Fabio Furlan Ferreira

• Professor
• Associate Professor (Tenure Track) at Federal University of ABC

We have developed a non-enzymatic biosensor for the detection of ammonia and urea oxidation based on the deposition of peptide microstructures onto thiolated gold electrodes. FF-MNSs/MCP/Au assemblies were obtained by modifying gold substrates with 1,3,4-mercaptopyridine (MCP), followed by coating with L,L-diphenylalanine micro/nanostructures (FF-M...

In recent years, there have been numerous reports on the synthesis and applications of 1,2,4,5‐tetraphenylimidazole (TEPI) derivatives, particularly due to the photophysical properties of such systems. However, the long‐lived emission behavior of TEPIs has not been studied, with research largely limited to attempts at 77 K. In this study, the compo...

l-glutamine complexes with transition metals have already been reported in the literature, but there have been no studies on l-glutamine complexes with Ni²⁺. Here, the new polycrystalline spherulite-like Ni(II)(l-glutaminato·H2O)2 complex was synthesized, and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) measurements and density functional theory (DFT) calculati...

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) represent an up-and-coming emerging technology for the future of clean and renewable energy generation. However, these devices still suffer stability and durability issues due to moisture when exposed and/or prepared under ambient conditions. Here, we investigate the influence of incorporating formamidinium cation into...

N-acylhydrazones (NAH) are privileged structures in chemistry and medicinal chemistry. The alkylation of NAH can profoundly alter the structural properties of this subunit. In this study, we describe the conformational effects of N-and C-methylated N-acylhydrazones derivatives, combining theoretical and experimental data analysis. Methylation of NA...

The combination of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) can be considered an alternative to combat multidrug-resistant microbial infections. However, knowledge about their combined toxicity is scarce after being released in an aquatic environment. The present study evaluated the individual toxicity of AgNPs and CIP and their combine...

This study aims to use superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), specifically magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ), to deliver deflazacort (DFZ) and ibuprofen (IBU) to Duchenne muscular dystrophy-affected (DMD) mouse muscles using an external...

Intrinsic lattice distortions in hybrid perovskites enable tunable exciton dynamics, shifting emissions from low-energy self-trapped excitons (STEs) to high-energy free excitons (FEs) under hydrostatic pressure annealing.

In vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to evaluate the activity and antitumor selectivity of new niobium oligomers. A polyoxoniobate (PONb) structure linked to the methylene blue dye...

A straightforward method for synthesizing a stable, photoreactive, and fluorescent-probe azo dye molecule is presented, highlighting the influence of azo and pyrylium groups within the electronic structure of the novel dye. This compound, named the pyrylazo molecule, is synthesized through the chemical reaction between 2,4,6-trimethylpyrylium and a...

Highly Ordered Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) has been extensively researched due to its chemical and physical properties that make it suitable for applications in several technologies. Its high thermal conductivity makes HOPG an excellent heat sink, a crucial characteristic for manufacturing targets used in nuclear reactions, such as those proposed by...

The search for new metal‐organic compounds as candidates for quantum information processing technologies is in the spotlight. Several metal ions and organic linkers have been used to obtain such compounds. Herein, we describe the synthesis, crystal structures, and cryomagnetic properties of two air‐stable isostructural neodymium(III) and europium(I...

In the present study, both short‐range and long‐range structural features of an ionic bridged silsesquioxane, specifically one containing the 1,4‐diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane chloride group (ISSQ), were elucidated. This ionic silsesquioxane was synthesized via direct polycondensation of a bridged organosilane precursor, without any additional funct...

The mono- and divalent spacer cation investigation in sodium/indium-based 2D double perovskites revealed significant impacts on optoelectronic properties due to distortions in the inorganic layers. The strong electron-phonon coupling in...

Cancer is a disease caused by uncontrolled cell growth that is responsible for several deaths worldwide. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women and is the leading cause of death. Chemotherapy is the most commonly used treatment for cancer; however, it often causes various side effects in patients. In this study, we evaluate the...

In vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to evaluate the activity and antitumor selectivity of new niobium oligomers. A polyoxoniobate (PONb) and its chemical structure linked to the methylene blue dye (PONb-MB) showed promising results for some types of tumor cells. Molecular structures were determined for PONb and PONb-MB based on spectr...

Cs2AgSbCl6 double perovskite (DP) has been synthesized through many solid-state and solution routes. Still, using unsustainable solvents and complicated synthesis processes are unattractive for large-scale manufacturing. The synthesis of Cs2AgSbCl6 using a green approach, mechanosynthesis, offers a sustainable alternative to traditional methods, re...

Hybrid naphthalenediimide/zinc phosphonate materials (NDI/Zn) were prepared by mixing solutions of N,N′-bis(2-phosphonoethyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenediimide (PNDI) and zinc nitrate, resulting in the precipitation of the desired compounds. Samples precipitated from water and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) were produced. The obtained samples had the expecte...

Although being an old concern, phosphate analysis is still a tremendous challenge. While many different experimental techniques are found in the literature, very few use powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns for quantitative phase analysis of different phosphate types. Our measurements performed in four commercial samples of diammonium hydrogen...

Low molecular weight gelators (LMWGs) are the subject of intense research for a range of biomedical and engineering applications. Peptides are a special class of LMWG, which offer infinite sequence possibilities and, therefore, engineered properties. This work examines the propensity of the GxG peptide family, where x denotes a guest residue, to se...

The zwitterionic l-tripeptide glycylphenylalanylglycine self-assembles into very long crystalline fibrils in an aqueous solution, which causes the formation of an exceptionally strong gel phase (G' ∼ 5 × 106 Pa). The Rietveld refinement analysis of its powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern reveals a unit cell with four peptides forming a P212121...

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first oral antiviral drug to treat mild to moderate cases of coronavirus disease. The combination of nirmatrelvir with an already used protease inhibitor class drug, ritonavir, has led to Paxlovid®. Several studies considered drug repositioning as the first trial for new drugs. The...

The search for new prominent chemosensors is significantly related to the rationalization of possible multiple pathways of excited-state deactivation. We have prepared and studied compound α-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-N-phenylnitrone (Nit-OH), observing that Nit-OH is stable in acetonitrile solution under UV-vis light. The experimentally observed 540 nm flu...

The present work reports a systematic study on the effects of the synthesis methodology and post-synthesis treatments on the optical and magnetic properties of phosphors. The powders were prepared through co-precipitation (SMO1) and co-precipitation processed in a microwave-hydrothermal system (SMO2), with some of them submitted to heat treatment a...

Flubendazole is a poorly water-soluble drug, and different methodologies have been proposed to improve its oral bioavailability. Obtaining the amorphous drug phase is an alternative to improve its water solubility. Several techniques for drug amorphization such as spray drying, lyophilization, melt quenching, solvent-evaporation, and ball milling,...

Background Sulbactam pivoxil is an irreversible β-lactamase inhibitor that can be used with β-lactam antibiotics to improve antibacterial therapy by the oral route. Relevant properties of this drug for pharmaceutical manufacturing are not available in the open literature. In this work, a solid-state characterization of sulbactam pivoxil at the mole...

Organic Piezoelectrics In article number 2102524, Pavel S. Zelenovskii, Andrei L. Kholkin, and co‐workers use the co‐assembly of L,L‐ and D,D‐enantiomers of diphenylalanine dipeptide to achieve a new layered organic piezoelectric with high out‐of‐plane piezoelectric activity and a d33 coefficient 10 times higher than that of quartz. Weakly bonded l...

Ciprofibrate (CIP) is a highly lipophilic and poorly water-soluble drug, typically used for dyslipidemia treatment. Although it is already commercialized in capsules, no previous studies report its solid-state structure; thus, information about the correlation with its physicochemical properties is lacking. In parallel, recent studies have led to t...

Despite the rapid development and enormous success of organic−inorganic hybrid halide perovskites (AB′X 3), such as CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 as absorbers for perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs), the commercial applications of photovoltaic techniques still face several challenges, such as decomposition when exposed to light and moisture, and lead toxicity. O...

We investigate the local atomic structure of verapamil hydrochloride in the amorphous state (a-VRPH) using the pair distribution function (PDF) and Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) methods. We obtain the a-VRPH sample from its crystalline counterpart (c-VRPH) using the solvent evaporation technique. From the measured X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) data f...

In this work, we present the synthesis, solid state characterization and complete photoluminescence study of three new photoluminescent Eu³⁺ hydrocinnamate complexes containing the N,N- bidentate and N,N,N-tridentate ancillary ligands 2, 2’: 6’,2’’-terpyridine (terpy), 4,4’-dimethyl-2,2'- bipyridine (4,4’-dmbpy) and bathophenanthroline (bath). The...

Plaster is primarily used as a building material obtained by the calcination of gypsum. Its rapid setting time (time for the mixture to solidify) and the low quality of labor generate a large amount of nonused material. Due to its solubility in water, wasted gypsum cannot be disposed of in the environment, and its recycling process is encouraged. I...

2D piezoelectric materials such as transition metal dichalcogenides are attracting significant attention because they offer various benefits over bulk piezoelectrics. In this work, the fabrication of layered biomolecular crystals of diphenylalanine (FF) obtained via a co-assembly of l,l- and d,d- enantiomers of FF monomers is reported. Their crysta...

The anti-HIV drug efavirenz (EFV) displays low and variable bioavailability because of its poor aqueous solubility. Ball milling is a simple and cost-effective alternative to traditional micronization to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of EFV. A multibody dynamics model was employed to optimize the milling process parameters, while the...

We use X-ray pair distribution function (PDF) analysis applied to high-energy synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data to evaluate the amorphous solid dispersion interactions of flubendazole and their aging stability. The obtained systems are based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (hypromellose) derivatives and flubendazole drug dispersions prepar...

Three new air-stable coordination compounds [Cu(HL)2(H2O)2]2·H2O (1), [Cu(HL)2]n (1a), and [Zn(HL)2(H2O)2] (2), where HL= N-4-(hydroxyphenyl)oxamate, were successfully synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray analysis reveals 1 as a dinuclear copper(II) complex, in which the metal ions are connected through the carboxylate moieties of th...

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) is an important light-harvesting semiconducting material for solar-cell devices. We investigate the effect of long thermal annealing in an inert atmosphere of compacted MAPbI3 perovskite powders. The microstructure morphology of the MAPbI3 annealed samples reveals a well-defined grain boundary morphology. The voi...

https://propes.ufabc.edu.br/numeros-anteriores/item/487-pesquisabc-n-27-2020

This work reports the mechanochemical synthesis and characterization of a cocrystal formed by norfloxacin (NOR) and nicotinic acid (NCA). The thermal analysis provided the thermal stability and appropriated stoichiometry of NOR-NCA cocrystal. In addition, the crystalline structure and the coordination sites were obtained through Fourier-transform i...

Colloidal drug delivery systems are one of the most promising tools for the treatment of several diseases. We present a synthesis route based on four steps involving mesoporous silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) capped by polyelectrolyte (PE) assembling. The morphology and physical properties of the different components of the system were...

Tadpole-like gold nanowires were obtained by the oleylamine-mediated synthesis presenting an unusual mixture of fcc and hcp phases. Structural analyses were performed to understand its structure and growth using an aberration-corrected high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction at the tail region of tadpoles...

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) is a very promising semiconducting material for photovoltaic applications. Despite extensive research and tremendous progress, basic charge transport properties are still being debated. Combining first-principles calculations, macroscopic and local measurements, we have investigated the structural, optical, therm...

The preparation, general characterization, experimental and theoretical photoluminescence investigations of a new europiumIII metal-organic framework [EuHbtec]n 1 supported by 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid, H4btec (pyromellitic acid) are discussed in this work. The crystal structure was obtained from X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), with the...

Hybrid nanomaterials have been extensively investigated because of the possibility of obtaining multiple functions in one stable entity. The magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) present unique superparamagnetic properties that enable their application in various fields. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) also stand out in biomedical applications, especia...

This study aims to describe the antibacterial and cytotoxic properties of a nanocomposite composed of silver chloride and silver nanoparticles (AgCl/Ag) biogenically synthesized using Arthrobacter sp., a non-pathogenic Antarctic soil bacterium. Spherical nanoparticles (hydrodynamic size of 42 nm) coated with biomolecules derived from Arthrobacter s...

Mechanochemistry refers to a chemical reaction induced by mechanical energy involving solids. This method provides several advantages over solution-phase synthesis, such as minimizing the need for large volumes of solvents in chemical reactions and greener and more efficient synthetic solutions. In this paper we obtain, via mechanochemistry, a hybr...

An alternative label-free electrochemical immunosensor for the rapid detection of Leishmania braziliensis was developed by immobilizing a peptide-based probe of the promastigote surface antigen (PSA-38S) onto electrospun polyamide-6 (PA6)/chitosan nanofibers. An increase in chitosan content in the spinning solution leads to a decrease in the diamet...

In this work, we study and characterize 20%- and 30%-reinforced rubber tire powder and polypropylene composite to apply it in the engine encapsulation of commercial vehicles. We produce a prototype with 20% of rubber tire powder due to its better processability and carry out external noise analysis and the results show it is similar to the already...

This article describes the synthesis, characterization and in vivo cytotoxic evaluation of thiol-functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles (SPIONs). They have been employed as potential vehicles for a large number of biomedical applications, such as drug delivery. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by coprecipitation of i...

In-situ X-ray diffraction coupled with thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry were used to elucidate the crystal phase transition from akaganeite to hematite nanorods. The results indicate that though complete phase transformation occurs at ∼663 K, residual chlorines from the hydrothermal synthesis conditions strongly affect spin mo...

A homogeneous system for nanocellulose acetylation was investigated. Cellulose nanostructures (CNS) were obtained from microcrystalline cellulose, and modification was conducted to increase hydrophobicity and physico-chemical properties of the nanoparticles. Sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid were used for the isolation. The CNS were characterized...

This paper describes the physical and mechanical properties of powdered, paste and hardened materials obtained by recycling plaster waste collected at civil works. Recycling of waste generated in all sectors of society has become increasingly important for environment protection. Since gypsum waste has the same chemical composition of the rock that...

The recycling of civil construction waste gypsum has been the subject of studies due to the non-existence of economically viable technologies or applications that would allow it to be recycled. However, studies indicate that the material setting time reduces after recycling, generating more waste, but the cause of the phenomenon is not known. In-si...

Solid-state ionic conductor is an essential and critical part of electrochemical devices such as batteries and sensors. Nano-sized silver iodide (AgI) is the most promising ionic conductor due to its superionic conductivity at room temperature. In recent years, proteins have been used as organic templates to obtain high-performance solid-state ioni...

The use of proteins for surface modifications of hybrid silver nanoparticles (NPs) is still poorly explored. In this study, we report a rapid green route synthesis of plasmonic protein-coated silver/silver chloride NPs (Ag/AgCl NPs) with controlled contents of metallic Ag (Ag⁰) using a modified photo-irradiation method. The contents of Ag⁰ were eas...

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic cardiovascular disease that displays inflammatory components, which contributes to the difficulty of adequate treatment with the available therapeutic arsenal. In this context, the N-acylhydrazone derivative LASSBio-1359 was previously described as a multitarget drug candidate able to revert the ev...

Photocatalysis is a promising method with great potential to solve several environmental challenges. Plasmonic Ag/AgBr nanoparticles (Ag/AgBr-NPs) are stable and highly efficient photocatalysts under visible light. Here, we reported for the first time the fast one-pot photosynthesis of stable protein-coated Ag/AgBr-NPs under blue light illumination...

In this study, we synthesized a new congener series of N-sulphonylhydrazones designed as candidate ROCK inhibitors using the molecular hybridization of the clinically approved drug fasudil (1) and the IKK-β inhibitor LASSBio-1524 (2). Among the synthesized compounds, the N-methylated derivative 11 (LASSBio-2065) showed the best inhibitory profile f...

PIK‐75 is a phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase (PI3K) α‐isoform‐selective inhibitor with high potency. Although published SAR data show the importance of the NO2 and the Br substituents in PIK‐75, none of the published studies could correctly assign the underlying reason for their importance. In this publication, we report the first X‐ray crystal structure...

PIK‐75 is a phosphoinositide‐3‐kinase (PI3K) α‐isoform‐selective inhibitor with high potency. Although published SAR data show the importance of the NO2 and the Br substituents in PIK‐75, none of the published studies could correctly assign the underlying reason for their importance. In this publication, we report the first X‐ray crystal structure...

We report on the physical properties of the intermetallic series RNiSi3(R=Y, Gd-Tm, Lu). High quality single crystals with platelike morphology were grown using the Sn flux method. X-ray powder diffraction data show that this series crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmmm, and Laue patterns indicate that the b axis remains perpendicular t...

Antiferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic microtubes decorated with nanowires have been obtained during thermal oxidation process, which was assisted by in situ electrical resistivity measurements. The synthesis route including heat treatment and electrical current along with growth mechanism are presented. This simple method and the ability to tune in t...

The use of flubendazole (FBZ) in the treatment of lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis (two high incidence neglected tropical diseases) has been hampered by its poor aqueous solubility. A material consisting of binary flubendazole/maleic acid crystals (FBZ/MA), showing considerably improved solubility and dissolution rate relative to flubendazol...

Here, we report the functionalization of diphenylalanine (FF)-based self-assembled nanotubes with cobalt ferrite (CFO) magnetic nanoparticles. Electron microscopy images show the CFO nanoparticles to be uniformly dispersed on the peptide nanotubes. We investigate the interaction between CFO nanoparticles and FF-nanotubes by optical spectroscopy, x-...

This article describes the synthesis of two superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) covered with different ligands – hydrophobic (oleic acid (OA)) and hydrophilic (tetraethyl ammonium (TEA)) – and the investigation of the effects of thermal treatments on the crystal structure of TEA-SPIONs or OA-SPIONs using X-ray powder diffraction dat...

A Raman spectroscopy study of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, [C2C1im][HSO4], as a function of temperature has been performed in order to reveal the role played by anion–anion hydrogen bond on the phase transitions of this ionic liquid. Anion–anion hydrogen bonding implies high viscosity, good glass-forming ability, and also moderate...

N-acylhydrazone is an interesting privileged structure that has been used in the molecular design of a myriad of bioactive compounds. In order to identify new antinociceptive drug candidates, we described herein the design, synthesis, X-ray diffraction study and the pharmacological evaluation of a series of 3-amino-4-methylthiophene-2-acylcarbohydr...

The combination of materials to form hybrids with unique properties, different from those of the isolated components, is a strategy used to prepare functional materials with improved properties aiming to allow their application in specific fields. The doping of lanthanum fluoride with other rare earth elements is used to obtain luminescent particle...

We present the synthesis and characterization of new peptide conjugates obtained by hierarchical co-assembly of L,L-diphenylalanine (FF) and zinc phthalocyanine complexes (ZnPc) in water. Self-assembly capabilities under defined conditions were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, and photophysical properties were evaluated using UV-Vis an...

A local order-disorder transition has been disclosed in the thermophysical behavior of the ionic liquid 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, [Bzmim][N(CN)2], and its microscopic nature revealed by spectroscopic techniques. Differential scanning calorimetry and specific heat measurements show a thermal event of small enthalpy variation taking p...

The influence of the different contents of organo-modified montmorillonite clay (1 and 3%wt.) and two essential oils (Carvacrol and Eugenol - 2 and 6%wt.) when incorporated into low-density polyethylene films (LDPE) was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This study sho...

In this work, we present the physicochemical characterization and structural determination of two sulfonylhydrazone derivatives: LASSBio-1773 and LASSBio-1774. The former compound has displayed hypoglycemic activity and has reduced the thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia in a murine model of diabetic neuropathic pain induced by streptozot...

LASSBio-1755 is a new cycloalkyl-N-acylhydrazone parent compound designed for the development of derivatives with antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities. Although single crystal X-ray diffraction has been considered as the golden standard in structure determination, we successfully used X-ray powder diffraction data in the structural dete...

It is well known that combretastatin A4 (CA-4), which is a natural stilbene isolated from Combretum caffrum, is used to inhibit angiogenesis. However, depending on the dose administered to the patient, it can cause some side-effects. Herein, we present the synthesis and structural characterization of a novel N-acylhydrazone derivative – LASSBio-173...

Self-assembled l,l-diphenylalanine (FF) peptide micro/nanotubes represent a class of biomimetic materials with a non-centrosymmetric crystal structure and strong piezoelectricity. The peptide nanotubes synthesized by a liquid phase method yield tube lengths in the hundreds of micron range, inner diameters in the few hundred nanometer range, and out...