Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} - TiO{sub 2}-A simple sol-gel strategy to the synthesis of low temperature sintered alumina-aluminium titanate composites through a core-shell approach

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jayasankar, M.; Ananthakumar, S.; Mukundan, P.

A simple sol-gel based core-shell approach for the synthesis of alumina-aluminium titanate composite is reported. Alumina is the core and titania is the shell. The coating of titania has been performed in aqueous medium on alumina particle by means of heterocoagulation of titanyl chloride. Further heat treatment results in low temperature formation of aluminium titanate as well as low temperature sintering of alumina-aluminium titanate composites. The lowering of the reaction temperature can be attributed to the maximisation of the contact surface between the reactants due to the core-shell approach involving nanoparticles. The mechanism of formation of aluminium titanate and themore » observations on densification features in the present process are compared with that of mixture of oxides under identical conditions. The sintered alumina-aluminium titanate composite has an average grain size of 2 {mu}m. - Graphical abstract: The article presents a simple sol-gel process through core-shell approach to the synthesis of low temperature sintered alumina-aluminium titanate. The lowering of the reaction temperature can be attributed to the maximisation of the contact surface between the reactant due to the core-shell approach. This material showed the better microstructure control compared to the standard solid-state mixing route.« less

Whiter, brighter, and more stable cellulose paper coated with TiO2 /SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles using a layer-by-layer approach.

PubMed

Cheng, Fei; Lorch, Mark; Sajedin, Seyed Mani; Kelly, Stephen M; Kornherr, Andreas

2013-08-01

To inhibit the photocatalytic degradation of organic material supports induced by small titania (TiO2 ) nanoparticles, four kinds of TiO2 nanoparticles, that is, commercial P25-TiO2 , commercial rutile phase TiO2 , rutile TiO2 nanorods and rutile TiO2 spheres, prepared from TiCl4 , were coated with a thin, but dense, coating of silica (SiO2 ) using a conventional sol-gel technique to form TiO2 /SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles. These core/shell particles were deposited and fixed as a very thin coating onto the surface of cellulose paper samples by a wet-chemistry polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer approach. The TiO2 /SiO2 nanocoated paper samples exhibit higher whiteness and brightness and greater stability to UV-bleaching than comparable samples of blank paper. There are many potential applications for this green chemistry approach to protect cellulosic fibres from UV-bleaching in sunlight and to improve their whiteness and brightness. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis and Microstructure Evolution of Nano-Titania Doped Silicon Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moroz, N. A.; Umapathy, H.; Mohanty, P.

2010-01-01

The Anatase phase of Titania (TiO2) in nanocrystalline form is a well known photocatalyst. Photocatalysts are commercially used to accelerate photoreactions and increase photovoltaic efficiency such as in solar cells. This study investigates the in-flight synthesis of Titania and its doping into a Silicon matrix resulting in a catalyst-dispersed coating. A liquid precursor of Titanium Isopropoxide and ethanol was coaxially fed into the plasma gun to form Titania nanoparticles, while Silicon powder was externally injected downstream. Coatings of 75-150 μm thick were deposited onto flat coupons. Further, Silicon powder was alloyed with aluminum to promote crystallization and reduce the amorphous phase in the Silicon matrix. Dense coatings containing nano-Titania particles were observed under electron microscope. X-ray diffraction showed that both the Rutile and Anatase phases of the Titania exist. The influence of process parameters and aluminum alloying on the microstructure evolution of the doped coatings is analyzed and presented.

Preparation of hydroxyapatite-titania hybrid coatings on titanium alloy.

PubMed

Un, Serhat; Durucan, Caner

2009-08-01

Hydroxypapatite-titania hybrid films on Ti6Al4V alloys were prepared by sol-gel technique by incorporating presynthesized hydroxypapatite (Ca(10)(PO(4))(6)(OH)(2) or HAp) powders into a titanium-alkoxide dip coating solution. Titania network was formed by the hydrolysis and condensation of Ti-isopropoxide Ti[OCH(CH(3))(2)](4)-based sols. The effect of titania sol formulation, specifically the effect of organic solvents on the microstructure of the dip coated films calcined at 500 degrees C has been investigated. The coatings exhibit higher tendency for cracking when a high vapor pressure solvent, such as ethanol (C(2)H(5)OH) is used causing development of higher macroscopic stresses during evaporation of the sol. Titania sol formulations replacing the solvent with n-proponal (CH(3)(CH(2))(2)OH) and acetly-acetone (C(5)H(8)O) combinations enhanced the microstructural integrity of the coating during evaporation and calcination treatments. Sol-gel processing parameters, such as multilayer coating application and withdrawal rate, can be employed to change the titania thickness in the range of 0.120-1.1 microm and to control the microstructure of HAp-titania hybrid coatings. A high-calcination temperature in the range of 400-600 degrees C does not cause a distinct change in crystals nature of the titania matrix or HAp, but results in more cracking due to the combined effect of densification originated stresses and thermal stresses upon cooling. Slower withdraw rates and multilayer dip coating lead to coatings more vulnerable to microcracking.

Methods of making non-covalently bonded carbon-titania nanocomposite thin films and applications of the same

DOEpatents

Liang, Yu Teng; Vijayan, Baiju K.; Gray, Kimberly A.; Hersam, Mark C.

2016-07-19

In one aspect, a method of making non-covalently bonded carbon-titania nanocomposite thin films includes: forming a carbon-based ink; forming a titania (TiO.sub.2) solution; blade-coating a mechanical mixture of the carbon-based ink and the titania solution onto a substrate; and annealing the blade-coated substrate at a first temperature for a first period of time to obtain the carbon-based titania nanocomposite thin films. In certain embodiments, the carbon-based titania nanocomposite thin films may include solvent-exfoliated graphene titania (SEG-TiO.sub.2) nanocomposite thin films, or single walled carbon nanotube titania (SWCNT-TiO.sub.2) nanocomposite thin films.

Ultrathin TiO2 layer coated-CdS spheres core-shell nanocomposite with enhanced visible-light photoactivity.

PubMed

Chen, Zhang; Xu, Yi-Jun

2013-12-26

Development of various strategies for controllable fabrication of core-shell nanocomposites (CSNs) with highly active photocatalytic performance has been attracting ever-increasing research attention. In particular, control of the ultrathin layer TiO2 shell in constructing CSNs in an aqueous phase is a significant but technologically challenging issue. Here, this paper demonstrates the interface assembly synthesis of CdS nanospheres@TiO2 core-shell photocatalyst via the electrostatic interaction of negatively charged water-stable titania precursor with positively charged CdS nanospheres (CdS NSPs), followed by the formation of the ultrathin-layer TiO2 shell through a facile refluxing process in aqueous phase. The as-formed CdS NSPs@TiO2 core-shell nanohybrid exhibits a high visible-light-driven photoactivity for selective transformation and reduction of heavy metal ions. The ultrathin TiO2 layer coated on CdS NSPs results in excellent light transmission property, enhanced adsorption capacity, and improved transfer of charge carriers and lifespan of photoinduced electron-hole pairs, which would prominently contribute to the significant photoactivity enhancement. It is anticipated that this facile aqueous-phase synthesis strategy could be extended to design a variety of more efficient CSN photocatalysts with controllable morphology toward target applications in diverse photoredox processes.

Enhanced antibactericidal function of W4+-doped titania-coated nickel ferrite composite nanoparticles: a biomaterial system.

PubMed

Sunkara, B K; Misra, R D K

2008-03-01

The study demonstrates a distinct enhancement of antimicrobial activity of W4+-doped titania that is coated on nickel ferrite nanoparticles in comparison to undoped titania. The composite nanoparticles were synthesized by uniquely combining reverse micelle and chemical hydrolysis synthesis methods [Rana S, Rawat J, Misra RDK, Acta Biomater 2005;1:691]. The superior antimicrobial activity of W4+-doped titania is related to the inhibition of electron-hole recombination and decrease in the band gap energy of titania. The function of the ferrite is to facilitate the removal of nanoparticles from the sprayed surface using a small magnetic field. The coating of ferrite nanoparticles with titania retains superparamagnetic character and magnetic strength of composite nanoparticles signifying non-deterioration of magnetic properties and promoting their use as removable antimicrobial photocatalyst nanoparticles.

Ultra-high-stability, pH-resistant sol-gel titania poly(tetrahydrofuran) coating for capillary microextraction on-line coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Segro, Scott S; Cabezas, Yaniel; Malik, Abdul

2009-05-15

A sol-gel titania poly(tetrahydrofuran) (poly-THF) coating was developed for capillary microextraction hyphenated on-line with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Poly-THF was covalently bonded to the sol-gel titania network which, in turn, became chemically anchored to the inner surface of a 0.25mm I.D. fused silica capillary. For sample preconcentration, a 38-cm segment of the sol-gel titania poly-THF coated capillary was installed on an HPLC injection port as a sampling loop. Aqueous samples containing a variety of analytes were passed through the capillary and, during this process, the analytes were extracted by the sol-gel titania poly-THF coating on the inner surface of the capillary. Using isocratic and gradient elution with acetonitrile/water mobile phases, the extracted analytes were desorbed into the on-line coupled HPLC column for separation and UV detection. The sol-gel titania poly-THF coating was especially efficient in extracting polar analytes, such as underivatized phenols, alcohols, amines, and aromatic carboxylic acids. In addition, this coating was capable of extracting moderately polar and nonpolar analytes, such as ketones and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The sol-gel titania poly-THF coated capillary was also able to extract polypeptides at pH values near their respective isoelectric points. Extraction of these compounds can be important for environmental and biomedical applications. The observed extraction behavior can be attributed to the polar and nonpolar moieties in the poly-THF structure. This coating was found to be stable under extremely low and high pH conditions-even after 18h of exposure to 1M HCl (pH approximately 0.0) and 1M NaOH (pH approximately 14.0).

Very Facile Polarity Umpolung and Noncovalent Functionalization of Inorganic Nanoparticles: A Tool Kit for Supramolecular Materials Chemistry.

PubMed

Zeininger, Lukas; Petzi, Stefanie; Schönamsgruber, Jörg; Portilla, Luis; Halik, Marcus; Hirsch, Andreas

2015-09-28

The facile assembly of shell-by-shell (SbS)-coated nanoparticles [TiO2-PAC16]@shell 1-7 (PAC16 = hexadecylphosphonic acid), which are soluble in water and can be isolated as stable solids, is reported. In these functional architectures, an umpolung of dispersibility (organic apolar versus water) was accomplished by the noncovalent binding of ligands 1-7 to titania nanoparticles [TiO2-PAC16] containing a first covalent coating with PAC16. Ligands 1-7 are amphiphilic and form the outer second shell of [TiO2-PAC16]@shell 1-7. The tailor-designed dendritic building blocks 3-5 contain negative and positive charges in the same molecule, and ligands 6 and 7 contain a perylenetetracarboxylic acid dimide (PDI) core (6/7) as a photoactive reporter component. In the redox and photoactive system [TiO2-PAC16]@shell 7, electronic communication between the inorganic core to the PDI ligands was observed. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Macroscale and Nanoscale Morphology Evolution during in Situ Spray Coating of Titania Films for Perovskite Solar Cells.

PubMed

Su, Bo; Caller-Guzman, Herbert A; Körstgens, Volker; Rui, Yichuan; Yao, Yuan; Saxena, Nitin; Santoro, Gonzalo; Roth, Stephan V; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter

2017-12-20

Mesoporous titania is a cheap and widely used material for photovoltaic applications. To enable a large-scale fabrication and a controllable pore size, we combined a block copolymer-assisted sol-gel route with spray coating to fabricate titania films, in which the block copolymer polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO) is used as a structure-directing template. Both the macroscale and nanoscale are studied. The kinetics and thermodynamics of the spray deposition processes are simulated on a macroscale, which shows a good agreement with the large-scale morphology of the spray-coated films obtained in practice. On the nanoscale, the structure evolution of the titania films is probed with in situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) during the spray process. The changes of the PS domain size depend not only on micellization but also on solvent evaporation during the spray coating. Perovskite (CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 ) solar cells (PSCs) based on sprayed titania film are fabricated, which showcases the suitability of spray-deposited titania films for PSCs.

Preparation and characterisation of titania/hydroxyapatite composite coatings obtained by sol-gel process.

PubMed

Milella, E; Cosentino, F; Licciulli, A; Massaro, C

2001-06-01

In the present work a titania network encapsulating a hydroxyapatite particulate phase is proposed as a bioceramic composite coating. The coating on a titanium substrate was produced starting from a sol containing a mixture of titania colloidal particles and hydroxyapatite submicron particles using the dip-coating technique. The microstructure, the morphology and the surface chemical composition of the coating were characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Adhesion tests were also performed. These analyses showed that the obtained coating was chemically clean, homogeneous, rough, porous, with a low thickness and well-defined phase composition as well as a good adhesion to the substrate.

Silica-coated titania and zirconia colloids for subsurface transport field experiments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ryan, Joseph N.; Elimelech, Menachem; Baeseman, Jenny L.; Magelky, Robin D.

2000-01-01

Silica-coated titania (TiO2) and zirconia (ZrO2) colloids were synthesized in two sizes to provide easily traced mineral colloids for subsurface transport experiments. Electrophoretic mobility measurements showed that coating with silica imparted surface properties similar to pure silica to the titania and zirconia colloids. Measurements of steady electrophoretic mobility and size (by dynamic light scattering) over a 90-day period showed that the silica-coated colloids were stable to aggregation and loss of coating. A natural gradient field experiment conducted in an iron oxide-coated sand and gravel aquifer also showed that the surface properties of the silica-coated colloids were similar. Colloid transport was traced at μg L-1 concentrations by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy measurement of Ti and Zr in acidified samples.

Microstructure and corrosion behavior of coated AZ91 alloy by microarc oxidation for biomedical application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. M.; Wang, F. H.; Xu, M. J.; Zhao, B.; Guo, L. X.; Ouyang, J. H.

2009-08-01

Magnesium and its alloy currently are considered as the potential biodegradable implant materials, while the accelerated corrosion rate in intro environment leads to implant failure by losing the mechanical integrity before complete restoration. Dense oxide coatings formed in alkaline silicate electrolyte with and without titania sol addition were fabricated on magnesium alloy using microarc oxidation process. The microstructure, composition and degradation behavior in simulated body fluid (SBF) of the coated specimens were evaluated. It reveals that a small amount of TiO 2 is introduced into the as-deposited coating mainly composed of MgO and Mg 2SiO 4 by the addition of titania sol into based alkaline silicate electrolytic bath. With increasing concentration of titania sol from 0 to 10 vol.%, the coating thickness decreases from 22 to 18 μm. Electrochemical tests show that the Ecorr of Mg substrate positively shifted about 300˜500 mV and icorr lowers more than 100 times after microarc oxidation. However, the TiO 2 modified coatings formed in electrolyte containing 5 and 10 vol.% titania sol indicate an increasing worse corrosion resistance compared with that of the unmodified coating, which is possibly attributed to the increasing amorphous components caused by TiO 2 involvement. The long term immersing test in SBF is consistent with the electrochemical test, with the coated Mg alloy obviously slowing down the biodegradation rate, meanwhile accompanied by the increasing damage trends in the coatings modified by 5 and 10 vol.% titania sol.

Nonlinear optical properties and supercontinuum spectrum of titania-modified carbon quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulchin, Yu N.; Mayor, A. Yu; Proschenko, D. Yu; Postnova, I. V.; Shchipunov, Yu A.

2016-04-01

We have studied the nonlinear optical properties and supercontinuum spectrum of solutions of carbon quantum dots prepared by a hydrothermal process from chitin and then coated with titania. The titania coating has been shown to have an activating effect on the carbon quantum dots, enhancing supercontinuum generation in the blue-violet spectral region and enabling their nonlinear optical characteristics to be varied.

Comparison of the cohesive and delamination fatigue properties of atomic-layer-deposited alumina and titania ultrathin protective coatings deposited at 200 °C

PubMed Central

Sadeghi-Tohidi, Farzad; Samet, David; Graham, Samuel; Pierron, Olivier N

2014-01-01

The fatigue properties of ultrathin protective coatings on silicon thin films were investigated. The cohesive and delamination fatigue properties of 22 nm-thick atomic-layered-deposited (ALD) titania were characterized and compared to that of 25 nm-thick alumina. Both coatings were deposited at 200 °C. The fatigue rates are comparable at 30 °C, 50% relative humidity (RH) while they are one order of magnitude larger for alumina compared to titania at 80 °C, 90% RH. The improved fatigue performance is believed to be related to the improved stability of the ALD titania coating with water compared to ALD alumina, which may in part be related to the fact that ALD titania is crystalline, while ALD alumina is amorphous. Static fatigue crack nucleation and propagation was not observed. The underlying fatigue mechanism is different from previously documented mechanisms, such as stress corrosion cracking, and appears to result from the presence of compressive stresses and a rough coating–substrate interface. PMID:27877645

pH-resistant titania hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gel coating for solid-phase microextraction of polar compounds.

PubMed

Li, Xiujuan; Gao, Jie; Zeng, Zhaorui

2007-05-02

A novel titania-hydroxy-terminated silicone oil (titania-OH-TSO) sol-gel coating was developed for solid-phase microextraction of polar compounds. In general, titania-based sol-gel reaction is very fast and need to be decelerated by the use of suitable chelating agents. But in the present work, a judiciously designed sol solution ingredients was used to create the titania-OH-TSO coating without the addition of any chelating agent, which simplified the sol-gel procedure. Thanks to the variety of titania's adsorption sites and their acid-base characteristics, aromatic amines, phenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were efficiently extracted and preconcentrated from aqueous samples followed by thermal desorption and GC analysis. The newly developed sol-gel hybrid titania coating demonstrated excellent pH stability, and retained its extraction characteristics intact even after continuous rinsing with a 3 M HCl or NaOH solution for 12 h. Furthermore, it could withstand temperatures as high as 320 degrees C. Practical application was demonstrated through the analysis of six aromatic amines in dye process wastewater. A linearity of four orders of magnitude was obtained with correlation coefficient better than 0.9982. The detection limits ranged from 0.22 to 0.84 microg L(-1) and the repeatability of the measurements was <7.0%. The recoveries of these compounds studied in the wastewater were in the ranges 83.6-101.4%, indicating the method accuracy.

Sol-Gel-Based Titania-Silica Thin Film Overlay for Long Period Fiber Grating-Based Biosensors.

PubMed

Chiavaioli, Francesco; Biswas, Palas; Trono, Cosimo; Jana, Sunirmal; Bandyopadhyay, Somnath; Basumallick, Nandini; Giannetti, Ambra; Tombelli, Sara; Bera, Susanta; Mallick, Aparajita; Baldini, Francesco

2015-12-15

An evanescent wave optical fiber biosensor based on titania-silica-coated long period grating (LPG) is presented. The chemical overlay, which increases the refractive index (RI) sensitivity of the sensor, consists of a sol-gel-based titania-silica thin film, deposited along the sensing portion of the fiber by means of the dip-coating technique. Changing both the sol viscosity and the withdrawal speed during the dip-coating made it possible to adjust the thickness of the film overlay, which is a crucial parameter for the sensor performance. After the functionalization of the fiber surface using a methacrylic acid/methacrylate copolymer, an antibody/antigen (IgG/anti-IgG) assay was carried out to assess the performance of sol-gel based titania-silica-coated LPGs as biosensors. The analyte concentration was determined from the wavelength shift at the end of the binding process and from the initial binding rate. This is the first time that a sol-gel based titania-silica-coated LPG is proposed as an effective and feasible label-free biosensor. The specificity of the sensor was validated by performing the same model assay after spiking anti-IgG into human serum. With this structured LPG, detection limits of the order of tens of micrograms per liter (10(-11) M) are attained.

Sol-gel titania-coated needles for solid phase dynamic extraction-GC/MS analysis of desomorphine and desocodeine.

PubMed

Su, Chi-Ju; Srimurugan, Sankarewaran; Chen, Chinpiao; Shu, Hun-Chi

2011-01-01

Novel sol-gel titania film coated needles for solid-phase dynamic extraction (SPDE)-GC/MS analysis of desomorphine and desocodeine are described. The high thermal stability of titania film permits efficient extraction and analysis of poorly volatile opiate drugs. The influences of sol-gel reaction time, coating layer, extraction and desorption time and temperature on the SPDE needle performance were investigated. The deuterium labeled internal standard was introduced either during the extraction of analyte or directly injected to GC after the extraction process. The latter method was shown to be more sensitive for the analysis of water and urine samples containing opiate drugs. The proposed conditions provided a wide linear range (from 5-5000 ppb), and satisfactory linearity, with R(2) values from 0.9958 to 0.9999, and prominent sensitivity, LOQs (1.0-5.0 ng/g). The sol-gel titania film coated needle with SPDE-GC/MS will be a promising technique for desomorphine and desocodeine analysis in urine.

Characterization of Hybrid Epoxy Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Simcha, Shelly; Dotan, Ana; Kenig, Samuel; Dodiuk, Hanna

2012-01-01

This study focused on the effect of Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) content and its surface treatment on thermo-mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites. MWCNTs were surface treated and incorporated into two epoxy systems. MWCNT's surface treatments were based on: (a) Titania coating obtained by sol-gel process and (b) a nonionic surfactant. Thermo-mechanical properties improvement was obtained following incorporation of treated MWCNT. It was noticed that small amounts of titania coated MWCNT (0.05 wt %) led to an increase in the glass transition temperature and stiffness. The best performance was achieved adding 0.3 wt % titania coated MWCNT where an increase of 10 °C in the glass transition temperature and 30% in storage modulus were obtained. PMID:28348313

Control of exposure to hexavalent chromium concentration in shielded metal arc welding fumes by nano-coating of electrodes.

PubMed

Sivapirakasam, S P; Mohan, Sreejith; Santhosh Kumar, M C; Thomas Paul, Ashley; Surianarayanan, M

2017-04-01

Background Cr(VI) is a suspected human carcinogen formed as a by-product of stainless steel welding. Nano-alumina and nano-titania coating of electrodes reduced the welding fume levels. Objective To investigate the effect of nano-coating of welding electrodes on Cr(VI) formation rate (Cr(VI) FR) from a shielded metal arc welding process. Methods The core welding wires were coated with nano-alumina and nano-titania using the sol-gel dip coating technique. Bead-on plate welds were deposited on SS 316 LN plates kept inside a fume test chamber. Cr(VI) analysis was done using an atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). Results A reduction of 40% and 76%, respectively, in the Cr(VI) FR was observed from nano-alumina and nano-titania coated electrodes. Increase in the fume level decreased the Cr(VI) FR. Discussion Increase in fume levels blocked the UV radiation responsible for the formation of ozone thereby preventing the formation of Cr(VI).

Effect of Inhibitor Agents Addition on Corrosion Resistance Performance of Titania Sol-Gel Coatings Applied on 304 Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanaghi, Ali; Chu, Paul K.; Moradi, Hadi

Hybrid organic-inorganic coatings are deposited on 304 stainless steel substrates by the sol-gel technique to improve the corrosion resistance. A titania-based nanostructured hybrid sol-gel coating is impregnated with three different microencapsulated healing agents (inhibitors) including cerium, Benzotriazole (BTA), and 8-Hydroxyquinoline (8H). Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are performed to investigate the barrier performance properties. The optimum conditions to achieve corrosion protective coatings for 304 stainless steel were determined. The Nyquist plots demonstrate that the activation time of the coating containing 8H as an organic healing agent shows improved behavior when compared to other coatings including cerium and BTA. Cerium as an inorganic healing agent is second and BTA is third and minimum. An increase in the impedance parameters such as resistance and capacitance as a function of immersion time is achieved in a 3.5wt.% NaCl solution by using healing agents such as BTA. Actually, over the course of immersion, the barrier performance behavior of the coatings changes and reduction of the impedance observed from the coatings containing Ce and 8H discloses deterioration of the protection system after immersion for 96h of immersion in the 3.5% NaCl solution. However, after 96h of immersion time, the concentration of chloride ions is high and causes increase in defects, micro cracks, hole on the surface of hybrid titania nanostructured coating containing Ce and 8H by destruction of coating, and also hybrid titania nanostructured coating containing BTA; BTA is released from coating to improve the resistance of passive film, which is created on the surface.

Effect of titania content and biomimetic coating on the mechanical properties of the Y-TZP/TiO2 composite.

PubMed

Miranda, Ranulfo Benedito de Paula; Miranda, Walter Gomes; Lazar, Dolores Ribeiro Ricci; Ussui, Valter; Marchi, Juliana; Cesar, Paulo Francisco

2018-02-01

To investigate the effect of titania addition (0, 10 and 30mol%) on the microstructure, relative density, Young's modulus (E), Poisson's ratio (υ), mechanical properties (flexural strength, σ f , and Weibull modulus, m) of a Y-TZP/TiO 2 composite. The effect of the presence of a biomimetic coating on the microstructure and mechanical properties was also evaluated. Y-TZP (3mol% of yttria) and Y-TZP/TiO 2 composite (10 or 30mol% of titania) were synthesized by co-precipitation. The powders were pressed and sintered at 1400°C/2h. The surfaces, with and without biomimetic coating, were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The relative density was measured by the Archimedes' principle. E and υ were measured by ultrasonic pulse-echo method. For the mechanical properties the specimens (n=30 for each group) were tested in a universal testing machine. Titania addition increased the grain size of the composite and caused a significant decrease in the flexural strength (in MPa, control 815.4 a ; T10 455.7 b and T30 336.0 c ), E (in GPa, control 213.4 a ; T10 155.8 b and T30 134.0 c ) and relative density (control 99.0% a ; T10 94.4% c and T30 96.3% b ) of the Y-TZP/TiO 2 composite. The presence of 30% titania caused substantial increase in m and υ. Biomimetic coating did not affect the mechanical properties of the composite. The Y-TZP/TiO 2 composite coated with a layer of CaP has great potential to be used as implant material. Although addition of titania affected the properties of the composite, the application of a biomimetic coating did not jeopardize its reliability. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Ambient High Temperature Exposure on Alumina-Titania High Emittance Surfaces for Solar Dynamic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deGroh, Kim K.; Smith, Daniela C.; Wheeler, Donald R.; MacLachlam, Brian J.

1998-01-01

Solar dynamic (SD) space power systems require durable, high emittance surfaces on a number of critical components, such as heat receiver interior surfaces and parasitic load radiator (PLR) elements. To enhance surface characteristics, an alumina-titania coating has been applied to 500 heat receiver thermal energy containment canisters and the PLR of NASA Lewis Research Center's (LeRC) 2 kW SD ground test demonstrator (GTD). The alumina-titania coating was chosen because it had been found to maintain its high emittance under vacuum (less than or equal to 10(exp -6) torr) at high temperatures (1457 F (827 C)) for an extended period (approximately 2,700 hours). However, preflight verification of SD systems components, such as the PLR require operation at ambient pressure and high temperatures. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the durability of the alumina-titania coating at high temperature in air. Fifteen of sixteen alumina-titania coated Incoloy samples were exposed to high temperatures (600 F (316 C) to l500 F (816 C)) for various durations (2 to 32 hours). Samples, were characterized prior to and after heat treatment for reflectance, solar absorptance, room temperature emittance and emittance at 1,200 F (649 C). Samples were also examined to detect physical defects and to determine surface chemistry using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy operated with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) system, and x ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Visual examination of the heat-treated samples showed a whitening of samples exposed to temperatures of 1,000 F (538 C) and above. Correspondingly, the optical properties of these samples had degraded. A sample exposed to 1,500 F (816 C) for 24 hours had whitened and the thermal emittance at 1,200 F (649 C) had decreased from the non-heat treated value of 0.94 to 0.62. The coating on this sample had become embrittled with spalling off the substrate noticeable at several locations. Based on this research it is recommended that preflight testing of SD components with alumina-titania coatings be restricted to temperatures no greater than 600 F (316 C) in air to avoid optical degradation. Moreover, components with the alumina-titania coating are likely to experience optical property degradation with direct atomic oxygen exposure in space.

Novel multifunctional titania-silica-lanthanum phosphate nanocomposite coatings through an all aqueous sol-gel process.

PubMed

Smitha, Venu Sreekala; Jyothi, Chembolli Kunhatta; Peer, Mohamed A; Pillai, Saju; Warrier, Krishna Gopakumar

2013-04-07

A novel nanocomposite coating containing titania, silica and lanthanum phosphate prepared through an all aqueous sol-gel route exhibits excellent self-cleaning ability arising from the synergistic effect of the constituents in the nanocomposite. A highly stable titania-silica-lanthanum phosphate nanocomposite sol having particle size in the range of 30-50 nm has been synthesized starting from a titanyl sulphate precursor, which was further used for the development of photocatalytically active composite coatings on glass. The coatings prepared by the dip coating technique as well as the nanocomposite powders are heat treated and characterized further for their morphology and multifunctionality. The nanocomposite containing 1.5 wt% LaPO4 has shown a surface area as high as 138 m(2) g(-1) and a methylene blue degradation efficiency of 94% in two hours of UV exposure. The composite coating has shown very good homogeneity evidenced by transparency as high as 99.5% and low wetting behaviour. The present novel approach for energy conserving, aqueous derived, self-cleaning coatings may be suitable for large scale industrial applications.

Characterisations Of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-13% Wt TiO{sub 2} Deposition On Mild Steel Via Plasma Spray Method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yusoff, N. H.; Isa, M. C.; Ghazali, M. J.

2011-01-17

To date, plasma sprayed alumina titania have been widely used as wear resistance coatings in textile, machinery and printing industries. Previous studies showed that the coating microstructures and properties were strongly depended on various parameters such as ceramic composition, grain size powders and spray parameters, thus, influencing the melting degree of the alumina titania during the deposition process. The aim of this study focuses on the evolution of the micron sizes of alumina-13%wt titania at different plasma spray power, ranging from 20kW to 40kW. It was noted that the coating porosity of alumina-13%wt titania were decreased from 6.2% to 4%more » by increasing the plasma power from 20 to 40 kW. At lower power value, partially melted powders were deposited, generating over 6% porosity within the microstructures. Percentage of porosity about 5.6% gave the best ratio of bi-modal structures, providing the highest microhardness value. Furthermore, the effect of microstructure and porosity formation on wear resistance was also discussed. Coatings with less porosity exhibited better resistance to wear, in which the wear resistance of coated mild steel possessed only {approx}5 x 10{sup -4} cm{sup 3}/Nm with 4% of porosity.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li Shun; School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083; Lin Yuanhua

Anatase titania-coated bismuth ferrite nanocomposites (BiFeO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2}) have been fabricated via a hydrothermal approach combined with a hydrolysis precipitation processing. Analysis of the microstructure and phase composition reveals that a core-shell BiFeO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} structure can be formed, which results in a significant redshift in the UV-vis absorption spectra as compared to a simple mechanical mixture of BiFeO{sub 3}-TiO{sub 2} nanopowders. The core-shell structured BiFeO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites exhibit higher photocatalytic activity for photodegradation of Congo red under visible-light ({lambda}>400 nm) irradiation, which should be attributed to the enhancement of the quantum efficiency by separating the electrons and holesmore » effectively. The obtained BiFeO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites can be used as potential visible-light driven photocatalysts.« less

Palladium-zinc catalysts on mesoporous titania prepared by colloid synthesis. II. Synthesis and characterization of PdZn/TiO2 coating on inner surface of fused silica capillary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okhlopkova, Lyudmila B.; Kerzhentsev, Michail A.; Tuzikov, Fedor V.; Larichev, Yurii V.; Ismagilov, Zinfer R.

2012-09-01

Nanoparticle-doped mesoporous titania coating was synthesized by incorporation of PdZn nanoparticles into TiO2 sol followed by dip coating of the sol on inner surface of fused silica capillary. Monodispersed PdZn bimetallic colloidal particles with average particle diameters of approximately 2 nm have been prepared by an ethylene glycol reduction of ZnCl2 and Pd(CH3COO)2 in the presence of polyvinylpyrrolidone. The textural properties, surface structure, chemical composition, and morphology of the samples were investigated by means of N2 sorption measurements, TEM, and X-ray diffraction. PdZn/TiO2 coating has been further analyzed by quantitative analysis of the SAXS data in combination with the density contrast method, providing direct structural-dispersion information about the active component and support. Calcination conditions suitable for surfactant removal have been optimized to obtain PdZn/TiO2 coatings with required metal particle size and composition. The high dispersion and chemical composition of the nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous titania coating have been retained with no modification after thermal treatment in vacuum at 300 °C. Results suggest how porous structure of the PdZn coating may be fine-tuned to improve the accessibility of the pores to reactants. The control of the pore size in the range of 4.9-6.8 nm of the mesoporous titania was achieved by adding co-surfactants, such as n-butanol.

Titania Deposition on PMR-15

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meador, Mary B.; Sutter, James K.; Pizem, Hillel; Gershevitz, Olga; Goffer, Yossi; Frimer, Aryeh A.; Sukenik, Chaim N.; Sampathkumaran, Uma; Milhet, Xavier; McIlwain, Alan

2005-01-01

The formation, degree of crystallinity and adherence of dense titania (TiO2) thin film coatings on a high-temperature polyimide resin (PMR-15) can be influenced by the chemical composition of the polymer surface. Furthermore, solution deposition conditions can be adjusted to provide additional control over the morphology and crystallinity of the titania films. Recipes for solution-based titania deposition that used a slowly-hydrolyzing titanium fluoride salt in the presence of boric acid as a fluoride scavenger allowed growth of films up to 750 nm thick in 22 h. By adjusting solution pH and temperature, either amorphous titania or oriented crystalline anatase films could be formed. Surface sulfonate groups enhance the adhesion of solution-deposited oxide thin film coatings. While most sulfonation procedures severely damaged the PMR-15 surface, the use of chlorosulfonic acid followed by hydrolysis of the installed chlorosulfonyl groups provided effective surface sulfonation without significant surface damage. In some cases, the oxide deposition solution caused partial hydrolysis of the polymer surface, which itself was sufficient to allow adhesion of the titania film through chelation of titanium ions by exposed benzoic acid groups on the polymer surface.

Titania nanospheres from supercritical fluids.

PubMed

Darr, J A; Kellici, S; Rehman, I U

2005-06-01

Surfactant-coated amorphous titania nanospheres have been synthesised using templating 'water-in-supercritical carbon dioxide' emulsion droplets; the process represents a clean and controlled method for the manufacture of high-purity nanoparticles.

Biotemplated synthesis of high specific surface area copper-doped hollow spherical titania and its photocatalytic research for degradating chlorotetracycline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bu, Dan; Zhuang, Huisheng

2013-01-01

Copper-doped titania (Cu/TiO2) hollow microspheres were fabricated using the rape pollen as biotemplates via an improved sol-gel method and a followed calcinations process. In the fabricated process, a titanium(IV)-isopropoxide-based sol directly coated onto the surface of rape pollen. Subsequently, after calcinations, rape pollen was removed by high temperature and the hollow microsphere structure was retained. The average diameter of as-obtained hollow microspheres is 15-20 μm and the thickness of shell is approximately 0.6 μm. Knowing from XRD results, the main crystal phase of microspheres is anatase, coupled with rutile. The specific surface area varied between 141.80 m2/g and 172.51 m2/g. This hollow sphere photocatalysts with high specific surface area exhibited stronger absorption ability and higher photoactivity, stimulated by visible light. The degradation process of chlortetracycline (CTC) solution had been studied. The degradated results indicate that CTC could be effective degradated by fabricated hollow spherical materials. And the intermediate products formed in the photocatalytic process had been identified.

Influence of calcinated and non calcinated nanobioglass particles on hardness and bioactivity of sol-gel-derived TiO2-SiO2 nano composite coatings on stainless steel substrates.

PubMed

Dadash, Mohammad Saleh; Karbasi, Saeed; Esfahani, Mojtaba Nasr; Ebrahimi, Mohammad Reza; Vali, Hojatollah

2011-04-01

Thick films of calcinated and non calcinated nanobioglass (NBG)-titania composite coatings were prepared on stainless steel substrates by alkoxide sol-gel process. Dip-coating method was used for the films preparation. The morphology, structure and composition of the nano composite films were evaluated using environmental scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscope. The SEM investigation results showed that prepared thick NBG-titania films are smooth and free of macrocracking, fracture or flaking. The grain size of these films was uniform and nano scale (50-60 nm) which confirmed with TEM. Also FTIR confirmed the presence of Si-O-Si bands on the calcinated NBG-titania films. The hardness of the prepared films (TiO(2)-calcinated NBG and TiO(2)-Non calcinated NBG) was compared by using micro hardness test method. The results verified that the presence of calcinated NBG particles in NBG-titania composite enhanced gradually the mechanical data of the prepared films. The in vitro bioactivity of these films was discussed based on the analysis of the variations of Ca and P concentrations in the simulated body fluid (SBF) and their surface morphologies against immersion time. Surface morphology and Si-O-Si bands were found to be of great importance with respect to the bioactivity of the studied films. The results showed that calcinated NBG-titania films have better bioactivity than non calcinated NBG-titania films.

Toward compositional design of reticular type porous films by mixing and coating titania-based frameworks with silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, T.

2015-12-01

A recently developed reticular type porous structure, which can be fabricated as the film through the soft colloidal block copolymer (e.g., PS-b-PEO) templating, is very promising as the porous platform showing high-performance based on its high surface area as well as high diffusivity of targeted organic molecules and effective accommodation of bulky molecules, but the compositional design of oxide frameworks has not been developed so enough to date. Here, I report reliable synthetic methods of the reticular type porous structure toward simple compositional variations. Due to the reproducibility of reticular type porous titania films from titanium alkoxide (e.g., TTIP; titanium tetraisopropoxide), a titania-silica film having similar porous structure was obtained by mixing silicon alkoxide (e.g., tetraethoxysilane) and TTIP followed by their pre-hydrolysis, and the mixing ratio of Ti to Si composition was easily reached to 1.0. For further compositional design, a concept of surface coating was widely applicable; the reticular type porous titania surfaces can be coated with other oxides such as silica. Here, a silica coating was successfully achieved by the simple chemical vapor deposition of silicon alkoxide (e.g., tetramethoxysilane) without water (with water at the humidity level), which was also utilized for pore filling with silica by the similar process with water.

Comparison of self-cleaning properties of three titania coatings on float glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piispanen, Minna; Hupa, Leena

2011-11-01

This work compares the self-cleaning properties of experimental TiO2 and TiO2-Ag coatings on float glass with a commercial self-cleaning glass. In the experimental surfaces, TiO2 coating was applied to float glass via the sol-gel route, while TiO2-Ag coating was applied by the liquid flame spray method, which deposits TiO2-Ag composite nanoparticles on the surface. The effect of the coatings on the surface wettability and the activation time for achieving hydrophilicity was studied through water contact angle as a function of exposure time to UV light. The surface morphology was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal optical microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the coatings was examined with methylene blue and stearic acid degradation tests. Finally, the soil attachment to the surfaces was tested with a sebum-based model soil. The sol-gel TiO2 coating became superhydrophilic within a few hours, while the activation time needed for the commercial titania coated glass was several days. The surface with the TiO2-Ag nanoparticles did not show any marked changes in the water contact angle. The commercial titania coated and the sol-gel TiO2 surfaces showed self-cleaning properties and clearly lower attachment of soil than the uncoated and TiO2-Ag coated surfaces. The difference in the interaction of the surfaces with the organic contaminants was assumed to depend mainly on differences in the thickness of the coatings.

Readily available titania nanostructuring routines based on mobility and polarity controlled phase separation of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer.

PubMed

Hohn, Nuri; Schlosser, Steffen J; Bießmann, Lorenz; Grott, Sebastian; Xia, Senlin; Wang, Kun; Schwartzkopf, Matthias; Roth, Stephan V; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter

2018-03-15

The amphiphilic diblock copolymer polystyrene-block-polyethylene oxide is combined with sol-gel chemistry to control the structure formation of blade-coated foam-like titania thin films. The influence of evaporation time before immersion into a poor solvent bath and polarity of the poor solvent bath are studied. Resulting morphological changes are quantified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) measurements. SEM images surface structures while GISAXS accesses inner film structures. Due to the correlation of evaporation time and mobility of the polymer template during the phase separation process, a decrease in the distances of neighboring titania nanostructures from 50 nm to 22 nm is achieved. Furthermore, through an increase of polarity of an immersion bath the energetic incompatibility of the hydrophobic block and the solvent can be enhanced, leading to an increase of titania nanostructure distances from 35 nm to 55 nm. Thus, a simple approach is presented to control titania nanostructure in foam-like films prepared via blade coating, which enables an easy upscaling of film preparation.

Influence of different heat treatment methods of titania film on performance of DSSCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

More, Venumadhav; Mokurala, Krishna; Bhargava, Parag

2018-04-01

Titania mesoporous film is a key component of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as it transfers electrons from dye molecule to external circuit through the transparent conducting oxide (TCO). Interparticle connectivity, porosity and cracks in the titania films play an important role in determining the performance of DSSCs. The heating schedule with respect to the repetitive coating to build up titania film thickness impacts the titania film characteristics. In the present study, experiments were designed to carry out heat treatments with expectation of improving connectivity and healing cracks. Repetitive screen printing was carried out with either heat treatment after each print step (multiple sintering) or the heat treatment was carried out just once after the desired thickness had been attained (single-step sintering). Interconnectivity of the titania particles in the sintered titania film was analyzed by impedance spectroscopy and nanoindentation. Titania films sintered by MS showed better performance in terms of higher efficiency for the corresponding DSSCs than those prepared using titania films sintered by SS.

Metal oxide nanorod arrays on monolithic substrates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao, Pu-Xian; Guo, Yanbing; Ren, Zheng

A metal oxide nanorod array structure according to embodiments disclosed herein includes a monolithic substrate having a surface and multiple channels, an interface layer bonded to the surface of the substrate, and a metal oxide nanorod array coupled to the substrate surface via the interface layer. The metal oxide can include ceria, zinc oxide, tin oxide, alumina, zirconia, cobalt oxide, and gallium oxide. The substrate can include a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a silicon substrate, a ceramic monolith, and a stainless steel monolith. The ceramic can include cordierite, alumina, tin oxide, and titania. The nanorod array structure can includemore » a perovskite shell, such as a lanthanum-based transition metal oxide, or a metal oxide shell, such as ceria, zinc oxide, tin oxide, alumina, zirconia, cobalt oxide, and gallium oxide, or a coating of metal particles, such as platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, and ruthenium, over each metal oxide nanorod. Structures can be bonded to the surface of a substrate and resist erosion if exposed to high velocity flow rates.« less

Plasma-Sprayed Titania and Alumina Coatings Obtained from Feedstocks Prepared by Heterocoagulation with 1 wt.% Carbon Nanotube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jambagi, Sudhakar C.; Agarwal, Anish; Sarkar, Nilmoni; Bandyopadhyay, P. P.

2018-05-01

Properties of plasma-sprayed ceramic coatings can be improved significantly by reinforcing such coatings with carbon nanotube (CNT). However, it is difficult to disperse CNT in the plasma spray feedstock owing to its tendency to form agglomerate. A colloidal processing technique, namely heterocoagulation, is effective in bringing about unbundling of CNT, followed by its homogeneous dispersion in the ceramic powder. This report deals with the mixing of micro-sized crushed titania and agglomerated alumina powders with CNT using the heterocoagulation technique. Heterocoagulation of titania was attempted with both cationic and anionic surfactants, and the latter was found to be more effective. Mixing of the oxides and carbon nanotube was also accomplished in a ball mill either in a dry condition or in alcohol, and powders thus obtained were compared with the heterocoagulated powder. The heterocoagulated powder has shown a more homogeneous dispersion of CNT in the oxide. The coatings produced from the heterocoagulated powder demonstrated improvement in hardness, porosity, indentation fracture toughness and elastic modulus. This is attributed to CNT reinforcement.

Applications of nano-structured metal oxides for treatment of arsenic in water and for antimicrobial coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadu, Rakesh Babu

Dependency of technology has been increasing radically through cellular phones for communication, data storage devices for education, drinking water purifiers for healthiness, antimicrobial-coated textiles for cleanliness, nanomedicines for deadliest diseases, solar cells for natural power, nanorobots for engineering and many more. Nanotechnology develops many unprecedented products and methodologies with its adroitness in this modern scientific world. Syntheses of nanomaterials play a significant role in the development of technology. Solution combustion and hydrothermal syntheses produce many nanomaterials with different structures and pioneering applications. Nanometal oxides, like titania, silver oxide, manganese oxide and iron oxide have their unique applications in engineering, chemistry and biochemistry. Likewise, this study talks about the syntheses and applications of nanomaterials such as magnetic graphene nanoplatelets (M-Gras) decorated with uniformly dispersed NPs, manganese doped titania nanotubes (Mn-TNTs), and silver doped titania nanopartcles (nAg-TNPs) and their polyurethane based polymer nanocomposite coating (nAg-TiO2 /PU). Basically, M-Gras, and Mn-TNTs were applied for the treatment of arsenic contaminated water, and nAg- TiO2/PU applied for antimicrobial coatings on textiles. Adsorption of arsenic over Mn- TNTs, and M-Gras was discussed while considering all the regulations of arsenic contamination in drinking water and oxidation of arsenic over Mn-TNTs also discussed with the possible surface reactions. Silver doped titania and its polyurethane nanocomposite was coated on polyester fabric and examined the coated fabric for bactericidal activity for gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive ( S. epidermidis) bacteria. This study elucidates the development of suitable nanomaterials and their applications to treat or rectify the environmental hazards while following the scientific standards and regulations.

The development of manganese oxide coated ceramic membranes for combined catalytic ozonation and ultrafiltration of drinking water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corneal, Lindsay Marie

A novel method for the preparation of hydrated MnO2 by the ozonation of MnCl2 in water is described. The hydrated MnO 2 was used to coat titania water filtration membranes using a layer-by-layer technique. The coated membranes were then sintered in air at 500°C for 45 minutes. Upon sintering, the MnO2 is converted to alpha-Mn 2O3 (as characterized by x-ray and electron diffraction). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging showed no significant change in the roughness or height of the surface features of coated membranes, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging showed an increase in grain size with increasing number of coating layers. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping and line scans revealed manganese present throughout the membrane, indicating that manganese dispersed into the porous membrane during the coating process and diffused into the titania grains during sintering. Selected area diffraction (SAD) of the coated and sintered membrane was used to index the surface layer as alpha-Mn2O3. The surface layer was uneven, although there was a trend of increasing thickness with increasing coating layers. The coating acts as a catalyst for the oxidation of organic matter when coated membranes are used in a hybrid ozonation-membrane filtration system. A trend of decreasing total organic carbon (TOC) in the permeate water was observed with increasing number of coating layers. The catalytic activity also manifests itself as improved recovery of the water flux due to oxidation of foulants on the membrane surface. Ceramic nanoparticle coatings on ceramic water filtration membranes must undergo high temperature sintering. However, this means that the underlying membrane, which has been engineered for a given molecular weight cut-off (MWCO), also undergoes a high temperature heat treatment that serves to increase pore size that have resulted in increases in permeability of titania membranes. Coating the titania membrane with manganese oxide followed by sintering in air at 500°C maintains the MWCO of the membranes, with high DI water permeability, which may be favorable in terms of membrane use. SEM micrographs of titania membrane samples sintered between 500°C to 900°C were analyzed to identify a statistically significant increase in grain size with increasing sintering temperature. The grains however, generally retain a uniform shape until the 900°C sintering temperature, where large, irregularly shaped grains were observed. AFM analysis showed a corresponding increase in the surface roughness of the membrane for the sample sintered at 900°C.

EFFECTS OF LASER RADIATION ON MATTER: Laser damage behaviour of titania coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skvortsov, L. A.

2010-01-01

A model is proposed for the generation of defects responsible for laser damage in thin titania films during repetitive exposure to nanosecond near-IR laser pulses. The model relies on the hypothesis that there is charge transfer between two point defect centres differing in photoionisation cross section, one of which has an adsorptive nature. The model's predictions agree well with the experimentally determined accumulation curve and the temperature dependence of the damage threshold at low temperatures and clarify the role of protective coatings.

DEXTRON TEMPLATED MICROWAVE-ASSISTED SYNTHESIS OF POROUS TITANIUM DIOXIDE

EPA Science Inventory

An alternative route to the preparation and formation of porous titania powders and carbon coated titania using microwave radiation is described. Inexpensive dextrose was chosen as capping agent or template in view of its high water solubility when compared to other sugar templat...

Sol-gel-derived hydroxyapatite-carbon nanotube/titania coatings on titanium substrates.

PubMed

Ji, Xiaoli; Lou, Weiwei; Wang, Qi; Ma, Jianfeng; Xu, Haihong; Bai, Qing; Liu, Chuantong; Liu, Jinsong

2012-01-01

In this paper, hydroxyapatite-carbon nanotube/titania (HA-CNT/TiO(2)) double layer coatings were successfully developed on titanium (Ti) substrates intended for biomedical applications. A TiO(2) coating was firstly developed by anodization to improve bonding between HA and Ti, and then the layer of HA and CNTs was coated on the surface by the sol-gel process to improve the biocompatibility and mechanical properties of Ti. The surfaces of double layer coatings were uniform and crack-free with a thickness of about 7 μm. The bonding strength of the HA-CNT/TiO(2) coating was higher than that of the pure HA and HA-CNT coatings. Additionally, in vitro cell experiments showed that CNTs promoted the adhesion of preosteoblasts on the HA-CNT/TiO(2) double layer coatings. These unique surfaces combined with the osteoconductive properties of HA exhibited the excellent mechanical properties of CNTs. Therefore, the developed HA-CNT/TiO(2) coatings on Ti substrates might be a promising material for bone replacement.

Biocompatibility of sol-gel-derived titania-silica coated intramedullary NiTi nails.

PubMed

Muhonen, V; Kujala, S; Vuotikka, A; Aäritalo, V; Peltola, T; Areva, S; Närhi, T; Tuukkanen, J

2009-02-01

We investigated bone response to sol-gel-derived titania-silica coated functional intramedullary NiTi nails that applied a continuous bending force. Nails 26 mm in length, either straight or with a radius of curvature of 28 or 15 mm, were implanted in the cooled martensite form from a proximal to distal direction into the medullary cavity of the right femur in 40 Sprague-Dawley rats. Body temperature restored the austenite form, causing the curved implants to generate a bending force on the bone. The femurs were examined after 24 weeks. Bone length measurements did not reveal any bowing or shortening of the bone in the experimental groups. The results from histomorphometry demonstrated that the stronger bending force, together with sol-gel surface treatment, resulted in more bone deposition around the implant and the formation of significantly less fibrous tissue. Straight intramedullary nails, even those with a titania-silica coating, were poorly attached when compared to the implants with a curved austenite structure.

Bone-like apatite growth on controllable macroporous titanium scaffolds coated with microporous titania.

PubMed

Rao, Xi; Li, Jing; Feng, Xue; Chu, Chenglin

2018-01-01

In this study, a simple, cost-effective approach of polymeric foam replication was used to produce three-dimensionally macroporous titanium scaffolds with controllable porosities and mechanical properties. Two kinds of porous titanium scaffolds with different porosities (74.7% and 87.6%) and pore sizes (360µm and 750µm) were fabricated. Both of the scaffolds exhibit good compressive strength (24.5MPa and 13.5MPa) with a low elastic modulus (0.23GPa and 0.11GPa), approximating the mechanical properties of nature human cancellous bone (E = 10-50MPa, σ = 0.01-3.0GPa). Thereafter, the scaffolds were surface modified using plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) process to gain a bioactive porous titania ceramic coating. The SBF immersion test indicates PEO treated scaffolds show excellent bioactivity as the apatite rapidly nucleates and grows on the scaffold surface during 3-28 days. The results suggest that the highly porous titanium scaffolds with titania bioactive coatings are promising in cancellous bone replacement. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DEXTROSE-TEMPLATED MICROWAVE-ASSISTED COMBUSTION SYNTHESIS OF SPONGY METAL OXIDES

EPA Science Inventory

Microwave-assisted combustion synthesis of porous nanocrystalline titania and carbon coated titania is reported using dextrose as template and the product was compared with the one obtained using conventional heating furnace. Out of three compositions viz., 1:1, 1:3, and 1:5 (met...

Structural Characterization and Corrosion Behavior of Stainless Steel Coated With Sol-Gel Titania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasconcelos, Daniela C. L.; Nunes, Eduardo H. M.; Sabioni, Antônio Claret S.; da Costa, João C. Diniz; Vasconcelos, Wander L.

2012-03-01

Sol-gel titania films were prepared from hydrolysis and condensation of titanium (IV) isopropoxide. Diethanolamine was used as chelant agent in titania synthesis. 316L stainless steel substrates were dip-coated at three different withdrawal speeds (6, 30, and 60 mm/min) and heated up to 400 °C. Thermogravimetry and differential thermal analyses of the titania gel solution evinced a continuous mass loss for temperatures up to 800 °C. The transition of anatase to the rutile phase begins at 610-650 °C, being the rutile transformation completed at 900 °C. The thicknesses of the films were determined as a function of the heat treatment and withdrawal speed. It was observed that their thicknesses varied from 130 to 770 nm. Scanning electron microscopy images of the composites revealed the glass-like microstructure of the films. The obtained sol-gel films were also characterized by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The chemical evolution of the films as a function of the heating temperature was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (specular reflectance method). After performing the adhesion tests, the adherence of the titania films to the stainless steel substrate was excellent, rated 5B according to ASTM 3359. The hardness of the ceramic films obtained was measured by the Knoop microindentation hardness test with a 10 g load. We observed that the titania film became harder than the steel substrate when it was heated above 400 °C. The corrosion rates of the titania/steel composites, determined from potentiodynamic curves, were two orders of magnitude lower than that of the bare stainless steel. The presence of the sol-gel titania film contributed to the increase of the corrosion potential in ca. 650 mV and the passivation potential in ca. 720 mV.

Amorphous titania/carbon composite electrode materials

DOEpatents

Vaughey, John T.; Jansen, Andrew; Joyce, Christopher D.

2017-05-09

An isolated salt comprising a compound of formula (H.sub.2X)(TiO(Y).sub.2) or a hydrate thereof, wherein X is 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO), and Y is oxalate anion (C.sub.2O.sub.4.sup.-2), when heated in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature in the range of at least about 275.degree. C. to less than about 400.degree. C., decomposes to form an amorphous titania/carbon composite material comprising about 40 to about 50 percent by weight titania and about 50 to about 60 percent by weight of a carbonaceous material coating the titania. Heating the composite material at a temperature of about 400 to 500.degree. C. crystallizes the titania component to anatase. The titania materials of the invention are useful as components of the cathode or anode of a lithium or lithium ion electrochemical cell.

Effects Investigated of Ambient High-Temperature Exposure on Alumina-Titania High-Emittance Surfaces for Solar Dynamic Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

deGroh, Kim K.; Smith, Daniela C.

1999-01-01

Solar-dynamic space power systems require durable, high-emittance surfaces on a number of critical components, such as heat receiver interior surfaces and parasitic load radiator (PLR) elements. An alumina-titania coating, which has been evaluated for solar-dynamic heat receiver canister applications, has been chosen for a PLR application (an electrical sink for excess power from the turboalternator/compressor) because of its demonstrated high emittance and high-temperature durability in vacuum. Under high vacuum conditions (+/- 10(exp -6) torr), the alumina-titania coating was found to be durable at temperatures of 1520 F (827 C) for approx. 2700 hours with no degradation in optical properties. This coating has been successfully applied to the 2-kW solar-dynamic ground test demonstrator at the NASA Lewis Research Center, to the 500 thermal-energy-storage containment canisters inside the heat receiver and to the PLR radiator. The solar-dynamic demonstrator has successfully operated for over 800 hours in Lewis large thermal/vacuum space environment facility, demonstrating the feasibility of solar-dynamic power generation for space applications.

Fluorescence labeling of colloidal core-shell particles with defined isoelectric points for in vitro studies.

PubMed

Daberkow, Timo; Meder, Fabian; Treccani, Laura; Schowalter, Marco; Rosenauer, Andreas; Rezwan, Kurosch

2012-02-01

In the light of in vitro nanotoxicological studies fluorescence labeling has become standard for particle localization within the cell environment. However, fluorescent labeling is also known to significantly alter the particle surface chemistry and therefore potentially affect the outcome of cell studies. Hence, fluorescent labeling is ideally carried out without changing, for example, the isoelectric point. A simple and straightforward method for obtaining fluorescently labeled spherical metal oxide particles with well-defined isoelectric points and a narrow size distribution is presented in this study. Spherical amorphous silica (SiO2, 161 nm diameter) particles were used as the substrate material and were coated with silica, alumina (Al2O3), titania (TiO2), or zirconia (ZrO2) using sol-gel chemistry. Fluorescent labeling was achieved by directly embedding rhodamine 6G dye in the coating matrix without affecting the isoelectric point of the metal oxide coatings. The coating quality was confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy filtered transmission electron microscopy and electrochemical characterization. The coatings were proven to be stable for at least 240 h under different pH conditions. The well-defined fluorescent particles can be directly used for biomedical investigations, e.g. elucidation of particle-cell interactions in vitro. Copyright © 2011 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical synthesis of 1D core-shell Si/TiO2 nanotubes for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, Damian; Mallet, Jeremy; Thomas, Shibin; Nemaga, Abirdu Woreka; Michel, Jean; Guery, Claude; Molinari, Michael; Morcrette, Mathieu

2017-09-01

Silicon negative electrode for lithium ion battery was designed in the form of self-organized 1D core-shell nanotubes to overcome shortcomings linked to silicon volume expansion upon lithiation/delithiation typically occurring with Si nanoparticles. The negative electrode was formed on TiO2 nanotubes in two step electrochemical synthesis by means of anodizing of titanium and electrodeposition of silicon using ionic liquid electrolytes. Remarkably, it was found that the silicon grows perpendicularly to the z-axis of nanotube and therefore its thickness can be precisely controlled by the charge passed in the electrochemical protocol. Deposited silicon creates a continuous Si network on TiO2 nanotubes without grain boundaries and particle-particle interfaces, defining its electrochemical characteristics under battery testing. In the core-shell system the titania nanotube play a role of volume expansion stabilizer framework holding the nanostructured silicon upon lithiation/delithiation. The nature of Si shell and presence of titania core determine stable performance as negative electrode tested in half cell of CR2032 coin cell battery.

Effect of Spray Distance on Microstructure and Tribological Performance of Suspension Plasma-Sprayed Hydroxyapatite-Titania Composite Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao; Xu, Haifeng; Geng, Xin; Wang, Jingjing; Xiao, Jinkun; Zhu, Peizhi

2016-10-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA)-titania (TiO2) composite coatings prepared on Ti6Al4V alloy surface can combine the excellent mechanical property of the alloy substrate and the good biocompatibility of the coating material. In this paper, HA-TiO2 composite coatings were deposited on Ti6Al4V substrates using suspension plasma spray (SPS). X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier infrared absorption spectrometry and friction tests were used to analyze the microstructure and tribological properties of the obtained coatings. The results showed that the spray distance had an important influence on coating microstructure and tribological performance. The amount of decomposition phases decreased as the spray distance increased. The increase in spray distance from 80 to 110 mm improved the crystalline HA content and decreased the wear performance of the SPS coatings. In addition, the spray distance had a big effect on the coating morphology due to different substrate temperature resulting from different spray distance. Furthermore, a significant presence of OH- and CO3 2- was observed, which was favorable for the biomedical applications.

Novel processing to produce polymer/ceramic nanocomposites by atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xinhua

Polymeric materials can be greatly influenced by nanoscale inclusions of inorganic materials. The main goal of this thesis is to fabricate novel polymer/ceramic composite materials for two different applications using atomic layer deposition (ALD) or molecular layer deposition (MLD) methods. One is to produce well-dispersed polymer/ceramic nanocomposites with improved barrier properties for packaging applications. The other is to produce porous polymer/ceramic composites with improved bioactivity for tissue engineering applications. ALD has been successfully utilized for the conformal and uniform deposition of ultra-thin alumina and titania films on primary micron-sized polymer particles. The mechanism to initiate alumina and titania ALD on polymer particles without chemical functional groups was confirmed. A nucleation period was needed for both alumina and titania ALD on high density polyethylene (HDPE) particles and no nucleation period was needed for alumina ALD on polymethyl methacrylate particles. Titania ALD films deposited at low temperatures had an amorphous structure and showed much weaker photoactivity than common pigment-grade anatase TiO2 particles. Highly uniform and conformal ultra-thin aluminum alkoxide (alucone) polymer films were deposited on primary silica and titania nanoparticles using MLD in a fluidized bed reactor. The deposition chemistry and properties of alucone MLD films were investigated. The photoactivity of pigment-grade TiO2 particles was quenched after 20 cycles of an alucone MLD film, but the films shrank and decomposed in the presence of water, which decreased the passivation effect of the photoactivity of TiO2 particles. Well-dispersed polymer/ceramic nanocomposites were obtained by extruding alumina ALD coated HDPE particles. The diffusion coefficient of the fabricated nanocomposite membranes can be reduced by half with the inclusion of 7.3 vol.% alumina flakes. However, a corresponding increase in permeability was also observed due to the voids formed at or near the interface of the polymer and alumina flakes during the extrusion process. Efforts to improve the barrier properties of the membranes included 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane treatment and coating alucone MLD films on alumina coated particles prior to extrusion. The porous polymer/ceramic particles were synthesized by depositing ultra-thin alumina or titania films on highly porous poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) particles using a low-temperature ALD process. Analytical characterization revealed that conformal alumina and titania films were grown on internal and external polymer particle surfaces, and the pore filling mechanism was a uniform coating of the pore walls. The ALD layers can improve the bioactivity and protein adsorption of the polymer substrates.

Hydrogen gas sensing feature of polyaniline/titania (rutile) nanocomposite at environmental conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milani Moghaddam, Hossain; Nasirian, Shahruz

2014-10-01

The resistance-based sensors of polyaniline/titania (rutile) nanocomposite (TPNC) were prepared by spin coating technique onto an epoxy glass substrate with Cu-interdigited electrodes to study their hydrogen (H2) gas sensing features. Our findings are that the change of the surface morphology, porosity and wt% of titania in TPNCs have a significant effect on H2 gas sensing of sensors. All of the sensors had a reproducibility response toward 0.8 vol% H2 gas at room temperature, air pressure and 50% relative humidity. A sensor with 40 wt% of titania nanoparticles had better response/recovery time and the response than other sensors. Moreover, H2 gas sensing mechanism of TPNC sensors based contact areas and the correlation of energy levels between PANI chains and the titania grains were studied.

Characterization of gas tunnel type plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite-nanostructure titania composite coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yugeswaran, S.; Kobayashi, A.; Ucisik, A. Hikmet; Subramanian, B.

2015-08-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) can be coated onto metal implants as a ceramic biocompatible coating to bridge the growth between implants and human tissue. Meanwhile many efforts have been made to improve the mechanical properties of the HA coatings without affecting its bioactivity. In the present study, nanostructure titania (TiO2) was mixed with HA powder and HA-nanostructure TiO2 composite coatings were produced by gas tunnel type plasma spraying torch under optimized spraying conditions. For this purpose, composition of 10 wt% TiO2 + 90 wt% HA, 20 wt% TiO2 + 80 wt% HA and 30 wt% TiO2 + 70 wt% HA were selected as the feedstock materials. The phase, microstructure and mechanical properties of the coatings were characterized. The obtained results validated that the increase in weight percentage of nanostructure TiO2 in HA coating significantly increased the microhardness, adhesive strength and wear resistance of the coatings. Analysis of the in vitro bioactivity and cytocompatibility of the coatings were done using conventional simulated body fluid (c-SBF) solution and cultured green fluorescent protein (GFP) labeled marrow stromal cells (MSCs) respectively. The bioactivity results revealed that the composite coating has bio-active surface with good cytocompatibility.

Carbon nanotube TiO2 hybrid films for detecting traces of O2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llobet, E.; Espinosa, E. H.; Sotter, E.; Ionescu, R.; Vilanova, X.; Torres, J.; Felten, A.; Pireaux, J. J.; Ke, X.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Renaux, F.; Paint, Y.; Hecq, M.; Bittencourt, C.

2008-09-01

Hybrid titania films have been prepared using an adapted sol-gel method for obtaining well-dispersed hydrogen plasma-treated multiwall carbon nanotubes in either pure titania or Nb-doped titania. The drop-coating method has been used to fabricate resistive oxygen sensors based on titania or on titania and carbon nanotube hybrids. Morphology and composition studies have revealed that the dispersion of low amounts of carbon nanotubes within the titania matrix does not significantly alter its crystallization behaviour. The gas sensitivity studies performed on the different samples have shown that the hybrid layers based on titania and carbon nanotubes possess an unprecedented responsiveness towards oxygen (i.e. more than four times higher than that shown by optimized Nb-doped TiO2 films). Furthermore, hybrid sensors containing carbon nanotubes respond at significantly lower operating temperatures than their non-hybrid counterparts. These new hybrid sensors show a strong potential for monitoring traces of oxygen (i.e. <=10 ppm) in a flow of CO2, which is of interest for the beverage industry.

The effect of CMAS interaction on thermal cycle lifetime of YSZ based thermal barrier coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bal, Emre; Karabaş, Muhammet; Yılmaz Taptık, İ.

2018-06-01

The purpose of this research is to produce CMAS resistant YSZ based TBCs and compare thermal cycle performance of the TBCs before and after CMAS interaction. Plasma sprayed YSZ (Y), YSZ + Alumina (YA), YSZ + Titania (YT), and YSZ + Alumina + Titania (YTA) coatings have been exposed to CMAS at 1250 °C for 18 h. Thermal cycling tests were carried out with a propane + oxygen flame at 1250 ± 50 °C. Thermal cycle lifetime of YSZ, YA, YT, YTA, and CMAS contaminated Y, YA, YT, YTA coatings are 450, 416, 426, 438, 122, 211, 141, 298 respectively. After CMAS interaction, while the life span of other coatings has fallen to their life span’s quarter, the life span of YTA coating has decreased slightly. Damages in the coatings after thermal cycle tests have been studied by using SEM to observe the microstructure and x-ray diffraction techniques to analyze the phase composition. Also to see areal distribution of the CMAS through the coating, EDS mapping has been carried out.

Titania-Coated Silica Alone and Modified by Sodium Alginate as Sorbents for Heavy Metal Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kołodyńska, D.; Gęca, M.; Skwarek, E.; Goncharuk, O.

2018-04-01

The novel organic-inorganic biohybrid composite adsorbent was synthesized based on nanosized silica-titania modified with alginate within the development of effective adsorbent for heavy metal ions. Effects of metal species Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II); concentrations; pH; temperature; and adsorption onto titania-coated silica (ST20) initial or modified by sodium alginate (ST20-ALG) were studied. The equilibrium and kinetic data of metal ions adsorption were analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models and kinetic models: pseudo first order, pseudo second order, intraparticle kinetic model, and Elovich. The maximum sorption capacities observed were higher for the ST20-ALG composite compared to the initial ST20 oxide for all studied metal ions, namely their values for ST20-ALG were 22.44 mg g- 1 for Cu(II) adsorption, 19.95 mg g- 1 for Zn(II), 18.85 mg g- 1 for Cd(II), and 32.49 mg g- 1 for Pb(II). Structure and properties of initial silica-titania ST20 and modified by sodium alginate ST20-ALG adsorbents were analyzed using nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, ATR-FTIR, SEM-EDS, and pHpzc techniques.

Reactive magnetron sputtering deposition of bismuth tungstate onto titania nanoparticles for enhancing visible light photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratova, Marina; Kelly, Peter J.; West, Glen T.; Tosheva, Lubomira; Edge, Michele

2017-01-01

Titanium dioxide - bismuth tungstate composite materials were prepared by pulsed DC reactive magnetron sputtering of bismuth and tungsten metallic targets in argon/oxygen atmosphere onto anatase and rutile titania nanoparticles. The use of an oscillating bowl placed beneath the two magnetrons arranged in a co-planar closed field configuration enabled the deposition of bismuth tungstate onto loose powders, rather than a solid substrate. The atomic ratio of the bismuth/tungsten coatings was controlled by varying the power applied to each target. The effect of the bismuth tungstate coatings on the phase, optical and photocatalytic properties of titania was investigated by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and an acetone degradation test. The latter involved measurements of the rate of CO2 evolution under visible light irradiation of the photocatalysts, which indicated that the deposition of bismuth tungstate resulted in a significant enhancement of visible light activity, for both anatase and rutile titania particles. The best results were achieved for coatings with a bismuth to tungsten atomic ratio of 2:1. In addition, the mechanism by which the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 nanoparticles was enhanced by compounding it with bismuth tungstate was studied by microwave cavity perturbation. The results of these tests confirmed that such enhancement of the photocatalytic properties is due to more efficient photogenerated charge carrier separation, as well as to the contribution of the intrinsic photocatalytic properties of Bi2WO6.

In-situ aging microwave heating synthesis of LTA zeolite layer on mesoporous TiO2 coated porous alumina support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baig, Mirza A.; Patel, Faheemuddin; Alhooshani, Khalid; Muraza, Oki; Wang, Evelyn N.; Laoui, Tahar

2015-12-01

LTA zeolite layer was successfully grown on a superhydrophilic mesoporous titania layer coated onto porous α-alumina substrate. Mesoporous titania layer was formed as an intermediate bridge in the pore size variation between the macroporous α-alumina support and micro-porous LTA zeolite layer. In-situ aging microwave heating synthesis method was utilized to deposit the LTA zeolite layer. Mesoporous titania layer was pre-treated with UV photons and this was observed to have played a major role in improving the surface hydrophilicity of the substrate leading to formation of increased number of Ti-OH groups on the surface. This increase in Ti-OH groups enhanced the interaction between the synthesis gel and the substrate leading to strong attachment of the amorphous gel on the substrate, thus enhancing coverage of the LTA zeolite layer to almost the entire surface of the 1-inch (25.4 mm) diameter membrane. LTA zeolite layer was developed via in-situ aged under microwave irradiation to study the effect of synthesis parameters such as in-situ aging time and synthesis time on the formation of the LTA zeolite layer. Optimized process parameters resulted in the formation of crack-free porous zeolite layer yielding a zeolite-titania-alumina multi-layer membrane with a gradient in porosity.

Preparation and electrocatalytic activity of tungsten carbide and titania nanocomposite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Sujuan; Shi, Binbin; Yao, Guoxing

2011-10-15

Graphical abstract: The electrocatalytic activity of tungsten carbide and titania nanocomposite is related to the structure, crystal phase and chemical components of the nanocomposite, and is also affected by the property of electrolyte. A synergistic effect exists between tungsten carbide and titania of the composite. Highlights: {yields} Electrocatalytic activity of tungsten carbide and titania nanocomposite with core-shell structure. {yields} Activity is related to the structure, crystal phase and chemical component of the nanocomposite. {yields} The property of electrolyte affects the electrocatalytic activity. {yields} A synergistic effect exists between tungsten carbide and titania of the composite. -- Abstract: Tungsten carbide andmore » titania nanocomposite was prepared by combining a reduced-carbonized approach with a mechanochemical approach. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope under scanning mode and X-ray energy dispersion spectrum. The results show that the crystal phases of the samples are composed of anatase, rutile, nonstoichiometry titanium oxide, monotungsten carbide, bitungsten carbide and nonstoichiometry tungsten carbide, and they can be controlled by adjusting the parameters of the reduced-carbonized approach; tungsten carbide particles decorate on the surface of titania support, the diameter of tungsten carbide particle is smaller than 20 nm and that of titania is around 100 nm; the chemical components of the samples are Ti, O, W and C. The electrocatalytic activity of the samples was measured by a cyclic voltammetry with three electrodes. The results indicate that the electrocatalytic activities of the samples are related to their crystal phases and the property of electrolyte in aqueous solution. A synergistic effect between titania and tungsten carbide is reported for the first time.« less

Constructing Black Titania with Unique Nanocage Structure for Solar Desalination.

PubMed

Zhu, Guilian; Xu, Jijian; Zhao, Wenli; Huang, Fuqiang

2016-11-23

Solar desalination driven by solar radiation as heat source is freely available, however, hindered by low efficiency. Herein, we first design and synthesize black titania with a unique nanocage structure simultaneously with light trapping effect to enhance light harvesting, well-crystallized interconnected nanograins to accelerate the heat transfer from titania to water and with opening mesopores (4-10 nm) to facilitate the permeation of water vapor. Furthermore, the coated self-floating black titania nanocages film localizes the temperature increase at the water-air interface rather than uniformly heating the bulk of the water, which ultimately results in a solar-thermal conversion efficiency as high as 70.9% under a simulated solar light with an intensity of 1 kW m -2 (1 sun). This finding should inspire new black materials with rationally designed structure for superior solar desalination performance.

Effect of Oxide Coating on Performance of Copper-Zinc Oxide-Based Catalyst for Methanol Synthesis via Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide.

PubMed

Umegaki, Tetsuo; Kojima, Yoshiyuki; Omata, Kohji

2015-11-16

The effect of oxide coating on the activity of a copper-zinc oxide-based catalyst for methanol synthesis via the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide was investigated. A commercial catalyst was coated with various oxides by a sol-gel method. The influence of the types of promoters used in the sol-gel reaction was investigated. Temperature-programmed reduction-thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the reduction peak assigned to the copper species in the oxide-coated catalysts prepared using ammonia shifts to lower temperatures than that of the pristine catalyst; in contrast, the reduction peak shifts to higher temperatures for the catalysts prepared using L(+)-arginine. These observations indicated that the copper species were weakly bonded with the oxide and were easily reduced by using ammonia. The catalysts prepared using ammonia show higher CO₂ conversion than the catalysts prepared using L(+)-arginine. Among the catalysts prepared using ammonia, the silica-coated catalyst displayed a high activity at high temperatures, while the zirconia-coated catalyst and titania-coated catalyst had high activity at low temperatures. At high temperature the conversion over the silica-coated catalyst does not significantly change with reaction temperature, while the conversion over the zirconia-coated catalyst and titania-coated catalyst decreases with reaction time. From the results of FTIR, the durability depends on hydrophilicity of the oxides.

Effect of Oxide Coating on Performance of Copper-Zinc Oxide-Based Catalyst for Methanol Synthesis via Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide

PubMed Central

Umegaki, Tetsuo; Kojima, Yoshiyuki; Omata, Kohji

2015-01-01

The effect of oxide coating on the activity of a copper-zinc oxide–based catalyst for methanol synthesis via the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide was investigated. A commercial catalyst was coated with various oxides by a sol-gel method. The influence of the types of promoters used in the sol-gel reaction was investigated. Temperature-programmed reduction-thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the reduction peak assigned to the copper species in the oxide-coated catalysts prepared using ammonia shifts to lower temperatures than that of the pristine catalyst; in contrast, the reduction peak shifts to higher temperatures for the catalysts prepared using L(+)-arginine. These observations indicated that the copper species were weakly bonded with the oxide and were easily reduced by using ammonia. The catalysts prepared using ammonia show higher CO2 conversion than the catalysts prepared using L(+)-arginine. Among the catalysts prepared using ammonia, the silica-coated catalyst displayed a high activity at high temperatures, while the zirconia-coated catalyst and titania-coated catalyst had high activity at low temperatures. At high temperature the conversion over the silica-coated catalyst does not significantly change with reaction temperature, while the conversion over the zirconia-coated catalyst and titania-coated catalyst decreases with reaction time. From the results of FTIR, the durability depends on hydrophilicity of the oxides. PMID:28793674

Low temperature grown ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shell nanorod arrays for dye sensitized solar cell application

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goh, Gregory Kia Liang; Le, Hong Quang, E-mail: lehq@imre.a-star.edu.sg; Huang, Tang Jiao

High aspect ratio ZnO nanorod arrays were synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide glasses via a low temperature solution method. By adjusting the growth condition and adding polyethylenimine, ZnO nanorod arrays with tunable length were successfully achieved. The ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shells structures were realized by a fast growth method of immersion into a (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}·TiF{sub 6} solution. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray Diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray measurements all confirmed the existence of a titania shell uniformly covering the ZnO nanorod's surface. Results of solar cell testing showed that addition of a TiO{sub 2} shell to the ZnO nanorod significantlymore » increased short circuit current (from 4.2 to 5.2 mA/cm{sup 2}), open circuit voltage (from 0.6 V to 0.8 V) and fill factor (from 42.8% to 73.02%). The overall cell efficiency jumped from 1.1% for bare ZnO nanorod to 3.03% for a ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shell structured solar cell with a 18–22 nm shell thickness, a nearly threefold increase. - Graphical abstract: The synthesis process of coating TiO{sub 2} shell onto ZnO nanorod core is shown schematically. A thin, uniform, and conformal shell had been grown on the surface of the ZnO core after immersing in the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}·TiF{sub 6} solution for 5–15 min. - Highlights: • ZnO@TiO{sub 2} core shell nanorod has been grown on FTO substrate using low temperature solution method. • TEM, XRD, EDX results confirmed the existing of titana shell, uniformly covered rod's surface. • TiO{sub 2} shell suppressed recombination, demonstrated significant enhancement in cell's efficiency. • Core shell DSSC's efficiency achieved as high as 3.03%, 3 times higher than that of ZnO nanorods.« less

Hydrothermal growth and characterization of titanium dioxide nanostructures for use in dye sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorge, Judith D.

As the world's energy needs continue to grow, next generation photovoltaic cells are in high demand because they offer the possibility of an inexpensive alternative to current energy production techniques. Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC's), utilize common materials and low cost commercialization techniques, which make them a compelling choice for research in this area. This research focuses on the titanium dioxide coating, which transfers electrons from the photoactive dye to the electrode. 3-4% efficient DSSC's using doctor bladed titanium dioxide coatings with a specific surface area of 55-60m2/g have been demonstrated in our laboratory. To enhance the efficiency of these cells, both the surface area and the electron conduction of the titania layer must be optimized. This has been done by utilizing high aspect ratio nanoparticles of titania instead of mesoporous layers formed with spherical particles. Anodization of titanium metal or anodic alumina membrane templating are common ways to produce nanorods, but involve complex processes leading toward expensive commercialization. This research instead focuses on the hydrothermal growth of nanofibrous titania on a titanium metal substrate, removing the need for dispersion and deposition procedures as well as using a low temperature processing method. Depending upon the formulation utilized, a variety of structures can be produced, from thick carpets of nanofiber strands to large platelets. The composition and morphology of the products have been characterized with respect to the growth conditions using electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The compositional analysis is used to investigate the complicated reaction mechanisms in the system. Coatings of titania nanotubes were then tested in the DSSC's, as were those with the titanium metal substrate acting as the photo anode. Modeling the geometric parameters of the different pore structures of the coatings helps us to understand the advantages afforded by these new cells.

Biocompatibility of Titania Nanotube Coatings Enriched with Silver Nanograins by Chemical Vapor Deposition

PubMed Central

Piszczek, Piotr; Lewandowska, Żaneta; Radtke, Aleksandra; Kozak, Wiesław; Sadowska, Beata; Szubka, Magdalena; Talik, Ewa; Fiori, Fabrizio

2017-01-01

Bioactivity investigations of titania nanotube (TNT) coatings enriched with silver nanograins (TNT/Ag) have been carried out. TNT/Ag nanocomposite materials were produced by combining the electrochemical anodization and chemical vapor deposition methods. Fabricated coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. The release effect of silver ions from TNT/Ag composites immersed in bodily fluids, has been studied using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The metabolic activity assay (MTT) was applied to determine the L929 murine fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation on the surface of TNT/Ag coatings. Moreover, the results of immunoassays (using peripheral blood mononuclear cells—PBMCs isolated from rats) allowed the estimation of the immunological activity of TNT/Ag surface materials. Antibacterial activity of TNT/Ag coatings with different morphological and structural features was estimated against two Staphylococcus aureus strains (ATCC 29213 and H9). The TNT/Ag nanocomposite layers produced revealed a good biocompatibility promoting the fibroblast adhesion and proliferation. A desirable anti-biofilm activity against the S. aureus reference strain was mainly noticed for these TiO2 nanotube coatings, which contain dispersed Ag nanograins deposited on their surface. PMID:28914821

Fabrication of Semiordered Nanopatterned Diamond-like Carbon and Titania Films for Blood Contacting Applications.

PubMed

Nandakumar, Deepika; Bendavid, Avi; Martin, Philip J; Harris, Kenneth D; Ruys, Andrew J; Lord, Megan S

2016-03-23

Biomaterials with the ability to interface with, but not activate, blood components are essential for a multitude of medical devices. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) and titania (TiO2) have shown promise for these applications; however, both support platelet adhesion and activation. This study explored the fabrication of nanostructured DLC and TiO2 thin film coatings using a block copolymer deposition technique that produced semiordered nanopatterns with low surface roughness (5-8 nm Rrms). These surfaces supported fibrinogen and plasma protein adsorption that predominantly adsorbed between the nanofeatures and reduced the overall surface roughness. The conformation of the adsorbed fibrinogen was altered on the nanopatterned surfaces as compared with the planar surfaces to reveal higher levels of the platelet binding region. Planar DLC and TiO2 coatings supported less platelet adhesion than nanopatterned DLC and TiO2. However, platelets on the nanopatterned DLC coatings were less spread indicating a lower level of platelet activation on the nanostructured DLC coatings compared with the planar DLC coatings. These data indicated that nanostructured DLC coatings may find application in blood contacting medical devices in the future.

Nanophase hydroxyapatite coatings for dental and orthopedic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sato, Michiko

In order to improve dental and orthopedic implant performance, the objective of this study was to synthesize nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) powders to coat metals (specifically, titanium and tantalum). Precipitated HA powders were either sintered in order to produce UltraCaP HA (or microcrystalline size HA) or were treated hydrothermally to produce nanocrystalline HA. Some of the UltraCaP and nanocrystalline HA powders were doped with yttrium (Y) since previous in vitro studies demonstrated that Y-doped HA in bulk improved osteoblast (or bone-forming cell) function over undoped HA. The nanocrystalline HA powders were also mixed with nanophase titania powders because previous studies demonstrated that titania/HA composite coatings increased coating adhesive strength and HA nucleation. These powders were then deposited onto titanium by a novel room-temperature process, called IonTiteT(TM). The results demonstrated that the chemical properties and crystallite size of the original HA powders were maintained in the coatings. More importantly, in vitro studies showed increased osteoblast (bone-forming cell) adhesion on the single phase nanocrystalline HA and nano-titania/HA coatings compared to traditionally used plasma-sprayed HA coatings and uncoated metals. Results further demonstrated greater amounts of calcium deposition by osteoblasts cultured on nanocrystalline HA coatings compared to UltraCaP coatings and conventionally used plasma-sprayed HA coatings. To elucidate mechanisms that influenced osteoblast functions on the HA coatings, the amount of proteins (fibronectin and vitronectin) onto the HA powders and the adsorbed fibronectin conformation were investigated. Exposure of cell integrin binding domains (in fibronectin III10 segments) was greater in fibronectin adsorbed onto 1.2 mole% Y-doped UltraCaP HA coatings compared to nanocrystalline HA coatings tested. However, 1.2 mole% Y-doped UltraCaP HA coatings did not increase mineralization by osteoblasts compared to the nanocrystalline HA coatings. These results suggested that the availability of integrin binding domains in fibronectin did not correlate to enhanced mineralization by osteoblasts on nanocrystalline HA coatings. Lastly, undoped nanocrystalline HA coatings were studied using a well-established rat calvaria in vivo. Histological analysis showed that nanocrystalline HA coated on tantalum scaffolds increased bone and fibrous tissue infiltration into the scaffolds while uncoated and UltraCaP HA coated scaffolds did not after as early as 6 weeks. In summary, these results encourage further studies on nanocrystalline IonTiteTM HA coatings on various metals for orthopedic and dental applications.

Effective coating of titania nanoparticles with alumina via atomic layer deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizpour, H.; Talebi, M.; Tichelaar, F. D.; Sotudeh-Gharebagh, R.; Guo, J.; van Ommen, J. R.; Mostoufi, N.

2017-12-01

Alumina films were deposited on titania nanoparticles via atomic layer deposition (ALD) in a fluidized bed reactor at 180 °C and 1 bar. Online mass spectrometry was used for real time monitoring of effluent gases from the reactor during each reaction cycle in order to determine the optimal dosing time of precursors. Different oxygen sources were used to see which oxygen source, in combination with trimethyl aluminium (TMA), provides the highest alumina growth per cycle (GPC). Experiments were carried out in 4, 7 and 10 cycles using the optimal dosing time of precursors. Several characterization methods, such as high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), were conducted on the products. Formation of the alumina film was confirmed by EDX mapping and EDX line profiling, FTIR and TEM. When using either water or deuterium oxide as the oxygen source, the thickness of the alumina film was greater than that of ozone. The average GPC measured by TEM for the ALD of TMA with water, deuterium oxide and ozone was about 0.16 nm, 0.15 nm and 0.11 nm, respectively. The average GPC calculated using the mass fraction of aluminum from INAA was close to those measured from TEM images. Excess amounts of precursors lead to a higher average growth of alumina film per cycle due to insufficient purging time. XRD analysis demonstrated that amorphous alumina was coated on titania nanoparticles. This amorphous layer was easily distinguished from the crystalline core in the TEM images. Decrease in the photocatalytic activity of titania nanoparticles after alumina coating was confirmed by measuring degradation of Rhodamine B by ultraviolet irradiation.

Investigation of advanced nanostructured multijunction photoanodes for enhanced solar hydrogen generation via water splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishihara, Hidetaka

As the worldwide demand for fossil-based fuel increases every day and the fossil reserve continues to be depleted, the need for alternative/renewable energy sources has gained momentum. Electric, hybrid, and hydrogen cars have been at the center of discussion lately among consumers, automobile manufacturers, and politicians, alike. The development of a fuel-cell based engine using hydrogen has been an ambitious research area over the last few decades-ever since Fujishima showed that hydrogen can be generated via the solar-energy driven photo-electrolytic splitting of water. Such solar cells are known as Photo-Electro-Chemical (PEC) solar cells. In order to commercialize this technology, various challenges associated with photo-conversion efficiency, chemical corrosion resistance, and longevity need to be overcome. In general, metal oxide semiconductors such as titanium dioxide (TiO 2, titania) are excellent candidates for PEC solar cells. Titania nanotubes have several advantages, including biocompatibility and higher chemical stability. Nevertheless, they can absorb only 5-7% of the solar spectrum which makes it difficult to achieve the higher photo-conversion efficiency required for successful commercial applications. A two-prong approach was employed to enhance photo-conversion efficiency: 1) surface modification of titania nanotubes using plasma treatment and 2) nano-capping of the titania nanotubes using titanium disilicide. The plasma surface treatment with N2 was found to improve the photo-current efficiency of titania nanotubes by 55%. Similarly, a facile, novel approach of nano-capping titania nanotubes to enhance their photocurrent response was also investigated. Electrochemically anodized titania nanotubes were capped by coating a 25 nm layer of titanium disilicide using RF magnetron sputtering technique. The optical properties of titania nanotubes were not found to change due to the capping; however, a considerable increase (40%) in the photocurrent density was observed for the nano-capped titania nanotubes due to the enhanced charge transfer process. Similarly, another metal oxide semiconductor was investigated tungsten trioxide (WO3), which has a much higher absorption capability (12%) in the solar spectrum. The WO3 porous nanostructures suffered from surface corrosion resulting in a large reduction in the photocurrent density as a function of time in the alkaline electrolytes. However, with a protective coating of Indium Tin Oxide (100 nm), the surface corrosion of WO3 porous nanostructures was reduced. A large increase in the photocurrent density of as much as 340% was observed after the ITO was applied to the WO3 porous nanostructures

Electrodeposition of titania and barium titanate thin films for high dielectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Biplab Kumar

In order to address the requirement of a low-temperature low-cost cost processing for depositing high dielectric constant ceramic films for applications in embedded capacitor and flexible electronics technology, two different chemical bath processes, namely, thermohydrolytic deposition (TD) and cathodic electrodeposition (ED) have been exploited to generate titania thin films. In thermohydrolytic deposition technique, titania films were generated from acidic aqueous solution of titanium chloride on F: SnO2 coated glass and Si substrates by temperature assisted hydrolysis mechanism. On the other hand, in cathodic electrodeposition, in-situ electro-generation of hydroxyl ions triggered a fast deposition of titania on conductive substrates such as copper and F: SnO2 coated glass from peroxotitanium solution at low temperatures (˜0°C). In both techniques, solution compositions affected the morphology and crystallinity of the films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques have been employed to perform such characterization. As both processes utilized water as solvent, the as-deposited films contained hydroxyl ligand or physically adsorbed water molecules in the titania layer. Besides that, electrodeposited films contained peroxotitanium bonds which were characterized by FTIR studies. Although as-electrodeposited titania films were X-ray amorphous, considerable crystallinity could be generated by heat treatment. The films obtained from both the processes showed v moderately high dielectric constant (ranging from 9-30 at 100 kHz) and high breakdown voltage (0.09-0.15 MV/cm) in electrical measurements. To further improve the dielectric constant, electrodeposited titania films were converted to barium titanate films in high pH barium ion containing solution at 80-90°C. The resultant film contained cubic crystalline barium titanate verified by XRD analysis. Simple low-temperature hydrothermal technique of conversion worked perfect for F:SnO2 coated glass substrates, but in this process, high pH precursor caused corrosion in copper substrates and deposition of copper oxide in the final films. To overcome this, an innovative technique, which incorporates an electrochemical protection of substrates by application of cathodic potential in addition to common hydrothermal conversion, has been adopted. Films generated by common hydrothermal technique on F:SnO 2/glass substrates and via electrochemical-hydrothermal technique on Cu substrates showed promising dielectric behavior. Apart from the experimental studies, this report also includes various thermodynamic studies related to hydrolysis and precipitation of titanium ion, protection of copper during titania deposition and barium titanate conversion. Gibbs free energy based model and speciation studies were used to understand supersaturation which is a controlling factor in thermohydrolytic deposition. Similar approaches were utilized to understand the possibilities of barium titanate formation at different Ba2+ concentrations with different pH conditions. Possibilities of atmospheric carbon dioxide incorporation to generate barium carbonate instead of barium titanate formation were also determined by mathematical calculations. Whenever relevant, results of such theoretical analysis were utilized to design the experiment or to explain the experimental observations.

Atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) coatings of Al2O3-TiO2 system for photocatalytic application.

PubMed

Stengl, V; Ageorges, H; Ctibor, P; Murafa, N

2009-05-01

The goal of this study is to examine the photocatalytic ability of coatings produced by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS). The plasma gun used is a common gas-stabilized plasma gun (GSP) working with a d.c. current and a mixture of argon and hydrogen as plasma-forming gas. The TiO(2) powders are particles of about 100 nm which were agglomerated to a mean size of about 55 mum, suitable for spraying. Composition of the commercial powder is 13 wt% of TiO(2) in Al(2)O(3), whereas also in-house prepared powder with the same nominal composition but with agglomerated TiO(2) and conventional fused and crushed Al(2)O(3) was sprayed. The feedstock materials used for this purpose are alpha-alumina and anatase titanium dioxide. The coatings are analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion probe (EDS) and X-ray diffraction. Photocatalytic degradation of acetone is quantified for various coatings. All plasma sprayed coatings show a lamellar structure on cross section, as typical for this process. Anatase titania from feedstock powder is converted into rutile titania and alpha-alumina partly to gamma-alumina. Coatings are proven to catalyse the acetone decomposition when irradiated by UV rays.

Direct Scaffolding of Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite-gelatin Nanocomposites using Aminosilane Cross-linker for Bone Regeneration

PubMed Central

Chiu, Chi-Kai; Ferreira, Joao; Luo, Tzy-Jiun M.; Geng, Haixia; Lin, Feng-Chang; Ko, Ching-Chang

2012-01-01

Hydroxyapatite-gelatin modified siloxane (GEMOSIL) nanocomposite was developed by coating, kneading and hardening processes to provide formable scaffolding for alloplastic graft applications. The present study aims to characterize scaffolding formability and mechanical properties of GEMOSIL, and to test the in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility of GEMOSIL. Buffer Solution initiated formable paste followed by the sol-gel reaction led to a final hardened composite. Results showed the adequate coating of aminosilane, 11–19 wt%, affected the cohesiveness of the powders and the final compressive strength (69 MPa) of the composite. TGA and TEM results showed the effective aminosilane coating that preserves hydroxyapatite-gelatin nanocrystals from damage. Both GEMOSIL with and without titania increased the mineralization of preosteoblasts in vitro. Only did titania additives revealed good in vivo bone formation in rat calvarium defects. The scaffolding formability, due to cohesive bonding among GEMOSIL particles, could be further refined to fulfill the complicated scaffold processes. PMID:22669282

Incorporating poly(3-hexyl thiophene) into orthogonally aligned cylindrical nanopores of titania for optoelectronics

DOE PAGES

Nagpure, Suraj; Browning, James F.; Rankin, Stephen E.

2016-11-03

Here, the incorporation of hole conducting polymer poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) into the 8-9 nm cylindrical nanopores of titania is investigated using films with a unique orthogonally oriented hexagonal close packed mesostructure. The films are synthesized using evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA) with Pluronic triblock copolymer F127 as the structure directing agent. The orthogonally oriented cylindrical nanopore structure was chosen over a cubic structure because confinement in uniform cylindrical channels is hypothesized to enhance hole conductivity of P3HT by inducing local polymer chain ordering. Orthogonal orientation of the cylindrical nanopores is achieved by modifying the substrate (FTO-coated glass slides) with crosslinked F127.more » After thermal treatment to remove organic templates from the films, P3HT is infiltrated into the nanopores by spin coating a 1 wt% P3HT solution in chlorobenzene onto the titania films followed by thermal annealing under vacuum at 200 °C. The results show that infiltration is essentially complete after 30 minutes of annealing, with little or no further infiltration thereafter. A final infiltration depth of ~14 nm is measured for P3HT into the nanopores of titania using neutron reflectometry measurements. Photoluminescence measurements demonstrate that charge transfer at the P3HT-TiO 2 interface improves as the P3HT is infiltrated into the pores, suggesting that an active organic-inorganic heterojuction is formed in the materials.« less

Incorporating poly(3-hexyl thiophene) into orthogonally aligned cylindrical nanopores of titania for optoelectronics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nagpure, Suraj; Browning, James F.; Rankin, Stephen E.

Here, the incorporation of hole conducting polymer poly(3-hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) into the 8-9 nm cylindrical nanopores of titania is investigated using films with a unique orthogonally oriented hexagonal close packed mesostructure. The films are synthesized using evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA) with Pluronic triblock copolymer F127 as the structure directing agent. The orthogonally oriented cylindrical nanopore structure was chosen over a cubic structure because confinement in uniform cylindrical channels is hypothesized to enhance hole conductivity of P3HT by inducing local polymer chain ordering. Orthogonal orientation of the cylindrical nanopores is achieved by modifying the substrate (FTO-coated glass slides) with crosslinked F127.more » After thermal treatment to remove organic templates from the films, P3HT is infiltrated into the nanopores by spin coating a 1 wt% P3HT solution in chlorobenzene onto the titania films followed by thermal annealing under vacuum at 200 °C. The results show that infiltration is essentially complete after 30 minutes of annealing, with little or no further infiltration thereafter. A final infiltration depth of ~14 nm is measured for P3HT into the nanopores of titania using neutron reflectometry measurements. Photoluminescence measurements demonstrate that charge transfer at the P3HT-TiO 2 interface improves as the P3HT is infiltrated into the pores, suggesting that an active organic-inorganic heterojuction is formed in the materials.« less

Noble metal-modified titania with visible-light activity for the decomposition of microorganisms

PubMed Central

Endo, Maya; Wei, Zhishun; Wang, Kunlei; Karabiyik, Baris; Yoshiiri, Kenta; Rokicka, Paulina; Ohtani, Bunsho

2018-01-01

Commercial titania photocatalysts were modified with silver and gold by photodeposition, and characterized by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). It was found that silver co-existed in zero valent (core) and oxidized (shell) forms, whereas gold was mainly zero valent. The obtained noble metal-modified samples were examined with regard to antibacterial (Escherichia coli (E. coli)) and antifungal (Aspergillus niger (A. niger), Aspergillus melleus (A. melleus), Penicillium chrysogenum (P. chrysogenum), Candida albicans (C. albicans)) activity under visible-light irradiation and in the dark using disk diffusion, suspension, colony growth (“poisoned food”) and sporulation methods. It was found that silver-modified titania, besides remarkably high antibacterial activity (inhibition of bacterial proliferation), could also decompose bacterial cells under visible-light irradiation, possibly due to an enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species and the intrinsic properties of silver. Gold-modified samples were almost inactive against bacteria in the dark, whereas significant bactericidal effect under visible-light irradiation suggested that the mechanism of bacteria inactivation was initiated by plasmonic excitation of titania by localized surface plasmon resonance of gold. The antifungal activity tests showed efficient suppression of mycelium growth by bare titania, and suppression of mycotoxin generation and sporulation by gold-modified titania. Although, the growth of fungi was hardly inhibited through disc diffusion (inhibition zones around discs), it indicates that gold does not penetrate into the media, and thus, a good stability of plasmonic photocatalysts has been confirmed. In summary, it was found that silver-modified titania showed superior antibacterial activity, whereas gold-modified samples were very active against fungi, suggesting that bimetallic photocatalysts containing both gold and silver should exhibit excellent antimicrobial properties. PMID:29600144

Characterization and nanomechanical properties of novel dental implant coatings containing copper decorated-carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Sasani, N; Vahdati Khaki, J; Mojtaba Zebarjad, S

2014-09-01

Fluorapatite-titania coated Ti-based implants are promising for using in dental surgery for restoring teeth. One of the challenges in implantology is to achieve a bioactive coating with appropriate mechanical properties. In this research, simple sol-gel method was developed for synthesis of fluorapatite-titania-carbon nanotube decorated with antibacterial agent. Triethyl phosphate [PO4(C2H5)3], calcium nitrate [Ca(NO3)2] and ammonium fluoride (NH4F) were used as precursors under an ethanol-water based solution for fluorapatite (FA) production. Titanium isopropoxide and isopropanol were used as starting materials for making TiO2 sol-gels. Also, Copper acetate [Cu(C2H3O2)2·H2O] was used as precursor for decoration of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with wet chemical method. The decorated MWCNTs (CNT(Cu)) were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The phase identification of the FA-TiO2-CNT(Cu) coating was carried out by XRD analysis. Morphology of coated samples was investigated by SEM observations. The surface elastic modulus and hardness of coatings were studied using nanoindentation technique. The results indicate that novel dental implant coating containing FA, TiO2 and copper decorated MWCNTs have proper morphological features. The results of nanoindentation test show that incorporation of CNT(Cu) in FA-TiO2 matrix can improve the nanomechanical properties of composite coating. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oxidation of gas phase trichloroethylene and toluene using composite sol-gel TiO2 photocatalytic coatings.

PubMed

Keshmiri, Mehrdad; Troczynski, Tom; Mohseni, Madjid

2006-02-06

The previously developed composite sol-gel (CSG) process is proposed for the deposition of thick (10-50 microm) porous films of photocatalytic TiO2. The CSG titania was developed by binding pre-calcined TiO2 particles with TiO2 sol. It had relatively high surface area (15-35 m2/g) and good resistance against mechanical stress and abrasion. Photocatalytic activity tests were carried out on trichloroethylene (TCE) and toluene, and compared with those of standard Degussa P-25 titania. The CSG photocatalyst provided good photo-efficiency in removing both pollutants from contaminated air streams. When compared with P-25 titania, the CSG photocatalyst showed a similar photo-efficiency with first-order kinetic rate constants not significantly different from that of P-25. For both photocatalysts the rate of photocatalytic oxidation of TCE was significantly greater than that obtained for toluene. Overall, the combination of better mechanical integrity, resistance against abrasion, and comparable photocatalytic efficiency of the CSG titania versus that of P-25 titania, make the composite sol-gel (CSG) photocatalyst a viable alternative for industrial applications where long term stability, superior mechanical properties, and good photo-efficiency are of critical value.

Conformal Nitrogen-Doped TiO 2 Photocatalytic Coatings for Sunlight-Activated Membranes

DOE PAGES

Lee, Anna; Libera, Joseph A.; Waldman, Ruben Z.; ...

2017-01-24

Photocatalytic degradation of organic contaminants is enticing for addressing challenging, nontraditional water sources. A novel nitrogen-doping method is utilized to grow conformal titania coatings with visible-light activity on porous membranes. Here, the resulting membranes exhibit effective degradation of model organic species in simulated sunlight while at the same time requiring substantially lower transmembrane pressure than undoped membranes.

Synthesis and Plasmonic Understanding of Core/Satellite and Core Shell Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Qifeng

Localized surface plasmon resonance, which stems from the collective oscillations of conduction-band electrons, endows Au nanocrystals with unique optical properties. Au nanocrystals possess extremely large scattering/absorption cross-sections and enhanced local electromagnetic field, both of which are synthetically tunable. Moreover, when Au nanocrystals are closely placed or hybridized with semiconductors, the coupling and interaction between the individual components bring about more fascinating phenomena and promising applications, including plasmon-enhanced spectroscopies, solar energy harvesting, and cancer therapy. The continuous development in the field of plasmonics calls for further advancements in the preparation of high-quality plasmonic nanocrystals, the facile construction of hybrid plasmonic nanostructures with desired functionalities, as well as deeper understanding and efficient utilization of the interaction between plasmonic nanocrystals and semiconductor components. In this thesis, I developed a seed-mediated growth method for producing size-controlled Au nanospheres with high monodispersity and assembled Au nanospheres of different sizes into core/satellite nanostructures for enhancing Raman signals. For investigating the interactions between Au nanocrystals and semiconductors, I first prepared (Au core) (TiO2 shell) nanostructures, and then studied their synthetically controlled plasmonic properties and light-harvesting applications. Au nanocrystals with spherical shapes are desirable in plasmon-coupled systems owing to their high geometrical symmetry, which facilitates the analysis of electrodynamic responses in a classical electromagnetic framework and the investigation of quantum tunneling and nonlocal effects. I prepared remarkably uniform Au nanospheres with diameters ranging from 20 nm to 220 nm using a simple seed-mediated growth method associated with mild oxidation. Core/satellite nanostructures were assembled out of differently sized Au nanospheres with molecular linkers. The plasmon resonances of the core/satellite nanostructures undergo red shifts in comparison to those of the sole Au cores, which is consistent with Mie theory analysis. As predicted by finite-difference time-domain simulations, the assembled core/satellite nanostructures exhibit large enhancements for Raman scattering. The facile growth of Au nanospheres and assembly of core/satellite nanostructures blaze a new way to the design of nanoarchitectures with desired plasmonic properties and functions. Coating semiconductors onto Au nanocrystals to form core shell configurations can increase the interactions between the two materials, benefiting from their large active interfacial area. The shell can also protect the Au nanocrystal core from aggregation, reshaping, and chemical corrosion. In this thesis, (Au nanocrystal core) (titania shell) nanostructures with tunable shell thicknesses were prepared by a facile wetchemistry method. Au nanocrystals with strong and tunable plasmon resonances in the visible and near-infrared regions can enhance and broaden the light utilization of TiO2 through the scattering/absorption enhancement, sensitization, and hot-electron injection. The integration of Au nanocrystals therefore hold the prospect of breaking the light-harvesting limit of TiO2 arising from its wide band gap. The resultant (Au core) (TiO2 shell) nanostructures were examined to be capable of efficiently generating reactive oxygen species under near-infrared resonant excitation. On the other hand, the transverse plasmon modes of Au nanorods, which are often too weak to be observed on scattering spectra, are enhanced by the TiO2 shell through energy transfer. With the increment of the shell thickness, the intensity of the transverse plasmon mode increases significantly and even becomes comparable with the longitudinal plasmon mode. Interestingly, both the transverse and longitudinal modes of the (Au core) (TiO2 shell) nanostructures exhibit asymmetric Fano line shapes. The Fano resonances result from the coupling between the core and shell, as understood by the mechanical oscillator model. Besides varying the shell thickness, the plasmonic bands of the core shell nanostructures can also be tailored by employing Au nanorods with different aspect ratios. The synthetically tunable plasmonic properties and synergistic interactions between the gold core and the titania shell make the hybrid nanostructure a multifunctional nanomaterial and ideal system for studying the plasmonic hybrid nanostructures.

Colloidal titania-silica-iron oxide nanocomposites and the effect from silica thickness on the photocatalytic and bactericidal activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chanhom, Padtaraporn; Charoenlap, Nisanart; Tomapatanaget, Boosayarat; Insin, Numpon

2017-04-01

New types of colloidal multifunctional nanocomposites that combine superparamagnetic character and high photocatalytic activity were synthesized and investigated. The superparamagnetic nanocomposites composed of anatase titania, silica, and iron oxide nanoparticles (TSI) were synthesized using thermal decomposition method followed by microemulsion method, without calcination at high temperature. Different techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize and confirm the structure of the nanocomposites. These nanocomposites showed high photocatalytic activity when used in the photodegradation of methylene blue under irradiation with a black light lamp. Moreover, the nanocomposites exhibited high antibacterial properties. From our study, the nanocomposites can be useful in various applications such as removal of pollutants with readily separation from the environment using an external magnetic field. These composites could effectively photo-degrade the dye at least three cycles without regeneration. The effects of silica shell thickness on the photocatalytic activity was investigated, and the thickness of 6 nm of the silica interlayer is enough for the inhibition of electron translocation between titania and iron oxide nanoparticles and maintaining the efficiency of photocatalytic activity of titania nanoparticles.

Porcelain enamel passive thermal control coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leggett, H.; King, H. M.

1978-01-01

This paper discusses the development and evaluation of a highly adherent, low solar absorptance, porcelain enamel thermal control coating applied to 6061 and 1100 aluminum for space vehicle use. The coating consists of a low index of refraction, transparent host frit and a high volume fraction of titania as rutile, crystallized in-situ, as the scattering medium. Solar absorptance is 0.21 at a coating thickness of 0.013 cm. Hemispherical emittance is 0.88. The change in solar absorptance is 0.03, as measured in-situ, after an exposure of 1000 equivalent sun hours in vacuum.

Photoelectrochemical enzymatic biosensing of glucose using mesoporous TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chithralekha, P.; Kumar, V. T. Fidal; Chandra, T. S.; Roy, Somnath C.

2017-05-01

Mesoporous titania is prepared by sol-gel method. The enzymatic biosensing of glucose is done with mesoporous tiatania on ITO coated glass plates using photoelectrochemical method and mechanism of sensing is discussed.

Titania-polymeric powder coatings with nano-topography support enhanced human mesenchymal cell responses.

PubMed

Mozumder, Mohammad Sayem; Zhu, Jesse; Perinpanayagam, Hiran

2012-10-01

Titanium implant osseointegration is dependent on the cellular response to surface modifications and coatings. Titania-enriched nanocomposite polymeric resin coatings were prepared through the application of advanced ultrafine powder coating technology. Their surfaces were readily modified to create nano-rough (<100 nm) surface nano-topographies that supported human embryonic palatal mesenchymal cell responses. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy confirmed continuous and homogenous coatings with a similar composition and even distribution of titanium. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed complex micro-topographies, and atomic force microscopy revealed intricate nanofeatures and surface roughness. Cell counts, mitochondrial enzyme activity reduction of yellow 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) to dark purple, SEM, and inverted fluorescence microscopy showed a marked increase in cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, and metabolic activity on the nanostructured surfaces. Reverse Transcription- Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that type I collagen and Runx2 expression were induced, and Alizarin red staining showed that mineral deposits were abundant in the cell cultures grown on nanosurfaces. This enhancement in human mesenchymal cell attachment, growth, and osteogenesis were attributed to the nanosized surface topographies, roughness, and moderate wetting characteristics of the coatings. Their dimensional similarity to naturally occurring matrix proteins and crystals, coupled with their increased surface area for protein adsorption, may have facilitated the response. Therefore, this application of ultrafine powder coating technology affords highly biocompatible surfaces that can be readily modified to accentuate the cellular response. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Synthesis and characterization of titanium oxide supported silica materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrijnemakers, Koen

2002-01-01

Titania-silica materials are interesting materials for use in catalysis, both as a catalyst support as well as a catalyst itself. Titania-silica materials combine the excellent support and photocatalytic properties of titania with the high thermal and mechanical stability of silica. Moreover, the interaction of titania with silica leads to new active sites, such as acid and redox sites, that are not found on the single oxides. In this Ph.D. two recently developed deposition methods were studied and evaluated for their use to create titanium oxide supported silica materials, the Chemical Surface Coating (CSC) and the Molecular Designed Dispersion (MDD). These methods were applied to two structurally different silica supports, an amorphous silica gel and the highly ordered MCM-48. Both methods are based on the specific interaction between a titanium source and the functional groups on the silica surface. With the CSC method high amounts of titanium can be obtained. However, clustering of the titania phase is observed in most cases. The MDD method allows much lower titanium amounts to be deposited without the formation of crystallites. Only at the highest Ti loading very small crystallites are formed after calcination. MCM-48 and silica gel are both pure SiO2 materials and therefore chemically similar to each other. However, they possess a different morphology and are synthesized in a different way. As such, some authors have reported that the MCM-48 surface would be more reactive than the surface of silica gel. In our experiments however no differences could be observed that confirmed this hypothesis. In the CSC method, the same reactions were observed and similar amounts of Ti and Cl were deposited. In the case of the MDD method, no difference in the reaction mechanism was observed. However, due to the lower thermal and hydrothermal stability of the MCM-48 structure compared to silica gel, partial incorporation of Ti atoms in the pore walls of MCM-48 took place. This incorporation manifested itself in both pore size as well as unit cell size increase and had a stabilizing effect on the titanium oxide coating prepared by the CSC method. Due to the incorporation of Ti in MCM-48, the coating was more firmly bound to the surface and no clustering was observed during the calcination in contrast to the silica gel support where no incorporation has taken place.

Growth of well-defined metal and oxide nanoparticles on biological surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsukruk, Vladimir

2009-03-01

We present a brief overview of our recent studies in the field of bio-enabled surface-mediated growth of inorganic nanoparticles at room temperature and ambient conditions. We demonstrate that all titania, gold, and silver nanoparticles can be grown with relatively monodisperse diameter within 4-6 nm surrounded by biological shells of 1-2 nm thick. As biological templates we utilized ultrathin, molecular uniform and micropatterned surface layers of two different proteins: silk fibroin (for growth of gold and silver nanoparticles) and silaffin (for growth of titania nanoparticles). To identify the grown nanophases and chemical composition/secondary structure of biological templates we applied combined AFM, SEM, TEM, XPS, SERS, UV-vis, and ATR-FTIR techniques.

Optimization of the Silver Nanoparticles PEALD Process on the Surface of 1-D Titania Coatings

PubMed Central

Radtke, Aleksandra; Kozak, Wiesław; Sadowska, Beata; Więckowska-Szakiel, Marzena; Talik, Ewa; Mäkelä, Maarit; Leskelä, Markku; Piszczek, Piotr

2017-01-01

Plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of silver nanoparticles on the surface of 1-D titania coatings, such as nanotubes (TNT) and nanoneedles (TNN), has been carried out. The formation of TNT and TNN layers enriched with dispersed silver particles of strictly defined sizes and the estimation of their bioactivity was the aim of our investigations. The structure and the morphology of produced materials were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron miscroscopy (SEM). Their bioactivity and potential usefulness in the modification of implants surface have been estimated on the basis of the fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation assays, and on the basis of the determination of their antibacterial activity. The cumulative silver release profiles have been checked with the use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS), in order to exclude potential cytotoxicity of silver decorated systems. Among the studied nanocomposite samples, TNT coatings, prepared at 3, 10, 12 V and enriched with silver nanoparticles produced during 25 cycles of PEALD, revealed suitable biointegration properties and may actively counteract the formation of bacterial biofilm. PMID:28737725

Simple sol-gel process to obtain silica-coated anatase particles with enhanced TiO2-SiO2 interfacial area.

PubMed

Resende, S F; Nunes, E H M; Houmard, M; Vasconcelos, W L

2014-11-01

In this study we prepared silica-titania composites with a low SiO2:TiO2 molar ratio. These materials were prepared using a simple sol-gel route in which a hydrothermal treatment was used to obtain mesoporous anatase particles. Pure titania was also synthetized for comparison purposes. These materials were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nitrogen sorption tests. A thin silica coating was formed on the anatase particles. It was observed that the presence of this coating led to samples with an enhanced thermal stability. Indeed, the composites prepared in this work showed an anatase structure and a high specific surface area (SSA), even after their calcination at 800°C. Thus, we believe that the synthetized material present an outstanding SiO2-TiO2 interfacial area associated with a high amount of anatase particles which could improve its photoactive properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical Routes to Ceramics With Tunable Properties and Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-26

thermolytic or chemical reactions, and then dissolution of the alumina membrane to leave the free standing fibers. In our work, we used alumina membranes ...converted the precursor to a boron carbide coating. Dissolution of the coated alumina membranes with HF then yielded free-standing nanocylindrical...construct, via sol-gel condensations, ordered macroporous arrays of titania , zirconia, and alumina . Other work employing the silica templates have

Self-Disinfection and Decontaminating Interior Surfaces Based on Photocatalytic Titania/Easy-Release Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-01-01

DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for public release, distribution unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES This article is from ADA409494 Proceedings of...been shown to be independently capable, respectively, of diminishing viability and minimizing bioburdens on interior surfaces. Unique combinations of...active bacterial bioburdens and total retained biomass can be significantly reduced by these surface modifications. Interior surface coatings of TiO2

A titania nanotube-array room-temperature sensor for selective detection of hydrogen at low concentrations.

PubMed

Varghese, Oomman K; Mor, Gopal K; Grimes, Craig A; Paulose, Maggie; Mukherjee, Niloy

2004-09-01

A tremendous variation in electrical resistance, from the semiconductor to metallic range, has been observed in titania nanotube arrays at room temperature, approximately 25 degrees C, in the presence of < or = 1000 ppm hydrogen gas. The nanotube arrays are fabricated by anodizing titanium foil in an aqueous electrolyte solution containing hydrofluoric acid and acetic acid. Subsequently, the arrays are coated with a 10 nm layer of palladium by evaporation. Electrical contacts are made by sputtering a 2 mm diameter platinum disk atop the Pd-coated nanotube array. These sensors exhibit a resistance variation of the order of 10(4) in the presence of 100 ppm hydrogen at 25 degrees C. The sensors demonstrate complete reversibility, repeatability, high selectivity, negligible drift and wide dynamic range. The nanoscale geometry of the nanotubes, in particular the points of tube-to-tube contact, is believed to be responsible for the outstanding hydrogen gas sensitivities.

Enhancement in photo-electrochemical efficiency by reducing recombination rate in branched TiO2 nanotube array on functionalizing with ZnO micro crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boda, Muzaffar Ahmad; Ashraf Shah, Mohammad

2018-06-01

In this study, branched TiO2 nanotube array were fabricated through electrochemical anodization process at constant voltage using third generation electrolyte. On account of morphological advantage, these nanotubes shows significant enhancement in photo-electrochemical property than compact or conventional titania nanotube array. However, their photo-electrochemical efficiency intensifies on coating with ZnO micro-crystals. ZnO coated branched TiO2 nanotube array shows a photocurrent density of 27.8 mA cm‑2 which is 1.55 times the photocurrent density (17.2 mA cm‑2) shown by bare branched titania nanotubes. The significant enhancement in photocurrent density shown by the resulting ZnO/TiO2 hybrid structure is attributed to suppression in electron–hole recombination phenomenon by offering smooth pathway to photo generated excitons on account of staggered band edge positions in individual semiconductors.

A nanometric cushion for enhancing scratch and wear resistance of hard films

PubMed Central

Gotlib-Vainshtein, Katya; Girshevitz, Olga; Barlam, David

2014-01-01

Summary Scratch resistance and friction are core properties which define the tribological characteristics of materials. Attempts to optimize these quantities at solid surfaces are the subject of intense technological interest. The capability to modulate these surface properties while preserving both the bulk properties of the materials and a well-defined, constant chemical composition of the surface is particularly attractive. We report herein the use of a soft, flexible underlayer to control the scratch resistance of oxide surfaces. Titania films of several nm thickness are coated onto substrates of silicon, kapton, polycarbonate, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The scratch resistance measured by scanning force microscopy is found to be substrate dependent, diminishing in the order PDMS, kapton/polycarbonate, Si/SiO2. Furthermore, when PDMS is applied as an intermediate layer between a harder substrate and titania, marked improvement in the scratch resistance is achieved. This is shown by quantitative wear tests for silicon or kapton, by coating these substrates with PDMS which is subsequently capped by a titania layer, resulting in enhanced scratch/wear resistance. The physical basis of this effect is explored by means of Finite Element Analysis, and we suggest a model for friction reduction based on the "cushioning effect” of a soft intermediate layer. PMID:25161836

Raman study of TiO2 coatings modified by UV pulsed laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belka, Radosław; Keczkowska, Justyna; Sek, Piotr

2016-12-01

The TiO2 coatings were prepared by simple sol-gel method and modified by UV pulsed laser. TiO2, also know as titania, is a ceramic compound, existing in numerous polymorphic forms, mainly as tetragonal rutile and anatase, and rhomboidal brookite. Rutile is the most stable form of titanium dioxide, whereas anatase is a metastable form, created in lower temperatures than rutile. Anatase is marked with higher specific surface area, porosity and a higher number of surface hydroxyl groups as compared to rutile. The unique optical and electronic properties of TiO2 results in its use as semiconductors dielectric mirrors, sunscreen and UV-blocking pigments and especially as photocatalyst. In this paper, the tetraisopropoxide was used as Ti precursor according to sol-gel method. An organic base was applied during sol preparation. Prepared gel was coated on glass substrates and calcined in low temperature to obtain amorphous phase of titania. Prepared coatings were modified by UV picosecond pulse laser with different pulse repetition rate and pulse power. Physical modification of the coatings using laser pulses was intended in order change the phase content of the produced material. Raman spectroscopy (RS) method was applied to studies of modified coatings as it is one of the basic analytical techniques, supporting the identification of compounds and obtaining information about the structure. Especially, RS is a useful method for distinguishing the anatase and rutile phases. In these studies, anatase to rutile transformation was observed, depending on laser parameters.

The Bioactivity and Photocatalytic Properties of Titania Nanotube Coatings Produced with the Use of the Low-Potential Anodization of Ti6Al4V Alloy Surface

PubMed Central

Radtke, Aleksandra; Kozak, Wiesław; Sadowska, Beata; Więckowska-Szakiel, Marzena; Szubka, Magdalena; Talik, Ewa; Pleth Nielsen, Lars; Piszczek, Piotr

2017-01-01

Titania nanotube (TNT) coatings were produced using low-potential anodic oxidation of Ti6Al4V substrates in the potential range 3–20 V. They were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The wettability was estimated by measuring the contact angle when applying water droplets. The bioactivity of the TNT coatings was established on the basis of the biointegration assay (L929 murine fibroblasts adhesion and proliferation) and antibacterial tests against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29213). The photocatalytic efficiency of the TNT films was studied by the degradation of methylene blue under UV irradiation. Among the studied coatings, the TiO2 nanotubes obtained with the use of 5 V potential (TNT5) were found to be the most appropriate for medical applications. The TNT5 sample possessed antibiofilm properties without enriching it by additional antimicrobial agent. Furthermore, it was characterized by optimal biocompatibility, performing better than pure Ti6Al4V alloy. Moreover, the same sample was the most photocatalytically active and exhibited the potential for the sterilization of implants with the use of UV light and for other environmental applications. PMID:28933732

Design of Aerosol Coating Reactors: Precursor Injection

PubMed Central

Buesser, Beat; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

2013-01-01

Particles are coated with thin shells to facilitate their processing and incorporation into liquid or solid matrixes without altering core particle properties (coloristic, magnetic, etc.). Here, computational fluid and particle dynamics are combined to investigate the geometry of an aerosol reactor for continuous coating of freshly-made titanium dioxide core nanoparticles with nanothin silica shells by injection of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) vapor downstream of TiO2 particle formation. The focus is on the influence of HMDSO vapor jet number and direction in terms of azimuth and inclination jet angles on process temperature and coated particle characteristics (shell thickness and fraction of uncoated particles). Rapid and homogeneous mixing of core particle aerosol and coating precursor vapor facilitates synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles with uniform shell thickness and high coating efficiency (minimal uncoated core and free coating particles). PMID:23658471

The hardness of the hydroxyapatite-titania bilayer coatings by microindentation and nanoindentation testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

SIDANE, Djahida; KHIREDDINE, Hafit; YALA, Sabeha

2017-12-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of the addition of titania (TiO2) inner-layer on the morphological and mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite (HAP) bioceramic coatings deposited on 316L stainless steel (316L SS) by sol-gel method in order to improve the properties of hydroxyapatite and expand its clinical application. The addition of TiO2 as sublayer of a hydroxyapatite coating results in changes in surface morphology as well as an increase of the microhardness. The deposition of the inner-layer provides the formation of new types of hydroxyapatite coatings at the same condition of annealing. This represents an advantage for the various applications of the hydroxyapatite bioceramic in the medical field. Classical hardness measurements conducted on the coated systems under the same indentation load (10g) indicated that the microhardness of the HAP coating is improved by the addition of TiO2 inner-layer on the 316L stainless steel substrate. The hardness values obtained from both classical tests in microindentation and the continuous stiffness measurement mode in nanoindentation are slightly different. This is because nanoindentation is more sensitive to the surface roughness and the influence of defects that could be present into the material. Moreover, nanoindentation is the most useful method to separate the contribution of each layer in the bilayer coatings. In this study, the hardness is comparable with those reported previously for pure HAP ceramics (1.0-5.5 GPa) which are close to the properties of natural teeth.

Preparation and properties of thermal insulation coatings with a sodium stearate-modified shell powder as a filler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Qiang; Zhang, Ya-mei; Zhang, Pei-gen; Shi, Jin-jie; Tian, Wu-bian; Sun, Zheng-ming

2017-10-01

Waste shell stacking with odor and toxicity is a serious hazard to our living environment. To make effective use of the natural resources, the shell powder was applied as a filler of outdoor thermal insulation coatings. Sodium stearate (SS) was used to modify the properties of shell powder to reduce its agglomeration and to increase its compatibility with the emulsion. The oil absorption rate and the spectrum reflectance of the shell powder show that the optimized content of SS as a modifier is 1.5wt%. The total spectrum reflectance of the coating made with the shell powder that is modified at this optimum SS content is 9.33% higher than that without any modification. At the optimum SS content of 1.5wt%, the thermal insulation of the coatings is improved by 1.0°C for the cement mortar board and 1.6°C for the steel plate, respectively. The scouring resistance of the coating with the 1.5wt% SS-modified shell powder is three times that of the coating without modification.

Characteristics and in vitro response of thin hydroxyapatite–titania films produced by plasma electrolytic oxidation of Ti alloys in electrolytes with particle additions

PubMed Central

Yeung, W. K.; Sukhorukova, I. V.; Shtansky, D. V.; Levashov, E. A.; Zhitnyak, I. Y.; Gloushankova, N. A.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, P. V.; Petrzhik, M. I.; Matthews, A.

2016-01-01

The enhancement of the biological properties of Ti by surface doping with hydroxyapatite (HA) is of great significance, especially for orthodontic applications. This study addressed the effects of HA particle size in the electrolyte suspension on the characteristics and biological properties of thin titania-based coatings produced on Ti–6Al–4V alloy by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). Detailed morphological investigation of the coatings formed by a single-stage PEO process with two-step control of the electrical parameters was performed using the Minkowski functionals approach. The surface chemistry was studied by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, whereas mechanical properties were evaluated using scratch tests. The biological assessment included in vitro evaluation of the coating bioactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF) as well as studies of spreading, proliferation and osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. The results demonstrated that both HA micro- and nanoparticles were successfully incorporated in the coatings but had different effects on their surface morphology and elemental distributions. The micro-particles formed an irregular surface morphology featuring interpenetrated networks of fine pores and coating material, whereas the nanoparticles penetrated deeper into the coating matrix which retained major morphological features of the porous TiO2 coating. All coatings suffered cohesive failure in scratch tests, but no adhesive failure was observed; moreover doping with HA increased the coating scratch resistance. In vitro tests in SBF revealed enhanced bioactivity of both HA-doped PEO coatings; furthermore, the cell proliferation/morphometric tests showed their good biocompatibility. Fluorescence microscopy revealed a well-organised actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesions in MC3T3-E1 cells cultivated on these substrates. The cell alkaline phosphatase activity in the presence of ascorbic acid and β-glycerophosphate was significantly increased, especially in HA nanoparticle-doped coatings. PMID:27019704

Magnesium release from mesoporous carriers on endosseus implants does not influence bone maturation at 6 weeks in rabbit bone.

PubMed

Galli, Silvia; Andersson, Martin; Jinno, Yohei; Karlsson, Johan; He, Wenxiao; Xue, Ying; Mustafa, Kamal; Wennerberg, Ann; Jimbo, Ryo

2017-10-01

The release of magnesium ions (Mg 2+ ) from titanium surfaces has been shown to boost the initial biological response of peri-implant bone and to increase the biomechanical strength of osseointegration. The objective of the present paper was to investigate if the initial improvement in osseointegration would influence the bone remodeling also during the maturation stage of bone healing. Titanium implants were coated with mesoporous titania layers and either loaded with Mg 2+ (test group) or left untreated (control group). The implants were inserted in the tibiae of 10 New Zealand White rabbits. Osseointegration was assessed after 6 weeks by means of biomechanical testing (RTQ), non-decalcified histology and histomorphometry (BIC%, BA%, NBA%). The expression of genes involved in the bone formation and remodeling was quantified using qPCR. Mg 2+ releasing mesoporous titania coatings showed, on average, higher removal torques and histomorphometrical outcomes (RTQ: 17.2 Ncm vs. 15 Ncm; BIC: 38.8% vs. 32.1%; BA%: 71.6% vs. 64%; NBA% 62.5% vs. 54% for the tests vs the controls); however, the differences were not statistically significant. Three osteogenic markers, osteocalcin (OC), collagen 1 alpha 1 (COL1A1), and alkalin phosphatase (ALPL), were respectively 2-fold, 1.53-fold, and 1.13-fold up-regulated in the control group compared to the test. The expression of COL1A1 was particularly high in both groups, while the biomarkers for remodeling and inflammation showed a low expression in both groups. The results suggested that the initial enhancement in osseointegration induced by magnesium release from mesoporous titania coatings has no detrimental effects during bone maturation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2118-2125, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Modulation of the nanometer pore size improves magnesium adsorption into mesoporous titania coatings and promotes bone morphogenic protein 4 expression in adhering osteoblasts.

PubMed

Cecchinato, Francesca; Atefyekta, Saba; Wennerberg, Ann; Andersson, Martin; Jimbo, Ryo; Davies, Julia R

2016-07-01

Mesoporous (MP) titania films used as implant coatings have recently been considered as release systems for controlled administration of magnesium to enhance initial osteoblast proliferation in vitro. Tuning of the pore size in such titania films is aimed at increasing the osteogenic potential through effects on the total loading capacity and the release profile of magnesium. In this study, evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) was used with different structure-directing agents to form three mesoporous films with average pore sizes of 2nm (MP1), 6nm (MP2) and 7nm (MP3). Mg adsorption and release was monitored using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). The film surfaces were characterized with atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of different Mg release on osteogenesis was investigated in human fetal osteoblasts (hFOB) using pre-designed osteogenesis arrays and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results showed a sustained release from all the films investigated, with higher magnesium adsorption into MP1 and MP3 films. No significant differences were observed in the surface nanotopography of the films, either with or without the presence of magnesium. MP3 films (7nm pore size) had the greatest effect on osteogenesis, up-regulating 15 bone-related genes after 1 week of hFOB growth and significantly promoting bone morphogenic protein (BMP4) expression after 3 weeks of growth. The findings indicate that the increase in pore width on the nano scale significantly enhanced the bioactivity of the mesoporous coating, thus accelerating osteogenesis without creating differences in surface roughness. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Characterization of N-Doped Porous TiO2 Hollow Spheres and Their Photocatalytic and Optical Properties

PubMed Central

Li, Hongliang; Liu, Hui; Fu, Aiping; Wu, Guanglei; Xu, Man; Pang, Guangsheng; Guo, Peizhi; Liu, Jingquan; Zhao, Xiu Song

2016-01-01

Three kinds of N-doped mesoporous TiO2 hollow spheres with different N-doping contents, surface area, and pore size distributions were prepared based on a sol–gel synthesis and combined with a calcination process. Melamine formaldehyde (MF) microspheres have been used as sacrificial template and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was selected as pore-directing agent. Core–shell intermediate spheres of titania-coated MF with diameters of 1.2–1.6 μm were fabricated by varying the volume concentration of TiO2 precursor from 1 to 3 vol %. By calcining the core–shell composite spheres at 500 °C for 3 h in air, an in situ N-doping process occurred upon the decomposition of the MF template and CTAB or PVP pore-directing surfactant. N-doped mesoporous TiO2 hollow spheres with sizes in the range of 0.4–1.2 μm and shell thickness from 40 to 110 nm were obtained. The composition and N-doping content, thermal stability, morphology, surface area and pore size distribution, wall thickness, photocatalytic activities, and optical properties of the mesoporous TiO2 hollow spheres derived from different conditions were investigated and compared based on Fourier-transformation infrared (FTIR), SEM, TEM, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), nitrogen adsorption–desorption, and UV–vis spectrophotoscopy techniques. The influences of particle size, N-doping, porous, and hollow characteristics of the TiO2 hollow spheres on their photocatalytic activities and optical properties have been studied and discussed based on the composition analysis, structure characterization, and optical property investigation of these hollow spherical TiO2 matrices. PMID:28773967

Optical properties of Na2O-TiO2-SiO2 glass films prepared by the sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, Ivo; Matejec, Vlastimil; Mrazek, Jan; Predoana, Luminita; Zaharescu, Maria

2017-12-01

Layers based on TiO2-SiO2 systems fabricated by sol-gel method have been investigated for the preparation of planar waveguides, antireflective coatings, Bragg mirrors, etc. However, at high titania contents such materials exhibit high viscosities and tendency to phase separation. In this paper we present optical properties of films containing TiO2 which are prepared via a novel approach sol-gel on the basis of ternary Na2O-TiO2-SiO2 glasses and which can exhibit lower viscosities. Films of Na2O-TiO2-SiO2 systems were prepared from input sols mixed of silica, titania and sodium oxide sols. The silica sol was prepared from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), ethanol, hydrochloric acid and water, with a TEOS c= 2 mol/l and water/alkoxide ratio 1.75. The titania sol was mixed from titanium tetraisopropoxide (TiPr), propan-2-ol, nitric acid and water, c= 0.5 mol/l, RW= 0.42. The sodium oxide sols with c= 0.474 mol/l were prepared from sodium ethoxide and ethanol. Input sols were prepared by mixing the silica and titania sols first and then the sodium sol was added. The input sols were aged for one hour. Stable input sols were obtained. The input sols were deposited on glass and silica slides by dip-coating technique at a withdrawing speeds of 200 mm/min. Applied gel layers were thermally treated at temperatures of 450 and 900°C. Layers containing sodium oxide and titania in concentration ranges of 0-20 mol.% and 0-30 mol.% respectively have been fabricated. Optical properties of layers were determined by UV-VIS-NIR transmission and reflection spectrophotometry. Refractive indices of layers were determined by spectral ellipsometry and from transmission spectra. Optical properties were correlated with results of XRD spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Transparent homogenous films with a maximum refractive index of 1.61 at a wavelength of 600 nm have been obtained.

Superhydrophobic cotton fabrics prepared by sol–gel coating of TiO2 and surface hydrophobization

PubMed Central

Xue, Chao-Hua; Jia, Shun-Tian; Chen, Hong-Zheng; Wang, Mang

2008-01-01

By coating fibers with titania sol to generate a dual-size surface roughness, followed by hydrophobization with stearic acid, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane or their combination, hydrophilic cotton fabrics were made superhydrophobic. The surface wettability and topology of cotton fabrics were studied by contact angle measurement and scanning electron microscopy. The UV-shielding property of the treated fabrics was also characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry. PMID:27877998

A versatile cooperative template-directed coating method to construct uniform microporous carbon shells for multifunctional core-shell nanocomposites.

PubMed

Guan, Buyuan; Wang, Xue; Xiao, Yu; Liu, Yunling; Huo, Qisheng

2013-03-21

A very simple cooperative template-directed coating method is developed for the preparation of core-shell, hollow, and yolk-shell microporous carbon nanocomposites. Particularly, the cationic surfactant C16TMA(+)·Br(-) used in the coating procedure improves the core dispersion in the reaction media and serves as the soft template for mesostructured resorcinol-formaldehyde resin formation, which results in the uniform polymer and microporous carbon shell coating on most functional cores with different surface properties. The core diameter and the shell thickness of the nanocomposites can be precisely tailored. This approach is highly reproducible and scalable. Several grams of polymer and carbon nanocomposites can be easily prepared by a facile one-pot reaction. The Au@hydrophobic microporous carbon yolk-shell catalyst favors the reduction of more hydrophobic nitrobenzene than hydrophilic 4-nitrophenol by sodium borohydride, which makes this type of catalyst@carbon yolk-shell composites promising nanomaterials as selective catalysts for hydrophobic reactants.

Incorporation of Copper Enhances the Anti-Ageing Property of Flame-Sprayed High-Density Polyethylene Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Zhengmei; Huang, Jing; Gong, Yongfeng; Jin, Peipeng; Suo, Xinkun; Li, Hua

2017-02-01

High-density polyethylene (HDPE)-copper (Cu) composite coatings were prepared through depositing HDPE-Cu core-shell particles by flame spraying. The HDPE-Cu composite coatings and the HDPE coatings were aged in xenon lamp ageing testing chamber. The variations of chemical compositions and surface morphology of the coatings before and after the ageing testing were analyzed using infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. Results show that there is no chemical composition variation in the HDPE-Cu coatings. Cracks were found on the surfaces of the HDPE coatings, while the HDPE-Cu coating shows almost intact surface morphology. These results suggest that the HDPE-Cu coatings present better anti-ageing performances than the HDPE coatings. Further assessment of the function of Cu shells on the anti-ageing property reveals that Cu shells not only enhanced the absorption of the coatings to ultraviolet, but also increased their reflectivity to visible light. Additionally, the Cu shells enhanced the decomposition temperature and thermal stability of HDPE in the composite coatings. These results give bright insight into potential anti-ageing applications of the polymer-based structures.

Titania carbon nanotube composites for enhanced photocatalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyrgiotakis, Georgios

Photocatalytic composites have been used for the past few decades in a wide range of applications. The most common application is the purification of air and water by removing toxic compounds. There is limited use however towards biocidal applications. Despite their high efficiency, photocatalytic materials are not comparable to the effectiveness of conventional biocidal compounds such as chlorine and alcoholic disinfectants. On the other hand, nearly a decade ago with the discovery of the carbon nanotubes a new vibrant scientific field emerged. Nanotubes are unique structures of carbon that posse amazing electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. In this research carbon nanotubes are used as photocatalytic enhancers. They were coated with anatase titania to form a composite material. Two different types of nanotubes (metallic versus non-metallic) were used and the photocatalytic activity was measured. The metallic tubes demonstrated exceptional photocatalytic properties, while non-metallic tubes had low photocatalytic efficiency. The reason for that difference was investigated and was the major focus of this research. The research concluded that the reasons for the high efficiency of the carbon nanotubes were (i) the metallic nature of the tubes and (ii) the possible bond between the titania coating and the underlying graphite layers (C-O-Ti). Since both composites had the same indications regarding the C-O-Ti bond, the metallic nature of the carbon nanotubes is believed to be the most dominant factor contributing to the enhancement of the photocatalysis. The composite material may have other potential applications such as for sensing and photovoltaic uses.

High temperature solar selective coatings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kennedy, Cheryl E

Improved solar collectors (40) comprising glass tubing (42) attached to bellows (44) by airtight seals (56) enclose solar absorber tubes (50) inside an annular evacuated space (54. The exterior surfaces of the solar absorber tubes (50) are coated with improved solar selective coatings {48} which provide higher absorbance, lower emittance and resistance to atmospheric oxidation at elevated temperatures. The coatings are multilayered structures comprising solar absorbent layers (26) applied to the meta surface of the absorber tubes (50), typically stainless steel, topped with antireflective Savers (28) comprising at least two layers 30, 32) of refractory metal or metalloid oxides (suchmore » as titania and silica) with substantially differing indices of refraction in adjacent layers. Optionally, at least one layer of a noble metal such as platinum can be included between some of the layers. The absorbent layers cars include cermet materials comprising particles of metal compounds is a matrix, which can contain oxides of refractory metals or metalloids such as silicon. Reflective layers within the coating layers can comprise refractory metal silicides and related compounds characterized by the formulas TiSi. Ti.sub.3SiC.sub.2, TiAlSi, TiAN and similar compounds for Zr and Hf. The titania can be characterized by the formulas TiO.sub.2, Ti.sub.3O.sub.5. TiOx or TiO.sub.xN.sub.1-x with x 0 to 1. The silica can be at least one of SiO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2x or SiO.sub.2xN.sub.1-x with x=0 to 1.« less

Fabrication of slender elastic shells by the coating of curved surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, A.; Brun, P.-T.; Marthelot, J.; Balestra, G.; Gallaire, F.; Reis, P. M.

2016-04-01

Various manufacturing techniques exist to produce double-curvature shells, including injection, rotational and blow molding, as well as dip coating. However, these industrial processes are typically geared for mass production and are not directly applicable to laboratory research settings, where adaptable, inexpensive and predictable prototyping tools are desirable. Here, we study the rapid fabrication of hemispherical elastic shells by coating a curved surface with a polymer solution that yields a nearly uniform shell, upon polymerization of the resulting thin film. We experimentally characterize how the curing of the polymer affects its drainage dynamics and eventually selects the shell thickness. The coating process is then rationalized through a theoretical analysis that predicts the final thickness, in quantitative agreement with experiments and numerical simulations of the lubrication flow field. This robust fabrication framework should be invaluable for future studies on the mechanics of thin elastic shells and their intrinsic geometric nonlinearities.

Titanium carbide and titania phases on Antarctic ice particles of probable extraterrrestrial origin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zolensky, M. E.; Pun, A.; Thomas, K. L.

1989-01-01

Two unique titania-rich particles, found within ancient Antarctic ice have been discovered and characterized, and are believed to be of extraterrestrial origin. Both particles contain abundant submicron-sized crystals of Magneli phases (Ti(n)O(2n-1). In addition, one particle contains a core of TiC. Whereas the Magneli phases would have been stable in the early solar nebula, and so probably formed there, the TiC is more likely to have condensed in the cool, dusty, carbon-rich outer shell of a red giant star. It is suggested that both particles are interplanetary dust particles whose Magneli phases carry a record of the PO2-T conditions of the early solar nebula. It is further suggested that the TiC grain in particle 705 is remnant interstellar dust.

Effect of doping (C or N) and co-doping (C+N) on the photoactive properties of magnetron sputtered titania coatings for the application of solar water-splitting.

PubMed

Rahman, M; Dang, B H Q; McDonnell, K; MacElroy, J M D; Dowling, D P

2012-06-01

The photocatalytic splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen using a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell containing titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanode is a potentially renewable source of chemical fuels. However, the size of the band gap (-3.2 eV) of the TiO2 photocatalyst leads to its relatively low photoactivity toward visible light in a PEC cell. The development of materials with smaller band gaps of approximately 2.4 eV is therefore necessary to operate PEC cells efficiently. This study investigates the effect of dopant (C or N) and co-dopant (C+N) on the physical, structural and photoactivity of TiO2 nano thick coating. TiO2 nano-thick coatings were deposited using a closed field DC reactive magnetron sputtering technique, from titanium target in argon plasma with trace addition of oxygen. In order to study the influence of doping such as C, N and C+N inclusions in the TiO2 coatings, trace levels of CO2 or N2 or CO2+N2 gas were introduced into the deposition chamber respectively. The properties of the deposited nano-coatings were determined using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, SEM, AFM, Optical profilometry, XPS, Raman, X-ray diffraction UV-Vis spectroscopy and tri-electrode potentiostat measurements. Coating growth rate, structure, surface morphology and roughness were found to be significantly influenced by the types and amount of doping. Substitutional type of doping in all doped sample were confirmed by XPS. UV-vis measurement confirmed that doping (especially for C doped sample) facilitate photoactivity of sputtered deposited titania coating toward visible light by reducing bandgap. The photocurrent density (indirect indication of water splitting performance) of the C-doped photoanode was approximately 26% higher in comparison with un-doped photoanode. However, coating doped with nitrogen (N or N+C) does not exhibit good performance in the photoelectrochemical cell due to their higher charge recombination properties.

Core-shell TiO2@ZnO nanorods for efficient ultraviolet photodetection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panigrahi, Shrabani; Basak, Durga

2011-05-01

Core-shell TiO2@ZnO nanorods (NRs) have been fabricated by a simple two step method: growth of ZnO NRs' array by an aqueous chemical technique and then coating of the NRs with a solution of titanium isopropoxide [Ti(OC3H7)4] followed by a heating step to form the shell. The core-shell nanocomposites are composed of single-crystalline ZnO NRs, coated with a thin TiO2 shell layer obtained by varying the number of coatings (one, three and five times). The ultraviolet (UV) emission intensity of the nanocomposite is largely quenched due to an efficient electron-hole separation reducing the band-to-band recombinations. The UV photoconductivity of the core-shell structure with three times TiO2 coating has been largely enhanced due to photoelectron transfer between the core and the shell. The UV photosensitivity of the nanocomposite becomes four times larger while the photocurrent decay during steady UV illumination has been decreased almost by 7 times compared to the as-grown ZnO NRs indicating high efficiency of these core-shell structures as UV sensors.

Synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles capped with medicinal plant extracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rekulapally, Sujith R.

In this study, synthesis, characterization and biological application of series nanometal (silver, Ag) and nanometal oxide (titania, TiO2) were carried out. These nanomaterials were prepared using wet-chemistry method and then coated using natural plant extract. Three medicinal plants, namely Zingiber officinale (Ginger), Allium sativum (Garlic) and Capsicum annuum (Chili) were chosen as grafting agent to decrease the side-effects and increase the efficiency of NPs towards living organism. Extraction conditions were controlled under 60-100 °C for 8 hrs. Ag and TiO2 NPs were fabricated using colloidal chemistry and variables were controlled at ambient condition. The band gap of TiO2 NPs used as disinfectant was also modified through coating the medicinal plant extracts. The medicinal plant extracts and coated NPs were measured using spectroscopic methods. Ultraviolet-visible spectra indicated the Ag NPs were formed. The peak at 410 nm resulted from the electrons transferred from their ground to the excited state. The broadened full width at half maximum (FWHM) suggested the ultrafine particles were obtained. The lipid soluble compounds, phenols, tri-terpenoids, flavanoids, capsaicinoids, flavonoids, carotenoids, steroids steroidal glycosides, and vitamins were determined from the high performance liquid chromatographical analyses. X-ray powder diffraction indicated that the face-centered cubic Ag (PDF: 00-004-0783, a = 4.0862A, a = 90°) and anatase TiO2 (PDF: 01-08-1285, a = 3.7845, c = 9.5143A, a = 90°) were obtained using colloidal chemistry. Bactericidal activity indicated that these core-shelled TiO 2 were effective (MBC=0.6 ppm, within 30 mins) at inactivating Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It is proposed that the medicinal extracts enhanced the potency of NPs against bacteria. From our previous study, the Ag NPs were highly effective at inactivating both bacteria.

Understanding and controlling the structure and segregation behaviour of AuRh nanocatalysts

PubMed Central

Piccolo, Laurent; Li, Z. Y.; Demiroglu, Ilker; Moyon, Florian; Konuspayeva, Zere; Berhault, Gilles; Afanasiev, Pavel; Lefebvre, Williams; Yuan, Jun; Johnston, Roy L.

2016-01-01

Heterogeneous catalysis, which is widely used in the chemical industry, makes a great use of supported late-transition-metal nanoparticles, and bimetallic catalysts often show superior catalytic performances as compared to their single metal counterparts. In order to optimize catalyst efficiency and discover new active combinations, an atomic-level understanding and control of the catalyst structure is desirable. In this work, the structure of catalytically active AuRh bimetallic nanoparticles prepared by colloidal methods and immobilized on rutile titania nanorods was investigated using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. Depending on the applied post-treatment, different types of segregation behaviours were evidenced, ranging from Rh core – Au shell to Janus via Rh ball – Au cup configuration. The stability of these structures was predicted by performing density-functional-theory calculations on unsupported and titania-supported Au-Rh clusters; it can be rationalized from the lower surface and cohesion energies of Au with respect to Rh, and the preferential binding of Rh with the titania support. The bulk-immiscible AuRh/TiO2 system can serve as a model to understand similar supported nanoalloy systems and their synergistic behaviour in catalysis. PMID:27739480

Quantitative investigation on the critical thickness of the dielectric shell for metallic nanoparticles determined by the plasmon decay length.

PubMed

Li, Anran; Lim, Xinyi; Guo, Lin; Li, Shuzhou

2018-04-20

Inert dielectric shells coating the surface of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are important for enhancing the NPs' stability, biocompatibility, and realizing targeting detection, but they impair NPs' sensing ability due to the electric fields damping. The dielectric shell not only determines the distance of the analyte from the NP surface, but also affects the field decay. From a practical point of view, it is extremely important to investigate the critical thickness of the shell, beyond which the NPs are no longer able to effectively detect the analytes. The plasmon decay length of the shell-coated NPs determines the critical thickness of the coating layer. Extracting from the exponential fitting results, we quantitatively demonstrate that the critical thickness of the shell exhibits a linear dependence on the NP volume and the dielectric constants of the shell and the surrounding medium, but only with a small variation influenced by the NP shape where the dipole resonance is dominated. We show the critical thickness increases with enlarging the NP sizes, or increasing the dielectric constant differences between the shell and surrounding medium. The findings are essential for applications of shell-coated NPs in plasmonic sensing.

Quantitative investigation on the critical thickness of the dielectric shell for metallic nanoparticles determined by the plasmon decay length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Anran; Lim, Xinyi; Guo, Lin; Li, Shuzhou

2018-04-01

Inert dielectric shells coating the surface of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) are important for enhancing the NPs’ stability, biocompatibility, and realizing targeting detection, but they impair NPs’ sensing ability due to the electric fields damping. The dielectric shell not only determines the distance of the analyte from the NP surface, but also affects the field decay. From a practical point of view, it is extremely important to investigate the critical thickness of the shell, beyond which the NPs are no longer able to effectively detect the analytes. The plasmon decay length of the shell-coated NPs determines the critical thickness of the coating layer. Extracting from the exponential fitting results, we quantitatively demonstrate that the critical thickness of the shell exhibits a linear dependence on the NP volume and the dielectric constants of the shell and the surrounding medium, but only with a small variation influenced by the NP shape where the dipole resonance is dominated. We show the critical thickness increases with enlarging the NP sizes, or increasing the dielectric constant differences between the shell and surrounding medium. The findings are essential for applications of shell-coated NPs in plasmonic sensing.

W-containing oxide layers obtained on aluminum and titanium by PEO as catalysts in thiophene oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudnev, V. S.; Lukiyanchuk, I. V.; Vasilyeva, M. S.; Morozova, V. P.; Zelikman, V. M.; Tarkhanova, I. G.

2017-11-01

W-containing oxide layers fabricated on titanium and aluminum alloys by Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) have been tested in the reaction of the peroxide oxidation of thiophene. Samples with two types of coatings have been investigated. Coatings I contained tungsten oxide in the matrix and on the surface of amorphous silica-titania or silica-alumina layers, while coatings II comprised crystalline WO3 and/or Al2(WO4)3. Aluminum-supported catalyst containing a smallest amount of transition metals in the form of tungsten oxides and manganese oxides in low oxidation levels showed high activity and stability.

Nature and morphology of fumed oxides and features of interfacial phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gun'ko, V. M.; Zarko, V. I.; Goncharuk, O. V.; Matkovsky, A. K.; Remez, O. S.; Skubiszewska-Zięba, J.; Wojcik, G.; Walusiak, B.; Blitz, J. P.

2016-03-01

Individual and complex fumed nanooxides were studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, adsorption, desorption (evaporation), and quantum chemical methods. For mixed nanooxides in contrast to simple and small nanoparticles of individual silica or titania, complex core-shell nanoparticles (50-200 nm in size) with titania or alumina cores and silica or alumina shells can be destroyed under high-pressure cryogelation (HPCG), mechnochemical activation (MCA) that also affect the structure of aggregates of nanoparticles and agglomerates of aggregates becoming more compacted. This is accompanied by changes in color from white to beige of different tints and changes in the UV-vis spectra in the 300-600 nm range, as well as changes in crystalline structure of alumina. Any treatment of 'soft' nanooxides affects the interfacial behavior of polar and nonpolar adsorbates. For some of them, the hysteresis loops become strongly open. Rearrangement of secondary particles affects the freezing-melting point depression. Clusterization of adsorbates bound in pores causes diminution of heat effects during phase transition (freezing, fusion). Freezing point depression and increasing melting point cause significant hysteresis freezing-melting effects for adsorbates bound to oxide nanoparticles. The study shows that complex nanooxides can be more sensitive to external actions than simple nanooxides such as silica.

[Synthesis of hollow titania microspheres by using microfluidic droplet-template].

PubMed

Ma, Jingyun; Jiang, Lei; Qin, Jianhu

2011-09-01

Droplet-based microfluidics is of great interest due to its particular characteristics compared with the conventional methods, such as reduced reagent consumption, rapid mixing, high-throughput, shape controlled, etc. A novel method using microfluidic droplet as soft template for the synthesis of hollow titania microspheres was developed. A typical polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device containing "flow-focusing" geometry was used to generate water/oil (W/O) droplet. The mechanism for the hollow structure formation was based on the interfacial hydrolysis reaction between the continuous phase containing titanium butoxide precursor and the dispersed containing water. The continuous phase mixed with butanol was added in the downstream of the channel after the hydrolysis reaction. This step was used for drawing the water out of the microgels for further hydrolysis. The microgels obtained through a glass pipe integrated were washed, dried under vacuum and calcined after aging for a certain time. The fluorescence and scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the microspheres indicated the hollow structure and the thickness of the shell. In addition, these microspheres with thin shell (about 2 microm) were apt to rupture and collapse. Droplet-based microfluidic offered a gentle and size-controllable manner to moderate this problem. Moreover, it has potential applications in photocatalysis combined with some modification realized on the chip simultaneously.

Critical aspects in the production of periodically ordered mesoporous titania thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soler-Illia, Galo J. A. A.; Angelomé, Paula C.; Fuertes, M. Cecilia; Grosso, David; Boissiere, Cedric

2012-03-01

Periodically ordered mesoporous titania thin films (MTTF) present a high surface area, controlled porosity in the 2-20 nm pore diameter range and an amorphous or crystalline inorganic framework. These materials are nowadays routinely prepared by combining soft chemistry and supramolecular templating. Photocatalytic transparent coatings and titania-based solar cells are the immediate promising applications. However, a wealth of new prospective uses have emerged on the horizon, such as advanced catalysts, perm-selective membranes, optical materials based on plasmonics and photonics, metamaterials, biomaterials or new magnetic nanocomposites. Current and novel applications rely on the ultimate control of the materials features such as pore size and geometry, surface functionality and wall structure. Even if a certain control of these characteristics has been provided by the methods reported so far, the needs for the next generation of MTTF require a deeper insight in the physical and chemical processes taking place in their preparation and processing. This article presents a critical discussion of these aspects. This discussion is essential to evolve from know-how to sound knowledge, aiming at a rational materials design of these fascinating systems.Periodically ordered mesoporous titania thin films (MTTF) present a high surface area, controlled porosity in the 2-20 nm pore diameter range and an amorphous or crystalline inorganic framework. These materials are nowadays routinely prepared by combining soft chemistry and supramolecular templating. Photocatalytic transparent coatings and titania-based solar cells are the immediate promising applications. However, a wealth of new prospective uses have emerged on the horizon, such as advanced catalysts, perm-selective membranes, optical materials based on plasmonics and photonics, metamaterials, biomaterials or new magnetic nanocomposites. Current and novel applications rely on the ultimate control of the materials features such as pore size and geometry, surface functionality and wall structure. Even if a certain control of these characteristics has been provided by the methods reported so far, the needs for the next generation of MTTF require a deeper insight in the physical and chemical processes taking place in their preparation and processing. This article presents a critical discussion of these aspects. This discussion is essential to evolve from know-how to sound knowledge, aiming at a rational materials design of these fascinating systems. Dedicated to Clément Sanchez, on the first anniversary of his appointment to the Hybrid Materials Chair of the Collège de France.

Effect of rutile titania dioxide nanoparticles on the mechanical property, thermal stability, weathering resistance and antibacterial property of styrene acrylic polyurethane coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuong Nguyen, Thien; Nguyen, Tuan Anh; Dao, Phi Hung; Phuc Mac, Van; Hiep Nguyen, Anh; Thanh Do, Minh; Nguyen, The Huu

2016-12-01

This study aims to enhance the mechanical properties, thermal stability, weathering resistance and antibacterial property of a styrene acrylic polyurethane coating by adding rutile titania dioxide (R-TiO2) nanoparticles in coating formulation. The styrene acrylic polyurethane/R-TiO2 nanocomposite had been prepared by using ultrasonication. The effects of nanoparticles on the mechanical properties, thermal stability and weathering resistance of as-prepared coatings were investigated by using the adhesion strength and ball impact tests, the Fourier transform infrared and UV-vis analyses, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and UV/condensation weathering chamber equipped with UVA-340 fluorescent lamps, respectively. The disperse quality of nanoparticles in the coating was examined by using the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The mechanical test results showed that suitable content of R-TiO2 nanoparticles in the nanocomposite coating was 2 wt%. The FESEM images indicated that the nanoparticles were dispersed homogeneously into the entire volume of the coating. For the nanocomposite prepared by 3 h of ultrasonication, the average size of nanoparticles was in range of 40-50 nm. The ball impact and adhesion tests showed that the incorporation of nanoparticles into the coating significantly enhanced the impact strength from 120 to 145 kg cm and increased the adhesion from level 1 to level 0. The TGA test illustrated that in presence of nanoparticles, the decomposition temperature of coating increased from 146.9 °C to 154.21 °C. For the temperature at 50% loss in mass (T 50%), it was found that the T 50% of the neat coating is 351.86 °C. Adding the 2 wt% R-TiO2 nanoparticles into coating increased the T 50% value to 360.06 °C. After UV/condensation accelerated weathering test (30 cycles), the significant improvement in weight loss, impact strength and adhesion of the neat coating was observed with the presence of nanoparticles. The antibacterial test showed that in the nanocomposite coating, R-TiO2 nanoparticles exhibited their photocatalytic effect in the inhibition against E. coli bacterial growth. Incorporating 2 wt% of R-TiO2 nanoparticles into the coating reduced the bacterial concentration by 6.1% after 60 min of culture.

Core-shell TiO2@ZnO nanorods for efficient ultraviolet photodetection.

PubMed

Panigrahi, Shrabani; Basak, Durga

2011-05-01

Core-shell TiO(2)@ZnO nanorods (NRs) have been fabricated by a simple two step method: growth of ZnO NRs' array by an aqueous chemical technique and then coating of the NRs with a solution of titanium isopropoxide [Ti(OC(3)H(7))(4)] followed by a heating step to form the shell. The core-shell nanocomposites are composed of single-crystalline ZnO NRs, coated with a thin TiO(2) shell layer obtained by varying the number of coatings (one, three and five times). The ultraviolet (UV) emission intensity of the nanocomposite is largely quenched due to an efficient electron-hole separation reducing the band-to-band recombinations. The UV photoconductivity of the core-shell structure with three times TiO(2) coating has been largely enhanced due to photoelectron transfer between the core and the shell. The UV photosensitivity of the nanocomposite becomes four times larger while the photocurrent decay during steady UV illumination has been decreased almost by 7 times compared to the as-grown ZnO NRs indicating high efficiency of these core-shell structures as UV sensors. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Preparation and characterization of polymeric nanocomposite films for application as protective coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagliardi, S.; Rondino, F.; D'Erme, C.; Persia, F.; Menchini, F.; Santarelli, M. L.; Paulke, B.-R.; Enayati, A. L.; Falconieri, M.

2017-08-01

Addiction of ceramic nanoparticles to acrylic polymers provides a simple and effective means to produce paints with important properties, such as mechanical resistance and tailored wettability, even though for optimal performances, an engineered nanoparticle distribution would be desirable. In this paper we report on the realization and on the morphological and functional characterization of nanocomposites where the nanophase is distributed on the surface of acrylic polymer films, in order to enhance the expression of surface-related properties. To this aim, commercial titanium oxide and silicon oxide nanopowders were dispersed in water and the suspensions were air-sprayed on polymeric films prepared by paint brushing, thus producing a nanostructured ceramic surface coating. Control of the pH of suspensions and acrylic acid functionalization of the surface of titania were used together with high power ultrasonic treatments in order to control dimension of the aggregates in the sprayed suspensions. Optical microscopy, mechanical profilometry, and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the nanocomposite surface morphology and correlate it to the coating functional properties, evaluated through mechanical abrasion tests and contact angle measurements; also, colorimetry on coated stones was performed in order to test the impact of the coatings on the aesthetical appearance and their photostability under UV irradiation. Results show that the nanostructured ceramic layer slightly improves the resistance of coatings to mechanical abrasion in case of polymer films prepared from latexes. The nanocomposite surface layer does not affect the wettability of the polymer, which remained slightly hydrophilic; this behavior is likely due to inadequate distribution of the nanophase. On the other hand UV-induced superhydrophilicity was observed when the concentration of surface titania nanoparticles is about 0.6 mg/cm2. Colorimetric analysis on historical and Carrara marbles before and after coating evidenced the good transparency of the nanocomposites. Accelerated aging tests permitted to demonstrate that, on the historical marbles, the presence of the nanoparticles has a protective action against UV-induced damage of the underlying polymer film, preventing photodegradation.

Electroless nickel – phosphorus coating on crab shell particles and its characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arulvel, S., E-mail: gs.arulvel.research@gmail.com; Elayaperumal, A.; Jagatheeshwaran, M.S.

Being hydrophilic material, crab shell particles have only a limited number of applications. It is, therefore, necessary to modify the surface of the crab shell particles. To make them useful ever for the applications, the main theme we proposed in this article is to utilize crab shell particles (CSP) with the core coated with nickel phosphorus (NiP) as a shell using the electroless coating process. For dealing with serious environmental problems, utilization of waste bio-shells is always an important factor to be considered. Chelating ability of crab shell particles eliminates the surface activation in this work proceeding to the coatingmore » process. The functional group, phase structure, microstructure, chemical composition and thermal analysis of CSP and NiP/CSP were characterized using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction analyzer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The combination of an amorphous and crystalline structure was exhibited by CSP and NiP/CSP. NiP/CSP has shown a better thermal stability when compared to uncoated CSP. Stability test, adsorption test, and conductivity test were conducted for the study of adsorption behavior and conductivity of the particles. CSP presented a hydrophilic property in contrast to hydrophobic NiP/CSP. NiP/CSP presented a conductivity of about 44% greater compared to the CSP without any fluctuations. - Highlights: • Utilization of crab shell waste is focused on. • NiP coating on crab shell particle is fabricated using electroless process. • Thermal analysis, stability test, adsorption test and conductivity test were done. • Organic matrix of crab shell particle favors the coating process. • Results demonstrate the characterization of CSP core – NiP shell structure.« less

Synthesis and cytotoxicity study of magnesium ferrite-gold core-shell nanoparticles.

PubMed

Nonkumwong, Jeeranan; Pakawanit, Phakkhananan; Wipatanawin, Angkana; Jantaratana, Pongsakorn; Ananta, Supon; Srisombat, Laongnuan

2016-04-01

In this work, the core-magnesium ferrite (MgFe2O4) nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal technique. Completed gold (Au) shell coating on the surfaces of MgFe2O4 nanoparticles was obtained by varying core/shell ratios via a reduction method. Phase identification, morphological evolution, optical properties, magnetic properties and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells of these MgFe2O4 core coated with Au nanoparticles were examined by using a combination of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), vibrating sample magnetometry and resazurin microplate assay techniques. In general, TEM images revealed different sizes of the core-shell nanoparticles generated from various core/shell ratios and confirmed the completed Au shell coating on MgFe2O4 core nanoparticles via suitable core/shell ratio with particle size less than 100 nm. The core-shell nanoparticle size and the quality of coating influence the optical properties of the products. The UV-vis spectra of complete coated MgFe2O4-Au core-shell nanoparticles exhibit the absorption bands in the near-Infrared (NIR) region indicating high potential for therapeutic applications. Based on the magnetic property measurement, it was found that the obtained MgFe2O4-Au core-shell nanoparticles still exhibit superparamagnetism with lower saturation magnetization value, compared with MgFe2O4 core. Both of MgFe2O4 and MgFe2O4-Au core-shell also showed in vitro non-cytotoxicity to mouse areola fibroblast (L-929) cell line. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Critical aspects in the production of periodically ordered mesoporous titania thin films.

PubMed

Soler-Illia, Galo J A A; Angelomé, Paula C; Fuertes, M Cecilia; Grosso, David; Boissiere, Cedric

2012-04-21

Periodically ordered mesoporous titania thin films (MTTF) present a high surface area, controlled porosity in the 2-20 nm pore diameter range and an amorphous or crystalline inorganic framework. These materials are nowadays routinely prepared by combining soft chemistry and supramolecular templating. Photocatalytic transparent coatings and titania-based solar cells are the immediate promising applications. However, a wealth of new prospective uses have emerged on the horizon, such as advanced catalysts, perm-selective membranes, optical materials based on plasmonics and photonics, metamaterials, biomaterials or new magnetic nanocomposites. Current and novel applications rely on the ultimate control of the materials features such as pore size and geometry, surface functionality and wall structure. Even if a certain control of these characteristics has been provided by the methods reported so far, the needs for the next generation of MTTF require a deeper insight in the physical and chemical processes taking place in their preparation and processing. This article presents a critical discussion of these aspects. This discussion is essential to evolve from know-how to sound knowledge, aiming at a rational materials design of these fascinating systems.

Fast synthesis, formation mechanism, and control of shell thickness of CuS–polystyrene core–shell microspheres

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, Li-min, E-mail: zhaolimin@lcu.ecu.cn; Shao, Xin; Yin, Yi-bin

2012-09-15

Graphical abstract: Core–shell structure PSt/CuS were prepared using polystyrene which were modified by 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane as template. The coating thickness of CuS can be controlled by the amount of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and the UV–vis absorption intensity of PSt/CuS composite also changed with the coating thickness of CuS. Highlights: ► Core–shell structure PSt/CuS were prepared using silanol-modified polystyrene microspheres as template. ► The coating thickness of core–shell structure PSt/CuS can be controlled by a simple method. ► The UV–vis absorption intensity of PSt/CuS composite also changed with the coating thickness of CuS. -- Abstract: The silanol-modified polystyrene microspheres were prepared through dispersion polymerization.more » Then copper sulfide particles were grown on silanol-modified polystyrene through sonochemical deposition in an aqueous bath containing copper acetate and sulfide, released through the hydrolysis of thioacetamide. The resulting particles were continuous and uniform as characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fourier transform infrared, thermogravimetric analysis and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure and properties of core–shell particles. The results showed the coating thickness of CuS shell can be controlled by the amount of silanol and the UV–vis absorption intensity of PSt/CuS composite also changed with the coating thickness of CuS.« less

Photocatalytic self-cleaning TiO2 coatings on carbonatic stones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergamonti, Laura; Bondioli, Federica; Alfieri, Ilaria; Lorenzi, Andrea; Mattarozzi, Monica; Predieri, Giovanni; Lottici, Pier Paolo

2016-02-01

A self-cleaning coating based on TiO2 nanoparticles obtained by sol-gel method in an alkaline environment has been tested on different types of carbonatic stones: Botticino, Carrara and Pietra Dorata, frequently used in historic buildings. XRD and Raman measurements confirmed the nanocrystalline nature of titania in anatase form, with 5-10 nm crystal size, and evidenced a small amount of brookite. A fast photocatalytic oxidation by TiO2 coatings of the stained stones with methyl orange and methylene blue under UV lamp irradiation has been assessed. The enhancement of surface wettability due to UV-induced TiO2 hydrophilicity has been evidenced by contact angle measurements. ESEM/EDS showed a surface distribution of the coating fairly homogeneous. The coating does not introduce significant colorimetric changes of the stones and does not alter the water capillarity absorption. Thus, the alkaline nanocrystalline TiO2 is promising for self-cleaning coatings on carbonatic stones.

Chemical and thermal stability of core-shelled magnetite nanoparticles and solid silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cendrowski, Krzysztof; Sikora, Pawel; Zielinska, Beata; Horszczaruk, Elzbieta; Mijowska, Ewa

2017-06-01

Pristine nanoparticles of magnetite were coated by solid silica shell forming core/shell structure. 20 nm thick silica coating significantly enhanced the chemical and thermal stability of the iron oxide. Chemical and thermal stability of this structure has been compared to the magnetite coated by mesoporous shell and pristine magnetite nanoparticles. It is assumed that six-membered silica rings in a solid silica shell limit the rate of oxygen diffusion during thermal treatment in air and prevent the access of HCl molecules to the core during chemical etching. Therefore, the core/shell structure with a solid shell requires a longer time to induce the oxidation of iron oxide to a higher oxidation state and, basically, even strong concentrated acid such as HCl is not able to dissolve it totally in one month. This leads to the desired performance of the material in potential applications such as catalysis and environmental protection.

Process for Making Ceramic Mold

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buck, Gregory M. (Inventor); Vasquez, Peter (Inventor)

2001-01-01

An improved process for slip casting molds that can be more economically automated and that also exhibits greater dimensional stability is disclosed. The process involves subjecting an investment pattern, preferably made from wax, to successive cycles of wet-dipping in a slurry of colloidal, silica-based binder and dry powder-coating, or stuccoing with plaster of Paris or calcium sulfate mixtures to produce a multi-layer shell over the pattern. The invention as claimed entails applying a primary and a secondary coating to the investment pattern. At least two wet-dipping on in a primary slurry and dry-stuccoing cycles provide the primary coating, and an additional two wet-dippings and dry-stuccoing cycles provide the secondary, or back-up, coating. The primary and secondary coatings produce a multi-layered shell pattern. The multi-layered shell pattern is placed in a furnace first to cure and harden, and then to vaporize the investment pattern, leaving a detailed, high precision shell mold.

Microspheres and nanoparticles from ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suh, Won Hyuk

Improved preparations of various examples of monodispersed, porous, hollow, and core-shell metal and semiconductor nanoparticles or nanowires have been developed. Now titania microspheres and nanoparticles and silica microspheres can be synthesized using an inexpensive high frequency (1.7 MHz) ultrasonic generator (household humidifier; ultrasonic spray pyrolysis; USP). Morphology and pore size of titania microspheres were controlled by the silica to Ti(IV) ratio and silica particle size. Fine tuning the precursor ratio affords sub-50 nm titania nanoparticles as well. In terms of silica microspheres, morphology was controlled by the silica to organic monomer ratio. In liquids irradiated with high intensity ultrasound (20 kHz; HIUS), acoustic cavitation produces high energy chemistry through intense local heating inside the gas phase of collapsing bubbles in the liquid. HIUS and USP confine the chemical reactions to isolated sub-micron reaction zones, but sonochemistry does so in a heated gas phase within a liquid, while USP uses a hot liquid droplet carried by a gas flow. Thus, USP can be viewed as a method of phase-separated synthesis using submicron-sized droplets as isolated chemical reactors for nanomaterial synthesis. While USP has been used to create both titania and silica spheres separately, there are no prior reports of titania-silica composites. Such nanocomposites of metal oxides have been produced, and by further manipulation, various porous structures with fascinating morphologies were generated. Briefly, a precursor solution was nebulized using a commercially available household ultrasonic humidifier (1.7 MHz ultrasound generator), and the resulting mist was carried in a gas stream of air through a quartz glass tube in a hot furnace. After exiting the hot zone, these microspheres are porous or hollow and in certain cases magnetically responsive. In the case of titania microspheres, they are rapidly taken up into the cytoplasm of mammalian cells and nearly noncytoxic. Small molecules like Rhodamine and DHED (dehydroevodiamine HCl; Alzheimer's disease therapeutic) can be delivered along with them. Furthermore, synthesis of carbon nanoparticles and titanate nanotube species are possible utilizing these microspheres. Characterizations were done by SEM, (S)TEM, optical/confocal microscopy, XRD, XPS, EDS, SAED, zeta potential, and BET.

A modified carbothermal reduction method for preparation of high-performance nano-scale core/shell Cu 6Sn 5 alloy anodes in Li-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Wangjun; Wang, Fei; Wang, Jie; Liu, Haijing; Wang, Congxiao; Xia, Yongyao

Core-shell structured, carbon-coated, nano-scale Cu 6Sn 5 has been prepared by a modified carbothermal reduction method using polymer coated mixed oxides of CuO and SnO 2 as precursors. On heat treatment, the mixture oxides were converted into Cu 6Sn 5 alloy by carbothermal reduction. Simultaneously, the remnants carbon was coated on the surface of the Cu 6Sn 5 particles to form a core-shell structure. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images demonstrate that the well-coated carbon layer effectively prevents the encapsulated, low melting point alloy from out flowing in a high-temperature treatment process. Core-shell structured, carbon coated Cu 6Sn 5 delivers a reversible capacity of 420 mAh g -1 with capacity retention of 80% after 50 cycles. The improvement in the cycling ability can be attributed to the fact that the carbon-shell prevents aggregation and pulverization of nano-sized tin-based alloy particles during charge/discharge cycling.

Self-Assembled Double-Quarter Antireflective Coatings using Silica and Titania Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lal, Anitesh; Castedo Velasco, Raisa; Mazilu, Dan

2011-03-01

Antireflective coatings have a wide range of applications, from eyeglass and camera lenses, to solar panels and optoelectronic devices, to name just a few. Our study examines several factors that affect the quality of antireflective coatings created by the self-assembly of alternating layers of SiO2 and/or TiO2 nanoparticles and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) polycation on glass substrates. We use a factorial design to investigate the effects of the molarity of the nanoparticle solution, the size of the nanoparticles, the pH of the nanoparticle and polycation solutions, and the number of nanoparticle-polycation bilayers on the optical properties of the films. The first order effects of these factors, as well as their interactions, on the reflectance, transmittance, and uniformity of the coatings are reported.

Characterization, Corrosion Resistance, and Cell Response of High-Velocity Flame-Sprayed HA and HA/TiO2 Coatings on 316L SS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Tejinder Pal; Singh, Harpreet; Singh, Hazoor

2012-09-01

The main aim of this study is to evaluate corrosion and biocompatibility behavior of thermal spray hydroxyapatite (HA) and hydroxyapatite/titania bond (HA/TiO2)-coated 316L stainless steel (316L SS). In HA/TiO2 coatings, TiO2 was used as a bond coat between HA top coat and 316L SS substrate. The coatings were characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy, and corrosion resistance determined for the uncoated substrate and the two coatings. The biological behavior was investigated by the cell culture studies using osteosarcoma cell line KHOS-NP (R-970-5). The corrosion resistance of the steel was found to increase after the deposition of the HA and HA/TiO2 bond coatings. Both HA, as well as, HA/TiO2 coatings exhibit excellent bond strength of 49 and 47 MPa, respectively. The cell culture studies showed that HA-coated 316L SS specimens appeared more biocompatible than the uncoated and HA/TiO2-coated 316L SS specimens.

Quantitative Comparison of Protein Adsorption and Conformational Changes on Dielectric-Coated Nanoplasmonic Sensing Arrays.

PubMed

Ferhan, Abdul Rahim; Jackman, Joshua A; Sut, Tun Naw; Cho, Nam-Joon

2018-04-22

Nanoplasmonic sensors are a popular, surface-sensitive measurement tool to investigate biomacromolecular interactions at solid-liquid interfaces, opening the door to a wide range of applications. In addition to high surface sensitivity, nanoplasmonic sensors have versatile surface chemistry options as plasmonic metal nanoparticles can be coated with thin dielectric layers. Within this scope, nanoplasmonic sensors have demonstrated promise for tracking protein adsorption and substrate-induced conformational changes on oxide film-coated arrays, although existing studies have been limited to single substrates. Herein, we investigated human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption onto silica- and titania-coated arrays of plasmonic gold nanodisks by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) measurements and established an analytical framework to compare responses across multiple substrates with different sensitivities. While similar responses were recorded on the two substrates for HSA adsorption under physiologically-relevant ionic strength conditions, distinct substrate-specific behavior was observed at lower ionic strength conditions. With decreasing ionic strength, larger measurement responses occurred for HSA adsorption onto silica surfaces, whereas HSA adsorption onto titania surfaces occurred independently of ionic strength condition. Complementary quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) measurements were also performed, and the trend in adsorption behavior was similar. Of note, the magnitudes of the ionic strength-dependent LSPR and QCM-D measurement responses varied, and are discussed with respect to the measurement principle and surface sensitivity of each technique. Taken together, our findings demonstrate how the high surface sensitivity of nanoplasmonic sensors can be applied to quantitatively characterize protein adsorption across multiple surfaces, and outline broadly-applicable measurement strategies for biointerfacial science applications.

Photo-Catalytic Properties of TiO2 Supported on MWCNTs, SBA-15 and Silica-Coated MWCNTs Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Ramoraswi, Nteseng O; Ndungu, Patrick G

2015-12-01

Mesoporous silica, specifically SBA-15, acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a hybrid nanocomposite of SBA-15 coated onto the sidewalls acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared and used as supports for anatase TiO2. Sol-gel methods were adapted for the synthesis of selected supports and for coating the materials with selected wt% loading of titania. Physical and chemical properties of the supports and catalyst composite materials were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The photo-activity of the catalyst composites were evaluated on the decolorisation of methylene blue as a model pollutant. Coating CNTs with SBA-15 improved the thermal stability and textural properties of the nanotubes. All supported titania composites had high surface areas (207-301 m(2)/g), altered band gap energies and reduced TiO2 crystallite sizes. The TiO2/SBA-CNT composite showed enhanced photo-catalytic properties and activity than the TiO2/SBA-15 and TiO2/CNT composites. In addition, an interesting observation was noted with the TiO2/SBA-15 nanocomposites, which had a significantly greater photo-catalytic activity than the TiO2/CNT nanocomposites in spite of the high electron-hole recombination phenomena observed with the photoluminescence results. Discussions in terms of morphological, textural and physical-chemical aspects to account for the result are presented.

Photo-Catalytic Properties of TiO2 Supported on MWCNTs, SBA-15 and Silica-Coated MWCNTs Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramoraswi, Nteseng O.; Ndungu, Patrick G.

2015-10-01

Mesoporous silica, specifically SBA-15, acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and a hybrid nanocomposite of SBA-15 coated onto the sidewalls acid-treated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared and used as supports for anatase TiO2. Sol-gel methods were adapted for the synthesis of selected supports and for coating the materials with selected wt% loading of titania. Physical and chemical properties of the supports and catalyst composite materials were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. The photo-activity of the catalyst composites were evaluated on the decolorisation of methylene blue as a model pollutant. Coating CNTs with SBA-15 improved the thermal stability and textural properties of the nanotubes. All supported titania composites had high surface areas (207-301 m2/g), altered band gap energies and reduced TiO2 crystallite sizes. The TiO2/SBA-CNT composite showed enhanced photo-catalytic properties and activity than the TiO2/SBA-15 and TiO2/CNT composites. In addition, an interesting observation was noted with the TiO2/SBA-15 nanocomposites, which had a significantly greater photo-catalytic activity than the TiO2/CNT nanocomposites in spite of the high electron-hole recombination phenomena observed with the photoluminescence results. Discussions in terms of morphological, textural and physical-chemical aspects to account for the result are presented.

Sustainable steric stabilization of colloidal titania nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbasuney, Sherif

2017-07-01

A route to produce a stable colloidal suspension is essential if mono-dispersed particles are to be successfully synthesized, isolated, and used in subsequent nanocomposite manufacture. Dispersing nanoparticles in fluids was found to be an important approach for avoiding poor dispersion characteristics. However, there is still a great tendency for colloidal nanoparticles to flocculate over time. Steric stabilization can prevent coagulation by introducing a thick adsorbed organic layer which constitutes a significant steric barrier that can prevent the particle surfaces from coming into direct contact. One of the main features of hydrothermal synthesis technique is that it offers novel approaches for sustainable nanoparticle surface modification. This manuscript reports on the sustainable steric stabilization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Nanoparticle surface modification was performed via two main approaches including post-synthesis and in situ surface modification. The tuneable hydrothermal conditions (i.e. temperature, pressure, flow rates, and surfactant addition) were optimized to enable controlled steric stabilization in a continuous fashion. Effective post synthesis surface modification with organic ligand (dodecenyl succinic anhydride (DDSA)) was achieved; the optimum surface coating temperature was reported to be 180-240 °C to ensure DDSA ring opening and binding to titania nanoparticles. Organic-modified titania demonstrated complete change in surface properties from hydrophilic to hydrophobic and exhibited phase transfer from the aqueous phase to the organic phase. Exclusive surface modification in the reactor was found to be an effective approach; it demonstrated surfactant loading level 2.2 times that of post synthesis surface modification. Titania was also stabilized in aqueous media using poly acrylic acid (PAA) as polar polymeric dispersant. PAA-titania nanoparticles demonstrated a durable amorphous polymeric layer of 2 nm thickness. This manuscript revealed the state of the art for the real development of stable colloidal mono-dispersed particles with controlled surface properties.

Interfacial effect on the structural and optical properties of pure SnO2 and dual shells (ZnO; SiO2) coated SnO2 core-shell nanospheres for optoelectronic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selvi, N.; Sankar, S.; Dinakaran, K.

2014-12-01

Nanocrystallites of SnO2 core and dual shells (ZnO, SiO2) coated SnO2 core-shell nanospheres were successfully synthesized by co-precipitation method. The as prepared and annealed samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and UV-Vis analysis. XRD pattern confirms the obtained SnO2 core with tetragonal rutile crystalline structure and the shell ZnO with hexagonal structure. FTIR result shows the functional groups present in the samples. The spherical morphology and the formation of the core-shell structures have been confirmed by HRTEM measurements. The UV-Vis showed that band gap is red shifted for as-prepared and the shells coated core-shell samples. From this investigation it can be concluded that the surface modification with different metal and insulating oxides strongly influences the optical properties of the core-shell materials which enhance their potential applications towards optical devices fabrication.

Large enhanced dielectric permittivity in polyaniline passivated core-shell nano magnetic iron oxide by plasma polymerization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joy, Lija K.; Sooraj, V.; Sethulakshmi, N.

2014-03-24

Commercial samples of Magnetite with size ranging from 25–30 nm were coated with polyaniline by using radio frequency plasma polymerization to achieve a core shell structure of magnetic nanoparticle (core)–Polyaniline (shell). High resolution transmission electron microscopy images confirm the core shell architecture of polyaniline coated iron oxide. The dielectric properties of the material were studied before and after plasma treatment. The polymer coated magnetite particles exhibited a large dielectric permittivity with respect to uncoated samples. The dielectric behavior was modeled using a Maxwell–Wagner capacitor model. A plausible mechanism for the enhancement of dielectric permittivity is proposed.

Hydrophilic excipients modulate the time lag of time-controlled disintegrating press-coated tablets.

PubMed

Lin, Shan-Yang; Li, Mei-Jane; Lin, Kung-Hsu

2004-08-16

An oral press-coated tablet was developed by means of direct compression to achieve the time-controlled disintegrating or rupturing function with a distinct predetermined lag time. This press-coated tablet containing sodium diclofenac in the inner core was formulated with an outer shell by different weight ratios of hydrophobic polymer of micronized ethylcellulose (EC) powder and hydrophilic excipients such as spray-dried lactose (SDL) or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). The effect of the formulation of an outer shell comprising both hydrophobic polymer and hydrophilic excipients on the time lag of drug release was investigated. The release profile of the press-coated tablet exhibited a time period without drug release (time lag) followed by a rapid and complete release phase, in which the outer shell ruptured or broke into 2 halves. The lag phase was markedly dependent on the weight ratios of EC/SDL or EC/HPMC in the outer shell. Different time lags of the press-coated tablets from 1.0 to 16.3 hours could be modulated by changing the type and amount of the excipients. A semilogarithmic plot of the time lag of the tablet against the weight ratios of EC/SDL or EC/HPMC in the outer shell demonstrated a good linear relationship, with r = 0.976 and r = 0.982, respectively. The predetermined time lag prior to the drug release from a press-coated tablet prepared by using a micronized EC as a retarding coating shell can be adequately scheduled with the addition of hydrophilic excipients according to the time or site requirements.

Influence of Operating Parameters on Surface Properties of RF Glow Discharge Oxygen Plasma Treated TiO2/PET Film for Biomedical Application

EPA Science Inventory

Thin transparent titania (TiO2) films were coated on the surface of flexible poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) surface using standard sol gel techniques. The TiO2/PET thin film surfaces were further modified by exposing the films to a RF glow discharge oxygen plasma. The exposu...

Press-coated tablets for time-programmed release of drugs.

PubMed

Conte, U; Maggi, L; Torre, M L; Giunchedi, P; La Manna, A

1993-10-01

A new dry-coated device for the release of drug after a programmable period of time is proposed. It is intended to be used mainly in the therapy of those diseases which depend on circadian rhythms. Some core formulations, characterized by different release rates and mechanisms (containing diltiazem hydrochloride or sodium diclofenac as model drugs), were coated by compression with different polymeric barrier layers (press-coated systems). The shell formulations tested contained either gellable or erodible polymers. The dissolution profiles of uncoated cores and press-coated devices were compared. The gellable and/or erodible characteristics (properties) of the barrier formulations were also examined by means of a penetrometer. The coatings prevent drug release from the core until the polymeric shell is completely eroded or swollen. This delay in release start is not influenced by the core composition and depends only on the shell formulation. Except for the time-lag, the release kinetics of the drug contained in the core are not significantly influenced by the presence of the erodible barrier, but can be widely modulated using a swellable polymeric shell.

Fabrication of a pure TiO2 thin film using a self-polymeric titania nano-sol and its properties.

PubMed

Park, Won-Kyu; Song, Jeong-Hwan; Kim, Soo-Ryong; Kim, Tae-Hyun; Iwasaki, Mitusnobo

2012-02-01

A pure TiO2 thin film without adding any organic binder was fabricated by using a self-polymeric titania nano-sol (14 mass%), which was prepared by the acid peptization method. The particle size distribution in the 14 mass% TiO2 sol, in which almost of particles had a size below 10.2 nm and the crystal phase confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis was anatase. The diluted nano-sol had a capability to form a thin film at a low temperature (100-400 degrees C) on the slide glass by dipping method. The average thickness of a coating film was measured to be about 0.25-0.30 microm. A coated film had a high refractive index over 1.88 at least irrespective of the heat-treatment even at room temperature drying and showed a super-hydrophilicity (< 5 degrees) after 20 minutes under Ultra Violet light irradiation, and it sustained in the darkness during a long period over 7 days depending on the heat-treatment conditions. Atomic Force Microscopic observation shows that the morphology of a heat-treated film had a relationship with the long-term hydrophilicity in the darkness.

Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic properties of core/shell mesoporous silica nanospheres supporting nanocrystalline titania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cendrowski, K.; Chen, X.; Zielinska, B.; Kalenczuk, R. J.; Rümmeli, M. H.; Büchner, B.; Klingeler, R.; Borowiak-Palen, E.

2011-11-01

The facile bulk synthesis of silica nanospheres makes them an attractive support for the transport of chemical compounds such as nanocrystalline titanium dioxide. In this contribution we present a promising route for the synthesis of mesoporous silica nanospheres (m-SiO2) with diameter in range 200 nm, which are ideal supports for nanocrystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2). The detailed microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations of core/shell structure (m-SiO2/TiO2) were conducted. Moreover, the photocatalytic potential of the nanostructures was investigated via phenol decomposition and hydrogen generation. A clear enhancement of photoactivity in both reactions as compared to commercial TiO2-Degussa P25 catalyst is detected.

Multifunctional gold coated iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles stabilized using thiolated sodium alginate for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Sood, Ankur; Arora, Varun; Shah, Jyoti; Kotnala, R K; Jain, Tapan K

2017-11-01

In this paper we report synthesis of aqueous based gold coated iron oxide nanoparticles to integrate the localized surface plasma resonance (SPR) properties of gold and magnetic properties of iron oxide in a single system. Iron oxide-gold core shell nanoparticles were stabilized by attachment of thiolated sodium alginate to the surface of nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) micrograph presents an average elementary particle size of 8.1±2.1nm. High resolution TEM (HR-TEM) and X-ray photon spectroscopy further confirms the presence of gold shell around iron oxide core. Gold coating is responsible for reducing saturation magnetization (M s ) value from ~41emu/g to ~24emu/g - in thiolated sodium alginate stabilized gold coated iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles. The drug (curcumin) loading efficiency for the prepared nanocomposites was estimated to be around 7.2wt% (72μgdrug/mg nanoparticles) with encapsulation efficiency of 72.8%. Gold-coated iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles could be of immense importance in the field of targeted drug delivery along with capability to be used as contrast agent for MRI & CT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing absorption in coated semiconductor nanowire/nanorod core-shell arrays using active host matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jule, Leta; Dejene, Francis; Roro, Kittessa

2016-12-01

In the present work, we investigated theoretically and experimentally the interaction of radiation field phenomena interacting with arrays of nanowire/nanorod core-shell embedded in active host matrices. The optical properties of composites are explored including the case when the absorption of propagating wave by dissipative component is completely compensated by amplification in active (lasing) medium. On the basis of more elaborated modeling approach and extended effective medium theory, the effective polarizability and the refractive index of electromagnetic mode dispersion of the core-shell nanowire arrays are derived. ZnS(shell)-coated by sulphidation process on ZnO(shell) nanorod arrays grown on (100) silicon substrate by chemical bath deposition (CBD) has been used for theoretical comparison. Compared with the bare ZnO nanorods, ZnS-coated core/shell nanorods exhibit a strongly reduced ultraviolet (UV) emission and a dramatically enhanced deep level (DL) emission. Obviously, the UV and DL emission peaks are attributed to the emissions of ZnO nanorods within ZnO/ZnS core/shell nanorods. The reduction of UV emission after ZnS coating seems to agree with the charge separation mechanism of type-II band alignment that holes transfer from the core to shell, which would quench the UV emission to a certain extent. Our theoretical calculations and numerical simulation demonstrate that the use of active host (amplifying) medium to compensate absorption at metallic inclusions. Moreover the core-shell nanorod/nanowire arrays create the opportunity for broad band absorption and light harvesting applications.

Projection par plasma de depots de dioxyde de titane: Contribution a l'etude de leurs microstructures et proprietes electriques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branland, Nadege

2002-04-01

The aim of this PhD work is, thanks to particle parameters (velocity and temperature) characterization, to try to understand the influence of plasma spray parameters on titania coating microstructures and the influence of the latter one on their electrical resistivity, for the same substrate conditions. The experimental approach has consisted in using two plasma spraying processes (Arc plasma spraying and Inductive plasma spraying) which have permitted to obtain a broad range of particle velocities and temperatures leading to coatings with specific microstructures. Despite the stoichiometry of the starting powder, all coatings obtained were grey, the oxygen loss increasing with the particle temperature. Isolating the stoichiometry influence has permitted to show that the decrease of the coatings electrical resistivity is especially due to the decrease of the number of bad interlamellar contacts.

Numerical Investigation on Absorption Enhancement of Black Carbon Aerosols Partially Coated With Nonabsorbing Organics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaolin; Mao, Mao; Yin, Yan; Wang, Bin

2018-01-01

This study numerically evaluates the effects of aerosol microphysics, including coated volume fraction of black carbon (BC), shell/core ratio, and size distribution, on the absorption enhancement (Eab) of polydisperse BC aggregates partially coated by organics, which is calculated by the exact multiple-sphere T-matrix method. The coated volume fraction of BC plays a substantial role in determining the absorption enhancement of partially coated BC aggregates, which typically have an Eab in the range of 1.0-2.0 with a larger value for larger coated volume fraction of BC as the shell/core ratio, BC geometry, and size distribution are fixed. The shell/core ratio, BC geometry, and size distribution have little impact on the Eab of coated BC with small coated volume fraction of BC, while they become significant for large coated volume fraction of BC. The Eab of partially coated BC particles can be slightly less than 1.0 for the large BC in the accumulation mode exhibiting large shell/core ratio and small coated volume fraction of BC, indicating that the absorption shows even slight decrease relative to uncoated BC particles. For partially coated BC aggregates in the accumulation and coarse modes, the refractive index uncertainties of BC result in the Eab differences of less than 9% and 2%, respectively, while those of organics can induce larger variations with the maximum differences up to 22% and 18%, respectively. Our study indicates that accounting for particle coating microphysics, particularly the coated volume fraction of BC, can potentially help to understand the differences in observations of largely variable absorption enhancements over various regions.

Quantitative Phase Composition of TiO 2-Coated Nanoporous-Au Monoliths by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy and Correlations to Catalytic

DOE PAGES

Bagge-Hansen, Michael; Wichmann, Andre; Wittstock, Arne; ...

2014-02-03

Porous titania/metal composite materials have many potential applications in the fields of green catalysis, energy harvesting, and storage in which both the overall morphology of the nanoporous host material and the crystallographic phase of the titania (TiO 2) guest determine the material’s performance. New insights into the structure–function relationships of these materials were obtained by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy that, for example, provides quantitative crystallographic phase composition from ultrathin, nanostructured titania films, including sensitivity to amorphous components. We demonstrate that crystallographic phase, morphology, and catalytic activity of TiO 2-functionalized nanoporous gold (np-Au) can be controlled by amore » simple annealing procedure (T < 1300 K). The material was prepared by atomic layer deposition of ~2 nm thick TiO 2 on millimeter-sized samples of np-Au (40–50 nm mean ligament size) and catalytically investigated with respect to aerobic CO oxidation. Moreover, the annealing-induced changes in catalytic activity are correlated with concurrent morphology and phase changes as provided by cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy.« less

Hybrid nanomaterial for stabilizing the antibiofilm activity of Eugenia carryophyllata essential oil.

PubMed

Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Saviuc, Crina; Grumezescu, Valentina; Hristu, Radu; Mihaiescu, Dan Eduard; Stanciu, George A; Andronescu, Ecaterina

2012-12-01

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate that Fe(3)O(4)/oleic acid core/shell nanostructures could be used as systems for stabilizing the Eugenia carryophyllata essential oil (EO) on catheter surface pellicles, in order to improve their resistance to fungal colonization. EO microwave assisted extraction was performed in a Neo-Clevenger (related) device and its chemical composition was settled by GC-MS analysis. Fe(3)O(4)/oleic acid-core/shell nanoparticles (NP) were obtained by a precipitation method under microwave condition. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) was used as a primary characterization method. The NPs were processed to achieve a core/shell/EO coated-shell nanosystem further used for coating the inner surface of central venous catheter samples. The tested fungal strains have been recently isolated from different clinical specimens. The biofilm architecture was assessed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Our results claim the usage of hybrid nanomaterial (core/shell/coated-shell) for the stabilization of E. carryophyllata EO, which prevented or inhibited the fungal biofilm development on the functionalized catheter, highlighting the opportunity of using these nanosystems to obtain improved, anti-biofilm coatings for biomedical applications.

Metal coated colloidosomes as carriers for an antibiotic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qian; Zhao, Ziyan; Hall, Elizabeth A. H.; Routh, Alexander F.

2018-06-01

Colloidosomes are polymer shell microcapsules. They are stable and easy to prepare and have been used to encapsulate drugs for release at specific areas in the body. Traditional polymer shell capsules cannot totally seal drugs, since they are porous and small molecules diffuse through the polymer shell. In this paper, we report a method for encapsulating an antibiotic kanamycin using gold or silver coated colloidosomes. The colloidosomes are impermeable and can be triggered using ultrasound. To investigate the application of the capsules in a biological system, Escherichia Coli (E.coli) was chosen as a model organism. After triggering, the released antibiotic, as well as the metal shell fragments, kill E.coli. Both the silver and gold shells colloidosomes are toxic to this bacterial system and the gold coated colloidosomes can load a higher concentration of kanamycin.

Surface functionalization of magnetite nanoparticle: A new approach using condensation of alkoxysilanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, A. F. R.; Costa, T. P.; Bini, R. A.; Faria, F. S. E. D. V.; Azevedo, R. B.; Jafelicci, M.; Coaquira, J. A. H.; Martínez, M. A. R.; Mantilla, J. C.; Marques, R. F. C.; Morais, P. C.

2017-09-01

In this study we report on successful production of two samples (BR15 and BR16) comprising magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles ( 10 nm) surface-functionalized via hydrolysis and condensation of alkoxysilane agents, namely 3-aminopropyl-trimethoxisilane (APTS) and N-propyl-trimethoxisilane (NPTS). The as-produced samples were characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetization measurements (5 K and 300 K hysteresis cycles and zero field-cooled/field-cooled measurements), and Mössbauer spectroscopy (77 and 297 K). The Mössbauer data supported the model picture of a core-shell magnetite-based system. This material system shows shell properties influenced by the surface-coating design, either APTS-coated (BR15) or APTS+NPTS-coated (sample BR16). Analyses of the Mössbauer spectra indicates that the APTS-coated sample presents Fe(III)-rich core and Fe(II)-rich shell with strong hyperfine field; whereas, the APTS+NPTS-coated sample leads to a mixture of two main nanostructures, one essentially surface-terminated with APTS whereas the other surface-terminated with NPTS, both presenting weak hyperfine fields compared with the single surface-coated sample. Magnetization measurements support the core-shell picture built from the analyses of the Mössbauer data. Our findings emphasize the capability of the Mössbauer spectroscopy in assessing subtle differences in surface-functionalized iron-based core-shell nanostructures.

Preparation of ceramic coating on Ti substrate by Plasma electrolytic oxidation in different electrolytes and evaluation of its corrosion resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shokouhfar, M.; Dehghanian, C.; Baradaran, A.

2011-01-01

Ceramic oxide coatings (titania) were produced on Ti by micro-arc oxidation in different aluminate and carbonate based electrolytes. This process was conducted under constant pulsed DC voltage condition. The effect of KOH and NaF in aluminate based solution was also studied. The surface morphology, growth and phase composition of coatings were investigated using scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction. Corrosion behavior of the coatings was also examined by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was found that the sparking initiation voltage (spark voltage) had a significant effect on the form and properties of coatings. Coatings obtained from potassium aluminate based solution had a lower spark voltage, higher surface homogeneity and a better corrosion resistance than the carbonate based solution. Addition of NaF instead of KOH had improper effects on the homogeneity and adhesion of coatings which in turn caused a poor corrosion protection behavior of the oxide layer. AC impedance curves showed two time constants which is an indication of the coatings with an outer porous layer and an inner compact layer.

Bio-Inspired Hierarchical Nanofibrous Fe3O4-TiO2-Carbon Composite as a High-Performance Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Li, Shun; Wang, Mengya; Luo, Yan; Huang, Jianguo

2016-07-13

A bioinspired hierarchical nanofibrous Fe3O4-TiO2-carbon composite was fabricated by employing natural cellulose substance (e.g., filter paper) as both the scaffold and the carbon source and showed improved electrochemical performances when it is employed as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. FeOOH nanoparticles were first grown uniformly onto the surface of the titania thin-layer precoated cellulose nanofibers, and thereafter, the as-prepared FeOOH-TiO2-cellulose composite was calcined and carbonized in argon atmosphere at 500 °C for 6 h to produce the Fe3O4-TiO2-carbon composite. The resultant composite possesses a hierarchical structure that was faithfully inherited from the initial cellulose substance, which was composed of titania-coated carbon fibers with corncob-like shaped Fe3O4 nanoparticles immobilized on the surfaces. The diameter of the composite nanofiber is ca. 100-200 nm, and the diameter of the Fe3O4 nanoparticle is about 30 nm, which is coated with an ultrathin carbon layer with a thickness about 3 nm. This composite displayed superior lithium-ion storage performance. It showed a first-cycle discharge capacity of 1340 mAh/g, delivering a stable reversible capacity of ca. 525 mAh/g after 100 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 100 mA/g, and the efficiency is as high as ca. 95% of the theoretical value. This is much higher than those of the commercial Fe3O4 powder (160 mAh/g) and the Fe3O4-carbon counter material (310 mAh/g). It was demonstrated that the thin titania precoating layer (thickness ca. 3-5 nm) is necessary for the high content loading of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles onto the carbon nanofibers. Owing to the unique three-dimensional porous network structure of the carbon-fiber scaffold, together with the ultrathin outer carbon-coating layer, the composite showed significantly improved cycling stability and rate capability.

MAO-derived hydroxyapatite/TiO2 nanostructured multi-layer coatings on titanium substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, S.; Golestani-Fard, F.; Rezaie, H. R.; Mirhosseini, S. M. M.

2012-11-01

In this study, titanium substrates which previously oxidized through Micro arc oxidation method, was coated by Hydroxyapatite (HAp) coating once more by means of the same method. Morphology, topography and chemical properties as well as phase composition and thickness of layers were studied to reveal the effect of the electrolyte concentration on coating features. According to results, the obtained coatings are consisted of HAp and titania as the major phases along with minor amounts of calcium titanate and α-tri calcium phosphate. Ca and P are present on surface of obtained layers as well as predictable Ti and O based on the XPS results. Thickness profile of coatings figured out that by increasing the electrolyte concentration, especially by addition of more Calcium Acetate (CA) to electrolyte, the thickness of HAp layer would rise, consequently. However, the influence of coating time on thickness of obtained coatings would be more considerable than electrolyte concentration. High specific area coatings with nest morphology were obtained in Electrolyte containing 5 g/L β-Glycero Phosphate (β-GP) and 5 g/L CA. Increasing coating duration time in this kind of coatings would cause deduction of the nesting in their structure.

Surface coating with Ca(OH)2 for improvement of the transport of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) in porous media.

PubMed

Wei, Cai-jie; Li, Xiao-yan

2013-01-01

A novel thermal deposition method was developed to coat Ca(OH)2 on the surface of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI). The nZVI particles with the Ca(OH)2 coating layer, nZVI/Ca(OH)2, had a clear core-shell structure based on the transmission electron microscopy observations, and the Ca(OH)2 shell was identified as an amorphous phase. The Ca(OH)2 coating shell would not only function as an effective protection layer for nZVI but also improve the mobility of nZVI in porous media for its use in environmental decontamination. A 10% Ca/Fe mass ratio was found to result in a proper thickness of the Ca(OH)2 shell on the nZVI surface. Based on the filtration tests in sand columns, the Ca(OH)2-based surface coating could greatly improve the mobility and transport of nZVI particles in porous media. In addition, batch experiments were conducted to evaluate the reactivity of Ca(OH)2-coated nZVI particles for the reduction of Cr(VI) and its removal from water.

Core-shell-shell heterostructures of α-NaLuF4:Yb/Er@NaLuF4:Yb@MF2 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) with remarkably enhanced upconversion luminescence.

PubMed

Su, Yue; Liu, Xiuling; Lei, Pengpeng; Xu, Xia; Dong, Lile; Guo, Xianmin; Yan, Xingxu; Wang, Peng; Song, Shuyan; Feng, Jing; Zhang, Hongjie

2016-07-05

Core-shell-shell heterostructures of α-NaLuF4:Yb/Er@NaLuF4:Yb@MF2 (M = Ca, Sr, Ba) have been successfully fabricated via the thermal decomposition method. Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), upconversion luminescence (UCL) spectroscopy, etc. Under 980 nm excitation, the emission intensities of the UCNPs are remarkably enhanced after coating the MF2 (M = Ca, Sr, and Ba) shell. Among these samples, CaF2 coated UCNPs show the strongest overall emission, while BaF2 coated UCNPs exhibit the longest lifetime. These results demonstrate that alkaline earth metal fluorides are ideal materials to improve the UCL properties. Meanwhile, although the lattice mismatch between the ternary NaREF4 core and the binary MF2 (M = Sr and Ba) shell is relatively large, the successfully synthesized NaLuF4:Yb/Er@NaLuF4:Yb@MF2 indicates a new outlook on the fabrication of heterostructural core-shell UCNPs.

Converting ceria polyhedral nanoparticles into single-crystal nanospheres.

PubMed

Feng, Xiangdong; Sayle, Dean C; Wang, Zhong Lin; Paras, M Sharon; Santora, Brian; Sutorik, Anthony C; Sayle, Thi X T; Yang, Yi; Ding, Yong; Wang, Xudong; Her, Yie-Shein

2006-06-09

Ceria nanoparticles are one of the key abrasive materials for chemical-mechanical planarization of advanced integrated circuits. However, ceria nanoparticles synthesized by existing techniques are irregularly faceted, and they scratch the silicon wafers and increase defect concentrations. We developed an approach for large-scale synthesis of single-crystal ceria nanospheres that can reduce the polishing defects by 80% and increase the silica removal rate by 50%, facilitating precise and reliable mass-manufacturing of chips for nanoelectronics. We doped the ceria system with titanium, using flame temperatures that facilitate crystallization of the ceria yet retain the titania in a molten state. In conjunction with molecular dynamics simulation, we show that under these conditions, the inner ceria core evolves in a single-crystal spherical shape without faceting, because throughout the crystallization it is completely encapsulated by a molten 1- to 2-nanometer shell of titania that, in liquid state, minimizes the surface energy. The principle demonstrated here could be applied to other oxide systems.

A model for large amplitude oscillations of coated bubbles accounting for buckling and rupture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marmottant, Philippe; van der Meer, Sander; Emmer, Marcia; Versluis, Michel; de Jong, Nico; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha; Lohse, Detlef

2005-12-01

We present a model applicable to ultrasound contrast agent bubbles that takes into account the physical properties of a lipid monolayer coating on a gas microbubble. Three parameters describe the properties of the shell: a buckling radius, the compressibility of the shell, and a break-up shell tension. The model presents an original non-linear behavior at large amplitude oscillations, termed compression-only, induced by the buckling of the lipid monolayer. This prediction is validated by experimental recordings with the high-speed camera Brandaris 128, operated at several millions of frames per second. The effect of aging, or the resultant of repeated acoustic pressure pulses on bubbles, is predicted by the model. It corrects a flaw in the shell elasticity term previously used in the dynamical equation for coated bubbles. The break-up is modeled by a critical shell tension above which gas is directly exposed to water.

A facile method for synthesis of well-coated ZnO@graphene core/shell structure by self-assembly of amine-functionalized ZnO and graphene oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunlong; Song, Lixin; Zhang, Yuzhi; Wang, Panpan; Liu, Yangqiao; Wu, Lingnan; Zhang, Tao

2016-06-01

The core/shell structure was formed by GO self-assembled with amine-functionalized commercial ZnO (CZO) and preparative hexagonal ZnO (HZO), respectively. Graphene-coated CZO and HZO were obtained after being reduced in Ar at 500 °C. The mechanism of the coating procedure was investigated by measuring their respective zeta potential values. Our characterizations demonstrate that graphene on HZO has better quality and fewer layers. An obvious band gap decrease of ZnO was observed for coating with graphene. Photoluminescence spectra of ZnO@graphene core/shell composites display the fluorescence quenching property, which indicates its good application prospect in optoelectronics, photocatalytic and other fields.

Electroless nickel - phosphorus coating on crab shell particles and its characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulvel, S.; Elayaperumal, A.; Jagatheeshwaran, M. S.

2017-04-01

Being hydrophilic material, crab shell particles have only a limited number of applications. It is, therefore, necessary to modify the surface of the crab shell particles. To make them useful ever for the applications, the main theme we proposed in this article is to utilize crab shell particles (CSP) with the core coated with nickel phosphorus (NiP) as a shell using the electroless coating process. For dealing with serious environmental problems, utilization of waste bio-shells is always an important factor to be considered. Chelating ability of crab shell particles eliminates the surface activation in this work proceeding to the coating process. The functional group, phase structure, microstructure, chemical composition and thermal analysis of CSP and NiP/CSP were characterized using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction analyzer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The combination of an amorphous and crystalline structure was exhibited by CSP and NiP/CSP. NiP/CSP has shown a better thermal stability when compared to uncoated CSP. Stability test, adsorption test, and conductivity test were conducted for the study of adsorption behavior and conductivity of the particles. CSP presented a hydrophilic property in contrast to hydrophobic NiP/CSP. NiP/CSP presented a conductivity of about 44% greater compared to the CSP without any fluctuations.

Magnetic spherical cores partly coated with periodic mesoporous organosilica single crystals.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Wei, Yong; Li, Wei; Deng, Yonghui; Zhao, Dongyuan

2012-03-07

Core-shell structured materials are of special significance in various applications. Until now, most reported core-shell structures have polycrystalline or amorphous coatings as their shell layers, with popular morphologies of microspheres or quasi-spheres. However, the single crystals, either mesoscale or atomic ones, are still rarely reported as shell layers. If single crystals can be coated on core materials, it would result in a range of new type core-shell structures with various morphologies, and probably more potential applications. In this work, we demonstrate that periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) single crystals can partly grow on magnetic microspheres to form incomplete Fe(3)O(4)@nSiO(2)@PMO core-shell materials in aqueous solution, which indeed is the first illustration that mesoporous single-crystal materials can be used as shell layers for preparation of core-shell materials. The achieved materials have advantages of high specific surface areas, good magnetic responses, embedded functional groups and cubic mesopore channels, which might provide them with various application conveniences. We suppose the partial growth is largely decided by the competition between growing tendency of single crystals and the resistances to this tendency. In principle, other single crystals, including a range of atomic single crystals, such as zeolites, are able to be developed into such core-shell structures.

Template-assisted electrostatic spray deposition as a new route to mesoporous, macroporous, and hierarchically porous oxide films.

PubMed

Sokolov, S; Paul, B; Ortel, E; Fischer, A; Kraehnert, R

2011-03-01

A novel film coating technique, template-assisted electrostatic spray deposition (TAESD), was developed for the synthesis of porous metal oxide films and tested on TiO(2). Organic templates are codeposited with the titania precursor by electrostatic spray deposition and then removed during calcination. Resultant films are highly porous with pores casted by uniformly sized templates, which introduced a new level of control over the pore morphology for the ESD method. Employing the amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic P123, PMMA latex spheres, or a combination of the two, mesoporous, macroporous, and hierarchically porous TiO(2) films are obtained. Decoupled from other coating parameters, film thickness can be controlled by deposition time or depositing multiple layers while maintaining the coating's structure and integrity.

Reconfigurable Polymer Shells on Shape-Anisotropic Gold Nanoparticle Cores.

PubMed

Kim, Juyeong; Song, Xiaohui; Kim, Ahyoung; Luo, Binbin; Smith, John W; Ou, Zihao; Wu, Zixuan; Chen, Qian

2018-05-03

Reconfigurable hybrid nanoparticles made by decorating flexible polymer shells on rigid inorganic nanoparticle cores can provide a unique means to build stimuli-responsive functional materials. The polymer shell reconfiguration has been expected to depend on the local core shape details, but limited systematic investigations have been undertaken. Here, two literature methods are adapted to coat either thiol-terminated polystyrene (PS) or polystyrene-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) shells onto a series of anisotropic gold nanoparticles of shapes not studied previously, including octahedron, concave cube, and bipyramid. These core shapes are complex, rendering shell contours with nanoscale details (e.g., local surface curvature, shell thickness) that are imaged and analyzed quantitatively using the authors' customized analysis codes. It is found that the hybrid nanoparticles based on the chosen core shapes, when coated with the above two polymer shells, exhibit distinct shell segregations upon a variation in solvent polarity or temperature. It is demonstrated for the PS-b-PAA-coated hybrid nanoparticles, the shell segregation is maintained even after a further decoration of the shell periphery with gold seeds; these seeds can potentially facilitate subsequent deposition of other nanostructures to enrich structural and functional diversity. These synthesis, imaging, and analysis methods for the hybrid nanoparticles of anisotropically shaped cores can potentially aid in their predictive design for materials reconfigurable from the bottom up. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Controlling drug delivery kinetics from mesoporous titania thin films by pore size and surface energy.

PubMed

Karlsson, Johan; Atefyekta, Saba; Andersson, Martin

2015-01-01

The osseointegration capacity of bone-anchoring implants can be improved by the use of drugs that are administrated by an inbuilt drug delivery system. However, to attain superior control of drug delivery and to have the ability to administer drugs of varying size, including proteins, further material development of drug carriers is needed. Mesoporous materials have shown great potential in drug delivery applications to provide and maintain a drug concentration within the therapeutic window for the desired period of time. Moreover, drug delivery from coatings consisting of mesoporous titania has shown to be promising to improve healing of bone-anchoring implants. Here we report on how the delivery of an osteoporosis drug, alendronate, can be controlled by altering pore size and surface energy of mesoporous titania thin films. The pore size was varied from 3.4 nm to 7.2 nm by the use of different structure-directing templates and addition of a swelling agent. The surface energy was also altered by grafting dimethylsilane to the pore walls. The drug uptake and release profiles were monitored in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and it was shown that both pore size and surface energy had a profound effect on both the adsorption and release kinetics of alendronate. The QCM-D data provided evidence that the drug delivery from mesoporous titania films is controlled by a binding-diffusion mechanism. The yielded knowledge of release kinetics is crucial in order to improve the in vivo tissue response associated to therapeutic treatments.

Plasma Amino Acid Coatings for a Conformal Growth of Titania Nanoparticles

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

of dry nitrogen. Periodic porous polymer SU8 templates fabricated using multi-beam IL according to published procedures have been supplied by Thomas...3D periodic polymer structures via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We demonstrate the efficient utilization of this functional amino acid...nanoparticles were grown directly on histidine-functionalized planar and 3D polymer substrates by a wet-chemistry method that showed uniform surface

Cracking the chocolate egg problem: polymeric films coated on curved substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brun, Pierre-Thomas; Lee, Anna; Marthelot, Joel; Balestra, Gioele; Gallaire, François; Reis, Pedro

2015-11-01

Inspired by the traditional chocolate egg recipe, we show that pouring a polymeric solution onto spherical molds yields a simple and robust path of fabrication of thin elastic curved shells. The drainage dynamics naturally leads to uniform coatings frozen in time as the polymer cures, which are subsequently peeled off their mold. We show how the polymer curing affects the drainage dynamics and eventually selects the shell thickness and sets its uniformity. To this end, we perform coating experiments using silicon based elastomers, Vinylpolysiloxane (VPS) and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). These results are rationalized combining numerical simulations of the lubrication flow field to a theoretical model of the dynamics yielding an analytical prediction of the formed shell characteristics. In particular, the robustness of the coating technique and its flexibility, two critical features for providing a generic framework for future studies, are shown to be an inherent consequence of the flow field (memory loss). The shell structure is both independent of initial conditions and tailorable by changing a single experimental parameter.

Photonic devices on planar and curved substrates and methods for fabrication thereof

DOEpatents

Bartl, Michael H.; Barhoum, Moussa; Riassetto, David

2016-08-02

A versatile and rapid sol-gel technique for the fabrication of high quality one-dimensional photonic bandgap materials. For example, silica/titania multi-layer materials may be fabricated by a sol-gel chemistry route combined with dip-coating onto planar or curved substrate. A shock-cooling step immediately following the thin film heat-treatment process is introduced. This step was found important in the prevention of film crack formation--especially in silica/titania alternating stack materials with a high number of layers. The versatility of this sol-gel method is demonstrated by the fabrication of various Bragg stack-type materials with fine-tuned optical properties by tailoring the number and sequence of alternating layers, the film thickness and the effective refractive index of the deposited thin films. Measured optical properties show good agreement with theoretical simulations confirming the high quality of these sol-gel fabricated optical materials.

Transmission electron microscopy of coatings formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation of titanium.

PubMed

Matykina, E; Arrabal, R; Skeldon, P; Thompson, G E

2009-05-01

Transmission electron microscopy and supporting film analyses are used to investigate the changes in composition, morphology and structure of coatings formed on titanium during DC plasma electrolytic oxidation in a calcium- and phosphorus-containing electrolyte. The coatings are of potential interest as bioactive surfaces. The initial barrier film, of mixed amorphous and nanocrystalline structure, formed below the sparking voltage of 180 V, incorporates small amounts of phosphorus and calcium species, with phosphorus confined to the outer approximately 63% of the coating thickness. On commencement of sparking, calcium- and phosphorus-rich amorphous material forms at the coating surface, with local heating promoting crystallization in underlying and adjacent anodic titania. The amorphous material thickens with increased treatment time, comprising almost the whole of the approximately 5.7-microm-thick coating formed at 340 V. At this stage, the coating is approximately 4.4 times thicker than the oxidized titanium, with a near-surface composition of about 12 at.% Ti, 58 at.% O, 19 at.% P and 11 at.% Ca. Further, the amount of titanium consumed in forming the coating is similar to that calculated from the anodizing charge, although there may be non-Faradaic contributions to the coating growth.

Development of a Prototype Nickel Optic for the Constellation-X Hard-X-Ray Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basso, S.; Bruni, R. J.; Citerio, O.; Engelhaupt, D.; Ghigo, M.; Gorenstien, P.; Mazzoleni, F.; ODell, S. L.; Pareschi, G.; Ramsey, B. D.

2003-01-01

The Constellation-X mission, planned for launch in 2011, will feature an array of hard-x ray telescopes with a total collecting area goal of 1500 square centimeters at 40 keV. Various technologies are currently being investigated for the optics of these telescopes including multilayer-coated Eletroformed-Nickel-Replicated (ENR) shells. The attraction of the ENR process is that the resulting full-shell optics are inherently stable and offer the promise of good angular resolution and enhanced instrument sensitivity. The challenge for this process is to meet a relatively tight weight budget with a relatively dense material (rho nickel = 9 grams per cubic centimeters.) To demonstrate the viability of the ENR process we are fabricating a prototype HXT mirror module to be tested against a competing segmented-glass-shell optic. The ENR prototype will consist of 5 shells of diameters from 150 mm to 280 mm and of 426 mm total length. To meet the stringent weight budget for Con-X, the shells will be only 150 micron thick. The innermost of these will be coated with Iridium, while the remainder will be coated with graded-density multilayers. Mandrels for these shells are currently under fabrication (Jan 03), with the first shells scheduled for production in February 03. A tentative date of late Summer has been set for prototype testing. Issues currently being addressed are the control of stresses in the multiplayer coating and ways of mitigating their effects on the figure of the necessarily thin shells. Also, the fabrication, handling and mounting of these shells without inducing permanent figure distortions. A full status report on the prototype optic will be presented along with test results as available.

An Enzyme-Coated Metal-Organic Framework Shell for Synthetically Adaptive Cell Survival.

PubMed

Liang, Kang; Richardson, Joseph J; Doonan, Christian J; Mulet, Xavier; Ju, Yi; Cui, Jiwei; Caruso, Frank; Falcaro, Paolo

2017-07-10

A bioactive synthetic porous shell was engineered to enable cells to survive in an oligotrophic environment. Eukaryotic cells (yeast) were firstly coated with a β-galactosidase (β-gal), before crystallization of a metal-organic framework (MOF) film on the enzyme coating; thereby producing a bioactive porous synthetic shell. The β-gal was an essential component of the bioactive shell as it generated nutrients (that is, glucose and galactose) required for cell viability in nutrient-deficient media (lactose-based). Additionally, the porous MOF coating carried out other vital functions, such as 1) shielding the cells from cytotoxic compounds and radiation, 2) protecting the non-native enzymes (β-gal in this instance) from degradation and internalization, and 3) allowing for the diffusion of molecules essential for the survival of the cells. Indeed, this bioactive porous shell enabled the survival of cells in simulated extreme oligotrophic environments for more than 7 days, leading to a decrease in cell viability less than 30 %, versus a 99 % decrease for naked yeast. When returned to optimal growth conditions the bioactive porous exoskeleton could be removed and the cells regained full growth immediately. The construction of bioactive coatings represents a conceptually new and promising approach for the next-generation of cell-based research and application, and is an alternative to synthetic biology or genetic modification. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Calculation of the acoustic radiation force on coated spherical shells in progressive and standing plane waves.

PubMed

Mitri, F G

2006-07-01

In this paper, analytical equations are derived for the time-averaged radiation force induced by progressive and standing acoustic waves incident on elastic spherical shells covered with a layer of viscoelastic and sound-absorbing material. The fluid surrounding the shells is considered compressible and nonviscous. The incident field is assumed to be moderate so that the scattered field from the shells is taken to linear approximation. The analytical results are illustrated by means of a numerical example in which the radiation force function curves are displayed, with particular emphasis on the coating thickness and the content of the hollow region of the shells. The fluid-loading on the radiation force function curves is analysed as well. This study attempts to generalize the various treatments of radiation force due to both progressive and standing waves on spherically-shaped structures immersed in ideal fluids. The results show that various ways can be effectively used for damping resonance peaks, such as by changing the fluid in the interior hollow region of the shells or by changing the coating thickness.

Fabrication of Silica-Coated Hollow Carbon Nanospheres Encapsulating Fe3O4 Cluster for Magnetical and MR Imaging Guided NIR Light Triggering Hyperthermia and Ultrasound Imaging.

PubMed

Huang, Yun-Kai; Su, Chia-Hao; Chen, Jiu-Jeng; Chang, Chun-Ting; Tsai, Yu-Hsin; Syu, Sheng-Fu; Tseng, Tsu-Ting; Yeh, Chen-Sheng

2016-06-15

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs)-carbon (C) hybrid zero-dimensional nanostructures normally can be categorized into core-shell and yolk-shell architectures. Although IONP-C is a promising theranostic nanoagent, the in vivo study has surprisingly been less described. In addition, little effort has strived toward the fabrication of yolk-shell compared to the core-shell structures. In this context, we synthesized a yolk-shell type of the silica-coated hollow carbon nanospheres encapsulating IONPs cluster, which can be dispersed in aqueous solution for systemic studies in vivo, via the preparation involving the mixed micellization, polymerization/hollowing, sol-gel (hydration-condensation), and pyrolysis processes. Through a surface modification of the polyethylenimine followed by the sol-gel process, the silica shell coating was able to escape from condensing and sintering courses resulting in aggregation, due to the annealing. Not limited to the well-known functionalities in magnetical targeting and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for IONP-C hybrid structures, we expanded this yolk-shell NPs as a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive echogenic nanoagent giving an enhanced ultrasound imaging. Overall, we fabricated the NIR sensitive yolk-shell IONP-C to activate ultrasound imaging and photothermal ablation under magnetically and MR imaging guided therapy.

Experimental Analysis of Exhaust Manifold with Ceramic Coating for Reduction of Heat Dissipation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saravanan, J.; Valarmathi, T. N.; Nathc, Rajdeep; Kumar, Prasanth

2017-05-01

Exhaust manifold plays an important role in the exhaust system, the manifold delivers the waste toxic gases to a safe distance and it is used to reduce the sound pollution and air pollution. Exhaust manifold suffers with lot of thermal stress, due to this blow holes occurs in the surface of the exhaust manifold and also more noise is developed. The waste toxic gases from the multiple cylinders are collected into a single pipe by the exhaust manifold. The waste toxic gases can damage the material of the manifold. In this study, to prevent the damage zirconia powder has been coated in the inner surface and alumina (60%) combined with titania (40%) has been used for coating the outer surface of the exhaust manifold. After coating experiments have been performed using a multiple-cylinder four stroke stationary petrol engine. The test results of hardness, emission, corrosion and temperature of the coated and uncoated manifolds have been compared. The result shows that the performance is improved and also emission is reduced in the coated exhaust manifold.

Photocatalytic bacterial inactivation by TiO2-coated surfaces

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the photoactivated antibacterial activity of titanium dioxide (TiO2)-coated surfaces. Bacterial inactivation was evaluated using TiO2-coated Petri dishes. The experimental conditions optimized with Petri dishes were used to test the antibacterial effect of TiO2-coated ceramic tiles. The best antibacterial effect with Petri dishes was observed at 180, 60, 30 and 20 min of exposure for Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas putida and Listeria innocua, respectively. The ceramic tiles demonstrated a photoactivated bactericidal effect at the same exposure time. In general, no differences were observed between the antibacterial effect obtained with Petri dishes and tiles. However, the photochemical activity of Petri dishes was greater than the activity of the tiles. Results obtained indicates that the TiO2-coated surfaces showed a photoactivated bactericidal effect with all bacteria tested highlighting that the titania could be used in the ceramic and building industry for the production of coated surfaces to be placed in microbiologically sensitive environments, such as the hospital and food industry. PMID:24090112

Synthesis of Highly Active Sub-Nanometer Pt@Rh Core-Shell Nanocatalyst via a Photochemical Route: Porous Titania Nanoplates as a Superior Photoactive Support.

PubMed

Zhan, Wen-Wen; Zhu, Qi-Long; Dang, Song; Liu, Zheng; Kitta, Mitsunori; Suenaga, Kazutomo; Zheng, Lan-Sun; Xu, Qiang

2017-04-01

Sub-nanometer Pt@Rh nanoparticles highly dispersed on MIL-125-derived porous TiO 2 nanoplates are successfully prepared for the first time by a photochemical route, where the porous TiO 2 nanoplates with a relatively high specific surface area play a dual role as both effective photoreductant and catalyst support. The resulting Pt@Rh/p-TiO 2 can be utilized as a highly active catalyst. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Supercritical fluid technology of nanoparticle coating for new ceramic materials.

PubMed

Aymonier, Cyril; Elissalde, Catherine; Reveron, Helen; Weill, François; Maglione, Mario; Cansell, François

2005-06-01

This work highlights, for the first time, the coating of ferroelectric nanoparticles with a chemical fluid deposition process in supercritical fluids. BaTiO3 nanoparticles of about 50 nm are coated with a shell of a few nanometers of amorphous alumina and can be recovered as a dry powder for processing. The sintering of these core-shell nanoparticles gives access to a ceramic material with very interesting ferroelectric properties, in particular, dielectric losses below 1%.

Polyaniline Nanofibers as the Hole Transport Medium in an Inverse Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesselsweet, Ian Brock

In order to become a viable alternative to silicon photovoltaics, dye-sensitized solar cells must overcome several issues primarily resulting from their use of a liquid electrolyte. Much research has gone into correcting these shortcomings by replacing the liquid electrolyte with solid-state hole-transport media. Using these solid-state materials brings new difficulties, such as completely filling the pores in the TiO2 nanostructure, and achieving good adhesion with the dye-coated TiO2. A novel approach to addressing these difficulties is the inverse dye-sensitized solar cell design. In this method the devices are constructed in reverse order, with the solidstate hole-transport medium providing the nanostructure instead of the TiO2. This allows new materials and methods to be used which may better address these issues. In this project, inverse dye-sensitized solar cells using polyaniline nanofibers as the hole transport medium were prepared and characterized. The devices were prepared on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass electrodes. The first component was a dense spin-coated polyaniline blocking layer, to help prevent short circuiting of the devices. The second layer was a thin film of drop cast polyaniline nanofibers which acted as the hole transport medium and provided high surface area for the dye attachment. The dye used was 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP), which was covalently attached to the nanofibers using a Friedel-Crafts acylation. Titania gel was then deposited into the pores of the nanofiber film by controlled hydrolysis of a titanium complex (Tyzor LA). A back electrode of TiO2 nanoparticles sintered on FTO was pressed on top to complete the devices. A typical device generated an open circuit voltage of 0.17 V and a closed circuit current of 5.7 nA/cm2 while the highest open circuit voltage recorded for any variation on a device was 0.31 V and the highest short circuit current was 52 nA/cm2 under AM 1.5 simulated solar spectrum at 100 mW/cm2. Initially prepared devices did not generate a measureable photocurrent due to two materials flaws. The first was traced to the poorly developed conduction band of the titania gel, as deposited from Tyzor LA hydrolysis, resulting in poor electron conduction. This prevented the titania gel from efficiently functioning as the electron transport medium. A remedy was found in adding a layer of sintered anatase TiO2 nanoparticles on the back electrode to serve as the electron transport medium. However, this remedy does not address the issue of the inability of titania gel to efficiently transport electrons photogenerated deep in the nanofiber film to the back electrode. The second flaw was found to originate from fast recombination kinetics between electrons in TiO2 and holes in polyaniline. However, a positive feature was that the titania gel intended to be used as the electron transport medium was found to sufficiently insulate the interface such that the recombination rate slowed enough to allow generation of a measureable photocurrent. Electronic insulation was further enhanced by co-attaching decanoic acid onto the polyaniline nanofibers to fill in pinholes between the dye molecules. While these solutions were not ideal, they were intended to be diagnostic in nature and supplied critical information about the weak links in the device design, thus pointing the way toward improving device performance. Significant enhancements can be expected by addressing these issues in further detail.

Experimental Demonstration of Underwater Acoustic Scattering Cancellation

PubMed Central

Rohde, Charles A.; Martin, Theodore P.; Guild, Matthew D.; Layman, Christopher N.; Naify, Christina J.; Nicholas, Michael; Thangawng, Abel L.; Calvo, David C.; Orris, Gregory J.

2015-01-01

We explore an acoustic scattering cancellation shell for buoyant hollow cylinders submersed in a water background. A thin, low-shear, elastic coating is used to cancel the monopole scattering from an air-filled, neutrally buoyant steel shell for all frequencies where the wavelength is larger than the object diameter. By design, the uncoated shell also has an effective density close to the aqueous background, independently canceling its dipole scattering. Due to the significantly reduced monopole and dipole scattering, the compliant coating results in a hollow cylindrical inclusion that is simultaneously impedance and sound speed matched to the water background. We demonstrate the proposed cancellation method with a specific case, using an array of hollow steel cylinders coated with thin silicone rubber shells. These experimental results are matched to finite element modeling predictions, confirming the scattering reduction. Additional calculations explore the optimization of the silicone coating properties. Using this approach, it is found that scattering cross-sections can be reduced by 20 dB for all wavelengths up to k0a = 0.85. PMID:26282067

Thermochromic microcapsules with highly transparent shells obtained through in-situ polymerization of urea formaldehyde around thermochromic cores for smart wood coatings.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaodong; Liu, Yu; Li, Zhao; Wang, Weicong

2018-03-05

In this paper, thermochromic microcapsules were synthesized in situ polymerization with urea formaldehyde as shell material and thermochromic compounds as core material. The effects of emulsifying agent and conditions on surface morphology and particle size of microcapsules were studied. It was found that the size and surface morphology of microcapsules were strongly depending on stirring rate and the ratio of core to shell. The stable and small size spherical microcapsules with excellent transparency can be obtained at an emulsifying agent to core to shell ratio as 1:5:7.5 under mechanical stirring at 12 krpm for 15 min. Finally, the thermochromic property was discussed by loading microcapsules in wood and wood coatings. Results indicate that microcapsules can realize the thermochromic property while incorporated with wood and coatings, and could have high potential in smart material fabrication.

Tuning the field distribution and fabrication of an Al@ZnO core-shell nanostructure for a SPR-based fiber optic phenyl hydrazine sensor.

PubMed

Tabassum, Rana; Kaur, Parvinder; Gupta, Banshi D

2016-05-27

We report the fabrication and characterization of a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based fiber optic sensor that uses coatings of silver and aluminum (Al)-zinc oxide (ZnO) core-shell nanostructure (Al@ZnO) for the detection of phenyl hydrazine (Ph-Hyd). To optimize the volume fraction (f) of Al in ZnO and the thickness of the core-shell nanostructure layer (d), the electric field intensity along the normal to the multilayer system is simulated using the two-dimensional multilayer matrix method. The Al@ZnO core-shell nanostructure is prepared using the laser ablation technique. Various probes are fabricated with different values of f and an optimized thickness of core-shell nanostructure for the characterization of the Ph-Hyd sensor. The performance of the Ph-Hyd sensor is evaluated in terms of sensitivity. It is found that the Ag/Al@ZnO nanostructure core-shell-coated SPR probe with f = 0.25 and d = 0.040 μm possesses the maximum sensitivity towards Ph-Hyd. These results are in agreement with the simulated ones obtained using electric field intensity. In addition, the performance of the proposed probe is compared with that of probes coated with (i) Al@ZnO nanocomposite, (ii) Al nanoparticles and (iii) ZnO nanoparticles. It is found that the probe coated with an Al@ZnO core-shell nanostructure shows the largest resonance wavelength shift. The detailed mechanism of the sensing (involving chemical reactions) is presented. The sensor also manifests optimum performance at pH 7.

Electrospun Polyurethane-Core and Gelatin-Shell Coaxial Fibre Coatings for Miniature Implantable Biosensors

PubMed Central

Wang, Ning; Burugapalli, Krishna; Wijesuriya, Shavini; Far, Mahshid Yazdi; Song, Wenhui; Moussy, Francis; Zheng, Yudong; Ma, Yanxuan; Wu, Zhentao; Li, Kang

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to introduce bioactivity to the electrospun coating for implantable glucose biosensors. Coaxial fibre membranes having polyurethane as the core and gelatin as the shell were produced using a range of polyurethane concentrations (2, 4, 6 & 8% wt/v) while keeping gelatin concentration (10% wt/v) constant in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. The gelatin shell was stabilized using glutaraldehyde vapour. The formation of core-shell structure was confirmed using TEM, SEM and FTIR. The coaxial fibre membranes showed uniaxial tensile properties intermediate to that of the pure polyurethane and the gelatin fibre membranes. The gelatin shell increased hydrophilicity and glucose transport flux across the coaxial fibre membranes. The coaxial fibre membranes having small fibre diameter (541 nm) and a thick gelatin shell (52%) did not affect the sensor sensitivity, but decreased sensor’s linearity in the long run. In contrast, thicker coaxial fibre membranes (1133 nm) having a thin gelatin shell (34%) maintained both sensitivity and linearity till 84 days of the study period. To conclude, polyurethane-gelatin co-axial fibre membranes, due to their faster permeability to glucose, tailorable mechanical properties and bioactivity are potential candidates for coatings to favourably modify the host responses to extend the reliable in vivo lifetime of implantable glucose biosensors. PMID:24346001

Preparation of grape-like Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti photoanode and its visible light activity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Guoting; Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong SAR; Yip, H.Y.

2011-02-15

Graphical abstract: Compact and grape-like bismuth oxide (Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}) coated titania (Ti) anode was prepared by oxalic acid (H{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4}) etching, electrodeposition and calcination in order to explore its photoelectrocatalytic activities. The Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} coating was demonstrated to be full of pores, and a good combination between Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer and honeycomb-like Ti substrate was observed by scanning electron microscopy. A synergy was found between electrolysis and photocatalysis using the prepared Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti anode for photoelectrocatalytic oxidation of azo dye Acid Orange 7 under visible light irradiation (420 nm). Research highlights: {yields} Bi{sub 2}O{submore » 3}/Ti anode was prepared by H{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4} etching, electrodeposition and calcination. {yields} A compact and grape-like Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} coated Ti anode was obtained. {yields} Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} coating was full of pores, and have a good combination with Ti substrate. {yields} A synergy was observed in photoelectrocatalytic oxidation under visible light. -- Abstract: Compact and grape-like bismuth oxide (Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}) coated titania (Ti) anode was prepared by oxalic acid (H{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4}) etching, electrodeposition and calcination in order to explore its photoelectrocatalytic activities. The Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} coating was demonstrated to be full of pores, and a good combination between Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer and honeycomb-like Ti substrate was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The characteristic morphology of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} coating indicated that the electrode is stable during degradation. The Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti electrode was used in oxidative degradation of Acid Orange 7 by electrolysis, photocatalytic oxidation and photoelectrocatalytic oxidation processes. The pseudo-first order kinetics parameter (K{sub app}) of photoelectrocatalytic process was 1.15 times of the sum of electrolysis and photocatalytic oxidation under visible light irradiation at 420 nm. The results indicated that the synergy of electrolysis and photocatalysis lead to an excellent photoelectrocatalytic property of the Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti electrode.« less

Enhanced flexibility and electron-beam-controlled shape recovery in alumina-coated Au and Ag core-shell nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlassov, Sergei; Polyakov, Boris; Vahtrus, Mikk; Mets, Magnus; Antsov, Mikk; Oras, Sven; Tarre, Aivar; Arroval, Tõnis; Lõhmus, Rünno; Aarik, Jaan

2017-12-01

The proper choice of coating materials and methods in core-shell nanowire (NW) engineering is crucial to assuring improved characteristics or even new functionalities of the resulting composite structures. In this paper, we have reported electron-beam-induced reversible elastic-to-plastic transition in Ag/Al2O3 and Au/Al2O3 NWs prepared by the coating of Ag and Au NWs with Al2O3 by low-temperature atomic layer deposition. The observed phenomenon enabled freezing the bent core-shell NW at any arbitrary curvature below the yield strength of the materials and later restoring its initially straight profile by irradiating the NW with electrons. In addition, we demonstrated that the coating efficiently protects the core material from fracture and plastic yield, allowing it to withstand significantly higher deformations and stresses in comparison to uncoated NW.

Suspension Plasma Spray Fabrication of Nanocrystalline Titania Hollow Microspheres for Photocatalytic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Kun; Liu, Yi; He, Xiaoyan; Li, Hua

2015-10-01

Hollow inorganic microspheres with controlled internal pores in close-cell configuration are usually constructed by submicron-sized particles. Fast and efficient large-scale production of the microspheres with tunable sizes yet remains challenging. Here, we report a suspension plasma spray route for making hollow microspheres from nano titania particles. The processing permits most nano particles to retain their physiochemical properties in the as-sprayed microspheres. The microspheres have controllable interior cavities and mesoporous shell of 1-3 μm in thickness. Spray parameters and organic content in the starting suspension play the key role in regulating the efficiency of accomplishing the hollow sphere structure. For the ease of collecting the spheres for recycling use, ferriferous oxide particles were used as additives to make Fe3O4-TiO2 hollow magnetic microspheres. The spheres can be easily recycled through external magnetic field collection after each time use. Photocatalytic anti-bacterial activities of the hollow spheres were assessed by examining their capability of degrading methylene blue and sterilizing Escherichia coli bacteria. Excellent photocatalytic performances were revealed for the hollow spheres, giving insight into their potential versatile applications.

Electrospinning processed nanofibrous TiO2 membranes for photovoltaic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onozuka, Katsuhiro; Ding, Bin; Tsuge, Yosuke; Naka, Takayuki; Yamazaki, Michiyo; Sugi, Shinichiro; Ohno, Shingo; Yoshikawa, Masato; Shiratori, Seimei

2006-02-01

We have recently fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) comprising nanofibrous TiO2 membranes as electrode materials. A thin TiO2 film was pre-deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated conducting glass substrate by immersion in TiF4 aqueous solution to reduce the electron back-transfer from FTO to the electrolyte. The composite polyvinyl acetate (PVac)/titania nanofibrous membranes can be deposited on the pre-deposited thin TiO2 film coated FTO by electrospinning of a mixture of PVac and titanium isopropoxide in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The nanofibrous TiO2 membranes were obtained by calcining the electrospun composite nanofibres of PVac/titania as the precursor. Spectral sensitization of the nanofibrous TiO2 membranes was carried out with a ruthenium (II) complex, cis-dithiocyanate-N,N'-bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid) ruthenium (II) dihydrate. The results indicated that the photocurrent and conversion efficiency of electrodes can be increased with the addition of the pre-deposited TiO2 film and the adhesion treatment using DMF. Additionally, the dye loading, photocurrent, and efficiency of the electrodes were gradually increased by increasing the average thickness of the nanofibrous TiO2 membranes. The efficiency of the fibrous TiO2 photoelectrode with the average membrane thickness of 3.9 µm has a maximum value of 4.14%.

Fabrication of ceramic oxide-coated SWNT composites by sol-gel process with a polymer glue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Cheng; Gao, Lei; Chen, Yongming

2011-09-01

The functional copolymer bearing alkoxysilyl and pyrene groups, poly[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate]- co-[(1-pyrene-methyl) methacrylate] (TEPM13- co-PyMMA3), was synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization. Attributing the π-π interaction of pyrene units with the walls of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), this polymer could disperse and exfoliate SWNTs in different solvents through physical interaction as demonstrated by TEM, UV/Vis absorption, and FT-IR analysis. The alkoxysilyl groups functionalized SWNTs were reacted with different inorganic precursors via sol-gel reaction, and, as a results, silica, titania, and alumina were coated onto the surface of SWNTs, respectively via copolymers as a molecular glue. The nanocomposites of ceramic oxides/SWNTs were characterized by SEM analysis. Dependent upon the feed, the thickness of inorganic coating can be tuned easily. This study supplies a facile and general way to coat SWNTs with ceramic oxides without deteriorating the properties of pristine SWNTs.

Biocompatible polymer coating of titania nanotube arrays for improved drug elution and osteoblast adhesion.

PubMed

Gulati, Karan; Ramakrishnan, Saminathan; Aw, Moom Sinn; Atkins, Gerald J; Findlay, David M; Losic, Dusan

2012-01-01

Bacterial infection, extensive inflammation and poor osseointegration have been identified as the major reasons for [early] orthopaedic implant failures based on titanium. Creating implants with drug-eluting properties to locally deliver drugs is an appealing way to address some of these problems. To improve properties of titanium for orthopaedic applications, this study explored the modification of titanium surfaces with titaniananotube (TNT) arrays, and approach that combines drug delivery into bone and potentially improved bone integration. A titania layer with an array of nanotube structures (∼120 nm in diameter and 50 μm in length) was synthesized on titanium surfaces by electrochemical anodization and loaded with the water-insoluble anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin. A simple dip-coating process of polymer modification formed thin biocompatible polymer films over the drug-loaded TNTs to create TNTs with predictable drug release characteristics. Two biodegradable and antibacterial polymers, chitosan and poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), were tested for their ability to extend the drug release time of TNTs and produce favourable bone cell adhesion properties. Dependent on polymer thickness, a significant improvement in the drug release characteristics was demonstrated, with reduced burst release (from 77% to >20%) and extended overall release from 4 days to more than 30 days. Excellent osteoblast adhesion and cell proliferation on polymer-coated TNTs compared with uncoated TNTs were also observed. These results suggest that polymer-modified implants with a TNT layer are capable of delivering a drug to a bone site over an extended period and with predictable kinetics. In addition, favourable bone cell adhesion suggests that such an implant would have good biocompatibility. The described approach is broadly applicable to a wide range of drugs and implants currently used in orthopaedic practice. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sol-gel coated ion sources for liquid chromatography-direct electron ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Riboni, Nicolò; Magrini, Laura; Bianchi, Federica; Careri, Maria; Cappiello, Achille

2017-07-25

Advances in interfacing liquid chromatography and electron ionization mass spectrometry are presented. New ion source coatings synthesized by sol-gel technology were developed and tested as vaporization surfaces in terms of peak intensity, peak width and peak delay for the liquid chromatography-direct electron ionization mass spectrometry (Direct-EI) determination of environmental pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and steroids. Silica-, titania-, and zirconia-based coatings were sprayed inside the stainless steel ion source and characterized in terms of thermal stability, film thickness and morphology. Negligible weight losses until 350-400 °C were observed for all the materials, with coating thicknesses in the 6 (±1)-11 (±2) μm range for optimal ionization process. The best performances in terms of both peak intensity and peak width were obtained by using the silica-based coating: the detection of the investigated compounds was feasible at low ng μl -1 levels with a good precision (RSD < 9% for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and <11% for hormones). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduced bacteria adhesion on octenidine loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles coating on titanium substrates.

PubMed

Xu, Gaoqiang; Shen, Xinkun; Dai, Liangliang; Ran, Qichun; Ma, Pingping; Cai, Kaiyong

2017-01-01

Bacterial infection is one of the most severe postoperative complications leading to implantation failure. The early bacterial stage (4-6h) was proved to be the "decisive period" for long-term bacteria-related infection. Thus, to endow potential early antibacterial capacity for a titanium (Ti) based implant, an effective antiseptic agent of octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) was effectively loaded on the mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs)-incorporated titania coating which was fabricated by an electrophoretic-enhanced micro-arc oxidation technique. The surface characteristic of the coatings were characterized by various methods (SEM, AFM, XPS, XRD, etc.), and its corrosion resistance was also examined by the potentiodynamic polarization curves. The composite coating without OCT loading not only displayed good cytocompatibility but also exhibited certain anti-bacterial property. After loading with OCT, its antibacterial efficiency of the titanium substrates with composite coating was greatly enhanced without compromising their cytocompatibility. The study provides an approach for the fabrication of anti-bacterial Ti implant for potential orthopedic application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process for manufacture of inertial confinement fusion targets and resulting product

DOEpatents

Masnari, Nino A.; Rensel, Walter B.; Robinson, Merrill G.; Solomon, David E.; Wise, Kensall D.; Wuttke, Gilbert H.

1982-01-01

An ICF target comprising a spherical pellet of fusion fuel surrounded by a concentric shell; and a process for manufacturing the same which includes the steps of forming hemispheric shells of a silicon or other substrate material, adhering the shell segments to each other with a fuel pellet contained concentrically therein, then separating the individual targets from the parent substrate. Formation of hemispheric cavities by deposition or coating of a mold substrate is also described. Coatings or membranes may also be applied to the interior of the hemispheric segments prior to joining.

Semi-transparent ordered TiO2 nanostructures prepared by anodization of titanium thin films deposited onto the FTO substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szkoda, Mariusz; Lisowska-Oleksiak, Anna; Grochowska, Katarzyna; Skowroński, Łukasz; Karczewski, Jakub; Siuzdak, Katarzyna

2016-09-01

In a significant amount of cases, the highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays grow through anodic oxidation of a titanium metal plate immersed in electrolyte containing fluoride ions. However, for some practical applications, e.g. solar cells or electrochromic windows, the semi-transparent TiO2 formed directly on the transparent, conductive substrate is very much desired. This work shows that high-quality Ti coating could be formed at room temperature using an industrial magnetron sputtering system within 50 min. Under optimized conditions, the anodization process was performed on 2 μm titanium films deposited onto the FTO (fluorine-tin-oxide) support. Depending on the electrolyte type, highly ordered tubular or porous titania layers were obtained. The fabricated samples, after their thermal annealing, were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy in order to investigate their morphology, crystallinity and absorbance ability. The photocurrent response curves indicate that materials are resistant to the photocorrosion process and their activity is strongly connected to optical properties. The most transparent TiO2 films were fabricated when Ti was anodized in water electrolyte, whereas the highest photocurrent densities (12 μA cm-2) were registered for titania received after Ti anodization in ethylene glycol solution. The obtained results are of significant importance in the production of thin, semi-transparent titania nanostructures on a commercial scale.

In vivo magnetic resonance and fluorescence dual imaging of tumor sites by using dye-doped silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Haeyun; Lee, Chaedong; Nam, Gi-Eun; Quan, Bo; Choi, Hyuck Jae; Yoo, Jung Sun; Piao, Yuanzhe

2016-02-01

The difficulty in delineating tumor is a major obstacle for better outcomes in cancer treatment of patients. The use of single-imaging modality is often limited by inadequate sensitivity and resolution. Here, we present the synthesis and the use of monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles coated with fluorescent silica nano-shells for fluorescence and magnetic resonance dual imaging of tumor. The as-synthesized core-shell nanoparticles were designed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis via simultaneous tumor imaging with dual imaging modalities by a single injection of contrast agent. The iron oxide nanocrystals ( 11 nm) were coated with Rhodamine B isothiocyanate-doped silica shells via reverse microemulsion method. Then, the core-shell nanoparticles ( 54 nm) were analyzed to confirm their size distribution by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic laser scattering. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was used to characterize the fluorescent property of the dye-doped silica shell-coated nanoparticles. The cellular compatibility of the as-prepared nanoparticles was confirmed by a trypan blue dye exclusion assay and the potential as a dual-imaging contrast agent was verified by in vivo fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging. The experimental results show that the uniform-sized core-shell nanoparticles are highly water dispersible and the cellular toxicity of the nanoparticles is negligible. In vivo fluorescence imaging demonstrates the capability of the developed nanoparticles to selectively target tumors by the enhanced permeability and retention effects and ex vivo tissue analysis was corroborated this. Through in vitro phantom test, the core/shell nanoparticles showed a T2 relaxation time comparable to Feridex® with smaller size, indicating that the as-made nanoparticles are suitable for imaging tumor. This new dual-modality-nanoparticle approach has promised for enabling more accurate tumor imaging.

Preparation of Activated Carbon/N-doped Titania Composite for Synergistic Adsorption-photocatalytic Oxidation of Batik Dye

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aziz, A. A.; Ibrahim, S.

2018-05-01

A synergetic improved composite TiO2 photocatalysts was successfully synthesized by using nitrogen (N) as a dopant and activated carbon (AC) as synergetic compound. Two different types of AC prepared from Garcinia mangostana shell and commercial AC obtained from palm shell were chosen as synergetic compound. Thus synthesized composites was further characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface analyzer and UV-visible light spectroscope. The doping of N resulted in a better solar light utilization potential. Furthermore, synergizing with AC contributed for the improved BET surface area and pore size distribution. The synergetic adsorption-photocatalytic activity was investigated by removing a commercial batik dye namely Remazol Brilliant Blue (RBB) under direct solar irradiation. The synergetic experiments showed that commercial AC synergized with N-TiO2 resulted with a maximum removal efficiency of ∼80% in 6 h.

Green synthesis and characterization of size tunable silica-capped gold core-shell nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wangoo, Nishima; Shekhawat, Gajendra; Wu, Jin-Song; Bhasin, Aman K. K.; Suri, C. R.; Bhasin, K. K.; Dravid, Vinayak

2012-08-01

Silica-coated gold nanoparticles (Au@SiO2) with controlled silica-shell thickness were prepared by a modified Stober's method using 10-nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as seeds. The AuNPs were silica-coated with a sol-gel reaction using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica source and ammonia as a catalyst. An increase in TEOS concentration resulted in an increase in shell thickness. The NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning near-field ultrasound holography and scanning transmission electron microscopy. The method required no surface modification and the synthesized core shell nanoparticles can be used for various types of biological applications.

Preparation and characterization of molecularly homogeneous silica-titania film by sol-gel process with different synthetic strategies.

PubMed

Chen, Hsueh-Shih; Huang, Sheng-Hsin; Perng, Tsong-Pyng

2012-10-24

Three silica-titania thin films with various degrees of molecular homogeneity were synthesized by the sol-gel process with the same precursor formula but different reaction paths. The dried films prepared by a single spin-coating process have a thickness of 500-700 nm and displayed no cracks or pin holes. The transmittances and refractive indices of the samples are >97.8% in the range of 350-1800 nm and 1.62-1.65 at 500 nm, respectively. The in-plane and out-of-plane chemical homogeneities of the films were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy, respectively. For the film with the highest degree of homogeneity, the deviations of O, Si, and Ti atomic contents in both in-plane and out-of-plane directions are less than 1.5%, indicating that the film is highly molecularly homogeneous. It also possesses the highest transparency and the lowest refractive index among the three samples.

Characterization of Microstructure and Wear Resistance of PEO Coatings Containing Various Microparticles on Ti6Al4V Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinyi; Dong, Chaofang; Zhao, Qing; Pang, Yu; Cheng, Fasong; Wang, Shuaixing

2018-02-01

Titania-based composite coatings were prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) treatment of Ti6Al4V alloy in electrolyte with α-Al2O3, Cr2O3 or h-BN microparticles in suspension. The microstructure, composition of PEO composite coatings were analyzed by SEM, EDS and XRD. The wear resistance of composite ceramic coatings was studied by ball-on-disk wear test at ambient temperature and 300 °C. The results showed that the addition of microparticles accelerated the growth rate of PEO coating and changed the microstructure and composition of PEO coating. PEO coating was porous and mainly composed of rutile-TiO2, anatase-TiO2 and Al2TiO5. PEO/α-Al2O3 (Cr2O3 or h-BN) composite coating only had small micropores and appeared some α-Al2O3 (Cr2O3 or h-BN) phase. Besides, the addition of α-Al2O3 (Cr2O3 or h-BN) microparticles greatly improved the wear resistance of PEO coating. At ambient temperature, abrasive wear dominated the wear behavior of PEO coating, but abrasive wear and adhesive peel simultaneously happened at 300 °C. Whether at ambient temperature or 300 °C, PEO composite coating had better wear resistance than PEO coating. Besides, PEO/h-BN composite coating outperformed other composite coatings regardless of the temperature.

Platinum-coated non-noble metal-noble metal core-shell electrocatalysts

DOEpatents

Adzic, Radoslav; Zhang, Junliang; Mo, Yibo; Vukmirovic, Miomir

2015-04-14

Core-shell particles encapsulated by a thin film of a catalytically active metal are described. The particles are preferably nanoparticles comprising a non-noble core with a noble metal shell which preferably do not include Pt. The non-noble metal-noble metal core-shell nanoparticles are encapsulated by a catalytically active metal which is preferably Pt. The core-shell nanoparticles are preferably formed by prolonged elevated-temperature annealing of nanoparticle alloys in an inert environment. This causes the noble metal component to surface segregate and form an atomically thin shell. The Pt overlayer is formed by a process involving the underpotential deposition of a monolayer of a non-noble metal followed by immersion in a solution comprising a Pt salt. A thin Pt layer forms via the galvanic displacement of non-noble surface atoms by more noble Pt atoms in the salt. The overall process is a robust and cost-efficient method for forming Pt-coated non-noble metal-noble metal core-shell nanoparticles.

Sol-gel derived antireflective structures for applications in silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasiński, Paweł; Skolik, Marcin

2016-12-01

This work presents theoretical and experimental results of antireflective coatings (ARCs) obtained for applications in silicon solar cells. ARCs were derived from sol-gel process and dip-coated using silica (SiO2) and titania (TiO2). Theoretical results were obtained using 2×2 transfer matrix calculation method. Technological process of SiO2 and TiO2 thin film fabrication as well as measurement techniques are described in this paper. Strong correlation between theoretical and experimental data is demonstrated. It is shown, that weighted average reflection from a substrate can be reduced ten times with the use of SiO2/TiO2/Si double layer ARCs, when compared to a bare silica substrate.

Core-shell monodisperse spherical mSiO2/Gd2O3:Eu3+@mSiO2 particles as potential multifunctional theranostic agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eurov, Daniil A.; Kurdyukov, Dmitry A.; Kirilenko, Demid A.; Kukushkina, Julia A.; Nashchekin, Alexei V.; Smirnov, Alexander N.; Golubev, Valery G.

2015-02-01

Core-shell nanoparticles with diameters in the range 100-500 nm have been synthesized as monodisperse spherical mesoporous (pore diameter 3 nm) silica particles with size deviation of less than 4 %, filled with gadolinium and europium oxides and coated with a mesoporous silica shell. It is shown that the melt technique developed for filling with gadolinium and europium oxides provides a nearly maximum filling of mesopores in a single-run impregnation, with gadolinium and europium uniformly distributed within the particles and forming no bulk oxides on their surface. The coating with a shell does not impair the monodispersity and causes no coagulation. The coating technique enables controlled variation of the shell thickness within the range 5-100 % relative to the core diameter. The thus produced nanoparticles are easily dispersed in water, have large specific surface area (300 m2 g-1) and pore volume (0.3 cm3 g-1), and are bright solid phosphor with superior stability in aqueous media. The core-shell structured particles can be potentially used for cancer treatment as a therapeutic agent (gadolinium neutron-capture therapy and drug delivery system) and, simultaneously, as a multimodal diagnostic tool (fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging), thereby serving as a multifunctional theranostic agent.

Amorphous TiO2 Shells: A Vital Elastic Buffering Layer on Silicon Nanoparticles for High-Performance and Safe Lithium Storage.

PubMed

Yang, Jianping; Wang, Yunxiao; Li, Wei; Wang, Lianjun; Fan, Yuchi; Jiang, Wan; Luo, Wei; Wang, Yang; Kong, Biao; Selomulya, Cordelia; Liu, Hua Kun; Dou, Shi Xue; Zhao, Dongyuan

2017-12-01

Smart surface coatings of silicon (Si) nanoparticles are shown to be good examples for dramatically improving the cyclability of lithium-ion batteries. Most coating materials, however, face significant challenges, including a low initial Coulombic efficiency, tedious processing, and safety assessment. In this study, a facile sol-gel strategy is demonstrated to synthesize commercial Si nanoparticles encapsulated by amorphous titanium oxide (TiO 2 ), with core-shell structures, which show greatly superior electrochemical performance and high-safety lithium storage. The amorphous TiO 2 shell (≈3 nm) shows elastic behavior during lithium discharging and charging processes, maintaining high structural integrity. Interestingly, it is found that the amorphous TiO 2 shells offer superior buffering properties compared to crystalline TiO 2 layers for unprecedented cycling stability. Moreover, accelerating rate calorimetry testing reveals that the TiO 2 -encapsulated Si nanoparticles are safer than conventional carbon-coated Si-based anodes. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Gold/silver core-shell 20 nm nanoparticles extracted from citrate solution examined by XPS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Engelhard, Mark H.; Smith, Jordan N.; Baer, Donald R.

Silver nanoparticles of many types are widely used in consumer and medical products. The surface chemistry of particles and the coatings that form during synthesis or use in many types of media can significantly impact the behaviors of particles including dissolution, transformation and biological or environmental impact. Consequently it is useful to be able to extract information about the thickness of surface coatings and other attributes of nanoparticles produced in a variety of ways. It has been demonstrated that X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) can be reliably used to determine the thickness of organic and other nanoparticles coatings and shells. However,more » care is required to produce reliable and consistent information. Here we report the XPS spectra from gold/silver core-shell nanoparticles of nominal size 20 nm removed from a citrate saturated solution after one and two washing cycles. The Simulation of Electron Spectra for Surface Analysis (SESSA) program had been used to model peak amplitudes to obtain information on citrate coatings that remain after washing and demonstrate the presence of the gold core. This data is provided so that others can compare use of SESSA or other modeling approaches to quantify the nature of coatings to those already published and to explore the impacts particle non-uniformities on XPS signals from core-shell nanoparticles.« less

Nanocrystalline p-hydroxyacetanilide (paracetamol) and gold core-shell structure as a model drug deliverable organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Subhojit; Paul, Anumita; Chattopadhyay, Arun

2013-09-01

We report on the generation of core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) having an organic nanocrystal (NC) core coated with an inorganic metallic shell, being dispersed in aqueous medium. First, NCs of p-hydroxyacetanilide (pHA)--known also as paracetamol--were generated in an aqueous medium. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) evidenced the formation of pHA NCs and of their crystalline nature. The NCs were then coated with Au to form pHA@Au core-shell NPs, where the thickness of the Au shell was on the order of nanometers. The formation of Au nanoshell--surrounding pHA NC--was confirmed from its surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band in the UV/Vis spectrum and by TEM measurements. Further, on treatment of the core-shell particles with a solution comprising NaCl and HCl (pH < 3), the Au shell could be dissolved, subsequently releasing pHA molecules. The dissolution of Au shell was marked by a gradual diminishing of its SPR band, while the release of pHA molecules in the solution was confirmed from TEM and FTIR studies. The findings suggest that the core-shell NP could be hypothesized to be a model for encapsulating drug molecules, in their crystalline forms, for slow as well as targeted release.We report on the generation of core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) having an organic nanocrystal (NC) core coated with an inorganic metallic shell, being dispersed in aqueous medium. First, NCs of p-hydroxyacetanilide (pHA)--known also as paracetamol--were generated in an aqueous medium. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) evidenced the formation of pHA NCs and of their crystalline nature. The NCs were then coated with Au to form pHA@Au core-shell NPs, where the thickness of the Au shell was on the order of nanometers. The formation of Au nanoshell--surrounding pHA NC--was confirmed from its surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band in the UV/Vis spectrum and by TEM measurements. Further, on treatment of the core-shell particles with a solution comprising NaCl and HCl (pH < 3), the Au shell could be dissolved, subsequently releasing pHA molecules. The dissolution of Au shell was marked by a gradual diminishing of its SPR band, while the release of pHA molecules in the solution was confirmed from TEM and FTIR studies. The findings suggest that the core-shell NP could be hypothesized to be a model for encapsulating drug molecules, in their crystalline forms, for slow as well as targeted release. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03566b

The chocolate-egg problem: Fabrication of thin elastic shells through coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Anna; Marthelot, Joel; Brun, Pierre-Thomas; Reis, Pedro M.

2015-03-01

We study the fabrication of thin polymeric shells based on the coating of a curved surface by a viscous fluid. Upon polymerization of the resulting thin film, a slender solid structure is delivered after demolding. This technique is extensively used, empirically, in manufacturing, where it is known as rotational molding, as well as in the food industry, e.g. for chocolate-eggs. This problem is analogous to the Landau-Levich-Derjaguin coating of plates and fibers and Bretherton's problem of film deposition in cylindrical channels, albeit now on a double-curved geometry. Here, the balance between gravity, viscosity, surface tension and polymerization rate can yield a constant thickness film. We seek to identify the physical ingredients that govern the final film thickness and its profile. In our experiments using organosilicon, we systematically vary the properties of the fluid, as well as the curvature of the substrate onto which the film is coated, and characterize the final thickness profile of the shells. A reduced model is developed to rationalize the process.

Hybrid particles and associated methods

DOEpatents

Fox, Robert V; Rodriguez, Rene; Pak, Joshua J; Sun, Chivin

2015-02-10

Hybrid particles that comprise a coating surrounding a chalcopyrite material, the coating comprising a metal, a semiconductive material, or a polymer; a core comprising a chalcopyrite material and a shell comprising a functionalized chalcopyrite material, the shell enveloping the core; or a reaction product of a chalcopyrite material and at least one of a reagent, heat, and radiation. Methods of forming the hybrid particles are also disclosed.

Growth and optical investigations of high quality individual CdTe/(Cd,Mg)Te core/shell nanowires.

PubMed

Wojnar, P; Płachta, J; Kret, S; Kaleta, A; Zaleszczyk, W; Szymura, M; Wiater, M; Baczewski, L T; Pietruczik, A; Karczewski, G; Wojtowicz, T; Kossut, J

2017-01-27

CdTe nanowires with the average diameter of only 40 nm coated with (Cd,Mg)Te shells are grown using Au-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism in a system for molecular beam epitaxy. High optical quality of individual nanowires is revealed by means of low temperature cathodoluminescence and micro-luminescence. It is found that, the optical emission spectrum consists mostly of the near band edge emission without any significant contribution of defect related luminescence. Moreover, the importance of surface passivation with (Cd,Mg)Te coating shells is demonstrated.

Reducing the effects of X-ray pre-heat in double shell NIF capsules by over-coating the high Z shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Douglas; Milovich, J. L.; Daughton, W. S.; Loomis, E. N.; Sauppe, J. P.; Dodd, E. S.; Merritt, E. C.; Montgomery, D. S.; Renner, D. B.; Haines, B. M.; Cardenas, T.; Desjardins, T.; Palaniyappan, S.; Batha, S. H.

2017-10-01

Hohlraum generated X-rays will penetrate the ablator of a double shell capsule and be absorbed in the outer surface of the inner capsule. The ablative pressure this generates drives a shock into the central fuel, and a reflected shock that reaches the inner high-Z shell surface before the main shock even enters the fuel. With a beryllium over-coat preheat X-rays deposit just inside the beryllium/high z interface. The beryllium tamps the preheat expansion, eliminating ablation, and dramatically reducing pressure. The slow shock or pressure wave it generates is then overtaken by the main shock, avoiding an early shock in the fuel and increasing capsule yield.

Tuning silver ion release properties in reactively sputtered Ag/TiOx nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, J.; Ghori, M. Z.; Henkel, B.; Strunskus, T.; Schürmann, U.; Deng, M.; Kienle, L.; Faupel, F.

2017-07-01

Silver/titania nanocomposites with strong bactericidal effects and good biocompatibility/environmental safety show a high potential for antibacterial applications. Tailoring the silver ion release is thus highly promising to optimize the antibacterial properties of such coatings and to preserve biocompatibility. Reactive sputtering is a fast and versatile method for the preparation of such Ag/TiOx nanocomposites coatings. The present work is concerned with the influence of sputter parameters on the surface morphology and silver ion release properties of reactively sputtered Ag/TiOx nanocomposites coatings showing a silver nanoparticle size distribution in the range from 1 to 20 nm. It is shown that the silver ion release rate strongly depends on the total pressure: the coatings prepared at lower pressure present a lower but long-lasting release behavior. The much denser structure produced under these conditions reduces the transport of water molecules into the coating. In addition, the influence of microstructure and thickness of titanium oxide barriers on the silver ion release were investigated intensively. Moreover, for the coatings prepared at high total pressure, it was demonstrated that stable and long-lasting silver release can be achieved by depositing a barrier with a high rate. Nanocomposites produced under these conditions show well controllable silver ion release properties for applications as antibacterial coatings.

Sol-gel-derived TiO(2)-SiO (2) implant coatings for direct tissue attachment. Part I: design, preparation and characterization.

PubMed

Aäritalo, Virpi; Areva, Sami; Jokinen, Mika; Lindén, Mika; Peltola, Timo

2007-09-01

A series of sol-gel derived TiO(2)-SiO(2) mixed oxide coatings were prepared by carefully controlling the process parameters to obtain silica-releasing coatings consisting of nanoparticles. These features are of paramount importance for enhanced cell adhesion and activation. To achieve both these goals the Ti-alkoxide and Si-alkoxide were first separately hydrolysed and the titania-silica mixed sol was further reacted before the dipping process to obtain the desired particle sizes resulting to the biologically favourable topographical features. Silica release was observed from all the prepared coatings and it was dependent on SiO(2) amount added to the sols, i.e., the higher the added amount the higher the release. In addition, calcium phosphate was able to nucleate on the coatings. From the obtained SiO(2) dissolution data, together with the detailed XPS peak analysis, the mixed oxide coatings are concluded to be chemically heterogeneous, consisting of TiO(2) and SiO(2) species most likely linked together by Ti-O-Si bonds. TiO(2) is chemically stable making long-term implant coating possible and the desired nanoscale dimensions were well preserved although the composition was changed as a consequence of SiO(2) dissolution under in vitro conditions.

Well-crystallized mesoporous TiO2 shells for enhanced photocatalytic activity: prepared by carbon coating and silica-protected calcination.

PubMed

Zhang, Zewu; Zhou, Yuming; Zhang, Yiwei; Zhou, Shijian; Shi, Junjun; Kong, Jie; Zhang, Sicheng

2013-04-14

Mesoporous anatase-phase TiO2 hollow shells were successfully fabricated by the solvothermal and calcination process. This method involves preparation of SiO2@TiO2 core-shell colloidal templates, sequential deposition of carbon and then silica layers through solvothermal and sol-gel processes, crystallization of TiO2 by calcination and finally removal of the inner and outer silica to produce hollow anatase TiO2 shells. The prepared samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The results show that a uniform carbon layer is coated on the core-shell particles through the solvothermal process. The combustion of carbon offers the space for the TiO2 to further grow into large crystal grains, and the outer silica layer serves as a barrier against the excessive growth of anatase TiO2 nanocrystals. Furthermore, the initial crystallization of TiO2 generated in the carbon coating step and the heat generated by the combustion of the carbon layer allow the crystallization of TiO2 at a relatively low temperature without changing the uniform structure. When used as photocatalysts for the oxidation decomposition of Rhodamine B in aqueous solution under UV irradiation, the hollow TiO2 shells showed enhanced catalytic activity. Moreover, the TiO2 hollow shells prepared with optimal crystallinity by this method showed a higher performance than commercial P25 TiO2.

Rational Construction of Uniform CoNi-Based Core-Shell Microspheres with Tunable Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Properties.

PubMed

Chen, Na; Jiang, Jian-Tang; Xu, Cheng-Yan; Yan, Shao-Jiu; Zhen, Liang

2018-02-16

Core-shell particles with integration of ferromagnetic core and dielectric shell are attracting extensive attention for promising microwave absorption applications. In this work, CoNi microspheres with conical bulges were synthesized by a simple and scalable liquid-phase reduction method. Subsequent coating of dielectric materials was conducted to acquire core-shell structured CoNi@TiO 2 composite particles, in which the thickness of TiO 2 is about 40 nm. The coating of TiO 2 enables the absorption band of CoNi to effectively shift from K u to S band, and endows CoNi@TiO 2 microspheres with outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption performance along with a maximum reflection loss of 76.6 dB at 3.3 GHz, much better than that of bare CoNi microspheres (54.4 dB at 17.8 GHz). The enhanced EMA performance is attributed to the unique core-shell structures, which can induce dipole polarization and interfacial polarization, and tune the dielectric properties to achieve good impedance matching. Impressively, TiO 2 coating endows the composites with better microwave absorption capability than CoNi@SiO 2 microspheres. Compared with SiO 2 , TiO 2 dielectric shells could protect CoNi microspheres from merger and agglomeration during annealed. These results indicate that CoNi@TiO 2 core-shell microspheres can serve as high-performance absorbers for electromagnetic wave absorbing application.

Modeling of nonlinear viscous stress in encapsulating shells of lipid-coated contrast agent microbubbles.

PubMed

Doinikov, Alexander A; Haac, Jillian F; Dayton, Paul A

2009-02-01

A general theoretical approach to the development of zero-thickness encapsulation models for contrast microbubbles is proposed. The approach describes a procedure that allows one to recast available rheological laws from the bulk form to a surface form which is used in a modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation governing the radial dynamics of a contrast microbubble. By the use of the proposed procedure, the testing of different rheological laws for encapsulation can be carried out. Challenges of existing shell models for lipid-encapsulated microbubbles, such as the dependence of shell parameters on the initial bubble radius and the "compression-only" behavior, are discussed. Analysis of the rheological behavior of lipid encapsulation is made by using experimental radius-time curves for lipid-coated microbubbles with radii in the range 1.2-2.5 microm. The curves were acquired for a research phospholipid-coated contrast agent insonified with a 20 cycle, 3.0 MHz, 100 kPa acoustic pulse. The fitting of the experimental data by a model which treats the shell as a viscoelastic solid gives the values of the shell surface viscosity increasing from 0.30 x 10(-8) kg/s to 2.63 x 10(-8) kg/s for the range of bubble radii, indicated above. The shell surface elastic modulus increases from 0.054 N/m to 0.37 N/m. It is proposed that this increase may be a result of the lipid coating possessing the properties of both a shear-thinning and a strain-softening material. We hypothesize that these complicated rheological properties do not allow the existing shell models to satisfactorily describe the dynamics of lipid encapsulation. In the existing shell models, the viscous and the elastic shell terms have the linear form which assumes that the viscous and the elastic stresses acting inside the lipid shell are proportional to the shell shear rate and the shell strain, respectively, with constant coefficients of proportionality. The analysis performed in the present paper suggests that a more general, nonlinear theory may be more appropriate. It is shown that the use of the nonlinear theory for shell viscosity allows one to model the "compression-only" behavior. As an example, the results of the simulation for a 2.03 microm radius bubble insonified with a 6 cycle, 1.8 MHz, 100 kPa acoustic pulse are given. These parameters correspond to the acoustic conditions under which the "compression-only" behavior was observed by de Jong et al. [Ultrasound Med. Biol. 33 (2007) 653-656]. It is also shown that the use of the Cross law for the modeling of the shear-thinning behavior of shell viscosity reduces the variance of experimentally estimated values of the shell viscosity and its dependence on the initial bubble radius.

Thermal annealing dynamics of carbon-coated LiFePO4 nanoparticles studied by in-situ analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krumeich, Frank; Waser, Oliver; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

2016-10-01

The thermal behavior of core-shell carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4-C) nanoparticles made by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) during annealing was investigated by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in-situ X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) as well as ex-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Crystallization of the initially glassy LiFePO4-C nanoparticles starts at quite low temperatures (T=400 °C), forming single crystals inside the confinement of the carbon shell. Upon increasing the temperature to T≥700 °C, LiFePO4 starts to diffuse through the carbon shell resulting in cavities inside the mostly intact carbon shell. By increasing the temperature further to T≥800 °C, the initial core-shell morphology converts into open carbon shells (flakes and cenospheres) and bulky LiFePO4 particles (diameter in the range 300-400 nm), in agreement with ex-situ experiments.

Multifunctional Composite Nanofibers for Smart Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-13

low cost. It is coated onto the surface of CNF to use as a supercapacitor cathode. The high porosity and surface area of nanofiber composite...SiNP fusion, pulverization, and capacity loss can be minimized during electrochemical cycling. Carbon is also ductile in absorbing the mechanical...b) Figure 2 Core-shell CNF/Si composite with a thin layer of carbon shell coating on SiNP (a) and the capacity of both

Synthesis of Fe5C2@SiO2 core@shell nanoparticles as a potential candidate for biomedical application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadpoor, Fatemeh; Shojaosadati, Seyed Abbas; Delavari H, Hamid; Christiansen, Gunna; Saber, Reza

2018-05-01

A new strategy for water-dispersibility of hydrophobic carbide nanostructures was proposed. In this regard, hydrophobic Fe5C2 nanoparticles (NPs) with size ranging 25–40 nm were synthesized and coated with 12–15 nm silica shell for biomedical applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed that Fe5C2 NPs with monoclinic structure were successfully prepared. The crystalline structure of Fe5C2 NPs was remained unchanged and saturation magnetization of core remained nearly constant after coating with silica shell. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy identified D-band of amorphous carbon shells which was also confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Finally, Fe5C2@SiO2 core@shell NPs demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity and appropriate heat generating which makes them a promising candidate for magnetic fluid hyperthermia applications.

Synthesis and characterization of carbon-coated cobalt ferrite nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakhshi, Hamed; Shokuhfar, Ali; Vahdati, Nima

2016-09-01

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CFNPs) were prepared via a reverse micelle method. The CFNPs were subsequently coated with carbon shells by means of thermal chemical vapor deposition (TCVD). In this process, acetylene gas (C2H2) was used as a carbon source and the coating was carried out for 1, 2, or 3 h at 750°C. The Ar/C2H2 ratio was 10:1. Heating during the TCVD process resulted in a NP core size that approached 30 nm; the thickness of the shell was less than 10 nm. The composition, structure, and morphology of the fabricated composites were characterized using X-ray diffraction, simultaneous thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected-area diffraction. A vibrating sample magnetometer was used to survey the samples' magnetic properties. The deposited carbon shell substantially affected the growth and magnetic properties of the CFNPs. Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used to study the carbon coating and revealed that the deposited carbon comprised graphite, multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and diamond- like carbon. With an increase in coating time, the intensity ratio between the amorphous and ordered peaks in the Raman spectra decreased, which indicated an increase in crystallite size.

Polydopamine-coated, nitrogen-doped, hollow carbon-sulfur double-layered core-shell structure for improving lithium-sulfur batteries.

PubMed

Zhou, Weidong; Xiao, Xingcheng; Cai, Mei; Yang, Li

2014-09-10

To better confine the sulfur/polysulfides in the electrode of lithium-sulfur (Li/S) batteries and improve the cycling stability, we developed a double-layered core-shell structure of polymer-coated carbon-sulfur. Carbon-sulfur was first prepared through the impregnation of sulfur into hollow carbon spheres under heat treatment, followed by a coating polymerization to give a double-layered core-shell structure. From the study of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images, we demonstrated that the sulfur not only successfully penetrated through the porous carbon shell but also aggregated along the inner wall of the carbon shell, which, for the first time, provided visible and convincing evidence that sulfur preferred diffusing into the hollow carbon rather than aggregating in/on the porous wall of the carbon. Taking advantage of this structure, a stable capacity of 900 mA h g(-1) at 0.2 C after 150 cycles and 630 mA h g(-1) at 0.6 C after 600 cycles could be obtained in Li/S batteries. We also demonstrated the feasibility of full cells using the sulfur electrodes to couple with the silicon film electrodes, which exhibited significantly improved cycling stability and efficiency. The remarkable electrochemical performance could be attributed to the desirable confinement of sulfur through the unique double-layered core-shell architectures.

Effect of photoanode surface coverage by a sensitizer on the photovoltaic performance of titania based CdS quantum dot sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Prasad, Rajendra M B; Pathan, Habib M

2016-04-08

In spite of the promising design and architecture, quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) have a long way to go before they attain the actual projected photoconversion efficiencies. Such an inferior performance displayed by QDSSCs is primarily because of many unwanted recombination losses of charge carriers at various interfaces of the cell. Electron recombination due to back electron transfer at the photoanode/electrolyte interface is an important one that needs to be addressed, to improve the efficiency of these third generation nanostructured solar cells. The present work highlights the importance of conformal coverage of CdS quantum dots (QDs) on the surface of the nanocrystalline titania photoanode in arresting such recombinations, leading to improvement in the performance of the cells. Using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) process, photoanodes are subjected to different amounts of CdS QD sensitization by varying the number of cycles of deposition. The sensitized electrodes are characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and transmission electron microscopy to evaluate the extent of surface coverage of titania electrodes by QDs. Sandwich solar cells are then fabricated using these electrodes and characterized employing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and J-V characteristics. It is observed that maximum solar cell efficiency is obtained for photoanodes with conformal coating of QDs and any further deposition of sensitizer leads to QD aggregation and so reduces the performance of the solar cells.

Heat resistant protective hand covering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tschirch, R. P.; Sidman, K. R.; Arons, I. J. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

A heat-resistant aromatic polyamide fiber is described. The outer surface of the shell is coated with a fire-resistant elastomer and liner. Generally conforming and secured to the shell and disposed inwardly of the shell, the liner is made of a felt fabric of temperature-resistant aromatic polymide fiber.

Highly luminescent silica-coated CdS/CdSe/CdS nanoparticles with strong chemical robustness and excellent thermal stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Nianfang; Koh, Sungjun; Jeong, Byeong Guk; Lee, Dongkyu; Kim, Whi Dong; Park, Kyoungwon; Nam, Min Ki; Lee, Kangha; Kim, Yewon; Lee, Baek-Hee; Lee, Kangtaek; Bae, Wan Ki; Lee, Doh C.

2017-05-01

We present facile synthesis of bright CdS/CdSe/CdS@SiO2 nanoparticles with 72% of quantum yields (QYs) retaining ca 80% of the original QYs. The main innovative point is the utilization of the highly luminescent CdS/CdSe/CdS seed/spherical quantum well/shell (SQW) as silica coating seeds. The significance of inorganic semiconductor shell passivation and structure design of quantum dots (QDs) for obtaining bright QD@SiO2 is demonstrated by applying silica encapsulation via reverse microemulsion method to three kinds of QDs with different structure: CdSe core and 2 nm CdS shell (CdSe/CdS-thin); CdSe core and 6 nm CdS shell (CdSe/CdS-thick); and CdS core, CdSe intermediate shell and 5 nm CdS outer shell (CdS/CdSe/CdS-SQW). Silica encapsulation inevitably results in lower photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) than pristine QDs due to formation of surface defects. However, the retaining ratio of pristine QY is different in the three silica coated samples; for example, CdSe/CdS-thin/SiO2 shows the lowest retaining ratio (36%) while the retaining ratio of pristine PL QY in CdSe/CdS-thick/SiO2 and SQW/SiO2 is over 80% and SQW/SiO2 shows the highest resulting PL QY. Thick outermost CdS shell isolates the excitons from the defects at surface, making PL QY relatively insensitive to silica encapsulation. The bright SiO2-coated SQW sample shows robustness against harsh conditions, such as acid etching and thermal annealing. The high luminescence and long-term stability highlights the potential of using the SQW/SiO2 nanoparticles in bio-labeling or display applications.

Whispering gallery modes in a spherical microcavity with a photoluminescent shell

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grudinkin, S. A., E-mail: grudink@gvg.ioffe.ru; Dontsov, A. A.; Feoktistov, N. A.

2015-10-15

Whispering-gallery mode spectra in optical microcavities based on spherical silica particles coated with a thin photoluminescent shell of hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide are studied. The spectral positions of the whispering-gallery modes for spherical microcavities with a shell are calculated. The dependence of the spectral distance between the TE and TM modes on the shell thickness is examined.

Improved piston ring materials for 650 deg C service

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bjorndahl, W. D.

1986-01-01

A program to develop piston ring material systems which will operate at 650C was performed. In this program, two candidate high temperature piston ring substrate materials, Carpenter 709-2 and 440B, were hot formed into the piston ring shape and subsequently evaluated. In a parallel development effort ceramic and metallic piston ring coating materials were applied to cast iron rings by various processing techniques and then subjected to thermal shock and wear evaluation. Finally, promising candidate coatings were applied to the most thermally stable hot formed substrate. The results of evaluation tests of the hot formed substrate show that Carpenter 709-2 has greater thermal stability than 440B. Of the candidate coatings, plasma transferred arc (PTA) applied tungsten carbide and molybdenum based systems exhibit the greatest resistance to thermal shock. For the ceramic based systems, thermal shock resistance was improved by bond coat grading. Wear testing was conducted to 650C (1202F). For ceramic systems, the alumina/titania/zirconia/yttria composition showed highest wear resistance. For the PTA applied systems, the tungsten carbide based system showed highest wear resistance.

Silica-Based and Borate-Based, Titania-Containing Bioactive Coatings Characterization: Critical Strain Energy Release Rate, Residual Stresses, Hardness, and Thermal Expansion.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Omar; Matinmanesh, Ali; Phull, Sunjeev; Schemitsch, Emil H; Zalzal, Paul; Clarkin, Owen M; Papini, Marcello; Towler, Mark R

2016-12-01

Silica-based and borate-based glass series, with increasing amounts of TiO₂ incorporated, are characterized in terms of their mechanical properties relevant to their use as metallic coating materials. It is observed that borate-based glasses exhibit CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) closer to the substrate's (Ti6Al4V) CTE, translating into higher mode I critical strain energy release rates of glasses and compressive residual stresses and strains at the coating/substrate interface, outperforming the silica-based glasses counterparts. An increase in the content of TiO₂ in the glasses results in an increase in the mode I critical strain energy release rate for both the bulk glass and for the coating/substrate system, proving that the addition of TiO₂ to the glass structure enhances its toughness, while decreasing its bulk hardness. Borate-based glass BRT3, with 15 mol % TiO₂ incorporated, exhibits superior properties overall compared to the other proposed glasses in this work, as well as 45S5 Bioglass ® and Pyrex.

Silica-Based and Borate-Based, Titania-Containing Bioactive Coatings Characterization: Critical Strain Energy Release Rate, Residual Stresses, Hardness, and Thermal Expansion

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Omar; Matinmanesh, Ali; Phull, Sunjeev; Schemitsch, Emil H.; Zalzal, Paul; Clarkin, Owen M.; Papini, Marcello; Towler, Mark R.

2016-01-01

Silica-based and borate-based glass series, with increasing amounts of TiO2 incorporated, are characterized in terms of their mechanical properties relevant to their use as metallic coating materials. It is observed that borate-based glasses exhibit CTE (Coefficient of Thermal Expansion) closer to the substrate’s (Ti6Al4V) CTE, translating into higher mode I critical strain energy release rates of glasses and compressive residual stresses and strains at the coating/substrate interface, outperforming the silica-based glasses counterparts. An increase in the content of TiO2 in the glasses results in an increase in the mode I critical strain energy release rate for both the bulk glass and for the coating/substrate system, proving that the addition of TiO2 to the glass structure enhances its toughness, while decreasing its bulk hardness. Borate-based glass BRT3, with 15 mol % TiO2 incorporated, exhibits superior properties overall compared to the other proposed glasses in this work, as well as 45S5 Bioglass® and Pyrex. PMID:27916951

Preparation, Characterization, and Enhanced Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Epoxy-Titania Composites

PubMed Central

Rubab, Zakya; Siddiqi, Humaira M.; Saeed, Shaukat

2014-01-01

This paper presents the synthesis and thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy-titania composites. First, submicron titania particles are prepared via surfactant-free sol-gel method using TiCl4 as precursor. These particles are subsequently used as inorganic fillers (or reinforcement) for thermally cured epoxy polymers. Epoxy-titania composites are prepared via mechanical mixing of titania particles with liquid epoxy resin and subsequently curing the mixture with an aliphatic diamine. The amount of titania particles integrated into epoxy matrix is varied between 2.5 and 10.0 wt.% to investigate the effect of sub-micron titania particles on thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy-titania composites. These composites are characterized by X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric (TG), and mechanical analyses. It is found that sub-micron titania particles significantly enhance the glass transition temperature (>6.7%), thermal oxidative stability (>12.0%), tensile strength (>21.8%), and Young's modulus (>16.8%) of epoxy polymers. Epoxy-titania composites with 5.0 wt.% sub-micron titania particles perform best at elevated temperatures as well as under high stress. PMID:24578638

Bioinspired Hierarchical Nanofibrous Silver-Nanoparticle/Anatase-Rutile-Titania Composite as an Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Luo, Yan; Li, Jiao; Huang, Jianguo

2016-11-29

A new bioinspired hierarchical nanofibrous silver-nanoparticle/anatase-rutile-titania (Ag-NP/A-R-titania) composite was fabricated by employing a natural cellulose substance (e.g., commercial laboratory cellulose filter paper) as the structural scaffold template, which was composed of anatase-phase titania (A-titania) nanotubes with rutile-phase titania (R-titania) nanoneedles grown on the surfaces and further silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) immobilized thereon. As it was employed as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), high reversible capacity, enhanced rate performance, and excellent cycling stability were achieved as compared with those of the corresponding cellulose-substance-derived nanotubular A-titania, R-titania, heterogeneous anatase/rutile titania (A-R-titania) composite, and commercial P25 powder. This benefited from its unique porous cross-linked three-dimensional structure inherited from the initial cellulose substance scaffold, which enhances the sufficient electrode/electrolyte contact, relieves the severe volume change upon cycling, and improves the amount of lithium-ion storage; moreover, the high loading content of the silver component in the composite improves the electrical conductivity of the electrode. The structural integrity of the composite was maintained upon long-term charge/discharge cycling, indicating its significant stability.

Metal Oxide Assisted Preparation of Core-Shell Beads with Dense Metal-Organic Framework Coatings for the Enhanced Extraction of Organic Pollutants.

PubMed

Del Rio, Mateo; Palomino Cabello, Carlos; Gonzalez, Veronica; Maya, Fernando; Parra, Jose B; Cerdà, Victor; Turnes Palomino, Gemma

2016-08-08

Dense and homogeneous metal-organic framework (MOF) coatings on functional bead surfaces are easily prepared by using intermediate sacrificial metal oxide coatings containing the metal precursor of the MOF. Polystyrene (PS) beads are coated with a ZnO layer to give ZnO@PS core-shell beads. The ZnO@PS beads are reactive in the presence of 2-methylimidazole to transform part of the ZnO coating into a porous zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) external shell positioned above the internal ZnO precursor shell. The obtained ZIF-8@ZnO@PS beads can be easily packed in column format for flow-through applications, such as the solid-phase extraction of trace priority-listed environmental pollutants. The prepared material shows an excellent permeance to flow when packed as a column to give high enrichment factors, facile regeneration, and excellent reusability for the extraction of the pollutant bisphenol A. It also shows an outstanding performance for the simultaneous enrichment of mixtures of endocrine disrupting chemicals (bisphenol A, 4-tert-octylphenol and 4-n-nonylphenol), facilitating their analysis when present at very low levels (<1 μg L(-1) ) in drinking waters. For the extraction of the pollutant bisphenol A, the prepared ZIF-8@ZnO@PS beads also show a superior extraction and preconcentration capacity to that of the PS beads used as precursors and the composite materials obtained by the direct growth of ZIF-8 on the surface of the PS beads in the absence of metal oxide intermediate coatings. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Molecular Weight Cut-Off and Structural Analysis of Vacuum-Assisted Titania Membranes for Water Processing

PubMed Central

Abd Jalil, Siti Nurehan; Wang, David K.; Yacou, Christelle; Motuzas, Julius; Smart, Simon; Diniz da Costa, João C.

2016-01-01

This work investigates the structural formation and analyses of titania membranes (TM) prepared using different vacuum exposure times for molecular weight (MW) cut-off performance and oil/water separation. Titania membranes were synthesized via a sol-gel method and coated on macroporous alumina tubes followed by exposure to a vacuum between 30 and 1200 s and then calcined at 400 °C. X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption analyses showed that the crystallite size and particle size of titania increased as a function of vacuum time. All the TM membranes were mesoporous with an average pore diameter of ~3.6 nm with an anatase crystal morphology. Water, glucose, sucrose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone with 40 and 360 kDa (PVP-40 kDa and PVP-360 kDa) were used as feed solutions for MW cut-off and hexadecane solution for oil filtration investigation. The TM membranes were not able to separate glucose and sucrose, thus indicating the membrane pore sizes are larger than the kinetic diameter of sucrose of 0.9 nm, irrespective of vacuum exposure time. They also showed only moderate rejection (20%) of the smaller PVP-40 kDa, however, all the membranes were able to obtain an excellent rejection of near 100% for the larger PVP-360 kDa molecule. Furthermore, the TM membranes were tested for the separation of oil emulsions with a high concentration of oil (3000 ppm), reaching high oil rejections of more than 90% of oil. In general, the water fluxes increased with the vacuum exposure time indicating a pore structural tailoring effect. It is therefore proposed that a mechanism of pore size tailoring was formed by an interconnected network of Ti–O–Ti nanoparticles with inter-particle voids, which increased as TiO2 nanoparticle size increased as a function of vacuum exposure time, and thus reduced the water transport resistance through the TM membranes. PMID:28774057

Active Structural Fibers for Multifunctional Composite Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-06

capacitors. Lastly, a cathodic electrolytic deposition process has been investigated for the coating of carbon fibers with a PZT shell. The...results have demonstrated the ability to use the process to coat fibers with a thin shell of PZT . The results thus far have demonstrated the feasibility...Journal of Composite Materials, In Review. 2. Zhou, Z., Lin, Y. and Sodano, H.A., Synthesis and Characterization of Textured BaTiO3 Thin Films

Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer of Liquid Precursor Droplets Injected into High-Temperature Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Saptarshi; Jordan, Eric H.; Cetegen, Baki M.

2008-03-01

Thermo-physical processes in liquid ceramic precursor droplets in plasma were modeled. Models include aerodynamic droplet break-up, droplet transport, as well as heat and mass transfer within individual droplets. Droplet size, solute concentration, and plasma temperature effects are studied. Results are discussed with the perspective of selecting processing conditions and injection parameters to obtain certain types of coating microstructures. Small droplets (<5 microns) are found to undergo volumetric precipitation and coating deposition with small unpyrolized material. Droplets can be made to undergo shear break-up by reducing surface tension and small droplets promote volumetric precipitation. Small particles reach substrate as molten splats resulting in denser coatings. Model predicts that larger droplets (>5 microns) tend to surface precipitate-forming shells with liquid core. They may be subjected to internal pressurization leading to shattering of shells and secondary atomization of liquid within. They arrive at the substrate as broken shells and unpyrolized material.

Developing core-shell upconversion nanoparticles for optical encoding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Kai

Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are an emerging class of luminescent materials that emit UV or visible light under near infra-red (NIR) excitations, thereby possessing a large anti-Stokes shift property. Also considering their sharp emission bands, excellent photo- and chemical stability, and almost zero auto-fluorescence of their NIR excitation, UCNPs are advantageous for optical encoding. Fabricating core-shell structured UCNPs provides a promising strategy to tune and enhance their upconverting luminescence. However, the energy transfer between core and shell had been rarely studied. Moreover, this strategy had been limited by the difficulty of coating thick shells onto the large cores of UCNPs. To overcome these constraints, the overall aim of this project is to study the inter-layers energy transfer in core-shell UCNPs and to develop an approach for coating thicker shell onto the core UCNPs, in order to fabricate UCNPs with enhanced and tunable luminescence for optical encoding. The strategy for encapsulating UCNPs into hydrogel droplet to fabricate multi-color bead barcodes has also been developed. Firstly, to study the inter-layers energy transfer between the core and shell of coreshell UCNPs, the activator and sensitizer ions were separately doped in the core or shell by fabricating NaYF4:Er NaYF4:Yb and NaYF4:Yb NaYF4:Er UCNPs. This eliminated the intra-layer energy transfer, resulting in a luminescence that is solely based on the energy transfer between layers, which facilitated the study of inter-layers energy transfer. The results demonstrated that the NaYF4:Yb NaYF4:Er structure, with sensitizer ions doped in the core, was preferable because of the strong luminescence, through minimizing the cross relaxations between Er3+ and Yb3+ and the surface quenching. Based on these information, a strategy of enhancing and tuning upconversion luminescence of core-shell UCNPs by accumulating sensitizer in the core has been developed. Next, a strategy of coating a thick shell by lutetium doping has been developed. With a smaller ion radius compared to Y3+, when Lu3+ partially replace Y3+ in the NaYF4 UCNPs during nanoparticle synthesis, nucleation process is suppressed and the growth process is promoted, which are favorable for increasing the nanoparticle size and coating a thicker shell onto the core UCNPs. Through the rational doping of Lu3+, core UCNPs with bigger sizes and enhanced luminescence were produced. Using NaLuF4 as the shell material, shells with tremendous thickness were coated onto core UCNPs, with the shell/core ratio of up to 10:1. This led to the fabrication of multi-color UCNPs with well-designed core-shell structures with multiple layers and controllable thicknesses. Finally, a strategy of encapsulating these UCNPs to produce optically encoded micro-beads through high-throughput microfluidics has been developed. The hydrophobic UCNPs were first modified with Pluronic F127 to render them hydrophilic and uniformly distributed in the poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel precursor. Droplets of the hydrogel precursor were formed in a microfluidic device and cross-linked into micro-beads under UV irradiation. Through encapsulation of multi-color UCNPs and by controlling their ratio, optically encoded multi-color micro-beads have been easily fabricated. These multi-color UCNPs and micro-bead barcodes have great potential for use in multiplexed bioimaging and detection.

Synthesis of highly monodisperse particles composed of a magnetic core and fluorescent shell.

PubMed

Nagao, Daisuke; Yokoyama, Mikio; Yamauchi, Noriko; Matsumoto, Hideki; Kobayashi, Yoshio; Konno, Mikio

2008-09-02

Highly monodisperse particles composed of a magnetic silica core and fluorescent polymer shell were synthesized with a combined technique of heterocoagulation and soap-free emulsion polymerization. Prior to heterocoagulation, monodisperse, submicrometer-sized silica particles were prepared with the Stober method, and magnetic nanoparticles were prepared with a modified Massart method in which a cationic silane coupling agent of N-trimethoxysilylpropyl- N, N, N-trimethylammonium chloride was added just after coprecipitation of Fe (2+) and Fe (3+). The silica particles with negative surface potential were heterocoagulated with the magnetic nanoparticles with positive surface potential. The magnetic silica particles obtained with the heterocoagulation were treated with sodium silicate to modify their surfaces with silica. In the formation of a fluorescent polymer shell onto the silica-coated magnetic silica cores, an amphoteric initiator of 2,2'-azobis[ N-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-2-methylpropionamidine] (VA-057) was used to control the colloidal stability of the magnetic cores during the polymer coating. The polymerization of St in the presence of a hydrophobic fluorophore of pyrene could coat the cores with fluorescent polymer shells, resulting in monodisperse particles with a magnetic silica core and fluorescent polymer shell. Measurements of zeta potential for the composite particles in different pH values indicated that the composite particles had an amphoteric property originating from VA-057 initiator.

[Preparation and evaluation of press-coated aminophylline tablet using crystalline cellulose and polyethylene glycol in the outer shell for timed-release dosage forms].

PubMed

Watanabe, Yoshiteru; Mukai, Baku; Kawamura, Ken-ichi; Ishikawa, Tatsuya; Namiki, Michihiro; Utoguchi, Naoki; Fujii, Makiko

2002-02-01

In an attempt to achieve chronopharmacotherapy for asthma, press-coated tablets (250 mg), which contained aminophylline in the core tablet in the form of low-substituted hydroxypropylcellulose (L-HPC) and coated with crystalline cellulose (PH-102) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) at various molecular weights and mixing ratios in the amounts of PH-102 and PEG as the outer shell (press-coating material), were prepared (chronopharmaceutics). Their applicability as timed-release (delayed-release) tablets with a lag time of disintegration and a subsequent rapid drug release phase was investigated. Various types of press-coated tablets were prepared using a tableting machine, and their aminophylline dissolution profiles were evaluated by the JP paddle method. Tablets with the timed-release characteristics could be prepared, and the lag time of disintegration was prolonged as the molecular weight and the amount of PEG, for example PEG 500,000, in the outer shell were increased. The lag time of disintegration could be controlled by the above-mentioned method, however, the pH of the medium had no effect on disintegration of the tablet and dissolution behavior of theophylline. The press-coated tablet (core tablet:aminophylline 50 mg, L-HPC and PEG 6000; outer shell:PH-102:PEG = 8:2 200 mg) with the timed-release characteristics was administered orally to rabbits for an in vivo test. Theophylline was first detected in plasma more than 2 h after administration; thus, this tablet showed a timed-release characteristics in the gastrointestinal tract. The time (tmax) required to reach the maximum plasma theophylline concentration (Cmax) observed after administration of the press-coated tablet was significantly (p < 0.05) delayed compared with that observed after administration of aminophylline solution in the control experiment. However, there was no difference in Cmax and area under the plasma theophylline concentration-time curve (AUC0-->24) between the press-coated tablet and aminophylline solution. These results suggest that the press-coated aminophylline tablet (with the timed-release characteristic) offers a promising forms of theophylline chronotherapy for asthma.

Titania bound sodium titanate ion exchanger

DOEpatents

DeFilippi, Irene C. G.; Yates, Stephen Frederic; Shen, Jian-Kun; Gaita, Romulus; Sedath, Robert Henry; Seminara, Gary Joseph; Straszewski, Michael Peter; Anderson, David Joseph

1999-03-23

This invention is method for preparing a titania bound ion exchange composition comprising admixing crystalline sodium titanate and a hydrolyzable titanium compound and, thereafter drying the titania bound crystalline sodium titanate and subjecting the dried titania bound ion exchange composition to optional compaction and calcination steps to improve the physical strength of the titania bound composition.

Coatings and methods for corrosion detection and/or reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calle, Luz M. (Inventor); Li, Wenyan (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Coatings and methods are provided. An embodiment of the coating includes microcapsules that contain at least one of a corrosion inhibitor, a film-forming compound, and an indicator. The microcapsules are dispersed in a coating vehicle. A shell of each microcapsule breaks down in the presence of an alkaline condition, resulting from corrosion.

Aqueous route to facile, efficient and functional silica coating of metal nanoparticles at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shah, Kwok Wei; Sreethawong, Thammanoon; Liu, Shu-Hua; Zhang, Shuang-Yuan; Tan, Li Sirh; Han, Ming-Yong

2014-09-01

Various metal (Ag, Au, and Pt)@thiol-functionalized silica (SiO2-SH) nanoparticles (NPs) are successfully prepared at room temperature by a facile, efficient, functional, universal and scalable coating process in alcohol-free aqueous solution using pre-hydrolyzed 3-(mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). The controlled pre-hydrolysis of the silane precursor in water and the consecutive condensation processes are the key to achieve the effective and uniform silica coating on metal NPs in aqueous solution. The thickness of the silica shell is tuned by simply varying the coating time. The silica shell can act as an effective protecting layer for Ag NPs in Ag@SiO2-SH NPs under conditions for silica coating in aqueous solution; however, it leads to a directional dissolution of Ag NPs in a more strongly basic ammonia solution. The environmentally friendly silica coating process in water is also applied to prepare highly surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active Ag@SiO2-SH NPs with different types of Raman molecules for highly sensitive SERS-based applications in various fields.Various metal (Ag, Au, and Pt)@thiol-functionalized silica (SiO2-SH) nanoparticles (NPs) are successfully prepared at room temperature by a facile, efficient, functional, universal and scalable coating process in alcohol-free aqueous solution using pre-hydrolyzed 3-(mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). The controlled pre-hydrolysis of the silane precursor in water and the consecutive condensation processes are the key to achieve the effective and uniform silica coating on metal NPs in aqueous solution. The thickness of the silica shell is tuned by simply varying the coating time. The silica shell can act as an effective protecting layer for Ag NPs in Ag@SiO2-SH NPs under conditions for silica coating in aqueous solution; however, it leads to a directional dissolution of Ag NPs in a more strongly basic ammonia solution. The environmentally friendly silica coating process in water is also applied to prepare highly surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-active Ag@SiO2-SH NPs with different types of Raman molecules for highly sensitive SERS-based applications in various fields. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr03306j

Thermal annealing dynamics of carbon-coated LiFePO{sub 4} nanoparticles studied by in-situ analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krumeich, Frank, E-mail: krumeich@inorg.chem.ethz.ch; Waser, Oliver; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

The thermal behavior of core-shell carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO{sub 4}-C) nanoparticles made by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) during annealing was investigated by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in-situ X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) as well as ex-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Crystallization of the initially glassy LiFePO{sub 4}-C nanoparticles starts at quite low temperatures (T=400 °C), forming single crystals inside the confinement of the carbon shell. Upon increasing the temperature to T≥700 °C, LiFePO{sub 4} starts to diffuse through the carbon shell resulting in cavities inside the mostly intact carbon shell. By increasing the temperature further tomore » T≥800 °C, the initial core-shell morphology converts into open carbon shells (flakes and cenospheres) and bulky LiFePO{sub 4} particles (diameter in the range 300–400 nm), in agreement with ex-situ experiments. - Graphical abstract: TEM images of a typical sample area recorded at room temperature and after heating in-situ heating reveal the growth of particles and the formation of empty carbon cages. - Highlights: • LiFePO{sub 4} coated by a carbon shell is produced by flame spray pyrolysis. • The amorphous LiFePO{sub 4} starts to crystallize at 400 °C as revealed by in-situ XRD. • Crystal growth was visualized by TEM heating experiments. • The formation of empty carbon cages starts at 700 °C.« less

HVOF-Sprayed Nano TiO2-HA Coatings Exhibiting Enhanced Biocompatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, R. S.; Dimitrievska, S.; Bureau, M. N.; Marple, B. R.; Petit, A.; Mwale, F.; Antoniou, J.

2010-01-01

Biomedical thermal spray coatings produced via high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) from nanostructured titania (n-TiO2) and 10 wt.% hydroxyapatite (HA) (n-TiO2-10wt.%HA) powders have been engineered as possible future alternatives to HA coatings deposited via air plasma spray (APS). This approach was chosen due to (i) the stability of TiO2 in the human body (i.e., no dissolution) and (ii) bond strength values on Ti-6Al-4V substrates more than two times higher than those of APS HA coatings. To explore the bioperformance of these novel materials and coatings, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were cultured from 1 to 21 days on the surface of HVOF-sprayed n-TiO2 and n-TiO2-10 wt.%HA coatings. APS HA coatings and uncoated Ti-6Al-4V substrates were employed as controls. The profiles of the hMSCs were evaluated for (i) cellular proliferation, (ii) biochemical analysis of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, (iii) cytoskeleton organization (fluorescent/confocal microscopy), and (iv) cell/substrate interaction via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The biochemical analysis indicated that the hMSCs cultured on n-TiO2-10 wt.%HA coatings exhibited superior levels of bioactivity than hMSCs cultured on APS HA and pure n-TiO2 coatings. The cytoskeleton organization demonstrated a higher degree of cellular proliferation on the HVOF-sprayed n-TiO2-10wt.%HA coatings when compared to the control coatings. These results are considered promising for engineering improved performance in the next generation of thermally sprayed biomedical coatings.

Fabrication of ceramic substrate-reinforced and free forms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quentmeyer, R. J.; Mcdonald, G.; Hendricks, R. C.

1985-01-01

Components fabricated of, or coated with, ceramics have lower parasitic cooling requirements. Techniques are discussed for fabricating thin-shell ceramic components and ceramic coatings for applications in rocket or jet engine environments. Thin ceramic shells with complex geometric forms involving convolutions and reentrant surfaces were fabricated by mandrel removal. Mandrel removal was combined with electroplating or plasma spraying and isostatic pressing to form a metal support for the ceramic. Rocket engine thrust chambers coated with 0.08 mm (3 mil) of ZrO2-8Y2O3 had no failures and a tenfold increase in engine life. Some measured mechanical properties of the plasma-sprayed ceramic are presented.

Efficient solar light-driven degradation of Congo red with novel Cu-loaded Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles.

PubMed

Arora, Priya; Fermah, Alisha; Rajput, Jaspreet Kaur; Singh, Harminder; Badhan, Jigyasa

2017-08-01

In this work, Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 core shell nanoparticles were prepared in a single pot by coating of TiO 2 on Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles followed by Cu loading. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett- Teller (BET), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and valence band X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (VB XPS) techniques were used for characterization of as prepared nanoparticles. Synergism between copper and titania was evaluated by studying the solar light-driven photodegradation of Congo red dye solution in the presence of Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles on one side and Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles on the other side. The latter performed better than the former catalyst, indicating the enhanced activity of copper-loaded catalyst. Further photodegradation was studied by three means, i.e., under ultraviolet (UV), refluxing, and solar radiations. Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 enhanced the degradation efficiency of Congo red dye. Thus, Cu act possibly by reducing the band gap of TiO 2 and widening the optical response of semiconductor, as a result of which solar light could be used to carry out photocatalysis. Graphical abstract Photodegradation of congo red over Cu-loaded Fe 3 O 4 @TiO 2 nanoparticles.

Optical and morphological properties of sol gel derived titanium dioxide films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, A. B.; Sharma, S. K.; M, Vishwas

2015-08-28

Titanium oxide (Titania) thin films were synthesized on different substrates via the sol-gel dip-coating method using alkoxide solution. Some selected samples were also prepared with different percentage of Lead (Pb). The influence of Pb addition in precursor sol on the optical properties of titanium dioxide thin films was studied. The optical transmittance in the visible region has increased with increase in weight percentage of lead. The refractive index was slightly decreased with Pb addition. Crystallization of these coatings was achieved through thermal annealing at temperatures above 400 °C. The structural properties and surface morphology of the crystallized coatings were studiedmore » by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Increase in average grain size from 250 nm to 350 nm with increase in Pb concentration is observed. Films were appeared to more coarse with increase in Pb addition. An increase in Pb addition resulted increase in average roughness from 12 nm to 25 nm.« less

The role of nanoscale seed layers on the enhanced performance of niobium doped TiO 2 thin films on glass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nikodemski, Stefan; Dameron, Arrelaine A.; Perkins, John D.

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) coatings with decreased cost and greater process or performance versatility are needed for a variety of optoelectronic applications. Among potential new TCO candidates, doped titanium dioxide is receiving particular interest. In this study, niobium-doped titania bilayer structures consisting of a nanoscale seed layer (deposited by atomic layer deposition or RF magnetron sputtering) followed by a thick bulk-like layer were grown directly on glass in order to examine the effects of the seed layer processing on the subsequent crystallization and electrical properties of these heterostructures. Observations from Raman spectroscopy suggest that higher oxygen content in the seedmore » layer suppresses the formation of detrimental titania polymorph phases, found in films produced by annealing directly after synthesis without any exposure to oxygen. Here, our results indicate that the generation of excellent Nb:TiO 2 conductors on glass (without breaking vacuum) only occurs within a narrow processing range and that the sequential deposition of oxygen-poor layers on oxygen-rich layers is a critical step towards achieving films with low resistivity.« less

Silver decorated polymer supported semiconductor thin films by UV aided metalized laser printing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halbur, Jonathan C.; Padbury, Richard P.; Jur, Jesse S., E-mail: jsjur@ncsu.edu

2016-05-15

A facile ultraviolet assisted metalized laser printing technique is demonstrated through the ability to control selective photodeposition of silver on flexible substrates after atomic layer deposition pretreatment with zinc oxide and titania. The photodeposition of noble metals such as silver onto high surface area, polymer supported semiconductor metal oxides exhibits a new route for nanoparticle surface modification of photoactive enhanced substrates. Photodeposited silver is subsequently characterized using low voltage secondary electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy. At the nanoscale, the formation of specific morphologies, flake and particle, is highlighted after silver is photodeposited onmore » zinc oxide and titania coated substrates, respectively. The results indicate that the morphology and composition of the silver after photodeposition has a strong dependency on the morphology, crystallinity, and impurity content of the underlying semiconductor oxide. At the macroscale, this work demonstrates how the nanoscale features rapidly coalesce into a printed pattern through the use of masks or an X-Y gantry stage with virtually unlimited design control.« less

Ru-bis(pyridine)pyrazolate (bpp)-Based Water-Oxidation Catalysts Anchored on TiO2: The Importance of the Nature and Position of the Anchoring Group.

PubMed

Francàs, Laia; Richmond, Craig; Garrido-Barros, Pablo; Planas, Nora; Roeser, Stephan; Benet-Buchholz, Jordi; Escriche, Lluís; Sala, Xavier; Llobet, Antoni

2016-04-04

Three distinct functionalisation strategies have been applied to the in,in-[{Ru(II)(trpy)}2(μ-bpp)(H2O)2](3+) (trpy=2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, bpp=bis(pyridine)pyrazolate) water-oxidation catalyst framework to form new derivatives that can adsorb onto titania substrates. Modifications included the addition of sulfonate, carboxylate, and phosphonate anchoring groups to the terpyridine and bis(pyridyl)pyrazolate ligands. The complexes were characterised in solution by using 1D NMR, 2D NMR, and UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis and electrochemical techniques. The complexes were then anchored on TiO2-coated fluorinated tin oxide (FTO) films, and the reactivity of these new materials as water-oxidation catalysts was tested electrochemically through controlled-potential electrolysis (CPE) with oxygen evolution detected by headspace analysis with a Clark electrode. The results obtained highlight the importance of the catalyst orientation with respect to the titania surface in regard to its capacity to catalytically oxidize water to dioxygen. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The role of nanoscale seed layers on the enhanced performance of niobium doped TiO 2 thin films on glass

DOE PAGES

Nikodemski, Stefan; Dameron, Arrelaine A.; Perkins, John D.; ...

2016-09-09

Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) coatings with decreased cost and greater process or performance versatility are needed for a variety of optoelectronic applications. Among potential new TCO candidates, doped titanium dioxide is receiving particular interest. In this study, niobium-doped titania bilayer structures consisting of a nanoscale seed layer (deposited by atomic layer deposition or RF magnetron sputtering) followed by a thick bulk-like layer were grown directly on glass in order to examine the effects of the seed layer processing on the subsequent crystallization and electrical properties of these heterostructures. Observations from Raman spectroscopy suggest that higher oxygen content in the seedmore » layer suppresses the formation of detrimental titania polymorph phases, found in films produced by annealing directly after synthesis without any exposure to oxygen. Here, our results indicate that the generation of excellent Nb:TiO 2 conductors on glass (without breaking vacuum) only occurs within a narrow processing range and that the sequential deposition of oxygen-poor layers on oxygen-rich layers is a critical step towards achieving films with low resistivity.« less

Multi-walled carbon/IF-WS2 nanoparticles with improved thermal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Fang; Almeida, Trevor P.; Chang, Hong; Xia, Yongde; Wears, M. Lesley; Zhu, Yanqiu

2013-10-01

A unique new class of core-shell structured composite nanoparticles, C-coated inorganic fullerene-like WS2 (IF-WS2) hollow nanoparticles, has been created for the first time in large quantities, by a continuous chemical vapour deposition method using a rotary furnace. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman characterisations of the resulting samples reveal that the composite nanoparticles exhibited a uniform shell of carbon coating, ranging from 2-5 nm on the IF-WS2 core, with little or no agglomeration. Importantly, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis confirm that their thermal stability against oxidation in air has been improved by about 70 °C, compared to the pristine IF-WS2, making these new C-coated IF-WS2 nanoparticles more attractive for critical engineering applications.A unique new class of core-shell structured composite nanoparticles, C-coated inorganic fullerene-like WS2 (IF-WS2) hollow nanoparticles, has been created for the first time in large quantities, by a continuous chemical vapour deposition method using a rotary furnace. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman characterisations of the resulting samples reveal that the composite nanoparticles exhibited a uniform shell of carbon coating, ranging from 2-5 nm on the IF-WS2 core, with little or no agglomeration. Importantly, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis confirm that their thermal stability against oxidation in air has been improved by about 70 °C, compared to the pristine IF-WS2, making these new C-coated IF-WS2 nanoparticles more attractive for critical engineering applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Sketch of the rotary furnace, XRD pattern comparison of IF-WS2 and 2H WS2, XRD patterns of C-coated IF-WS2 (41-50°), and TGA and MS curves for pristine IF-WS2. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03844k

Anisotropic magnetic field observed at 300 K in citrate-coated iron oxide nanoparticles: effect of counterions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misra, Sushil K.; Li, Lin; Mukherjee, Sudip; Ghosh, Goutam

2015-12-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method and coated with three citrates, namely, tri-lithium citrate (TLC), tri-sodium citrate (TSC), or tri-potassium citrate (TKC). In these `core-shell' structures, the `core' is a cluster of average 3 IONPs which is enveloped by a `shell' of citrate molecules and counterions, and thus called `core-shell' nano-clusters (CS-NCs), of average size 20 to 22 nm. The counterions in the three CS-NCs differ in ionic radii (r_{{ion}}), in the order of Li+ < Na+ < K+. Our aim was to investigate the effect of counterions on magnetic interactions between CS-NCs in different powder samples at 300 K, using vibrating sample magnetometer and electron magnetic resonance (EMR) techniques. The hysteresis loops showed negligible coercivity field ( H c) in all samples. The saturation magnetization ( M S) was the highest for TLC-coated CS-NCs. The blocking temperature ( T B), obtained from zero-field-cooled measurements, was >300 K for TLC-coated CS-NCs and <300 K for TSC- and TKC-coated CS-NCs. The EMR linewidth (∆ B PP), measured at 300 K, was also the broadest for TLC-coated CS-NCs. At low temperatures, Δ B PP was found to increase more significantly for TSC- and TKC-coated CS-NCs than for TLC-coated CS-NCs. These results indicate a significant anisotropic field effect; arising due to thermal motion of counterions at 300 K, on the magnetic interactions in TLC-coated CS-NCs. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the effect of counterions on magnetic interactions between CS-NCs.

Preparation and Characterization of WS2@SiO2 and WS2@PANI Core-Shell Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Sade, Hagit

2018-01-01

Two tungsten disulfide (WS2)-based core-shell nanocomposites were fabricated using readily available reagents and simple procedures. The surface was pre-treated with a surfactant couple in a layer-by-layer approach, enabling good dispersion of the WS2 nanostructures in aqueous media and providing a template for the polymerization of a silica (SiO2) shell. After a Stöber-like reaction, a conformal silica coating was achieved. Inspired by the resulting nanocomposite, a second one was prepared by reacting the surfactant-modified WS2 nanostructures with aniline and an oxidizing agent in an aqueous medium. Here too, a conformal coating of polyaniline (PANI) was obtained, giving a WS2@PANI nanocomposite. Both nanocomposites were analyzed by electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and FTIR, verifying the core-shell structure and the character of shells. The silica shell was amorphous and mesoporous and the surface area of the composite increases with shell thickness. Polyaniline shells slightly differ in their morphologies dependent on the acid used in the polymerization process and are amorphous like the silica shell. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of the WS2@PANI nanocomposite showed variation between bulk PANI and the PANI shell. These two nanocomposites have great potential to expand the use of transition metals dichalcogenides (TMDCs) for new applications in different fields. PMID:29534426

Microwave-assisted synthesis of porous carbon-titania and highly crystalline titania nanostructures.

PubMed

Parker, Alison; Marszewski, Michal; Jaroniec, Mietek

2013-03-01

Porous carbon-titania and highly crystalline titania nanostructured materials were obtained through a microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis. Resorcinol and formaldehyde were used as carbon precursors, triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 as a stabilizing agent, and titanium isopropoxide as a titania precursor. This microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis involved formation of carbon spheres according to the recently modified Stöber method followed by hydrolysis and condensation of titania precursor. This method afforded carbon-titania composite materials containing anatase phase with specific surface areas as high as 390 m(2) g(-1). The pure nanostructured titania, obtained after removal of carbon through calcination of the composite material in air, was shown to be the anatase phase with considerably higher degree of crystallinity and the specific surface area as high as 130 m(2) g(-1). The resulting titania, because of its high surface area, well-developed porosity, and high crystallinity, is of great interest for catalysis, water treatment, lithium batteries, and other energy-related applications.

Modeling of nonlinear viscous stress in encapsulating shells of lipid-coated contrast agent microbubbles

PubMed Central

Doinikov, Alexander A.; Haac, Jillian F.; Dayton, Paul A.

2009-01-01

A general theoretical approach to the development of zero-thickness encapsulation models for contrast microbubbles is proposed. The approach describes a procedure that allows one to recast available rheological laws from the bulk form to a surface form which is used in a modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation governing the radial dynamics of a contrast microbubble. By the use of the proposed procedure, the testing of different rheological laws for encapsulation can be carried out. Challenges of existing shell models for lipid-encapsulated microbubbles, such as the dependence of shell parameters on the initial bubble radius and the “compression-only” behavior, are discussed. Analysis of the rheological behavior of lipid encapsulation is made by using experimental radius-time curves for lipid-coated microbubbles with radii in the range 1.2 – 2.5 μm. The curves were acquired for a research phospholipid-coated contrast agent insonified with a 20-cycle, 3.0 MHz, 100 kPa acoustic pulse. The fitting of the experimental data by a model which treats the shell as a viscoelastic solid gives the values of the shell surface viscosity increasing from 0.30×10-8 kg/s to 2.63×10-8 kg/s for the range of bubble radii indicated above. The shell surface elastic modulus increases from 0.054 N/m to 0.37 N/m. It is proposed that this increase may be a result of the lipid coating possessing the properties of both a shear-thinning and a strain-softening material. We hypothesize that these complicated rheological properties do not allow the existing shell models to satisfactorily describe the dynamics of lipid encapsulation. In the existing shell models, the viscous and the elastic shell terms have the linear form which assumes that the viscous and the elastic stresses acting inside the lipid shell are proportional to the shell shear rate and the shell strain, respectively, with constant coefficients of proportionality. The analysis performed in the present paper suggests that a more general, nonlinear theory may be more appropriate. It is shown that the use of the nonlinear theory for shell viscosity allows one to model the “compression-only” behavior. As an example, the results of the simulation for a 2.03- μm-radius bubble insonified with a 6-cycle, 1.8 MHz, 100 kPa acoustic pulse are given. These parameters correspond to the acoustic conditions under which the “compression-only” behavior was observed by de Jong et al. [Ultrasound Med. Biol. 33 (2007) 653–656]. It is also shown that the use of the Cross law for the modeling of the shear-thinning behavior of shell viscosity reduces the variance of experimentally estimated values of the shell viscosity and its dependence on the initial bubble radius. PMID:18990417

From Mixed-Metal MOFs to Carbon-Coated Core-Shell Metal Alloy@Metal Oxide Solid Solutions: Transformation of Co/Ni-MOF-74 to CoxNi1-x@CoyNi1-yO@C for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

PubMed

Sun, Dengrong; Ye, Lin; Sun, Fangxiang; García, Hermenegildo; Li, Zhaohui

2017-05-01

Calcination of the mixed-metal species Co/Ni-MOF-74 leads to the formation of carbon-coated Co x Ni 1-x @Co y Ni 1-y O with a metal core diameter of ∼3.2 nm and a metal oxide shell thickness of ∼2.4 nm embedded uniformly in the ligand-derived carbon matrix. The close proximity of Co and Ni in the mixed-metal Co/Ni-MOF-74 promotes the metal alloying and the formation of a solid solution of metal oxide during the calcination process. The presence of the tightly coated carbon shell prohibits particle agglomeration and stabilizes the Co x Ni 1-x @Co y Ni 1-y O nanoparticles in small size. The Co x Ni 1-x @Co y Ni 1-y O@C derived from Co/Ni-MOF-74 nanocomposites show superior performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The use of mixed-metal MOFs as precursors represents a powerful strategy for the fabrication of metal alloy@metal oxide solid solution nanoparticles in small size. This method also holds great promise in the development of multifunctional carbon-coated complex core-shell metal/metal oxides owing to the diversified MOF structures and their flexible chemistry.

Local induction of calcium phosphate formation on TiO2 coatings on titanium via surface treatment with a CO2 laser.

PubMed

Moritz, N; Jokinen, M; Peltola, T; Areva, S; Yli-Urpo, A

2003-04-01

Sol-gel-derived TiO(2) coatings are known to promote bonelike hydroxyapatite formation on their surfaces in vitro and in vivo. Hydroxyapatite integrates into bone tissue. In some clinical applications, the surface of an implant is simultaneously interfaced with soft and hard tissues, so it should match the properties of both. A new method is introduced for treating the coatings locally in a controlled manner. The local densification of sol-gel-derived titania coatings on titanium substrates with a CO(2) laser was studied in terms of the in vitro calcium phosphate-inducting properties. CO(2)-laser-treated multilayer coatings were compared with furnace-fired coatings prepared with the same recipe and previously shown to be bioactive. Additionally, local areas of furnace-fired multilayer coatings (previously shown to be bioactive in vitro) were further laser-treated to achieve various properties in the same implant. Topological surface properties were examined with atomic force microscopy. The formation of hydroxyapatite was studied with Fourier transform infrared and scanning electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The results show that calcium phosphate formation can be adjusted locally by laser treatment. Calcium phosphate is a bonelike hydroxyapatite. The local treatment of sol-gel-derived coatings with a CO(2) laser is a promising technique for creating implants with various properties to interface different tissues and a possible way of coating implants that do not tolerate furnace firing. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stimuli-responsive polyaniline coated silica microspheres and their electrorheology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Dae Eun; Choi, Hyoung Jin; Vu, Cuong Manh

2016-05-01

Silica/polyaniline (PANI) core-shell structured microspheres were synthesized by coating the surface of silica micro-beads with PANI and applied as a candidate inorganic/polymer composite electrorheological (ER) material. The silica micro-beads were initially modified using N-[(3-trimethoxysilyl)-propyl] aniline to activate an aniline functional group on the silica surface for a better PANI coating. The morphology of the PANI coating on the silica surface was examined by scanning electron microscopy and the silica/PANI core-shell structure was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The chemical structure of the particles was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Rotational rheometry was performed to confirm the difference in the ER properties between pure silica and silica/PANI microsphere-based ER fluids when dispersed in silicone oil.

Formulation and evaluation of press coated tablets for pulsatile drug delivery using hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers.

PubMed

Rane, Ashish Babulal; Gattani, Surendra Ganeshlal; Kadam, Vinayak Dinkar; Tekade, Avinash Ramrao

2009-11-01

The aim of present investigation was to develop press coated tablet for pulsatile drug delivery of ketoprofen using hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers. The drug delivery system was designed to deliver the drug at such a time when it could be most needful to patient of rheumatoid arthritis. The press coated tablets containing ketoprofen in the inner core was formulated with an outer shell by different weight ratio of hydrophobic polymer (micronized ethyl cellulose powder) and hydrophilic polymers (glycinemax husk or sodium alginate). The release profile of press coated tablet exhibited a lag time followed by burst release, in which outer shell ruptured into two halves. Authors also investigated factors influencing on lag time such as particle size and viscosity of ethyl cellulose, outer coating weight and paddle rpm. The surface morphology of the tablet was examined by a scanning electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimeter and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy study showed compatibility between ketoprofen and coating material.

Using silicon-coated gold nanoparticles to enhance the fluorescence of CdTe quantum dot and improve the sensing ability of mercury (II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jian; Chang, Hui; Li, Jian-Jun; Li, Xin; Zhao, Jun-Wu

2018-01-01

The effect of silicon-coated gold nanoparticles with different gold core diameter and silica shell thickness on the fluorescence emission of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) was investigated. For gold nanoparticles with a diameter of 15 nm, silica coating can only results in fluorescence recover of the bare gold nanoparticle-induced quenching of QDs. However, when the size of gold nanoparticle is increased to 60 nm, fluorescence enhancement of the QDs could be obtained by silica coating. Because of the isolation of the silica shell-reduced quenching effect and local electric field effect, the fluorescence of QDs gets intense firstly and then decreases. The maximum fluorescence enhancement takes place as the silica shell has a thickness of 30 nm. This enhanced fluorescence from silicon-coated gold nanoparticles is demonstrated for sensing of Hg2 +. Under optimal conditions, the enhanced fluorescence intensity decreases linearly with the concentration of Hg2 + ranging from 0 to 200 ng/mL. The limit of detection for Hg2 + is 1.25 ng/mL. Interference test and real samples detection indicate that the influence from other metal ions could be neglected, and the Hg2 + could be specifically detected.

Fabrication of monodispersive nanoscale alginate-chitosan core-shell particulate systems for controlled release studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Körpe, Didem Aksoy; Malekghasemi, Soheil; Aydın, Uğur; Duman, Memed

2014-12-01

Biopolymers such as chitosan and alginate are widely used for controlled drug delivery systems. The present work aimed to develop a new protocol for preparation of monodisperse alginate-coated chitosan nanoparticles at nanoscale. Modifications of preparation protocol contain changing the pH of polymer solutions and adding extra centrifugation steps into the procedure. While chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized by ionic gelation method, they were coated with alginate by electrostatic interaction. The size, morphology, charge, and structural characterization of prepared core-shell nanoparticulated system were performed by AFM, Zeta sizer, and FTIR. BSA and DOX were loaded as test biomolecules to core and shell part of the nanoparticle, respectively. Release profiles of BSA and DOX were determined by spectrophotometry. The sizes of both chitosan and alginate-coated chitosan nanoparticles which were prepared by modified protocol were measured to be 50 ± 10 and 60 ± 3 nm, respectively. After loading BSA and DOX, the average size of the particles increased to 80 ± 7 nm. Moreover, while the zeta potential of chitosan nanoparticles was positive value, the value was inverted to negative after alginate coating. Release profile measurements of BSA and DOX were determined during 57 and 2 days, respectively. Our results demonstrated that monodisperse alginate-coated nanoparticles were synthesized and loaded successfully using our modified protocol.

In-situ fabrication of zirconium-titanium nano-composite and its coating on Ti-6Al-4V for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Chellappa, Manickam; Vijayalakshmi, Uthirapathy

2017-02-01

In this study, nanocomposite powder consisting of zirconia and titania (Zr-Ti) have been synthesised by sol-gel method, with the aim of protecting Ti-6Al-4V surface. A simple and low cost electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique has been employed for coating the nanocomposite material on Ti-6Al-4V. The prepared nanocomposite powder was characterised for its functional groups, phase purity, surface topography by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Further, the biocompatibility nature of the composite powder was studied by [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] colorimetric assay and fluorescence analysis with MG63 osteoblast cell lines. The electrochemical behaviour of composite coating was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance method. The results obtained from the electrochemical techniques indicate more corrosion resistance behaviour with increase of R ct value with the corresponding decrease in R dl values. From the above findings, the composite coating acts as a barrier layer against corrosion by preventing the leaching of metal ions from a dense and defect free coating. A scratch test analyser was used to assess the integrity of the coating; the lower traction force value of composite coating with increase in load has confirmed the presence of thick adherent layer on the substrate.

Electrophoretic Deposition of Chitosan/h-BN and Chitosan/h-BN/TiO₂ Composite Coatings on Stainless Steel (316L) Substrates.

PubMed

Raddaha, Namir S; Cordero-Arias, Luis; Cabanas-Polo, Sandra; Virtanen, Sannakaisa; Roether, Judith A; Boccaccini, Aldo R

2014-03-04

This article presents the results of an experimental investigation designed to deposit chitosan/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and chitosan/h-BN/titania (TiO₂) composites on SS316L substrates using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) for potential antibacterial applications. The influence of EPD parameters (voltage and deposition time) and relative concentrations of chitosan, h-BN and TiO₂ in suspension on deposition yield was studied. The composition and structure of deposited coatings were investigated by FTIR, XRD and SEM. It was observed that h-BN and TiO₂ particles were dispersed in the chitosan matrix through simultaneous deposition. The adhesion between the electrophoretic coatings and the stainless steel substrates was tested by using tape test technique, and the results showed that the adhesion strength corresponded to 3B and 4B classes. Corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical polarization curves, indicating enhanced corrosion resistance of the chitosan/h-BN/TiO₂ and chitosan/h-BN coatings compared to the bare stainless steel substrate. In order to investigate the in-vitro inorganic bioactivity, coatings were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 28 days. FTIR and XRD results showed no formation of hydroxyapatite on the surface of chitosan/h-BN/TiO₂ and chitosan/h-BN coatings, which are therefore non bioactive but potentially useful as antibacterial coatings.

Electrophoretic Deposition of Chitosan/h-BN and Chitosan/h-BN/TiO2 Composite Coatings on Stainless Steel (316L) Substrates

PubMed Central

Raddaha, Namir S.; Cordero-Arias, Luis; Cabanas-Polo, Sandra; Virtanen, Sannakaisa; Roether, Judith A.; Boccaccini, Aldo R.

2014-01-01

This article presents the results of an experimental investigation designed to deposit chitosan/hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and chitosan/h-BN/titania (TiO2) composites on SS316L substrates using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) for potential antibacterial applications. The influence of EPD parameters (voltage and deposition time) and relative concentrations of chitosan, h-BN and TiO2 in suspension on deposition yield was studied. The composition and structure of deposited coatings were investigated by FTIR, XRD and SEM. It was observed that h-BN and TiO2 particles were dispersed in the chitosan matrix through simultaneous deposition. The adhesion between the electrophoretic coatings and the stainless steel substrates was tested by using tape test technique, and the results showed that the adhesion strength corresponded to 3B and 4B classes. Corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical polarization curves, indicating enhanced corrosion resistance of the chitosan/h-BN/TiO2 and chitosan/h-BN coatings compared to the bare stainless steel substrate. In order to investigate the in-vitro inorganic bioactivity, coatings were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 28 days. FTIR and XRD results showed no formation of hydroxyapatite on the surface of chitosan/h-BN/TiO2 and chitosan/h-BN coatings, which are therefore non bioactive but potentially useful as antibacterial coatings. PMID:28788541

Hafnia-rich mixed oxide ceramics of the system HfO2-ZrO2-TiO2 for heaters and heat exchangers in electrothermal thrusters: The effects of titania on selected electrical and mechanical properties of Hafnia-rich mixed oxides in the system Hafnia-Zirconia-Titania, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staszak, Paul Russell; Wirtz, G. P.; Berg, M.; Brown, S. D.

1988-01-01

A study of the effects of titania on selected properties of hafnia-rich mixed oxides in the system hafnia-zirconia-titania (HZT) was made in the region 5 to 20 mol percent titania. The studied properties included electrical conductivity, thermal expansion, and fracture strength and toughness. The effects of titania on the properties were studied for the reduced state as well as the oxidized state of the sintered mixed oxides. X-ray analysis showed that the materials were not always single phase. The oxidized compositions went from being monoclinic solid solutions at low titania additions to having three phases (two monoclinic and a titanate phase) at high additions of titania. The reduced compositions showed an increasing cubic phase presence mixed with the monoclinic phase as titania was added. The electrical conductivity increased with temperature at approximately 0.1 mhos/cm at 1700 C for all compositions. The thermal expansion coefficient decreased with increasing titania as did the monoclinic to tetragonal transformation temperature. The fracture strength of the oxidized bars tended to decrease with the addition of titania owing to the presence of the second phase titania. The fracture strength of the reduced bars exhibited a minimum corresponding to a two-phase region of monoclinic and cubic phases. When the second phases were suppressed, the titania tended to increase the fracture strength slightly in both the oxidized and reduced states. The fracture toughness followed similar trends.

Broadband Studies of Seismic Sources at Regional and Teleseismic Distances Using Advanced Time Series Analysis Methods

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-02-01

transform the waveforms of this event to those of the Titanial must be a band limited representation of the firing sequence. Therefore, we decided to...design a Wiener filter to transform Pn waveforms of Event Titania4 into those of Event Titanial at all sensors of NORESS. Prior to applying this technique...for transforming the Pn phases of event Titania 4 into those of event Titanial . 28 T’tania4 -* Titania3 Titania3 B5 T’tania4 Titania4 - Titania3

Fabrication of bifunctional core-shell Fe3O4 particles coated with ultrathin phosphor layer

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Bifunctional monodispersed Fe3O4 particles coated with an ultrathin Y2O3:Tb3+ shell layer were fabricated using a facile urea-based homogeneous precipitation method. The obtained composite particles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quantum design vibrating sample magnetometry, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. TEM revealed uniform spherical core-shell-structured composites ranging in size from 306 to 330 nm with a shell thickness of approximately 25 nm. PL spectroscopy confirmed that the synthesized composites displayed a strong eye-visible green light emission. Magnetic measurements indicated that the composite particles obtained also exhibited strong superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature. Therefore, the inner Fe3O4 core and outer Y2O3:Tb3+ shell layer endow the composites with both robust magnetic properties and strong eye-visible luminescent properties. These composite materials have potential use in magnetic targeting and bioseparation, simultaneously coupled with luminescent imaging. PMID:23962025

Fabrication of bifunctional core-shell Fe3O4 particles coated with ultrathin phosphor layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atabaev, Timur Sh; Kim, Hyung-Kook; Hwang, Yoon-Hwae

2013-08-01

Bifunctional monodispersed Fe3O4 particles coated with an ultrathin Y2O3:Tb3+ shell layer were fabricated using a facile urea-based homogeneous precipitation method. The obtained composite particles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quantum design vibrating sample magnetometry, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. TEM revealed uniform spherical core-shell-structured composites ranging in size from 306 to 330 nm with a shell thickness of approximately 25 nm. PL spectroscopy confirmed that the synthesized composites displayed a strong eye-visible green light emission. Magnetic measurements indicated that the composite particles obtained also exhibited strong superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature. Therefore, the inner Fe3O4 core and outer Y2O3:Tb3+ shell layer endow the composites with both robust magnetic properties and strong eye-visible luminescent properties. These composite materials have potential use in magnetic targeting and bioseparation, simultaneously coupled with luminescent imaging.

Antibacterial abilities and biocompatibilities of Ti-Ag alloys with nanotubular coatings.

PubMed

Liu, Xingwang; Tian, Ang; You, Junhua; Zhang, Hangzhou; Wu, Lin; Bai, Xizhuang; Lei, Zeming; Shi, Xiaoguo; Xue, Xiangxin; Wang, Hanning

To endow implants with both short- and long-term antibacterial activities without impairing their biocompatibility, novel Ti-Ag alloy substrates with different proportions of Ag (1, 2, and 4 wt% Ag) were generated with nanotubular coverings (TiAg-NT). Unlike commercial pure Ti and titania nanotube, the TiAg-NT samples exhibited short-term antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ), as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and double staining with SYTO 9 and propidium iodide. A film applicator coating assay and a zone of inhibition assay were performed to investigate the long-term antibacterial activities of the samples. The cellular viability and cytotoxicity were evaluated through a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide double staining was used to assess the level of MG63 cell apoptosis on each sample. All of the TiAg-NT samples, particularly the nanotube-coated Ti-Ag alloy with 2 wt% Ag (Ti2%Ag-NT), could effectively inhibit bacterial adhesion and kill the majority of adhered S. aureus on the first day of culture. Additionally, the excellent antibacterial abilities exhibited by the TiAg-NT samples were sustained for at least 30 days. Although Ti2%Ag-NT had less biocompatibility than titania nanotube, its performance was satisfactory, as demonstrated by the higher cellular viability and lower cell apoptosis rate obtained with it compared with those achieved with commercial pure Ti. The Ti1%Ag-NT and Ti4%Ag-NT samples did not yield good cell viability. This study indicates that the TiAg-NT samples can prevent biofilm formation and maintain their antibacterial ability for at least 1 month. Ti2%Ag-NT exhibited better antibacterial ability and biocompatibility than commercial pure Ti, which could be attributed to the synergistic effect of the presence of Ag (2 wt%) and the morphology of the nanotubes. Ti2%Ag-NT may offer a potential implant material that is capable of preventing implant-related infection.

Antibacterial abilities and biocompatibilities of Ti–Ag alloys with nanotubular coatings

PubMed Central

Liu, Xingwang; Tian, Ang; You, Junhua; Zhang, Hangzhou; Wu, Lin; Bai, Xizhuang; Lei, Zeming; Shi, Xiaoguo; Xue, Xiangxin; Wang, Hanning

2016-01-01

Purpose To endow implants with both short- and long-term antibacterial activities without impairing their biocompatibility, novel Ti–Ag alloy substrates with different proportions of Ag (1, 2, and 4 wt% Ag) were generated with nanotubular coverings (TiAg-NT). Methods Unlike commercial pure Ti and titania nanotube, the TiAg-NT samples exhibited short-term antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and double staining with SYTO 9 and propidium iodide. A film applicator coating assay and a zone of inhibition assay were performed to investigate the long-term antibacterial activities of the samples. The cellular viability and cytotoxicity were evaluated through a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide double staining was used to assess the level of MG63 cell apoptosis on each sample. Results All of the TiAg-NT samples, particularly the nanotube-coated Ti–Ag alloy with 2 wt% Ag (Ti2%Ag-NT), could effectively inhibit bacterial adhesion and kill the majority of adhered S. aureus on the first day of culture. Additionally, the excellent antibacterial abilities exhibited by the TiAg-NT samples were sustained for at least 30 days. Although Ti2%Ag-NT had less biocompatibility than titania nanotube, its performance was satisfactory, as demonstrated by the higher cellular viability and lower cell apoptosis rate obtained with it compared with those achieved with commercial pure Ti. The Ti1%Ag-NT and Ti4%Ag-NT samples did not yield good cell viability. Conclusion This study indicates that the TiAg-NT samples can prevent biofilm formation and maintain their antibacterial ability for at least 1 month. Ti2%Ag-NT exhibited better antibacterial ability and biocompatibility than commercial pure Ti, which could be attributed to the synergistic effect of the presence of Ag (2 wt%) and the morphology of the nanotubes. Ti2%Ag-NT may offer a potential implant material that is capable of preventing implant-related infection. PMID:27843315

Fabrication and characterization of flaky core-shell particles by magnetron sputtering silver onto diatomite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Deyuan; Cai, Jun

2016-02-01

Diatomite has delicate porous structures and various shapes, making them ideal templates for microscopic core-shell particles fabrication. In this study, a new process of magnetron sputtering assisted with photoresist positioning was proposed to fabricate lightweight silver coated porous diatomite with superior coating quality and performance. The diatomite has been treated with different sputtering time to investigate the silver film growing process on the surface. The morphologies, constituents, phase structures and surface roughness of the silver coated diatomite were analyzed with SEM, EDS, XRD and AFM respectively. The results showed that the optimized magnetron sputtering time was 8-16 min, under which the diatomite templates were successfully coated with uniform silver film, which exhibits face centered cubic (fcc) structure, and the initial porous structures were kept. Moreover, this silver coating has lower surface roughness (RMS 4.513 ± 0.2 nm) than that obtained by electroless plating (RMS 15.692 ± 0.5 nm). And the infrared emissivity of coatings made with magnetron sputtering and electroless plating silver coated diatomite can reach to the lowest value of 0.528 and 0.716 respectively.

Synthesis of superparamagnetic silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaur, Navjot; Chudasama, Bhupendra

2015-05-01

Multifunctional superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated with silica are widely researched for biomedical applications such as magnetic resonance imaging, tissue repair, cell separation, hyperthermia, drug delivery, etc. In this article synthesis of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles and their coating with SiO2 is reported. Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation and it was coated with silica by hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethylorthosilicate. XRD, FTIR, TEM and VSM techniques were used to characterize bare and coated nanoparticles. Results indicated that the average size of SPIONS was 8.4 nm. X-ray diffraction patterns of silica coated SPIONS were identical to that of SPIONS confirming the inner spinal structure of SPIONS. FTIR results confirmed the binding of silica with the magnetite and the formation of the silica shell around the magnetite core. Magnetic properties of SPIONS and silica coated SPIONS are determined by VSM. They are superparamagnetic. The major conclusion drawn from this study is that the synthesis route yields stable, non-aggregated magnetite-silica core-shell nanostructures with tailored morphology and excellent magnetic properties.

CdS/CdSe quantum dot shell decorated vertical ZnO nanowire arrays by spin-coating-based SILAR for photoelectrochemical cells and quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Zhang, Ran; Luo, Qiu-Ping; Chen, Hong-Yan; Yu, Xiao-Yun; Kuang, Dai-Bin; Su, Cheng-Yong

2012-04-23

A CdS/CdSe composite shell is assembled onto the surface of ZnO nanowire arrays with a simple spin-coating-based successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction method. The as-prepared photoelectrode exhibit a high photocurrent density in photoelectrochemical cells and also generates good power conversion efficiency in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Design and intestinal mucus penetration mechanism of core-shell nanocomplex.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Cheng, Hongbo; Dong, Wei; Zhang, Meixia; Liu, Qiaoyu; Wang, Xiuhua; Guan, Jian; Wu, Haiyang; Mao, Shirui

2018-02-28

The objective of this study was to design intestinal mucus-penetrating core-shell nanocomplex by functionally mimicking the surface of virus, which can be used as the carrier for peroral delivery of macromolecules, and further understand the influence of nanocomplex surface properties on the mucosal permeation capacity. Taking insulin as a model drug, the core was formed by the self-assembly among positively charged chitosan, insulin and negatively charged sodium tripolyphosphate, different types of alginates were used as the shell forming material. The nanocomplex was characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and FTIR. Nanocomplex movement in mucus was recorded using multiple particle tracking (MPT) method. Permeation and uptake of different nanocomplex were studied in rat intestine. It was demonstrated that alginate coating layer was successfully formed on the core and the core-shell nanocomplex showed a good physical stability and improved enzymatic degradation protection. The mucus penetration and MPT study showed that the mucus penetration capacity of the nanocomplex was surface charge and coating polymer structure dependent, nanocomplex with negative alginate coating had 1.6-2.5 times higher mucus penetration ability than that of positively charged chitosan-insulin nanocomplex. Moreover, the mucus penetration ability of the core-shell nanocomplex was alginate structure dependent, whereas alginate with lower G content and lower molecular weight showed the best permeation enhancing ability. The improvement of intestine permeation and intestinal villi uptake of the core-shell nanocomplex were further confirmed in rat intestine and multiple uptake mechanisms were involved in the transport process. In conclusion, core-shell nanocomplex composed of oppositely charged materials could provide a strategy to overcome the mucus barrier and enhance the mucosal permeability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Zr doped anatase supported reticulated ceramic foams for photocatalytic water purification

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plesch, G., E-mail: plesch@fns.uniba.sk; Vargová, M.; Vogt, U.F.

2012-07-15

Highlights: ► Thick photocatalytic anatase films on macroporous reticulated ceramic foams. ► Alumina and alumina–mullite macroporous reticulated foams as photocatalyst support. ► Zr doping significantly improves the TiO{sub 2} film activity in phenol photomineralization. ► Comparison of photocatalytic activity of thick films and powder suspensions. -- Abstract: Titanium dioxide films were deposited on macroporous reticulated Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and alumina–mullite foams with pore sizes of 15 ppi (pores per inch). Coatings were prepared from suspensions of precursor powders of Aeroxide{sup ®} P25 nanopowder and precipitated TiO{sub 2} by using a dip coating process. The TiO{sub 2} forms films with amore » thickness of ∼2–20 μm. The photocatalytic activity was characterized as the mineralization rate of an aqueous phenol solution under UVA irradiation by the TOC technique. Precipitated TiO{sub 2} films have nearly the same photocatalytic activity as a titania suspension, in which powder aggregates have a size comparable with the thickness of the films. Samples made of Aeroxide{sup ®} P25 nanopowder, in which the size of aggregates is ∼0.1 μm show higher efficiency of photodecomposition in suspensions with films. The doping of precipitated anatase with Zr(IV) in the atomic ratio Zr/Ti = 0.008 significantly improves the photocatalytic activity of the foam supported titania. Zr doped anatase films show better performance as the films prepared only from Aeroxide{sup ®} P25 nanopowder.« less

State of dispersion of magnetic nanoparticles in an aqueous medium: experiments and Monte Carlo simulation.

PubMed

Kumar, Santosh; Ravikumar, Chettiannan; Bandyopadhyaya, Rajdip

2010-12-07

Monte Carlo simulation results predicting the state of dispersion (single, dimer, trimer, and so on) of coated superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles in an aqueous medium are compared with our experimental data for the same. Measured values of the volume percentage of particles in the dispersion, core particle diameter, coating-shell thickness, grafting density of the coating agent, saturation magnetization, and zeta potential for the citric acid-coated and poly(acrylic acid) [PAA]-coated particles have been used in our simulation. The simulation was performed by calculating the total interaction potential between two nanoparticles as a function of their interparticle distance and applying a criterion for the two particles to aggregate, with the criterion being that the minimum depth of the secondary minima in the total interaction potential must be at least equal to k(B)T. Simulation results successfully predicted both experimental trends-aggregates for citric acid-coated particles and an individual isolated state for PAA-coated particles. We have also investigated how this state changes for both kind of coating agents by varying the particle volume percentage from 0.01 to 25%, the particle diameter from 2 to 19 nm, the shell thickness from 1 to 14 nm, and grafting density from 10(15) to 10(22) molecules/m(2). We find that the use of a lower shell thickness and a higher particle volume percentage leads to the formation of larger aggregates. The possible range of values of these four variables, which can be used experimentally to prepare a stable aqueous dispersion of isolated particles, is recommended on the basis of predictions from our simulation.

Determination of silica coating efficiency on metal particles using multiple digestion methods.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Topham, Nathan; Wu, Chang-Yu

2011-10-15

Nano-sized metal particles, including both elemental and oxidized metals, have received significant interest due to their biotoxicity and presence in a wide range of industrial systems. A novel silica technology has been recently explored to minimize the biotoxicity of metal particles by encapsulating them with an amorphous silica shell. In this study, a method to determine silica coating efficiency on metal particles was developed. Metal particles with silica coating were generated using gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process with a silica precursor tetramethylsilane (TMS) added to the shielding gas. Microwave digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) were employed to solubilize the metal content in the particles and analyze the concentration, respectively. Three acid mixtures were tested to acquire the appropriate digestion method targeting at metals and silica coating. Metal recovery efficiencies of different digestion methods were compared through analysis of spiked samples. HNO(3)/HF mixture was found to be a more aggressive digestion method for metal particles with silica coating. Aqua regia was able to effectively dissolve metal particles not trapped in the silica shell. Silica coating efficiencies were thus calculated based on the measured concentrations following digestion by HNO(3)/HF mixture and aqua regia. The results showed 14-39% of welding fume particles were encapsulated in silica coating under various conditions. This newly developed method could also be used to examine the silica coverage on particles of silica shell/metal core structure in other nanotechnology areas. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

pH sensitive core-shell magnetic nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy.

PubMed

Lungu, Iulia Ioana; Rădulescu, Marius; Mogoşanu, George Dan; Grumezescu, Alexandru Mihai

2016-01-01

In the last decade, nanobiotechnology has evolved rapidly with an extensive impact on biomedical area. In order to improve bioavailability and minimize adverse effects, drug delivery systems based on magnetic nanocomposites are under development mainly for cancer imaging and antitumor therapy. In this regard, pH sensitive core-shell magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) with accurate controlled size and shape are synthesized by various modern methods, such as homogeneous precipitation, coprecipitation, microemulsion or polyol approaches, high temperature and hydrothermal reactions, sol-gel reactions, aerosol÷vapor processes and sonolysis. Due to their unique combined physico-chemical and biological properties (such as higher dispensability, chemical and thermal stability, biocompatibility), pH responsive core-shell magnetic NPs are widely investigated for controlled release of cytostatic drugs into the tumor site by means of pH change: magnetite@silicon dioxide (Fe3O4@SiO2), Fe3O4@titanium dioxide (TiO2), β-thiopropionate-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified Fe3O4@mSiO2, Fe3O4 NPs core coated with SiO2 with an imidazole group modified PEG-polypeptide (mPEG-poly-L-Asparagine), polyacrylic acid (PAA) and folic acid (FA) coating of the iron oxide NP core, methoxy polyethylene glycol-block-polymethacrylic acid-block-polyglycerol monomethacrylate (MPEG-b-PMAA-b-PGMA) attached by a PGMA block to a Fe3O4 core, PEG-modified polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer shell with Fe3O4 core and mesoporous silica coated on Fe3O4, mostly coated with an anticancer drug. This review paper highlights the modern research directions currently employed to demonstrate the utility of the pH responsive core-shell magnetic NPs in diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases.

Fabrication of ceramic substrate-reinforced and free forms by mandrel plasma spraying metal-ceramic composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quentmeyer, R. J.; Mcdonald, G.; Hendricks, R. C.

1985-01-01

Components fabricated of, or coated with, ceramics have lower parasitic cooling requirements. Techniques are discussed for fabricating thin-shell ceramic components and ceramic coatings for applications in rocket or jet engine environments. Thin ceramic shells with complex geometric forms involving convolutions and reentrant surfaces were fabricated by mandrel removal. Mandrel removal was combined with electroplating or plasma spraying and isostatic pressing to form a metal support for the ceramic. Rocket engine thrust chambers coated with 0.08 mm (3 mil) of ZrO2-8Y2O3 had no failures and a tenfold increase in engine life. Some measured mechanical properties of the plasma-sprayed ceramic are presented.

Monostatic lidar/radar invisibility using coated spheres.

PubMed

Zhai, Peng-Wang; You, Yu; Kattawar, George W; Yang, Ping

2008-02-04

The Lorenz-Mie theory is revisited to explicitly include materials whose permeability is different from unity. The expansion coefficients of the scattered field are given for light scattering by both homogeneous and coated spheres. It is shown that the backscatter is exactly zero if the impedance of the spherical particles is equal to the intrinsic impedance of the surrounding medium. If spherical particles are sufficiently large, the zero backscatter can be explained as impedance matching using the asymptotic expression for the radar backscattering cross section. In the case of a coated sphere, the shell can be regarded as a cloak if the product of the thickness and the imaginary part of the refractive index of the outer shell is large.

Au@Y 2O 3:Eu 3+ rare earth oxide hollow sub-microspheres with encapsulated gold nanoparticles and their optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Min, Yu-Lin; Wan, Yong; Yu, Shu-Hong

2009-01-01

A facile method to synthesize novel Au@Y 2O 3:Eu 3+ hollow sub-microspheres encapsulated with moveable gold nanoparticle core and Y 2O 3:Eu 3+ as shell via two-step coating processes and a succeeding calcination process has been developed. Silica coating on citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles with a size of 25 nm can be obtained through a slightly modified Stöber process. Gold particles coated with double shell silica and Eu doped Y(OH) 3 can be obtained by coating on the Au@SiO 2 spheres through simply adding Y(NO 3) 3, Eu(NO 3) 3 and an appropriate quantity of NH 3·H 2O. Au@Y 2O 3:Eu 3+ hollow sub-microspheres with moveable individual Au nanoparticle as core can be obtained after calcination of Au@Y 2O 3:Eu 3+ particles at 600 °C for 2 h. These new core-shell structures with encapsulated gold nanoparticles have combined optical properties of both the Au nanoparticles and the Y 2O 3:Eu 3+ phosphor materials which might have potential applications.

Core-Shell Coating Silicon Anode Interfaces with Coordination Complex for Stable Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zhou, Jinqiu; Qian, Tao; Wang, Mengfan; Xu, Na; Zhang, Qi; Li, Qun; Yan, Chenglin

2016-03-02

In situ core-shell coating was used to improve the electrochemical performance of Si-based anodes with polypyrrole-Fe coordination complex. The vast functional groups in the organometallic coordination complex easily formed hydrogen bonds when in situ modifying commercial Si nanoparticles. The incorporation of polypyrrole-Fe resulted in the conformal conductive coating surrounding each Si nanoparticle, not only providing good electrical connection to the particles but also promoting the formation of a stable solid-electrolyte-interface layer on the Si electrode surface, enhancing the cycling properties. As an anode material for Li-ion batteries, modified silicon powders exhibited high reversible capacity (3567 mAh/g at 0.3 A/g), good rate property (549.12 mAh/g at 12 A/g), and excellent cycling performance (reversible capacity of 1500 mAh/g after 800 cycles at 1.2 A/g). The constructed novel concept of core-shell coating Si particles presented a promising route for facile and large-scale production of Si-based anodes for extremely durable Li-ion batteries, which provided a wide range of applications in the field of energy storage of the renewable energy derived from the solar energy, hydropower, tidal energy, and geothermal heat.

Core-shell VO2@TiO2 nanorods that combine thermochromic and photocatalytic properties for application as energy-saving smart coatings

PubMed Central

Li, Yamei; Ji, Shidong; Gao, Yanfeng; Luo, Hongjie; Kanehira, Minoru

2013-01-01

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is a Mott phase transition compound that can be applied as a thermochromic smart material for energy saving and comfort, and titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a well-known photocatalyst for self-cleaning coatings. In this paper, we report a VO2@TiO2 core-shell structure, in which the VO2 nanorod core exhibits a remarkable modulation ability for solar infrared light, and the TiO2 anatase shell exhibits significant photocatalytic degradation of organic dye. In addition, the TiO2 overcoating not only increased the luminous transmittance of VO2 based on an antireflection effect, but also modified the intrinsic colour of VO2 films from yellow to light blue. The TiO2 also enhanced the chemical stability of VO2 against oxidation. This is the first report of such a single nanoparticle structure with both thermochromic and photocatalytic properties that offer significant potential for creating a multifunctional smart coating. PMID:23546301

Core-shell VO2@TiO2 nanorods that combine thermochromic and photocatalytic properties for application as energy-saving smart coatings.

PubMed

Li, Yamei; Ji, Shidong; Gao, Yanfeng; Luo, Hongjie; Kanehira, Minoru

2013-01-01

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) is a Mott phase transition compound that can be applied as a thermochromic smart material for energy saving and comfort, and titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a well-known photocatalyst for self-cleaning coatings. In this paper, we report a VO2@TiO2 core-shell structure, in which the VO2 nanorod core exhibits a remarkable modulation ability for solar infrared light, and the TiO2 anatase shell exhibits significant photocatalytic degradation of organic dye. In addition, the TiO2 overcoating not only increased the luminous transmittance of VO2 based on an antireflection effect, but also modified the intrinsic colour of VO2 films from yellow to light blue. The TiO2 also enhanced the chemical stability of VO2 against oxidation. This is the first report of such a single nanoparticle structure with both thermochromic and photocatalytic properties that offer significant potential for creating a multifunctional smart coating.

A model study of aggregates composed of spherical soot monomers with an acentric carbon shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Jie; Zhang, Yongming; Zhang, Qixing

2018-01-01

Influences of morphology on the optical properties of soot particles have gained increasing attentions. However, studies on the effect of the way primary particles are coated on the optical properties is few. Aimed to understand how the primary particles are coated affect the optical properties of soot particles, the coated soot particle was simulated using the acentric core-shell monomers model (ACM), which was generated by randomly moving the cores of concentric core-shell monomers (CCM) model. Single scattering properties of the CCM model with identical fractal parameters were calculated 50 times at first to evaluate the optical diversities of different realizations of fractal aggregates with identical parameters. The results show that optical diversities of different realizations for fractal aggregates with identical parameters cannot be eliminated by averaging over ten random realizations. To preserve the fractal characteristics, 10 realizations of each model were generated based on the identical 10 parent fractal aggregates, and then the results were averaged over each 10 realizations, respectively. The single scattering properties of all models were calculated using the numerically exact multiple-sphere T-matrix (MSTM) method. It is found that the single scattering properties of randomly coated soot particles calculated using the ACM model are extremely close to those using CCM model and homogeneous aggregate (HA) model using Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory. Our results are different from previous studies. The reason may be that the differences in previous studies were caused by fractal characteristics but not models. Our findings indicate that how the individual primary particles are coated has little effect on the single scattering properties of soot particles with acentric core-shell monomers. This work provides a suggestion for scattering model simplification and model selection.

Controlled growth of silica-titania hybrid functional nanoparticles through a multistep microfluidic approach.

PubMed

Shiba, K; Sugiyama, T; Takei, T; Yoshikawa, G

2015-11-11

Silica/titania-based functional nanoparticles were prepared through controlled nucleation of titania and subsequent encapsulation by silica through a multistep microfluidic approach, which was successfully applied to obtaining aminopropyl-functionalized silica/titania nanoparticles for a highly sensitive humidity sensor.

Recent progress in mesoporous titania materials: adjusting morphology for innovative applications.

PubMed

Vivero-Escoto, Juan L; Chiang, Ya-Dong; Wu, Kevin; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2012-02-01

This review article summarizes recent developments in mesoporous titania materials, particularly in the fields of morphology control and applications. We first briefly introduce the history of mesoporous titania materials and then review several synthesis approaches. Currently, mesoporous titania nanoparticles (MTNs) have attracted much attention in various fields, such as medicine, catalysis, separation and optics. Compared with bulk mesoporous titania materials, which are above a micrometer in size, nanometer-sized MTNs have additional properties, such as fast mass transport, strong adhesion to substrates and good dispersion in solution. However, it has generally been known that the successful synthesis of MTNs is very difficult owing to the rapid hydrolysis of titanium-containing precursors and the crystallization of titania upon thermal treatment. Finally, we review four emerging fields including photocatalysis, photovoltaic devices, sensing and biomedical applications of mesoporous titania materials. Because of its high surface area, controlled porous structure, suitable morphology and semiconducting behavior, mesoporous titania is expected to be used in innovative applications.

Continuous flame aerosol synthesis of carbon-coated nano-LiFePO4 for Li-ion batteries

PubMed Central

Waser, Oliver; Büchel, Robert; Hintennach, Andreas; Novák, Petr; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

2013-01-01

Core-shell, nanosized LiFePO4-carbon particles were made in one step by scalable flame aerosol technology at 7 g/h. Core LiFePO4 particles were made in an enclosed flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) unit and were coated in-situ downstream by auto thermal carbonization (pyrolysis) of swirl-fed C2H2 in an O2-controlled atmosphere. The formation of acetylene carbon black (ACB) shell was investigated as a function of the process fuel-oxidant equivalence ratio (EQR). The core-shell morphology was obtained at slightly fuel-rich conditions (1.0 < EQR < 1.07) whereas segregated ACB and LiFePO4 particles were formed at fuel-lean conditions (0.8 < EQR < 1). Post-annealing of core-shell particles in reducing environment (5 vol% H2 in argon) at 700 °C for up to 4 hours established phase pure, monocrystalline LiFePO4 with a crystal size of 65 nm and 30 wt% ACB content. Uncoated LiFePO4 or segregated LiFePO4-ACB grew to 250 nm at these conditions. Annealing at 800 °C induced carbothermal reduction of LiFePO4 to Fe2P by ACB shell consumption that resulted in cavities between carbon shell and core LiFePO4 and even slight LiFePO4 crystal growth but better electrochemical performance. The present carbon-coated LiFePO4 showed superior cycle stability and higher rate capability than the benchmark, commercially available LiFePO4. PMID:23407817

Hydroxyapatite-TiO2-SiO2-Coated 316L Stainless Steel for Biomedical Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidane, Djahida; Khireddine, Hafit; Bir, Fatima; Yala, Sabeha; Montagne, Alex; Chicot, Didier

2017-07-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of titania (TiO2) as a reinforcing phase in the hydroxyapatite (HAP) coating and silica (SiO2) single layer as a bond coat between the TiO2-reinforced hydroxyapatite (TiO2/HAP) top layer and 316L stainless steel (316L SS) substrate on the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the underlying 316L SS metallic implant. Single layer of SiO2 film was first deposited on 316L SS substrate and studied separately. Water contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer analysis were used to evaluate the hydroxyl group reactivity at the SiO2 outer surface. The microstructural and morphological results showed that the reinforcement of HAP coating with TiO2 and SiO2 reduced the crystallite size and the roughness surface. Indeed, the deposition of 50 vol pct TiO2-reinforced hydroxyapatite layer enhanced the hardness and the elastic modulus of the HAP coating, and the introduction of SiO2 inner layer on the surface of the 316L SS allowed the improvement of the bonding strength and the corrosion resistance as confirmed by scratch studies, nanoindentation, and cyclic voltammetry tests.

Core-shell structured SiO2@YVO4:Dy3+/Sm3+ phosphor particles: sol-gel preparation and characterization.

PubMed

Wang, H; Yu, M; Lin, C K; Lin, J

2006-08-01

Spherical SiO(2) particles have been coated with YVO(4):Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) phosphor layers by a Pechini sol-gel process, leading to the formation of core-shell structured SiO(2)@YVO(4):Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as lifetimes were used to characterize the resulting SiO(2)@YVO(4):Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) core-shell phosphors. The obtained core-shell phosphors have perfect spherical shape with narrow size distribution (average size ca. 300 nm), smooth surface and non-agglomeration. The thickness of shells could be easily controlled by changing the number of deposition cycles (20 nm for one deposition cycle). The core-shell particles show strong characteristic emission from Dy(3+) for SiO(2)@YVO(4):Dy(3+) and from Sm(3+) for SiO(2)@YVO(4):Sm(3+) due to an efficient energy transfer from YVO(4) host to them. The PL intensity of Dy(3+) and Sm(3+) increases with raising the annealing temperature and the number of coating cycles.

Measurement of pO2 and pH in Living Breast Tumor Models with Three-Dimensional Resolution by Multiphoton Microscopy during Combined Therapy with Herceptin

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-01

contact with a freshly spin-coated NC–titania pre- polymer , which was transferred to a hot plate to initiate polymerization . The pattern of the PDMS stamp...to quantify pO2 and pH in vivo with high three-dimensional resolution (~1 µm3) and significant depth penetration (up to 400 µm) with MPLSM. The...proposed to develop techniques for measuring in vivo pO2 and pH of HER2-positive and negative primary tumors in murine models of breast cancer using

Bio-Magnetics Interfacing Concepts: A Microfluidic System Using Magnetic Nanoparticles for Quantitative Detection of Biological Species

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-30

nanoparticles that consist of a polymer coated ?-Fe2O3 superparamagnetic core and CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) shell. A single layer of QDs was bound to the...Fe2O3) with polymer coating, the scale bar is 20 nm; b) A TEM image of QDs magnetic beads core-shell nanoparticles. The scale bar is 20 nm. c) A High...common practice in microfluidic/GMR sensor integration is using hybrid approaches by adding-on polymer based fluidic structures (such as PDMS fluidic

Solvation of carbonaceous molecules by para-H2 and ortho-D2 clusters. II. Fullerenes.

PubMed

Calvo, F; Yurtsever, E

2016-08-28

The coating of various fullerenes by para-hydrogen and ortho-deuterium molecules has been computationally studied as a function of the solvent amount. Rotationally averaged interaction potentials for structureless hydrogen molecules are employed to model their interaction with neutral or charged carbonaceous dopants containing between 20 and 240 atoms, occasionally comparing different fullerenes having the same size but different shapes. The solvation energy and the size of the first solvation shell obtained from path-integral molecular dynamics simulations at 2 K show only minor influence on the dopant charge and on the possible deuteration of the solvent, although the shell size is largest for ortho-D2 coating cationic fullerenes. Nontrivial finite size effects have been found with the shell size varying non-monotonically close to its completion limit. For fullerenes embedded in large hydrogen clusters, the shell size and solvation energy both follow linear scaling with the fullerene size. The shell sizes obtained for C60 (+) and C70 (+) are close to 49 and 51, respectively, and agree with mass spectrometry experiments.

Solvation of carbonaceous molecules by para-H2 and ortho-D2 clusters. II. Fullerenes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvo, F.; Yurtsever, E.

2016-08-01

The coating of various fullerenes by para-hydrogen and ortho-deuterium molecules has been computationally studied as a function of the solvent amount. Rotationally averaged interaction potentials for structureless hydrogen molecules are employed to model their interaction with neutral or charged carbonaceous dopants containing between 20 and 240 atoms, occasionally comparing different fullerenes having the same size but different shapes. The solvation energy and the size of the first solvation shell obtained from path-integral molecular dynamics simulations at 2 K show only minor influence on the dopant charge and on the possible deuteration of the solvent, although the shell size is largest for ortho-D2 coating cationic fullerenes. Nontrivial finite size effects have been found with the shell size varying non-monotonically close to its completion limit. For fullerenes embedded in large hydrogen clusters, the shell size and solvation energy both follow linear scaling with the fullerene size. The shell sizes obtained for C 60+ and C 70+ are close to 49 and 51, respectively, and agree with mass spectrometry experiments.

Accelerated crack growth, residual stress, and a cracked zinc coated pressure shell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittman, Daniel L.; Hampton, Roy W.; Nelson, Howard G.

1987-01-01

During a partial inspection of a 42 year old, operating, pressurized wind tunnel at NASA-Ames Research Center, a surface connected defect 114 in. long having an indicated depth of a 0.7 in. was detected. The pressure shell, constructed of a medium carbon steel, contains approximately 10 miles of welds and is cooled by flowing water over its zinc coated external surface. Metallurgical and fractographic analysis showed that the actual detect was 1.7 in. deep, and originated from an area of lack of weld penetration. Crack growth studies were performed on the shell material in the laboratory under various loading rates, hold times, and R-ratios with a simulated shell environment. The combination of zinc, water with electrolyte, and steel formed an electrolytic cell which resulted in an increase in cyclic crack growth rate by as much as 500 times over that observed in air. It was concluded that slow crack growth occurred in the pressure shell by a combination of stress corrosion cracking due to the welding residual stress and corrosion fatigue due to the cyclic operating stress.

N-doped amorphous carbon coated Fe3O4/SnO2 coaxial nanofibers as a binder-free self-supported electrode for lithium ion batteries.

PubMed

Xie, Wenhe; Li, Suyuan; Wang, Suiyan; Xue, Song; Liu, Zhengjiao; Jiang, Xinyu; He, Deyan

2014-11-26

N-doped amorphous carbon coated Fe3O4/SnO2 coaxial nanofibers were prepared via a facile approach. The core composite nanofibers were first made by electrospinning technology, then the shells were conformally coated using the chemical bath deposition and subsequent carbonization with polydopamine as a carbon source. When applied as a binder-free self-supported anode for lithium ion batteries, the coaxial nanofibers displayed an enhanced electrochemical storage capacity and excellent rate performance. The morphology of the interwoven nanofibers was maintained even after the rate cycle test. The superior electrochemical performance originates in the structural stability of the N-doped amorphous carbon shells formed by carbonizing polydopamine.

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

40 CFR 721.9680 - Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Alkaline titania silica gel (generic... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9680 Alkaline titania silica gel (generic name). (a) Chemical substance... alkaline titania silica gel (PMN P-95-529) is subject to reporting under this section for the significant...

The Effect of Titanium Tetrahedral Coordination of Silica-Titania Catalyst on the Physical Properties of Biodiesel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nizar, U. K.; Hidayatul, J.; Sundari, R.; Bahrizal, B.; Amran, A.; Putra, A.; Latisma DJ, L.; Dewata, I.

2018-04-01

This study investigates the correlation of the number of titanium tetrahedral coordination and biodiesel production. The solid-state method has been used to synthesis of silica-titania catalyst for biodiesel production, which the precursors, i.e. silica and titania commercials were heated in the temperature range of 450 - 550°C. The characterization of the prepared silica-titania has been studied by FTIR and DR UV-Vis in order to identify and calculate the presence of titanium tetrahedral coordination in silica-titania catalyst. A very small peak at around 950 cm-1 indicated the presence of titanium tetrahedral coordination through Si–O–Ti bonds. Deconvolution of DR UV-Vis spectra showed the coordination of titanium in silica-titania is more octahedral. However, the number of titanium tetrahedral coordination of the prepared silica-titania is found higher than that of TiO2 commercial. The increasing of titanium tetrahedral fraction in silica-titania affects the physical properties of biodiesel in terms of boiling point, viscosity and density, which is produced by the reaction of methanol and palm oil.

Preparation and characterization of titania-deposited silica composite hollow fiber membranes with high hydrothermal stability.

PubMed

Kwon, Young-Nam; Kim, In-Chul

2013-11-01

Hydrothermal stability of a porous nickel-supported silica membrane was successfully improved by deposition of titania multilayers on colloidal silica particles embedded in the porous nickel fiber support. Porous nickel-supported silica membranes were prepared by means of a dipping-freezing-fast drying (DFF) method. The titania layers were deposited on colloidal silica particles by repeating hydrolysis and condensation reactions of titanium isopropoxide on the silica particle surfaces. The deposition of thin titania layers on the nickel-supported silica membrane was verified by various analytical tools. The water flux and the solute rejection of the porous Ni fiber-supported silica membranes did not change after titania layer deposition, indicating that thickness of titania layers deposited on silica surface is enough thin not to affect the membrane performance. Moreover, improvement of the hydrothermal stability in the titania-deposited silica membranes was confirmed by stability tests, indicating that thin titania layers deposited on silica surface played an important role as a diffusion barrier against 90 degrees C water into silica particles.

Synthesis of superparamagnetic silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles for biomedical applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaur, Navjot, E-mail: navjot.dhindsa2989@gmail.com; Chudasama, Bhupendra, E-mail: bnchudasama@gmail.com

Multifunctional superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated with silica are widely researched for biomedical applications such as magnetic resonance imaging, tissue repair, cell separation, hyperthermia, drug delivery, etc. In this article synthesis of magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) nanoparticles and their coating with SiO{sub 2} is reported. Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation and it was coated with silica by hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethylorthosilicate. XRD, FTIR, TEM and VSM techniques were used to characterize bare and coated nanoparticles. Results indicated that the average size of SPIONS was 8.4 nm. X-ray diffraction patterns of silica coated SPIONS were identicalmore » to that of SPIONS confirming the inner spinal structure of SPIONS. FTIR results confirmed the binding of silica with the magnetite and the formation of the silica shell around the magnetite core. Magnetic properties of SPIONS and silica coated SPIONS are determined by VSM. They are superparamagnetic. The major conclusion drawn from this study is that the synthesis route yields stable, non-aggregated magnetite-silica core-shell nanostructures with tailored morphology and excellent magnetic properties.« less

Development of osteoblast colonies on new bioactive coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Legoux, J. G.; Chellat, F.; Lima, R. S.; Marple, B. R.; Bureau, M. N.; Shen, H.; Candeliere, G. A.

2006-12-01

The aging baby boomer population coupled with an increase in life expectancy is leading to a rising number of active elderly persons in occidental countries. As a result, the orthopedic implant industry is facing numerous challenges such as the need to extend implant life, reduce the incidence of revision surgery, and improve implant performance. This paper reports results of an investigation on the bioperformance of newly developed coating-substrate systems. Hydroxyapatite (HA) and nano-titania (nano-TiO2) coatings were produced on Ti-6Al-4V and fiber reinforced polymer composite substrates. In vitro studies were conducted to determine the capacity of bioactive coatings developed to sustain osteoblast cells (fetal rat calvaria) adherence, growth, and differentiation. As revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and alkaline phosphatase activity, cell adhesion and proliferation demonstrated that HA coatings over a polymer composite are at least as good as HA coatings made over Ti-6Al-4V substrate in terms of osteoblast cell activity. Nano-TiO2 coatings produced by high-velocity oxyfuel (HVOF) spraying led to different results. For short-term cell culture (4.5 and 24 h), the osteoblasts appeared more flattened when grown on nano-TiO2 than on HA. The surface cell coverage after seven days of incubation was also more complete on nano-TiO2 than HA. Preliminary results indicate that osteoblast activity after 15 days of incubation on nano-TiO2 is equivalent to or greater than that observed on HA.

Hydroxyapatite formation on titania-based materials in a solution mimicking body fluid: Effects of manganese and iron addition in anatase.

PubMed

Shin, Euisup; Kim, Ill Yong; Cho, Sung Baek; Ohtsuki, Chikara

2015-03-01

Hydroxyapatite formation on the surfaces of implanted materials plays an important role in osteoconduction of bone substitutes in bone tissues. Titania hydrogels are known to instigate hydroxyapatite formation in a solution mimicking human blood plasma. To date, the relationship between the surface characteristics of titania and hydroxyapatite formation on its surface remains unclear. In this study, titania powders with varying surface characteristics were prepared by addition of manganese or iron to examine hydroxyapatite formation in a type of simulated body fluid (Kokubo solution). Hydroxyapatite formation was monitored by observation of deposited particles with scale-like morphology on the prepared titania powders. The effect of the titania surface characteristics, i.e., crystal structure, zeta potential, hydroxy group content, and specific surface area, on hydroxyapatite formation was examined. Hydroxyapatite formation was observed on the surface of titania powders that were primarily anatase, and featured a negative zeta potential and low specific surface areas irrespective of the hydroxy group content. High specific surface areas inhibited the formation of hydroxyapatite because calcium and phosphate ions were mostly consumed by adsorption on the titania surface. Thus, these surface characteristics of titania determine its osteoconductivity following exposure to body fluid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface protection in bio-shields via a functional soft skin layer: Lessons from the turtle shell.

PubMed

Shelef, Yaniv; Bar-On, Benny

2017-09-01

The turtle shell is a functional bio-shielding element, which has evolved naturally to provide protection against predator attacks that involve biting and clawing. The near-surface architecture of the turtle shell includes a soft bi-layer skin coating - rather than a hard exterior - which functions as a first line of defense against surface damage. This architecture represents a novel type of bio-shielding configuration, namely, an inverse structural-mechanical design, rather than the hard-coated bio-shielding elements identified so far. In the current study, we used experimentally based structural modeling and FE simulations to analyze the mechanical significance of this unconventional protection architecture in terms of resistance to surface damage upon extensive indentations. We found that the functional bi-layer skin of the turtle shell, which provides graded (soft-softer-hard) mechanical characteristics to the bio-shield exterior, serves as a bumper-buffer mechanism. This material-level adaptation protects the inner core from the highly localized indentation loads via stress delocalization and extensive near-surface plasticity. The newly revealed functional bi-layer coating architecture can potentially be adapted, using synthetic materials, to considerably enhance the surface load-bearing capabilities of various engineering configurations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loginova, Y.F.; Dezhurov, S.V.; Zherdeva, V.V.

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New QDs coated with combination of polythiol ligands and silica shell were synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examine the QDs stability in digestive tract of mice after per os administration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The polymer/silica shell prevents QDs degradation and fluorescence quenching in vivo. -- Abstract: CdSe-core, ZnS-capped semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are of great potential for biomedical applications. However, applications in the gastrointestinal tract for in vivo imaging and therapeutic purposes are hampered by their sensitivity to acidic environments and potential toxicity. Here we report the use of coatings with a combination of polythiol ligands and silica shell (QDs PolyT-APS) tomore » stabilize QDs fluorescence under acidic conditions. We demonstrated the stability of water-soluble QDs PolyT-APS both in vitro, in strong acidic solutions, and in vivo. The biodistribution, stability and photoluminescence properties of QDs in the gastrointestinal tract of mice after per os administration were assessed. We demonstrated that QDs coated with current traditional materials - mercapto compounds (QDs MPA) and pendant thiol group (QDs PolyT) - are not capable of protecting QDs from chemically induced degradation and surface modification. Polythiol ligands and silica shell quantum dots (QDs PolyT-APS) are suitable for biological and biomedical applications in the gastrointestinal tract.« less

A sol-gel based solid phase microextraction fiber for the analysis of aliphatic alcohols in apple juices.

PubMed

Farhadi, Khalil; Maleki, Ramin; Tahmasebi, Raheleh

2010-01-01

A new fiber based on titania-chitin sol-gel coated on a silver wire for the headspace solid phase microextraction of aliphatic alcohols from apple juice samples was developed. The influences of fiber coating composition and microextraction conditions (extraction temperature, extraction time, and ionic strength of the sample matrix) on the fiber performance were investigated. Also, the influence of temperature and time on desorption of analytes from fiber were studied. Under the optimized conditions, a porous fiber with a high extraction capacity and good thermal stability (up to 250 degrees C) was obtained. The proposed headspace solid-phase microextraction-GC method was successfully used for the analysis of aliphatic alcohols in apple juice and concentrate samples. The recovery values were from 92.8 to 98.6%. The RSD (n=5) for all analytes were below 7.8%.

Synthesis of fullerene@gold core-shell nanostructures.

PubMed

Ren, Yupeng; Paira, Priyankar; Nayak, Tapas Ranjan; Ang, Wee Han; Pastorin, Giorgia

2011-07-21

A "direct encapsulation" method was developed for the synthesis of highly stable water-soluble fullerene@gold core-shell nanostructures, with gold nanoshells showing either closed or porous morphology. This gold nano-shell coating formed a "nano-oven", capable of decomposing encapsulated fullerene molecules rapidly when irradiated by laser. We envisaged this being a useful tool for chemical reactions as well as a novel scaffold for nano-material synthesis.

Simultaneous size control and surface functionalization of titania nanoparticles through bioadhesion-assisted bio-inspired mineralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Jiafu; Yang, Dong; Jiang, Zhongyi; Jiang, Yanjun; Liang, Yanpeng; Zhu, Yuanyuan; Wang, Xiaoli; Wang, Huihui

2012-09-01

Simultaneous size control and surface functionalization of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are often desired for their efficient applications in (bio)catalysis, drug and/or DNA delivery, and photonics, etc. In this study, a novel strategy "bioadhesion-assisted bio-inspired mineralization (BABM)" was put forward to prepare titania nanoparticles (TiNPs) with tunable particle size and multiple surface functionality. Specifically, the initial formation and subsequent growth of TiNPs were enabled by arginine via bio-inspired mineralization, while the mineralization process was terminated through the addition of the pre-polymerized dopa (oligodopa). By adjusting the addition time of oligodopa, the size of TiNPs could be facilely tailored from ca. 30-350 nm; meanwhile, the surface of TiNPs could be functionalized by oligodopa through metal-catechol coordination interaction (a typical bioadhesion phenomenon). In other words, oligodopa coating could not only exquisitely control the size of TiNPs, but also render TiNPs surface multifunctional groups for secondary treatment such as conjugating proteins through amine-catechol adduct formation. Hopefully, this BABM approach will construct a versatile platform for green and facile synthesis of inorganic NPs, in particular transition metal oxide NPs.

Encapsulation of ZnO particles by metal fluorides: Towards an application as transparent insulating coatings for windows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trenque, Isabelle; Mornet, Stéphane; Duguet, Etienne; Majimel, Jérôme; Brüll, Annelise; Teinz, Katharina; Kemnitz, Erhard; Gaudon, Manuel

2013-01-01

Because ZnO is a promising candidate for getting efficient films or varnishes with thermal insulating abilities for windows applications, the effect of the encapsulation of ZnO particles in shells of low refractive index material on the improvement of the visible light transmission was investigated. ZnO-MgF2 core-shell particles were synthesized by deposition of fluoride sols on ZnO particles through a vacuum slip casting process like. The transmission behaviours were first indirectly studied by diffuse reflexion measurements on powder beds. Then, particle films were elaborated by a screen printing process which ensured direct transmission measurements. The encapsulation of ZnO particles with a coating shell of 1.3 wt.% of MgF2 improves the visible light transmission of 32%.

Fabrication and deformation behaviour of multilayer Al2O3/Ti/TiO2 nanotube arrays.

PubMed

Baradaran, S; Basirun, W J; Zalnezhad, E; Hamdi, M; Sarhan, Ahmed A D; Alias, Y

2013-04-01

In this study, titanium thin films were deposited on alumina substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. The mechanical properties of the Ti coatings were evaluated in terms of adhesion strength at various RF powers, temperatures, and substrate bias voltages. The coating conditions of 400W of RF power, 250°C, and a 75V substrate bias voltage produced the strongest coating adhesion, as obtained by the Taguchi optimisation method. TiO2 nanotube arrays were grown as a second layer on the Ti substrates using electrochemical anodisation at a constant potential of 20V and anodisation times of 15min, 45min, and 75min in a NH4F electrolyte solution (75 ethylene glycol: 25 water). The anodised titanium was annealed at 450°C and 650°C in a N2 gas furnace to obtain different phases of titania, anatase and rutile, respectively. The mechanical properties of the anodised layer were investigated by nanoindentation. The results indicate that Young's modulus and hardness increased with annealing temperature to 650°C. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and properties of unagglomerated nanocomposite particles for nanomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouse, Sarah M.

2005-11-01

Methods have been developed to prepare stable, unagglomerated active-medical-agent nanoparticles in a range of sizes, based on reverse-micelle microemulsion techniques. The process used to prepare monodisperse, spherical nanocomposite particles is based on methods originally outlined in detail by Adair et al. and Li et al. The "Molecular Dot" (MD) nanoparticles incorporate a variety of medically-active substances, such as organic fluorophores and therapeutic drugs, internally distributed in silica, titania, calcium phosphate, or calcium phospho-silicate matrices. The synthesis techniques have also been modified to produce nanoparticles containing combinations of fluorophores and medicinal agents, in order to monitor drug release and location. The specific biomedical application for the nanocomposite particles dictates the selection of core and shell-matrix materials. For example, the protective shell-matrices of the silica and titania MDs shield the active-medical agents from damage due to changes in pH, temperature, and other environmental effects. Conversely, the calcium phosphate and calcium phospho-silicate shell-matrix nanoparticles can potentially be engineered to dissolve in physiological environments. The method used to remove residual precursor materials while maintaining a well-dispersed assembly of nanoparticles is critical to the use of nanocolloids in medical applications. The dispersion approach is based on protection-dispersion theory tailored to accommodate the high surface areas and reactivity of sub-50 nm particles in aqueous or water/ethanol mixtures. Dispersion of the nanocomposite particles is further enhanced with the use of size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to simultaneously wash and disperse the nanocomposite particle suspensions. The state of dispersion of the nanosuspensions is evaluated using the average agglomeration number (AAN) approach in conjunction with other characterization techniques. The formulation of a non-aggregating colloid to deliver active-medical agents has the potential to revolutionize controlled, targeted, systemic delivery for a variety of drug and genetic therapies. The active-medical agent nanoparticles may be applied to a range of biomedical applications, including bioimaging, drug delivery, gene therapy, and combinations thereof. The fluorescent Molecular Dot nanoparticles have been utilized in applications such as in vitro cell labeling, as well as chemical and biological targeting. In addition, the Molecular Dots are a promising alternative to current bioimaging technologies, as the fluorescent emissions from the nanoparticulates do not exhibit blinking/intermittent qualities. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Natural Biowaste-Cocoon-Derived Granular Activated Carbon-Coated ZnO Nanorods: A Simple Route To Synthesizing a Core-Shell Structure and Its Highly Enhanced UV and Hydrogen Sensing Properties.

PubMed

Saravanan, Adhimoorthy; Huang, Bohr-Ran; Kathiravan, Deepa; Prasannan, Adhimoorthy

2017-11-15

Granular activated carbon (GAC) materials were prepared via simple gas activation of silkworm cocoons and were coated on ZnO nanorods (ZNRs) by the facile hydrothermal method. The present combination of GAC and ZNRs shows a core-shell structure (where the GAC is coated on the surface of ZNRs) and is exposed by systematic material analysis. The as-prepared samples were then fabricated as dual-functional sensors and, most fascinatingly, the as-fabricated core-shell structure exhibits better UV and H 2 sensing properties than those of as-fabricated ZNRs and GAC. Thus, the present core-shell structure-based H 2 sensor exhibits fast responses of 11% (10 ppm) and 23.2% (200 ppm) with ultrafast response and recovery. However, the UV sensor offers an ultrahigh photoresponsivity of 57.9 A W -1 , which is superior to that of as-grown ZNRs (0.6 A W -1 ). Besides this, switching photoresponse of GAC/ZNR core-shell structures exhibits a higher switching ratio (between dark and photocurrent) of 1585, with ultrafast response and recovery, than that of as-grown ZNRs (40). Because of the fast adsorption ability of GAC, it was observed that the finest distribution of GAC on ZNRs results in rapid electron transportation between the conduction bands of GAC and ZNRs while sensing H 2 and UV. Furthermore, the present core-shell structure-based UV and H 2 sensors also well-retained excellent sensitivity, repeatability, and long-term stability. Thus, the salient feature of this combination is that it provides a dual-functional sensor with biowaste cocoon and ZnO, which is ecological and inexpensive.

Numerical modeling of the 3D dynamics of ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles using the boundary integral method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qianxi; Manmi, Kawa; Calvisi, Michael L.

2015-02-01

Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) are microbubbles stabilized with a shell typically of lipid, polymer, or protein and are emerging as a unique tool for noninvasive therapies ranging from gene delivery to tumor ablation. While various models have been developed to describe the spherical oscillations of contrast agents, the treatment of nonspherical behavior has received less attention. However, the nonspherical dynamics of contrast agents are thought to play an important role in therapeutic applications, for example, enhancing the uptake of therapeutic agents across cell membranes and tissue interfaces, and causing tissue ablation. In this paper, a model for nonspherical contrast agent dynamics based on the boundary integral method is described. The effects of the encapsulating shell are approximated by adapting Hoff's model for thin-shell, spherical contrast agents. A high-quality mesh of the bubble surface is maintained by implementing a hybrid approach of the Lagrangian method and elastic mesh technique. The numerical model agrees well with a modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation for encapsulated spherical bubbles. Numerical analyses of the dynamics of UCAs in an infinite liquid and near a rigid wall are performed in parameter regimes of clinical relevance. The oscillation amplitude and period decrease significantly due to the coating. A bubble jet forms when the amplitude of ultrasound is sufficiently large, as occurs for bubbles without a coating; however, the threshold amplitude required to incite jetting increases due to the coating. When a UCA is near a rigid boundary subject to acoustic forcing, the jet is directed towards the wall if the acoustic wave propagates perpendicular to the boundary. When the acoustic wave propagates parallel to the rigid boundary, the jet direction has components both along the wave direction and towards the boundary that depend mainly on the dimensionless standoff distance of the bubble from the boundary. In all cases, the jet directions for the coated and uncoated bubble are similar but the jet width and jet velocity are smaller for a coated bubble. The effects of shell thickness and shell viscosity are analyzed and determined to affect the bubble dynamics, including jet development.

Core-shell microstructured nanocomposites for synergistic adjustment of environmental temperature and humidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haiquan; Yuan, Yanping; Zhang, Nan; Sun, Qingrong; Cao, Xiaoling

2016-11-01

The adjustment of temperature and humidity is of great importance in a variety of fields. Composites that can perform both functions are prepared by mixing phase change materials (PCMs) with hygroscopic materials. However, the contact area between the adsorbent and humid air is inevitably decreased in such structures, which reduces the number of mass transfer channels for water vapor. An approach entailing the increase in the mass ratio of the adsorbent is presented here to improve the adsorption capacity. A core-shell CuSO4/polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanomaterial was developed to satisfy the conflicting requirements of temperature control and dehumidification. The results show that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the PEG coating layer was enhanced by a factor of 188 compared with that of the pure PEG powder. The coating layer easily concentrates vapor, providing better adsorption properties for the composite. Furthermore, the volume modification of the CuSO4 matrix was reduced by 80% by the PEG coated layer, a factor that increases the stability of the composite. For the phase change process, the crystallization temperature of the coating layer was adjusted between 37.2 and 46.3 °C by interfacial tension. The core-shell CuSO4/PEG composite reported here provides a new general approach for the simultaneous control of temperature and humidity.

Detection of Intermediates And Kinetic Control During Assembly of Bacteriophage P22 Procapsid

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuma, R.; Tsuruta, H.; French, K.H.

2009-05-26

Bacteriophage P22 serves as a model for the assembly and maturation of other icosahedral double-stranded DNA viruses. P22 coat and scaffolding proteins assemble in vitro into an icosahedral procapsid, which then expands during DNA packaging (maturation). Efficient in vitro assembly makes this system suitable for design and production of monodisperse spherical nanoparticles (diameter {approx} 50 nm). In this work, we explore the possibility of controlling the outcome of assembly by scaffolding protein engineering. The scaffolding protein exists in monomer-dimer-tetramer equilibrium. We address the role of monomers and dimers in assembly by using three different scaffolding proteins with altered monomer-dimer equilibriummore » (weak dimer, covalent dimer, monomer). The progress and outcome of assembly was monitored by time-resolved X-ray scattering, which allowed us to distinguish between closed shells and incomplete assembly intermediates. Binding of scaffolding monomer activates the coat protein for assembly. Excess dimeric scaffolding protein resulted in rapid nucleation and kinetic trapping yielding incomplete shells. Addition of monomeric wild-type scaffold with excess coat protein completed these metastable shells. Thus, the monomeric scaffolding protein plays an essential role in the elongation phase by activating the coat and effectively lowering its critical concentration for assembly.« less

In Situ Hydrothermally Grown TiO2@C Core-Shell Nanowire Coating for Highly Sensitive Solid Phase Microextraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Wang, Fuxin; Zheng, Juan; Qiu, Junlang; Liu, Shuqin; Chen, Guosheng; Tong, Yexiang; Zhu, Fang; Ouyang, Gangfeng

2017-01-18

Nanostructured materials have great potential for solid phase microextraction (SPME) on account of their tiny size, distinct architectures and superior physical and chemical properties. Herein, a core-shell TiO 2 @C fiber for SPME was successfully fabricated by the simple hydrothermal reaction of a titanium wire and subsequent amorphous carbon coating. The readily hydrothermal procedure afforded in situ synthesis of TiO 2 nanowires on a titanium wire and provided a desirable substrate for further coating of amorphous carbon. Benefiting from the much larger surface area of subsequent TiO 2 and good adsorption property of the amorphous carbon coating, the core-shell TiO 2 @C fiber was utilized for the SPME device for the first time and proved to have better performance in extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In comparison to the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and PDMS/divinylbenzene (DVB) fiber for commercial use, the TiO 2 @C fiber obtained gas chromatography responses 3-8 times higher than those obtained by the commercial 100 μm PDMS and 1-9 times higher than those obtained by the 65 μm PDMS/DVB fiber. Under the optimized extraction conditions, the low detection limits were obtained in the range of 0.4-7.1 ng L -1 with wider linearity in the range of 10-2000 ng L -1 . Moreover, the fiber was successfully used for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Pearl River water, which demonstrated the applicability of the core-shell TiO 2 @C fiber.

Platinum-nanoparticle-supported core-shell polymer nanospheres with unexpected water stability and facile further modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Conghui; Xu, Yiting; Luo, Weiang; Zeng, Birong; Qiu, Wuhui; Liu, Jie; Huang, Huiling; Dai, Lizong

2012-05-01

Core-shell nanospheres (CSNSs) with hydrophobic cores and hydrophilic shells were fabricated via a simple mini-emulsion polymerization for the stabilization of platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs). The CSNSs showed extremely high loading capacity of Pt-NPs (the largest loading amount of the Pt-NPs was about 49.2 wt%). Importantly, the Pt-NPs/CSNSs nanocomposites had unexpected stability in aqueous solution. DLS results revealed that the CSNSs loaded with Pt-NPs exhibited almost no aggregation after standing for a long time . However, the Pt-NPs immobilized on the CSNSs were not straitlaced: they could transport and redistribute between CSNSs freely when the environmental temperature was higher than the melting point of the CSNS shell. Owing to their excellent stability in aqueous solution, the surface of the Pt-NPs/CSNSs nanocomposites could be further decorated easily. For example, polyaniline (PANI)-coated Pt-NPs/CSNSs, nickel (Ni)-coated Pt-NPs/CSNSs and PANI/Pt-NPs dual-layer hollow nanospheres were facilely fabricated from the Pt-NPs/CSNS nanocomposites.

Synthesis, characterization, and thermal stability of SiO2/TiO2/CR-Ag multilayered nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz, Gabriela; Chang, Yao-Jen; Philipossian, Ara

2018-06-01

The controllable synthesis and characterization of novel thermally stable silver-based particles are described. The experimental approach involves the design of thermally stable nanostructures by the deposition of an interfacial thick, active titania layer between the primary substrate (SiO2 particles) and the metal nanoparticles (Ag NPs), as well as the doping of Ag nanoparticles with an organic molecule (Congo Red, CR). The nanostructured particles were composed of a 330-nm silica core capped by a granular titania layer (10 to 13 nm in thickness), along with monodisperse 5 to 30 nm CR-Ag NPs deposited on top. The titania-coated support (SiO2/TiO2 particles) was shown to be chemically and thermally stable and promoted the nucleation and anchoring of CR-Ag NPs, which prevented the sintering of CR-Ag NPs when the structure was exposed to high temperatures. The thermal stability of the silver composites was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Larger than 10 nm CR-Ag NPs were thermally stable up to 300 °C. Such temperature was high enough to destabilize the CR-Ag NPs due to the melting point of the CR. On the other hand, smaller than 10 nm Ag NPs were stable at temperatures up to 500 °C because of the strong metal-metal oxide binding energy. Energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) was carried out to qualitatively analyze the chemical stability of the structure at different temperatures which confirmed the stability of the structure and the existence of silver NPs at temperatures up to 500 °C.

Antimicrobial polymers - The antibacterial effect of photoactivated nano titanium dioxide polymer composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huppmann, T., E-mail: teresa.huppmann@tum.de; Leonhardt, S., E-mail: stefan.leonhardt@mytum.de, E-mail: erhard.krampe@tum.de; Krampe, E., E-mail: stefan.leonhardt@mytum.de, E-mail: erhard.krampe@tum.de

To obtain a polymer with antimicrobial properties for medical and sanitary applications nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) particles have been incorporated into a medical grade polypropylene (PP) matrix with various filler contents (0 wt %, 2 wt %, 10 wt % and 15 wt %). The standard application of TiO{sub 2} for antimicrobial efficacy is to deposit a thin TiO{sub 2} coating on the surface. In contrast to the common way of applying a coating, TiO{sub 2} particles were applied into the bulk polymer. With this design we want to ensure antimicrobial properties even after application of impact effects thatmore » could lead to surface defects. The filler material (Aeroxide® TiO{sub 2} P25, Evonik) was applied via melt compounding and the compounding parameters were optimized with respect to nanoscale titanium dioxide. In a next step the effect of UV-irradiation on the compounds concerning their photocatalytic activity, which is related to the titanium dioxide amount, was investigated. The photocatalytic effect of TiO{sub 2}-PP-composites was analyzed by contact angle measurement, by methylene blue testing and by evaluation of inactivation potential for Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria. The dependence of antimicrobial activity on the filler content was evaluated, and on the basis of different titanium dioxide fractions adequate amounts of additives within the compounds were discussed. Specimens displayed a higher photocatalytic and also antimicrobial activity and lower contact angles with increasing titania content. The results suggest that the presence of titania embedded in the PP matrix leads to a surface change and a photocatalytic effect with bacteria killing result.« less

Review on the preparation and modified technologies of microencapsulated red phosphorus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Chen; Du, Shiguo; Yan, Jun

2017-10-01

Coated by a compact shell structure, pristine red phosphorus transforms into microcapsule red phosphorus (MCRP) with lower PH3 emission and improved compatibility with polymer matrix. Diverse kinds of microcapsule red phosphorus are classified by shell material, i.e.organic shell material MCRP, inorganic shell material MCRP and composite shell material MCRP. Furthermore, the modified technology to make up deficiencies of MCRP is also introduced in the lecture. Aiming at the existing microencapsulation craft, a more harmless and high-efficiency process should be presented, and ultrafine MCRP is also urgent to be prepared.

Aragonite-Associated Mollusk Shell Protein Aggregates To Form Mesoscale “Smart” Hydrogels

DOE PAGES

Perovic, Iva; Davidyants, Anastasia; Evans, John Spencer

2016-11-30

In the mollusk shell there exists a framework silk fibroin-polysaccharide hydrogel coating around nacre aragonite tablets, and this coating facilitates the synthesis and organization of mineral nanoparticles into mesocrystals. In this report, we identify that a protein component of this coating, n16.3, is a hydrogelator. Due to the presence of intrinsic disorder, aggregation-prone regions, and nearly equal balance of anionic and cationic side chains, this protein assembles to form porous mesoscale hydrogel particles in solution and on mica surfaces. These hydrogel particles change their dimensionality, organization, and internal structure in response to pH and ions, particularly Ca(II), which indicates thatmore » these behave as ion-responsive or “smart” hydrogels. Thus, in addition to silk fibroins, the gel phase of the mollusk shell nacre framework layer may actually consist of several framework hydrogelator proteins, such as n16.3, which can promote mineral nanoparticle organization and assembly during the nacre biomineralization process and also serve as a model system for designing ion-responsive, composite, and smart hydrogels.« less

Iron oxide shell coating on nano silicon prepared from the sand for lithium-ion battery application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furquan, Mohammad; Vijayalakshmi, S.; Mitra, Sagar

2018-05-01

Elemental silicon, due to its high specific capacity (4200 mAh g-1) and non-toxicity is expected to be an attractive anode material for Li-ion battery. But its huge expansion volume (> 300 %) during charging of battery, leads to pulverization and cracking in the silicon particles and causes sudden failure of the Li-ion battery. In this work, we have designed yolk-shell type morphology of silicon, prepared from carbon coated silicon nanoparticles soaked in aqueous solution of ferric nitrate and potassium hydroxide. The soaked silicon particles were dried and finally calcined at 800 °C for 30 minutes. The product obtained is deprived of carbon and has a kind of yolk-shell morphology of nano silicon with iron oxide coating (Si@Iron oxide). This material has been tested for half-cell lithium-ion battery configuration. The discharge capacity is found to be ≈ 600 mAh g-1 at a current rate of 1.0 A g-1 for 200 cycles. It has shown a stable performance as anode for Li-ion battery application.

Tubular structured hierarchical mesoporous titania material derived from natural cellulosic substances and application as photocatalyst for degradation of methylene blue

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Haiqing; Liu, Xiaoyan; Huang, Jianguo, E-mail: jghuang@zju.edu.cn

Graphical abstract: Bio-inspired, tubular structured hierarchical mesoporous titania material with high photocatalytic activity under UV light was fabricated employing natural cellulosic substance (cotton) as hard template and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant as soft template using a one-pot sol-gel method. Highlights: {yields} Tubular structured mesoporous titania material was fabricated by sol-gel method. {yields} The titania material faithfully recorded the hierarchical structure of the template substrate (cotton). {yields} The titania material exhibited high photocatalytic activity in decomposition of methylene blue. -- Abstract: Bio-inspired, tubular structured hierarchical mesoporous titania material was designed and fabricated employing natural cellulosic substance (cotton) as hard template andmore » cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant as soft template by one-pot sol-gel method. The tubular structured hierarchical mesoporous titania material processes large specific surface area (40.23 m{sup 2}/g) and shows high photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation.« less

Synthesis of highly-monodisperse spherical titania particles with diameters in the submicron range.

PubMed

Tanaka, Shunsuke; Nogami, Daisuke; Tsuda, Natsuki; Miyake, Yoshikazu

2009-06-15

Monodisperse titania spheres with particle diameters in the range 380-960 nm were successfully synthesized by hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetraisopropoxide. The preparation was performed using ammonia or dodecylamine (DDA) as a catalyst in methanol/acetonitrile co-solvent at room temperature. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and nitrogen sorption measurement. The use of DDA was effective for the synthesis of monodisperse titania spheres with low coefficient of variation. When the titania spherical particles with coefficient of variation less than 4% were obtained, the colloidal crystallization easily occurred simply by centrifugation. The monodispersity was maintained even after crystallization of the particles by high temperature annealing. The titania particles prepared using DDA had mesopores near the surface of the spheres, providing high pore accessibility to the sphere from the surface-air interface. The particle size uniformity and photocatalytic reactivity of the titania prepared using DDA were higher than those of the titania prepared using ammonia.

Synthesis of SiO2-Coated Core-Shell ZnO Composites for Preparing High-Voltage Varistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Xiao; Yao, Da-Chuan; Liu, Jin-Ran; Wang, Mao-Hua; Zhang, Han-Ping

2018-01-01

Monodispersed ZnO composite microspheres were successfully prepared by a facile ultrasound irradiation method. Then, the uniform core-shell structured composites were synthesized through the hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate on the surface of the ZnO composite microspheres. Microstructural studies of the as-obtained powders were carried out using the techniques of the x-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The results show that the pink ZnO composite powders as the core were spherical structures with the size of approximately 100 nm, and the SiO2 shell was fully coated on the surface of the core. On the basis of these results, the effect of SiO2 content on the thickness of the synthesized composites and microstructure, as well as the electrical properties of the ZnO varistors sintered in air at 1150°C for 2 h, were fully studied. In particular, the ZnO varistor prepared with the appropriate amount of the SiO2 coating (˜40 nm) leads to a superior electrical performance with the high breakdown voltage of 418 V mm-1 and an excellent nonlinear coefficient of 70.7, compared with the varistors obtained without the SiO2 coating. The high performance is attributed to the smaller and more homogeneous ZnO grains obtained via the SiO2 coating.

A Safer Formulation Concept for Flame-Generated Engineered Nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Gass, Samuel; Cohen, Joel M.; Pyrgiotakis, Georgios; Sotiriou, Georgios A.; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.; Demokritou, Philip

2013-01-01

The likely success or failure of the nanotechnology industry depends on the environmental health and safety of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). While efforts toward engineering safer ENMs are sparse, such efforts are considered crucial to the sustainability of the nanotech industry. A promising approach in this regard is to coat potentially toxic nanomaterials with a biologically inert layer of amorphous SiO2. Core-shell particles exhibit the surface properties of their amorphous SiO2 shell while maintaining specific functional properties of their core material. A major challenge in the development of functional core-shell particles is the design of scalable high-yield processes that can meet large-scale industrial demand. Here, we present a safer formulation concept for flame-generated ENMs based on a one-step, in flight SiO2 encapsulation process, which was recently introduced by the authors as a means for a scalable manufacturing of SiO2 coated ENMs. Firstly, the versatility of the SiO2-coating process is demonstrated by applying it to four ENMs (CeO2, ZnO, Fe2O3, Ag) marked by their prevalence in consumer products as well as their range in toxicity. The ENM-dependent coating fundamentals are assessed and process parameters are optimized for each ENM investigated. The effects of the SiO2-coating on core material structure, composition and morphology, as well as the coating efficiency on each nanostructured material, are evaluated using state-of-the-art analytical methods (XRD, N2 adsorption, TEM, XPS, isopropanol chemisorption). Finally, the biological interactions of SiO2-coated vs. uncoated ENMs are evaluated using cellular bioassays, providing valuable evidence for reduced toxicity for the SiO2-coated ENMs. Results indicate that the proposed ‘safer by design’ concept bears great promise for scaled-up application in industry in order to reduce the toxicological profile of ENMs for certain applications. PMID:23961338

Multi-walled carbon/IF-WS2 nanoparticles with improved thermal properties.

PubMed

Xu, Fang; Almeida, Trevor P; Chang, Hong; Xia, Yongde; Wears, M Lesley; Zhu, Yanqiu

2013-11-07

A unique new class of core-shell structured composite nanoparticles, C-coated inorganic fullerene-like WS2 (IF-WS2) hollow nanoparticles, has been created for the first time in large quantities, by a continuous chemical vapour deposition method using a rotary furnace. Transmission electron microscopy and Raman characterisations of the resulting samples reveal that the composite nanoparticles exhibited a uniform shell of carbon coating, ranging from 2-5 nm on the IF-WS2 core, with little or no agglomeration. Importantly, thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry analysis confirm that their thermal stability against oxidation in air has been improved by about 70 °C, compared to the pristine IF-WS2, making these new C-coated IF-WS2 nanoparticles more attractive for critical engineering applications.

Nonaqueous slip casting of high temperature ceramic superconductors using an investment casting technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hooker, Matthew W. (Inventor); Taylor, Theodore D. (Inventor); Wise, Stephanie A. (Inventor); Buckley, John D. (Inventor); Vasquez, Peter (Inventor); Buck, Gregory M. (Inventor); Hicks, Lana P. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A process for slip casting ceramic articles that does not employ parting agents and affords the casting of complete, detailed, precision articles that do not possess parting lines is presented. This process is especially useful for high temperature superconductors and water-sensitive ceramics. A wax pattern for a shell mold is provided, and an aqueous mixture of a calcium sulfate-bonded investment material is applied as a coating to the wax pattern. The coated wax pattern is then dried, followed by curing to vaporize the wax pattern and leave a shell mold of the calcium sulfate-bonded investment material. The shell mold is cooled to room temperature, and a ceramic slip, created by dispersing a ceramic powder in an organic liquid, is poured therein. After a ceramic shell of desired thickness or a solid article has set up in the shell mold, excess ceramic slip is poured out. The shell mold is misted with water and peeled away from the ceramic article, after which the ceramic is fired to provide a complete, detailed, precision, high temperature superconductive ceramic article without parting lines. The casting technique may take place in the presence of a magnetic field to orient the ceramic powders during the casting process.

Biomimetic synthesis of chiral erbium-doped silver/peptide/silica core-shell nanoparticles (ESPN)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantion, Alexandre; Graf, Philipp; Florea, Ileana; Haase, Andrea; Thünemann, Andreas F.; Mašić, Admir; Ersen, Ovidiu; Rabu, Pierre; Meier, Wolfgang; Luch, Andreas; Taubert, Andreas

2011-12-01

Peptide-modified silver nanoparticles have been coated with an erbium-doped silica layer using a method inspired by silica biomineralization. Electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering confirm the presence of an Ag/peptide core and silica shell. The erbium is present as small Er2O3 particles in and on the silica shell. Raman, IR, UV-Vis, and circular dichroism spectroscopies show that the peptide is still present after shell formation and the nanoparticles conserve a chiral plasmon resonance. Magnetic measurements find a paramagnetic behavior. In vitro tests using a macrophage cell line model show that the resulting multicomponent nanoparticles have a low toxicity for macrophages, even on partial dissolution of the silica shell.Peptide-modified silver nanoparticles have been coated with an erbium-doped silica layer using a method inspired by silica biomineralization. Electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering confirm the presence of an Ag/peptide core and silica shell. The erbium is present as small Er2O3 particles in and on the silica shell. Raman, IR, UV-Vis, and circular dichroism spectroscopies show that the peptide is still present after shell formation and the nanoparticles conserve a chiral plasmon resonance. Magnetic measurements find a paramagnetic behavior. In vitro tests using a macrophage cell line model show that the resulting multicomponent nanoparticles have a low toxicity for macrophages, even on partial dissolution of the silica shell. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Figures S1 to S12, Tables S1 and S2. See DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10930h

Optimal illusion and invisibility of multilayered anisotropic cylinders and spheres.

PubMed

Zhang, Lin; Shi, Yan; Liang, Chang-Hong

2016-10-03

In this paper, full-wave electromagnetic scattering theory is employed to investigate illusion and invisibility of inhomogeneous anisotropic cylinders and spheres. With the use of a shell designed according to Mie series theory for multiple piecewise anisotropic layers, radar cross section (RCS) of the coated inhomogeneous anisotropic object can be dramatically reduced or disguised as another object in the long-wavelength limit. With the suitable adjustment of the anisotropy parameters of the shell, optimal illusion and invisibility characteristics of the coated inhomogeneous anisotropic object can be achieved. Details of theoretical analysis and numerical examples are presented to validate the proposed methodology.

Effects of solution pH and electrical parameters on hydroxyapatite coatings deposited by a plasma-assisted electrophoresis technique.

PubMed

Nie, X; Leyland, A; Matthews, A; Jiang, J C; Meletis, E I

2001-12-15

Hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings can be deposited using a hybrid process of plasma electrolysis and electrophoresis, called plasma-assisted electrophoretic deposition (PEPD). HA aqueous suspensions with various pH values were prepared using a modified ultrasonic cleaning bath as an agitator/stirrer. Both DC and unbalanced AC power supplies were used to bias the titanium alloy substrate materials employed in this work. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to observe and analyze coating morphology and microstructure. It was shown that the morphology and composition of the calcium phosphate coatings were significantly influenced by solution pH values; the level of "pure" HA in the coatings' composition corresponded to both solution pH and the type of power supply employed. Loss of hydroxyl radials (i.e., dehydroxylation), which degrades the performance of the hydroxyapatite coating in terms of long-term chemical and mechanical stability, can be virtually eliminated by a combination of high pH and unbalanced AC plasma power. In addition, the underlying TiO2 coatings used to support the HA layer (preproduced by plasma electrolysis process) have a nanoscaled (10-20 nm) polycrystalline structure. TEM studies also revealed a dense, continuous amorphous titania layer (10 nm in thickness) at the interface between the Ti alloy substrate and the TiO2 layer, which may play a role in improving the corrosion resistance of the substrate. Such a nanophase TiO2 layer (if used as a coating alone) may also provide a further improvement in osteoinductive properties, compared to a conventional TiO2 coating on the Ti alloy substrate. Copyright 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 57: 612-618, 2001

Fabrication of Ni@Ti core-shell nanoparticles by modified gas aggregation source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanuš, J.; Vaidulych, M.; Kylián, O.; Choukourov, A.; Kousal, J.; Khalakhan, I.; Cieslar, M.; Solař, P.; Biederman, H.

2017-11-01

Ni@Ti core-shell nanoparticles were prepared by a vacuum based method using the gas aggregation source (GAS) of nanoparticles. Ni nanoparticles fabricated in the GAS were afterwards coated by a Ti shell. The Ti shell was deposited by means of magnetron sputtering. The Ni nanoparticles were decelerated in the vicinity of the magnetron to the Ar drift velocity in the second deposition chamber. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis of the nanoparticles showed the core-shell structure. It was shown that the thickness of the shell can be easily tuned by the process parameters with a maximum achieved thickness of the Ti shell ~2.5 nm. The core-shell structure was confirmed by the STEM analysis of the particles.

Novel nanometer-level uniform amorphous carbon coating for boron powders by direct pyrolysis of coronene without solvent.

PubMed

Ye, ShuJun; Song, MingHui; Kumakura, Hiroaki

2015-01-30

A 3 nm coronene coating and a 4 nm amorphous carbon coating with a uniform shell-core encapsulation structure for nanosized boron (B) powders are formed by a simple process in which coronene is directly mixed with boron particles without a solvent and heated at 520 °C for 1 h or at 630 °C for 3 h in a vacuum-sealed silica tube. Coronene has a melting point lower than its decomposition temperature, which enables liquid coronene to cover B particles by liquid diffusion and penetration without the need for a solvent. The diffusion and penetration of coronene can extend to the boundaries of particles and to inside the agglomerated nanoparticles to form a complete shell-core encapsulated structure. As the temperature is increased, thermal decomposition of coronene on the B particles results in the formation of a uniform amorphous carbon coating layer. This novel and simple nanometer-level uniform amorphous carbon coating method can possibly be applied to many other powders; thus, it has potential applications in many fields at low cost.

Heterogeneous Semiconductor Shells Sequentially Coated on Upconversion Nanoplates for NIR-Light Enhanced Photocatalysis.

PubMed

Cui, Cao; Tou, Meijie; Li, Mohua; Luo, Zhenguo; Xiao, Lingbo; Bai, Song; Li, Zhengquan

2017-02-20

Combination of upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) with CeO 2 is a decent choice to construct NIR-activated photocatalysts for utilizing the NIR light in the solar spectrum. Herein we present a facile approach to deposit a CeO 2 layer with controllable thickness on the plate-shaped NaYF 4 :Yb,Tm UCNs. The developed core-shell nanocomposites display obvious photocatalytic activity under the NIR light and exhibit enhanced activity under the full solar spectrum. For enhancing the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes on the CeO 2 surface, we sequentially coat a ZnO shell on the nanocomposites so as to form a heterojunction structure for achieving a better activity. The developed hybrid photocatalysts have been characterized with TEM, SEM, PL, etc., and the working mechanism of such UCN-semiconductor heterojunction photocatalysts has been proposed.

Understanding the Antifungal Mechanism of Ag@ZnO Core-shell Nanocomposites against Candida krusei.

PubMed

Das, Bhaskar; Khan, Md Imran; Jayabalan, R; Behera, Susanta K; Yun, Soon-Il; Tripathy, Suraj K; Mishra, Amrita

2016-11-04

In the present paper, facile synthesis of Ag@ZnO core-shell nanocomposites is reported where zinc oxide is coated on biogenic silver nanoparticles synthesized using Andrographis paniculata and Aloe vera leaf extract. Structural features of as synthesized nanocomposites are characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, XRD, and FTIR. Morphology of the above core-shell nanocomposites is investigated by electron microscopy. As synthesized nanocomposite material has shown antimicrobial activity against Candida krusei, which is an opportunistic pathogen known to cause candidemia. The possible mode of activity of the above material has been studied by in-vitro molecular techniques. Our investigations have shown that surface coating of biogenic silver nanoparticles by zinc oxide has increased its antimicrobial efficiency against Candida krusei, while decreasing its toxicity towards A431 human epidermoid carcinoma cell lines.

Polyamide/titania hollow nanofibers prepared by core-shell electrospinning as a microextractive phase in a fabricated sandwiched format microfluidic device.

PubMed

Rezvani, Omid; Hedeshi, Mahin Hashemi; Bagheri, Habib

2017-12-15

In this study, a low-cost microfluidic device from polymethyl methacrylate was fabricated by laser engraving technique. The device is consisted of a central chip unit with an aligned microchannel. Both sides of the engraved microchannel were sandwiched by two synthesized sheets from polyamide/titania (PA/TiO 2 ) hollow nanofibers as extractive phases. The inlet and outlet of the device were connected to the polyether ether ketone tubes, while a peristaltic pump was used to deliver both sample and desorbing solvent through the microchannel. The recorded scanning electron microscopy images from the surface of the synthesized PA/TiO 2 nanofibers, exhibit a good degree of homogeneity and porosity throughout their structures. Also, the presence of titanium was indicated by the energy dispersive X-ray analysis, while the recorded Fourier transform infrared spectra confirmed their chemical structures. The addition of titania in the composition of polyamide nanofibers, not only improved the mechanical stability of the extractive phase but also enhanced its extraction capability. The major parameters associated with the extraction performance were studied and eventually the method was validated by the use of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The limits of detection for the selected triazines were between 0.01 and 0.03ngmL -1 , while the limits of quantification ranged from 0.04 to 0.1ngmL -1 . In addition, the interday and intraday reproducibility (RSD%) were lower than 6.6% (n=3). The calibration graph for atrazine was linear in the range of 0.2-50ngmL -1 while two linear ranges for ametryn and terbutryn (0.1-10 and 20-500ngmL -1 ) were achieved. Relative recoveries were between 89 and 98% with the regression coefficient range of 0.9969-0.9991. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid in situ growth of oriented titanium-nickel oxide composite nanotubes arrays coated on a nitinol wire as a solid-phase microextraction fiber coupled to HPLC-UV.

PubMed

Zhen, Qi; Zhang, Min; Song, Wenlan; Wang, Huiju; Wang, Xuemei; Du, Xinzhen

2016-10-01

An oriented titanium-nickel oxide composite nanotubes coating was in situ grown on a nitinol wire by direct electrochemical anodization in ethylene glycol with ammonium fluoride and water for the first time. The morphology and composition of the resulting coating showed that the anodized nitinol wire provided a titania-rich coating. The titanium-nickel oxide composite nanotubes coated fiber was used for solid-phase microextraction of different aromatic compounds coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The titanium-nickel oxide composite nanotubes coating exhibited high extraction capability, good selectivity, and rapid mass transfer for weakly polar UV filters. Thereafter the important parameters affecting extraction efficiency were investigated for solid-phase microextraction of UV filters. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.1-300 μg/L for target UV filters with limits of detection of 0.019-0.082 μg/L. The intraday and interday precision of the proposed method with the single fiber were 5.3-7.2 and 5.9-7.9%, respectively, and the fiber-to-fiber reproducibility ranged from 6.3 to 8.9% for four fibers fabricated in different batches. Finally, its applicability was evaluated by the extraction and determination of target UV filters in environmental water samples. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rare-Earth-Free Permanent Magnets for Electrical Vehicle Motors and Wind Turbine Generators: Hexagonal Symmetry Based Materials Systems Mn-Bi and M-type Hexaferrite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Yang-Ki; Haskew, Timothy; Myryasov, Oleg

2014-06-05

The research we conducted focuses on the rare-earth (RE)-free permanent magnet by modeling, simulating, and synthesizing exchange coupled two-phase (hard/soft) RE-free core-shell nano-structured magnet. The RE-free magnets are made of magnetically hard core materials (high anisotropy materials including Mn-Bi-X and M-type hexaferrite) coated by soft shell materials (high magnetization materials including Fe-Co or Co). Therefore, our research helps understand the exchange coupling conditions of the core/shell magnets, interface exchange behavior between core and shell materials, formation mechanism of core/shell structures, stability conditions of core and shell materials, etc.

Role of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone for preparation of Fe3O4@SiO2 controlled the shell thickness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wee, Sung-Bok; Oh, Hyeon-Cheol; Kim, Tae-Gyun; An, Gye-Seok; Choi, Sung-Churl

2017-04-01

We developed a simple and novel approach for the synthesis of Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles with controlled shell thickness, and studied the mechanism. The introduction of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) led to trapping of monomer nuclei in single shell and controlled the shell thickness. Fe3O4@SiO2 controlled the shell thickness, showing a high magnetization value (64.47 emu/g). Our results reveal the role and change in the chemical structure of NMP during the core-shell synthesis process. NMP decomposed to 4-aminobutanoic acid in alkaline condition and decreased the hydrolysis rate of the silica coating process.

Entrapment of Bacteriocin 105B onto Fabric with Titania

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-09

to fabricate a multifunctional textile exhibiting an alternative range of antimicrobial activity from that of nisin, by titania encapsulation of...105b onto fabric. The results of these initial studies suggest that both pure preparations and semi-pure preparations of 105b are active when...encapsulated in titania in solution. However, when the pure preparation of 105b is titania encapsulated on fabric, antimicrobial activity is not observed

Sol-gel derived bioactive coating on zirconia: Effect on flexural strength and cell proliferation.

PubMed

Shahramian, Khalil; Leminen, Heidi; Meretoja, Ville; Linderbäck, Paula; Kangasniemi, Ilkka; Lassila, Lippo; Abdulmajeed, Aous; Närhi, Timo

2017-11-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of sol-gel derived bioactive coatings on the biaxial flexural strength and fibroblast proliferation of zirconia, aimed to be used as an implant abutment material. Yttrium stabilized zirconia disc-shaped specimens were cut, ground, sintered, and finally cleansed ultrasonically in each of acetone and ethanol for 5 minutes. Three experimental groups (n = 15) were fabricated, zirconia with sol-gel derived titania (TiO 2 ) coating, zirconia with sol-gel derived zirconia (ZrO 2 ) coating, and non-coated zirconia as a control. The surfaces of the specimens were analyzed through images taken using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a non-contact tapping mode atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to record the surface topography and roughness of the coated specimens. Biaxial flexural strength values were determined using the piston-on-three ball technique. Human gingival fibroblast proliferation on the surface of the specimens was evaluated using AlamarBlue assay™. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's post-hoc test. Additionally, the biaxial flexural strength data was also statistically analyzed with the Weibull distribution. The biaxial flexural strength of zirconia specimens was unaffected (p > 0.05). Weibull modulus of TiO 2 coated and ZrO 2 coated groups (5.7 and 5.4, respectively) were lower than the control (8.0). Specimens coated with ZrO 2 showed significantly lower fibroblast proliferation compared to other groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, sol-gel derived coatings have no influence on the flexural strength of zirconia. ZrO 2 coated specimens showed significantly lower cell proliferation after 12 days than TiO 2 coated or non-coated control. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 2401-2407, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ruthenium on rutile catalyst, catalytic system, and method for aqueous phase hydrogenations

DOEpatents

Elliot, Douglas C.; Werpy, Todd A.; Wang, Yong; Frye, Jr., John G.

2001-01-01

An essentially nickel- and rhenium-free catalyst is described comprising ruthenium on a titania support where the titania is greater than 75% rutile. A catalytic system containing a nickel-free catalyst comprising ruthenium on a titania support where the titania is greater than 75% rutile, and a method using this catalyst in the hydrogenation of an organic compound in the aqueous phase is also described.

Electrosprayed core-shell solid dispersions of acyclovir fabricated using an epoxy-coated concentric spray head.

PubMed

Liu, Zhe-Peng; Cui, Lei; Yu, Deng-Guang; Zhao, Zhuan-Xia; Chen, Lan

2014-01-01

A novel structural solid dispersion (SD) taking the form of core-shell microparticles for poorly water-soluble drugs is reported for the first time. Using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a hydrophilic polymer matrix, the SDs were fabricated using coaxial electrospraying (characterized by an epoxy-coated concentric spray head), although the core fluids were unprocessable using one-fluid electrospraying. Through manipulating the flow rates of the core drug-loaded solutions, two types of core-shell microparticles with tunable drug contents were prepared. They had average diameters of 1.36±0.67 and 1.74±0.58 μm, and were essentially a combination of nanocomposites with the active ingredient acyclovir (ACY) distributed in the inner core, and the sweeter sucralose and transmembrane enhancer sodium dodecyl sulfate localized in the outer shell. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results demonstrated that ACY, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and sucralose were well distributed in the PVP matrix in an amorphous state because of favorable second-order interactions. In vitro dissolution and permeation studies showed that the core-shell microparticle SDs rapidly freed ACY within 1 minute and promoted nearly eightfold increases in permeation rate across the sublingual mucosa compared with raw ACY powders.

Porous titania surfaces on titanium with hierarchical macro- and mesoporosities for enhancing cell adhesion, proliferation and mineralization.

PubMed

Han, Guang; Müller, Werner E G; Wang, Xiaohong; Lilja, Louise; Shen, Zhijian

2015-02-01

Titanium received a macroporous titania surface layer by anodization, which contains open pores with average pore diameter around 5 μm. An additional mesoporous titania top layer following the contour of the macropores, of 100-200 nm thickness and with a pore diameter of 10nm, was formed by using the evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) method with titanium (IV) tetraethoxide as the precursor. A coherent laminar titania surface layer was thus obtained, creating a hierarchical macro- and mesoporous surface that was characterized by high-resolution electron microscopy. The interfacial bonding between the surface layers and the titanium matrix was characterized by the scratch test that confirmed a stable and strong bonding of titania surface layers on titanium. The wettability to water and the effects on the osteosarcoma cell line (SaOS-2) proliferation and mineralization of the formed titania surface layers were studied systematically by cell culture and scanning electron microscopy. The results proved that the porous titania surface with hierarchical macro- and mesoporosities was hydrophilic that significantly promoted cell attachment and spreading. A synergistic role of the hierarchical macro- and mesoporosities was revealed in terms of enhancing cell adhesion, proliferation and mineralization, compared with the titania surface with solo scale topography. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CdSe/AsS core-shell quantum dots: preparation and two-photon fluorescence.

PubMed

Wang, Junzhong; Lin, Ming; Yan, Yongli; Wang, Zhe; Ho, Paul C; Loh, Kian Ping

2009-08-19

Arsenic(II) sulfide (AsS)-coated CdSe core-shell nanocrystals can be prepared by a cluster-complex deposition approach under mild conditions. At 60 degrees C, growth of an AsS shell onto a CdSe nanocrystal can be realized through the crystallization of a cluster complex of AsS/butylamine in a mixed solvent of isopropanol/chloroform. The new, type I core-shell nanocrystal exhibits markedly enhanced one-photon fluorescence as well two-photon upconversion fluorescence. The nanocrystals can be used for infrared-excited upconversion cellular labeling.

Progress technology in microencapsulation methods for cell therapy.

PubMed

Rabanel, Jean-Michel; Banquy, Xavier; Zouaoui, Hamza; Mokhtar, Mohamed; Hildgen, Patrice

2009-01-01

Cell encapsulation in microcapsules allows the in situ delivery of secreted proteins to treat different pathological conditions. Spherical microcapsules offer optimal surface-to-volume ratio for protein and nutrient diffusion, and thus, cell viability. This technology permits cell survival along with protein secretion activity upon appropriate host stimuli without the deleterious effects of immunosuppressant drugs. Microcapsules can be classified in 3 categories: matrix-core/shell microcapsules, liquid-core/shell microcapsules, and cells-core/shell microcapsules (or conformal coating). Many preparation techniques using natural or synthetic polymers as well as inorganic compounds have been reported. Matrix-core/shell microcapsules in which cells are hydrogel-embedded, exemplified by alginates capsule, is by far the most studied method. Numerous refinement of the technique have been proposed over the years such as better material characterization and purification, improvements in microbead generation methods, and new microbeads coating techniques. Other approaches, based on liquid-core capsules showed improved protein production and increased cell survival. But aside those more traditional techniques, new techniques are emerging in response to shortcomings of existing methods. More recently, direct cell aggregate coating have been proposed to minimize membrane thickness and implants size. Microcapsule performances are largely dictated by the physicochemical properties of the materials and the preparation techniques employed. Despite numerous promising pre-clinical results, at the present time each methods proposed need further improvements before reaching the clinical phase. (c) 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2009.

Performance enhancement of direct ethanol fuel cell using Nafion composites with high volume fraction of titania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matos, B. R.; Isidoro, R. A.; Santiago, E. I.; Fonseca, F. C.

2014-12-01

The present study reports on the performance enhancement of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 130 °C with Nafion-titania composite electrolytes prepared by sol-gel technique and containing high volume fractions of the ceramic phase. It is found that for high volume fractions of titania (>10 vol%) the ethanol uptake of composites is largely reduced while the proton conductivity at high-temperatures is weakly dependent on the titania content. Such tradeoff between alcohol uptake and conductivity resulted in a boost of DEFC performance at high temperatures using Nafion-titania composites with high fraction of the inorganic phase.

Molecularly imprinted titania nanoparticles for selective recognition and assay of uric acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mujahid, Adnan; Khan, Aimen Idrees; Afzal, Adeel; Hussain, Tajamal; Raza, Muhammad Hamid; Shah, Asma Tufail; uz Zaman, Waheed

2015-06-01

Molecularly imprinted titania nanoparticles are su ccessfully synthesized by sol-gel method for the selective recognition of uric acid. Atomic force microscopy is used to study the morphology of uric acid imprinted titania nanoparticles with diameter in the range of 100-150 nm. Scanning electron microscopy images of thick titania layer indicate the formation of fine network of titania nanoparticles with uniform distribution. Molecular imprinting of uric acid as well as its subsequent washing is confirmed by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy measurements. Uric acid rebinding studies reveal the recognition capability of imprinted particles in the range of 0.01-0.095 mmol, which is applicable in monitoring normal to elevated levels of uric acid in human blood. The optical shift (signal) of imprinted particles is six times higher in comparison with non-imprinted particles for the same concentration of uric acid. Imprinted titania particles have shown substantially reduced binding affinity toward interfering and structurally related substances, e.g. ascorbic acid and guanine. These results suggest the possible application of titania nanoparticles in uric acid recognition and quantification in blood serum.

Sol-gel coating of inorganic nanostructures with resorcinol-formaldehyde resin.

PubMed

Li, Na; Zhang, Qiao; Liu, Jian; Joo, Jibong; Lee, Austin; Gan, Yang; Yin, Yadong

2013-06-07

A general sol-gel process has been developed to form a coating of resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin on inorganic nanostructures of various compositions and morphologies. The RF shell can be conveniently converted into carbon through high temperature carbonization under an inert atmosphere.

Morphological Characterization Of Titania Slag Obtained From Red Sediment Placer Ilmenite Using Microwave Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srikant, S. S.; Mukherjee, P. S.; Bhima Rao, R.

2015-04-01

This paper deals with the main objective to observe the effect of microwave heat treatment for the production of Titania rich slag and pig iron from placer ilmenite. The experiments carried out in the present investigation on the oxidized ilmenite sample for microwave heat treatment in microwave sintering furnace reveals that a product can be obtained containing Titania rich slag and metalized iron. The in-depth characterisation of these products using SEM-EDAX shows that around 75-85 % of titanium dioxide is formed in terms of titania rich slag by using microwave sintering furnace after reduction of oxidized ilmenite with proper stoichiometric graphitic carbon and silicon carbide (SiC) susceptor. The titania rich slag is considered to be better input material for production of pigment grade titanium dioxide. On the other hand, the pig iron obtained as by product from titania rich slag is also important for automobile and steel industries application.

Core-shell microstructured nanocomposites for synergistic adjustment of environmental temperature and humidity

PubMed Central

Zhang, Haiquan; Yuan, Yanping; Zhang, Nan; Sun, Qingrong; Cao, Xiaoling

2016-01-01

The adjustment of temperature and humidity is of great importance in a variety of fields. Composites that can perform both functions are prepared by mixing phase change materials (PCMs) with hygroscopic materials. However, the contact area between the adsorbent and humid air is inevitably decreased in such structures, which reduces the number of mass transfer channels for water vapor. An approach entailing the increase in the mass ratio of the adsorbent is presented here to improve the adsorption capacity. A core-shell CuSO4/polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanomaterial was developed to satisfy the conflicting requirements of temperature control and dehumidification. The results show that the equilibrium adsorption capacity of the PEG coating layer was enhanced by a factor of 188 compared with that of the pure PEG powder. The coating layer easily concentrates vapor, providing better adsorption properties for the composite. Furthermore, the volume modification of the CuSO4 matrix was reduced by 80% by the PEG coated layer, a factor that increases the stability of the composite. For the phase change process, the crystallization temperature of the coating layer was adjusted between 37.2 and 46.3 °C by interfacial tension. The core-shell CuSO4/PEG composite reported here provides a new general approach for the simultaneous control of temperature and humidity. PMID:27845371

Achieving significantly enhanced visible-light photocatalytic efficiency using a polyelectrolyte: the composites of exfoliated titania nanosheets, graphene, and poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qian; An, Qi; Luan, Xinglong; Huang, Hongwei; Li, Xiaowei; Meng, Zilin; Tong, Wangshu; Chen, Xiaodong; Chu, Paul K.; Zhang, Yihe

2015-08-01

A high-performance visible-light-active photocatalyst is prepared using the polyelectrolyte/exfoliated titania nanosheet/graphene oxide (GO) precursor by flocculation followed by calcination. The polyelectrolyte poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride) serves not only as an effective binder to precipitate GO and titania nanosheets, but also boosts the overall performance of the catalyst significantly. Unlike most titania nanosheet-based catalysts reported in the literature, the composite absorbs light in the UV-Vis-NIR range. Its decomposition rate of methylene blue is 98% under visible light. This novel strategy of using a polymer to enhance the catalytic performance of titania nanosheet-based catalysts affords immense potential in designing and fabricating next-generation photocatalysts with high efficiency.A high-performance visible-light-active photocatalyst is prepared using the polyelectrolyte/exfoliated titania nanosheet/graphene oxide (GO) precursor by flocculation followed by calcination. The polyelectrolyte poly(diallyl-dimethyl-ammonium chloride) serves not only as an effective binder to precipitate GO and titania nanosheets, but also boosts the overall performance of the catalyst significantly. Unlike most titania nanosheet-based catalysts reported in the literature, the composite absorbs light in the UV-Vis-NIR range. Its decomposition rate of methylene blue is 98% under visible light. This novel strategy of using a polymer to enhance the catalytic performance of titania nanosheet-based catalysts affords immense potential in designing and fabricating next-generation photocatalysts with high efficiency. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03256c

Self-generated concentration and modulus gradient coating design to protect Si nano-wire electrodes during lithiation.

PubMed

Kim, Sung-Yup; Ostadhossein, Alireza; van Duin, Adri C T; Xiao, Xingcheng; Gao, Huajian; Qi, Yue

2016-02-07

Surface coatings as artificial solid electrolyte interphases have been actively pursued as an effective way to improve the cycle efficiency of nanostructured Si electrodes for high energy density lithium ion batteries, where the mechanical stability of the surface coatings on Si is as critical as Si itself. However, the chemical composition and mechanical property change of coating materials during the lithiation and delithiation process imposed a grand challenge to design coating/Si nanostructure as an integrated electrode system. In our work, we first developed reactive force field (ReaxFF) parameters for Li-Si-Al-O materials to simulate the lithiation process of Si-core/Al2O3-shell and Si-core/SiO2-shell nanostructures. With reactive dynamics simulations, we were able to simultaneously track and correlate the lithiation rate, compositional change, mechanical property evolution, stress distributions, and fracture. A new mechanics model based on these varying properties was developed to determine how to stabilize the coating with a critical size ratio. Furthermore, we discovered that the self-accelerating Li diffusion in Al2O3 coating forms a well-defined Li concentration gradient, leading to an elastic modulus gradient, which effectively avoids local stress concentration and mitigates crack propagation. Based on these results, we propose a modulus gradient coating, softer outside, harder inside, as the most efficient coating to protect the Si electrode surface and improve its current efficiency.

Development of highly porous crystalline titania photocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marszewski, Michal

The objectives of this dissertation are the design, synthesis, and characterization of titania materials with surface area, porosity, crystallinity and doping tailored toward photocatalytic applications. Ultimately, the research should result in a strategy allowing the synthesis of titania with all these important features. The synthetic methods investigated in this research will include: i) soft-templating, ii) hard-templating, and iii) modified precursor strategy. Soft-templating strategy uses organic templates--either block copolymers or surfactants--that under specific conditions assemble into micelles, and later, these micelles are used to template the desired material around them. The resulting organic-inorganic composite is then calcined in air to remove the organic template and recover the final material with high surface area and large pore volume. This work explores 1) synthesis of titania materials in the presence of polymer templates, and the effects of different synthetic conditions on the structure of the resulting materials. Hard-templating, in contrast to soft-templating, uses inorganic templates. The hard template is introduced during the synthesis to cast its shape onto the fabricated material and removed afterwards, when the material has formed. The final material is an inverse replica of the hard template used, typically with a well-developed mesostructure. This work explores 1) hard templating synthesis of titania materials using silica and alumina, and 2) the effects of the template amount and type. The modified precursor strategy is a novel synthetic method, developed in this research, and designed specifically to achieve titania material with high surface area, large pore volume, high crystallinity, and possibly doping. The modified precursors are prepared by reacting generic titania precursors, such as titanium isopropoxide (TIPO), with organic acids, which results in substitution of some or all alkoxide groups in TIPO structure. The goal is to introduce new, easily carbonizable groups in TIPO structure so that the modified precursor can serve as titania and carbon precursor simultaneously. Subsequently, during carbonization in inert atmosphere, a carbon framework is formed that works as a scaffold, protecting titania during its crystallization. Afterwards, the carbon scaffold is removed by calcination in air. This work explores the modified precursor strategy by 1) preparing titania materials from TIPO modified with different carboxylic acids and 2) investigating the effect of the modifying acid on the properties of the carbon-titania composites and the final titania materials.

Enhance the photoluminescence and radioluminescence of La2Zr2O7:Eu3+ core nanoparticles by coating with a thin Y2O3 shell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pokhrel, Madhab; Burger, Arnold; Groza, Michael; Mao, Yuanbing

2017-06-01

We report the generation of La2Zr2O7:5%Eu3+@Y2O3 (LZO5E@YO) core@shell crystalline inorganic-inorganic heterogeneous nanoparticles (NPs). The Y2O3 (YO) shell coating process based on a chemical sol-gel method led to the growth of a thin YO shell on the ordered pyrochlore La2Zr2O7:5%Eu3+ (LZO5E) core NPs. Photoluminescence (PL) analyses demonstrated a blue shift of 15 nm on charge transfer (CT) excitation band of the core@shell NPs from that of the core NPs. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) along x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies confirmed the formation of the thin YO layer over the LZO5E core NPs. The PL intensity of the LZO5E@YO core@shell NPs was enhanced by three fold compared to that of the LZO5E core NPs, and higher quantum yield (QY) was observed for the former compared to the original NPs by more than 70%. Higher radioluminescence (RL) emission was also observed for the core@shell NPs compared to the core NPs. Our ability of obtaining near-perfect core@shell heterostructure with enhanced luminescence performance opens the door for the development of efficient La2Zr2O7:5%Eu3+@Y2O3 NPs for both optical and x-ray scintillation applications.

Pteropods counter mechanical damage and dissolution through extensive shell repair.

PubMed

Peck, Victoria L; Oakes, Rosie L; Harper, Elizabeth M; Manno, Clara; Tarling, Geraint A

2018-01-17

The dissolution of the delicate shells of sea butterflies, or pteropods, has epitomised discussions regarding ecosystem vulnerability to ocean acidification over the last decade. However, a recent demonstration that the organic coating of the shell, the periostracum, is effective in inhibiting dissolution suggests that pteropod shells may not be as susceptible to ocean acidification as previously thought. Here we use micro-CT technology to show how, despite losing the entire thickness of the original shell in localised areas, specimens of polar species Limacina helicina maintain shell integrity by thickening the inner shell wall. One specimen collected within Fram Strait with a history of mechanical and dissolution damage generated four times the thickness of the original shell in repair material. The ability of pteropods to repair and maintain their shells, despite progressive loss, demonstrates a further resilience of these organisms to ocean acidification but at a likely metabolic cost.

Studies on Various Functional Properties of Titania Thin Film Developed on Glazed Ceramic Wall Tiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anil, Asha; Darshana R, Bangoria; Misra, S. N.

A sol-gel based TiO2 thin film was applied on glazed wall tiles for studying its various functional properties. Thin film was deposited by spin coating on the substrate and subjected to curing at different temperatures such as 600°C, 650, 700°C, 750°C and 800°C with 10 minutes soaking. The gel powder was characterized by FTIR, DTA/TG and XRD. Microstructure of thin film was analyzed by FESEM and EDX. Surface properties of the coatings such as gloss, colour difference, stain resistance, mineral hardness and wettability were extensively studied. The antibacterial activity of the surface of coated substrate against E. coli was also examined. The durability of the coated substrate in comparison to the uncoated was tested against alkali in accordance with ISO: 10545 (Part 13):1995 standard. FESEM images showed that thin films are dense and homogeneous. Coated substrates after firing results in lustre with high gloss, which increased from 330 to 420 GU as the curing temperature increases compared to that of uncoated one (72 GU). Coated substrate cured at 800°C shows higher mineral hardness (5 Mohs’) compared to uncoated one (4 Mohs’) and films cured at all temperatures showed stain resistance. The experimental results showed that the resistance towards alkali attack increase with increase in curing temperature and alkali resistance of sample cured at 800 °C was found to be superior compared to uncoated substrate. Contact angle of water on coated surface of substrates decreased with increase in temperature. Bacterial reduction percentages of the coated surface was 97% for sample cured at 700°C and it decreased from 97% to 87% as the curing temperature increased to 800 °C when treated with E. coli bacteria.

Synthesis and polymorphic control for visible light active titania nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaewgun, Sujaree

Titania (TiO2) is useful for many applications in photocatalysis, antimicrobials, pigment, deodorization, and decomposition of harmful organics and undesirable compounds in the air and waste water under UV irradiation. Among the three phases of TiO2, Rutile, Anatase, and Brookite, studies have been more focused on the anatase and rutile phases. Pure brookite is the most difficult phase to prepare, even under hydrothermal conditions. Predominantly brookite phase TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared by the Water-based Ambient Condition Sol (WACS) process in our laboratory. The objectives of this research were to enhance visible light active (VLA) photocatalytic properties of polymorphic brookite TiO2 by minimizing the lattice defects and narrowing band gap of titania by nitrogen and/or carbon chromophone, and to investigate the deactivation, reusability, and regeneration of the VLA titania in order to design better titania catalysts for organic compound degradation applications. In order to study the influence of hydroxyl content on photocatalytic activities (PCAs) of polymorphic titania nanoparticles, the WACS samples were post-treated by a Solvent-based Ambient Condition Sol (SACS) process in sec-butanol (sec-BuOH). All samples were characterized for phase composition, surface area, hydroxyl contamination, and particle morphology by x-ray diffraction, N2 physisorption, FT-IR, solid state 1H NMR and scanning electron microscopy, and then compared to a commercial titania, Degussa P25. Evaluation of methyl orange (MO) degradation under UV irradiation results showed that the lower lattice hydroxyl content in SACS titania enhanced the PCA. As-prepared titania and SACS samples, which have similar surface areas and crystallinity, were compared in order to prove that the superior PCA came from the reduction in the lattice hydroxyl content. To enhance PCA and VLA properties of WACS, an alternative high boiling point polar solvent, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), was utilized in the SACS process at a higher treatment temperature to modify polymorphic titania nanoparticles. This SACS sample was called "SACS-NMP". SACS, using NMP as the solvent, could also extract lattice hydroxyls, and decorate nitrogen on the titania surface. The PCA of SACS-NMP was superior to that of SACS-sec-BuOH. Nitrogen incorporation of SACS-NMP titania was investigated by CHN analysis and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). VL absorbance for all samples was characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectrophotometry. PCA of MO degradation under UV and VL showed that SACS-NMP is a powerful treatment to enhance PCA by minimizing lattice hydroxyls and doping the titania surface with nitrogen. The effect of calcination conditions on SACS-NMP samples was also studied. The calcination conditions, especially the temperature and calcination atmosphere, have an influence on the BET surface area, crystallite size, titania phase content, and PCA under VL irradiation. SACS-NMP samples calcined in air at 200°C for 2 hours showed the best VL activated photocatalytic performance in this research. Additionally, the SACS-NMP sample exhibited superior VL properties to several available reference anatase titania samples. This could be explained as the effective charge separation by the intercrystalline electron transport from brookite to anatase grains complemented by strong VL absorption by the nitrogen species in NMP. The deactivation and regeneration of the VLA titania were investigated and compared to a commercial titania, Kronos VLP7000. PCA of the titania under VL for MO decolorization gradually decreased with increasing testing time and the number of runs. The cause of the deactivation was identified as the deposition of the decomposed MO or the carbonaceous deposit. Among the possible regeneration procedures for used SACS-NMP samples, methanol washing was shown to be the most effective up to ˜80% of the PCA recovery. Accordingly, the SACS-NMP samples could not be completely recovered since a regeneration process would possibly remove some of nitrogen species responsible for the VL properties.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Derived Porous Core/Shell Structured ZnO/ZnCo2O4/C Hybrids as Anodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery.

PubMed

Ge, Xiaoli; Li, Zhaoqiang; Wang, Chengxiang; Yin, Longwei

2015-12-09

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) derived porous core/shell ZnO/ZnCo2O4/C hybrids with ZnO as a core and ZnCo2O4 as a shell are for the first time fabricated by using core/shell ZnCo-MOF precursors as reactant templates. The unique MOFs-derived core/shell structured ZnO/ZnCo2O4/C hybrids are assembled from nanoparticles of ZnO and ZnCo2O4, with homogeneous carbon layers coated on the surface of the ZnCo2O4 shell. When acting as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the MOFs-derived porous ZnO/ZnCo2O4/C anodes exhibit outstanding cycling stability, high Coulombic efficiency, and remarkable rate capability. The excellent electrochemical performance of the ZnO/ZnCo2O4/C LIB anodes can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the porous structure of the MOFs-derived core/shell ZnO/ZnCo2O4/C and homogeneous carbon layer coating on the surface of the ZnCo2O4 shells. The hierarchically porous core/shell structure offers abundant active sites, enhances the electrode/electrolyte contact area, provides abundant channels for electrolyte penetration, and also alleviates the structure decomposition induced by Li(+) insertion/extraction. The carbon layers effectively improve the conductivity of the hybrids and thus enhance the electron transfer rate, efficiently prevent ZnCo2O4 from aggregation and disintegration, and partially buffer the stress induced by the volume change during cycles. This strategy may shed light on designing new MOF-based hybrid electrodes for energy storage and conversion devices.

Urchin-like TiO₂@C core-shell microspheres: coupled synthesis and lithium-ion battery applications.

PubMed

Liu, Zhenyu; Liu, Jing; Liu, Junfeng; Wang, Li; Zhang, Guoxin; Sun, Xiaoming

2014-05-21

Carbon coated urchin-like TiO2 microspheres were prepared through coupled hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride and catalyzed carbonization of glucose. Carbon coating endowed the composite with unusual structural stability at high temperature and reasonable Li-ion battery performance.

Synthesis of SiO2-coated ZnMnFe2O4 nanospheres with improved magnetic properties.

PubMed

Wang, Jun; Zhang, Kai; Zhu, Yuejin

2005-05-01

A core-shell structured composite, SiO2 coated ZnMnFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles (average diameter of approximately 80 nm), was prepared by hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in the presence of ZnMnFe2O4 nanoparticles (average diameter of approximately 10 nm) synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The magnetic measurements were carried out on a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and the measurement results indicate that the core-shell samples possess better magnetic properties at room temperature, compared with paramagnetic colloids with a magnetic core by a coprecipitation method. These core-shell nanospherical particles with self-assembly under additional magnetic fields could have potential application in biomedical systems.

Synthesis of NiAu alloy and core-shell nanoparticles in water-in-oil microemulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, Hsin-Kai; Chiang, I.-Chen; Chen, Dong-Hwang

2009-07-01

NiAu alloy nanoparticles with various Ni/Au molar ratios were synthesized by the hydrazine reduction of nickel chloride and hydrogen tetrachloroaurate in the microemulsion system. They had a face-centered cubic structure and a mean diameter of 6-13 nm, decreasing with increasing Au content. As Au nanoparticles did, they showed a characteristic absorption peak at about 520 nm but the intensity decreased with increasing Ni content. Also, they were nearly superparamagnetic, although the magnetization decreased significantly with increasing Au content. Under an external magnetic field, they could be self-organized into the parallel lines. In addition, the core-shell nanoparticles, Ni3Au1@Au, were prepared by the Au coating on the surface of Ni3Au1 alloy nanoparticles. By increasing the hydrogen tetrachloroaurate concentration for Au coating, the thickness of Au shells could be raised and led to an enhanced and red-shifted surface plasmon absorption.

A universal cooperative assembly-directed method for coating of mesoporous TiO2 nanoshells with enhanced lithium storage properties

PubMed Central

Guan, Bu Yuan; Yu, Le; Li, Ju; Lou, Xiong Wen (David)

2016-01-01

TiO2 is exceptionally useful, but it remains a great challenge to develop a universal method to coat TiO2 nanoshells on different functional materials. We report a one-pot, low-temperature, and facile method that can rapidly form mesoporous TiO2 shells on various inorganic, organic, and inorganic-organic composite materials, including silica-based, metal, metal oxide, organic polymer, carbon-based, and metal-organic framework nanomaterials via a cooperative assembly-directed strategy. In constructing hollow, core-shell, and yolk-shell geometries, both amorphous and crystalline TiO2 nanoshells are demonstrated with excellent control. When used as electrode materials for lithium ion batteries, these crystalline TiO2 nanoshells composed of very small nanocrystals exhibit remarkably long-term cycling stability over 1000 cycles. The electrochemical properties demonstrate that these TiO2 nanoshells are promising anode materials. PMID:26973879

Enhanced direct-drive implosions with thin high-Z ablation layers.

PubMed

Mostovych, Andrew N; Colombant, Denis G; Karasik, Max; Knauer, James P; Schmitt, Andrew J; Weaver, James L

2008-02-22

New direct-drive spherical implosion experiments with deuterium filled plastic shells have demonstrated significant and absolute (2x) improvements in neutron yield when the shells are coated with a very thin layer ( approximately 200-400 A) of high-Z material such as palladium. This improvement is interpreted as resulting from increased stability of the imploding shell. These results provide for a possible path to control laser imprint and stability in laser-fusion-energy target designs.

Low-temperature nanosolders

DOEpatents

Boyle, Timothy J.; Lu, Ping; Vianco, Paul T.; Chandross, Michael E.

2016-10-11

A nanosolder comprises a first metal nanoparticle core coated with a second metal shell, wherein the first metal has a higher surface energy and smaller atomic size than the second metal. For example, a bimetallic nanosolder can comprise a protective Ag shell "glued" around a reactive Cu nanoparticle. As an example, a 3-D epitaxial Cu-core and Ag-shell structure was generated from a mixture of copper and silver nanoparticles in toluene at temperatures as low as 150.degree. C.

Blowing Polymer Bubbles in an Acoustic Levitator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, M. C.

1985-01-01

In new manufacturing process, small gas-filled polymer shells made by injecting gas directly into acoustically levitated prepolymer drops. New process allows sufficient time for precise control of shell geometry. Applications foreseen in fabrication of deuterium/tritium-filled fusion targets and in pharmaceutical coatings. New process also useful in glass blowing and blow molding.

Cu(II)-Doped Polydopamine-Coated Gold Nanorods for Tumor Theranostics.

PubMed

Liu, Shuwei; Wang, Lu; Lin, Min; Wang, Dandan; Song, Ziqi; Li, Shuyao; Ge, Rui; Zhang, Xue; Liu, Yi; Li, Zhimin; Sun, Hongchen; Yang, Bai; Zhang, Hao

2017-12-27

Gold nanorods (AuNRs) are potentially useful in tumor theranostics, but the poor stability, high toxicity, and rapid removal by the immune system seriously limit their theranostic applications. In our study, we demonstrate the fabrication of Cu(II)-doped polydopamine-coated AuNR (AuNR@CuPDA), which significantly improves the potentials in tumor theranostics. Besides the improvement of physiological stability and biocompatibility, the PDA shell increases the photothermal performance and prolongs the blood circulation time of AuNRs. The half-life of AuNRs during blood circulation increases from 0.7 to 4.5 h after PDA coating, and the injected dose per gram of tumor tissue is 4.6% ID g -1 for AuNR@CuPDA. In addition to computer tomography imaging, the loading of Cu(II) in PDA shell endows AuNR@CuPDA with magnetic resonance imaging function. Cu(II) doped in PDA shell also exhibits chemotherapeutic behavior, and the tumor inhibitor rate is 31.2%. Further combining 808 nm laser-driven photothermal therapy, tumors were completely ablated, and no recurrence was observed. Liver and renal functions tests and histological analysis of major organs confirm that AuNR@CuPDA is in good safety.

Hybrid self-healing matrix using core-shell nanofibers and capsuleless microdroplets.

PubMed

Lee, Min Wook; An, Seongpil; Lee, Changmin; Liou, Minho; Yarin, Alexander L; Yoon, Sam S

2014-07-09

In this work, we developed novel self-healing anticorrosive hierarchical coatings that consist of several components. Namely, as a skeleton we prepared a core-shell nanofiber mat electrospun from emulsions of cure material (dimethyl methylhydrogen siloxane) in a poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) solution in dimethylformamide. In these nanofibers, cure is in the core, while PAN is in the shell. The skeleton deposited on a protected surface is encased in an epoxy-based matrix, which contains emulsified liquid droplets of dimethylvinyl-terminated dimethylsiloxane resin monomer. When such hierarchical coatings are damaged, cure is released from the nanofiber cores and the resin monomer, released from the damaged matrix, is polymerized in the presence of cure. This polymerization and solidification process takes about 1-2 days and eventually heals the damaged material when solid poly(dimethylsiloxane) resin is formed. The self-healing effect was demonstrated using an electrochemical analogue of the scanning vibrating electrode technique. Damaged samples were left for 2 days. After that, the electric current through a damaged coating was found to be negligibly small for the samples with self-healing properties. On the other hand, for the samples without self-healing properties, the electric current was significant.

Development of pressure-sensitive dosage forms with a core liquefying at body temperature.

PubMed

Wilde, Lisa; Bock, Mona; Wolf, Marieke; Glöckl, Gunnar; Garbacz, Grzegorz; Weitschies, Werner

2014-04-01

Pressure-sensitive dosage forms have been developed that are intended for pulsatile delivery of drugs to the proximal small intestine. The novel dosage forms are composed of insoluble shell and either a hard fat W32 or polyethylene glycol (PEG) 1000 core that are both liquidizing at body temperature. The release is triggered by predominant pressure waves such as contractions of the pylorus causing rupture of the shell and an immediate emptying of the liquefied filling containing the active ingredient. In consequence immediately after the trigger has been effective the total amount of the drug is intended to be available for absorption in the upper small intestine. Both core types were coated with a cellulose acetate film that creates a pressure-sensitive shell in which mechanical resistance is depending on the coating thickness. Results of the texture analysis confirmed a correlation between the polymer load of the coating and the mechanical resistance. The dissolution test performed under conditions of physiological meaningful mechanical stress showed that the drug release is triggered by pressure waves of ⩾300 mbar which are representing the maximal pressure occurring during the gastric emptying. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Designing of luminescent GdPO4:Eu@LaPO4@SiO2 core/shell nanorods: Synthesis, structural and luminescence properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Anees A.; Labis, Joselito P.; Aslam Manthrammel, M.

2017-09-01

GdPO4:Eu3+ (core) and GdPO4:Eu@LaPO4 (core/shell) nanorods (NRs) were successfully prepared by urea based co-precipitation process at ambient conditions which was followed by coating with amorphous silica shell via the sol-gel chemical route. The role of surface coating on the crystal structure, crystallinity, morphology, solubility, surface chemistry and luminescence properties were well investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), UV-Vis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD pattern revealed highly purified, well-crystalline, single phase-hexagonal-rhabdophane structure of GdPO4 crystal. The TEM micrographs exhibited highly crystalline and narrow size distributed rod-shaped GdPO4:Eu3+ nanostructures with average width 14-16 nm and typical length 190-220 nm. FTIR spectra revealed characteristic infrared absorption bands of amorphous silica. High absorbance in a visible region of silica modified core/shell/Si NRs in aqueous environment suggests the high solubility along with colloidal stability. The photoluminescence properties were remarkably enhanced after growth of undoped LaPO4 layers due to the reduction of nonradiative transition rate. The advantages of presented high emission intensity and high solubility of core/shell and core/shell/Si NRs indicated the potential applications in monitoring biological events.

Hybrid carbon nanoparticles modified core-shell silica: a high efficiency carbon-based phase for hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Mohammed E A; Wahab, M Farooq; Lucy, Charles A

2014-04-11

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) is a fast growing separation technique for hydrophilic and polar analytes. In this work, we combine the unique selectivity of carbon surfaces with the high efficiency of core-shell silica. First, 5 μm core-shell silica is electrostatically coated with 105 nm cationic latex bearing quaternary ammonium groups. Then 50 nm anionic carbon nanoparticles are anchored onto the surface of the latex coated core-shell silica particles to produce a hybrid carbon-silica phase. The hybrid phase shows different selectivity than ten previously classified HILIC column chemistries and 36 stationary phases. The hybrid HILIC phase has shape selectivity for positional isomeric pairs (phthalic/isophthalic and 1-naphthoic/2-naphthoic acids). Fast and high efficiency HILIC separations of biologically important carboxylates, phenols and pharmaceuticals are reported with efficiencies up to 85,000 plates m(-1). Reduced plate height of 1.9 (95,000 plates m(-1)) can be achieved. The hybrid phase is stable for at least 3 months of usage and storage under typical HILIC eluents. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrazine-Assisted Formation of Indium Phosphide (InP)-Based Nanowires and Core-Shell Composites

PubMed Central

Patzke, Greta R.; Kontic, Roman; Shiolashvili, Zeinab; Makhatadze, Nino; Jishiashvili, David

2012-01-01

Indium phosphide nanowires (InP NWs) are accessible at 440 °C from a novel vapor phase deposition approach from crystalline InP sources in hydrazine atmospheres containing 3 mol % H2O. Uniform zinc blende (ZB) InP NWs with diameters around 20 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers are preferably deposited on Si substrates. InP particle sizes further increase with the deposition temperature. The straightforward protocol was extended on the one-step formation of new core-shell InP–Ga NWs from mixed InP/Ga source materials. Composite nanocables with diameters below 20 nm and shells of amorphous gallium oxide are obtained at low deposition temperatures around 350 °C. Furthermore, InP/Zn sources afford InP NWs with amorphous Zn/P/O-coatings at slightly higher temperatures (400 °C) from analogous setups. At 450 °C, the smooth outer layer of InP-Zn NWs is transformed into bead-shaped coatings. The novel combinations of the key semiconductor InP with isotropic insulator shell materials open up interesting application perspectives in nanoelectronics. PMID:28809296

Flower-Like ZnO-Assisted One-Pot Encapsulation of Noble Metal Nanoparticles Supported Catalysts with ZIFs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Lu; Liu, Haiou; Zhang, Xiongfu

2018-03-01

Rational design of efficient approaches to fabricate MOFs-coated core-shell composites is promising but challenging. We report here the encapsulation of Pd nanoparticles (Pd NPs) supported flower-like ZnO (F-ZnO) microspheres with ZIF-8 shell through a facile strategy, in which the formation and immobilization of Pd NPs on F-ZnO supports and the subsequent growth of ZIF-8 shells over them are effectively integrated into one-pot synthetic route. Importantly, the utilization of ZnO both as support of Pd NPs and Zn2+ source of ZIF-8 is favorable for the implement of one-pot synthesis, due to its functions in anchoring Pd NPs and inducing ZIF-8 formation. Further insights into the morphological influence of zinc oxide particles on the resulting materials indicate that the flower-like microspheres with 2D nanosheets as subunits also benefit the coating of Pd NPs supported cores with ZIF-8, resulting in a well-defined core-shell catalyst. The achieved catalyst deliveries remarkable performance in terms of selectivity, anti-poisoning and recyclability in the liquid hydrogenations of alkenes.

Hydrazine-Assisted Formation of Indium Phosphide (InP)-Based Nanowires and Core-Shell Composites.

PubMed

Patzke, Greta R; Kontic, Roman; Shiolashvili, Zeinab; Makhatadze, Nino; Jishiashvili, David

2012-12-27

Indium phosphide nanowires (InP NWs) are accessible at 440 °C from a novel vapor phase deposition approach from crystalline InP sources in hydrazine atmospheres containing 3 mol % H₂O. Uniform zinc blende (ZB) InP NWs with diameters around 20 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers are preferably deposited on Si substrates. InP particle sizes further increase with the deposition temperature. The straightforward protocol was extended on the one-step formation of new core-shell InP-Ga NWs from mixed InP/Ga source materials. Composite nanocables with diameters below 20 nm and shells of amorphous gallium oxide are obtained at low deposition temperatures around 350 °C. Furthermore, InP/Zn sources afford InP NWs with amorphous Zn/P/O-coatings at slightly higher temperatures (400 °C) from analogous setups. At 450 °C, the smooth outer layer of InP-Zn NWs is transformed into bead-shaped coatings. The novel combinations of the key semiconductor InP with isotropic insulator shell materials open up interesting application perspectives in nanoelectronics.

The photovoltaic performance of Ag2S quantum dots-sensitized solar cells using plasmonic Au nanoparticles/TiO2 working electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badawi, Ali; Mostafa, Nasser Y.; Al-Hosiny, Najm M.; Merazga, Amar; Albaradi, Ateyyah M.; Abdel-Wahab, F.; Atta, A. A.

2018-06-01

The photovoltaic performance of silver sulfide (Ag2S) quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using different concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt.%) of plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs)/titania (TiO2) electrodes has been investigated. Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) were adsorbed onto the Au NPs/titania electrodes using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) deposition technique. The morphological properties of the Au NPs and the prepared titania electrodes were characterized using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra of the bare titania and Ag2S QDs-sensitized titania electrodes were recorded. The optical properties of the prepared Ag2S QDs-sensitized titania electrodes were measured using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The estimated energy band gap of Ag2S QDs-sensitized titania electrodes is 1.96 eV. The photovoltaic performance of the assembled Ag2S QDSSCs was measured under 100 mW/cm2 solar illumination. The optimal photovoltaic parameters were obtained as follows: open circuit voltage Voc = 0.50 V, current density Jsc = 3.18 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) = 0.35 and energy conversion efficiency η = 0.55% for 0.3 wt.% of Au NPs/titania electrode. These results are attributed to the enhancement in the absorption and decrease in the electron-hole pairs recombination rate. The open circuit voltage decay (OCVD) measurements of the assembled Ag2S QDSSCs were measured. The calculated electron lifetime (τ) in Ag2S QDSSCs with Au NPs/titania electrodes is at least one order of magnitude more than that with bare titania electrode. The cut-on-cut-off cycles of the solar illumination measurements show the rapid sensitivity and good reproducibility of the assembled Ag2S QDSSCs.

Synthesis, characterization and color performance of novel Co²+-doped alumina/titania nanoceramic pigments.

PubMed

Hafez, Hoda S; El-Fadaly, E

2012-09-01

Blue-green nanoceramic pigments from Co(2+)-doped alumina-titania (xCo(2+)-Al(2)O(3)/TiO(2)) have been synthesized by alkoxide sol-gel route from a mixture of titania and boehmite sols that derived from titanium isopropoxide and aluminum nitrate precursors. The composition of the alumina/titania (AT) matrix is 3:1M ratio. A series of xCo(2+):3TiO(2):1Al(2)O(3) mixed oxides with different Co(2+)-dopant ion concentration has been prepared. The molar ratio of the Co(2+)-dopant ion in the Al(2)O(3)/TiO(2) matrix is from x=0 to 0.5M ratio relative to the titania composition. Characterizations of Co(2+)-doped alumina/titania nanocomposites are carried out using reflectance spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The experimental results demonstrated that the prepared Co(2+)-doped alumina-titania nanocomposites fulfill the current technological requirements for ceramic pigment applications that exhibit a high physico-chemical and thermal stabilities at high firing temperatures. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Titania - Highest Resolution Voyager Picture

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-01-29

On Jan. 24, 1986, NASA Voyager 2 returned the highest-resolution picture of Titania, Uranus largest satellite. Abundant impact craters of many sizes pockmark the ancient surface; most prominent features are fault valleys that stretch across Titania. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00039

Development and Characterization of Titanium Dioxide Gel with Encapsulated Bacteriorhodopsin for Hydrogen Production.

PubMed

Johnson, Kaitlin E; Gakhar, Sukriti; Risbud, Subhash H; Longo, Marjorie L

2018-06-06

We study bacteriorhodopsin (BR) in its native purple membrane encapsulated within amorphous titanium dioxide, or titania, gels and in the presence of titania sol-particles to explore this system for hydrogen production. Förster resonance energy transfer between BR and titanium dioxide sol particles was used to conclude that there is nanometer-scale proximity of bacteriorhodopsin to the titanium dioxide. The detection of BR-titania sol aggregates by fluorescence anisotropy and particle sizing indicated the affinity amorphous titania has for BR without the use of additional cross-linkers. UV-Visible spectroscopy of BR-titania gels show that methanol addition did not denature BR at a 25 mM concentration presence as a sacrificial electron donor. Additionally, confinement of BR in the gels significantly limited protein denaturation at higher concentration of added methanol or ethanol. Subsequently, titania gels fabricated through the sol-gel process using a titanium ethoxide precursor, water and the addition of 25 mM methanol were used to encapsulate BR and a platinum reduction catalyst for the production of hydrogen gas under white light irradiation. The inclusion of 5 µM bacteriorhodopsin resulted in a hydrogen production rate of about 3.8 µmole hydrogen mL -1 hr -1 , an increase of 52% compared to gels containing no protein. Electron transfer and proton pumping by BR in close proximity to the titania gel surface are feasible explanations for the enhanced production of hydrogen without the need to crosslink BR to the titania gel. This work sets the stage for further developments of amorphous, rather than crystalline, titania-encapsulated bacteriorhodopsin for solar-driven hydrogen production through water-splitting.

Solar-Light-Driven Renewable Butanol Separation by Core-Shell Ag@ZIF-8 Nanowires.

PubMed

Liu, Xu; He, Liangcan; Zheng, Jianzhong; Guo, Jun; Bi, Feng; Ma, Xiang; Zhao, Kun; Liu, Yaling; Song, Rui; Tang, Zhiyong

2015-06-03

Core-shell Ag@ZIF-8 nanowires, where single Ag nanowires are coated with uniform zeolitic-imidazolate-framework-8 (ZIF-8) shells, successfully realize renewable adsorptive separation of low concentrations of butanol from an aqueous medium under solar light irradiation by taking advantage of the exceptional adsorption capability of the ZIF-8 shells toward butanol and the unique plasmonic photothermal effect of the Ag nanowire cores. Impressively, the high separation efficiency is maintained as almost unchanged, even after 10 adsorption/desorption cycles. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Chemical synthesis and characterization of hollow dopamine coated, pentagonal and flower shaped magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riasat, Rabia; Kaynat, Sumbal

2018-04-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles have gained attention recently in the field of nanoscience and technology due to their unique physicochemical properties. We hereby chemically synthesized novel pentagonal flower shaped iron oxide nanoparticles by thermal decomposition of iron penta-carbonyl in a two way annealing process. Controlled oxidation by acid etching was performed for these nanoparticles. At first 13 nm core shell nanoparticles of iron oxide (Fe/Fe3O4) were synthesized at 120°C annealing temperature that act as template material. The core shell nanoparticles then converted into porous hollow core shell nanoparticles (PH Fe/ Fe3O4) in a two way annealing process of heating, first at 100°C then at 250°C and heating rate of 5°C was kept constant throughout the reaction time. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) was done for the phase confirmation of as synthesized nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and higher resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) clearly shows the flower like nanoparticles that are approx. 16 nm-18 nm in size having the 4-5 nm core of Fe and 1-2 nm of the pores in the shell while the cavity between the shell and core is about 2 nm and the shell is 4-5 nm in diameter according to the TEM micrographs. The as prepared nanoparticles were then surface functionalized by dopamine polymer to make them water dispersible. Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the dopamine coating on the nanoparticles and the magnetic saturation of 38 emu/g of nanoparticles was analyzed by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Magnetic saturation persists in the dopamine coated nanoparticles. These nanoparticles were surface functionalized with dopamine and show dispersity in the aqueous media and can further be exploited in many nano-biotechnological applications including target specific therapeutic applications for several diseases.

Effect of combination of chitosan coating and irradiation on physicochemical and functional properties of chicken egg during room-temperature storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xian De; Jang, Aera; Kim, Dong Hun; Lee, Bong Duk; Lee, Mooha; Jo, Cheorun

2009-07-01

The effect of combination of chitosan coating and irradiation on quality and storage stability of shell egg was investigated. Salmonella typhimurium inoculated on eggshell was not detected by irradiation of 2.0 kGy at day 0 and/or chitosan coating (1%, pH 5.0) after 3 days of storage. One-day-old fresh chicken egg was chitosan coated and irradiated at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 kGy by gamma ray. The egg samples were stored at room temperature for 14 days and the effects of the combination treatment on internal physicochemical and functional properties were investigated. The Haugh unit of egg was decreased by irradiation even at 0.5 kGy. Irradiation increased the lipid oxidation in egg yolk at 2 kGy but the egg with chitosan coating reduced the level of lipid oxidation. Irradiation increased the foaming ability of egg white and decreased viscosity of egg yolk and white. Results suggested that combination of irradiation and chitosan coating can improve safety of shell egg but irradiation treatment may reduce the egg quality for direct consumption. However, an improved functional property for further processing and efficient separation of egg white and yolk can be expected for egg processing industry using irradiation.

Effect of annealing temperature on titania nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manikandan, K., E-mail: sanjaymani367@gmail.com; Arumugam, S., E-mail: sanjaymani367@gmail.com; Chandrasekaran, G.

2014-04-24

Titania polycrystalline samples are prepared by using sol-gel route hydrolyzing a alkoxide titanium precursor under acidic conditions. The as prepared samples are treated with different calcination temperatures. The anatase phase of titania forms when treated below 600°C, above that temperature the anatase phase tends to transform into the rutile phase of titania. The experimental determination of average grain size, phase formation, lattice parameters and the crystal structures of titania samples at different calcinations is done using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Analysis X-ray are used to characterizemore » the samples to bring impact on the respective properties.« less

Chemical nature and structure of organic coating of quantum dots is crucial for their application in imaging diagnostics

PubMed Central

Bakalova, Rumiana; Zhelev, Zhivko; Kokuryo, Daisuke; Spasov, Lubomir; Aoki, Ichio; Saga, Tsuneo

2011-01-01

Background: One of the most attractive properties of quantum dots is their potential to extend the opportunities for fluorescent and multimodal imaging in vivo. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether the composition and structure of organic coating of nanoparticles are crucial for their application in vivo. Methods: We compared quantum dots coated with non-crosslinked amino-functionalized polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, quantum dots encapsulated in crosslinked carboxyl-functionalized PAMAM dendrimers, and silica-shelled amino-functionalized quantum dots. A multimodal fluorescent and paramagnetic quantum dot probe was also developed and analyzed. The probes were applied intravenously in anesthetized animals for visualization of brain vasculature using two-photon excited fluorescent microscopy and visualization of tumors using fluorescent IVIS® imaging (Caliper Life Sciences, Hopkinton, MA) and magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Quantum dots coated with non-crosslinked dendrimers were cytotoxic. They induced side effects in vivo, including vasodilatation with a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. The quantum dots penetrated the vessels, which caused the quality of fluorescent imaging to deteriorate. Quantum dots encapsulated in crosslinked dendrimers had low cytotoxicity and were biocompatible. In concentrations <0.3 nmol quantum dots/kg bodyweight, these nanoparticles did not affect blood pressure and heart rate, and did not induce vasodilatation or vasoconstriction. PEGylation (PEG [polyethylene glycol]) was an indispensable step in development of a quantum dot probe for in vivo imaging, based on silica-shelled quantum dots. The non-PEGylated silica-shelled quantum dots possessed low colloidal stability in high-salt physiological fluids, accompanied by rapid aggregation in vivo. The conjugation of silica-shelled quantum dots with PEG1100 increased their stability and half-life in the circulation without significant enhancement of their size. In concentrations <2.5 nmol/kg bodyweight, these quantum dots did not affect the main physiological variables. It was possible to visualize capillaries, which makes this quantum dot probe appropriate for investigation of mediators of vasoconstriction, vasodilatation, and brain circulation in intact animals in vivo. The multimodal silica-shelled quantum dots allowed visualization of tumor tissue in an early stage of its development, using magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion: The present study shows that the type and structure of organic/bioorganic shells of quantum dots determine their biocompatibility and are crucial for their application in imaging in vivo, due to the effects of the shell on the following properties: colloidal stability, solubility in physiological fluids, influence of the basic physiological parameters, and cytotoxicity. PMID:21980235

CHARACTERIZATION OF FLAME-SYNTHESIZED FE, CO, OR MN-DOPED TITANIA NANOSTRUCTURED PARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

The flame-synthesized catalysts have higher surface areas than commercial-grade titania and are composed of nanometer-sized primary particles with low internal porosity. Preliminary studies suggest that flame-synthesized iron-doped titania may be photoactivated in the visible lig...

Ultra-high aspect ratio titania nanoflakes for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yang-Yao; El-Shall, Hassan

2017-12-01

Micron sized titania flakes with thickness about 40 nm were used in the titania pastes to assemble dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Using the same deposition method, better particle dispersion of titania flakes resulted in well bonded and integral films comparing to cracking of Degussa P25 nanoparticle films during the evaporation and sintering processes. There are two features of titania flakes which leads to improved conversion efficiency of DSSC: (1) Higher and stronger adsorption of N-719 dyes due to high specific surface area (2) Stronger light scattering of visible light spectrum because of micron scale wide in two dimensions of the flakes. The thickness of the conducting TiO2 was critical to the IV characteristics of DSSC such as the short-circuit current density (Isc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc). Under the same thickness basis, calcined titania flakes provided 5 times higher efficiency than the photoelectrodes consisted of Degussa P25 nanoparticles (7.4% vs. 1.2%).

Templated synthesis of nanoporous titania/nanocarbon composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mistry, Jayur

Hexagonally patterned (honeycomb structured) nano-porous titania finds distinct applications in the field of material science, electronics, and catalysis. The preparation of titania/nanocarbon composites was carried out using titanium iso-propoxide precursor and a viscous surfactant templated system arranged into nanoscopic channels of water and iso-octane. Nanocarbon was introduced into the titania pores, as it was dispersed into the water (used to increase the W0), while making templets. Prepared titania/nanocarbon composites were analyzed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) after a specific heat treatment. SEM and TEM allows us to see the morphology of the hexagonally patterned templates and XRD shows the change in the crystallinity of the titania after the heat treatment. Further tests are run with the Solartron™ CellTest potentiostat syste, which, allows us to study the electrical properties of the nanocomposites. The composites synthesized have wide applications in number of fields, including energy, sensors and electronics.

Preparation of core-shell Ti-Nb oxide nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simakov, David S. A.; Tsur, Yoed

2008-01-01

Nanosized powders of Ti-Nb oxide core-shell nanocrystals with atomic ratios of Nb/Ti = 0.11, 0.25, and 0.38 have been prepared by two preparation routes. The first route was co-precipitation, followed by␣annealing, using NbCl5 as a source of Nb. The second route was coating of pure TiO2 nanocrystals by Nb-isopropoxide in liquid medium, followed by impregnation of the Nb into the nanoparticles by annealing. Both methods yielded anatase nanocrystals with a Nb-rich shell and a core, which had much lower Nb loadings. The anatase structure solid solution (with Nb incorporated) was stable under annealing up to 760°C. The particle size remained within the nanometric scale ( <50 nm) under heat-treatment up to 760°C. It has been shown that the fabricated powders can be redispersed in aqueous media by simple ultrasound treatment, resulting in nanosized dispersions. Using a variety of analytical techniques, including depth profiling of single nanocrystallites by AES combined with sputtering by Ar ions, the mechanism of the core-shell structure creation was studied. It is proposed that the formation of the core-shell structure is governed by solubility limitations in the co-precipitation route and by solubility and diffusion limitations in the coating-incorporation route.

Electrosprayed core–shell solid dispersions of acyclovir fabricated using an epoxy-coated concentric spray head

PubMed Central

Liu, Zhe-Peng; Cui, Lei; Yu, Deng-Guang; Zhao, Zhuan-Xia; Chen, Lan

2014-01-01

A novel structural solid dispersion (SD) taking the form of core–shell microparticles for poorly water-soluble drugs is reported for the first time. Using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a hydrophilic polymer matrix, the SDs were fabricated using coaxial electrospraying (characterized by an epoxy-coated concentric spray head), although the core fluids were unprocessable using one-fluid electrospraying. Through manipulating the flow rates of the core drug-loaded solutions, two types of core–shell microparticles with tunable drug contents were prepared. They had average diameters of 1.36±0.67 and 1.74±0.58 μm, and were essentially a combination of nanocomposites with the active ingredient acyclovir (ACY) distributed in the inner core, and the sweeter sucralose and transmembrane enhancer sodium dodecyl sulfate localized in the outer shell. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction results demonstrated that ACY, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and sucralose were well distributed in the PVP matrix in an amorphous state because of favorable second-order interactions. In vitro dissolution and permeation studies showed that the core–shell microparticle SDs rapidly freed ACY within 1 minute and promoted nearly eightfold increases in permeation rate across the sublingual mucosa compared with raw ACY powders. PMID:24790437

Efficient one-pot sonochemical synthesis of thickness-controlled silica-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide (Fe3O4/SiO2) nanospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Mohamed; Abdel-Hamed, M. O.; Chen, Jiangang

2017-12-01

A facile and eco-friendly efficient sonochemical approach was designed for the synthesis of highly crystalline Fe3O4 and Fe3O4/SiO2 core/shell nanospheres in single reaction. The generated physical properties (shock waves, microjets, and turbulent flows) from ultrasonication as a consequence of the collapse of microbubbles and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a chemical linker were found to play a crucial role in the successful formation of the core/shell NPs within short time than the previously reported methods. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that a uniform SiO2 shell is successfully coated over Fe3O4 nanospheres, and the thickness of the silica shell could be easily controlled in the range from 5 to 15 nm by adjusting the reaction parameters. X-ray diffraction data were employed to confirm the formation of highly crystalline and pure phase of a cubic inverse spinel structure for magnetite (Fe3O4) nanospheres. The magnetic properties of the as-synthesized Fe3O4 and Fe3O4/SiO2 core/shell nanospheres were measured at room temperature using vibrating sample magnetometer, and the results demonstrated a high magnetic moment values with superparamagnetic properties.

Bird's nest-like nanographene shell encapsulated Si nanoparticles - Their structural and Li anode properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Beibei; Jiang, Yizhe; Jiang, Fan; Cao, Daxian; Wang, Hongkang; Niu, Chunming

2017-02-01

Bird's nest-like nanographene shell (NGS) encapsulated Si@SiO2 nanoparticles have been prepared by a simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The shell is comprised of a conformed coating with 4-10 layers of the nanographene, and nanographene spikes with the same thickness grown on the coating surface. The high crystallinity of the shell is demonstrated by XRD, HRTEM and Raman characterization. After SiO2 has been removed, distinctive void space is created between Si core and nested NGS. Statistical estimation from TEM images of 50 Si@void@NGS particles shows that the volume of void space is about 2.82 times of that of Si nanoparticle, sufficient to accommodate volume change from Si to Li15Si4. Evaluation of Si@void@NGS for Li ion anode reveals a specific capacity of 2634 mAh g-1 at a current density of 0.2 A g-1, and an excellent rate and cycling performance. The capacity decreases by 5.2%-2497 mAh g-1 after cycling at current densities of 0.5, 1, 2, 5 10, 20 A g-1. The excellent performance can be attributed to high conductivity and high stability of the shell, which remains intact after repeated cycling.

Effect of Core-shell Ceria/Poly(Vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) Nanoparticles Incorporated in Polymer Films and Their Optical Properties (2): Increasing the Refractive Index

PubMed Central

Itoh, Toshio; Uchida, Toshio; Izu, Noriya; Shin, Woosuck

2017-01-01

We investigated the preparation of well-dispersed core-shell ceria-poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) nanoparticles with an average particle size of around 20 nm which were used to produce a hybrid film with a polymer coating of dipentaerythritol hexaacrylate (DPHA). We obtained good dispersion of the nanoparticles in a mixed solvent of 48% 1-methoxy-2-propanol (MP), 32% 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol (MMB), and 20% methyl i-butyl ketone (MIBK). An ink of the polymer coating consisting of 68.7 wt% nanoparticles and 31.3 wt% DPHA with a polymerization initiator was prepared using this solvent mixture. The surface of the hybrid film showed low roughness and the nanoparticles formed a densely packed structure in the DPHA matrix. The resulting coating possessed excellent transparency and a high refractive index of 1.69. PMID:28773070

Inkjet printing of TiO2/AlOOH heterostructures for the formation of interference color images with high optical visibility

PubMed Central

Yakovlev, Aleksandr V.; Milichko, Valentin A.; Pidko, Evgeny A.; Vinogradov, Vladimir V.; Vinogradov, Alexandr V.

2016-01-01

This paper describes a practical approach for the fabrication of highly visible interference color images using sol-gel ink technique and a common desktop inkjet printer. We show the potential of titania-boehmite inks for the production of optical heterostructures on various surfaces, which after drying on air produce optical solid layers with low and high refractive index. The optical properties of the surface heterostructures were adjusted following the principles of antireflection coating resulting in the enhancement of the interference color optical visibility of the prints by as much as 32%. Finally, the presented technique was optimized following the insights into the mechanisms of the drop-surface interactions and the drop-on-surface coalescence to make it suitable for the production of even thickness coatings suitable for printing at a large scale. We propose that the technology described herein is a promising new green and sustainable approach for color printing. PMID:27848979

Adsorbate-induced lifting of substrate relaxation is a general mechanism governing titania surface chemistry.

PubMed

Silber, David; Kowalski, Piotr M; Traeger, Franziska; Buchholz, Maria; Bebensee, Fabian; Meyer, Bernd; Wöll, Christof

2016-09-30

Under ambient conditions, almost all metals are coated by an oxide. These coatings, the result of a chemical reaction, are not passive. Many of them bind, activate and modify adsorbed molecules, processes that are exploited, for example, in heterogeneous catalysis and photochemistry. Here we report an effect of general importance that governs the bonding, structure formation and dissociation of molecules on oxidic substrates. For a specific example, methanol adsorbed on the rutile TiO 2 (110) single crystal surface, we demonstrate by using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques that strongly bonding adsorbates can lift surface relaxations beyond their adsorption site, which leads to a significant substrate-mediated interaction between adsorbates. The result is a complex superstructure consisting of pairs of methanol molecules and unoccupied adsorption sites. Infrared spectroscopy reveals that the paired methanol molecules remain intact and do not deprotonate on the defect-free terraces of the rutile TiO 2 (110) surface.

Adsorbate-induced lifting of substrate relaxation is a general mechanism governing titania surface chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silber, David; Kowalski, Piotr M.; Traeger, Franziska; Buchholz, Maria; Bebensee, Fabian; Meyer, Bernd; Wöll, Christof

2016-09-01

Under ambient conditions, almost all metals are coated by an oxide. These coatings, the result of a chemical reaction, are not passive. Many of them bind, activate and modify adsorbed molecules, processes that are exploited, for example, in heterogeneous catalysis and photochemistry. Here we report an effect of general importance that governs the bonding, structure formation and dissociation of molecules on oxidic substrates. For a specific example, methanol adsorbed on the rutile TiO2(110) single crystal surface, we demonstrate by using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques that strongly bonding adsorbates can lift surface relaxations beyond their adsorption site, which leads to a significant substrate-mediated interaction between adsorbates. The result is a complex superstructure consisting of pairs of methanol molecules and unoccupied adsorption sites. Infrared spectroscopy reveals that the paired methanol molecules remain intact and do not deprotonate on the defect-free terraces of the rutile TiO2(110) surface.

Resonant scattering of green light enabled by Ag@TiO2 and its application in a green light projection screen.

PubMed

Ye, Yiyang; Chen, Tupei; Zhen, Juyuan; Xu, Chen; Zhang, Jun; Li, Huakai

2018-02-01

The ability to selectively scatter green light is essential for an RGB transparent projection display, and this can be achieved by a silver-core, titania-shell nanostructure (Ag@TiO 2 ), based on the metallic nanoparticle's localized surface plasmon resonance. The ability to selectively scatter green light is shown in a theoretical design, in which structural optimization is included, and is then experimentally verified by characterization of a transparent film produced by dispersing such nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. A visual assessesment indicates that a high-quality green image can be clearly displayed on the transparent film. For completeness, a theoretical design for selective scattering of red light based on Ag@TiO 2 is also shown.

Synthesis and energy applications of mesoporous titania thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Islam, Syed Z.

The optical and electronic properties of TiO2 thin films provide tremendous opportunities in several applications including photocatalysis, photovoltaics and photoconductors for energy production. Despite many attractive features of TiO2, critical challenges include the innate inability of TiO2 to absorb visible light and the fast recombination of photoexcited charge carriers. In this study, mesoporous TiO2 thin films are modified by doping using hydrogen and nitrogen, and sensitization using graphene quantum dot sensitization. For all of these modifiers, well-ordered mesoporous titania films were synthesized by surfactant templated sol-gel process. Two methods: hydrazine and plasma treatments have been developed for nitrogen and hydrogen doping in the mesoporous titania films for band gap reduction, visible light absorption and enhancement of photocatalytic activity. The hydrazine treatment in mesoporous titania thin films suggests that hydrazine induced doping is a promising approach to enable synergistic incorporation of N and Ti3+ into the lattice of surfactant-templated TiO2 films and enhanced visible light photoactivity, but that the benefits are limited by gradual mesostructure deterioration. The plasma treated nitrogen doped mesoporous titania showed about 240 times higher photoactivity compared to undoped film in hydrogen production from photoelectrochemical water splitting under visible light illumination. Plasma treated hydrogen doped mesoporous titania thin films has also been developed for enhancement of visible light absorption. Hydrogen treatment has been shown to turn titania (normally bright white) black, indicating vastly improved visible light absorption. The cause of the color change and its effectiveness for photocatalysis remain open questions. For the first time, we showed that a significant amount of hydrogen is incorporated in hydrogen plasma treated mesoporous titania films by neutron reflectometry measurements. In addition to the intrinsic modification of titania by doping, graphene quantum dot sensitization in mesoporous titania film was also investigated for visible light photocatalysis. Graphene quantum dot sensitization and nitrogen doping of ordered mesoporous titania films showed synergistic effect in water splitting due to high surface area, band gap reduction, enhanced visible light absorption, and efficient charge separation and transport. This study suggests that plasma based doping and graphene quantum dot sensitization are promising strategies to reduce band gap and enhance visible light absorption of high surface area surfactant templated mesoporous titania films, leading to superior visible-light driven photoelectrochemical hydrogen production. The results demonstrate the importance of designing and manipulating the energy band alignment in composite nanomaterials for fundamentally improving visible light absorption, charge separation and transport, and thereby photoelectrochemical properties.

Fabrication and wear test of a continuous fiber/particulate composite total surface hip replacement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, J. C.; Ling, F. F.; Jones, W. R., Jr.

1981-01-01

Continuous fiber woven E-glass composite femoral shells having the ame elastic properties as bone were fabricated. The shells were then encrusted with filled epoxy wear resistant coatings and run dry against ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene acetabular cups in 42,000 and 250,000 cycle were tests on a total hip simulator. The tribological characteristics of these shells atriculating with the acetabular cups are comparable to a vitallium bal articulating with an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene cup.

Photonic Nanoparticle Doped Architectures for Enhanced Solar to Fuel Photocatalytic Conversion 154060

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-09

coverage of the ZIS shell. We are also exploring the use of nanoshells coated with tin oxide (SnO2) rather than silica (SiO2) and coating the GS-NSs with...exploring the use of nanoshells coated with tin oxide (SnO2) rather than silica (SiO2) and coating the GS-NSs with zinc- and antimony-doped SnO2...to the preparation of GS-NS@SiO2 particles, we are also exploring the GS-NS coated with tin oxide (SnO2) and doped SnO2. Nanoshells with other

Sol-gel preparation of silica and titania thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoř, Tomáš; Václavík, Jan

2016-11-01

Thin films of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) for application in precision optics prepared via the solgel route are being investigated in this paper. The sol-gel process presents a low cost approach, which is capable of tailoring thin films of various materials in optical grade quality. Both SiO2 and TiO2 are materials well known for their application in the field of anti-reflective and also highly reflective optical coatings. For precision optics purposes, thickness control and high quality of such coatings are of utmost importance. In this work, thin films were deposited on microscope glass slides substrates using the dip-coating technique from a solution based on alkoxide precursors of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and titanium isopropoxide (TIP) for SiO2 and TiO2, respectively. As-deposited films were studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry to determine their thickness and refractive index. Using a semi-empirical equation, a relationship between the coating speed and the heat-treated film thickness was described for both SiO2 and TiO2 thin films. This allows us to control the final heat-treated thin film thickness by simply adjusting the coating speed. Furthermore, films' surface was studied using the white-light interferometry. As-prepared films exhibited low surface roughness with the area roughness parameter Sq being on average of 0.799 nm and 0.33 nm for SiO2 and TiO2, respectively.

A brief review on fly ash and its use in surface engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhajantri, Vishwanath; Krishna, Prasad; Jambagi, Sudhakar

2018-04-01

Fly ash is a by-product obtained from coal power plants. Over the past two decades, handling this industrial waste has been a great challenge for many developing countries. However, this menace can be used in many industrial applications viz., civil, automobile and aerospace applications. In civil industry, the fly ash has been used in concreate to enhance the porosity that increases the curing time of the concrete. The fly ash has been gaining importance these days as a feedstock material for many thermal spray processes. In automobile sector, the fly ash has been used as a thermal barrier coating in IC engines, whereas in aerospace industry, which demands lighter and stronger materials, the fly ash has been used as a reinforcement material. Hence, so far, fly ash has been used as an either single or a composite feed stock material in thermal spray processes. The fly ash with other materials like alumina, titania and red mud have been deposited using thermal spray processes. These coatings have exhibited higher wear, corrosion and erosion resistance as compared to the uncoated specimens. In this paper, a brief review on fly ash and its use, especially its use as a feed stock in thermal spray coating, is presented. Therefore, the use of fly ash has opened a new frontier of research in thermal spray coating area where economically viable coatings can be produced using industrial waste like fly ash.

Sol-gel approach for fabrication of coated anodized titanium wire for solid-phase microextraction: highly efficient adsorbents for enrichment of trace polar analytes.

PubMed

Jia, Jing; Xu, Lili; Wang, Shuai; Wang, Licheng; Liu, Xia

2014-05-01

Nanotubular titania film was prepared in situ on titanium wire and was used as the fiber substrate for solid-phase microextraction (SPME) because of its high surface-to-volume ratio, easy preparation, and mechanical stability. Three different functional coatings, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), β-cyclodextrin-co-poly(ethylenepropylene glycol) (β-CD/PEG), and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based sorbents were chemically bonded to the nanostructured wire surface via sol-gel technology to further enhance the absorbing capability and extraction selectivity. Coupled to gas chromatography-flame ionic detection (GC-FID), the prepared SPME fibers were investigated using diverse compounds. The results indicated that the fibers showed good mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability, and wonderful capacity and selectivity to polar compounds, including polar aromatic compounds, alcohols, and ketones. Combining the superior hydrophilic property of a bonded functional molecule and the highly porous structure of a fiber coating, the prepared PEG-coated SPME fiber showed much higher adsorption affinity to ephedrine and methylephedrine than β-CD and β-CD/PEG fibers. The as-established PEG-coated SPME-GC analytical method provided excellent sensitivity (LODs, 0.004 and 0.001 ng mL(-1) for ephedrine and methylephedrine, respectively) and better linear range (0.01-2 000 μg L(-1)). In addition, it has surprising repeatability and reproducibility. Finally, the present approach was used to analyze ephedrine and methylephedrine from real urine samples, and reliable results were obtained.

Carbon-Coated Gold Nanorods: A Facile Route to Biocompatible Materials for Photothermal Applications.

PubMed

Kaneti, Yusuf Valentino; Chen, Chuyang; Liu, Minsu; Wang, Xiaochun; Yang, Jia Lin; Taylor, Robert Allen; Jiang, Xuchuan; Yu, Aibing

2015-11-25

Gold nanorods and their core-shell nanocomposites have been widely studied because of their well-defined anisotropy and unique optical properties and applications. This study demonstrates a facile hydrothermal synthesis strategy for generating carbon coating on gold nanorods (AuNRs@C) under mild conditions (<200 °C), where the carbon shell is composed of polymerized sugar molecules (glucose). The structure and composition of the produced core-shell nanocomposites were characterized using advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The functional properties, particularly the photothermal and biocompatibility properties of the produced AuNRs@C, were quantified to assess their potential in photothermal hyperthermia. These AuNRs@C were tested in vitro (under representative treatment conditions) using near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. It was found that the AuNRs produced here exhibit exemplary heat generation capability. Temperature changes of 10.5, 9, and 8 °C for AuNRs@C were observed with carbon shell thicknesses of 10, 17, and 25 nm, respectively, at a concentration of 50 μM, after 600 s of irradiation with a laser power of 0.17 W/cm(2). In addition, the synthesized AuNRs@C also exhibit good biocompatibility toward two soft tissue sarcoma cell lines (HT1080, a fibrosarcoma; and GCT, a fibrous histiocytoma). The cell viability study shows that AuNRs@C (at a concentration of <0.1 mg/mL) core-shell particles induce significantly lower cytotoxicity on both HT1080 and GCT cell lines, as compared with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-capped AuNRs. Furthermore, similar to PEG-modified AuNRs, they are also safe to both HT1080 and GCT cell lines. This biocompatibility results from a surface full of -OH or -COH groups, which are suitable for linking and are nontoxic Therefore, the AuNRs@C represent a viable alternative to PEG-coated AuNRs for facile synthesis and improved photothermal conversion. Overall, these findings open up a new class of carbon-coated nanostructures that are biocompatible and could potentially be employed in a wide range of biomedical applications.

Static response of coated microbubbles compressed between rigid plates: Simulations and asymptotic analysis including elastic and adhesive forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lytra, A.; Pelekasis, N.

2018-03-01

The static response of coated microbubbles is investigated with a novel approach employed for modeling contact between a microbubble and the cantilever of an atomic force microscope. Elastic tensions and moments are described via appropriate constitutive laws. The encapsulated gas is assumed to undergo isothermal variations. Due to the hydrophilic nature of the cantilever, an ultrathin aqueous film is formed, which transfers the force onto the shell. An interaction potential describes the local pressure applied on the shell. The problem is solved in axisymmetric form with the finite element method. The response is governed by the dimensionless bending, k^ b=kb/(χ R02 ), pressure, P^ A=(PAR0 )/χ , and interaction potential, W ^ =w0/χ . Hard polymeric shells have negligible resistance to gas compression, while for the softer lipid shells gas compressibility is comparable with shell elasticity. As the external force increases, numerical simulations reveal that the force versus deformation (f vs d) curve of polymeric shells exhibits a transition from the linear O(d) (Reissner) regime, marked by flattened shapes around the contact region, to a non-linear O(d1/2) (Pogorelov) regime dominated by shapes exhibiting crater formation due to buckling. When lipid shells are tested, buckling is bypassed as the external force increases and flattened shapes prevail in an initially linear f vs d curve. Transition to a curved upwards regime is observed as the force increases, where gas compression and area dilatation form the dominant balance providing a nonlinear regime with an O(d3) dependence. Asymptotic analysis recovers the above patterns and facilitates estimation of the shell mechanical properties.

Formation and photopatterning of nanoporous titania thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, Oun-Ho; Cheng, Joy Y.; Kim, Hyun Suk

2007-06-04

Photopatternable nanoporous titania thin films were generated from mixtures of an organic diblock copolymer, poly(styrene-b-ethylene oxide) (PS-b-PEO), and an oligomeric titanate (OT) prepared from a chelated titanium isopropoxide. The PS-b-PEO templates well-defined microdomains in thin films of the mixtures, which upon thermal treatment at 450 deg. C, become nanopores in titania. Average pore size and porosity are controlled by the molecular weight and loading level of the PS-b-PEO, respectively. Patterns of nanoporous titania were created by selectively exposing UV light on the mixture films. The UV irradiation destroys the chelating bond and induces the cross-linking reaction of the OT. Subsequentmore » wet development followed by thermal treatment gives patterned nanoporous films of anatase phase titania.« less

Atomically dispersed Au-(OH)x species bound on titania catalyze the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction.

PubMed

Yang, Ming; Allard, Lawrence F; Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, Maria

2013-03-13

We report a new method for stabilizing appreciable loadings (~1 wt %) of isolated gold atoms on titania and show that these catalyze the low-temperature water-gas shift reaction. The method combines a typical gold deposition/precipitation method with UV irradiation of the titania support suspended in ethanol. Dissociation of H2O on the thus-created Au-O-TiO(x) sites is facile. At higher gold loadings, nanoparticles are formed, but they were shown to add no further activity to the atomically bound gold on titania. Removal of this "excess" gold by sodium cyanide leaching leaves the activity intact and the atomically dispersed gold still bound on titania. The new materials may catalyze a number of other reactions that require oxidized active metal sites.

Chirality of Single-Handed Twisted Titania Tubular Nanoribbons Prepared Through Sol-gel Transcription.

PubMed

Wang, Sibing; Zhang, Chuanyong; Li, Yi; Li, Baozong; Yang, Yonggang

2015-08-01

Single-handed twisted titania tubular nanoribbons were prepared through sol-gel transcription using a pair of enantiomers. Handedness was controlled by that of the template. The obtained samples were characterized using field-emission electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance circular dichroism (DRCD), and X-ray diffraction. The DRCD spectra indicated that the titania nanotubes exhibit optical activity. Although the tubular structure was destroyed after being calcined at 700 °C for 2.0 h, DRCD signals were still identified. However, the DRCD signals disappeared after being calcined at 1000 °C for 2.0 h. The optical activity of titania was proposed to be due to chiral defects. Previous results showed that straight titania tubes could be used as asymmetric autocatalysts, indicating that titania exhibit chirality at the angstrom level. Herein, it was found that they also exhibit DRCD signals, indicating that there are no obvious relationships between morphology at the nano level and chirality at the angstrom level. The nanotube chirality should originate from the chiral defects on the nanotube inner surface. The Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that the chirality of the titania was transferred from the gelators through the hydrogen bonding between N-H and Ti-OH. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of calcination temperature on the photocatalytic reduction and oxidation processes of hydrothermally synthesized titania nanotubes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Viayan, B.; Dimitrijevic, N. M.; Rajh, T.

Titania nanotubes having diameters 8 to 12 nm and lengths of 50-300 nm were prepared using a hydrothermal method. Further, the titania nanotubes were calcined over the temperature range 200-800 C in order to enhance their photocatalytic properties by altering their morphology. The calcined titania nanotubes were characterized by using X-ray diffraction and surface area analysis and their morphological features were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Nanotubes calcined at 400 C showed the maximum extent of photocatalyitc reduction of carbon dioxide to methane, whereas samples calcined at 600 C produced maximum photocatalytic oxidation of acetaldehyde. Electron paramagnetic resonancemore » (EPR) spectroscopy was used to interrogate the effects of nanotube structure on the charge separation and trapping as a function of calcination temperature. EPR results indicated that undercoordinated titania sites are associated with maximum CO{sub 2} reduction occurring in nanotubes calcined at 400 C. Despite the collapse of the nantube structure to form nanorods and the concomitant loss of surface area, the enhanced charge separation associated with increased crystallinity promoted high rates of oxidation of acetaldehyde in titania materials calcined at 600 C. These results illustrate that calcination temperature allows us to tune the morphological and surface features of the titania nanostructures for particular photocatalytic reactions.« less

Effect of TiO2 addition on surface microstructure and bioactivity of fluorapatite coatings deposited using Nd:YAG laser.

PubMed

Chien, Chi-Sheng; Ko, Yu-Sheng; Kuo, Tsung-Yuan; Liao, Tze-Yuan; Lee, Tzer-Min; Hong, Ting-Fu

2014-04-01

To study the effect of titania (TiO2) addition on the surface microstructure and bioactivity of fluorapatite coatings, fluorapatite was mixed with TiO2 in 1:0.5 (FA + 0.5TiO2), 1:0.8 (FA + 0.8TiO2), and 1:1 (FA + TiO2) ratios (wt%) and clad on Ti-6Al-4V substrates using an Nd:YAG laser system. The experimental results show that the penetration depth of the weld decreases with increasing TiO2 content. Moreover, the subgrain structure of the coating layer changes from a fine cellular-like structure to a cellular-dendrite-like structure as the amount of TiO2 increases. Consequently, as the proportion of TiO2 decreases (increase in fluorapatite content), the Ca/P ratio of the coating layer also decreases. The immersion of specimens into simulated body fluid resulted in the formation of individual apatite. With a lower Ca/P ratio before immersion, the growth of the apatite was faster and then the coating layer provided a better bioactivity. X-ray diffraction analysis results show that prior to simulated body fluid immersion, the coating layer in all three specimens was composed mainly of fluorapatite, CaTiO3, and Al2O3 phases. Following simulated body fluid immersion, a peak corresponding to hydroxycarbonated apatite appeared after 2 days in the FA + 0.5TiO2 and FA + 0.8TiO2 specimens and after 7 days in the FA + TiO2 specimen. Overall, the results show that although the bioactivity of the coating layer tended to decrease with increasing TiO2 content, in accordance with the above-mentioned ratios, the bioactivity of all three specimens remained generally good.

Mucoadhesive properties of low molecular weight chitosan- or glycol chitosan- and corresponding thiomer-coated poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) core-shell nanoparticles.

PubMed

Palazzo, Claudio; Trapani, Giuseppe; Ponchel, Gilles; Trapani, Adriana; Vauthier, Christine

2017-08-01

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the mucoadhesive properties of poly(isobutyl cyanoacrylate) (PIBCA) nanoparticles (NPs) coated with Low Molecular Weight (LMW) chitosan (CS)- and glycol chitosan (GCS)-based thiomers as well as with the corresponding LMW unmodified polysaccharides. For this purpose, all the CS- and GCS-based thiomers were prepared under simple and mild conditions starting from the LMW unmodified polymers CS and GCS. The resulting NPs were of spherical shape with diameters ranging from 400 to 600nm and 187 to 309nm, for CS- and GCS-based NPs, respectively. The mucoadhesive characteristics of these core shell NPs were studied in Ussing chambers measuring the percentage of NPs stuck on the mucosal of fresh intestinal tissue after 2h of incubation. Moreover, incubation of nanoparticle formulations with the intestinal tissue induced changes in transmucosal electrical resistance which were measured to gain information into the opening of tight junctions and to control the integrity of the mucosa. Thus, it was found that PIBCA NPs coated with the GCS-Glutathione conjugate (GCGPIBCA NPs) possessed the most favorable mucoadhesive performances. Moreover, both GCGPIBCA- and GCS-N-acetyl-cysteine (GCNPIBCA)-core-shell NPs might induced an enlargement of the epithelial cell tight junctions. In conclusion, coating of PIBCA NPs with GCS-based thiomers may be useful for improving the mucoadhesive and permeation properties of these nanocarriers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uranium extraction from TRISO-coated fuel particles using supercritical CO2 containing tri-n-butyl phosphate.

PubMed

Zhu, Liyang; Duan, Wuhua; Xu, Jingming; Zhu, Yongjun

2012-11-30

High-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) are advanced nuclear systems that will receive heavy use in the future. It is important to develop spent nuclear fuel reprocessing technologies for HTGR. A new method for recovering uranium from tristructural-isotropic (TRISO-) coated fuel particles with supercritical CO(2) containing tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) as a complexing agent was investigated. TRISO-coated fuel particles from HTGR fuel elements were first crushed to expose UO(2) pellet fuel kernels. The crushed TRISO-coated fuel particles were then treated under O(2) stream at 750°C, resulting in a mixture of U(3)O(8) powder and SiC shells. The conversion of U(3)O(8) into solid uranyl nitrate by its reaction with liquid N(2)O(4) in the presence of a small amount of water was carried out. Complete conversion was achieved after 60 min of reaction at 80°C, whereas the SiC shells were not converted by N(2)O(4). Uranyl nitrate in the converted mixture was extracted with supercritical CO(2) containing TBP. The cumulative extraction efficiency was above 98% after 20 min of online extraction at 50°C and 25 MPa, whereas the SiC shells were not extracted by TBP. The results suggest an attractive strategy for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel from HTGR to minimize the generation of secondary radioactive waste. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

ZnO/perovskite core–shell nanorod array based monolithic catalysts with enhanced propane oxidation and material utilization efficiency at low temperature

DOE PAGES

Wang, Sibo; Ren, Zheng; Song, Wenqiao; ...

2015-04-24

Here, a hydrothermal strategy combined with colloidal deposition synthesis was successfully used to grow ZnO/perovskite (LaBO 3, B=Mn, Co, Ni) core-shell nanorod arrays within three dimensional (3-D) honeycomb cordierite substrates. A facile sonication assisted colloidal wash coating process is able to coat a uniformly dispersed perovskite nanoparticles onto the large scale ZnO nanorod arrays rooted on the channel surfaces of the 3D cordierite substrate achieved by hydrothermal synthesis. Compared to traditional wash-coated perovskite catalysts, an enhanced catalytic performance was observed for propane oxidation with 25°C lower light-off temperature than wash-coated perovskite catalyst of similar LaMnO 3 loading (4.3mg). Temperature programmedmore » reduction and desorption under H 2 and O 2 atmosphere, respectively, were used to study the reducibility and oxygen activity of these core-shell nanorod arrays based monolithic catalysts, revealing a catalytic activity sequence of LaCoO 3>LaMnO 3>La 2NiO 4 at the initial stage of catalytic reaction. The good dispersion and size control in La-based perovskite nanoparticles and their interfaces to ZnO nanorod arrays support may contribute to the enhancement of catalytic performance. Lastly, this work may provide a new type of Pt-group metals (PGM) free catalysts with improved catalytic performance for hydrocarbon oxidations at low temperatures.« less

Thermogravimetric characteristics and kinetics of scrap tyre and Juglans regia shell co-pyrolysis.

PubMed

Uzun, B B; Yaman, E

2014-10-01

The degradation kinetics of Juglans regia shell, scrap tyre and their blends were investigated using a thermogravimetric analysis method. Experiments were performed under dynamic conditions and a nitrogen atmosphere in the range 293 to 973 K at different heating rates. During pyrolysis of J. regia shell three mass loss zones were specified as removal of water, decomposition of hemicelluloses and cellulose, and decomposition of lignin. The degradation curves of scrap tyre showed merely one stage which was due to decomposition of styrene butadiene rubber. The kinetic parameters were calculated using both Arrhenius and Coats-Redfern methods. By adopting the Arrhenius method, the average value of activation energies of J. regia shell, scrap tyre and their 1 : 1 blends were found to be 69.22, 71.48 and 47.03 kJ mol(-1), respectively. Additionally, by using the Coats-Redfern method, the average value of activation energies of J. regia shell, scrap tyre and their 1 : 1 blend were determined as 99.85, 78.72 and 63.81 kJ mol(-1), respectively. The addition of J. regia shell to scrap tyre caused a reduction in the activation energies. The difference of weight loss was measured to examine interactions between raw materials. The maximum difference between experimental and theoretical mass loss was 5% at about 648 K with a heating rate of 20 K min(-1). These results indicated a significant synergistic effect was available during co-pyrolysis of J. regia shell and scrap tyre in the high temperature region. © The Author(s) 2014.

Studies on applicability of press-coated tablets using hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) in the outer shell for timed-release preparations.

PubMed

Fukui, E; Uemura, K; Kobayashi, M

2000-08-10

Press-coated tablets, containing diltiazem hydrochloride (DIL) in the core tablet and coated with hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) as the outer shell, were examined for applicability as timed-release tablets with a predetermined lag time and subsequent rapid drug release phase. Various types of press-coated tablets were prepared using a rotary tabletting machine and their DIL dissolution behavior was evaluated by the JP paddle method. The results indicated that tablets with the timed-release function could be prepared, and that the lag times were prolonged as the viscosity of HPC and the amount of the outer shell were increased. The lag times could be controlled widely by the above method, however, the compression load had little effect. Two different kinds of timed-release press-coated tablets that showed lag times of 3 and 6 h in the in vitro test (denoted PCT(L3) and PCT(L6), respectively) were administered to beagle dogs. DIL was first detected in the plasma more than 3 h after administration, and both tablets showed timed-release. The lag times showed a good agreement between the in vivo and in vitro tests in PCT(L3). However, the in vivo lag times were about 4 h in PCT(L6) and were much shorter than the in vitro lag time. The dissolution test was performed at different paddle rotation speeds, and good agreement was obtained between the in vivo and in vitro lag times at 150 rpm. This suggested that the effects of gastrointestinal peristalsis and contraction should also be taken into consideration for the further development of drug delivery systems.

Controlling morphology, mesoporosity, crystallinity, and photocatalytic activity of ordered mesoporous TiO2 films prepared at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elgh, Björn; Yuan, Ning; Cho, Hae Sung; Magerl, David; Philipp, Martine; Roth, Stephan V.; Yoon, Kyung Byung; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter; Terasaki, Osamu; Palmqvist, Anders E. C.

2014-11-01

Partly ordered mesoporous titania films with anatase crystallites incorporated into the pore walls were prepared at low temperature by spin-coating a microemulsion-based reaction solution. The effect of relative humidity employed during aging of the prepared films was studied using SEM, TEM, and grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering to evaluate the mesoscopic order, porosity, and crystallinity of the films. The study shows unambiguously that crystal growth occurs mainly during storage of the films and proceeds at room temperature largely depending on relative humidity. Porosity, pore size, mesoscopic order, crystallinity, and photocatalytic activity of the films increased with relative humidity up to an optimum around 75%.

(YIP-10) Enabling Dynamic Oxidation Mechanisms in Reverse Infiltrated Ultra-High Temperature Ceramic Coated C-C Composites for Application in Hypersonics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-09

of Hf,Zr oxychloride hydrates, triethyl borate , and phenolic resin to form precipitate free sols that turn into stable gels with no catalyst addition...minutes, shows the glass -ceramic coating (that formed a shell upon cooling) was generated from within the UHTC filled C-C composite. Notice, in Figure...generation of the coating during high temperature exposure to oxygen. The formation of a ZrO2-SiO2 glass -ceramic coating on the C-C composite is believed to

Preparation and electrochemical properties of core-shell carbon coated Mn-Sn complex metal oxide as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruixue; Fang, Guoqing; Liu, Weiwei; Xia, Bingbo; Sun, Hongdan; Zheng, Junwei; Li, Decheng

2014-02-01

In this study, we synthesized a carbon coated Mn-Sn metal oxide composite with core-shell structure (MTO@C) via a simple glucose hydrothermal reaction and subsequent carbonization approach. When the MTO@C composite was applied as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, it maintained a reversible capacity of 409 mA h g-1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g-1. The uniformed and continuous carbon layer formed on the MTO nanoparticles, effectively buffered the volumetric change of the active material and increased electronic conductivity, which thus prolonged the cycling performance of the MTO@C electrode.

Highly Efficient F, Cu doped TiO2 anti-bacterial visible light active photocatalytic coatings to combat hospital-acquired infections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leyland, Nigel S.; Podporska-Carroll, Joanna; Browne, John; Hinder, Steven J.; Quilty, Brid; Pillai, Suresh C.

2016-04-01

Bacterial infections are a major threat to the health of patients in healthcare facilities including hospitals. One of the major causes of patient morbidity is infection with Staphylococcus aureus. One of the the most dominant nosocomial bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been reported to survive on hospital surfaces (e.g. privacy window glasses) for up to 5 months. None of the current anti-bacterial technology is efficient in eliminating Staphylococcus aureus. A novel transparent, immobilised and superhydrophilic coating of titanium dioxide, co-doped with fluorine and copper has been prepared on float glass substrates. Antibacterial activity has demonstrated (by using Staphylococcus aureus), resulting from a combination of visible light activated (VLA) photocatalysis and copper ion toxicity. Co-doping with copper and fluorine has been shown to improve the performance of the coating, relative to a purely fluorine-doped VLA photocatalyst. Reductions in bacterial population of log10 = 4.2 under visible light irradiation and log10 = 1.8 in darkness have been achieved, compared with log10 = 1.8 under visible light irradiation and no activity, for a purely fluorine-doped titania. Generation of reactive oxygen species from the photocatalytic coatings is the major factor that significantly reduces the bacterial growth on the glass surfaces.

Highly Efficient F, Cu doped TiO2 anti-bacterial visible light active photocatalytic coatings to combat hospital-acquired infections.

PubMed

Leyland, Nigel S; Podporska-Carroll, Joanna; Browne, John; Hinder, Steven J; Quilty, Brid; Pillai, Suresh C

2016-04-21

Bacterial infections are a major threat to the health of patients in healthcare facilities including hospitals. One of the major causes of patient morbidity is infection with Staphylococcus aureus. One of the the most dominant nosocomial bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been reported to survive on hospital surfaces (e.g. privacy window glasses) for up to 5 months. None of the current anti-bacterial technology is efficient in eliminating Staphylococcus aureus. A novel transparent, immobilised and superhydrophilic coating of titanium dioxide, co-doped with fluorine and copper has been prepared on float glass substrates. Antibacterial activity has demonstrated (by using Staphylococcus aureus), resulting from a combination of visible light activated (VLA) photocatalysis and copper ion toxicity. Co-doping with copper and fluorine has been shown to improve the performance of the coating, relative to a purely fluorine-doped VLA photocatalyst. Reductions in bacterial population of log10 = 4.2 under visible light irradiation and log10 = 1.8 in darkness have been achieved, compared with log10 = 1.8 under visible light irradiation and no activity, for a purely fluorine-doped titania. Generation of reactive oxygen species from the photocatalytic coatings is the major factor that significantly reduces the bacterial growth on the glass surfaces.

Highly Efficient F, Cu doped TiO2 anti-bacterial visible light active photocatalytic coatings to combat hospital-acquired infections

PubMed Central

Leyland, Nigel S.; Podporska-Carroll, Joanna; Browne, John; Hinder, Steven J.; Quilty, Brid; Pillai, Suresh C.

2016-01-01

Bacterial infections are a major threat to the health of patients in healthcare facilities including hospitals. One of the major causes of patient morbidity is infection with Staphylococcus aureus. One of the the most dominant nosocomial bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been reported to survive on hospital surfaces (e.g. privacy window glasses) for up to 5 months. None of the current anti-bacterial technology is efficient in eliminating Staphylococcus aureus. A novel transparent, immobilised and superhydrophilic coating of titanium dioxide, co-doped with fluorine and copper has been prepared on float glass substrates. Antibacterial activity has demonstrated (by using Staphylococcus aureus), resulting from a combination of visible light activated (VLA) photocatalysis and copper ion toxicity. Co-doping with copper and fluorine has been shown to improve the performance of the coating, relative to a purely fluorine-doped VLA photocatalyst. Reductions in bacterial population of log10 = 4.2 under visible light irradiation and log10 = 1.8 in darkness have been achieved, compared with log10 = 1.8 under visible light irradiation and no activity, for a purely fluorine-doped titania. Generation of reactive oxygen species from the photocatalytic coatings is the major factor that significantly reduces the bacterial growth on the glass surfaces. PMID:27098010

Effect of an amorphous titania nanotubes coating on the fatigue and corrosion behaviors of the biomedical Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys.

PubMed

Campanelli, Leonardo Contri; Bortolan, Carolina Catanio; da Silva, Paulo Sergio Carvalho Pereira; Bolfarini, Claudemiro; Oliveira, Nilson Tadeu Camarinho

2017-01-01

An array of self-organized TiO 2 nanotubes with an amorphous structure was produced on the biomedical Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloys, and the resulting fatigue and corrosion behaviors were studied. The electrochemical response of the nanotubular oxide surfaces was investigated in Ringer physiological solution through potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. The absence of transpassivation in the chloride-containing solution, in addition to the micron-scale values of the passivation current density, indicated the excellent corrosion behavior of the coating and the satisfactory protection against the creation of potential stress concentrators in the surface. Axial fatigue tests were performed in physiological solution on polished and coated conditions, with characterization of the treated surfaces by scanning electron microscopy before and after the tests. The surface modification was not deleterious to the fatigue response of both alloys mainly due to the nano-scale dimension of the nanotubes layer. An estimation based on fracture mechanics revealed that a circumferential crack in the range of 5μm depth would be necessary to affect the fatigue performance, which is far from the thickness of the studied coating, although no cracks were actually observed in the oxide surfaces after the tests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-density arrays of titania nanoparticles using monolayer micellar films of diblock copolymers as templates.

PubMed

Li, Xue; Lau, King Hang Aaron; Kim, Dong Ha; Knoll, Wolfgang

2005-05-24

Highly dense arrays of titania nanoparticles were fabricated using surface micellar films of poly(styrene-block-2-vinylpyridine) diblock copolymers (PS-b-P2VP) as reaction scaffolds. Titania could be introduced selectively within P2VP nanodomains in PS-b-P2VP films through the binary reaction between water molecules trapped in the P2VP domains and the TiCl(4) vapor precursors. Subsequent UV exposure or oxygen plasma treatment removed the organic matrix, leading to titania nanoparticle arrays on the substrate surface. The diameter of the titania domains and the interparticle distance were defined by the lateral scale present in the microphase-separated morphology of the initial PS-b-P2VP films. The typical diameter of titania nanoparticles obtained by oxygen plasma treatment was of the order of approximately 23 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated for films before and after plasma treatment. Both samples showed PL properties with major physical origin due to self-trapped excitons, indicating that the local environment of the titanium atoms is similar.

New method to synthesize mesoporous titania by photodegradation of surfactant template

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zi, Shamsuddin Chik; Chandren, Sheela; Yuan, Lai Sin; Razali, Rasidah; Ho, Chin Siong; Hartanto, Djoko; Indra Mahlia, Teuku Meurah; Nur, Hadi

2016-02-01

Mesoporous titania has been successfully synthesized by photodegradation removal of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as the surfactant, after slow hydrolyzation of titanium(IV) isopropoxide. Fourier transform infrared spectra proved that photodegradation has successfully decreased the peak areas of the alkyl groups from the template. The nitrogen adsorption analysis showed that the pore size and the specific surface area of the mesoporous titania were 3.7 nm and 203 m2 g-1, respectively, proving the mesoporosity of the titania obtained with the existence of the interparticle mesoporosity which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Based on X-ray diffraction results, the mesoporous titania obtained was in the form of crystalline anatase phase. Furthermore, results from the diffuse reflectance ultra violet-visible spectra showed that the composition of tetrahedral titanium(IV) was more than the octahedral titanium(IV). When the mesoporous titania obtained was used as a catalyst in the oxidation of styrene, an improvement in the conversion of styrene (38%) was observed when compared to those obtained using Degussa P25 TiO2 (14%) as the catalyst.

Synthesis of robust water-soluble ZnS:Mn/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jing; Zhuang, Jiaqi; Guan, Shaowei; Yang, Wensheng

2008-04-01

Water-soluble Mn doped ZnS (ZnS:Mn) nanocrystals synthesized by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as stabilizer were homogeneously coated with a dense silica shell through a multi-step procedure. First, 3-mercaptopropyl triethoxy silane (MPS) was used to replace MPA on the particle surface to form a vitreophilic layer for further silica deposition under optimal experimental conditions. Then a two-step silica deposition was performed to form the final water-soluble ZnS:Mn/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles. The as-prepared core/shell nanoparticles show little change in fluorescence intensity in a wide range of pH value.

Giant dielectric constant in titania nanoparticles embedded in conducting polymer matrix.

PubMed

Dey, Ashis; De, Sukanta; De, Amitabha; De, S K

2006-05-01

Complex impedance and dielectric permittivity of titania-polypyrrole nanocomposites have been investigated as a function of frequency and temperature at different compositions. A very large dielectric constant of about 13,000 at room temperature has been observed. The colossal dielectric constant is mainly dominated by interfacial polarization due to Maxwell-Wagner relaxation effect. Two completely separate groups of dielectric relaxation have been observed. The low frequency dielectric relaxation arises from surface defect states of titania nanoparticles. The broad peak at high frequency region is attributed to Maxwell-Wagner type polarization originating from the inhomogeneous property of nanocomposite. An abrupt change in grain boundary conductivity and dielectric relaxation associated with titania was observed at around 150 K. Anomalous behavior in conductivity and dielectric relaxation is qualitatively explained by band tail structure of titania nanoparticle.

Ultrasonic approach to the synthesis of HMX@TATB core-shell microparticles with improved mechanical sensitivity.

PubMed

Huang, Bing; Hao, Xiaofei; Zhang, Haobin; Yang, Zhijian; Ma, Zhigang; Li, Hongzhen; Nie, Fude; Huang, Hui

2014-07-01

To improve the safety of sensitive explosive HMX while maintaining explosion performance, a moderately powerful but insensitive explosive TATB was used to coat HMX microparticles via a facile ultrasonic method. By using Estane as surface modifier and nano-sized TATB as the shell layer, the HMX@TATB core-shell microparticles with a monodisperse size and compact shell structure were successfully constructed. Both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirmed the formation of perfect core-shell structured composites. Based on a systematic and comparative study of the effect of experimental conditions, a possible formation mechanism of core-shell structure was proposed in detail. Moreover, the perfect core-shell HMX@TATB microparticles exhibited a unique thermal behavior and significantly improved mechanical sensitivity compared with that of the physical mixture. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In Situ Generation of Two-Dimensional Au–Pt Core–Shell Nanoparticle Assemblies

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Two-dimensional assemblies of Au–Pt bimetallic nanoparticles are generated in situ on polyethyleneimmine (PEI) silane functionalized silicon and indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass surfaces. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV–Visible spectroscopy, and electrochemical measurements reveal the formation of core–shell structure with Au as core and Pt as shell. The core–shell structure is further supported by comparing with the corresponding data of Au nanoparticle assemblies. Static contact angle measurements with water show an increase in hydrophilic character due to bimetallic nanoparticle generation on different surfaces. It is further observed that these Au–Pt core–shell bimetallic nanoparticle assemblies are catalytically active towards methanol electro-oxidation, which is the key reaction for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). PMID:20651923

Biotin-decorated silica coated PbS nanocrystals emitting in the second biological near infrared window for bioimaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corricelli, M.; Depalo, N.; di Carlo, E.; Fanizza, E.; Laquintana, V.; Denora, N.; Agostiano, A.; Striccoli, M.; Curri, M. L.

2014-06-01

Nanoparticles (NPs) emitting in the second biological near infrared (NIR) window of the electromagnetic spectrum have been successfully synthesized by growing a silica shell on the hydrophobic surface of OLEA/TOP PbS nanocrystals (NCs), by means of a reverse microemulsion approach, and subsequently decorated with biotin molecules. The fabrication of very uniform and monodisperse NPs, formed of SiO2 shell coated single core PbS NCs, has been demonstrated by means of a set of complementary optical and structural techniques (Vis-NIR absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy) that have highlighted how experimental parameters, such as PbS NC and silica precursor concentration, are crucial to direct the morphology and optical properties of silica coated PbS NPs. Subsequently, the silica surface of the core-shell NPs has been grafted with amino groups, in order to achieve covalent binding of biotin to NIR emitting silica coated NPs. Finally the successful reaction with a green-fluorescent labelled streptavidin has verified the molecular recognition response of the biotin molecules decorating the PbS@SiO2 NP surface. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential techniques have been used to monitor the hydrodynamic diameter and colloidal stability of both PbS@SiO2 and biotin decorated NPs, showing their high colloidal stability in physiological media, as needed for biomedical applications. Remarkably the obtained biotinylated PbS@SiO2 NPs have been found to retain emission properties in the `second optical window' of the NIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum, thus representing attractive receptor-targeted NIR fluorescent probes for in vivo tumour imaging.Nanoparticles (NPs) emitting in the second biological near infrared (NIR) window of the electromagnetic spectrum have been successfully synthesized by growing a silica shell on the hydrophobic surface of OLEA/TOP PbS nanocrystals (NCs), by means of a reverse microemulsion approach, and subsequently decorated with biotin molecules. The fabrication of very uniform and monodisperse NPs, formed of SiO2 shell coated single core PbS NCs, has been demonstrated by means of a set of complementary optical and structural techniques (Vis-NIR absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy) that have highlighted how experimental parameters, such as PbS NC and silica precursor concentration, are crucial to direct the morphology and optical properties of silica coated PbS NPs. Subsequently, the silica surface of the core-shell NPs has been grafted with amino groups, in order to achieve covalent binding of biotin to NIR emitting silica coated NPs. Finally the successful reaction with a green-fluorescent labelled streptavidin has verified the molecular recognition response of the biotin molecules decorating the PbS@SiO2 NP surface. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential techniques have been used to monitor the hydrodynamic diameter and colloidal stability of both PbS@SiO2 and biotin decorated NPs, showing their high colloidal stability in physiological media, as needed for biomedical applications. Remarkably the obtained biotinylated PbS@SiO2 NPs have been found to retain emission properties in the `second optical window' of the NIR region of the electromagnetic spectrum, thus representing attractive receptor-targeted NIR fluorescent probes for in vivo tumour imaging. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Size statistical analysis of silanized PbS NPs, TLC plate showing the ninhydrin test results and a table summarizing the DH and ζ-potential values for the investigated samples. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr01025f

Biokinetics and effects of titania nano-material after inhalation and i.v. injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landsiedel, Robert; Fabian, Eric; Ma-Hock, Lan; Wiench, Karin; van Ravenzwaay, Bennard

2009-05-01

Within NanoSafe2 we developed a special inhalation model to investigate deposition of inhaled particles in the lung and the further distribution in the body after. Concurrently, the effects of the inhaled materials in the lung were examined. The results for nano-Titania were compared to results from inhalation studies with micron-sized (non-nano) Titania particles and to quartz particles (DQ12, known to be potent lung toxicants). To build a PBPK model for nano-Titania the tissue distribution of the material was also examined following intravenous (i.v.) administration.

Double-shelled silicon anode nanocomposite materials: A facile approach for stabilizing electrochemical performance via interface construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Lulu; Wen, Zhongsheng; Wang, Guanqin; Yang, Yan-E.

2018-04-01

The rapid capacity fading induced by volumetric changes is the main issue that hinders the widespread application of silicon anode materials. Thus, double-shelled silicon composite materials where lithium silicate was located between an Nb2O5 coating layer and a silicon active core were configured to overcome the chemical compatibility issues related to silicon and oxides. The proposed composites were prepared via a facile co-precipitation method combined with calcination. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that a transition layer of lithium silicate was constructed successfully, which effectively hindered the thermal inter-diffusion between the silicon and oxide coating layers during heat treatment. The electrochemical performance of the double-shelled silicon composites was enhanced dramatically with a retained specific capacity of 1030 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g-1 compared with 598 mAh g-1 for a core-shell Si@Nb2O5 composite that lacked the interface. The lithium silicate transition layer was shown to play an important role in maintaining the high electrochemical stability.

NO2 Gas Sensing Properties of Multiple Networked ZnGa2O4 Nanorods Coated with TiO2.

PubMed

An, Soyeon; Park, Sunghoon; Ko, Hyunsung; Jin, Changhyun; Lee, Chongmu

2015-01-01

The NO2 gas sensing properties of ZnGa2O4-TiO2 heterostructure nanorods was examined. ZnGa2O4-core/TiO2-shell nanorods were fabricated by the thermal evaporation of a mixture of Zn and GaN powders and the sputter deposition of TiO2. Multiple networked ZnGa2O4-core/TiO2-shell nanorod sensors showed the response of 876% at 10 ppm NO2 at 300 degrees C. This response value at 10 ppm NO2 is approximately 4 times larger than that of bare ZnGa2O4 nanorod sensors. The response values obtained by the ZnGa2O4-core/TiO2-shell nanorods in this study are more than 13 times higher than those obtained previously by the SnO2-core/ZnO-shell nanofibers at 5% NO2. The significant enhancement in the response of ZnGa2O4 nanorods to NO2 gas by coating them with TiO2 can be explained based on the space-charge model.

Sonochemical approach to the synthesis of Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2) core-shell nanoparticles with tunable properties.

PubMed

Morel, Anne-Laure; Nikitenko, Sergei I; Gionnet, Karine; Wattiaux, Alain; Lai-Kee-Him, Josephine; Labrugere, Christine; Chevalier, Bernard; Deleris, Gerard; Petibois, Cyril; Brisson, Alain; Simonoff, Monique

2008-05-01

In this study, we report a rapid sonochemical synthesis of monodisperse nonaggregated Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2) magnetic nanoparticles (NPs). We found that coprecipitation of Fe(II) and Fe(III) in aqueous solutions under the effect of power ultrasound yields smaller Fe(3)O(4) NPs with a narrow size distribution (4-8 nm) compared to the silent reaction. Moreover, the coating of Fe(3)O(4) NPs with silica using an alkaline hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate in ethanol-water mixture is accelerated many-fold in the presence of a 20 kHz ultrasonic field. The thickness of the silica shell can be easily controlled in the range of several nanometers during sonication. Mossbauer spectra revealed that nonsuperparamagnetic behavior of obtained core-shell NPs is mostly related to the dipole-dipole interactions of magnetic cores and not to the particle size effect. Core-shell Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2) NPs prepared with sonochemistry exhibit a higher magnetization value than that for NPs obtained under silent conditions owing to better control of the deposited silica quantities as well as to the high speed of sonochemical coating, which prevents the magnetite from oxidizing.

Ultrasound-induced capping of polystyrene on TiO2 nanoparticles by precipitation with compressed CO2 as antisolvent.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianling; Liu, Zhimin; Han, Buxing; Li, Junchun; Li, Zhonghao; Yang, Guanying

2005-06-01

In this work, a route for the synthesis of inorganic/polymer core/shell composite nanoparticles was proposed, which can be called the antisolvent-ultrasound method. Compressed CO2 was used as antisolvent to precipitate the polymer from its solution dispersed with inorganic nanoparticles, during which ultrasonic irradiation was used to induce the coating of precipitated polymers on the surfaces of the inorganic nanoparticles. TiO2/polystyrene (PS) core/shell nanocomposites have been successfully prepared using this method. The transmission electronic micrographs (TEM) of the obtained nanocomposites show that the TiO2 nanoparticles are coated by the PS shells, of which the thickness can be tuned by the pressure of CO2. The phase structure, absorption properties, and thermal stability of the composite were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis spectra, and thermogravimetry, respectively. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) indicate the formation of a strong interaction between PS and TiO2 nanoparticles in the resultant products. This method has some potential advantages for applications and may be easily applied to the preparation of a range of inorganic/polymer core/shell composite nanoparticles.

Spectroscopic characterization of the quantum wires in titanosilicates ETS-4 and ETS-10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, Bilge; Warzywoda, Juliusz; Sacco, Albert, Jr.

2006-08-01

Titanosilicates ETS-4 and ETS-10 contain octahedrally coordinated monatomic semiconductor \\cdots \\mathrm {Ti} -O-Ti-O-\\mathrm {Ti}\\cdots (titania) chains in their frameworks. Titania chains are isolated from one another by a siliceous matrix. Thus, these chains can be regarded as one-dimensional nanostructures, i.e., 'quantum wires'. Diffuse reflectance UV-vis (DR-UV-vis) spectroscopy analysis demonstrated a significant blue-shift of the optical absorption edge (>60 nm) for both ETS-4 and ETS-10 compared to bulk titania. This blue-shift is consistent with the hypothesis that the titania chains in ETS-4 and ETS-10 are acting as quantum wires. A broad range of ETS-4 and ETS-10 samples with diverse crystallo-chemical characteristics was prepared. The DR-UV-vis and Raman spectra of various ETS-4 and ETS-10 samples exhibited different characteristics, which were hypothesized to be related to the titania chain 'quality'. Detailed investigation of the spectroscopic bands associated with the titania chains in ETS-4 was performed for the first time. The 'quality' of these titania chains/quantum wires in ETS-4 and ETS-10 was correlated with the crystal growth mechanisms of these materials. Comparison of the growth mechanisms and the spectroscopic behaviour for ETS-4 and ETS-10 suggests that the control of 'quantum wire quality' via hydrothermal synthesis is possible in ETS-4 but would be difficult in ETS-10.

Formation and characterization of high surface area thermally stabilized titania/silica composite materials via hydrolysis of titanium(IV) tetra-isopropoxide in sols of spherical silica particles.

PubMed

Khalil, Kamal M S; Elsamahy, Ahmed A; Elanany, Mohamed S

2002-05-15

A direct synthetic route leading to titania particles dispersed on nonporous spherical silica particles has been investigated; 5, 10, and 20% (w/w) titania/silica sols mixtures were achieved via hydrolyzation of titanium tetra-isopropxide solution in the mother liquor of a freshly prepared sol of spherical silica particles (Stöber particles). Titania/silica materials were produced by subsequent drying and calcination of the xerogels so obtained for 3 h at 400 and 600 degrees C. The materials were investigated by means of thermal analyses (TGA and DSC), FT-IR, N(2) gas adsorption-desorption, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In spite of the low surface area (13.1 m(2)/g) of the pure spherical silica particles calcined at 400 degrees C, high surface area and mesoporous texture titania/silica materials were obtained (e.g., S(BET) ca. 293 m(2)/g for the 10% titania/silica calcined at 400 degrees C). Moreover, the materials were shown to be amorphous toward XRD up to 600 degrees C, while reasonable surface areas were preserved. It has been concluded that dispersion of titania particles onto the surface of the nonporous spherical silica particles increase their roughness, therefore leading to composite materials of less firm packing and mesoporosity.

Dispersed-nanoparticle loading synthesis for monodisperse Au-titania composite particles and their crystallization for highly active UV and visible photocatalysts.

PubMed

Sakamoto, Takeshi; Nagao, Daisuke; Noba, Masahiro; Ishii, Haruyuki; Konno, Mikio

2014-06-24

Submicrometer-sized amorphous titania spheres incorporating Au nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in a one-pot synthesis consisting of a sol-gel reaction of titanium(IV) isopropoxide in the presence of chloroauric acid and a successive reduction with sodium borohydride in a mixed solvent of ethanol/acetonitrile. The synthesis was allowed to prepare monodisperse titania spheres that homogeneously incorporated Au NPs with sizes of ca. 7 nm. The Au NP-loaded titania spheres underwent different crystallization processes, including 500 °C calcination in air, high-temperature hydrothermal treatment (HHT), and/or low-temperature hydrothermal treatment (LHT). Photocatalytic experiments were conducted with the Au NP-loaded crystalline titania spheres under irradiation of UV and visible light. A combined process of LHT at 80 °C followed by calcination at 500 °C could effectively crystallize titania spheres maintaining the dispersion state of Au NPs, which led to photocatalytic activity higher than that of commercial P25 under UV irradiation. Under visible light irradiation, the Au NP-titania spheres prepared with a crystallization process of LHT at 80 °C for 6 h showed photocatalytic activity much higher than a commercial product of visible light photocatalyst. Structure analysis of the visible light photocatalysts indicates the importance of prevention of the Au NPs aggregation in the crystallization processes for enhancement of photocatalytic activity.

Enhanced stability of catalase covalently immobilized on functionalized titania submicrospheres.

PubMed

Wu, Hong; Liang, Yanpeng; Shi, Jiafu; Wang, Xiaoli; Yang, Dong; Jiang, Zhongyi

2013-04-01

In this study, a novel approach combing the chelation and covalent binding was explored for facile and efficient enzyme immobilization. The unique capability of titania to chelate with catecholic derivatives at ambient conditions was utilized for titania surface functionalization. The functionalized titania was then used for enzyme immobilization. Titania submicrospheres (500-600 nm) were synthesized by a modified sol-gel method and functionalized with carboxylic acid groups through a facile chelation method by using 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) propionic acid as the chelating agent. Then, catalase (CAT) was covalently immobilized on these functionalized titania submicrospheres through 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) coupling reaction. The immobilized CAT retained 65% of its free form activity with a loading capacity of 100-150 mg/g titania. The pH stability, thermostability, recycling stability and storage stability of the immobilized CAT were evaluated. A remarkable enhancement in enzyme stability was achieved. The immobilized CAT retained 90% and 76% of its initial activity after 10 and 16 successive cycles of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, respectively. Both the Km and the Vmax values of the immobilized CAT (27.4 mM, 13.36 mM/min) were close to those of the free CAT (25.7 mM, 13.46 mM/min). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) coated iron nanoparticles in polar aprotic solvent.

PubMed

Ban, Zhihui; Cushing, Brian L; O'Connor, Charles J

2008-04-01

Poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) coated iron nanoparticles which show well-defined core-shell structures have been successfully synthesized in a polar aprotic solvent. In this approach, PVP was employed not as capping agent, but as coating polymer directly applied to the metallic (iron) core nanoparticles. The morphologies, structures, compositions and magnetic properties of the products were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), SQUID magnetometry and FTIR spectroscopy.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants by magnetically recoverable nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalysts under visible light irradiation.

PubMed

Hamzezadeh-Nakhjavani, Sahar; Tavakoli, Omid; Akhlaghi, Seyed Parham; Salehi, Zeinab; Esmailnejad-Ahranjani, Parvaneh; Arpanaei, Ayyoob

2015-12-01

Preparation of novel nanocomposite particles (NCPs) with high visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity and possessing recovery potential after advanced oxidation process (AOP) is much desired. In this study, pure anatase phase titania (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) as well as three types of NCPs including nitrogen-doped titania (TiO2-N), titania-coated magnetic silica (Fe3O4 cluster@SiO2@TiO2 (FST)), and a novel magnetically recoverable TiO2 nanocomposite photocatalyst containing nitrogen element (Fe3O4 cluster@SiO2@TiO2-N (FST-N)) were successfully synthesized via a sol-gel process. The photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) with an energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The photocatalytic activity of as-prepared samples was further investigated and compared with each other by degradation of phenol, as a model for the organic pollutants, in deionized (DI) water under visible light irradiation. The TiO2-N (55 ± 1.5%) and FST-N (46 ± 1.5%) samples exhibited efficient photocatalytic activity in terms of phenol degradation under visible light irradiation, while undoped samples were almost inactive under same operating conditions. Moreover, the effects of key operational parameters, the optimum sample calcination temperature, and reusability of FST-N NCPs were evaluated. Under optimum conditions (calcination temperature of 400 °C and near-neutral reaction medium), the obtained results revealed efficient degradation of phenol for FST-N NCPs under visible light irradiation (46 ± 1.5%), high yield magnetic separation and efficient reusability of FST-N NCPs (88.88% of its initial value) over 10 times reuse.

Blackbody Cavity for Calibrations at 200 to 273 K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howell, Dane; Ryan, Robert; Ryan, Jim; Henderson, Doug; Clayton, Larry

2004-01-01

A laboratory blackbody cavity has been designed and built for calibrating infrared radiometers used to measure radiant temperatures in the range from about 200 to about 273 K. In this below-room-temperature range, scattering of background infrared radiation from room-temperature surfaces could, potentially, contribute significantly to the spectral radiance of the blackbody cavity, thereby contributing a significant error to the radiant temperature used as the calibration value. The present blackbody cavity is of an established type in which multiple reflections from a combination of conical and cylindrical black-coated walls are exploited to obtain an effective emissivity greater than the emissivity value of the coating material on a flat exposed surface. The coating material in this case is a flat black paint that has an emissivity of approximately of 0.91 in the thermal spectral range and was selected over other, higher-emissivity materials because of its ability to withstand thermal cycling. We found many black coatings cracked and flaked after thermal cycling due to differences in the coefficient of expansion differences. On the basis of theoretical calculations, the effective emissivity is expected to approach 0.999. The cylindrical/conical shell enclosing the cavity is machined from copper, which is chosen for its high thermal conductivity. In use, the shell is oriented vertically, open end facing up, and inserted in a Dewar flask filled with isopropyl alcohol/dry-ice slush. A flange at the open end of the shell is supported by a thermally insulating ring on the lip of the Dewar flask. The slush cools the shell (and thus the black-body cavity) to the desired temperature. Typically, the slush starts at a temperature of about 194 K. The slush is stirred and warmed by bubbling dry air or nitrogen through it, thereby gradually increasing the temperature through the aforementioned calibration range during an interval of several hours. The temperature of the slush is monitored by use of a precise thermocouple probe.

Effects of morphology on the radiative properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols with different aging status.

PubMed

Cheng, Tianhai; Wu, Yu; Chen, Hao

2014-06-30

Light absorbing carbon aerosols play a substantial role in climate change through radiative forcing, which is the dominant absorber of solar radiation. Radiative properties of light absorbing carbon aerosols are strongly dependent on the morphological factors and the mixing mechanism of black carbon with other aerosol components. This study focuses on the morphological effects on the optical properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols using the numerically exact superposition T-matrix method. Three types aerosols with different aging status such as freshly emitted BC particles, thinly coated light absorbing carbon aerosols, heavily coated light absorbing carbon aerosols are studied. Our study showed that morphological factors change with the aging of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols to result in a dramatic change in their optical properties. The absorption properties of light absorbing carbon aerosols can be enhanced approximately a factor of 2 at 0.67 um, and these enhancements depend on the morphological factors. A larger shell/core diameter ratio of volume-equivalent shell-core spheres (S/C), which indicates the degree of coating, leads to stronger absorption. The enhancement of absorption properties accompanies a greater enhancement of scattering properties, which is reflected in an increase in single scattering albedo (SSA). The enhancement of single scattering albedo due to the morphological effects can reach a factor of 3.75 at 0.67 μm. The asymmetry parameter has a similar yet smaller enhancement. Moreover, the corresponding optical properties of shell-and-core model determined by using Lorenz -Mie solutions are presented for comparison. We found that the optical properties of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosol can differ fundamentally from those calculated for the Mie theory shell-and-core model, particularly for thinly coated light absorbing carbon aerosols. Our studies indicate that the complex morphology of internally mixed light absorbing carbon aerosols must be explicitly considered in climate radiation balance.

Heat resistant protective hand covering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sidman, K. R.; Arons, I. J. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

The heat resistant, protective glove is made up of first and second shell sections which define a palm side and a backside, respectively. The first shell section is made of a twill wave fabric of a temperature-resistant aromatic polyamide fiber. The second shell section is made of a knitted fabric of a temperature-resistant aromatic polyamide fiber. The first and second shell sections are secured to one another, e.g., by sewing, to provide the desired glove configuration and an opening for insertion of the wearer's hand. The protective glove also includes a first liner section which is secured to and overlies the inner surface of the first shell section and is made of a felt fabric of a temperature-resistant aromatic polyamide fiber and has a flame resistant, elastomenic coating on the surface facing and overlying the inner surface of the first shell section.

Enhanced linear photonic nanojet generated by core-shell optical microfibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Cheng-Yang; Yen, Tzu-Ping; Chen, Chien-Wen

2017-05-01

The generation of linear photonic nanojet using core-shell optical microfiber is demonstrated numerically and experimentally in the visible light region. The power flow patterns for the core-shell optical microfiber are calculated by using the finite-difference time-domain method. The focusing properties of linear photonic nanojet are evaluated in terms of length and width along propagation and transversal directions. In experiment, the silica optical fiber is etched chemically down to 6 μm diameter and coated with metallic thin film by using glancing angle deposition. We show that the linear photonic nanojet is enhanced clearly by metallic shell due to surface plasmon polaritons. The large-area superresolution imaging can be performed by using a core-shell optical microfiber in the far-field system. The potential applications of this core-shell optical microfiber include micro-fluidics and nano-structure measurements.

Deposition of conductive TiN shells on SiO2 nanoparticles with a fluidized bed ALD reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Didden, Arjen; Hillebrand, Philipp; Wollgarten, Markus; Dam, Bernard; van de Krol, Roel

2016-02-01

Conductive TiN shells have been deposited on SiO2 nanoparticles (10-20 nm primary particle size) with fluidized bed atomic layer deposition using TDMAT and NH3 as precursors. Analysis of the powders confirms that shell growth saturates at approximately 0.4 nm/cycle at TDMAT doses of >1.2 mmol/g of powder. TEM and XPS analysis showed that all particles were coated with homogeneous shells containing titanium. Due to the large specific surface area of the nanoparticles, the TiN shells rapidly oxidize upon exposure to air. Electrical measurements show that the partially oxidized shells are conducting, with apparent resistivity of approximately 11 kΩ cm. The resistivity of the powders is strongly influenced by the NH3 dose, with a smaller dose giving an order-of-magnitude higher resistivity.

Mammalian Cell Interactions with Nanophase Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

alumina , titania and hydroxylapatite) as well as on composites of these ceramics with either poly(L-lactic) acid or poly(methyl) methacrylate. Most...osteoblasts on flat, nanophase (versus microphase/conventional) ceramics ( alumina , titania and hydroxylapatite) as a function of decreasing ceramic grain size...acid (PLA) and nanophase (but not on polymer/conventional) ceramics ( alumina , titania and hydroxylapatite) composites [4]. Specifically, osteoblast

Synthesis and magnetic property of T4 virus-supported gold-coated iron ternary nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ziming; Sun, Hongjing; Gao, Faming; Hou, Li; Li, Na

2012-12-01

Herein, we present a novel method based on the use of the symmetrical T4 bacteriophage capsid as a scaffold for preparing the gold-coated iron ternary core/shell nanostructure. Results showed that the thick gold shell was obtained to effectively protect Fe core from oxidation. Magnetic measurements showed that the nanocomposites were superparamagnetic at room temperature with a blocking temperature of about 35 K. At 3 K, its coercivity of 1142.86 Oe was larger than the existing experimental values. The magnetic property of Au/T4 was also tested, demonstrating the source of the magnetic sample arising from the Fe core only. The absorption spectrum of the Fe@Au/T4 complex was measured and compared with gold/virus. Different thickness gold shells were controlled in the synthesis by tuning the Au salt addition. On the basis of results and discussion, we further speculated the general growing mechanism of the template-supported Fe@Au process.

Enhanced electrochemical performance of sulfur/polyacrylonitrile composite by carbon coating for lithium/sulfur batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Huifen; Wang, Xiaoran; Zhao, Yan; Tan, Taizhe; Mentbayeva, Almagul; Bakenov, Zhumabay; Zhang, Yongguang

2017-10-01

A carbon-coated sulfur/polyacrylonitrile (C@S/PAN) core-shell structured composite is successfully prepared via a novel solution processing method. The sulfur/polyacrylonitrile (S/PAN) core particle has a diameter of 100 nm, whereas the carbon shell is about 2 nm thick. The as-prepared C@S/PAN composite shows outstanding electrochemical performance in lithium/sulfur (Li/S) batteries delivering a high initial discharge capacity of 1416 mAh g-1. Furthermore, it exhibits 89% retention of the initial reversible capacity over 200 cycles at a constant current rate of 0.1 C. The improved performance contributed by the unique composition and the core-shell structure, wherein carbon matrix can also withstand the volume change of sulfur during the process of charging and discharging as well as provide channels for electron transport. In addition, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix suppresses the shuttle effect by the covalent bonding between sulfur (S) and carbon (C) in the PAN matrix. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Preparation and characterization of chondroitin-sulfate-A-coated magnetite nanoparticles for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, Ildikó Y.; Illés, Erzsébet; Szekeres, Márta; Tombácz, Etelka

2015-04-01

Polysaccharides are promising candidates for manufacturing biocompatible core-shell nanoparticles with potential in vivo use. Superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) have prospective application in both diagnosis and therapy, and so developing a novel polysaccharide shell on MNP core is of great challenge. MNPs were prepared by co-precipitation, then the surface of purified MNPs was coated with chondroitin-sulfate-A (CSA) to obtain core-shell structured magnetite nanoparticles (CSA@MNP). The effect of the added amount of CSA on the surface charging and the aggregation state of MNPs at various pHs and 10 mM NaCl was measured by electrophoresis and dynamic light scattering. The amphoteric behavior of MNPs was fundamentally modified by adsorption of CSA polyanions. A very low CSA-loading induces the aggregation of MNPs, while four times more stabilizes the dispersions over the whole pH-range studied. The coagulation kinetics experiments measured at pH=6.3±0.3 showed that salt tolerance of CSA@MNPs rises up to ~150 mM NaCl.

Silica-Coated Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles in Action.

PubMed

Hanske, Christoph; Sanz-Ortiz, Marta N; Liz-Marzán, Luis M

2018-05-07

Hybrid colloids consisting of noble metal cores and metal oxide shells have been under intense investigation for over two decades and have driven progress in diverse research lines including sensing, medicine, catalysis, and photovoltaics. Consequently, plasmonic core-shell particles have come to play a vital role in a plethora of applications. Here, an overview is provided of recent developments in the design and utilization of the most successful class of such hybrid materials, silica-coated plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Besides summarizing common simple approaches to silica shell growth, special emphasis is put on advanced synthesis routes that either overcome typical limitations of classical methods, such as stability issues and undefined silica porosity, or grant access to particularly sophisticated nanostructures. Hereby, a description is given, how different types of silica can be used to provide noble metal particles with specific functionalities. Finally, applications of such nanocomposites in ultrasensitive analyte detection, theranostics, catalysts, and thin-film solar cells are reviewed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Surface plasmon resonance enhanced light absorption and wavelength tuneable in gold-coated iron oxide spherical nanoparticle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dasri, Thananchai; Chingsungnoen, Artit

2018-06-01

Surface plasmon in nano-sized particles, such as gold, silver, copper and their composites, has recently attracted a great deal of attention due to its possible uses in many applications, especially in life sciences. It is desirable for application devices with a tenability of surface plasmon wavelength and optical properties enhancement. This article presents enhanced optical light absorption and tunable wavelength in gold-coated magnetite (Fe3O4@Au core-shell) nanoparticles embedded in water using the theoretical method of discrete dipole approximation (DDA). The absorption spectra in the wavelengths from 350 to 900 nm were found to be the spectra obtained from Fe3O4@Au core-shell nanoparticles, and when compared with pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles, the surface plasmon resonance can be enhanced and tuned over the entire visible spectrum (viz. 350-800 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum by varying the Au shell thickness (2-5 nm). Similarly, the Faraday rotation spectra can also be obtained.

Fabrication of Cu-Ag core-shell bimetallic superfine powders by eco-friendly reagents and structures characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jun; Zhang, Dongming; Zhao, Jie

2011-09-01

Superfine bimetallic Cu-Ag core-shell powders were synthesized by reduction of copper sulfate pentahydrate and silver nitrate with eco-friendly ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and cyclodextrins as a protective agent in an aqueous system. The influence of Ag/Cu ratio on coatings was investigated. Ag was homogeneously distributed on the surface of Cu particles at a mole ratio of Ag/Cu=1. FE-SEM showed an uniformity of Ag coatings on Cu particles. Antioxidation of Cu particles was improved by increasing Ag/Cu ratio. TEM-EDX and UV-vis spectra also revealed that Cu cores were covered by Ag nanoshells on the whole. The surface composition analysis by XPS indicated that only small parts of Cu atoms in the surface were oxidized. It was noted that the hindrance of cyclodextrins chemisorbed on particles plays an important role in forming high quality and good dispersity Cu-Ag (Cu@Ag) core-shell powders.

Tribological characteristics of a composite total-surface hip replacement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. R., Jr.; Roberts, J. C.; Ling, F. F.

1982-01-01

Continuous fiber, woven E glass composite femoral shells having the same elastic properties as bone were fabricated. The shells were then encrusted with filled epoxy wear resistant coatings and run dry against ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene acetabular cups in 42,000 and 250,000 cycle wear tests on a total hip simulator. The tribological characteristics of these continuous fiber particulate composite femoral shells articulating with ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene acetabular cups were comparable to those of a vitallium ball articulating with an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene acetabular cup.

PLGA/polymeric liposome for targeted drug and gene co-delivery.

PubMed

Wang, Hanjie; Zhao, Peiqi; Su, Wenya; Wang, Sheng; Liao, Zhenyu; Niu, Ruifang; Chang, Jin

2010-11-01

Chemotherapy is one of the most effective approaches to treat cancers in the clinic, but the problems, such as multidrug resistance (MDR), low bioavailability and toxicity, severely constrain the further application of chemotherapy. Our group recently reported that cationic PLGA/folate coated PEGlated polymeric liposome core-shell nanoparticles (PLGA/FPL NPs). It was self-assembled from a hydrophobic PLGA core and a hydrophilic folate coated PEGlated lipid shell for targeting co-delivery of drug and gene. Hydrophobic drugs can be incorporated into the core and the cationic shell of the drug-loaded nanoparticles can be used to bind DNA. The drug-loaded PLGA/FPL NPs/DNA complexes offer advantages to overcome these problems mentioned above, such as co-delivery of drugs and DNA to improving the chemosensitivity of cancer cells at a gene level, and targeting delivery of drug to the cancer tissue that enhance the bioavailability and reduce the toxicity. The experiment showed that nanoparticles have core-shell structure with nanosize, sustained drug release profile and good DNA-binding ability. Importantly, the core-shell nanoparticles achieve the possibility of co-delivering drugs and genes to the same cells with high gene transfection and drug delivery efficiency. Our data suggest that the PLGA/FPL NPs may be a useful drug and gene co-delivery system. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical defect formation in few layer graphene-like carbon on metals: influence of temperature, acidity, and chemical functionalization.

PubMed

Schumacher, Christoph M; Grass, Robert N; Rossier, Michael; Athanassiou, Evagelos K; Stark, Wendelin J

2012-03-06

A systematical examination of the chemical stability of cobalt metal nanomagnets with a graphene-like carbon coating is used to study the otherwise rather elusive formation of nanometer-sized physical defects in few layer graphene as a result of acid treatments. We therefore first exposed the core-shell nanomaterial to well-controlled solutions of altering acidity and temperature. The release of cobalt into these solutions over time offered a simple tool to monitor the progress of particle degradation. The results suggested that the oxidative damage of the graphene-like coatings was the rate-limiting step during particle degradation since only fully intact or entirely emptied carbon shells were found after the experiments. If ionic noble metal species were additionally present in the acidic solutions, the noble metal was found to reduce on the surface of specific, defective particles. The altered electrochemical gradients across the carbon shells were however not found to lead to a faster release of cobalt from the particles. The suggested mechanistic insight was further confirmed by the covalent chemical functionalization of the particle surface with chemically inert aryl species, which leads to an additional thickening of the shells. This leads to reduced cobalt release rates as well as slower noble metal reduction rates depending on the augmentation of the shell thickness.

Synthesis and functionalization of NaGdF4:Yb,Er@NaGdF4 core-shell nanoparticles for possible application as multimodal contrast agents.

PubMed

Baziulyte-Paulaviciene, Dovile; Karabanovas, Vitalijus; Stasys, Marius; Jarockyte, Greta; Poderys, Vilius; Sakirzanovas, Simas; Rotomskis, Ricardas

2017-01-01

Upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising, new imaging probes capable of serving as multimodal contrast agents. In this study, monodisperse and ultrasmall core and core-shell UCNPs were synthesized via a thermal decomposition method. Furthermore, it was shown that the epitaxial growth of a NaGdF 4 optical inert layer covering the NaGdF 4 :Yb,Er core effectively minimizes surface quenching due to the spatial isolation of the core from the surroundings. The mean diameter of the synthesized core and core-shell nanoparticles was ≈8 and ≈16 nm, respectively. Hydrophobic UCNPs were converted into hydrophilic ones using a nonionic surfactant Tween 80. The successful coating of the UCNPs by Tween 80 has been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) spectra and magnetic resonance (MR) T1 relaxation measurements were used to characterize the size, crystal structure, optical and magnetic properties of the core and core-shell nanoparticles. Moreover, Tween 80-coated core-shell nanoparticles presented enhanced optical and MR signal intensity, good colloidal stability, low cytotoxicity and nonspecific internalization into two different breast cancer cell lines, which indicates that these nanoparticles could be applied as an efficient, dual-modal contrast probe for in vivo bioimaging.

Dynamic Diffraction Studies on the Crystallization, Phase Transformation, and Activation Energies in Anodized Titania Nanotubes.

PubMed

Albetran, Hani; Vega, Victor; Prida, Victor M; Low, It-Meng

2018-02-23

The influence of calcination time on the phase transformation and crystallization kinetics of anodized titania nanotube arrays was studied using in-situ isothermal and non-isothermal synchrotron radiation diffraction from room temperature to 900 °C. Anatase first crystallized at 400 °C, while rutile crystallized at 550 °C. Isothermal heating of the anodized titania nanotubes by an increase in the calcination time at 400, 450, 500, 550, 600, and 650 °C resulted in a slight reduction in anatase abundance, but an increase in the abundance of rutile because of an anatase-to-rutile transformation. The Avrami equation was used to model the titania crystallization mechanism and the Arrhenius equation was used to estimate the activation energies of the titania phase transformation. Activation energies of 22 (10) kJ/mol for the titanium-to-anatase transformation, and 207 (17) kJ/mol for the anatase-to-rutile transformation were estimated.

Novelties of combustion synthesized titania ultrafiltration membrane in efficient removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous effluent.

PubMed

Doke, Suresh M; Yadav, Ganapati D

2014-12-01

In this study, titania nanoparticles were synthesized by combustion and used to make ultrafiltration membrane. Characteristics of titania membranes such as textural evaluation, surface morphology, pure water permeability and protein rejection were investigated. Titania membrane sintered at 450 °C showed pure water permeability 11 × 10−2 L h−1 m−2 kPa−1 and 76% protein rejection. The membrane presented good water flux and retention properties with regards to protein and methylene blue dye. Ultrafiltration process was operated at lower pressure (100 kPa) and showed 99% removal of methylene blue using adsorptive micellar flocculation at sodium dodecyl sulfate concentration below its critical micellar concentration. Ferric chloride was used as the coagulant. The method of making titania membrane and its use are new. These studies can be extended to other dyes and pollutants.

Microstructure, crystallization and shape memory behavior of titania and yttria co-doped zirconia

DOE PAGES

Zeng, Xiao Mei; Du, Zehui; Schuh, Christopher A.; ...

2015-12-17

Small volume zirconia ceramics with few or no grain boundaries have been demonstrated recently to exhibit the shape memory effect. To explore the shape memory properties of yttria doped zirconia (YDZ), it is desirable to develop large, microscale grains, instead of submicron grains that result from typical processing of YDZ. In this paper, we have successfully produced single crystal micro-pillars from microscale grains encouraged by the addition of titania during processing. Titania has been doped into YDZ ceramics and its effect on the grain growth, crystallization and microscale elemental distribution of the ceramics have been systematically studied. With 5 mol%more » titania doping, the grain size can be increased up to ~4 μm, while retaining a large quantity of the desired tetragonal phase of zirconia. Finally, micro-pillars machined from tetragonal grains exhibit the expected shape memory effects where pillars made from titania-free YDZ would not.« less

Macrostructure-dependent photocatalytic property of high-surface-area porous titania films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, T.

2014-11-01

Porous titania films with different macrostructures were prepared with precise control of condensation degree and density of the oxide frameworks in the presence of spherical aggregates of polystyrene-block-poly(oxyethylene) (PS-b-PEO) diblock copolymer. Following detailed explanation of the formation mechanisms of three (reticular, spherical, and large spherical) macrostructures by the colloidal PS-b-PEO templating, structural variation of the titania frameworks during calcination were investigated by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Then, photocatalytic performance of the macroporous titania films was evaluated through simple degradation experiments of methylene blue under an UV irradiation. Consequently, absolute surface area of the film and crystallinity of the titania frameworks were important for understanding the photocatalytic performance, but the catalytic performance can be improved further by the macrostructural design that controls diffusivity of the targeted molecules inside the film and their accessibility to active sites.

Nanoscale semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell heterostructures: facile synthesis and light emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gong Ping; Chen, Rui; Guo, Dong Lai; Wong, Lai Mun; Wang, Shi Jie; Sun, Han Dong; Wu, Tom

2011-08-01

Controllably constructing hierarchical nanostructures with distinct components and designed architectures is an important theme of research in nanoscience, entailing novel but reliable approaches of bottom-up synthesis. Here, we report a facile method to reproducibly create semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell nanostructures, which involves first coating uniform MgO shells onto metal oxide nanostructures in solution and then decorating them with Au nanoparticles. The semiconductor nanowire core can be almost any material and, herein, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3 are used as examples. We also show that linear chains of short ZnO nanorods embedded in MgO nanotubes and porous MgO nanotubes can be obtained by taking advantage of the reduced thermal stability of the ZnO core. Furthermore, after MgO shell-coating and the appropriate annealing treatment, the intensity of the ZnO near-band-edge UV emission becomes much stronger, showing a 25-fold enhancement. The intensity ratio of the UV/visible emission can be increased further by decorating the surface of the ZnO/MgO nanowires with high-density plasmonic Au nanoparticles. These heterostructured semiconductor-insulator-metal nanowires with tailored morphologies and enhanced functionalities have great potential for use as nanoscale building blocks in photonic and electronic applications.Controllably constructing hierarchical nanostructures with distinct components and designed architectures is an important theme of research in nanoscience, entailing novel but reliable approaches of bottom-up synthesis. Here, we report a facile method to reproducibly create semiconductor-insulator-metal core/shell nanostructures, which involves first coating uniform MgO shells onto metal oxide nanostructures in solution and then decorating them with Au nanoparticles. The semiconductor nanowire core can be almost any material and, herein, ZnO, SnO2 and In2O3 are used as examples. We also show that linear chains of short ZnO nanorods embedded in MgO nanotubes and porous MgO nanotubes can be obtained by taking advantage of the reduced thermal stability of the ZnO core. Furthermore, after MgO shell-coating and the appropriate annealing treatment, the intensity of the ZnO near-band-edge UV emission becomes much stronger, showing a 25-fold enhancement. The intensity ratio of the UV/visible emission can be increased further by decorating the surface of the ZnO/MgO nanowires with high-density plasmonic Au nanoparticles. These heterostructured semiconductor-insulator-metal nanowires with tailored morphologies and enhanced functionalities have great potential for use as nanoscale building blocks in photonic and electronic applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Representative SEM and TEM images of 700 °C annealed ZnO/MgO core/shell NWs, a TEM image of an individual MgO nanocrystal inside the MgO NTs and SEM images of SnO2 NP chains embedded in MgO NTs and comb-shaped MgO hollow nanostructures. See DOI: 10.1039/c1nr10352k

Nanostructured Ag+-substituted fluorhydroxyapatite-TiO2 coatings for enhanced bactericidal effects and osteoinductivity of Ti for biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Chang, Xiaotong; Wang, Zhenhui; Zhang, Xuejiao; Han, Shuguang; Su, Zhuobin; Yang, Hejie; Yang, Dongdong; Zhang, Xiaojun

2018-01-01

Background Poor mechanical properties, undesirable fast dissolution rate, and lack of antibacterial activity limit the application of hydroxyapatite (HA) as an implant coating material. To overcome these limitations, a hybrid coating of Ag+-substituted fluorhydroxyapatite and titania nanotube (TNT) was prepared. Methods The incorporation of silver into the HA-TiO2 hybrid coating improves its antimicrobial properties. The addition of F as a second binary element increases the structural stability of the coating. The TNT/F-and-Ag-substituted HA (FAgHA) bilayer coating on the Ti substrate was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Results The results indicate that the FAgHA/TNT nanocomposite coating has a dense and uniform morphology with a nano-rod-like structure. The solubility measurement result shows that the substitution of F− ions into the AgHA structure has a positive effect on the dissolution resistance of HA. The adhesion strength of FAgHA/TNT has significantly increased because of the interlocking of the roughened surface with nano-rod-like particles that entered into the voids of the TiO2 nanotubes. Compared with that of the bare Ti, the corrosion current density of FAgHA/TNT-coated Ti substrate decreased from 3.71 to 0.18 μA, and its corrosion resistance increased by almost two orders of magnitude. Moreover, despite pure HA, the FAgHA killed all viable Staphylococcus aureus after 24 hours of incubation. Although the fabricated FAgHA/TNT coating is hydrophobic, it induced deposition of the typical spherical apatite when immersed in a simulated body fluid (SBF); the osteoblasts spread very well on the surface of the coating. In addition, in vitro cell culture tests demonstrated cell viability and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) similar to pure HA, which indicated good cytocompatibility. Interestingly, compared with bare Ti, FAgHA/TNT-coated Ti surface was innocent for cell vitality and even more beneficial for cell osteogenesis in vitro. Conclusion Enhancing the osseointegration and preventing infection in implants, the FAgHA/TNT-coated Ti makes implants more successful. PMID:29760549

Calcium hydroxide coating on highly reactive nanoscale zero-valent iron for in situ remediation application.

PubMed

Wei, Cai-Jie; Xie, Yue-Feng; Wang, Xiao-Mao; Li, Xiao-Yan

2018-05-23

Nano scale zero-valent iron (nZVI), a promising engineering technology for in situ remediation, has been greatly limited by quick self-corrosion and low mobility in porous media. Highly reactive nZVI particles produced from the borohydride reduction method were enclosed in a releasable Ca(OH) 2 layer by the chemical deposition method. The amount of Ca(OH) 2 coated on nZVI surface were well controlled by the precursor dosage. At moderate Ca(OH) 2 dosage (R Ca/TFe  = 0.25) condition, the increment of Fe 0 content for the obtained nZVI/Ca-0.25 sample was observed. The interfacial reactions between the iron oxide shell and the Ca(OH) 2 saturated environment were delicately elucidated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) spectrum. And the coverage of Ca(OH) 2 shell on spherical nZVI surface was found more complete and uniform for the nZVI/Ca sample obtained from the moderate precursor dosage condition (R Ca/TFe  = 0.25). The Ca(OH) 2 shell before dissolution was demonstrated owning the anti-corrosion capability to slow down the oxidation of Fe 0 core in air, during ethanol storage and in aqueous environment. The mechanism of anti-corrosion capability for nZVI/Ca-0.25 particle was interestingly found to be attributed to the Ca(OH) 2 shell isolation and also be potentially due to the iron oxide shell phase transformation mediated by the outer Ca(OH) 2 shell. An improved trichloroethylene reduction performance was observed for nZVI/Ca-0.25 than bare nZVI. The mobility of nZVI/Ca particles in water-saturated porous media was moderately improved before shell dissolution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Facile morphology-controlled synthesis of nickel-coated graphite core-shell particles for excellent conducting performance of polymer-matrix composites and enhanced catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bian, Juan; Lan, Fang; Wang, Yilong; Ren, Ke; Zhao, Suling; Li, Wei; Chen, Zhihong; Li, Jiangyu; Guan, Jianguo

2018-04-01

We have developed a novel seed-mediated growth method to fabricate nickel-coated graphite composite particles (GP@Ni-CPs) with controllable shell morphology by simply adjusting the concentration of sodium hydroxide ([NaOH]). The fabrication of two kinds of typical GP@Ni-CPs includes adsorption of Ni2+ via electrostatic attraction, sufficient heterogeneous nucleation of Ni atoms by an in situ reduction, and shell-controlled growth by regulating the kinetics of electroless Ni plating in turn. High [NaOH] results in fast kinetics of electroless plating, which causes heterogeneous nuclei to grow isotropically. After fast and uniform growth of Ni nuclei, GP@Ni-CPs with dense shells can be achieved. The first typical GP@Ni-CPs exhibit denser shells, smaller diameters and higher conductivities than the available commercial ones, indicating their important applications in the conducting of polymer-matrix composites. On the other hand, low [NaOH] favors slow kinetics. Thus, the reduction rate of Ni2+ slows down to a relatively low level so that electroless plating is dominated thermodynamically instead of kinetically, leading to an anisotropic crystalline growth of nuclei and finally to the formation of GP@Ni-CPs with nanoneedle-like shells. The second typical samples can effectively catalyze the reduction of p-nitrophenol into p-aminophenol with NaBH4 in comparison with commercial GP@Ni-CPs and RANEY® Ni, owing to the strong charge accumulation effect of needle-like Ni shells. This work proposes a model system for fundamental investigations and has important applications in the fields of electronic interconnection and catalysis.

Effect of Post-spray Shot Peening Treatment on the Corrosion Behavior of NiCr-Mo Coating by Plasma Spraying of the Shell-Core-Structured Powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Jia-Jia; Wei, Ying-Kang; Li, Cheng-Xin; Yang, Guan-Jun; Li, Chang-Jiu

2018-01-01

Corrosion of metal plays a detrimental role in service lifetime of parts or systems. Therefore, coating a protective film which is fully dense and defects free on the base metal is an effective approach to protect the base metal from corrosion. In this study, a dense NiCr-20Mo coating with excellent lamellar interface bonding was deposited by plasma spraying of the novel shell-core-structured Mo-clad-NiCr powders, and then post-spray shot peening treatment by cold spraying of steel shots was applied to the plasma-sprayed NiCr-20Mo coating to obtain a fully dense coating through eliminating possibly existed pores and un-bonded interfaces within the NiCr-20Mo coating. Corrosion behaviors of the NiCr-20Mo coatings before and after shot peening were tested to investigate the effect of the post-spray shot peening on the corrosion behavior of the NiCr-20Mo coating. Results showed that a much dense and uniform plasma-sprayed NiCr-20Mo coating with perfect lamellar bonding at most of interfaces was deposited. However, the electrochemical tests revealed the existence of through-thickness pores in the as-plasma-sprayed NiCr-20Mo coating. Through the post-spray shot peening treatment, a completely dense top layer in the coating was formed, and with the increase in the shot peening intensity from one pass to three passes, the dense top layer became thicker from 100 μm to reach 300 μm of the whole coating thickness. Thus, a fully dense bulk-like coating was obtained. Corrosion test results showed that the dense coating layer resulting from densification of shot peening can act as an effective barrier coating to prevent the penetration of the corrosive medium and consequently protect the substrate from corrosion effectively. Therefore, a fully dense bulk-like NiCr-20Mo coating with excellent corrosion resistance can be achieved through the plasma spraying of Mo-clad-NiCr powders followed by appropriate post-spray shot peening treatment.

Core–Shell Nanoparticle Coating as an Interfacial Layer for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anodes

DOE PAGES

Liu, Wei; Li, Weiyang; Zhuo, Denys; ...

2017-02-08

Lithium metal based batteries represent a major challenge and opportunity in enabling a variety of devices requiring high-energy-density storage. However, dendritic lithium growth has limited the practical application of lithium metal anodes. Here we report a nanoporous, flexible and electrochemically stable coating of silica@poly(methyl methacrylate) (SiO 2@PMMA) core–shell nanospheres as an interfacial layer on lithium metal anode. This interfacial layer is capable of inhibiting Li dendrite growth while sustaining ionic flux through it, which is attributed to the nanoscaled pores formed among the nanospheres. Lastly, enhanced Coulombic efficiencies during lithium charge/discharge cycles have been achieved at various current densities andmore » areal capacities.« less

Core–Shell Nanoparticle Coating as an Interfacial Layer for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Anodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Wei; Li, Weiyang; Zhuo, Denys

Lithium metal based batteries represent a major challenge and opportunity in enabling a variety of devices requiring high-energy-density storage. However, dendritic lithium growth has limited the practical application of lithium metal anodes. Here we report a nanoporous, flexible and electrochemically stable coating of silica@poly(methyl methacrylate) (SiO 2@PMMA) core–shell nanospheres as an interfacial layer on lithium metal anode. This interfacial layer is capable of inhibiting Li dendrite growth while sustaining ionic flux through it, which is attributed to the nanoscaled pores formed among the nanospheres. Lastly, enhanced Coulombic efficiencies during lithium charge/discharge cycles have been achieved at various current densities andmore » areal capacities.« less

Debonding of porous coating of a threaded acetabular component: retrieval analysis.

PubMed

Łapaj, Łukasz; Markuszewski, Jacek; Rybak, Tomasz; Wierusz-Kozłowska, Małgorzata

2013-01-01

This report presents a case of debonding of plasma sprayed porous titanium coating from a threaded acetabular component which caused aseptic loosening of the implant. Weight bearing after delamination caused abrasive damage of the acetabular shell, and particles of the coating embedded in the acetabular liner. Microscopic examination of periprosthetic tissues showed presence of metal particles and macrophage infiltration. Despite microscopic examination of the retrieved component the cause of debonding remains unclear. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strongly luminescent InP/ZnS core-shell nanoparticles.

PubMed

Haubold, S; Haase, M; Kornowski, A; Weller, H

2001-05-18

The wide-bandgap semiconducting material, zinc sulfide, has been coated on indium phosphide nanoclusters to a 1-2-Å thickness. The resulting InP-ZnS core-shell particle (as shown in the TEM image; scale 1 cm=5 nm) exhibits bright luminescence at room temperature with quantum efficiencies as high as 23 %. © 2001 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH, Weinheim, Fed. Rep. of Germany.

Twin-mediated epitaxial growth of highly lattice-mismatched Cu/Ag core-shell nanowires.

PubMed

Weng, Wei-Lun; Hsu, Chin-Yu; Lee, Jheng-Syun; Fan, Hsin-Hsin; Liao, Chien-Neng

2018-05-31

Lattice-mismatch is an important factor for the heteroepitaxial growth of core-shell nanostructures. A large lattice-mismatch usually leads to a non-coherent interface or a polycrystalline shell layer. In this study, a conformal Ag layer is coated on Cu nanowires with dense nanoscale twin boundaries through a galvanic replacement reaction. Despite a large lattice mismatch between Ag and Cu (∼12.6%), the Ag shell replicates the twinning structure in Cu nanowires and grows epitaxially on the nanotwinned Cu nanowire. A twin-mediated growth mechanism is proposed to explain the epitaxy of high lattice-mismatch bimetallic systems in which the misfit dislocations are accommodated by coherent twin boundaries.

Ultrafine sulfur nanoparticles in conducting polymer shell as cathode materials for high performance lithium/sulfur batteries.

PubMed

Chen, Hongwei; Dong, Weiling; Ge, Jun; Wang, Changhong; Wu, Xiaodong; Lu, Wei; Chen, Liwei

2013-01-01

We report the synthesis of ultrafine S nanoparticles with diameter 10 ~ 20 nm via a membrane-assisted precipitation technique. The S nanoparticles were then coated with conducting poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to form S/PEDOT core/shell nanoparticles. The ultrasmall size of S nanoparticles facilitates the electrical conduction and improves sulfur utilization. The encapsulation of conducting PEDOT shell restricts the polysulfides diffusion, alleviates self-discharging and the shuttle effect, and thus enhances the cycling stability. The resulting S/PEDOT core/shell nanoparticles show initial discharge capacity of 1117 mAh g(-1) and a stable capacity of 930 mAh g(-1) after 50 cycles.

Fabrication of diamond shells

DOEpatents

Hamza, Alex V.; Biener, Juergen; Wild, Christoph; Woerner, Eckhard

2016-11-01

A novel method for fabricating diamond shells is introduced. The fabrication of such shells is a multi-step process, which involves diamond chemical vapor deposition on predetermined mandrels followed by polishing, microfabrication of holes, and removal of the mandrel by an etch process. The resultant shells of the present invention can be configured with a surface roughness at the nanometer level (e.g., on the order of down to about 10 nm RMS) on a mm length scale, and exhibit excellent hardness/strength, and good transparency in the both the infra-red and visible. Specifically, a novel process is disclosed herein, which allows coating of spherical substrates with optical-quality diamond films or nanocrystalline diamond films.

Ultrafine Sulfur Nanoparticles in Conducting Polymer Shell as Cathode Materials for High Performance Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

PubMed Central

Chen, Hongwei; Dong, Weiling; Ge, Jun; Wang, Changhong; Wu, Xiaodong; Lu, Wei; Chen, Liwei

2013-01-01

We report the synthesis of ultrafine S nanoparticles with diameter 10 ~ 20 nm via a membrane-assisted precipitation technique. The S nanoparticles were then coated with conducting poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to form S/PEDOT core/shell nanoparticles. The ultrasmall size of S nanoparticles facilitates the electrical conduction and improves sulfur utilization. The encapsulation of conducting PEDOT shell restricts the polysulfides diffusion, alleviates self-discharging and the shuttle effect, and thus enhances the cycling stability. The resulting S/PEDOT core/shell nanoparticles show initial discharge capacity of 1117 mAh g−1 and a stable capacity of 930 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles. PMID:23714786

Ultrafine Sulfur Nanoparticles in Conducting Polymer Shell as Cathode Materials for High Performance Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongwei; Dong, Weiling; Ge, Jun; Wang, Changhong; Wu, Xiaodong; Lu, Wei; Chen, Liwei

2013-05-01

We report the synthesis of ultrafine S nanoparticles with diameter 10 ~ 20 nm via a membrane-assisted precipitation technique. The S nanoparticles were then coated with conducting poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) to form S/PEDOT core/shell nanoparticles. The ultrasmall size of S nanoparticles facilitates the electrical conduction and improves sulfur utilization. The encapsulation of conducting PEDOT shell restricts the polysulfides diffusion, alleviates self-discharging and the shuttle effect, and thus enhances the cycling stability. The resulting S/PEDOT core/shell nanoparticles show initial discharge capacity of 1117 mAh g-1 and a stable capacity of 930 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles.

A study on flash sintering and related phenomena in titania and its composite with alumina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shikhar

In 2010, Cologna et. al. [1] reported that with a help of small electric field 120 Vcm-1, the sintering temperature of 3 mol % yittria stabilized zirconia could be brought down to 850°C from 1450°C. On top of reducing the temperature requirements, the green sample could be sintered from starting density of 50% to near full density in mere 5 seconds, a sintering rate three orders of magnitude higher than conventional methods. This discovery led to the emergence of a new field of enhanced sintering with electric field, named "Flash Sintering". The objective of this thesis is to understand the phenomenological behavior of flash-sintering and related phenomena on titania and its composites with alumina at elevated temperature. The possible mechanisms to explain flash sintering are discussed: Joule heating and the avalanche of defect generation [2], both induced by the rapid rise in conductivity just before the onset of the flash. Apparently, both mechanisms play a role. The thesis covers the response of pure titania and composites of titania-alumina under flash and compared with conventional sintering. We start with the sintering behavior of pure titania and observe lowering of sintering temperature requirements with higher applied electric field. The conductivity of titania during flash is also measured, and compared with the nominal conductivity of titania at equivalent temperatures. The conductivity during flash is determined to be have a different activation energy. For the composites of titania-alumina, effect of flash on the constrained sintering was studied. It is a known fact that sintering of one component of composite slows down when the other component of a different densification rate is added to it, called constrained sintering. In our case, large inclusions of alumina particles were added to nano-grained titania green compact that hindered its densification. Flash sintering was found to be overcoming this problem and near full densification was achieved. In another experiment, effect of high current density and hold time under flash on the chemical reaction (phase transformation) of titania and alumina to form Al2TiO5 is studied. It was found that not only flash enhances the kinetics of reaction when compared with conventional heating at equivalent temperatures, but also brought down the phase transformation temperature for this spinel formation, as reported by the phase diagram. In-situ X-ray diffraction experiments were performed at the synchrotron facility in Argonne National Laboratory. The specimen temperature were measured during the experiment on the basis of peak shift with temperature and were found to be matching with our predicted values by Black-Body-Radiation model. We also observed the instant evolution of texture in grain orientation of pure titania under flash and their disappearance as the fields were switched off. Study on chemical kinetics between titania and alumina were also performed which supported our findings of in-house experiments.

In vitro evaluation of anti-pathogenic surface coating nanofluid, obtained by combining Fe3O4/C12 nanostructures and 2-((4-ethylphenoxy)methyl)-N-(substituted-phenylcarbamothioyl)-benzamides

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In this paper, we report the design of a new nanofluid for anti-pathogenic surface coating. For this purpose, new 2-((4-ethylphenoxy)methyl)-N-(substituted-phenylcarbamothioyl)-benzamides were synthesized and used as an adsorption shell for Fe3O4/C12 core/shell nanosized material. The functionalized specimens were tested by in vitro assays for their anti-biofilm properties and biocompatibility. The optimized catheter sections showed an improved resistance to Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 in vitro biofilm development, as demonstrated by the viable cell counts of biofilm-embedded bacterial cells and by scanning electron microscopy examination of the colonized surfaces. The nanofluid proved to be not cytotoxic and did not influence the eukaryotic cell cycle. These results could be of a great interest for the biomedical field, opening new directions for the design of film-coated surfaces with improved anti-biofilm properties. PMID:22992217

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perovic, Iva; Davidyants, Anastasia; Evans, John Spencer

In the mollusk shell there exists a framework silk fibroin-polysaccharide hydrogel coating around nacre aragonite tablets, and this coating facilitates the synthesis and organization of mineral nanoparticles into mesocrystals. In this report, we identify that a protein component of this coating, n16.3, is a hydrogelator. Due to the presence of intrinsic disorder, aggregation-prone regions, and nearly equal balance of anionic and cationic side chains, this protein assembles to form porous mesoscale hydrogel particles in solution and on mica surfaces. These hydrogel particles change their dimensionality, organization, and internal structure in response to pH and ions, particularly Ca(II), which indicates thatmore » these behave as ion-responsive or “smart” hydrogels. Thus, in addition to silk fibroins, the gel phase of the mollusk shell nacre framework layer may actually consist of several framework hydrogelator proteins, such as n16.3, which can promote mineral nanoparticle organization and assembly during the nacre biomineralization process and also serve as a model system for designing ion-responsive, composite, and smart hydrogels.« less

Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC) oxidation resistant material samples - Baseline coated, and baseline coated with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) impregnation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gantz, E. E.

1977-01-01

Reinforced carbon-carbon material specimens were machined from 19 and 33 ply flat panels which were fabricated and processed in accordance with the specifications and procedures accepted for the fabrication and processing of the leading edge structural subsystem (LESS) elements for the space shuttle orbiter. The specimens were then baseline coated and tetraethyl orthosilicate impregnated, as applicable, in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the appropriate LESS production specifications. Three heater bars were ATJ graphite silicon carbide coated with the Vought 'pack cementation' coating process, and three were stackpole grade 2020 graphite silicon carbide coated with the chemical vapor deposition process utilized by Vought in coating the LESS shell development program entry heater elements. Nondestructive test results are reported.

The self-healing composite anticorrosion coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Zhao; Wei, Zhang; Le-ping, Liao; Hong-mei, Wang; Wu-jun, Li

Self-healing coatings, which autonomically repair and prevent corrosion of the underlying substrate, are of particular interest for the researchers. In the article, effectiveness of epoxy resin filled microcapsules was investigated for healing of cracks generated in coatings. Microcapsules were prepared by in situ polymerization of urea-formaldehyde resin to form shell over epoxy resindroplets. Characteristics of these capsules were studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA) and particle size analyzer. The model system of self-healing antisepsis coating consists of an epoxy resin matrix, 10 wt% microencapsulated healing agent, 2wt% catalyst solution. The self-healing function of this coating system is evaluated through corrosion testing of damaged and healed coated steel samples compared to control samples. Electrochemical testing provides further evidence of passivation of the substrate by self-healing coatings.

Synthesis and energy applications of oriented metal oxide nanoporous films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qingliu

This dissertation mainly addresses the synthesis of well-ordered mesoporous titania thin films by dip coating with PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer surfactant template P123. Because P123 is composed of poly(ethylene oxide) [PEO] and poly(propylene oxide) [PPO] blocks, concentrations of ingredients are adjusted to tune the films' wall thickness, pore size and mesophase. Structural changes are consistent with partitioning of species among PEO blocks, PPO blocks, and the PEO/PPO interface. Titanates localize near PEO and increase wall thickness (by 5 nm to 7 nm). Depending on aging temperature, PPG either swells the PPO cores (when it is hydrophobic) or introduces large (>200 nm) voids (when it is hydrophilic but phase separates during heating). 1-butanol localizes at the PEO/PPO interface to favor a 3D hexagonal mesostructure. In another approach, anodizing Ti foils yields vertically aligned titania nanotubes arrays with exceptional stabilities as anodes in lithium ion batteries; they maintain capacities of 130-230 mAhg-1 over 200 cycles. No microstructural changes are induced by battery cycling and good electrical contact is maintained. A diffusion induced stress model suggests that thin-walled nanotubes arrays should be stable under testing conditions, and that ordered hexagonal columnar pore arrays should have both high charge/discharge rates and low stress development. KEY WORDS: materials synthesis, porous, thin film, alternative energy, self-assembly

Sol-gel nano-porous silica-titania thin films with liquid fill for optical interferometric sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Andrew J.; Green, Mino

1990-11-01

The production of thin films whose refractive index is measurand specific, for use in an interferometric fiber optic chemical sensor, is discussed. The problem of making such coatings has been tackled by a system we have termed the "guest-host" approach, in which an active liquid whose index varies with measurand, is contained within a porous glass host of fixed index. Suitable porous silica-titania glass films have been produced via the sol-gel process. The use of this system enables the index of the glass to be varied, so that the composite index of the liquid filled film can be tailored to that required by the optical system. The sol-gel method developed is based upon the hydrolysis and polymerisation of metal alkoxides, in an acidic aqueous/alcoholic solution. Thin film slab waveguides were deposited in order to measure the light scattering losses, which were found to be typically ''1dB/cm. The porosity of films was studied using a new technique developed in which water adsorption isotherms are plotted using ellipsometry. The pore size was found to be very small of pore diameter in the nanometer range, and the total porosity -1O%. Both of these factors were increased by the removal of residual organic material, using hydrogen peroxide. Finally the use of pH indicator dyes as a liquid fill is discussed, to produce a pH sensor.

Preparation of PPy-Coated MnO2 Hybrid Micromaterials and Their Improved Cyclic Performance as Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Lili; Zhang, Yinyin; Wang, Rui; Zhang, Yanli; Bai, Wei; Ji, Siping; Xuan, Zhewen; Yang, Jianhua; Zheng, Ziguang; Guan, Hongjin

2017-09-01

MnO2@PPy core-shell micromaterials are prepared by chemical polymerization of pyrrole on the MnO2 surface. The polypyrrole (PPy) is formed as a homogeneous organic shell on the MnO2 surface. The thickness of PPy shell can be adjusted by the usage of pyrrole. The analysis of SEM, FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and XRD are used to confirm the formation of PPy shell. Galvanostatic cell cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are used to evaluate the electrochemical performance as anode for lithium-ion batteries. The results show that after formation of MnO2@PPy core-shell micromaterials, the cyclic performance as anode for lithium-ion batteries is improved. Fifty microliters of PPy-coated caddice-clew-like MnO2 has the best cyclic performances as has 620 mAh g-1 discharge specific capacities after 300 cycles. As a comparison, the discharge specific capacity of bare MnO2 materials falls to below 200 mAh g-1 after 10 cycles. The improved lithium-storage cyclic stability of the MnO2@PPy samples attributes to the core-shell hybrid structure which can buffer the structural expansion and contraction of MnO2 caused by the repeated embedding and disengagement of Li ions and can prevent the pulverization of MnO2. This experiment provides an effective way to mitigate the problem of capacity fading of the transition metal oxide materials as anode materials for (lithium-ion batteries) LIBs.

Preparation of PPy-Coated MnO2 Hybrid Micromaterials and Their Improved Cyclic Performance as Anode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Feng, Lili; Zhang, Yinyin; Wang, Rui; Zhang, Yanli; Bai, Wei; Ji, Siping; Xuan, Zhewen; Yang, Jianhua; Zheng, Ziguang; Guan, Hongjin

2017-09-02

MnO 2 @PPy core-shell micromaterials are prepared by chemical polymerization of pyrrole on the MnO 2 surface. The polypyrrole (PPy) is formed as a homogeneous organic shell on the MnO 2 surface. The thickness of PPy shell can be adjusted by the usage of pyrrole. The analysis of SEM, FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), and XRD are used to confirm the formation of PPy shell. Galvanostatic cell cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) are used to evaluate the electrochemical performance as anode for lithium-ion batteries. The results show that after formation of MnO 2 @PPy core-shell micromaterials, the cyclic performance as anode for lithium-ion batteries is improved. Fifty microliters of PPy-coated caddice-clew-like MnO 2 has the best cyclic performances as has 620 mAh g -1 discharge specific capacities after 300 cycles. As a comparison, the discharge specific capacity of bare MnO 2 materials falls to below 200 mAh g -1 after 10 cycles. The improved lithium-storage cyclic stability of the MnO 2 @PPy samples attributes to the core-shell hybrid structure which can buffer the structural expansion and contraction of MnO 2 caused by the repeated embedding and disengagement of Li ions and can prevent the pulverization of MnO 2 . This experiment provides an effective way to mitigate the problem of capacity fading of the transition metal oxide materials as anode materials for (lithium-ion batteries) LIBs.