Abstract: An apparatus for converting a toxic gas to benign substances comprises a housing characterized with multi-stages including a first stage, a second stage, a third stage and a fourth stage coupled to one another in sequence, wherein the first stage comprises a catalytic system configured to convert the toxic gas into its derivatives; the second stage comprises a carbonaceous fibrous material adapted to capture the remaining toxic gas and the derivatives; the third stage comprises at least one oxidizer to oxidize the remaining toxic gas to benign substances including CO2 and water; and the fourth stage comprises a scrubber configured to remove all of volatile organic compounds or water molecules generated as part of the first and third stages.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing a medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption comprises providing a toluene solution containing a polymer or a polymer mixture; immersing porous wool-like structure (PW) in the toluene solution for a period of time; and removing the immersed PW from the toluene solution, and heat-treating the immersed PW to obtain the medium comprising polymer-modified PW, wherein the polymer or the polymer mixture is adapted such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water or salty water.

Abstract: A biocompatible structure includes a scaffold obtained from a 3D structure. The 3D structure includes base layered structures, each of which includes at least a first layer and a second layer surrounded by the first layer. The first layer includes at least one of first, second and third media. The second layer includes at least another of the first, second and third media. The first medium comprises bone particles. The second medium comprises a polymer dissolvable in a first solvent. The third medium comprises solid particulates dissolvable in a second solvent different than the first solvent. The 3D structure is treated with the second solvent to dissolve the solid particulates so as to form pores at positions of the solid particulates therein, thereby resulting in the scaffold having a porosity adjustable by sizes of the solid particulates and concentration of the solid particulates in the 3D structure.

Abstract: A medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption includes steel wool modified with a polymer a polymer or a polymer mixture. The polymer or the polymer mixture is adapted such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water. The polymer or the polymer mixture includes polydimethylsiloxane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, or a combination thereof. The solution immersion method used to synthesize the medium requires only a single, simple step and affordable materials and, as a result, is easy to scale up.

Abstract: A method of making a nanocomposite includes forming at least one gold nanorod; coating a silver layer on an outer surface of the gold nanorod; assembling a Raman reporter molecule layer on the coated silver layer; coating a pegylated layer on the assembled Raman reporter molecule layer; and conjugating the coated pegylated layer with an active layer, the active layer comprising at least one of a targeting molecule configured to bind to the target of interest and a functional molecule configured to interact with the target of interest.

Abstract: A nanoagent for detections and treatments of multiple targets of interest includes multiple types of nanocomposites, each type of nanocomposites comprising at least one nanostructure, each nanostructure having a core and a shell surrounding the core; a respective reporter assembled on the shell of each nanostructure; and a layer of a respective treating agent and a respective targeting agent conjugated to the respective reporter. In use, each type of nanocomposite targets to a respective target of interest according to the respective targeting agent and releases the respective treating agent and the nanostructure therein for therapeutic treatment of the respective target of interest, and the respective target of interest transmits at least one signature responsive to the respective reporter for detection of the respective target of interest.

Abstract: A method of making a nanocomposite includes forming at least one gold nanorod; coating a silver layer on an outer surface of the gold nanorod; assembling a Raman reporter molecule layer on the coated silver layer; coating a pegylated layer on the assembled Raman reporter molecule layer; and conjugating the coated pegylated layer with an active layer, the active layer comprising at least one of a targeting molecule configured to bind to the target of interest and a functional molecule configured to interact with the target of interest.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an expandable scaffold and a method for fabricating the scaffold. The expandable scaffold includes a three-dimensional porous structure comprising a composite material composed by a first material and a second material. The 3D porous structure has a tunable expansion capacity. When applied in a liquid, the 3D porous structure may uptake the liquid and expand from an original volume to an expansion volume up to 1000 times of the original volume. The 3D porous structure may be formed by a plurality of layers of the composite material, and architecture and shape of the layers of the composite material are arranged in accordance with a shape and a size of the expansion volume. Applications of the scaffold may include a bone or soft tissue regeneration system or a bleed stopping device.

Abstract: A nanocomposite for detection and treatment of a target of interest including tumor cells or pathogens includes at least one nanostructure, each nanostructure having a core and a shell surrounding the core; a reporter assembled on the shell of each nanostructure; and a layer of a treating agent and a targeting agent conjugated to the reporter. In use, the nanocomposite targets to the target of interest according to the targeting agent and releases the treating agent and the nanostructure therein for therapeutic treatment of the target of interest, and the target of interest transmits at least one signature responsive to the reporter for detection of the target of interest.

Abstract: A method of making at least one nanocomposite for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection of a target of interest includes forming at least one gold nanorod; coating a silver layer on an outer surface of the gold nanorod; assembling a Raman reporter molecule layer on the coated silver layer, wherein the Raman reporter molecule layer comprises Raman reporter molecules that are detectable by the SERS; coating a thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG) layer on the assembled Raman reporter molecule layer; and conjugating the coated thiolated PEG layer with molecules of an antibody to make the at least one nanocomposite.

Abstract: A method of making at least one nanocomposite for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection of a target of interest includes forming at least one gold nanorod; coating a silver layer on an outer surface of the gold nanorod; assembling a Raman reporter molecule layer on the coated silver layer, wherein the Raman reporter molecule layer comprises Raman reporter molecules that are detectable by the SERS; coating a thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG) layer on the assembled Raman reporter molecule layer; and conjugating the coated thiolated PEG layer with molecules of an antibody to make the at least one nanocomposite.

Abstract: A method of increasing the probability and rate of seed germination, increasing vegetative biomass, and increasing water uptake in seeds, in which a seed is introduced to an effective concentration of carbon nanomaterial. The effective concentration of carbon nanomaterial is 10-200 ?g/mL.

Abstract: A medium for fast, selective oil-water separation and/or oil absorption includes steel wool modified with a polymer a polymer or a polymer mixture. The polymer or the polymer mixture is adapted such that the medium is a superwetting material that is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic under water. The polymer or the polymer mixture includes polydimethylsiloxane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylpyrrolidone, or a combination thereof. The solution immersion method used to synthesize the medium requires only a single, simple step and affordable materials and, as a result, is easy to scale up.

Abstract: A two dimensional (2D) active plasmonic scaffold includes a polymer film and one or more nanoparticle layers disposed on the polymer film. The nanoparticles has functional groups attached thereon. A three dimensional (3D) structure fabricated using the 2D scaffold.

Abstract: A method of increasing the probability and rate of seed germination, increasing vegetative biomass, and increasing water uptake in seeds, in which a seed is introduced to an effective concentration of carbon nanomaterial. The effective concentration of carbon nanomaterial is 10-200 ?g/mL.

Abstract: A biocompatible structure includes one or more base structures for regeneration of different tissues. Each base structure includes alternately stacked polymer layers and spacer layers. The polymer layer includes a polymer and tissue forming nanoparticles. The polymer includes polyurethane. The tissue forming nanoparticles includes hydroxypatites (HAP) nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles, or nanofibers. The spacer layer includes bone particles, polymeric nanoparticles, or nanofibers. The weight percentage of tissue forming nanoparticles to the polymer in the polymer layer in one base structure is different from that in the other base structures. A method of producing the biocompatible structure includes forming multiple base structures stacked together, coating the stacked multiple base structures, and plasma treating the coated structure.

Abstract: One aspect of the present invention relates to a multicomponent and biocompatible nanocomposite material, including a graphene structure formed with a plurality of graphene layers; and gold/hydroxyapatite (Au/HA) nanoparticles distributed within the graphene structure; where the nanocomposite material is formed by heating an Au/HA catalyst thin film with a carbon source gas to perform radio frequency chemical vapor deposition (RF-CVD).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a scaffold for tissue regeneration and methods for fabricating the scaffold. The scaffold includes a three-dimensional structure composed by alternating layers of various materials including a first medium, a second medium and a third medium. The first medium includes bone particles each having a size of 1 nm to 100 mm with or without organic components. The second medium is a natural or synthetic biocompatible and/or biodegradable polymer. The third medium is a material dissolved in a solvent different than the solvent of the polymer and includes solid particulates alone or in polymeric structures that dissolve when immersed in liquid or gaseous solvent environments or based on temperature differentials. The various materials are arranged according to the shape and the size of a bone gap being generated. The three-dimensional structure has a tunable porosity with interconnected channels and pores along with adjustable dimensions.

Abstract: A method for forming a biocompatible structure includes the steps of forming a layered structure having alternatively disposed first layers and second layers, where the first layers includes at least one polymer and first particles, and the second layers includes second particles; and treating the layered structure with a washing solvent to form the biocompatible structure, where the first particles are solvable in the washing solvent.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a scaffold useable for tissue regeneration and methods for fabricating the scaffold. The scaffold includes a three-dimensional structure having a tunable porosity with interconnected channels and pores along with adjustable dimensions, and being formed of at least one of a first medium, a second medium, a third medium and a fourth medium. The first medium comprises one or more polymers that are biocompatible and biodegradable. The second medium comprises one or more soluble materials, and is mixable with the first medium. The third medium comprises fillers of one or more insoluble materials having structures with dimensions between 1 nm to 5 mm, and is mixable in a bulk or surface of the first medium or the second medium individually, or in a bulk or surface of a combination of the first and second media. The fourth medium comprises an agent.