A reduced graphene oxide-β-cyclodextrin nanocomposite-based electrode for electrochemical detection of curcumin

Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound with anti-oxidative and anti-cancer properties that is obtained from turmeric plants. Several studies have demonstrated that cancer cells are not killed unless they are exposed to 5–50 mM of curcumin. Consequently, it is vital to control the concentration of curcumin in cancer therapy. In this study, a sensitive electrochemical sensor was fabricated based on a beta-cyclodextrin–reduced graphene oxide (β-CD–rGO) nanocomposite for measuring curcumin concentration. The effects of experimental factors were investigated and the optimum parametric conditions were determined using the Taguchi optimization method. The β-CD–rGO modified electrode exhibited good electrochemical properties for curcumin detection. The results of differential pulse voltammetry experiments unveiled that the sensor shows a linear response to curcumin concentration over the range of 0.05–10 mM with a detection limit of 33 nM and sensitivity of 4.813 μA μM⁻¹. The fabricated sensor exhibited selectivity in the presence of other electroactive species, e.g., propranolol, clomipramine and clonazepam.

In this study, a sensitive electrochemical sensor was fabricated based on a beta-cyclodextrin–reduced graphene oxide (β-CD–rGO) nanocomposite for measuring curcumin concentration.     

Physiologically stable F127-GO supramolecular hydrogel with sustained drug release characteristic for chemotherapy and photothermal therapy

A synthetic method for preparing a Pluronic F127 (F127)-stabilized graphene (GO) supramolecular hydrogel as a safe nanovehicle for combination treatment has been studied. Doxorubicin (DOX) as a model drug is non-covalently bound on the great surface area of GO due to strong π–π interaction, hydrophobic interaction, and the strongest hydrogen bonding. In vitro drug release experiments revealed that this F127-stabilized GO supramolecular hydrogel has a sustained drug release characteristic. Furthermore, the supramolecular hydrogel showed better in vitro antitumor ability under NIR (near infrared) laser irradiation because of the excellent photothermal effect of GO. Moreover, we evaluated its antitumor ability in vivo and the results show that the hydrogel system can also markedly inhibit the growth of a tumor when administered individually, especially under laser irradiation. All these findings make the supramolecular hydrogel system promising for combination therapy with good bioavailability and minimal side effects.

The F127-GO-DOX supramolecular hydrogel system with sustained drug release characteristic for chemotherapy and photothermal therapy.     

Reduced graphene oxide-supported methylene blue nanocomposite as a glucose oxidase-mimetic for electrochemical glucose sensing

In this paper, a hybrid nanocomposite (MB-rGO) was synthesized based on the π–π stacking interactions between methylene blue (MB) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The as-synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, UV-vis and XPS spectra. UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical tests suggested the MB-rGO modified on the electrode exhibited glucose oxidase-mimetic catalytic activity towards glucose, and displayed excellent electrocatalytic performance for electrochemical detection of glucose with a wide linear range from 1.04 to 17.44 mM, a low detection limit of 45.8 μM and a large sensitivity of 13.08 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻². The proposed glucose sensor also showed high stability, reproducibility and good abilities of anti-interference to dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid. Moreover, the modified electrode was used to determine glucose concentration in human blood serum samples with satisfactory results.

A novel electrochemical glucose sensor based on methylene blue-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite was constructed, and the sensor exhibited good glucose oxidase-mimetic electrocatalytic activity towards glucose and practical applicability.     

Simultaneous determination of hydroquinone and catechol by a reduced graphene oxide–polydopamine–carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite

A reduced graphene oxide–polydopamine–carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube (RGO–PDA–cMWCNT) nanocomposite was fabricated via a facile, one-pot procedure and was characterized by a variety of techniques. A novel electrochemical sensor based on RGO–PDA–cMWCNT was constructed to determine hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CT) simultaneously. This newly prepared nanocomposite shows excellent electrocatalytic efficacy in the electrode reaction of the two isomers. Specifically, the peak-to-peak potential difference between the two dihydroxybenzenes is 115 mV for oxidation, which is obviously larger than similar electrochemical sensors. The established method displays a wide linear range from 0.5 to 5000 μM with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.066 μM for HQ and 0.073 μM for CT. In addition, this electrochemical approach has been tested to measure the two dihydroxybenzenes in real samples and satisfactory results were recorded.

A novel reduced graphene oxide–polydopamine–carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite (RGO–PDA–cMWCNT) was fabricated for the sensitive and simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CT).     

A dopamine electrochemical sensor based on a platinum–silver graphene nanocomposite modified electrode

A platinum–silver graphene (Pt–Ag/Gr) nanocomposite modified electrode was fabricated for the electrochemical detection of dopamine (DA). Electrochemical studies of the Pt–Ag/Gr nanocomposite towards DA detection were performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The CV analysis showed that Pt–Ag/Gr/GCE had enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards DA oxidation due to the synergistic effects between the platinum–silver nanoparticles and graphene. The DPV results showed that the modified sensor demonstrated a linear concentration range between 0.1 and 60 μM with a limit of detection of 0.012 μM. The Pt–Ag/Gr/GCE presented satisfactory results for reproducibility, stability and selectivity. The prepared sensor also showed acceptable recoveries for a real sample study.

A platinum–silver graphene nanocomposite was synthesized and characterized. A nanocomposite modified electrode was fabricated in order to investigate the electrochemical detection of dopamine.     

β-Cyclodextrin functionalized 3D reduced graphene oxide composite-based electrochemical sensor for the sensitive detection of dopamine

A three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide nanomaterial with β-cyclodextrin modified glassy carbon electrode (3D-rGO/β-CD/GCE) was constructed and used to detect the electrochemical behavior of dopamine (DA). The nanocomposite materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), Raman spectrogram and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which showed that β-CD was well modified on 3D graphene with a porous structure. The electrochemical properties of different modified electrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), proving the highest electron transfer rate of the 3D-rGO/β-CD modified electrode. The experimental conditions such as scan rate, pH, enrichment time and layer thickness were optimized. Under the best experimental conditions, DA was detected by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) by 3D-rGO/β-CD/GCE with excellent electrocatalytic ability and satisfactory recognition ability, resulting in a wide linear range of 0.5–100 μM and a low detection limit (LOD) of 0.013 μM. The modified electrode based on 3D-rGO/β-CD nanocomposites is promising in the field of electrochemical sensors due to its high sensitivity and other excellent properties.

A 3D-rGO/β-CD nanocomposite was successfully synthesized and further modified onto the surface of GCE to construct a new biosensor for electrochemically sensing DA.     

N-Hydroxysuccinimide crosslinked graphene oxide–gold nanoflower modified SPE electrode for sensitive detection of chloramphenicol antibiotic

Here we introduce a composite material that consists of graphene oxide (GO) sheets crosslinked with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and functionalized with gold nanoflowers (AuNFs). Furthermore, a screen printed electrode (SPE) modified with the introduced composite is electrochemically reduced to obtain an SPE/rGO–NHS–AuNFs electrode for sensitive and selective determination of chloramphenicol (CAP) antibiotic drug. The morphological structure of the as-prepared nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The proposed sensor demonstrated excellent performance with a linear concentration range of 0.05 to 100 μM and a detection limit of 1 nM. The proposed electrode offers a high level of selectivity, stability, reproducibility and a satisfactory recovery rate for electrochemical detection of CAP in real samples such as blood serum, poultry feed, milk, eggs, honey and powdered milk samples. This further demonstrates the practical feasibility of the proposed sensor in food analysis.

Here we introduce a composite material that consists of graphene oxide (GO) sheets crosslinked with N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and functionalized with gold nanoflowers (AuNFs).     

A ZnS@N-GQD nanocomposite as a highly effective and easily retrievable catalyst for the sonosynthesis of β-amino carbonyls

A three-component reaction of acetophenone, aromatic aldehydes, and aniline derivatives has been achieved in the presence of a ZnS@nitrogen graphene quantum dot (N-GQD) nanocomposite as a highly effective heterogeneous catalyst to produce β-amino carbonyls. The catalyst has been characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, FT-IR spectroscopy, EDS, BET and TGA techniques. The feasibility of carrying out the one-pot synthesis under ultrasonic irradiation with a heterogeneous nanocatalyst could improve the reaction rates and shorten the reaction times.

A flexible and highly efficient protocol for the sonosynthesis of β-amino carbonyls using a ZnS@N-GQD nanocomposite has been developed.     

Anisotropic tough poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide nanocomposite hydrogels for potential biomedical applications

Hydrogels, one of the most important bioinspired materials, are receiving increasing attention because of their potential applications as scaffolds for artificial tissue engineering and vehicles for drug delivery, etc. However, these applications are always severely limited by their microstructure and mechanical behavior. Here we report the fabrication of a tough polyvinyl alcohol/graphene oxide (PVA/GO) nanocomposite hydrogel through a simple and effective directional freezing–thawing (DFT) technique. The resulting hydrogels show well-developed anisotropic microstructure and excellent mechanical properties with the assistance of DFT method and lamellar graphene. The hydrogels with anisotropic porous structures that consisted of micro-sized fibers and lamellas exhibit high tensile strengths, up to 1.85 MPa with a water content of 90%. More interestingly, the PVA/GO composite hydrogels exhibit the better thermostability, which can maintain the original shape when swollen in hot water (65 °C). In addition, the hydrogels with biocompatibility show good drug release efficiency due to the unique hierarchical structure. The successful synthesis of such hydrogel materials might pave the way to explore applications in biomedical and soft robotics fields.

Tough PVA/GO nanocomposite hydrogel with well-developed anisotropic microstructure and excellent mechanical properties.     

Functional drug carriers formed by RGD-modified β-CD-HPG for the delivery of docetaxel for targeted inhibition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

In this study, a drug delivery system was prepared by grafting the targeting molecule arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) onto hyperbranched polyglycerol (HPG)-modified β-cyclodextrin (β-CD-HPG) for the targeted inhibition of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells. The obtained β-CD-HPG-RGD with a relatively small size and low surface charge delivered docetaxel (Doc) effectively and displayed a targeting effect to human NPC HNE-1 cells, as confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry. The in vitro drug release analysis exhibited the controlled drug release kinetics of the β-CD-HPG-RGD/Doc nanomedicine. β-CD-HPG-RGD/Doc effectively inhibited the proliferation of HNE-1 cells and promoted apoptosis. Moreover, its biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo was assessed. The results indicate that the β-CD-HPG-RGD/Doc nanomedicine has potential application in NPC targeting therapy.

A new RGD targeting drug carrier based on HPG-modified β-CD has been synthesized. This carrier showed excellent biocompatibility and targeting ability. The obtained NPs could effectively inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells.     

CS/Au/MWCNT nanohybrid as an efficient carrier for the sustained release of 5-FU and a study of its cytotoxicity on MCF-7

The chemical reduction method has been used to adeptly synthesize a CS/Au/MWCNT nanocomposite, to be used as a carrier for the effectual delivery of the anticancer drug 5-Fluorouracil. The work aims at utilizing the less investigated ternary nanocomposite system containing chitosan (CS), gold (Au) and MWCNT''s to attain higher encapsulation efficiency and to enable a more sustained and prolonged release of 5-FU. This system has improved cytotoxicity when compared to the CS/Au binary system. The prepared sample has been characterized using various techniques that confirm the formation of the nanocomposite, encapsulation of 5-FU into the nanocomposite, the structure of 5-FU and Au in the nanocomposite and the formation of the polymer matrix nanocomposite. An increase in the encapsulation efficiency to 98% and loading efficiency to 43% is observed when compared to the binary composite, elucidating the importance of incorporation of carbon nanotubes into the nanocomposite. A reduction in the release percentage of 5-FU by 40% indicates a more prolonged release, which will enable a reduction of the number of dosages that need to be administered. This in turn leads to a reduction in the side effects posed by the drug 5-FU. Moreover, the effectiveness of the drug loaded nanocomposite system towards the inhibition of breast cancer cells, apparent from the attainment of 50% cell viability while taking sample concentrations as low as 25 μg ml⁻¹, makes this ternary nanocomposite superior and significant.

The chemical reduction method has been used to adeptly synthesize a CS/Au/MWCNT nanocomposite, to be used as a carrier for the effectual delivery of the anticancer drug 5-Fluorouracil.     

Naproxen release behaviour from graphene oxide/cellulose acetate composite nanofibers

The present study investigated the effect of graphene oxide in cellulose acetate-based composite nanofibers on the transdermal delivery of naproxen. The composite nanofibers were successfully produced via the electrospinning process by directly mixing cellulose acetate, graphene oxide, and naproxen solution with varied compositions. The formation of the nanofibers was confirmed by electron microscopy and other characterization techniques to prove the existence of graphene oxide and naproxen itself. Surprisingly, graphene oxide encourages the production of nanofibers with smaller average diameter, higher conductivity, higher mechanical strength, and higher naproxen release from the cellulose acetate nanofibers. Once combined with naproxen, the composite nanofiber exhibited antibacterial activity with an inhibitory zone of 9.15 mm. The cytotoxicity evaluation also showed that the addition of naproxen increased the death of HeLa cells with a CC₅₀ of up to 29.33 μg mL⁻¹. The kinetic model of naproxen release follows the Korsmeyer–Peppas and Higuchi models with acceleration at neutral pH. These results are promising for further applications for wound healing purposes.

The present study investigated the effect of graphene oxide in cellulose acetate-based composite nanofibers on the transdermal delivery of naproxen.     

Simultaneous detection of acetaminophen and 4-aminophenol with an electrochemical sensor based on silver–palladium bimetal nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide

In this paper, Ag–Pd bimetallic nanoparticles uniformly distributed on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were synthesized by redox reaction between Pd²⁺, Ag⁺and GO, and were characterized by X-ray diffractometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and thermal gravimetric analyses. A novel electrochemical sensor was constructed based on these nanocomposites using glassy carbon as a substrate. Under optimal conditions, the linear ranges were 0.50–300.00 μM for PA and 1.00–300.00 μM for 4-AP, with the detection limits of 0.23 μM for PA and 0.013 μM for 4-AP, respectively. This sensor was successfully applied to the determination of PA in pharmaceutical formulations and gave satisfactory results with a lower detection limit, wider linear range and good reproducibility.

Simultaneous detection of acetaminophen and 4-aminophenol with a highly sensitive electrochemical sensor based on silver–palladium bimetal nanoparticles and reduced graphene oxide.     

Magnetic chitosan/graphene oxide composite loaded with novel photosensitizer for enhanced photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an increasingly recognized alternative to treat various cancers in clinical practice. Most second-generation photosensitizers (PS) are hydrophobic and have poor targeting selectivity, which limit their efficacy for PDT. In this paper, graphene oxide (GO) coupled with magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and chitosan (CS) (MCGO) was prepared by a one-pot solvothermal method and used as a nanocarrier for loading the new photosensitizer HNPa (λ_max = 698 nm), which was first synthesized by our group, and was considered as a good water-soluble drug and an excellent tissue-penetrating agent due to its strong absorption at 698 nm (near-infrared region). The synthesized composite (MCGO–HNPa) showed high stability, good water solubility and biocompatibility, expected magnetic targetability, and good photostability for PDT even in low concentrations. Our research reveals that MCGO nanomaterials can promote the production and release of singlet oxygen (Φ_Δ = 62.9%) when compared with free HNPa. In addition, the in vitro cell uptake experiments suggested that the MCGO nanomaterials can accelerate the penetration of HNPa drugs into the tumor cell nucleus and that the drug release behavior is pH-sensitive. The MTT assay results against human hepatoma cell lines HepG-2 clearly show that the MCGO–HNPa composite can effectively result in cell damage and apoptotic cell death under light, and that the nanocomposite can improve the PDT antitumor effect of PS agents with negligible dark toxicity. Meanwhile, the research on the photoreaction mechanism reveals that Type I and Type II photodynamic reactions can occur simultaneously in this PDT process, and their relative contributions depend on the type and dose of the photosensitizer. Type II has a greater effect on PDT than Type I, especially for a higher HNPa photosensitizer dose. All the results reveal the promising application of the presented novel strategy.

Prepared magnetic chitosan/graphene oxide composite loaded with a novel photosensitizer (MCGO–HNPa) showed excellent PDT activity against HepG-2 cells.     

Development of a pH-sensitive functionalized metal organic framework: in vitro study for simultaneous delivery of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in breast cancer

Exploration of an efficient dual-drug based nanocarrier with high drug loading capacity, specific targeting properties, and long-term stability is highly desirable in cancer therapy. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have proven to be a promising class of drug carriers due to their high porosity, crystalline properties with defined structure information, and their potential for further functionalization. To enhance the drug efficacy as well as to overcome the burst effect of drugs, here we synthesized a pH responsive folic acid (FA) and graphene oxide (GO) decorated zeolitical imidazolate frameworks-8 (GO–FA/ZIF-8), for targeted delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) and cyclophosphamide (CP), simultaneously. In this system, DOX molecules were encapsulated in the pores of ZIF-8 during in situ synthesis of ZIF-8 and CP molecules have been captured by the GO surface via hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions as well. Furthermore, the resulting pH-responsive nanocarrier (DOX@ZIF-8/GO–FA/CP) showed in vitro sustained release characteristics (76% of DOX and 80% of CP) by cleavage of chemical bonding and disruption of the MOFs structure under acidic condition (at pH 5.6). Moreover, DOX@ZIF-8/GO–FA/CP has synergistic cytotoxic effects as compared to the combination of both the drugs without ZIF-8/GO–FA when treating MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines (with a combination index of 0.29 and 0.75 for MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell-lines, respectively). Hence this system can be applied as an effective platform for smart dual drug delivery in breast cancer treatment through its remarkable manageable multidrug release.

Exploration of an efficient dual-drug based nanocarrier with high drug loading capacity, specific targeting properties, and long-term stability is highly desirable in cancer therapy.     

A stable TiO2–graphene nanocomposite anode with high rate capability for lithium-ion batteries

A rapid microwave hydrothermal process is adopted for the synthesis of titanium dioxide and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites as high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries. With the assistance of hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent, graphene oxide was reduced while TiO₂ nanoparticles were grown in situ on the nanosheets to obtain the nanocomposite material. The morphology of the nanocomposite obtained consisted of TiO₂ particles with a size of ∼100 nm, uniformly distributed on the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets. The as-prepared TiO₂–graphene nanocomposite was able to deliver a capacity of 250 mA h g⁻¹ ± 5% at 0.2C for more than 200 cycles with remarkably stable cycle life during the Li⁺ insertion/extraction process. In terms of high rate capability performance, the nanocomposite delivered discharge capacity of ca. 100 mA h g⁻¹ with >99% coulombic efficiency at C-rates of up to 20C. The enhanced electrochemical performance of the material in terms of high rate capability and cycling stability indicates that the as-developed TiO₂–rGO nanocomposites are promising electrode materials for future Li-ion batteries.

A rapid microwave hydrothermal process is adopted for the synthesis of titanium dioxide and reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites as high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries.     

Germanium quantum dot/nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposite for high-performance bulk heterojunction solar cells

This study presents the successful synthesis of a novel nanocomposite, namely a germanium quantum dot/nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposite (GeQD/NGr), and its use in the modification of the photoactive medium of bulk heterojunction solar cells (BHJ-SCs). The nanocomposite was prepared in two sequential steps. Firstly, a reduced graphene oxide-germanium oxide nanocomposite (rGO-GeO₂) was synthesized by microwave-assisted solvothermal reaction. The second step involved simultaneous N-doping of graphene and reduction of GeO₂ to obtain the GeQD/NGr nanocomposite by thermal treatment. The nanocomposite consists of highly crystalline, spherical shaped GeQDs with a mean diameter of 4.4 nm affixed on the basal planes of NGr sheets. Poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT), (6-6)phenyl-C60-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and GeQD/NGr were used as the photoactive layer blend in the fabrication of BHJ-SCs. Enhanced short-circuit current density (J_sc) and fill factor (FF) is derived from the incorporation of the GeQD/NGr nanocomposite in the active layer. The nanocomposite in the active layer blend serves to ensure effective charge separation and transportation to the respective electrodes. Consequently, an improvement of up to 183% in the power conversion efficiency is achieved in the BHJ-SCs by the GeQD/NGr modification.

Germanium quantum dot/nitrogen-doped graphene, a novel nanocomposite, is successfully synthesized and utilized in the photoactive medium of organic solar cells.     

UCN–SiO2–GO: a core shell and conjugate system for controlling delivery of doxorubicin by 980 nm NIR pulse

Herein, graphene oxide (GO) has been attached with core–shell upconversion-silica (UCN–SiO₂) nanoparticles (NPs) to form a GO–UCN–SiO₂ hybrid nanocomposite and used for controlled drug delivery. The formation of the nanocomposite has been confirmed by various characterization techniques. To date, a number of reports are available on GO and its drug delivery applications, however, the synergic properties that arise due to the combination of GO, UCNPs and SiO₂ can be used for controlled drug delivery. New composite UCN@SiO₂–GO has been synthesized through a bio-conjugation approach and used for drug delivery applications to counter the lack of quantum efficiency of the upconversion process and control sustained release. A model anticancer drug (doxorubicin, DOX) has been loaded to UCNPs, UCN@SiO₂ NPs and the UCN@SiO₂–GO nanocomposite. The photosensitive release of DOX from the UCN@SiO₂–GO nanocomposite has been studied with 980 nm NIR laser excitation and the results obtained for UCNPs and UCN@SiO₂ NPs compared. It is revealed that the increase in the NIR laser irradiation time from 1 s to 30 s leads to an increase in the amount of DOX release in a controlled manner. In vitro studies using model cancer cell lines have been performed to check the effectiveness of our materials for controlled drug delivery and therapeutic applications. Obtained results showed that the designed UCN@SiO₂–GO nanocomposite can be used for controlled delivery based therapeutic applications and for cancer treatment.

A GO–UCN–SiO₂ hybrid nanocomposite for loading of doxorubicin and its use in in vitro efficiency for killing carcinoma cells.     

Drug-loaded dual targeting graphene oxide-based molecularly imprinted composite and recognition of carcino-embryonic antigen

Despite extensive research on functional graphene oxide for anticancer drug delivery, the sensitivity of traditional protein targeting ligands to the environment limits the practical applications of targeted drug delivery. A unique molecularly imprinted magnetic graphene oxide was used as a novel drug delivery system for the treatment of tumors. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) synthesized by molecular imprinting technology have the advantages of good stability against chemical and enzymatic attacks, high specificity for a target template, and resistance to harsh environments. In our work, the MIP was used for specificity to tumor cells with carcino-embryonic (CEA) tumor markers as the template, and dopamine as the functional monomer was grafted on boronic acid-functionalized magnetic graphene oxide. The structure of the nanoparticles was optimized and characterized in detail by vibrating sample magnetometry, X-ray diffraction analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy, and flow cytometry. The prepared polymer has magnetic properties, specific recognition to CEA, biocompatibility and pH sensitivity for drug delivery. Cell culture research was carried out on the tumor cells and normal cells. The composites exhibited dual targeting properties that not only magnetically target but also specifically increase the drug cytotoxicity to the tumor cells by selectively binding to CEA. On the basis of these results, this study developed a novel approach for targeting tumor cells for drug delivery without needing to modify the protein ligand.

In the research we designed a CEA-molecularly imprinted polymers using molecular imprinting technique with CEA tumor marker as template, boronic acid functionalized MGO as substrate for dual targeted delivery of drug to tumor cells.     

A photoredox catalysed Heck reaction via hole transfer from a Ru(ii)-bis(terpyridine) complex to graphene oxide

The attachment of homoleptic Ru bis-terpy complexes on graphene oxide significantly improved the photocatalytic activity of the complexes. These straightforward complexes were applied as photocatalysts in a Heck reaction. Due to covalent functionalization on graphene oxide, which functions as an electron reservoir, excellent yields were obtained. DFT investigations of the charge redistribution revealed efficient hole transfer from the excited Ru unit towards the graphene oxide.

A hole transfer from an excited Ru unit towards graphene oxide significantly improved the photocatalytic activity of the complexes.