Search Results (463)

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in modern agriculture. Toxicological studies have demonstrated that chronic glyphosate exposure is associated with the development of systemic disorders, particularly renal injury. Therefore, the search for effective therapeutic approaches to mitigate glyphosate-induced kidney dysfunction remains an important challenge in contemporary biomedicine. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of C₆₀ fullerenes, as potent antioxidants, on the recovery of renal function following chronic glyphosate intoxication. The experiment was conducted on male Wistar rats that received glyphosate orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight daily for 16 weeks. Following the cessation of glyphosate exposure, animals in the experimental group were treated with a C₆₀ fullerene aqueous solution (C₆₀FAS) at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight daily for two weeks. The animals exhibited elevated blood creatinine and urea concentrations, a reduced glomerular filtration rate, increased fractional excretion of sodium, an electrolyte imbalance, and enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase after chronic glyphosate exposure. Therapeutic administration of C₆₀FAS contributed to an average improvement of 20 ± 2% in the investigated biochemical parameters at the end of the experiment, which is consistent with the findings of the histological analysis of kidney tissue. These results demonstrate the pronounced therapeutic effect of C₆₀ fullerenes, attributable to their ability to attenuate oxidative stress and promote the recovery of the filtration, tubular, and metabolic functions of the kidneys following chronic glyphosate intoxication. Full article

Thermally sprayed metallic coatings on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) substrates often contain pores and microstructural defects that can reduce adhesion, durability, and protective performance. In this study, a hybrid graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-fullerene C60 reinforced epoxy coating was applied to HVOF-metallized CFRP, while a carbon nanotube (CNT)-based surface treatment was used to modify surface wettability. Micro-CT and SEM analyses indicated morphological changes consistent with partial coverage of accessible surface-connected defects and modification of the metallized layer surface. Pull-off adhesion strength increased from 320 psi to 650 psi, accompanied by a shift from adhesive to cohesive failure. The optimal nanofiller formulation improved tensile strength from approximately 25 MPa to 56 MPa (124%) and Young’s modulus by approximately 47% compared with neat epoxy. Abrasion testing showed more than 50% reduction in mass loss, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicated improved barrier performance after 200 h of salt spray exposure. CNT surface modification transformed the coating from hydrophilic to superhydrophobic behavior, achieving water contact angles above 155°, delaying ice formation, and reducing ice accumulation. These results indicate that combining hybrid nanocomposite coatings with CNT functionalization can improve mechanical, protective, and surface-functional performance of HVOF-metallized CFRP systems under the laboratory conditions investigated. Full article

The ternary strategy has emerged as an effective approach to enhance the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs), yet simultaneously improving both efficiency and stability remains a formidable challenge. Herein, we report a small-molecule donor (TiC12), featuring a thieno[3,2-c]isochromene unit, as a third component to fabricate ternary fullerene-based OSCs using the low-cost PTB7-Th:PC₇₁BM host matrix. The influence of TiC12 on the active-layer morphology, device efficiency, and long-term stability is systematically investigated. The results reveal that the incorporation of TiC12 enables precise regulation of the blend film morphology, leading to a marked improvement in photovoltaic performance. Consequently, the optimized ternary devices achieve a notable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.42%, which significantly surpasses that of the corresponding binary PTB7-Th:PC₇₁BM counterparts (9.16%). More importantly, the ternary system simultaneously exhibits substantially enhanced operational stability, retaining 82.7% of its initial PCE after 2304 h under ambient storage in a N₂-filled glovebox. This work demonstrates that TiC12, with its unique thieno[3,2-c]isochromene framework, represents a promising third-component candidate for achieving both high efficiency and superior stability in ternary fullerene OSCs. Full article

Mathematical modeling of degradation data is essential for quantifying the lifetime, reliability, and long-term stability of advanced materials when a direct experimental assessment is costly or limited. This paper develops an applied statistical framework based on the proportional hazard Gumbel Type-II (PHGT-II) distribution for modeling positive degradation times under a generalized progressive hybrid censoring scheme. The proposed model extends the baseline Gumbel Type-II distribution through a proportional hazard structure, providing additional flexibility for representing non-monotone hazard behavior, heavy-tailed lifetime patterns, and heterogeneous degradation mechanisms. The probability density, survival, hazard, and mean time to failure functions were derived, and the likelihood function was formulated under generalized progressive hybrid censoring. Parameter estimation was performed using maximum likelihood estimation and Bayesian inference with independent Gamma priors. Bayesian estimates were obtained under squared error and general entropy loss functions using a Metropolis–Hastings algorithm. The model was applied to thermal degradation data of the hydroxylated fullerene nanocomposite Sc₃N@C₈₀(OH)₁₈, where the degradation time was defined through a 2% weight-loss threshold obtained from a thermogravimetric analysis. The PHGT-II model was compared with other distributions using several goodness-of-fit measures. The results show that the PHGT-II distribution provides the best fit to the observed degradation data and yields consistent reliability estimates across maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches. The proposed framework offers a flexible and interpretable tool for modeling censored degradation data and can be extended to other reliability and lifetime applications in engineering and material science. Full article

Neurogenic atrophy is the most severe type of muscle atrophy. It can be caused by injury or disease of the nerve that connects to the muscle. Damage to the sciatic nerve (nervus ischiadicus) initiates molecular processes that lead to the transformation of muscle dysfunction into an atrophic state. Oxidative stress is one of the key factors that initiates skeletal muscle atrophy. Therefore, this study evaluates the effects of oral administration of water-soluble C₆₀ fullerenes (daily dose: 1 mg/kg), as powerful antioxidants, on the contraction dynamics of the rat musculus soleus on days 15, 30, and 45 following neurogenic atrophy induced by transection of the nervus ischiadicus. Using biophysical (tensometric), biochemical, and histological analyses, we evaluated the biomechanical parameters of musculus soleus contraction (time of onset of muscle force response, integrated muscle power, maximum and minimum contraction forces), blood biochemical markers (concentrations of C-reactive protein, lactate, creatinine, and reduced glutathione, as well as superoxide dismutase and catalase activities), as well as histological and morphometric indicators of muscle damage in rats on days 15, 30, and 45 after injury induction. It was found that the use of water-soluble C₆₀ fullerenes improves the contractile activity of the musculus soleus after neurogenic atrophy and has a time-dependent nature. Specifically, by day 45 of the experiment, the maximum therapeutic effect reached 23–35 ± 2% for the biomechanical parameters of muscle contraction, and the biochemical blood parameters have nearly approached the control values. Finally, histological analysis confirmed a significant reduction in signs of destruction in muscle fibers and the level of fibrosis in the musculus soleus. These findings suggest the potential application of water-soluble C₆₀ fullerenes in the treatment of pathological conditions of the muscular system arising from peripheral nerve injury. Full article

Hybrid carbon nanotube–fullerene architectures provide a controllable setting in which to study irreversibility and information flow in strongly structured quantum environments. We analyze entropy generation in a platform where paramagnetic endohedral fullerenes (PEFs), such as N@C₆₀ and P@C₆₀, are encapsulated inside a suspended carbon nanotube (CNT) resonator, such that selected multi-level PEF spin states define an effective qubit coupled to quantized CNT flexural modes. Motivated by prior work on fullerene-filled CNTs, on spin–phonon manipulation in suspended nanotubes, and on exact phase-space propagators for damped driven oscillators, we formulate a hybrid open-system description that combines a driven quantum Brownian description of the CNT resonator with an effective Jaynes–Cummings type spin–vibrational interaction. The resonator dynamics are represented in phase space through the Wigner function, whose time evolution can be written analytically in terms of the initial Wigner distribution and a Gaussian propagator. This representation makes it possible to separate drive-induced phase space displacement, diffusion, and damping, and to connect these features directly to entropy flow. The coupled spin–mechanical dynamics are then embedded in a Lindblad quantum master equation that includes mechanical damping, spin relaxation, pure dephasing, and thermally activated excitation channels. Within this framework we derive the entropy balance equation—identifying entropy flux and non-negative entropy production—and examine how hybridization between the molecular spin and the nanotube vibration redistributes irreversibility between coherent exchange and dissipative channels. We show that spin–phonon coupling enhanced by a magnetic field gradient, resonant driving, and moderate thermal occupation can produce identifiable crossovers between entropy–production regimes dominated by the oscillator and those dominated by the spin. The resulting framework provides a quantitative basis for using CNT–PEF hybrids as nanoscale platforms for studying nonequilibrium quantum thermodynamics, decoherence, and information loss in structured vibrational environments. Full article

Organic-type solar cells containing an active layer of block copolymer donor PTB7-Fx (x = 0, 20, and 100), based on benzo [1,2-b:4,5-b’]dithiophene and variably fluorinated thieno [3,4-b]thiophene units, and fullerene acceptor [6,6]phenyl-C₇₁-methylbutyrate, were constructed. The active layer thin film of the solar cells was obtained from a dichlorobenzene solution at an established concentration via spin-coating of the donor–acceptor mixture in the presence of solvent additives such as 3% diiodooctane and 1% triethyl phosphate. Organic photovoltaic elements with normal device architecture were prepared on glass substrates using an indium tin oxide anode, a spin-coated hole transporting layer of poly(ethylene dioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate, the aforementioned active layer, followed by an electron transporting layer of zinc oxide nanoparticles, and finally a magnetron sputtered silver (Ag) top-electrode. The optical properties, thin film morphology, and the thickness of the active layers were investigated. Additionally, current density–voltage characteristics and impedance spectra of photovoltaic devices were measured. It was found that PTB7-Fx:PC₇₁BM-based solar cells processed in the presence of two types of solvent additives, diiodooctane and triethyl phosphate, with a sputtered Ag top-electrode display similar absorption and quantum efficiency spectra, as well as comparable current density–voltage characteristics and efficiencies to the same devices fabricated without additives. The diiodooctane solvent additive preferably dissolves the fullerene component and has a positive effect on fill factor enhancement, impedance spectra improvement, and amelioration in charge carrier transport and collection, whereas the triethyl phosphate solvent additive preferentially dissolves the copolymer donor and has a more pronounced impact on the refined morphology of the thin film active layers. Full article

We performed a theoretical analysis (the PBE-D2/DNP level of the density functional theory with the use of the DSPP pseudopotentials) of the geometries, bonding and frontier orbital energies, spin and charge distribution for the entire series (from La to Lu) of lanthanide atoms interacting with I_h−C₈₀ cage, for both η⁵ and η⁶ exohedral coordination patterns. In certain regards, the exohedral η⁵ and η⁶ coordination of Ln atoms to the C₈₀ fullerene cage exhibits similar qualitative and semi-quantitative trends (the bonding strength, shortest Ln^…C distances, charge and spin of lanthanide atoms). The most interesting aspect is the molecular spin of the complexes, where we observed different patterns of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic coupling. Three complexes represent an extreme, when the antiferromagnetic coupling results in zero or close-to-zero molecular spin. In some cases, the molecular spin is a simple sum of 2 e of the isolated C₈₀ cage and the spin of an isolated Ln atom. However, the most common situation is when another 2 e spin adds: it is best illustrated with Eu (spin of 7 e for the atomic ground state), where the molecular spin of its η⁵ and η⁶ complexes is not about 9 e but reaches almost 11 e. Full article

Zirconia is known as a strong and bioinert load-bearing material for dental implants. It typically exhibits no antibacterial activity. Inflammation is a crucial problem for dental implant surgery: about 3–5% of all dental implants experience inflammation. This study demonstrates that either fullerene C₆₀ films or a tribomechanical loading of zirconia without the fullerene C₆₀ coating can cause an improvement in antibacterial activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. This moderate antibacterial activity is especially important, because a strong antibacterial effect could disturb the sensitive and beneficial oral bacterial biota. In the present study, different fullerene C₆₀ films were examined. In addition to fullerene C₆₀ film in an “as deposited” condition, treatment with nitrogen plasma as well as tribomechanical produced surface patterns with and without plasma post-treatment were tested. An 85.8% (log reduction 0.85) reduction in Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacterial formation was observed on the zirconia with fullerene C₆₀ film. Plasma treatment of the C₆₀ film increases the antibacterial impact to 72.2% (log reduction 0.56) in comparison to zirconia without fullerene C₆₀ film. Also, tribomechanical loaded fullerene C₆₀ films suppress the growth of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The tribomechanical loading seems to compensate for the effect of the plasma treatment. ZrO₂ samples with fullerene C₆₀ film and tribomechanical loading achieve an increase in antibacterial impact of 83.36% (log reduction 0.78). Furthermore, surprisingly yttria-stabilized zirconia bioceramic without fullerene C₆₀ film also shows an improved antibacterial efficacy after a tribomechanical patterning procedure. The addition of surface patterning on the ZrO₂ by scratching microgroove arrangements with a diamond tip, increased the antibacterial effect against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus by 70.46% (log reduction 0.53). Full article

Thick-film organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are key for scalable manufacturing, but increasing active-layer thickness usually lowers power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to charge recombination and limited carrier extraction. We report high-efficiency thick-film OPVs fully processed in air by doctor blading using non-halogenated solvents (o-xylene with 3.5% tetralin) for two non-fullerene acceptor systems: PM6:ITIC-4F and PTQ-10:ITIC-4F. Active layers (100–500 nm) were fabricated by adjusting the coating speed while keeping the ink concentration and gap constant. Under mild drying (40 °C, 2 min), both systems exhibited significant efficiency losses at 1 sun (AM1.5G) as the thickness increased, whereas performance was largely preserved under indoor LED illumination (200 lx and 1000 lx), enabling high performance for thick films. Short thermal post-annealing (80–140 °C, 2 min) further improved PCE by reducing bimolecular recombination and enhancing nanostructure. Optimized PM6:ITIC-4F devices reached 10.2% (300 nm) under 1 sun and 14.78% at 200 lx; PTQ-10:ITIC-4F achieved 11.3% (500 nm) under 1 sun and up to 15.71% at 200 lx. Morphological and structural analysis indicates that the superior thick-film performance of PTQ-10:ITIC-4F is linked to favorable phase behavior, polymer-rich surface composition, and preferential face-on molecular orientation, promoting charge collection. These results demonstrate that low-cost PTQ-10 and non-halogenated air processing can enable industrially relevant, high-performance thick-film OPVs. Full article

Water-soluble fullerene derivatives such as fullerenol C₆₀(OH)₂₄ are promising candidates for nanomedicine applications, yet their effects on innate immune cells remain poorly characterized. We investigated the interaction of fullerenol with human neutrophils isolated from healthy donors, exposed to concentrations of 0.25–200 μg/mL over 24–72 h. Using multi-parameter flow cytometry, we assessed viability, apoptosis, phagocytic activity, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, complemented by cell-free DPPH radical scavenging assays. Fullerenol was taken up by neutrophils in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. No significant cytotoxicity was observed up to 100 μg/mL, while viability declined at 200 μg/mL. Phagocytosis of opsonized E. coli was preserved at lower concentrations, though a statistically significant negative correlation with fullerenol concentration was detected at higher doses. In cell-free assays, fullerenol scavenged DPPH radicals with an EC₅₀ of 48.90 ± 10.02 μg/mL, exhibiting slower kinetics than Trolox or ascorbic acid. Critically, fullerenol suppressed intracellular ROS production by >33% at 50 μg/mL following PMA stimulation of neutrophils. These findings demonstrate that fullerenol C₆₀(OH)₂₄ combines potent intracellular antioxidant activity with a favorable neutrophil safety profile, supporting its potential application in oxidative stress-related conditions. Full article

This study explored the electronic and structural tunability of fullerene (C₆₀) derivatives via functionalization with heteroatoms (O, S, Se) in mono-, di-, and tri-bridged configurations, including covalently modeled dimers. Calculations were performed using density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. Electronic descriptors such as total dipole moments (TDMs), HOMO–LUMO energy gaps (ΔE), global reactivity descriptors, total density of states (TDOS), molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) and non-covalent interactions (NCIs) were analyzed to elucidate how functionalization alters reactivity and stability. Key findings indicate that TDM increases and ΔE decreases in all functionalized C₆₀; for example, the TDM increased from 0 Debye for C₆₀ to 2.156 Debye for C₆₀–O–S–Se, and ΔE decreased from 2.762 eV (C₆₀) to 2.532 eV (C₆₀–Se), indicating enhanced reactivity. This aligns with global reactivity descriptors such as reduced ionization energy and hardness. Mapped MESP surfaces showed activation around heteroatom sites. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) and NCI analyses revealed that while mono-bridged structures retain covalent linkages, dimeric systems such as C₆₀–O–C₆₀ and C₆₀–S–C₆₀ relax into weak, van der Waals-type interactions. OPDOS (overlap population density of states) highlighted antibonding character between the fragments in the conduction region. These results demonstrate that heteroatom functionalization enhances the electronic properties of C₆₀, making it a promising candidate for optoelectronic, organic photovoltaic, and sensor applications. Full article

This study employs effective field theory to investigate the magnetic properties of the Carbon-60 fullerene cage (C₆₀). The analysis shows that the magnetic behavior of the C60 molecule mirrors that of its sixty constituent carbon atoms, a phenomenon attributed to the molecule’s unique cage geometry and defined herein as the “identic magnetic effect” (IME). Furthermore, thermodynamic quantities, including magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, and internal energy, exhibit dual peaks at the coercive field points when the temperature is below the critical threshold (T < Tc). As the temperature exceeds this threshold (T > Tc), these peaks coalesce into a single maximum. These findings show good quantitative agreement with experimental phase transition characteristics, reflecting the magnetic behavior induced by the C₆₀ cage geometry. IME behavior can open the door to modeling and produce a new class of IME sensors (IMESs). Full article

Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) are increasingly being considered for medical applications. The objective of this article is to determine which anti-diabetic drugs and compounds have been enhanced by CNPs, and which CNP scaffolds were found to be successful. The anti-diabetic drugs administered loaded on CNPs include insulin, metformin, glimepiride and vanadium compounds. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs), hybrid systems and fullerenes are all carriers able to alleviate symptoms of diabetes. Successful CNPs are 10 nm or less and can have a flat pancake structure, as well as the spherical CQDs and the spherical-but-hollow gadofullerene (Gd-C82). The use of the carbon nanoparticle scaffold includes oral, intravenous administration and placement as an implant in a diabetic animal model system. In vitro studies in an insulin-resistant model demonstrate a 500–1000-fold enhancement of metformin when placed on the pegylated GOQD. Although some CNPs have low toxicity, more information is needed for understanding the metabolism associated with uptake and processing. In summary, CNPs represent a novel class of nanoparticles that has promising potential. They enhance the efficacy of anti-diabetic drugs, have low toxicity, and keep the loaded drug protected until reaching their targets. Full article

Lightweight, efficient, and reversible hydrogen storage materials are critical for the advancement of hydrogen-based energy technologies. In this work, we present a comprehensive density functional theory (DFT) investigation of hydrogen storage in pristine and metal-decorated C₈ carbon quantum dots (CQDs), representing ultrasmall, highly curved nanomaterials at the molecular–nanoscale interface. Lithium, magnesium, and titanium were investigated as representative decorating metals to tailor hydrogen adsorption strength and reversibility. The pristine C₈ quantum dot is structurally stable but exhibits negligible hydrogen affinity (−0.062 eV per H₂), rendering it unsuitable for practical storage applications. In contrast, metal decoration significantly enhances hydrogen adsorption while preserving molecular H₂ physisorption, yielding optimal single-molecule adsorption energies of −0.172, −0.304, and −0.451 eV for Li-, Mg-, and Ti-CQDs, respectively. Sequential adsorption analysis indicates exceptionally high hydrogen uptakes of up to 18 H₂ molecules for Li-CQD and 20 H₂ molecules for both Mg- and Ti-CQDs, corresponding to very high theoretical gravimetric capacities. Energy decomposition and interaction region analyses demonstrate that hydrogen uptake proceeds via a cooperative physisorption mechanism driven by dispersion, electrostatic, and polarization interactions, strongly enhanced by quantum confinement and extreme curvature effects inherent to the CQD. Grand canonical thermodynamic modeling confirms fully reversible hydrogen storage under practical temperature and pressure conditions. Among the systems studied, Mg-CQD exhibits the most favorable balance between adsorption strength and desorption accessibility, delivering a remarkable reversible gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity of 21.7 wt%, significantly surpassing most metal-decorated graphene-, fullerene-, and carbon nanotube-based materials reported to date. These results establish metal-decorated C₈ quantum dots as a new class of high-performance nanomaterials for reversible hydrogen storage and demonstrate the potential of ultrasmall carbon quantum dots to overcome the long-standing trade-off between hydrogen uptake and reversibility in nanostructured storage media. Full article