Graphene is a two-dimensional (2D) material with a single atomic crystal structure of carbon that has the potential to create next-generation devices for photonic, optoelectronic, thermoelectric, sensing, wearable electronics, etc., owing to its excellent electron mobility, large surface-to-volume ratio, adjustable optics, and high mechanical strength. In contrast, owing to their light-induced conformations, fast response, photochemical stability, and surface-relief structures, azobenzene (AZO) polymers have been used as temperature sensors and photo-switchable molecules and are recognized as excellent candidates for a new generation of light-controllable molecular electronics. They can withstand trans-cis isomerization by conducting light irradiation or heating but have poor photon lifetime and energy density and are prone to agglomeration even at mild doping levels, reducing their optical sensitivity. Graphene derivatives, including graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), are an excellent platform that, combined with AZO-based polymers, could generate a new type of hybrid structure with interesting properties of ordered molecules. AZO derivatives may modify the energy density, optical responsiveness, and photon storage capacity, potentially preventing aggregation and strengthening the AZO complexes. They are potential candidates for sensors, photocatalysts, photodetectors, photocurrent switching, and other optical applications. This review aimed to provide an overview of the recent progress in graphene-related 2D materials (Gr2MS) and AZO polymer AZO-GO/RGO hybrid structures and their synthesis and applications. The review concludes with remarks based on the findings of this study.
The environmental crisis, due to the rapid growth of the world population and globalisation, is a serious concern of this century. Nanoscience and nanotechnology play an important role in addressing a wide range of environmental issues with innovative and successful solutions. Identification and control of emerging chemical contaminants have received substantial interest in recent years. As a result, there is a need for reliable and rapid analytical tools capable of performing sample analysis with high sensitivity, broad selectivity, desired stability, and minimal sample handling for the detection, degradation, and removal of hazardous contaminants. In this review, various gold-carbon nanocomposites-based sensors/biosensors that have been developed thus far are explored. The electrochemical platforms, synthesis, diverse applications, and effective monitoring of environmental pollutants are investigated comparatively.
Nanostructured products are an actively growing area for food research, but there is little information on the sustainability of processes used to make these products. In this Review, we advocate for selection of sustainable process technologies during initial stages of laboratory-scale developments of nanofoods. We show that selection is assisted by predictive sustainability assessment(s) based on conventional technologies, including exploratory ex ante and "anticipatory" life-cycle assessment. We demonstrate that sustainability assessments for conventional food process technologies can be leveraged to design nanofood process concepts and technologies. We critically review emerging nanostructured food products including encapsulated bioactive molecules and processes used to structure these foods at laboratory, pilot, and industrial scales. We apply a rational method via learning lessons from sustainability of unit operations in conventional food processing and critically apportioned lessons between emerging and conventional approaches. We conclude that this method provides a quantitative means to incorporate sustainability during process design for nanostructured foods. Findings will be of interest and benefit to a range of food researchers, engineers, and manufacturers of process equipment.