions, including AI-driven material discovery and integration into decentralized energy systems. As versatile and transformative energy storage devices, MICs are poised to play a critical role in advancing sustainable and efficient energy solutions for the future. Full article

The development of new biomaterials for musculoskeletal tissue repair is currently an important branch in biomedicine research. The approach presented here is centered around the development of a prototypic synthetic glycerogel scaffold for bone regeneration, which simultaneously features therapeutic activity. The main novelty of this work lies in the combination of an open meso and macroporous nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC)-based glycerogel with a fully biocompatible microporous bioMOF system (CaSyr-1) composed of calcium ions and syringic acid. The bioMOF framework is further impregnated with a third bioactive component, i.e., ibuprofen (ibu), to generate a multifold bioactive system. The integrated CaSyr-1(ibu) serves as a reservoir for bioactive compounds delivery, while the NCC scaffold is the proposed matrix for cell ingrowth, proliferation and differentiation. The measured drug delivery profiles, studied in a phosphate-buffered saline solution at 310 K, indicate that the bioactive components are released concurrently with bioMOF dissolution after ca. 30 min following a pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Furthermore, according to the semi-empirical Korsmeyer-Peppas kinetic model, this release is governed by a case-II mechanism, suggesting that the molecular transport is influenced by the relaxation of the NCC matrix. Preliminary in vitro results denote that the initial high concentration of glycerol in the NCC scaffold can be toxic in direct contact with human osteoblasts (HObs). However, when the excess of glycerol is diluted in the system (after the second day of the experiment), the direct and indirect assays confirm full biocompatibility and suitability for HOb proliferation. Full article

Supercapacitors hold promise for energy storage due to their exceptional power density and fast charge/discharge cycles. However, their performance hinges on the electrode material. Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are attractive options due to their tailorable structure and high surface area. But traditional ZIF synthesis relies on toxic solvents derived from fossil fuels, hindering their envisioned environmental benefit. This study explores using bio-derived solvents for a greener and potentially superior approach. The researchers employed anodic electrodeposition to synthesise cobalt-based ZIFs (Co-ZIFs) as supercapacitor electrode materials. Two linkers (2-methylimidazole and benzimidazole) and two bio-derived solvents (Cyrene^TM and γ-valerolactone (GVL)) were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that bio-derived solvents enhanced the crystallinity of Co-ZIFs compared to traditional solvents. Notably, Cyrene^TM promoted better crystallinity for Co-bIM/Co-mIM structures. The Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) analysis suggests Cyrene^TM promotes Co-bIM/Co-mIM crystallinity (lower FWHM). Co-mIM in Cyrene^TM exhibits the best crystallinity (FWHM = 0.233) compared to other ZIF samples. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed these findings, showing larger and well-defined crystals for bio-derived solvent-synthesised ZIFs. The choice of solvent significantly impacted the final ZIF structure. While 2-methylimidazole consistently formed ZIF-67 regardless of the solvent, benzimidazole exhibited solvent-dependent behaviour. GVL yielded the highly porous Co-ZIF-12 structure, whereas DMF (N,N-dimethylformamide) and Cyrene^TM produced the less porous ZIF-9. This work reports the first-ever instance of ZIF-12 synthesis via an electrochemical method, highlighting the crucial interplay between solvent and precursor molecule in determining the final ZIF product. The synthesised binder-free Co-ZIF electrodes were evaluated for supercapacitor performance. The capacitance data revealed GVL as the most effective solvent, followed by DMF and then Cyrene^TM. This suggests GVL is the preferred choice for this reaction due to its superior performance. The ZIF-12-based electrode exhibits an impressive specific capacitance (C_sp) of 44 F g⁻¹, significantly higher than those achieved by ZIF-9-Cyrene (1.2 F g⁻¹), ZIF-9-DMF (2.5 F g⁻¹), ZIF-67-GVL (35 F g⁻¹), ZIF-67-Cyrene (6 F g⁻¹), and ZIF-67-DMF (16 F g⁻¹) at 1 A g⁻¹. This surpasses the C_sp of all other ZIFs studied, including high-performing ZIF-67(GVL). ZIF-12(GVL) maintained superior C_sp even at higher current densities, demonstrating exceptional rate capability. Among the bio-derived solvents, GVL outperformed Cyrene^TM. Notably, the Co-bIM in the GVL sample exhibited a ZIF-12-like structure, offering potential advantages due to its larger pores and potentially higher surface area compared to traditional ZIF-67 and ZIF-9 structures. This work presents a significant advancement in Co-ZIF synthesis. By utilising bio-derived solvents, it offers a more sustainable and potentially superior alternative. This paves the way for the eco-friendly production of Co-ZIFs with improved properties for supercapacitors, gas separation, catalysis, and other applications. Full article

Electrochemical biosensors are critical in advancing biomedical and pharmaceutical therapies because of their adaptability and cost-effectiveness. Voltammetric and amperometric sensors are of particular interest. These sensors typically consist of a specialized tip or biorecognition element and a transducer that converts biological data into readable signals. Efficient biosensor materials are essential for addressing health emergencies, with coordination polymers (CPs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) showing promise. Functionalization strategies are necessary to enhance the usability of pristine MOFs, owing to issues such as low conductivity. The integration of conductive polymers with MOFs has resulted in the development of highly efficient biosensors. Both enzymatic and nonenzymatic biosensors are used for analyte detection; nonenzymatic approaches are gaining popularity owing to their durability and accuracy. MOFs and CPs have been applied in sensitive electrochemical biosensors to detect fatal brain tumors such as glioblastomas (GBM). These biosensors demonstrate enhanced selectivity and sensitivity, highlighting the potential of MOFs and CPs in advancing electrochemical biosensor technology for both in vivo and in vitro applications. Full article

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are particularly attractive sorbents with great potential for the removal of toxic dye pollutants from industrial wastewaters. The uniform dispersion of MOF particles on suitable substrates then represents a key condition to improve their processability and provide good accessibility to the active sites. In this work, we investigate the efficiency of a natural bacterial cellulose material derived from Kombucha (KBC) as an active functional support for growing and anchoring MOF particles with UiO-66 structures. An original hierarchical microstructure was obtained for the as-developed Kombucha cellulose/UiO-66 (KBC-UiO) composite material, with small MOF crystals (~100 nm) covering the cellulose fibers. Promising adsorption properties were demonstrated for anionic organic dyes such as fluorescein or bromophenol blue in water at pH 5 and pH 7 (more than 90% and 50% removal efficiency, respectively, after 10 min in static conditions). This performance was attributed to both the high accessibility and uniform dispersion of the MOF nanocrystals on the KBC fibers together with the synergistic effects involving the attractive adsorbing properties of UiO-66 and the surface chemistry of KBC. The results of this study provide a simple and generic approach for the design of bio-sourced adsorbents and filters for pollutants abatement and wastewater treatment. Full article

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is recognized as the primary cause of global warming due to its greenhouse potential. It plays a significant role in contributing to the emissions arising from a variety of anthropogenic activities, such as energy production, transportation, the construction industry, and other industrial processes. Capturing and utilizing CO₂ to mitigate its impact on the environment is, therefore, of significant importance. To do so, strategies such as net-zero strategies, deploying capture and storage technologies, and converting CO₂ into useful products have been proposed. In this review, we focused our attention on the preparation and performance of polymeric and crystalline materials for efficient CO₂ capture. More precisely, we examined MOFs, petroleum-based polymers (amine-based, polymeric ionic liquid, ionic polymer, conjugated macro/micro-cyclic polymer, and porous organic polymer) as well as bio-based polymers for CO₂ capture. In brief, the present work aims to guide the reader on the available crafted polymeric and crystalline materials offering a promising avenue towards innovative carbon dioxide capture strategy. Full article

The advancement of both porous materials and nanomaterials has brought about porous nanomaterials. These new materials present advantages both due to their porosity and nano-size: small size apt for micro/nano device integration or in vivo transport, large surface area for guest/target molecule adsorption and interaction, porous channels providing accessibility to active/surface sites, and exposed reactive surface/active sites induced by uncoordinated bonds. These properties prove useful for the development of different porous composition types (metal oxides, silica, zeolites, amorphous oxides, nanoarrays, precious metals, non-precious metals, MOFs, carbon nanostructures, MXenes, and others) through different synthetic procedures—templating, colloidal synthesis, hydrothermal approach, sol-gel route, self-assembly, dealloying, galvanostatic replacement, and so—for different applications, such as catalysis (water-splitting, etc.), biosensing, energy storage (batteries, supercapacitors), actuators, SERS, and bio applications. Here, these are presented according to different material types showing the evolution of the structure design and development towards the formation of hierarchical porous structures, emphasizing that the formation of porous nanostructures came about out of the desire and need to form hierarchical porous nanostructures. Common trends observed across these different composition types include similar (aforementioned) applications and the use of porous nanomaterials as templates/precursors to create novel ones. Towards the end, a discussion on the link between technological advancements and the development of porous nanomaterials paves the way to present future perspectives on these nanomaterials and their hierarchical porous architectures. Together with a summary, these are given in the conclusion. Full article

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials (e.g., graphene) have attracted growing attention in the (bio)sensing area and, in particular, for biomedical applications because of their unique mechanical and physicochemical properties, such as their high thermal and electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, and large surface area. Graphene (G) and its derivatives represent the most common 2D nanomaterials applied to electrochemical (bio)sensors for healthcare applications. This review will pay particular attention to other 2D nanomaterials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and MXenes, applied to the electrochemical biomedical (bio)sensing area, considering the literature of the last five years (2018–2022). An overview of 2D nanostructures focusing on the synthetic approach, the integration with electrodic materials, including other nanomaterials, and with different biorecognition elements such as antibodies, nucleic acids, enzymes, and aptamers, will be provided. Next, significant examples of applications in the clinical field will be reported and discussed together with the role of nanomaterials, the type of (bio)sensor, and the adopted electrochemical technique. Finally, challenges related to future developments of these nanomaterials to design portable sensing systems will be shortly discussed. Full article