Understanding the techno-functional properties of underutilized plant -based proteins, such as potato proteins, is essential in the context of the development of alternative proteins and plant -based foods. In this study, the aggregation kinetics of patatin-rich dispersions at two concentrations (1% and 4% w/w) and pH levels (6 and 7) were evaluated and compared under two physical processes: heat treatment (45 C-degrees, 50 C-degrees, 55 C-degrees) and high hydrostatic pressure (400 MPa, 600 MPa). Distinct patterns in patatin aggregation were observed based on the processing and physicochemical conditions. Under all processing conditions, larger aggregates were formed at pH 6. Heat treatment led to either a slow or rapid gradual increase in aggregate size at the different pH and protein concentrations, while high -pressure -generated nanoaggregates displayed pH and pressure -level dependent kinetic behaviors. Some micro, sub -micron and nanoaggregates were then selected and characterized in terms of denaturation yield, molecular structure, and protein interactions. High-pressure treatment induced a significant reduction in protein intrinsic fluorescence intensity suggesting irreversible partial protein unfolding, irrespective of pressure or pH. The highest pressure level (600 MPa) led to significantly higher denaturation, regardless of pH. Similar trends in secondary structure modifications were observed for the different treatment conditions and were characterized by an increase in beta-sheet content and a reduction in alpha-helices. The structural changes in the high pressure -treated samples were particularly influenced by pH. This study provides a deeper understanding of potato protein behavior under different treatment conditions, which may contribute to the design of novel plant -based protein nanostructures.

Recent advancements in materials science have shed light on the potential of exploring hierarchical assemblies of molecules on surfaces, driven by both fundamental and applicative challenges. This field encompasses diverse areas including molecular storage, drug delivery, catalysis, and nanoscale chemical reactions. In this context, the utilization of nanotube templates (NTs) has emerged as promising platforms for achieving advanced one-dimensional (1D) molecular assemblies. NTs offer cylindrical, crystalline structures with high aspect ratios, capable of hosting molecules both externally and internally (Mol@NT). Furthermore, NTs possess a wide array of available diameters, providing tunability for tailored assembly. This review underscores recent breakthroughs in the field of Mol@NT. The first part focuses on the diverse panorama of structural properties in Mol@NT synthesized in the last decade. The advances in understanding encapsulation, adsorption, and ordering mechanisms are detailed. In a second part, the review highlights the physical interactions and photophysics properties of Mol@NT obtained by the confinement of molecules and nanotubes in the van der Waals distance regime. The last part of the review describes potential applicative fields of these 1D heterostructures, providing specific examples in photovoltaics, luminescent materials, and bio-imaging. A conclusion gathers current challenges and perspectives of the field to foster discussion in related communities.

Despite 15 years of extensive investigation, the fabrication and study of nanofluidic devices that incorporate a single carbon nanotube (CNT) still represents a remarkable experimental challenge. In this study, we present the fabrication of nanofluidic devices that integrate an individual single-walled CNT (SWCNT), showcasing a notable reduction in noise by 1 -3 orders of magnitude compared to conventional devices. This achievement was made possible by employing high dielectric constant materials for both the substrate and the CNT-covering layer. Furthermore, we provide a detailed account of the crucial factors contributing to the successful fabrication of SWCNT-based nanofluidic devices that are reliably leak-free, plug-free, and long-lived. Key considerations include the quality of the substrate-layer interface, the nanotube opening, and the effective removal of photoresist residues and trapped microbubbles. We demonstrate that these devices, characterized by a high signal-tonoise ratio, enable spectral noise analysis of ionic transport through an individual SWCNT, thus showing that SWCNTs obey Hooge's law in 1/ f at low frequencies. Beyond advancing our fundamental understanding of ion transport in SWCNTs, these ultralow-noise measurements open avenues for leveraging SWCNTs in nanopore sensing applications for single-molecule detection, offering high sensitivity and identification capabilities.