Synthesis, Consolidation and Characterization of Sol-gel Derived Tantalum-Tungsten Oxide Thermite Composites

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

Cervantes, O

2010-06-01

Energetic composite powders consisting of sol-gel (SG) derived nanostructured tungsten oxide were produced with various amounts of micrometer-scale tantalum fuel metal. Such energetic composite powders were ignition-tested and results show that the powders are not sensitive to friction, spark and/or impact ignition. Initial consolidation experiments, using the High Pressure Spark Plasma Sintering (HPSPS) technique, on the SG derived nanostructured tungsten oxide produced samples with higher relative density than can be achieved with commercially available tungsten oxide. The SG derived nanostructured tungsten oxide with immobilized tantalum fuel metal (Ta - WO3) energetic composite was consolidated to a density of 9.17 g·cm-3more » or 93% relative density. In addition, those samples were consolidated without significant pre-reaction of the constituents, thus retaining their stored chemical energy.« less

Achieving surface chemical and morphologic alterations on tantalum by plasma electrolytic oxidation.

PubMed

Goularte, Marcelo Augusto Pinto Cardoso; Barbosa, Gustavo Frainer; da Cruz, Nilson Cristino; Hirakata, Luciana Mayumi

2016-12-01

Search for materials that may either replace titanium dental implants or constitute an alternative as a new dental implant material has been widely studied. As well, the search for optimum biocompatible metal surfaces remains crucial. So, the aim of this work is to develop an oxidized surface layer on tantalum using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) similar to those existing on oral implants been marketed today. Cleaned tantalum samples were divided into group 1 (control) and groups 2, 3, and 4 (treated by PEO for 1, 3, and 5 min, respectively). An electrolytic solution diluted in 1-L deionized water was used for the anodizing process. Then, samples were washed with anhydrous ethyl alcohol and dried in the open air. For complete anodic treatment disposal, the samples were immersed in acetone altogether, taken to the ultrasonic tank for 10 min, washed again in distilled water, and finally air-dried. For the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, all samples were previously coated with gold; the salt deposition analysis was conducted with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) system integrated with the SEM unit. SEM images confirmed the changes on tantalum strips surface according to different exposure times while EDS analysis confirmed increased salt deposition as exposure time to the anodizing process also increased. PEO was able to produce both surface alteration and salt deposition on tantalum strips similar to those existing on oral implants been marketed today.

Antibacterial properties and cytocompatibility of tantalum oxide coatings with different silver content

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

Huang, Heng-Li; Chang, Yin-Yu, E-mail: yinyu@mail2000.com.tw; Chen, Hung-Jui

Tantalum (Ta) oxides and their coatings have been proved to increase their applications in the biomedical fields by improving osseointegration and wear resistance. In this study, Ta oxide coatings containing different proportions of Ag are deposited on SS304 materials. A twin-gun magnetron sputtering system is used to deposit the tantalum oxide-Ag coating. In this study, Staphylococcus aureus, which exhibits physiological commensalism on the human skin, nares, and mucosal and oral areas, is chosen as the model for in vitro antibacterial analyses via a fluorescence staining method using Syto9. The cytocompatibility and adhesive morphology of human skin fibroblast cells (CCD-966SK) onmore » the coatings are also determined by using the microculture tetrazolium assay. This study shows that Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}-Ag coatings with 12.5 at. % of Ag exhibit improved antibacterial effects against S. aureus and have good skin fibroblast cell cellular biocompatibility.« less

Tantalum-tungsten oxide thermite composites prepared by sol-gel synthesis and spark plasma sintering

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

Kuntz, Joshua D.; Gash, Alexander E.; Cervantes, Octavio G.

2010-08-15

Energetic composite powders consisting of sol-gel derived nanostructured tungsten oxide were produced with various amounts of micrometer-scale tantalum fuel metal. Such energetic composite powders were ignition-tested and the results show that the powders are not sensitive to friction, spark and/or impact ignition. Initial consolidation experiments, using the High-Pressure Spark Plasma Sintering (HPSPS) technique, on the sol-gel derived nanostructured tungsten oxide produced samples with higher relative density than can be achieved with commercially available tungsten oxide. The sol-gel derived nanostructured tungsten oxide with immobilized tantalum fuel metal (Ta-WO{sub 3}) energetic composite was consolidated to a density of 9.17 g cm{sup -3}more » or 93% relative density. In addition, those samples were consolidated without significant pre-reaction of the constituents, thus retaining their stored chemical energy. (author)« less

Tantalum-Tungsten Oxide Thermite Composite Prepared by Sol-Gel Synthesis and Spark Plasma Sintering

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

Cervantes, O; Kuntz, J; Gash, A

2009-02-13

Energetic composite powders consisting of sol-gel derived nanostructured tungsten oxide were produced with various amounts of micrometer-scale tantalum fuel metal. Such energetic composite powders were ignition tested and results show that the powders are not sensitive to friction, spark and/or impact ignition. Initial consolidation experiments, using the High Pressure Spark Plasma Sintering (HPSPS) technique, on the sol-gel derived nanostructured tungsten oxide produced samples with higher relative density than can be achieved with commercially available tungsten oxide. The sol-gel derived nanostructured tungsten oxide with immobilized tantalum fuel metal (Ta - WO{sub 3}) energetic composite was consolidated to a density of 9.17more » g.cm{sup -3} or 93% relative density. In addition those parts were consolidated without significant pre-reaction of the constituents, thus the sample retained its stored chemical energy.« less

The structure, bond strength and apatite-inducing ability of micro-arc oxidized tantalum and their response to annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cuicui; Wang, Feng; Han, Yong

2016-01-01

In this study, the tantalum oxide coatings were formed on pure tantalum (Ta) by micro-arc oxidation (MAO) in electrolytic solutions of calcium acetate and β-glycerophosphate disodium, and the effect of the applied voltage on the microstructure and bond strength of the MAO coatings was systematically investigated. The effect of annealing treatment on the microstructure, bond strength and apatite-inducing ability of the MAO coatings formed at 350 and 450 V was also studied. The study revealed that during the preparation of tantalum oxide coatings on Ta substrate by MAO, the applied voltage considerably affected the phase components, morphologies and bond strength of the coatings, but had little effect on surface chemical species. After annealing treatment, newly formed CaTa4O11 phase mainly contributed to the much more stronger apatite-inducing ability of the annealed tantalum oxide coatings than those that were not annealed. The better apatite-inducing ability of the MAO coatings formed at 450 V compared to those formed at 350 V was attributed to the less amorphous phase and more crystalline phase as well as more Ca and P contained in the MAO coatings with increasing the applied voltage.

Effect of oxygen deficiency on electronic properties and local structure of amorphous tantalum oxide thin films

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

Denny, Yus Rama; Firmansyah, Teguh; Oh, Suhk Kun

2016-10-15

Highlights: • The effect of oxygen flow rate on electronic properties and local structure of tantalum oxide thin films was studied. • The oxygen deficiency induced the nonstoichiometric state a-TaOx. • A small peak at 1.97 eV above the valence band side appeared on nonstoichiometric Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films. • The oxygen flow rate can change the local electronic structure of tantalum oxide thin films. - Abstract: The dependence of electronic properties and local structure of tantalum oxide thin film on oxygen deficiency have been investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Reflection Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (REELS),more » and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The XPS results showed that the oxygen flow rate change results in the appearance of features in the Ta 4f at the binding energies of 23.2 eV, 24.4 eV, 25.8, and 27.3 eV whose peaks are attributed to Ta{sup 1+}, Ta{sup 2+}, Ta{sup 3+}/Ta{sup 4+}, and Ta{sup 5+}, respectively. The presence of nonstoichiometric state from tantalum oxide (TaOx) thin films could be generated by the oxygen vacancies. In addition, XAS spectra manifested both the increase of coordination number of the first Ta-O shell and a considerable reduction of the Ta-O bond distance with the decrease of oxygen deficiency.« less

Ion beam and dual ion beam sputter deposition of tantalum oxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevro, Mirza; Carter, George

1994-11-01

Ion beam sputter deposition (IBS) and dual ion beam sputter deposition (DIBS) of tantalum oxide films was investigated at room temperature and compared with similar films prepared by e-gun deposition. Optical properties ie refractive index and extinction coefficient of IBS films were determined in the 250 - 1100 nm range by transmission spectrophotometry and at (lambda) equals 632.8 nm by ellipsometry. They were found to be mainly sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen used as a reactive gas in the deposition process. The maximum value of the refractive index of IBS deposited tantalum oxide films was n equals 2.15 at (lambda) equals 550 nm and the extinction coefficient of order k equals 2 X 10-4. Films deposited by e-gun deposition had refractive index n equals 2.06 at (lambda) equals 550 nm. Films deposited using DIBS ie deposition assisted by low energy Ar and O2 ions (Ea equals 0 - 300 eV) and low current density (Ji equals 0 - 40 (mu) A/cm2) showed no improvement in the optical properties of the films. Preferential sputtering occurred at Ea(Ar) equals 300 eV and Ji equals 20 (mu) A/cm2 and slightly oxygen deficient films were formed. Different bonding states in the tantalum-oxide films were determined by x-ray spectroscopy while composition of the film and contaminants were determined by Rutherford scattering spectroscopy. Tantalum oxide films formed by IBS contained relatively high Ar content (approximately equals 2.5%) originating from the reflected argon neutrals from the sputtering target while assisted deposition slightly increased the Ar content. Stress in the IBS deposited films was measured by the bending technique. IBS deposited films showed compressive stress with a typical value of s equals 3.2 X 109 dyn/cm2. Films deposited by concurrent ion bombardment showed an increase in the stress as a function of applied current density. The maximum was s approximately equals 5.6 X 109 dyn/cm2 for Ea equals 300 eV and Ji equals 35 (mu) A/cm2. All

Ion-beam and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition of tantalum oxide films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevro, Mirza; Carter, George

1995-02-01

Ion-beam sputter deposition (IBS) and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition (DIBS) of tantalum oxide films was investigated at room temperature and compared with similar films prepared by e-gun deposition. The optical properties, i.e., refractive index and extinction coefficient, of IBS films were determined in the 250- to 1100-nm range by transmission spectrophotometry and at (lambda) equals 632.8 nm by ellipsometry. They were found to be mainly sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen used as a reactive gas in the deposition process. The maximum value of the refractive index of IBS deposited tantalum oxide films was n equals 2.15 at (lambda) equals 550 nm and the extinction coefficient of order k equals 2 X 10-4. Films deposited by e-gun deposition had refractive index n 2.06 at (lambda) equals 550 nm. Films deposited using DIBS, i.e., deposition assisted by low energy Ar and O2 ions (Ea equals 0 to 300 eV) and low current density (Ji equals 0 to 40 (mu) A/cm2), showed no improvement in the optical properties of the films. Preferential sputtering occurred at Ea(Ar) equals 300 eV and Ji equals 20 (mu) A/cm2 and slightly oxygen deficient films were formed. Different bonding states in the tantalum-oxide films were determined by x-ray spectroscopy, whereas composition of the film and contaminants were determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Tantalum oxide films formed by IBS contained relatively high Ar content (approximately equals 2.5%) originating from the reflected argon neutrals from the sputtering target whereas assisted deposition slightly increased the Ar content. Stress in the IBS-deposited films was measured by the bending technique. IBS-deposited films showed compressive stress with a typical value of s equals 3.2 X 109 dyn/cm2. Films deposited by concurrent ion bombardment showed an increase in the stress as a function of applied current density. The maximum was s approximately equals 5.6 X 109 dyn/cm2 for Ea equals 300 eV and Ji equals

Dissolution kinetics of small amounts of oxygen in tantalum alloy T-111 and internal oxide displacement reactions during annealing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stecura, S.

1976-01-01

Oxygen was added to T-111 (Ta-8W-2Hf, wt. %) at 820 and 990 C at an oxygen pressure of about 0.0003 torr. The technique employed permitted predetermined and reproducible doping of T-111 up to 3.0 at. % oxygen. Based on the temperature dependence of the doping reaction, it is concluded that the initial rates of oxygen pickup are probably controlled by solution of oxygen into the T-111 lattice. Although hafnium oxides are more stable than those of tantalum or tungsten, analyses of extracted residues indicate that the latter oxides predominate in the as-doped specimens, presumably because of the higher concentrations of tantalum and tungsten in the alloy. However, high-temperature annealing promotes gettering of dissolved oxygen and of other oxides to form hafnium oxides. Small amounts of tantalum and tungsten oxides were still present after high-temperature annealing. Tungsten oxide (WO3) volatilizes slightly from the surface of T-111 at 990 C. The vaporization of WO3 has no apparent affect on the doping reaction.

Process for manufacturing tantalum capacitors

DOEpatents

Lauf, Robert J.; Holcombe, Cressie E.; Dykes, Norman L.

1993-01-01

A process for manufacturing tantalum capacitors in which microwave energy is used to sinter a tantalum powder compact in order to achieve higher surface area and improved dielectric strength. The process comprises cold pressing tantalum powder with organic binders and lubricants to form a porous compact. After removal of the organics, the tantalum compact is heated to 1300.degree. to 2000.degree. C. by applying microwave radiation. Said compact is then anodized to form a dielectric oxide layer and infiltrated with a conductive material such as MnO.sub.2. Wire leads are then attached to form a capacitor to said capacitor is hermetically packaged to form the finished product.

Process for manufacturing tantalum capacitors

DOEpatents

Lauf, R.J.; Holcombe, C.E.; Dykes, N.L.

1993-02-02

A process for manufacturing tantalum capacitors in which microwave energy is used to sinter a tantalum powder compact in order to achieve higher surface area and improved dielectric strength. The process comprises cold pressing tantalum powder with organic binders and lubricants to form a porous compact. After removal of the organics, the tantalum compact is heated to 1,300 to 2,000 C by applying microwave radiation. Said compact is then anodized to form a dielectric oxide layer and infiltrated with a conductive material such as MnO[sub 2]. Wire leads are then attached to form a capacitor to said capacitor is hermetically packaged to form the finished product.

Tantalum-based semiconductors for solar water splitting.

PubMed

Zhang, Peng; Zhang, Jijie; Gong, Jinlong

2014-07-07

Solar energy utilization is one of the most promising solutions for the energy crises. Among all the possible means to make use of solar energy, solar water splitting is remarkable since it can accomplish the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy. The produced hydrogen is clean and sustainable which could be used in various areas. For the past decades, numerous efforts have been put into this research area with many important achievements. Improving the overall efficiency and stability of semiconductor photocatalysts are the research focuses for the solar water splitting. Tantalum-based semiconductors, including tantalum oxide, tantalate and tantalum (oxy)nitride, are among the most important photocatalysts. Tantalum oxide has the band gap energy that is suitable for the overall solar water splitting. The more negative conduction band minimum of tantalum oxide provides photogenerated electrons with higher potential for the hydrogen generation reaction. Tantalates, with tunable compositions, show high activities owning to their layered perovskite structure. (Oxy)nitrides, especially TaON and Ta3N5, have small band gaps to respond to visible-light, whereas they can still realize overall solar water splitting with the proper positions of conduction band minimum and valence band maximum. This review describes recent progress regarding the improvement of photocatalytic activities of tantalum-based semiconductors. Basic concepts and principles of solar water splitting will be discussed in the introduction section, followed by the three main categories regarding to the different types of tantalum-based semiconductors. In each category, synthetic methodologies, influencing factors on the photocatalytic activities, strategies to enhance the efficiencies of photocatalysts and morphology control of tantalum-based materials will be discussed in detail. Future directions to further explore the research area of tantalum-based semiconductors for solar water splitting

The tantalum-cased tantalum capacitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moynihan, J. D.

1977-01-01

Tantalum-cased tantalum capacitors were tested with regard to temperature stability, capacitance ratio, surge current capabilities, shock, vibration, and thermal shock. They were found to be superior to the conventional wet slug tantalum capacitor cased in silver, since they are more resistant to sulfuric acid. The tantalum-cased tantalum capacitors are widely accepted for use in critical electronic equipment because of their excellent performance and reliability.

Niobium and tantalum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schulz, Klaus J.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Papp, John F.; Schulz, Klaus J.; DeYoung,, John H.; Seal, Robert R.; Bradley, Dwight C.

2017-12-19

Niobium and tantalum are transition metals that are almost always found together in nature because they have very similar physical and chemical properties. Their properties of hardness, conductivity, and resistance to corrosion largely determine their primary uses today. The leading use of niobium (about 75 percent) is in the production of high-strength steel alloys used in pipelines, transportation infrastructure, and structural applications. Electronic capacitors are the leading use of tantalum for high-end applications, including cell phones, computer hard drives, and such implantable medical devices as pacemakers. Niobium and tantalum are considered critical and strategic metals based on the potential risks to their supply (because current production is restricted to only a few countries) and the significant effects that a restriction in supply would have on the defense, energy, high-tech industrial, and medical sectors.The average abundance of niobium and tantalum in bulk continental crust is relatively low—8.0 parts per million (ppm) niobium and 0.7 ppm tantalum. Their chemical characteristics, such as small ionic size and high electronic field strength, significantly reduce the potential for these elements to substitute for more common elements in rock-forming minerals and make niobium and tantalum essentially immobile in most aqueous solutions. Niobium and tantalum do not occur naturally as pure metals but are concentrated in a variety of relatively rare oxide and hydroxide minerals, as well as in a few rare silicate minerals. Niobium is primarily derived from the complex oxide minerals of the pyrochlore group ((Na,Ca,Ce)2(Nb,Ti,Ta)2(O,OH,F)7), which are found in some alkaline granite-syenite complexes (that is, igneous rocks containing sodium- or potassium-rich minerals and little or no quartz) and carbonatites (that is, igneous rocks that are more than 50 percent composed of primary carbonate minerals, by volume). Tantalum is derived mostly from the

Direct observation of localized radial oxygen migration in functioning tantalum oxide memristors

DOE PAGES

Kumar, Suhas; Graves, Catherine E.; Strachan, John Paul; ...

2016-02-02

Oxygen migration in tantalum oxide, a promising next-generation storage material, is studied using in operando x-ray absorption spectromicroscopy and is used to microphysically describe accelerated evolution of conduction channel and device failure. Furthermore, the resulting ring-like patterns of oxygen concentration are modeled using thermophoretic forces and Fick diffusion, establishing the critical role of temperature-activated oxygen migration that has been under question lately.

Packed bed carburization of tantalum and tantalum alloy

DOEpatents

Lopez, Peter C.; Rodriguez, Patrick J.; Pereyra, Ramiro A.

1999-01-01

Packed bed carburization of a tantalum or tantalum alloy object. A method for producing corrosion-resistant tantalum or tantalum alloy objects is described. The method includes the steps of placing the object in contact with a carburizing pack, heating the packed object in vacuum furnace to a temperature whereby carbon from the pack diffuses into the object forming grains with tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries, and etching the surface of the carburized object. This latter step removes tantalum carbides from the surface of the carburized tantalum object while leaving the tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries.

Packed bed carburization of tantalum and tantalum alloy

DOEpatents

Lopez, P.C.; Rodriguez, P.J.; Pereyra, R.A.

1999-06-29

Packed bed carburization of a tantalum or tantalum alloy object is disclosed. A method for producing corrosion-resistant tantalum or tantalum alloy objects is described. The method includes the steps of placing the object in contact with a carburizing pack, heating the packed object in vacuum furnace to a temperature whereby carbon from the pack diffuses into the object forming grains with tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries, and etching the surface of the carburized object. This latter step removes tantalum carbides from the surface of the carburized tantalum object while leaving the tantalum carbide along the grain boundaries. 4 figs.

Novel hierarchical tantalum oxide-PDMS hybrid coating for medical implants: One pot synthesis, characterization and modulation of fibroblast proliferation.

PubMed

Tran, Phong A; Fox, Kate; Tran, Nhiem

2017-01-01

Surface properties such as morphology, roughness and charge density have a strong influence on the interaction of biomaterials and cells. Hierarchical materials with a combination of micron/submicron and nanoscale features for coating of medical implants could therefore have significant potential to modulate cellular responses and eventually improve the performance of the implants. In this study, we report a simple, one pot wet chemistry preparation of a hybrid coating system with hierarchical surface structures consisting of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and tantalum oxide. Medical grade, amine functional PDMS was mixed with tantalum ethoxide which subsequently formed Ta 2 O 5 in situ through hydrolysis and condensation during coating process. The coatings were characterized by SEM, EDS, XPS, confocal scanning microscopy, contact angle measurement and in vitro cell culture. Varying PDMS and tantalum ethoxide ratios resulted in coatings of different surface textures ranging from smooth to submicro- and nano-structured. Strikingly, hierarchical surfaces containing both microscale (1-1.5μm) and nanoscale (86-163nm) particles were found on coatings synthesized with 20% and 40% (v/v) tantalum ethoxide. The coatings were similar in term of hydrophobicity but showed different surface roughness and chemical composition. Importantly, higher cell proliferation was observed on hybrid surface with hierarchical structures compared to pure PDMS or pure tantalum oxide. The coating process is simple, versatile, carried out under ambient condition and requires no special equipment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct electroplating of copper on tantalum from ionic liquids in high vacuum: origin of the tantalum oxide layer.

PubMed

Schaltin, Stijn; D'Urzo, Lucia; Zhao, Qiang; Vantomme, André; Plank, Harald; Kothleitner, Gerald; Gspan, Christian; Binnemans, Koen; Fransaer, Jan

2012-10-21

In this paper, it is shown that high vacuum conditions are not sufficient to completely remove water and oxygen from the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride. Complete removal of water demands heating above 150 °C under reduced pressure, as proven by Nuclear Reaction Analysis (NRA). Dissolved oxygen gas can only be removed by the use of an oxygen scavenger such as hydroquinone, despite the fact that calculations show that oxygen should be removed completely by the applied vacuum conditions. After applying a strict drying procedure and scavenging of molecular oxygen, it was possible to deposit copper directly on tantalum without the presence of an intervening oxide layer.

Structure refinement for tantalum nitrides nanocrystals with various morphologies

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

Liu, Lianyun; School of Science, Beijing Jiaotong University, 3 Shang Yuan Cun, Haidian District, Beijing 100044; Huang, Kai

2012-07-15

Graphical abstract: Tantalum nitrides nanocrystals with various phases and morphologies for the first time have been synthesized through homogenous sodium reduction under low temperature with the subsequent annealing process under high vacuum. Highlights: ► The spherical TaN, cuboidal TaN{sub 0.83} and TaN{sub 0.5} nanocrystals have been synthesized through homogenous sodium reduction under low temperature with the subsequent annealing process under high vacuum. ► The crystal structures of different tantalum nitrides were determined by Rietveld refinement on the X-ray diffraction data and the examinations of electron microcopies. ► The specific surface area of the tantalum nitrides powders was around 10 m{supmore » 2} g{sup −1}. ► Tantalum nitrides powders could be suitable for capacitor with high specific capacitance. -- Abstract: Tantalum nitrides (TaN{sub x}) nanocrystals with different phase and morphology have been synthesized through homogenous sodium reduction under low temperature with the subsequent annealing process under high vacuum. The crystal structures of tantalum nitrides were determined by Rietveld refinement based on the X-ray diffraction data. The morphologies of various tantalum nitrides nanocrystals in high quality were analyzed through the electron microcopies examinations. The spherical TaN nanoparticles, cuboidal TaN{sub 0.83} and TaN{sub 0.5} nanocrystals have been selectively prepared at different annealing temperatures. In addition, the specific surface areas of the tantalum nitrides nanocrystals measured by BET method were around 9.87–11.64 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}, indicating that such nano-sized tantalum nitrides could be suitable for capacitor with high specific capacitance.« less

Titanium modified with layer-by-layer sol-gel tantalum oxide and an organodiphosphonic acid: a coating for hydroxyapatite growth.

PubMed

Arnould, C; Volcke, C; Lamarque, C; Thiry, P A; Delhalle, J; Mekhalif, Z

2009-08-15

Titanium and its alloys are widely used in surgical implants due to their appropriate properties like corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, and load bearing. Unfortunately when metals are used for orthopedic and dental implants there is the possibility of loosening over a long period of time. Surface modification is a good way to counter this problem. A thin tantalum oxide layer obtained by layer-by-layer (LBL) sol-gel deposition on top of a titanium surface is expected to improve biocorrosion resistance in the body fluid, biocompatibility, and radio-opacity. This elaboration step is followed by a modification of the tantalum oxide surface with an organodiphosphonic acid self-assembled monolayer, capable of chemically binding to the oxide surface, and also improving hydroxyapatite growth. The different steps of this proposed process are characterized by surfaces techniques like contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

METHOD OF FORMING TANTALUM SILICIDE ON TANTALUM SURFACES

DOEpatents

Bowman, M.G.; Krikorian, N.H.

1961-10-01

A method is described for forming a non-corrosive silicide coating on tantalum. The coating is made through the heating of trirhenium silicides in contact with the tantalum object to approximately 1400 deg C at which temperature trirhenium silicide decomposes into rhenium and gaseous silicons. The silicon vapor reacts with the tantalum surface to form a tantalum silicide layer approximately 10 microns thick. (AEC)

Electrosprayed Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azar, Pedram Bagherzadeh; Tavanai, Hossein; Allafchian, Ali Reza

2018-04-01

Cerium oxide nanoparticles were fabricated via the calcination of electrosprayed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/cerium nitrate nanoparticles. The effect of material variables of PVA/cerium nitrate electrospraying solution, i.e. viscosity, surface tension and electrical conductivity, as well as important process variables like voltage, nozzle-collector distance and feed rate on cerium oxide nanoparticle size, are investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis have also been carried out. The results showed that electrospraying of PVA/cerium nitrate (25% w/v) was only possible with PVA concentrations in the range of 5-8% w/v. With other conditions constant, decreasing PVA concentration, decreasing feed rate, increasing nozzle-collector distance and increasing voltage decreased the size of the final cerium oxide nanoparticles. The gross average size of all cerium oxide nanoparticles obtained in this work was about 80 nm. FTIR analysis proved the formation of cerium oxide after the calcination process.

Fabrication of a tantalum-clad tungsten target for LANSCE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, A. T.; O'Toole, J. A.; Valicenti, R. A.; Maloy, S. A.

2012-12-01

Development of a solid state bonding technique suitable to clad tungsten targets with tantalum was completed to improve operation of the Los Alamos Neutron Science Centers spallation target. Significant deterioration of conventional bare tungsten targets has historically resulted in transfer of tungsten into the cooling system through corrosion resulting in increased radioactivity outside the target and reduction of delivered neutron flux. The fabrication method chosen to join the tantalum cladding to the tungsten was hot isostatic pressing (HIP) given the geometry constraints of a cylindrical assembly and previous success demonstrated at KENS. Nominal HIP parameters of 1500 °C, 200 MPa, and 3 h were selected based upon previous work. Development of the process included significant surface engineering controls and characterization given tantalums propensity for oxide and carbide formation at high temperatures. In addition to rigorous acid cleaning implemented at each step of the fabrication process, a three layer tantalum foil gettering system was devised such that any free oxygen and carbon impurities contained in the argon gas within the HIP vessel was mitigated to the extent possible before coming into contact with the tantalum cladding. The result of the numerous controls and refined techniques was negligible coarsening of the native Ta2O5 surface oxide, no measureable oxygen diffusion into the tantalum bulk, and no detectable carburization despite use of argon containing up to 5 ppm oxygen and up to 40 ppm total CO, CO2, or organic contaminants. Post bond characterization of the interface revealed continuous bonding with a few microns of species interdiffusion.

Semimicrodetermination of combined tantalum and niobium with selenous acid

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimaldi, F.S.; Schnepfe, M.

1959-01-01

Tantalum and niobium are separated and determined gravimetrically by precipitation with selenous acid from highly acidic solutions in the absence of complexing agents. Hydrogen peroxide is used in the preparation of the solution and later catalytically destroyed during digestion of the precipitate. From 0.2 to 30 mg., separately or in mixtures, of niobium or tantalum pentoxide can be separated from mixtures containing 100 mg. each of the oxides of scandium, yttrium, cerium, vanadium, molybdenum, iron, aluminum, tin, lead, and bismuth with a single precipitation; and from 30 mg. of titanium dioxide, and 50 mg. each of the oxides of antimony and thorium, when present separately, with three precipitations. At least 50 mg. of uranium(VI) oxide can be separated with a single precipitation when present alone; otherwise, three precipitations may be needed. Zirconium does not interfere when the tantalum and niobium contents of the sample are small, but in general, zirconium as well as tungsten interfere. The method is applied to the determination of the earth acids in tantaloniobate ores.

Oxidation state and interfacial effects on oxygen vacancies in tantalum pentoxide

DOE PAGES

Bondi, Robert J.; Marinella, Matthew J.

2015-02-28

First-principles density-functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to study the atomistic structure, structural energetics, and electron density near the O monovacancy (V O n; n=0,1+,2+) in both bulk, amorphous tantalum pentoxide (a-Ta 2O 5) and also at vacuum and metallic Ta interfaces. We calculate multivariate vacancy formation energies to evaluate stability as a function of oxidation state, distance from interface plane, and Fermi energy. V O n of all oxidation states preferentially segregate at both Ta and vacuum interfaces, where the metallic interface exhibits global formation energy minima. In a-Ta 2O 5, V O 0 are characterized by structural contractionmore » and electron density localization, while V O 2+ promote structural expansion and are depleted of electron density. In contrast, interfacial V O 0 and V O 2+ show nearly indistinguishable ionic and electronic signatures indicative of a reduced V O center. Interfacial V O 2+ extract electron density from metallic Ta indicating V O 2+ is spontaneously reduced at the expense of the metal. This oxidation/reduction behavior suggests careful selection and processing of both oxide layer and metal electrodes for engineering memristor device operation.« less

Compaction and High-Pressure Response of Granular Tantalum Oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogler, Tracy; Root, Seth; Knudson, Marcus; Thornhill, Tom; Reinhart, William

2015-06-01

The dynamic behavior of nearly fully-dense and porous tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) is studied. Two particle morphologies are used to obtain two distinct initial tap densities, which correspond to approximately 40% and 15% of crystalline density. The response is characterized from low pressures, which result in incomplete compaction, to very high pressures where the thermal component of the EOS dominates. Issues related to a possible phase transformation along the Hugoniot and to establishing reasonable error bars on the experimental data will be discussed. The suitability of continuum and mesoscale models to capture the experimental results will be examined. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Company, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Tantalum modified ferritic iron base alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oldrieve, R. E.; Blankenship, C. P. (Inventor)

1977-01-01

Strong ferritic alloys of the Fe-CR-Al type containing 0.4% to 2% tantalum were developed. These alloys have improved fabricability without sacrificing high temperature strength and oxidation resistance in the 800 C (1475 F) to 1040 C (1900 F) range.

Scintillation Breakdowns in Chip Tantalum Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2008-01-01

Scintillations in solid tantalum capacitors are momentarily local breakdowns terminated by a self-healing or conversion to a high-resistive state of the manganese oxide cathode. This conversion effectively caps the defective area of the tantalum pentoxide dielectric and prevents short-circuit failures. Typically, this type of breakdown has no immediate catastrophic consequences and is often considered as nuisance rather than a failure. Scintillation breakdowns likely do not affect failures of parts under surge current conditions, and so-called "proofing" of tantalum chip capacitors, which is a controllable exposure of the part after soldering to voltages slightly higher than the operating voltage to verify that possible scintillations are self-healed, has been shown to improve the quality of the parts. However, no in-depth studies of the effect of scintillations on reliability of tantalum capacitors have been performed so far. KEMET is using scintillation breakdown testing as a tool for assessing process improvements and to compare quality of different manufacturing lots. Nevertheless, the relationship between failures and scintillation breakdowns is not clear, and this test is not considered as suitable for lot acceptance testing. In this work, scintillation breakdowns in different military-graded and commercial tantalum capacitors were characterized and related to the rated voltages and to life test failures. A model for assessment of times to failure, based on distributions of breakdown voltages, and accelerating factors of life testing are discussed.

Multistate Memristive Tantalum Oxide Devices for Ternary Arithmetic

PubMed Central

Kim, Wonjoo; Chattopadhyay, Anupam; Siemon, Anne; Linn, Eike; Waser, Rainer; Rana, Vikas

2016-01-01

Redox-based resistive switching random access memory (ReRAM) offers excellent properties to implement future non-volatile memory arrays. Recently, the capability of two-state ReRAMs to implement Boolean logic functionality gained wide interest. Here, we report on seven-states Tantalum Oxide Devices, which enable the realization of an intrinsic modular arithmetic using a ternary number system. Modular arithmetic, a fundamental system for operating on numbers within the limit of a modulus, is known to mathematicians since the days of Euclid and finds applications in diverse areas ranging from e-commerce to musical notations. We demonstrate that multistate devices not only reduce the storage area consumption drastically, but also enable novel in-memory operations, such as computing using high-radix number systems, which could not be implemented using two-state devices. The use of high radix number system reduces the computational complexity by reducing the number of needed digits. Thus the number of calculation operations in an addition and the number of logic devices can be reduced. PMID:27834352

Activation energy of tantalum-tungsten oxide thermite reactions

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

Cervantes, Octavio G.; Munir, Zuhair A.; Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Davis, CA

2011-01-15

The activation energy of a sol-gel (SG) derived tantalum-tungsten oxide thermite composite was determined using the Kissinger isoconversion method. The SG derived powder was consolidated using the high-pressure spark plasma sintering (HPSPS) technique at 300 and 400 C. The ignition temperatures were investigated under high heating rates (500-2000 C min{sup -1}). Such heating rates were required in order to ignite the thermite composite. Samples consolidated at 300 C exhibit an abrupt change in temperature response prior to the main ignition temperature. This change in temperature response is attributed to the crystallization of the amorphous WO{sub 3} in the SG derivedmore » Ta-WO{sub 3} thermite composite and not to a pre-ignition reaction between the constituents. Ignition temperatures for the Ta-WO{sub 3} thermite ranged from approximately 465 to 670 C. The activation energies of the SG derived Ta-WO{sub 3} thermite composite consolidated at 300 and 400 C were determined to be 38{+-} 2 kJ mol{sup -1} and 57 {+-} 2 kJ mol{sup -1}, respectively. (author)« less

Multistate Memristive Tantalum Oxide Devices for Ternary Arithmetic.

PubMed

Kim, Wonjoo; Chattopadhyay, Anupam; Siemon, Anne; Linn, Eike; Waser, Rainer; Rana, Vikas

2016-11-11

Redox-based resistive switching random access memory (ReRAM) offers excellent properties to implement future non-volatile memory arrays. Recently, the capability of two-state ReRAMs to implement Boolean logic functionality gained wide interest. Here, we report on seven-states Tantalum Oxide Devices, which enable the realization of an intrinsic modular arithmetic using a ternary number system. Modular arithmetic, a fundamental system for operating on numbers within the limit of a modulus, is known to mathematicians since the days of Euclid and finds applications in diverse areas ranging from e-commerce to musical notations. We demonstrate that multistate devices not only reduce the storage area consumption drastically, but also enable novel in-memory operations, such as computing using high-radix number systems, which could not be implemented using two-state devices. The use of high radix number system reduces the computational complexity by reducing the number of needed digits. Thus the number of calculation operations in an addition and the number of logic devices can be reduced.

Multistate Memristive Tantalum Oxide Devices for Ternary Arithmetic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Wonjoo; Chattopadhyay, Anupam; Siemon, Anne; Linn, Eike; Waser, Rainer; Rana, Vikas

2016-11-01

Redox-based resistive switching random access memory (ReRAM) offers excellent properties to implement future non-volatile memory arrays. Recently, the capability of two-state ReRAMs to implement Boolean logic functionality gained wide interest. Here, we report on seven-states Tantalum Oxide Devices, which enable the realization of an intrinsic modular arithmetic using a ternary number system. Modular arithmetic, a fundamental system for operating on numbers within the limit of a modulus, is known to mathematicians since the days of Euclid and finds applications in diverse areas ranging from e-commerce to musical notations. We demonstrate that multistate devices not only reduce the storage area consumption drastically, but also enable novel in-memory operations, such as computing using high-radix number systems, which could not be implemented using two-state devices. The use of high radix number system reduces the computational complexity by reducing the number of needed digits. Thus the number of calculation operations in an addition and the number of logic devices can be reduced.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Mechanism of Formation of Janus-Like Nanoparticles of Tantalum Silicide-Silicon (TaSi₂/Si).

PubMed

Nomoev, Andrey V; Bardakhanov, Sergey P; Schreiber, Makoto; Bazarova, Dashima Zh; Baldanov, Boris B; Romanov, Nikolai A

2014-12-25

Metal-semiconductor Janus-like nanoparticles with the composition tantalum silicide-silicon (TaSi₂/Si) were synthesized for the first time by means of an evaporation method utilizing a high-power electron beam. The composition of the synthesized particles were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), selective area electron diffraction (SAED), and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDX) analysis. The system is compared to previously synthesized core-shell type particles in order to show possible differences responsible for the Janus-like structure forming instead of a core-shell architecture. It is proposed that the production of Janus-like as opposed to core-shell or monophase particles occurs due to the ability of Ta and Si to form compounds and the relative content of Ta and Si atoms in the produced vapour. Based on the results, a potential mechanism of formation for the TaSi₂/Si nanoparticles is discussed.

Reduced-graphene-oxide supported tantalum-based electrocatalysts: Controlled nitrogen doping and oxygen reduction reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiaoyun; Mo, Qijie; Guo, Yulin; Chen, Nana; Gao, Qingsheng

2018-03-01

Controlled N-doping is feasible to engineer the surface stoichiometry and the electronic configuration of metal-oxide electrocatalysts toward efficient oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). Taking reduced graphene oxide supported tantalum-oxides (TaOx/RGO) for example, this work illustrated the controlled N-doping in both metal-oxides and carbon supports, and the contribution to the improved ORR activity. The active N-doped TaOx/RGO electrocatalysts were fabricated via SiO2-assisted pyrolysis, in which the amount and kind of N-doping were tailored toward efficient electrocatalysis. The optimal nanocomposites showed a quite positive half-wave potential (0.80 V vs. RHE), the excellent long-term stability, and the outstanding tolerance to methanol crossing. The improvement in ORR was reasonably attributed to the synergy between N-doped TaOx and N-doped RGO. Elucidating the importance of controlled N-doping for electrocatalysis, this work will open up new opportunities to explore noble-metal-free materials for renewable energy applications.

Tungsten-reinforced tantalum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bacigalupi, R. J.; Breitwieser, R.

1972-01-01

Method is described for producing tungsten-reinforced tantalum, a material possessing the high temperature strength of tungsten and room temperature ductility and weldability of tantalum. This material is produced by bonding together and overlaying structure of tungsten wires with chemical vapor deposited tantalum.

Copper drift in high-dielectric-constant tantalum oxide thin films under bias temperature stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Pushkar; Juneja, Jasbir S.; Mallikarjunan, A.; Rymaszewski, E. J.; Lu, T.-M.

2006-04-01

The use of high-dielectric-constant (high-κ) materials for embedded capacitors is becoming increasingly important. Tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) is a prominent candidate as a high-κ material for embedded capacitor use. Metal drift in Ta2O5 (κ˜25) was investigated by bias temperature stress and triangular voltage sweep testing techniques on metal/Ta2O5/SiO2/Si structures. At a temperature of 300°C and 0.75MV/cm bias conditions, Al, Ta, and Ti do not diffuse in Ta2O5, but Cu clearly showed a drift. The Cu drift is attributed to the lack of a stable Cu oxide which can limit Cu ion generation and penetration.

A niobium and tantalum co-doped perovskite cathode for solid oxide fuel cells operating below 500 °C

PubMed Central

Li, Mengran; Zhao, Mingwen; Li, Feng; Zhou, Wei; Peterson, Vanessa K.; Xu, Xiaoyong; Shao, Zongping; Gentle, Ian; Zhu, Zhonghua

2017-01-01

The slow activity of cathode materials is one of the most significant barriers to realizing the operation of solid oxide fuel cells below 500 °C. Here we report a niobium and tantalum co-substituted perovskite SrCo0.8Nb0.1Ta0.1O3−δ as a cathode, which exhibits high electroactivity. This cathode has an area-specific polarization resistance as low as ∼0.16 and ∼0.68 Ω cm2 in a symmetrical cell and peak power densities of 1.2 and 0.7 W cm−2 in a Gd0.1Ce0.9O1.95-based anode-supported fuel cell at 500 and 450 °C, respectively. The high performance is attributed to an optimal balance of oxygen vacancies, ionic mobility and surface electron transfer as promoted by the synergistic effects of the niobium and tantalum. This work also points to an effective strategy in the design of cathodes for low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. PMID:28045088

Synthesis, Characterization, and Mechanism of Formation of Janus-Like Nanoparticles of Tantalum Silicide-Silicon (TaSi2/Si)

PubMed Central

Nomoev, Andrey V.; Bardakhanov, Sergey P.; Schreiber, Makoto; Bazarova, Dashima Zh.; Baldanov, Boris B.; Romanov, Nikolai A.

2014-01-01

Metal-semiconductor Janus-like nanoparticles with the composition tantalum silicide-silicon (TaSi2/Si) were synthesized for the first time by means of an evaporation method utilizing a high-power electron beam. The composition of the synthesized particles were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), selective area electron diffraction (SAED), and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDX) analysis. The system is compared to previously synthesized core-shell type particles in order to show possible differences responsible for the Janus-like structure forming instead of a core-shell architecture. It is proposed that the production of Janus-like as opposed to core-shell or monophase particles occurs due to the ability of Ta and Si to form compounds and the relative content of Ta and Si atoms in the produced vapour. Based on the results, a potential mechanism of formation for the TaSi2/Si nanoparticles is discussed. PMID:28346996

Modulation of strain, resistance, and capacitance of tantalum oxide film by converse piezoelectric effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Yanmin; Tian, Xiangling; Si, Jianxiao; Huang, Shihua; Wu, Zheng; Zhu, Chenchen

2011-07-01

We deposited tantalum oxide film on a laminate structure composed of a Si substrate and a piezoelectric 0.72Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.28PbTiO3 single crystal and achieved in situ modulation of the resistance and capacitance of the Ta2O5 film. The modulation arises from the induced lattice strain in the Ta2O5 film, which is induced by the electric-field-induced strain in the piezoelectric crystal. Under an external electric field of ˜2 kV/cm, the longitudinal gauge factor of the Ta2O5 film is ˜3300. The control of the strain using the converse piezoelectric effect may be further extended to tune the intrinsic strain of other oxide thin films.

Copper-tantalum alloy

DOEpatents

Schmidt, Frederick A.; Verhoeven, John D.; Gibson, Edwin D.

1986-07-15

A tantalum-copper alloy can be made by preparing a consumable electrode consisting of an elongated copper billet containing at least two spaced apart tantalum rods extending longitudinally the length of the billet. The electrode is placed in a dc arc furnace and melted under conditions which co-melt the copper and tantalum to form the alloy.

Performance and Reliability of Electrowetting-on-Dielectric (EWOD) Systems Based on Tantalum Oxide.

PubMed

Mibus, Marcel; Zangari, Giovanni

2017-12-06

The electrowetting-on-dielectric behavior of Cytop/Tantalum oxide (TaOx) bilayers is studied by measuring their response vs applied voltage and under prolonged periodic cycling, below and above the threshold voltage V T corresponding to the breakdown field for the oxide. TaOx exhibits symmetric solid state I-V characteristics, with electronic conduction dominated by Schottky, Poole-Frenkel emission; conduction is attributed to oxygen vacancies (6 × 10 16 cm -3 ), resulting in large currents at low bias. Electrolyte/Metal Oxide/Metal I-V characteristics show oxide degradation at (<5 V) cathodic bias; anodic bias in contrast results in stable characteristics until reaching the anodization voltage, where the oxide thickens, leading eventually to breakdown and oxygen production at the electrode. Electrowetting angle vs applied voltage undergoes three different stages: a parabolic variation of contact angle (CA) with applied voltage, CA saturation, and rebound of the CA to higher values due to degradation of the polymer layer. The contact angle remained stable for several hundred cycles if the applied voltage was less than V T ; degradation in contrast is fast when the voltage is above V T . Degradation of the electrowetting response with time is linked to charge accumulation in the polymer, which inhibits the rebound of the CA when voltage is being applied.

Nanoporous titanium niobium oxide and titanium tantalum oxide compositions and their use in anodes of lithium ion batteries

DOEpatents

Dai, Sheng; Guo, Bingkun; Sun, Xiao-Guang; Qiao, Zhenan

2017-10-31

Nanoporous metal oxide framework compositions useful as anodic materials in a lithium ion battery, the composition comprising metal oxide nanocrystals interconnected in a nanoporous framework and having interconnected channels, wherein the metal in said metal oxide comprises titanium and at least one metal selected from niobium and tantalum, e.g., TiNb.sub.2-x Ta.sub.xO.sub.y (wherein x is a value from 0 to 2, and y is a value from 7 to 10) and Ti.sub.2Nb.sub.10-vTa.sub.vO.sub.w (wherein v is a value from 0 to 2, and w is a value from 27 to 29). A novel sol gel method is also described in which sol gel reactive precursors are combined with a templating agent under sol gel reaction conditions to produce a hybrid precursor, and the precursor calcined to form the anodic composition. The invention is also directed to lithium ion batteries in which the nanoporous framework material is incorporated in an anode of the battery.

All-tantalum electrolytic capacitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, G. E., Jr.

1977-01-01

Device uses single-compression tantalum-to-tantalum seal. Single-compression seal allows better utilization of volume within device. As result of all-tantalum case and lengthened cathode, electrical parameters, particularly equivalent series resistance and capacitance stability, improved over silver-cased capacitor.

Crystalline phase-stability of tantalum pentoxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walton, Santiago; Padilha, Antonio; Dalpian, Gustavo; Guillén, Jorge; Dalpian's Research Group Collaboration; Grupo de Estado Solido Collaboration; Gritad Collaboration

2013-03-01

Memristive devices are attractive candidates to provide a paradigm change in memory devices fabrication. These new devices would be faster, denser and less power consuming than those available today. However, the mechanism of memristance is not yet well understood. It is believed that a voltage/current-driven phase transition occurs in the material, which leads to significant changes in the device's conductivity. In the particular case of tantalum-oxide-based devices the relevant crystalline phases are still a matter of debate. Some of these phases are not even completely known and there is no agreement about which model best explains the crystallographic results. In this work we have performed ab-initio DFT based calculations to study the structural properties of different phases (and models) of Ta2O5 - the structure which is believed to exist inside Tantalum Oxide based devices. The equations of state for this material were constructed through first principles total energy calculations and we have also calculated the phonon frequencies at Γ. These results show that the most stable phase of this oxide (B-Ta2O5) is in fact composed of octahedral, instead of pentagonal (as L-Ta2O5) or hexagonal (as δ-Ta2O5) bipyramids. Fapesp, CNPq, Capes,CODI-UdeA

Electrodeposition of Tantalum and Tantalum-Chromium Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

Electrochem Soc, 112, 840 (1965). 7Ibid, 113,60 (1966). 8Ibid, 113.66 (1966). J. Wurm, "European Conference on the Development of Molten Salts Applica...Chem. 35, 161-3 (1887). 16. J. Wurm, "European Conference on the Development of Molten Salts Applica- tions," Extended Abstracts and Proceedings, pp...Metals Tantalum Tantalum-Chromium Alloys Chromium Coating Fused Salt Electrolyte Electrodeposition FLINAK 20. ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse

Corrosion resistance of porous binary tantalum and titanium carbides of various composition

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

Artyunina, N.P.; Komratov, G.N.; Bolonova, E.A.

1993-12-20

Resistance of porous binary tantalum and titanium carbides in solutions of mineral acids and their mixtures, of several organic acids, and of ammonium and potassium hydroxide was studied. It has been shown that as the content of tantalum in a material increases its resistance in solutions of oxidizing acids is improved, but it is reduced in solutions of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acids and also in solutions of potassium hydroxide.

In-operando synchronous time-multiplexed O K-edge x-ray absorption spectromicroscopy of functioning tantalum oxide memristors

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

Kumar, Suhas; Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305; Graves, Catherine E.

2015-07-21

Memristors are receiving keen interest because of their potential varied applications and promising large-scale information storage capabilities. Tantalum oxide is a memristive material that has shown promise for high-performance nonvolatile computer memory. The microphysics has been elusive because of the small scale and subtle physical changes that accompany conductance switching. In this study, we probed the atomic composition, local chemistry, and electronic structure of functioning tantalum oxide memristors through spatially mapped O K-edge x-ray absorption. We developed a time-multiplexed spectromicroscopy technique to enhance the weak and possibly localized oxide modifications with spatial and spectral resolutions of <30 nm and 70 meV, respectively.more » During the initial stages of conductance switching of a micrometer sized crosspoint device, the spectral changes were uniform within the spatial resolution of our technique. When the device was further driven with millions of high voltage-pulse cycles, we observed lateral motion and separation of ∼100 nm-scale agglomerates of both oxygen interstitials and vacancies. We also demonstrate a unique capability of this technique by identifying the relaxation behavior in the material during electrical stimuli by identifying electric field driven changes with varying pulse widths. In addition, we show that changes to the material can be localized to a spatial region by modifying its topography or uniformity, as against spatially uniform changes observed here during memristive switching. The goal of this report is to introduce the capability of time-multiplexed x-ray spectromicroscopy in studying weak-signal transitions in inhomogeneous media through the example of the operation and temporal evolution of a memristor.« less

Percolation Magnetism in Ferroelectric Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovina, Iryna S.; Lemishko, Serhii V.; Morozovska, Anna N.

2017-06-01

Nanoparticles of potassium tantalate (KTaO3) and potassium niobate (KNbO3) were synthesized by oxidation of metallic tantalum in molten potassium nitrate with the addition of potassium hydroxide. Magnetization curves obtained on these ferroelectric nanoparticles exhibit a weak ferromagnetism, while these compounds are nonmagnetic in a bulk. The experimental data are used as a start point for theoretical calculations. We consider a microscopic mechanism that leads to the emerging of a ferromagnetic ordering in ferroelectric nanoparticles. Our approach is based on the percolation of magnetic polarons assuming the dominant role of the oxygen vacancies. It describes the formation of surface magnetic polarons, in which an exchange interaction between electrons trapped in oxygen vacancies is mediated by magnetic impurity Fe3+ ions. The dependences of percolation radius on concentration of the oxygen vacancies and magnetic defects are determined in the framework of percolation theory.

World War II, tantalum, and the evolution of modern cranioplasty technique.

PubMed

Flanigan, Patrick; Kshettry, Varun R; Benzel, Edward C

2014-04-01

Cranioplasty is a unique procedure with a rich history. Since ancient times, a diverse array of materials from coconut shells to gold plates has been used for the repair of cranial defects. More recently, World War II greatly increased the demand for cranioplasty procedures and renewed interest in the search for a suitable synthetic material for cranioprostheses. Experimental evidence revealed that tantalum was biologically inert to acid and oxidative stresses. In fact, the observation that tantalum did not absorb acid resulted in the metal being named after Tantalus, the Greek mythological figure who was condemned to a pool of water in the Underworld that would recede when he tried to take a drink. In clinical use, malleability facilitated a single-stage cosmetic repair of cranial defects. Tantalum became the preferred cranioplasty material for more than 1000 procedures performed during World War II. In fact, its use was rapidly adopted in the civilian population. During World War II and the heyday of tantalum cranioplasty, there was a rapid evolution in prosthesis implantation and fixation techniques significantly shaping how cranioplasties are performed today. Several years after the war, acrylic emerged as the cranioplasty material of choice. It had several clear advantages over its metallic counterparts. Titanium, which was less radiopaque and had a more optimal thermal conductivity profile (less thermally conductive), eventually supplanted tantalum as the most common metallic cranioplasty material. While tantalum cranioplasty was popular for only a decade, it represented a significant breakthrough in synthetic cranioplasty. The experiences of wartime neurosurgeons with tantalum cranioplasty played a pivotal role in the evolution of modern cranioplasty techniques and ultimately led to a heightened understanding of the necessary attributes of an ideal synthetic cranioplasty material. Indeed, the history of tantalum cranioplasty serves as a model for innovative

Activation Energy of Tantalum-Tungsten Oxide Thermite Reaction

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

Cervantes, O; Kuntz, J; Gash, A

2010-02-25

The activation energy of a high melting temperature sol-gel (SG) derived tantalum-tungsten oxide thermite composite was determined using the Kissinger isoconversion method. The SG derived powder was consolidated using the High Pressure Spark Plasma Sintering (HPSPS) technique to 300 and 400 C to produce pellets with dimensions of 5 mm diameter by 1.5 mm height. A custom built ignition setup was developed to measure ignition temperatures at high heating rates (500-2000 C {center_dot} min{sup -1}). Such heating rates were required in order to ignite the thermite composite. Unlike the 400 C samples, results show that the samples consolidated to 300more » C undergo an abrupt change in temperature response prior to ignition. This change in temperature response has been attributed to the crystallization of the amorphous WO{sub 3} in the SG derived Ta-WO{sub 3} thermite composite and not to a pre-ignition reaction between the constituents. Ignition temperatures for the Ta-WO{sub 3} thermite ranged from approximately 465-670 C. The activation energy of the SG derived Ta-WO{sup 3} thermite composite consolidated to 300 and 400 C were determined to be 37.787 {+-} 1.58 kJ {center_dot} mol{sup -1} and 57.381 {+-} 2.26 kJ {center_dot} mol{sup -1}, respectively.« less

Preparation of uniform nanoparticles of ultra-high purity metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, metals, and metal alloys

DOEpatents

Woodfield, Brian F.; Liu, Shengfeng; Boerio-Goates, Juliana; Liu, Qingyuan; Smith, Stacey Janel

2012-07-03

In preferred embodiments, metal nanoparticles, mixed-metal (alloy) nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles and mixed-metal oxide nanoparticles are provided. According to embodiments, the nanoparticles may possess narrow size distributions and high purities. In certain preferred embodiments, methods of preparing metal nanoparticles, mixed-metal nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles and mixed-metal nanoparticles are provided. These methods may provide tight control of particle size, size distribution, and oxidation state. Other preferred embodiments relate to a precursor material that may be used to form nanoparticles. In addition, products prepared from such nanoparticles are disclosed.

Microbial-mediated method for metal oxide nanoparticle formation

DOEpatents

Rondinone, Adam J.; Moon, Ji Won; Love, Lonnie J.; Yeary, Lucas W.; Phelps, Tommy J.

2015-09-08

The invention is directed to a method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles, the method comprising: (i) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbial-mediated formation of metal oxide nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprise: metal-reducing microbes, a culture medium suitable for sustaining said metal-reducing microbes, an effective concentration of one or more surfactants, a reducible metal oxide component containing one or more reducible metal species, and one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said metal-reducing microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said metal-reducing microbes; and (ii) isolating said metal oxide nanoparticles, which contain a reduced form of said reducible metal oxide component. The invention is also directed to metal oxide nanoparticle compositions produced by the inventive method.

Charge Transport and the Nature of Traps in Oxygen Deficient Tantalum Oxide.

PubMed

Gritsenko, Vladimir A; Perevalov, Timofey V; Voronkovskii, Vitalii A; Gismatulin, Andrei A; Kruchinin, Vladimir N; Aliev, Vladimir Sh; Pustovarov, Vladimir A; Prosvirin, Igor P; Roizin, Yakov

2018-01-31

Optical and transport properties of nonstoichiometric tantalum oxide thin films grown by ion beam deposition were investigated in order to understand the dominant charge transport mechanisms and reveal the nature of traps. The TaO x films composition was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by quantum-chemistry simulation. From the optical absorption and photoluminescence measurements and density functional theory simulations, it was concluded that the 2.75 eV blue luminescence excited in a TaO x by 4.45 eV photons, originates from oxygen vacancies. These vacancies are also responsible for TaO x conductivity. The thermal trap energy of 0.85 eV determined from the transport experiments coincides with the half of the Stokes shift of the blue luminescence band. It is argued that the dominant charge transport mechanism in TaO x films is phonon-assisted tunneling between the traps.

Synthesis and characterization of dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Predescu, Andra Mihaela; Matei, Ecaterina; Berbecaru, Andrei Constantin; Pantilimon, Cristian; Drăgan, Claudia; Vidu, Ruxandra; Predescu, Cristian; Kuncser, Victor

2018-03-01

Synthesis and characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a large molar weight dextran for environmental applications are reported. The first experiments involved the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles which were coated with dextran at different concentrations. The synthesis was performed by a co-precipitation technique, while the coating of iron oxide nanoparticles was carried out in solution. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. The results demonstrated a successful coating of iron oxide nanoparticles with large molar weight dextran, of which agglomeration tendency depended on the amount of dextran in the coating solution. SEM and TEM observations have shown that the iron oxide nanoparticles are of about 7 nm in size.

Tantalum recycling in the United States in 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cunningham, Larry D.

2001-01-01

This report describes the flow of tantalum in the United States in 1998 with emphasis on the extent to which tantalum was recycled/reused. Tantalum was mostly recycled from new scrap that was generated during the manufacture of tantalum-related electronic components and new and old scrap products of tantalum-containing cemented carbides and superalloys. In 1998, about 210 metric tons of tantalum was recycled/reused, with about 43% derived from old scrap. The tantalum recycling rate was calculated to be 21%, and tantalum scrap recycling efficiency, 35%.

Semimicrodetermination of tantalum with selenous acid

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grimaldi, F.S.; Schnepfe, M.M.

1958-01-01

Tantalum is separated and determined gravimetrically by precipitation with selenous acid from a highly acidic solution containing oxalic and tartaric acids. The method is selective for the determination of up to 30 mg. of tantalum pentoxide, and tolerates relatively large amounts of scandium, yttrium, cerium, titanium, zirconium, thorium, vanadium, niobium, molybdenum, tungsten, uranium, iron, aluminum, gallium, tin, lead, antimony, and bismuth. The separation of tantalum from niobium and titanium is not strictly quantitative, and correction is made colorimetrically for the small amounts of niobium and titanium co-precipitating with the tantalum. The method was applied to the determination of tantalum in tantaloniobate ores.

Method of making tantalum capacitors

DOEpatents

McMillan, April D.; Clausing, Robert E.; Vierow, William F.

1998-01-01

A method for manufacturing tantalum capacitors includes preparing a tantalum compact by cold pressing tantalum powder, placing the compact, along with loose refractory metal powder, in a microwave-transparent casket to form an assembly, and heating the assembly for a time sufficient to effect at least partial sintering of the compact and the product made by the method.

Suppressing iron oxide nanoparticle toxicity by vascular targeted antioxidant polymer nanoparticles.

PubMed

Cochran, David B; Wattamwar, Paritosh P; Wydra, Robert; Hilt, J Zach; Anderson, Kimberly W; Eitel, Richard E; Dziubla, Thomas D

2013-12-01

The biomedical use of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles has been of continued interest in the literature and clinic. Their ability to be used as contrast agents for imaging and/or responsive agents for remote actuation makes them exciting materials for a wide range of clinical applications. Recently, however, concern has arisen regarding the potential health effects of these particles. Iron oxide toxicity has been demonstrated in in vivo and in vitro models, with oxidative stress being implicated as playing a key role in this pathology. One of the key cell types implicated in this injury is the vascular endothelial cells. Here, we report on the development of a targeted polymeric antioxidant, poly(trolox ester), nanoparticle that can suppress oxidative damage. As the polymer undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis, active trolox is locally released, providing a long term protection against pro-oxidant agents. In this work, poly(trolox) nanoparticles are targeted to platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecules (PECAM-1), which are able to bind to and internalize in endothelial cells and provide localized protection against the cytotoxicity caused by iron oxide nanoparticles. These results indicate the potential of using poly(trolox ester) as a means of mitigating iron oxide toxicity, potentially expanding the clinical use and relevance of these exciting systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Lithium Metal Oxide Nanoparticles by Induction Thermal Plasmas.

PubMed

Tanaka, Manabu; Kageyama, Takuya; Sone, Hirotaka; Yoshida, Shuhei; Okamoto, Daisuke; Watanabe, Takayuki

2016-04-06

Lithium metal oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by induction thermal plasma. Four different systems-Li-Mn, Li-Cr, Li-Co, and Li-Ni-were compared to understand formation mechanism of Li-Me oxide nanoparticles in thermal plasma process. Analyses of X-ray diffractometry and electron microscopy showed that Li-Me oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in Li-Mn, Li-Cr, and Li-Co systems. Spinel structured LiMn₂O₄ with truncated octahedral shape was formed. Layer structured LiCrO₂ or LiCoO₂ nanoparticles with polyhedral shapes were also synthesized in Li-Cr or Li-Co systems. By contrast, Li-Ni oxide nanoparticles were not synthesized in the Li-Ni system. Nucleation temperatures of each metal in the considered system were evaluated. The relationship between the nucleation temperature and melting and boiling points suggests that the melting points of metal oxides have a strong influence on the formation of lithium metal oxide nanoparticles. A lower melting temperature leads to a longer reaction time, resulting in a higher fraction of the lithium metal oxide nanoparticles in the prepared nanoparticles.

Upgrading tantalum and niobium oxides content in Bangka tin slag with double leaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soedarsono, J. W.; Permana, S.; Hutauruk, J. K.; Adhyputra, R.; Rustandi, A.; Maksum, A.; Widana, K. S.; Trinopiawan, K.; Anggraini, M.

2018-03-01

Tantalum has become one of the 14 types of critical materials where the level of its availability is assumed as the midterm critical metal. Benefits of the element tantalum in the electronics field increased the deficit balance of supply / demand, as more variations of electronic products developed. The tantalum experts calculated the level of availability until 2020. Base on the previous studies, tin slag is a secondary source of tantalum and niobium. This study uses tin slag from Bangka, Indonesia, abbreviated, Bangka Tin Slag (BTS). BTS was roasted, water quenched and sieved, abbreviated BTS-RQS.BTS was roasted, water quenched and sieved, abbreviated BTS-RQS.BTS-RQS was roasted at a temperature 700□C given sample code BTS-R700QS, while roasted at 800°C given sample code BTS-R800QS.A variable leaching experiment on BTS-R700QS was solvent concentration variable and on BTS-R800QS was time variable. The entire residue was characterized by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), and the optimum results are on the BTS-R800QS leaching into 5 M NaOH for 20 min followed by 5M HCl for 50 min, with content of Ta2O5 and Nb2O51.56% and 1.11%, respectively. The result of XRF measurement showed was the increasing of TNO content due to the increasing solvent concentration and time of acid leaching. The discussion of thermodynamics this study used was HSC Chemistry 6 as a supporting data.

Preparation and characterization of copper oxide nanoparticles decorated carbon nanoparticles using laser ablation in liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khashan, K. S.; Jabir, M. S.; Abdulameer, F. A.

2018-05-01

Carbon nanoparticles CNPs ecorated by copper oxide nano-sized particles would be successfully equipped using technique named pulsed laser ablation in liquid. The XRD pattern proved the presence of phases assigned to carbon and different phases of copper oxide. The chemical structure of the as-prepared nanoparticles samples was decided by Energy Dispersive Spectrum (EDS) measurement. EDS analysis results show the contents of Carbon, Oxygen and Copper in the final product. These nanoparticles were spherical shaped with a size distribution 10 to 80 nm or carbon nanoparticles and 5 to 50 nm for carbon decorated copper oxide nanoparticles, according to Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images and particle-size distribution histogram. It was found that after doping with copper oxide, nanoparticles become smaller and more regular in shape. Optical absorption spectra of prepared nanoparticles were measured using UV–VIS spectroscopy. The absorption spectrum of carbon nanoparticles without doping indicates absorption peak at about 228 nm. After doping with copper oxide, absorption shows appearance of new absorption peak at about (254-264) nm, which is referred to the movement of the charge between 2p and 4s band of Cu2+ ions.

Method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan [Santa Fe, NM; Mendoza, Daniel [Santa Fe, NM; Chen, Chun-Ku [Albuquerque, NM

2008-04-15

Method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles. The method includes generating an aerosol of solid metallic microparticles, generating plasma with a plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the microparticles into metal vapor, and directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the plasma. The microparticles vaporize in the hot zone into metal vapor. The metal vapor is directed away from the hot zone and into the cooler plasma afterglow where it oxidizes, cools and condenses to form solid metal oxide nanoparticles.

Pulsed Laser Synthesized Magnetic Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatta, Hari; Gupta, Ram; Ghosh, Kartik; Kahol, Pawan; Delong, Robert; Wanekawa, Adam

2011-03-01

Nanomaterials research has become a major attraction in the field of advanced materials research in the area of Physics, Chemistry, and Materials Science. Biocompatible and chemically stable magnetic metal oxide nanoparticles have biomedical applications that includes drug delivery, cell and DNA separation, gene cloning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This research is aimed at the fabrication of magnetic cobalt oxide nanoparticles using a safe, cost effective, and easy to handle technique that is capable of producing nanoparticles free of any contamination. Cobalt oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized at room temperature using cobalt foil by pulsed laser ablation technique. These cobalt oxide nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic laser light scattering (DLLS). The magnetic cobalt oxides nanoparticles were stabilized in glucose solutions of various concentrations in deionized water. The presence of UV-Vis absorption peak at 270 nm validates the nature of cobalt oxide nanoparticles. The DLLS size distributions of nanoparticles are in the range of 110 to 300 nm, which further confirms the presence nanoparticles. This work is partially supported by National Science Foundation (DMR- 0907037).

Oxide nanoparticles in an Al-alloyed oxide dispersion strengthened steel: crystallographic structure and interface with ferrite matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhenbo; Pantleon, Wolfgang

2017-07-01

Oxide nanoparticles are quintessential for ensuring the extraordinary properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels. In this study, the crystallographic structure of oxide nanoparticles, and their interface with the ferritic steel matrix in an Al-alloyed ODS steel, i.e. PM2000, were systematically investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The majority of oxide nanoparticles were identified to be orthorhombic YAlO3. During hot consolidation and extrusion, they develop a coherent interface and a near cuboid-on-cube orientation relationship with the ferrite matrix in the material. After annealing at 1200 °C for 1 h, however, the orientation relationship between the oxide nanoparticles and the matrix becomes arbitrary, and their interface mostly incoherent. Annealing at 1300 °C leads to considerable coarsening of oxide nanoparticles, and a new orientation relationship of pseudo-cube-on-cube between oxide nanoparticles and ferrite matrix develops. The reason for the developing interfaces and orientation relationships between oxide nanoparticles and ferrite matrix under different conditions is discussed.

Additively manufactured porous tantalum implants.

PubMed

Wauthle, Ruben; van der Stok, Johan; Amin Yavari, Saber; Van Humbeeck, Jan; Kruth, Jean-Pierre; Zadpoor, Amir Abbas; Weinans, Harrie; Mulier, Michiel; Schrooten, Jan

2015-03-01

The medical device industry's interest in open porous, metallic biomaterials has increased in response to additive manufacturing techniques enabling the production of complex shapes that cannot be produced with conventional techniques. Tantalum is an important metal for medical devices because of its good biocompatibility. In this study selective laser melting technology was used for the first time to manufacture highly porous pure tantalum implants with fully interconnected open pores. The architecture of the porous structure in combination with the material properties of tantalum result in mechanical properties close to those of human bone and allow for bone ingrowth. The bone regeneration performance of the porous tantalum was evaluated in vivo using an orthotopic load-bearing bone defect model in the rat femur. After 12 weeks, substantial bone ingrowth, good quality of the regenerated bone and a strong, functional implant-bone interface connection were observed. Compared to identical porous Ti-6Al-4V structures, laser-melted tantalum shows excellent osteoconductive properties, has a higher normalized fatigue strength and allows for more plastic deformation due to its high ductility. It is therefore concluded that this is a first step towards a new generation of open porous tantalum implants manufactured using selective laser melting. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of electronegativity on the extent of nitridation of group 5 metals as revealed by reactions of tantalum cluster cations with ammonia molecules.

PubMed

Arakawa, Masashi; Ando, Kota; Fujimoto, Shuhei; Mishra, Saurabh; Patwari, G Naresh; Terasaki, Akira

2018-05-10

Reactions of the free tantalum cation, Ta+, and tantalum cluster cations, Tan+ (n = 2-10), with ammonia are presented. The reaction of the monomer cation, Ta+, with two molecules of NH3 leads to the formation of TaN2H2+ along with release of two H2 molecules. The dehydrogenation occurs until the formal oxidation number of the tantalum atom reaches +5. On the other hand, all the tantalum cluster cations, Tan+, react with two molecules of NH3 and form TanN2+ with the release of three H2 molecules. Further exposure to ammonia showed that TanNmH+ and TanNm+ are produced through successive reactions; a pure nitride and three H2 molecules are formed for every other NH3 molecule. The nitridation occurred until the formal oxidation number of the tantalum atoms reaches +5 as in the case of TaN2H2+ in contrast to other group 5 elements, i.e., vanadium and niobium, which have been reported to produce nitrides with lower oxidation states. The present results on small gas-phase metal-nitride clusters show correlation with their bulk properties: tantalum is known to form bulk nitrides in the oxidation states of either +5 (Ta3N5) or +3 (TaN), whereas vanadium and niobium form nitrides in the oxidation state of +3 (VN and NbN). Along with DFT calculations, these findings reveal that nitridation is driven by the electron-donating ability of group 5 elements, i.e., electronegativity of the metal plays a key role in determining the composition of the metal nitrides.

Magnetic Characterization of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.

PubMed

Maldonado-Camargo, Lorena; Unni, Mythreyi; Rinaldi, Carlos

2017-01-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles are of interest in a wide range of biomedical applications due to their response to applied magnetic fields and their unique magnetic properties. Magnetization measurements in constant and time-varying magnetic field are often carried out to quantify key properties of iron oxide nanoparticles. This chapter describes the importance of thorough magnetic characterization of iron oxide nanoparticles intended for use in biomedical applications. A basic introduction to relevant magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles is given, followed by protocols and conditions used for measurement of magnetic properties, along with examples of data obtained from each measurement, and methods of data analysis.

Heteroaggregation of cerium oxide nanoparticles and nanoparticles of pyrolyzed biomass

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Heteroaggregation with indigenous particles is an important process controlling the mobility of engineered nanomaterials in the environment. We studied heteroaggregation of cerium oxide nanoparticles (n-CeO2), which are widely used commercially, with nanoparticles of pyrogenic carbonaceous material ...

Fungus mediated synthesis of biomedically important cerium oxide nanoparticles

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

Khan, Shadab Ali; Ahmad, Absar, E-mail: a.ahmad@ncl.res.in

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • First time biological synthesis of cerium oxide oxide nanoparticles using fungus Humicola sp. • Complete characterization of cerium oxide nanoparticles. • Biosynthesis of naturally protein capped, luminescent and water dispersible CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • Biosynthesized CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles can be used for many biomedical applications. - Abstract: Nanomaterials can be synthesized by chemical, physical and the more recently discovered biological routes. The biological routes are advantageous over the chemical and physical ones as unlike these, the biological synthesis protocols occur at ambient conditions, are cheap, non-toxic and eco-friendly. Although purely biological and bioinspired methods formore » the synthesis of nanomaterials are environmentally benign and energy conserving processes, their true potential has not been explored yet and attempts are being made to extend the formation of technologically important nanoparticles using microorganisms like fungi. Though there have been reports on the biosynthesis of oxide nanoparticles by our group in the past, no attempts have been made to employ fungi for the synthesis of nanoparticles of rare earth metals or lanthanides. Here we report for the first time, the bio-inspired synthesis of biomedically important cerium oxide (CeO{sub 2}) nanoparticles using the thermophilic fungus Humicola sp. The fungus Humicola sp. when exposed to aqueous solutions of oxide precursor cerium (III) nitrate hexahydrate (CeN{sub 3}O{sub 9}·6H{sub 2}O) results in the extracellular formation of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles containing Ce (III) and Ce (IV) mixed oxidation states, confirmed by X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS). The formed nanoparticles are naturally capped by proteins secreted by the fungus and thus do not agglomerate, are highly stable, water dispersible and are highly fluorescent as well. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy

Iron oxide and gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gotman, Irena; Psakhie, Sergey G.; Lozhkomoev, Aleksandr S.; Gutmanas, Elazar Y.

2016-08-01

Continuous research activities in the field of nanomedicine in the past decade have, to a great extent, been focused on nanoparticle technologies for cancer therapy. Gold and iron oxide nanoparticles (NP) are two of the most studied inorganic nanomaterials due to their unique optical and magnetic properties. Both types of NPs are emerging as promising systems for anti-tumor drug delivery and for nanoparticle-mediated thermal therapy of cancer. In thermal therapy, localized heating inside tumors or in proximity of tumor cells can be induced, for example, with Au NPs by radiofrequency ablation heating or conversion of photon energy (photothermal therapy) and in iron oxide magnetic NPs by heat generation through relaxation in an alternating magnetic field (magnetic hyperthermia). Furthermore, the superparamagnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles have led to their use as potent MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) contrast agents. Surface modification/coating can produce NPs with tailored and desired properties, such as enhanced blood circulation time, stability, biocompatibility and water solubility. To target nanoparticles to specific tumor cells, NPs should be conjugated with targeting moieties on the surface which bind to receptors or other molecular structures on the cell surface. The article presents several approaches to enhancing the specificity of Au and iron oxide nanoparticles for tumor tissue by appropriate surface modification/functionalization, as well as the effect of these treatments on the saturation magnetization value of iron oxide NPs. The use of other nanoparticles and nanostructures in cancer treatment is also briefly reviewed.

Micro/Nano Structural Tantalum Coating for Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Ding, Ding; Xie, Youtao; Li, Kai; Huang, Liping; Zheng, Xuebin

2018-01-01

Recently, tantalum has been attracting much attention for its anticorrosion resistance and biocompatibility, and it has been widely used in surface modification for implant applications. To improve its osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs), a micro/nano structure has been fabricated on the tantalum coating surface through the combination of anodic oxidation and plasma spraying method. The morphology, composition, and microstructure of the modified coating were comprehensively studied by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of hierarchical structures as well as micro-porous structure of tantalum coating on the behavior for human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) were evaluated and compared at both cellular and molecular levels in vitro. The experimental results show that a hierarchical micro/nano structure with Ta2O5 nanotubes spread onto a micro-scale tantalum coating has been fabricated successfully, which is confirmed to promote cell adhesion and spreading. Besides, the hierarchical micro/nano tantalum coating can provide 1.5~2.1 times improvement in gene expression, compared with the micro-porous tantalum coating. It demonstrates that it can effectively enhance the proliferation and differentiation of hBMSCs in vitro. PMID:29614022

Micro/Nano Structural Tantalum Coating for Enhanced Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Stem Cells.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Xie, Youtao; Li, Kai; Huang, Liping; Zheng, Xuebin

2018-04-03

Recently, tantalum has been attracting much attention for its anticorrosion resistance and biocompatibility, and it has been widely used in surface modification for implant applications. To improve its osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs), a micro/nano structure has been fabricated on the tantalum coating surface through the combination of anodic oxidation and plasma spraying method. The morphology, composition, and microstructure of the modified coating were comprehensively studied by employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of hierarchical structures as well as micro-porous structure of tantalum coating on the behavior for human bone marrow stem cells (hBMSCs) were evaluated and compared at both cellular and molecular levels in vitro. The experimental results show that a hierarchical micro/nano structure with Ta₂O₅ nanotubes spread onto a micro-scale tantalum coating has been fabricated successfully, which is confirmed to promote cell adhesion and spreading. Besides, the hierarchical micro/nano tantalum coating can provide 1.5~2.1 times improvement in gene expression, compared with the micro-porous tantalum coating. It demonstrates that it can effectively enhance the proliferation and differentiation of hBMSCs in vitro.

Targeted iron oxide nanoparticles for the enhancement of radiation therapy.

PubMed

Hauser, Anastasia K; Mitov, Mihail I; Daley, Emily F; McGarry, Ronald C; Anderson, Kimberly W; Hilt, J Zach

2016-10-01

To increase the efficacy of radiation, iron oxide nanoparticles can be utilized for their ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radiation therapy promotes leakage of electrons from the electron transport chain and leads to an increase in mitochondrial production of the superoxide anion which is converted to hydrogen peroxide by superoxide dismutase. Iron oxide nanoparticles can then catalyze the reaction from hydrogen peroxide to the highly reactive hydroxyl radical. Therefore, the overall aim of this project was to utilize iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated to a cell penetrating peptide, TAT, to escape lysosomal encapsulation after internalization by cancer cells and catalyze hydroxyl radical formation. It was determined that TAT functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles and uncoated iron oxide nanoparticles resulted in permeabilization of the lysosomal membranes. Additionally, mitochondrial integrity was compromised when A549 cells were treated with both TAT-functionalized nanoparticles and radiation. Pre-treatment with TAT-functionalized nanoparticles also significantly increased the ROS generation associated with radiation. A long term viability study showed that TAT-functionalized nanoparticles combined with radiation resulted in a synergistic combination treatment. This is likely due to the TAT-functionalized nanoparticles sensitizing the cells to subsequent radiation therapy, because the nanoparticles alone did not result in significant toxicities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Targeted iron oxide nanoparticles for the enhancement of radiation therapy

PubMed Central

Hauser, Anastasia K.; Mitov, Mihail I.; Daley, Emily F.; McGarry, Ronald C.; Anderson, Kimberly W.; Hilt, J. Zach

2017-01-01

To increase the efficacy of radiation, iron oxide nanoparticles can be utilized for their ability to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radiation therapy promotes leakage of electrons from the electron transport chain and leads to an increase in mitochondrial production of the superoxide anion which is converted to hydrogen peroxide by superoxide dismutase. Iron oxide nanoparticles can then catalyze the reaction from hydrogen peroxide to the highly reactive hydroxyl radical. Therefore, the overall aim of this project was to utilize iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated to a cell penetrating peptide, TAT, to escape lysosomal encapsulation after internalization by cancer cells and catalyze hydroxyl radical formation. It was determined that TAT functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles and uncoated iron oxide nanoparticles resulted in permeabilization of the lysosomal membranes. Additionally, mitochondrial integrity was compromised when A549 cells were treated with both TAT-functionalized nanoparticles and radiation. Pre-treatment with TAT-functionalized nanoparticles also significantly increased the ROS generation associated with radiation. A long term viability study showed that TAT-functionalized nanoparticles combined with radiation resulted in a synergistic combination treatment. This is likely due to the TAT-functionalized nanoparticles sensitizing the cells to subsequent radiation therapy, because the nanoparticles alone did not result in significant toxicities. PMID:27521615

Radiopharmaceutical composition containing tantalum-178 and process therefor

DOEpatents

Neirinckx, Rudi D.; Holman, B. Leonard; Davis, Michael A.; Harris, Gale I.

1989-05-16

A physiologically acceptable solution of tantalum-178 having an activity of 0.1 to 200 millicuries per milliliter of tantalum-178 solution is provided. The solution is obtained from tungsten-178 bound to a column of an anion exchange resin which forms tantalum-178 in situ by eluting the column with a hydrochloric acid solution containing hydrogen peroxide to form an acidic solution of tantalum-178. The acidic solution of tantalum-178 then is neutralized.

Mineral resource of the month: tantalum

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2011-01-01

The article offers information on a rare transition metal called tantalum. It says that the blue-gray mineral resource was discovered in 1801 or 1802 and was used for capacitors in 1940. It adds that the tantalite ore and other minerals in the ore should be separated in order to generate concentrates of tantalum. The use of tantalum are also cited.

Biosynthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles using endophytic fungus Aspergillus nidulans.

PubMed

Vijayanandan, Ajuy Sundar; Balakrishnan, Raj Mohan

2018-07-15

Metallic oxide nanoparticles have profound applications in electrochemical devices, supercapacitors, biosensors and batteries. Though four fungi were isolated from Nothapodytes foetida, Aspergillus nidulans was found to be suitable for synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles, as it has proficient tolerance towards metal under study. The broth containing precursor solution and organism Aspergillus nidulans had changed from pink to orange indicating the formation of nanoparticles. Characterization by x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) confirmed the formation of spinel cobalt oxide nanoparticles at an average size of 20.29 nm in spherical shape with sulfur-bearing proteins acting as a capping agent for the synthesized nanoparticles. The nanoparticles could be applied in energy storage, as a specific capacitance of 389 F/g showed competence. The study was a greener attempt to synthesize cobalt oxide nanoparticles using endophytic fungus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acid monolayer functionalized iron oxide nanoparticle catalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikenberry, Myles

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle functionalization is an area of intensely active research, with applications across disciplines such as biomedical science and heterogeneous catalysis. This work demonstrates the functionalization of iron oxide nanoparticles with a quasi-monolayer of 11-sulfoundecanoic acid, 10-phosphono-1-decanesulfonic acid, and 11-aminoundecanoic acid. The carboxylic and phosphonic moieties form bonds to the iron oxide particle core, while the sulfonic acid groups face outward where they are available for catalysis. The particles were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), potentiometric titration, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The sulfonic acid functionalized particles were used to catalyze the hydrolysis of sucrose at 80° and starch at 130°, showing a higher activity per acid site than the traditional solid acid catalyst Amberlyst-15, and comparing well against results reported in the literature for sulfonic acid functionalized mesoporous silicas. In sucrose catalysis reactions, the phosphonic-sulfonic nanoparticles (PSNPs) were seen to be incompletely recovered by an external magnetic field, while the carboxylic-sulfonic nanoparticles (CSNPs) showed a trend of increasing activity over the first four recycle runs. Between the two sulfonic ligands, the phosphonates produced a more tightly packed monolayer, which corresponded to a higher sulfonic acid loading, lower agglomeration, lower recoverability through application of an external magnetic field, and higher activity per acid site for the hydrolysis of starch. Functionalizations with 11-aminoundecanoic acid resulted in some amine groups binding to the surfaces of iron oxide nanoparticles. This amine binding is commonly ignored in iron oxide

Laser-Induced, Local Oxidation of Copper Nanoparticle Films During Raman Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hight Walker, Angela R.; Cheng, Guangjun; Calizo, Irene

2011-03-01

The optical properties of gold and silver nanoparticles and their films have been thoroughly investigated as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates and chemical reaction promoters. Similar to gold and silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles exhibit distinct plasmon absorptions in the visible region. The work on copper nanoparticles and their films is limited due to their oxidization in air. However, their high reactivity actually provides an opportunity to exploit the laser-induced thermal effect and chemical reactions of these nanoparticles. Here, we present our investigation of the local oxidation of a copper nanoparticle film induced by a visible laser source during Raman spectroscopic measurements. The copper nanoparticle film is prepared by drop-casting chemically synthesized copper colloid onto silicon oxide/silicon substrate. The local oxidation induced by visible lasers in Raman spectroscopy is monitored with the distinct scattering peaks for copper oxides. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been used to characterize the laser-induced morphological changes in the film. The results of this oxidation process with different excitation wavelengths and different laser powers will be presented.

Fundamental aspects of regenerative cerium oxide nanoparticles and their applications in nanobiotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Swanand D.

Cerium oxide has been used extensively for various applications over the past two decades. The use of cerium oxide nanoparticles is beneficial in present applications and can open avenues for future applications. The present study utilizes the microemulsion technique to synthesize uniformly distributed cerium oxide nanoparticles. The same technique was also used to synthesize cerium oxide nanoparticles doped with trivalent elements (La and Nd). The fundamental study of cerium oxide nanoparticles identified variations in properties as a function of particle size and also due to doping with trivalent elements (La and Nd). It was found that the lattice parameter of cerium oxide nanoparticles increases with decrease in particle size. Also Raman allowed mode shift to lower energies and the peak at 464 cm-1 becomes broader and asymmetric. The size dependent changes in cerium oxide were correlated to increase in oxygen vacancy concentration in the cerium oxide lattice. The doping of cerium oxide nanoparticles with trivalent elements introduces more oxygen vacancies and expands the cerium oxide lattice further (in addition to the lattice expansion due to the size effect). The lattice expansion is greater for La-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles compared to Nd-doping due to the larger ionic radius of La compared to Nd, the lattice expansion is directly proportional to the dopant concentration. The synthesized cerium oxide nanoparticles were used to develop an electrochemical biosensor of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The sensor was useful to detect H2O2 concentrations as low as 1muM in water. Also the preliminary testing of the sensor on tomato stem and leaf extracts indicated that the sensor can be used in practical applications such as plant physiological studies etc. The nanomolar concentrations of cerium oxide nanoparticles were also found to be useful in decreasing ROS (reactive oxygen species) mediated cellular damages in various in vitro cell cultures. Cerium oxide

Corrosion of oxide dispersion strengthened iron-chromium steels and tantalum in fluoride salt coolant: An in situ compatibility study for fusion and fusion-fission hybrid reactor concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Dasher, Bassem; Farmer, Joseph; Ferreira, James; de Caro, Magdalena Serrano; Rubenchik, Alexander; Kimura, Akihiko

2011-12-01

Primary candidate classes of materials for future nuclear power plants, whether they be fission, fusion or hybrids, include oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels which rely on a dispersion of nano-oxide particles in the matrix for both mechanical strength and swelling resistance, or tantalum alloys which have an inherent neutron-induced swelling resistance and high temperature strength. For high temperature operation, eutectic molten lithium containing fluoride salts are attractive because of their breeding capability as well as their relatively high thermal capacity, which allow for a higher average operating temperature that increases power production. In this paper we test the compatibility of Flinak (LiF-NaF-KF) salts on ODS steels, comparing the performance of current generation ODS steels developed at Kyoto University with the commercial alloy MA956. Pure tantalum was also tested for comparative purposes. In situ data was obtained for temperatures ranging from 600 to 900 °C using a custom-built high temperature electrochemical impedance spectroscopy cell. Results for ODS steels show that steel/coolant interfacial resistance increases from 600 to 800 °C due to an aluminum enriched layer forming at the surface, however an increase in temperature to 900 °C causes this layer to break up and aggressive attack to occur. Performance of current generation ODS steels surpassed that of the MA956 ODS steel, with an in situ impedance behavior similar or better than that of pure tantalum.

Reliability Effects of Surge Current Testing of Solid Tantalum Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2007-01-01

Solid tantalum capacitors are widely used in space applications to filter low-frequency ripple currents in power supply circuits and stabilize DC voltages in the system. Tantalum capacitors manufactured per military specifications (MIL-PRF-55365) are established reliability components and have less than 0.001% of failures per 1000 hours (the failure rate is less than 10 FIT) for grades D or S, thus positioning these parts among electronic components with the highest reliability characteristics. Still, failures of tantalum capacitors do happen and when it occurs it might have catastrophic consequences for the system. This is due to a short-circuit failure mode, which might be damaging to a power supply, and also to the capability of tantalum capacitors with manganese cathodes to self-ignite when a failure occurs in low-impedance applications. During such a failure, a substantial amount of energy is released by exothermic reaction of the tantalum pellet with oxygen generated by the overheated manganese oxide cathode, resulting not only in destruction of the part, but also in damage of the board and surrounding components. A specific feature of tantalum capacitors, compared to ceramic parts, is a relatively large value of capacitance, which in contemporary low-size chip capacitors reaches dozens and hundreds of microfarads. This might result in so-called surge current or turn-on failures in the parts when the board is first powered up. Such a failure, which is considered as the most prevalent type of failures in tantalum capacitors [I], is due to fast changes of the voltage in the circuit, dV/dt, producing high surge current spikes, I(sub sp) = Cx(dV/dt), when current in the circuit is unrestricted. These spikes can reach hundreds of amperes and cause catastrophic failures in the system. The mechanism of surge current failures has not been understood completely yet, and different hypotheses were discussed in relevant literature. These include a sustained scintillation

Performance comparison: Aluminum electrolytic and solid tantalum capacitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hawthornthwaite, B. G.; Piper, J.; Holland, H. W.

1981-01-01

Several key electrical and environmental parameters of latest technology aluminum electrolytic and solid tantalum capacitors were evaluated in terms of price fluctuations of tantalum metal. Performance differences between solid tantalums and aluminum electrolytics are examined.

High strength forgeable tantalum base alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckman, R. W., Jr.

1975-01-01

Increasing tungsten content of tantalum base alloy to 12-15% level will improve high temperature creep properties of existing tantalum base alloys while retaining their excellent fabrication and welding characteristics.

Tantalum-copper alloy and method for making

DOEpatents

Schmidt, Frederick A.; Verhoeven, John D.; Gibson, Edwin D.

1984-11-06

A tantalum-copper alloy can be made by preparing a consumable electrode consisting of an elongated copper billet containing at least two spaced apart tantalum rods extending longitudinally the length of the billet. The electrode is placed in a dc arc furnace and melted under conditions which co-melt the copper and tantalum to form the alloy.

Tantalum-copper alloy and method for making

DOEpatents

Schmidt, F.A.; Verhoeven, J.D.; Gibson, E.D.

1983-06-01

A tantalum-copper alloy can be made by preparing a consumable electrode consisting of an elongated copper billet containing at least two spaced apart tantalum rods extending longitudinally the length of the billet. The electrode is placed in a dc arc furnace and melted under conditions which co-melt the copper and tantalum to form the alloy.

Preparation and characterization of iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles functionalized by nisin.

PubMed

Gruskiene, Ruta; Krivorotova, Tatjana; Staneviciene, Ramune; Ratautas, Dalius; Serviene, Elena; Sereikaite, Jolanta

2018-05-08

Nisin is a known bacteriocin approved as a food additive for food preservation. It exhibits a wide spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction method. A main part of iron oxide nanoparticles was found to be maghemite though a small quantity of magnetite could also be present. Magnetic nanoparticles were stabilized by citric, ascorbic, gallic or glucuronic acid coating. Stable iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were functionalized by nisin using a simple and low cost adsorption method. Nisin loading was confirmed by FT-IR spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy methods. Nisin-loaded iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles were stable at least six weeks as judged by the measurements of zeta-potential and hydrodynamic diameter. The antimicrobial activity of nisin-loaded iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles was demonstrated toward Gram-positive bacteria. Functionalized nanoparticles could therefore find the application as antimicrobials in innovative and emerging technologies based on the magnetic field. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibacterial Activity of Polymer Coated Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Shah, Vishal; Shah, Shreya; Shah, Hirsh; Rispoli, Fred J.; McDonnell, Kevin T.; Workeneh, Selam; Karakoti, Ajay; Kumar, Amit; Seal, Sudipta

2012-01-01

Cerium oxide nanoparticles have found numerous applications in the biomedical industry due to their strong antioxidant properties. In the current study, we report the influence of nine different physical and chemical parameters: pH, aeration and, concentrations of MgSO4, CaCl2, KCl, natural organic matter, fructose, nanoparticles and Escherichia coli, on the antibacterial activity of dextran coated cerium oxide nanoparticles. A least-squares quadratic regression model was developed to understand the collective influence of the tested parameters on the anti-bacterial activity and subsequently a computer-based, interactive visualization tool was developed. The visualization allows us to elucidate the effect of each of the parameters in combination with other parameters, on the antibacterial activity of nanoparticles. The results indicate that the toxicity of CeO2 NPs depend on the physical and chemical environment; and in a majority of the possible combinations of the nine parameters, non-lethal to the bacteria. In fact, the cerium oxide nanoparticles can decrease the anti-bacterial activity exerted by magnesium and potassium salts. PMID:23110109

Nickel oxide nanoparticles film produced by dead biomass of filamentous fungus

PubMed Central

Salvadori, Marcia Regina; Nascimento, Cláudio Augusto Oller; Corrêa, Benedito

2014-01-01

The synthesis of nickel oxide nanoparticles in film form using dead biomass of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus aculeatus as reducing agent represents an environmentally friendly nanotechnological innovation. The optimal conditions and the capacity of dead biomass to uptake and produce nanoparticles were evaluated by analyzing the biosorption of nickel by the fungus. The structural characteristics of the film-forming nickel oxide nanoparticles were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These techniques showed that the nickel oxide nanoparticles had a size of about 5.89 nm and were involved in a protein matrix which probably permitted their organization in film form. The production and uptake of nickel oxide nanoparticles organized in film form by dead fungal biomass bring us closer to sustainable strategies for the biosynthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles. PMID:25228324

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of the Molecular Responses of Mouse Macrophages to Titanium Dioxide and Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Unravels Some Toxic Mechanisms for Copper Oxide Nanoparticles in Macrophages

PubMed Central

Triboulet, Sarah; Aude-Garcia, Catherine; Armand, Lucie; Collin-Faure, Véronique; Chevallet, Mireille; Diemer, Hélène; Gerdil, Adèle; Proamer, Fabienne; Strub, Jean-Marc; Habert, Aurélie; Herlin, Nathalie; Van Dorsselaer, Alain; Carrière, Marie; Rabilloud, Thierry

2015-01-01

Titanium dioxide and copper oxide nanoparticles are more and more widely used because of their catalytic properties, of their light absorbing properties (titanium dioxide) or of their biocidal properties (copper oxide), increasing the risk of adverse health effects. In this frame, the responses of mouse macrophages were studied. Both proteomic and targeted analyses were performed to investigate several parameters, such as phagocytic capacity, cytokine release, copper release, and response at sub toxic doses. Besides titanium dioxide and copper oxide nanoparticles, copper ions were used as controls. We also showed that the overall copper release in the cell does not explain per se the toxicity observed with copper oxide nanoparticles. In addition, both copper ion and copper oxide nanoparticles, but not titanium oxide, induced DNA strands breaks in macrophages. As to functional responses, the phagocytic capacity was not hampered by any of the treatments at non-toxic doses, while copper ion decreased the lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine and nitric oxide productions. The proteomic analyses highlighted very few changes induced by titanium dioxide nanoparticles, but an induction of heme oxygenase, an increase of glutathione synthesis and a decrease of tetrahydrobiopterin in response to copper oxide nanoparticles. Subsequent targeted analyses demonstrated that the increase in glutathione biosynthesis and the induction of heme oxygenase (e.g. by lovastatin/monacolin K) are critical for macrophages to survive a copper challenge, and that the intermediates of the catecholamine pathway induce a strong cross toxicity with copper oxide nanoparticles and copper ions. PMID:25902355

Purification of tantalum by plasma arc melting

DOEpatents

Dunn, Paul S.; Korzekwa, Deniece R.

1999-01-01

Purification of tantalum by plasma arc melting. The level of oxygen and carbon impurities in tantalum was reduced by plasma arc melting the tantalum using a flowing plasma gas generated from a gas mixture of helium and hydrogen. The flowing plasma gases of the present invention were found to be superior to other known flowing plasma gases used for this purpose.

Thermal effects on the structural properties of tungsten oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tsung-Yeh; Wu, Chung-Yi; Tsai, Meng-Hung; Lin, Hong-Ming; Tsai, Wen-Li; Hwu, Yeukuang

2004-06-01

Tungsten oxide nanoparticles are prepared by evaporating and oxidizing the tungsten boat in helium and oxygen atmosphere and then quenched to the liquid nitrogen temperature. The as-prepared tungsten oxide nanoparticles are porous-free with uniform size. The morphology and particle size distribution of the as-prepared and after sinter treatments tungsten oxide nanoparticles are revealed by TEM and AFM. The long-range order of these nanoparticles can be examined by X-ray diffraction technique. The as-prepared nanoparticles exhibit a mixture structure of monoclinic and hexagonal crystals. Preliminary X-ray diffraction results indicate that the hexagonal structure is transformed to monoclinic structure after annealing to above 600°C. In order to better distinguish the structural properties of the tungsten oxide (WO3- x) nanoparticles before and after annealing, the X-ray absorption spectrum technique is utilized; thus, the detailed local atomic arrangement of oxygen and/or tungsten can be determined. According to the XAS result, the shape of the W L3-edge undergoes no considerable changes. This infers that structural transformation of tungsten oxide nanoparticle may be caused by the migration of oxygen after sintering. From the O K-edge of absorption spectrum, it suggests that a mixture phase structure is obtained when sintered below 300°C. And this result indicates that heat treatment to approximately 600°C produces a stable structure of a monoclinic crystal of WO3.

Gentamicin coated iron oxide nanoparticles as novel antibacterial agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Proma; Neogi, Sudarsan

2017-09-01

Applications of different types of magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical purposes started a long time back. The concept of surface functionalization of the iron oxide nanoparticles with antibiotics is a novel technique which paves the path for further application of these nanoparticles by virtue of their property of superparamagnetism. In this paper, we have synthesized novel iron oxide nanoparticles surface functionalized with Gentamicin. The average size of the particles, concluded from the HR-TEM images, came to be around 14 nm and 10 nm for unmodified and modified nanoparticles, respectively. The magnetization curve M(H) obtained for these nanoparticles are typical of superparamagnetic nature and having almost zero values of coercivity and remanance. The release properties of the drug coated nanoparticles were studied; obtaining an S shaped profile, indicating the initial burst effect followed by gradual sustained release. In vitro investigations against various gram positive and gram negative strains viz Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis indicated significant antibacterial efficiency of the drug-nanoparticle conjugate. The MIC values indicated that a small amount like 0.2 mg ml-1 of drug capped particles induce about 98% bacterial death. The novelty of the work lies in the drug capping of the nanoparticles, which retains the superparamagnetic nature of the iron oxide nanoparticles and the medical properties of the drug simultaneously, which is found to extremely blood compatible.

A novel tantalum-based sol-gel packed microextraction syringe for highly specific enrichment of phosphopeptides in MALDI-MS applications.

PubMed

Çelikbıçak, Ömür; Atakay, Mehmet; Güler, Ülkü; Salih, Bekir

2013-08-07

A new tantalum-based sol-gel material was synthesized using a unique sol-gel synthesis pathway by PEG incorporation into the sol-gel structure without performing a calcination step. This improved its chemical and physical properties for the high capacity and selective enrichment of phosphopeptides from protein digests in complex biological media. The specificity of the tantalum-based sol-gel material for phosphopeptides was evaluated and compared with tantalum(V) oxide (Ta2O5) in different phosphopeptide enrichment applications. The tantalum-based sol-gel and tantalum(V) oxide were characterized in detail using FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and also using a surface area and pore size analyzer. In the characterization studies, the surface morphology, pore volume, crystallinity of the materials and PEG incorporation into the sol-gel structure to produce a more hydrophilic material were successfully demonstrated. The X-ray diffractograms of the two different materials were compared and it was noted that the broad signals of the tantalum-based sol-gel clearly represented the amorphous structure of the sol-gel material, which was more likely to create enough surface area and to provide more accessible tantalum atoms for phosphopeptides to be easily adsorbed when compared with the neat and more crystalline structure of Ta2O5. Therefore, the phosphopeptide enrichment performance of the tantalum-based sol-gels was found to be remarkably higher than the more crystalline Ta2O5 in our studies. Phosphopeptides at femtomole levels could be selectively enriched using the tantalum-based sol-gel and detected with a higher signal-to-noise ratio by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometer (MALDI-MS). Moreover, phosphopeptides in a tryptic digest of non-fat bovine milk as a complex real-world biological sample were retained with higher yield using a tantalum-based sol-gel. Additionally, the sol-gel material

Zinc oxide nanoparticles for revolutionizing agriculture: synthesis and applications.

PubMed

Sabir, Sidra; Arshad, Muhammad; Chaudhari, Sunbal Khalil

2014-01-01

Nanotechnology is the most innovative field of 21st century. Extensive research is going on for commercializing nanoproducts throughout the world. Due to their unique properties, nanoparticles have gained considerable importance compared to bulk counterparts. Among other metal nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles are very much important due to their utilization in gas sensors, biosensors, cosmetics, drug-delivery systems, and so forth. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) also have remarkable optical, physical, and antimicrobial properties and therefore have great potential to enhance agriculture. As far as method of formation is concerned, ZnO NPs can be synthesized by several chemical methods such as precipitation method, vapor transport method, and hydrothermal process. The biogenic synthesis of ZnO NPs by using different plant extracts is also common nowadays. This green synthesis is quite safe and ecofriendly compared to chemical synthesis. This paper elaborates the synthesis, properties, and applications of zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Manganese oxide nanoparticles, methods and applications

DOEpatents

Abruna, Hector D.; Gao, Jie; Lowe, Michael A.

2017-08-29

Manganese oxide nanoparticles having a chemical composition that includes Mn.sub.3O.sub.4, a sponge like morphology and a particle size from about 65 to about 95 nanometers may be formed by calcining a manganese hydroxide material at a temperature from about 200 to about 400 degrees centigrade for a time period from about 1 to about 20 hours in an oxygen containing environment. The particular manganese oxide nanoparticles with the foregoing physical features may be used within a battery component, and in particular an anode within a lithium battery to provide enhanced performance.

Effect of Reverse Bias Stress on Leakage Currents and Breakdown Voltages of Solid Tantalum Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander A.

2011-01-01

The majority of solid tantalum capacitors are produced by high-temperature sintering of a fine tantalum powder around a tantalum wire followed by electrolytic anodization that forms a thin amorphous Ta2O5 dielectric layer and pyrolysis of manganese nitrite on the oxide to create a conductive manganese dioxide electrode. A contact to tantalum wire is used as anode terminal and to the manganese layer as a cathode terminal of the device. This process results in formation of an asymmetric Ta -- Ta2O5 -- MnO2 capacitor that has different characteristics at forward (positive bias applied to tantalum) and reverse (positive bias applied to manganese cathode) voltages. Reverse bias currents might be several orders of magnitude larger than forward leakage currents so I-V characteristics of tantalum capacitors resemble characteristics of semiconductor rectifiers. Asymmetric I-V characteristics of Ta -- anodic Ta2O5 systems have been observed at different top electrode materials including metals, electrolytes, conductive polymers, and manganese oxide thus indicating that this phenomenon is likely related to the specifics of the Ta -- Ta2O5 interface. There have been multiple attempts to explain rectifying characteristics of capacitors employing anodic tantalum pentoxide dielectrics. A brief review of works related to reverse bias (RB) behavior of tantalum capacitors shows that the mechanism of conduction in Ta -- Ta2O5 systems is still not clear and more testing and analysis is necessary to understand the processes involved. If tantalum capacitors behave just as rectifiers, then the assessment of the safe reverse bias operating conditions would be a relatively simple task. Unfortunately, these parts can degrade with time under reverse bias significantly, and this further complicates analysis of the I-V characteristics and establishing safe operating areas of the parts. On other hand, time dependence of reverse currents might provide additional information for investigation of

The detection of HBV DNA with gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticle gene probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Dong; Luo, XiaoPing; Lu, QiangHua; Yao, KaiLun; Liu, ZuLi; Ning, Qin

2008-03-01

Gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticle Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA probes were prepared, and their application for HBV DNA measurement was studied. Gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared by the citrate reduction of tetra-chloroauric acid in the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles which were added as seeds. With a fluorescence-based method, the maximal surface coverage of hexaethiol 30-mer oligonucleotides and the maximal percentage of hybridization strands on gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticles were (120 ± 8) oligonucleotides per nanoparticle, and (14 ± 2%), respectively, which were comparable with those of (132 ± 10) and (22 ± 3%) in Au nanoparticle groups. Large network aggregates were formed when gold-coated iron oxide nanoparticle HBV DNA gene probe was applied to detect HBV DNA molecules as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy and the high specificity was verified by blot hybridization. Our results further suggested that detecting DNA with iron oxide nanoparticles and magnetic separator was feasible and might be an alternative effective method.

Design of Fucoidan Functionalized - Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications.

PubMed

Tran, Khanh Nghia; Tran, Phuong Ha-Lien; Vo, Toi Van; Tran, Thao Truong-Dinh

2016-01-01

This research aims to develop an iron oxide nanoparticle drug delivery system utilizing a recent material discovered from ocean, fucoidan. The material has drawn much interest due to many biomedical functions that have been proven for human health. One interesting point herein is that fucoidan is not only a sulfated polysaccharide, a polymer for stabilization of iron oxide nanoparticles, but plays a role of an anticancer agent also. Various approaches were investigated to optimize the high loading efficiency and explain the mechanism of nanoparticle formations. Fucoidan was functionalized on iron oxide nanoparticles by a direct coating or via amine groups. Also, a hydrophobic part of oleic acid was conjugated to the amine groups for a more favorable loading of poorly water-soluble anticancer drugs. This study proposed a novel system and an efficient method to functionalize fucoidan on iron oxide nanoparticle systems which will lead to a facilitation of a double strength treatment of cancer.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Revolutionizing Agriculture: Synthesis and Applications

PubMed Central

Sabir, Sidra; Arshad, Muhammad

2014-01-01

Nanotechnology is the most innovative field of 21st century. Extensive research is going on for commercializing nanoproducts throughout the world. Due to their unique properties, nanoparticles have gained considerable importance compared to bulk counterparts. Among other metal nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles are very much important due to their utilization in gas sensors, biosensors, cosmetics, drug-delivery systems, and so forth. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) also have remarkable optical, physical, and antimicrobial properties and therefore have great potential to enhance agriculture. As far as method of formation is concerned, ZnO NPs can be synthesized by several chemical methods such as precipitation method, vapor transport method, and hydrothermal process. The biogenic synthesis of ZnO NPs by using different plant extracts is also common nowadays. This green synthesis is quite safe and ecofriendly compared to chemical synthesis. This paper elaborates the synthesis, properties, and applications of zinc oxide nanoparticles. PMID:25436235

The interfacial orientation relationship of oxide nanoparticles in a hafnium-containing oxide dispersion-strengthened austenitic stainless steel

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

Miao, Yinbin, E-mail: miao2@illinois.edu; Mo, Kun; Cui, Bai

2015-03-15

This work reports comprehensive investigations on the orientation relationship of the oxide nanoparticles in a hafnium-containing austenitic oxide dispersion-strengthened 316 stainless steel. The phases of the oxide nanoparticles were determined by a combination of scanning transmission electron microscopy–electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, atom probe tomography and synchrotron X-ray diffraction to be complex Y–Ti–Hf–O compounds with similar crystal structures, including bixbyite Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, fluorite Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}–HfO{sub 2} solid solution and pyrochlore (or fluorite) Y{sub 2}(Ti,Hf){sub 2−x}O{sub 7−x}. High resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the particle–matrix interfaces. Two different coherency relationships along with one axis-parallel relation between themore » oxide nanoparticles and the steel matrix were found. The size of the nanoparticles significantly influences the orientation relationship. The results provide insight into the relationship of these nanoparticles with the matrix, which has implications for interpreting material properties as well as responses to radiation. - Highlights: • The oxide nanoparticles in a hafnium-containing austenitic ODS were characterized. • The nanoparticles are Y–Hf–Ti–O enriched phases according to APT and STEM–EDS. • Two coherency and an axis-parallel orientation relationships were found by HR-TEM. • Particle size has a prominent effect on the orientation relationship (OR). • Formation mechanism of the oxide nanoparticles was discussed based on the ORs.« less

Ultraviolet spectrophotometric determination of tantalum with pyrogallol

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dinnin, J.I.

1953-01-01

In a search for a more rapid method for the determination of tantalum in rocks and minerals, an intensive study was made of the tantalum-pyrogallol reaction recommended by Platanov and Krivoshlikov, and a better modified spectrophotometric procedure is given. The improved method consists in measuring the absorbancy of the tantalum-pyrogallol complex at 325 m?? in 4N hydrochloric acid and a fixed concentration (0.0175M) of ammonium oxalate. Beer's law is followed for the concentration range up to 40 ?? per ml. Sensitivity in terms of molar absorbancy index is 4775. Most interferences are additive in character and readily correctable. Separations or major corrections are required in the presence of significant amounts of molybdenum, tungsten, antimony, and uranium. The method has been successfully applied to three ores previously analyzed by gravimetric techniques. The method affords greater speed, sensitivity, and reproducibility in the determination of tantalum in rocks and minerals. A more reliable technique for preparing standard solutions of tantalum has been developed.

Promising iron oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles in biomedical engineering.

PubMed

Tran, Phuong Ha-Lien; Tran, Thao Truong-Dinh; Vo, Toi Van; Lee, Beom-Jin

2012-12-01

For the past few decades biomedical engineering has imprinted its significant impact on the map of science through its wide applications on many other fields. An important example obviously proving this fact is the versatile application of magnetic nanoparticles in theranostics. Due to preferable properties such as biocompatibility, non-toxicity compared to other metal derivations, iron oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles was chosen to be addressed in this review. Aim of this review is to give the readers a whole working window of these magnetic nanoparticles in the current context of science. Thus, preparation of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with the so-far techniques, methods of characterizing the nanoparticles as well as their most recent biomedical applications will be stated.

Intratumoral iron oxide nanoparticle hyperthermia and radiation cancer treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoopes, P. J.; Strawbridge, R. R.; Gibson, U. J.; Zeng, Q.; Pierce, Z. E.; Savellano, M.; Tate, J. A.; Ogden, J. A.; Baker, I.; Ivkov, R.; Foreman, A. R.

2007-02-01

The potential synergism and benefit of combined hyperthermia and radiation for cancer treatment is well established, but has yet to be optimized clinically. Specifically, the delivery of heat via external arrays /applicators or interstitial antennas has not demonstrated the spatial precision or specificity necessary to achieve appropriate a highly positive therapeutic ratio. Recently, antibody directed and possibly even non-antibody directed iron oxide nanoparticle hyperthermia has shown significant promise as a tumor treatment modality. Our studies are designed to determine the effects (safety and efficacy) of iron oxide nanoparticle hyperthermia and external beam radiation in a murine breast cancer model. Methods: MTG-B murine breast cancer cells (1 x 106) were implanted subcutaneous in 7 week-old female C3H/HeJ mice and grown to a treatment size of 150 mm3 +/- 50 mm3. Tumors were then injected locally with iron oxide nanoparticles and heated via an alternating magnetic field (AMF) generator operated at approximately 160 kHz and 400 - 550 Oe. Tumor growth was monitored daily using standard 3-D caliper measurement technique and formula. specific Mouse tumors were heated using a cooled, 36 mm diameter square copper tube induction coil which provided optimal heating in a 1 cm wide region in the center of the coil. Double dextran coated 80 nm iron oxide nanoparticles (Triton Biosystems) were used in all studies. Intra-tumor, peri-tumor and rectal (core body) temperatures were continually measured throughout the treatment period. Results: Preliminary in vivo nanoparticle-AMF hyperthermia (167 KHz and 400 or 550 Oe) studies demonstrated dose responsive cytotoxicity which enhanced the effects of external beam radiation. AMF associated eddy currents resulted in nonspecific temperature increases in exposed tissues which did not contain nanoparticles, however these effects were minor and not injurious to the mice. These studies also suggest that iron oxide nanoparticle

Study of constitution diagram aluminum-tantalum

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

Glazov, V.M.; Mal'tsev, M.V.; Chistyakov, Y.D.

1988-10-20

Alloys of aluminum with tantalum were for the first time obtained by aluminothermic method in 1868 by Moriniak. Later these alloys were studied in the works of Schirmeister (1915) and Brouwer (1938), moreover Brouwer established that tantalum with aluminum forms the chemical compound TaA1, which has tetragonal crystal lattice with parameters a=5.422 angstroms and c=8.536 angstroms (1). However despite the fact that alloys of aluminum with tantalum long ago are obtained already, constitution diagram of this system is not studied until recently. In connection with the application of tantalum as the modifying additive in aluminum alloys an emergency in themore » construction of this diagram, without the knowledge by which it is not possible to give the correct explanation of the mechanism of the very process of the modification of primary grain. For this purpose was undertaken this work. Russian translations.« less

Developmental phytotoxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles to Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Lee, Chang Woo; Mahendra, Shaily; Zodrow, Katherine; Li, Dong; Tsai, Yu-Chang; Braam, Janet; Alvarez, Pedro J J

2010-03-01

Phytotoxicity is an important consideration to understand the potential environmental impacts of manufactured nanomaterials. Here, we report on the effects of four metal oxide nanoparticles, aluminum oxide (nAl(2)O(3)), silicon dioxide (nSiO(2)), magnetite (nFe(3)O(4)), and zinc oxide (nZnO), on the development of Arabidopsis thaliana (Mouse-ear cress). Three toxicity indicators (seed germination, root elongation, and number of leaves) were quantified following exposure to each nanoparticle at three concentrations: 400, 2,000, and 4,000 mg/L. Among these particles, nZnO was most phytotoxic, followed by nFe(3)O(4), nSiO(2), and nAl(2)O(3), which was not toxic. Consequently, nZnO was further studied to discern the importance of particle size and zinc dissolution as toxicity determinants. Soluble zinc concentrations in nanoparticle suspensions were 33-fold lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration of dissolved zinc salt (ZnCl(2)), indicating that zinc dissolution could not solely account for the observed toxicity. Inhibition of seed germination by ZnO depended on particle size, with nanoparticles exerting higher toxicity than larger (micron-sized) particles at equivalent concentrations. Overall, this study shows that direct exposure to nanoparticles significantly contributed to phytotoxicity and underscores the need for eco-responsible disposal of wastes and sludge containing metal oxide nanoparticles.

Mechanistic study on antibacterial action of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized using green route.

PubMed

Happy Agarwal; Soumya Menon; Venkat Kumar, S; Rajeshkumar, S

2018-04-25

A large array of diseases caused by bacterial pathogens and origination of multidrug resistance in their gene provokes the need of developing new vectors or novel drug molecules for effective drug delivery and thus, better treatment of disease. The nanoparticle has emerged as a novel drug molecule in last decade and has been used in various industrial fields like cosmetics, healthcare, agricultural, pharmaceuticals due to their high optical, electronic, medicinal properties. Use of nanoparticles as an antibacterial agent remain in current studies with metal nanoparticles like silver, gold, copper, iron and metal oxide nanoparticles like zinc oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide and iron oxide nanoparticles. The high anti-bacterial activity of nanoparticles is due to their large surface area to volume ratio which allows binding of a large number of ligands on nanoparticle surface and hence, its complexation with receptors present on the bacterial surface. Green synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle (ZnO NP) and its anti-bacterial application has been particularly discussed in the review literature. The present study highlights differential nanoparticle attachment to gram + and gram - bacterial surface and different mechanism adopted by nanoparticle for bacterial control. Pharmacokinetics and applications of ZnO NP are also discussed briefly. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the cytotoxicity of aluminium oxide nanoparticles on selected mammalian cells.

PubMed

Radziun, E; Dudkiewicz Wilczyńska, J; Książek, I; Nowak, K; Anuszewska, E L; Kunicki, A; Olszyna, A; Ząbkowski, T

2011-12-01

The rapid development of nanotechnology raises both enthusiasm and anxiety among researchers, which is related to the safety use of the manufactured materials. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aluminium oxide nanoparticles on the viability of selected mammalian cells in vitro. The aluminium oxide nanoparticles were characterised using SEM and BET analyses. Based on Zeta (ζ) potential measurements and particle size distribution, the tested suspensions of aluminium oxide nanoparticles in water and nutrient solutions with or without FBS were classified as unstable. Cell viability, the degree of apoptosis induction and nanoparticles internalization into the cells were assessed after 24 h of cell exposure to Al2O3 nanoparticles. Our results confirm the ability of aluminium oxide nanoparticles to penetrate through the membranes of L929 and BJ cells. Despite this, there was no significant increase in apoptosis or decrease in cell viability observed, suggesting that aluminium oxide nanoparticles in the tested range of concentrations has no cytotoxic effects on the selected mammalian cells. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of carboxylic acids on the oxidation of coated iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lengyel, Attila; Tolnai, Gyula; Klencsár, Zoltán; Garg, Vijayendra Kumar; de Oliveira, Aderbal Carlos; Herojit Singh, L.; Homonnay, Zoltán; Szalay, Roland; Németh, Péter; Szabolcs, Bálint; Ristic, Mira; Music, Svetozar; Kuzmann, Ernő

2018-05-01

57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM were used to investigate the effect of mandelic- and salicylic acid coatings on the iron oxide nanoparticles. These two carboxylic acids have similar molecules size and stoichiometry, but different structure and acidity. Significant differences were observed between the Mössbauer spectra of samples coated with mandelic acid and salicylic acid. These results indicate that the occurrence of iron microenvironments in the mandelic- and salicylic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles is different. The results can be interpreted in terms of the influence of the acidity of carboxylic acids on the formation, core/shell structure, and oxidation of coated iron oxide nanocomposites.

Niobium and tantalum: indispensable twins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schulz, Klaus; Papp, John

2014-01-01

Niobium and tantalum are transition metals almost always paired together in nature. These “twins” are difficult to separate because of their shared physical and chemical properties. In 1801, English chemist Charles Hatchett uncovered an unknown element in a mineral sample of columbite; John Winthrop found the sample in a Massachusetts mine and sent it to the British Museum in London in 1734. The name columbium, which Hatchet named the new element, came from the poetic name for North America—Columbia—and was used interchangeably for niobium until 1949, when the name niobium became official. Swedish scientist Anders Ekberg discovered tantalum in 1802, but it was confused with niobium, because of their twinned properties, until 1864, when it was recognized as a separate element. Niobium is a lustrous, gray, ductile metal with a high melting point, relatively low density, and superconductor properties. Tantalum is a dark blue-gray, dense, ductile, very hard, and easily fabricated metal. It is highly conductive to heat and electricity and renowned for its resistance to acidic corrosion. These special properties determine their primary uses and make niobium and tantalum indispensable.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles as selective killers of proliferating cells.

PubMed

Taccola, Liuba; Raffa, Vittoria; Riggio, Cristina; Vittorio, Orazio; Iorio, Maria Carla; Vanacore, Renato; Pietrabissa, Andrea; Cuschieri, Alfred

2011-01-01

It has recently been demonstrated that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) induce death of cancerous cells whilst having no cytotoxic effect on normal cells. However, there are several issues which need to be resolved before translation of zinc oxide nanoparticles into medical use, including lack of suitable biocompatible dispersion protocols and a better understanding being needed of the mechanism of their selective cytotoxic action. Nanoparticle dose affecting cell viability was evaluated in a model of proliferating cells both experimentally and mathematically. The key issue of selective toxicity of ZnO NPs toward proliferating cells was addressed by experiments using a biological model of noncancerous cells, ie, mesenchymal stem cells before and after cell differentiation to the osteogenic lineage. In this paper, we report a biocompatible protocol for preparation of stable aqueous solutions of monodispersed zinc oxide nanoparticles. We found that the threshold of intracellular ZnO NP concentration required to induce cell death in proliferating cells is 0.4 ± 0.02 mM. Finally, flow cytometry analysis revealed that the threshold dose of zinc oxide nanoparticles was lethal to proliferating pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells but exhibited negligible cytotoxic effects to osteogenically differentiated mesenchymal stem cells. Results confirm the ZnO NP selective cytotoxic action on rapidly proliferating cells, whether benign or malignant.

Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of Colloidal Zirconium Oxide Nanoparticles for High-Refractive-Index Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Liu, Chao; Hajagos, Tibor Jacob; Chen, Dustin; Chen, Yi; Kishpaugh, David; Pei, Qibing

2016-02-01

Zirconium oxide nanoparticles are promising candidates for optical engineering, photocatalysis, and high-κ dielectrics. However, reported synthetic methods for the colloidal zirconium oxide nanoparticles use unstable alkoxide precursors and have various other drawbacks, limiting their wide application. Here, we report a facile one-pot method for the synthesis of colloidally stable zirconium oxide nanoparticles. Using a simple solution of zirconium trifluoroacetate in oleylamine, highly stable zirconium oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized with high yield, following a proposed amidization-assisted sol-gel mechanism. The nanoparticles can be readily dispersed in nonpolar solvents, forming a long-term stable transparent solution, which can be further used to fabricate high-refractive-index nanocomposites in both monolith and thin-film forms. In addition, the same method has also been extended to the synthesis of titanium oxide nanoparticles, demonstrating its general applicability to all group IVB metal oxide nanoparticles.

Effect of dielectric stoichiometry and interface chemical state on band alignment between tantalum oxide and platinum

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

Lebedinskii, Yu. Yu.; National Research Nuclear University MEPhI; Chernikova, A. G.

2015-10-05

The tantalum oxide–platinum interface electronic properties determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are found to depend on the dielectric stoichiometry and platinum chemical state. We demonstrate the slow charging of the tantalum oxide in cases of Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Pt and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5−y}/Pt interfaces under the X-ray irradiation. This behavior is proposed to be related to the charge accumulation at oxygen vacancies induced traps. Based on the proposed methodology, we define the intrinsic conductive band offset (CBO) ∼1.3 eV (both for Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Pt and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5−y}/Pt) and CBO after the full saturation of the traps charging ∼0.5 eV, while the lastmore » one defines the energy position of charged traps below the bottom of conduction band. We demonstrate also the pining at the both Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Pt and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5−y}/Pt interfaces even in the “intrinsic” state, apparently induced by the presence of additional interfacial states. No shifts of Ta4f line and band alignment in over stoichiometric Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5+x}/Pt structure during X-ray irradiation, as well as the absence of pinning, resulting in increase of CBO up to 2.3 eV are found. This behavior is related to the PtO{sub 2} interfacing layer formation at Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5+x}/Pt, blocking the charging of the surface states and associated dipole formation.« less

Shape-dependent bactericidal activity of copper oxide nanoparticle mediated by DNA and membrane damage

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

Laha, Dipranjan; Pramanik, Arindam; Laskar, Aparna

Highlights: • Spherical and sheet shaped copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized. • Physical characterizations of these nanoparticles were done by TEM, DLS, XRD, FTIR. • They showed shape dependent antibacterial activity on different bacterial strain. • They induced both membrane damage and ROS mediated DNA damage in bacteria. - Abstract: In this work, we synthesized spherical and sheet shaped copper oxide nanoparticles and their physical characterizations were done by the X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles was determined on both gram positive and gram negative bacterial. Sphericalmore » shaped copper oxide nanoparticles showed more antibacterial property on gram positive bacteria where as sheet shaped copper oxide nanoparticles are more active on gram negative bacteria. We also demonstrated that copper oxide nanoparticles produced reactive oxygen species in both gram negative and gram positive bacteria. Furthermore, they induced membrane damage as determined by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Thus production of and membrane damage are major mechanisms of the bactericidal activity of these copper oxide nanoparticles. Finally it was concluded that antibacterial activity of nanoparticles depend on physicochemical properties of copper oxide nanoparticles and bacterial strain.« less

From single-site tantalum complexes to nanoparticles of Ta x N y and TaO x N y supported on silica: elucidation of synthesis chemistry by dynamic nuclear polarization surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Mohandas, Janet C; Abou-Hamad, Edy; Callens, Emmanuel; Samantaray, Manoja K; Gajan, David; Gurinov, Andrei; Ma, Tao; Ould-Chikh, Samy; Hoffman, Adam S; Gates, Bruce C; Basset, Jean-Marie

2017-08-01

Air-stable catalysts consisting of tantalum nitride nanoparticles represented as a mixture of Ta x N y and TaO x N y with diameters in the range of 0.5 to 3 nm supported on highly dehydroxylated silica were synthesized from TaMe 5 (Me = methyl) and dimeric Ta 2 (OMe) 10 with guidance by the principles of surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC). Characterization of the supported precursors and the supported nanoparticles formed from them was carried out by IR, NMR, UV-Vis, extended X-ray absorption fine structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies complemented with XRD and high-resolution TEM, with dynamic nuclear polarization surface enhanced NMR spectroscopy being especially helpful by providing enhanced intensities of the signals of 1 H, 13 C, 29 Si, and 15 N at their natural abundances. The characterization data provide details of the synthesis chemistry, including evidence of (a) O 2 insertion into Ta-CH 3 species on the support and (b) a binuclear to mononuclear transformation of species formed from Ta 2 (OMe) 10 on the support. A catalytic test reaction, cyclooctene epoxidation, was used to probe the supported nanoparticles, with 30% H 2 O 2 serving as the oxidant. The catalysts gave selectivities up to 98% for the epoxide at conversions as high as 99% with a 3.4 wt% loading of Ta present as Ta x N y /TaO x N y .

Titanium-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles protect cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis

PubMed Central

Clark, Andrea; Zhu, Aiping; Petty, Howard R.

2014-01-01

To develop new nanoparticle materials possessing anti-oxidative capacity with improved physical characteristics, we have studied titanium-doped cerium oxide (CeTiO2) nanoparticles. CeTiO2 nanoparticles had a mode diameter of 15-20 nm. These nanoparticles demonstrated catalase activity, and did not promote the activation of hemolytic or cytolytic pathways in living cells. Using surface plasmon resonance enhanced microscopy, we find that these nanoparticles associate with cells. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrated that these nanoparticles accumulate within the vacuolar compartment of cells. Importantly, CeTiO2 nanoparticles decrease hydrogen peroxide-mediated apoptosis of cells as judged by the reduced cleavage of a caspase 3-sensitive label. CeTiO2 nanoparticles may contribute to deflecting tissue damage in a broad spectrum of oxidant-mediated diseases, such as macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease. PMID:24791147

Viscous properties of aluminum oxide nanotubes and aluminium oxide nanoparticles - silicone oil suspensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thapa, Ram; French, Steven; Delgado, Adrian; Ramos, Carlos; Gutierrez, Jose; Chipara, Mircea; Lozano, Karen

2010-03-01

Electrorheological (ER) fluids consisting of γ-aluminum oxide nanotubes and γ-aluminum oxide nanoparticles dispersed within silicone oil were prepared. The relationship between shear stress and shear rate was measured and theoretically simulated by using an extended Bingham model for both the rheological and electrorheological features of these systems. Shear stress and viscosity showed a sharp increase for the aluminum oxide nanotubes suspensions subjected to applied electric fields whereas aluminum oxide nanoparticles suspensions showed a moderate change. It was found that the transition from liquid to solid state (mediated by the applied electric field) can be described by a power law and that for low applied voltages the relationship is almost linear.

Interfacial bonding stabilizes rhodium and rhodium oxide nanoparticles on layered Nb oxide and Ta oxide supports.

PubMed

Strayer, Megan E; Binz, Jason M; Tanase, Mihaela; Shahri, Seyed Mehdi Kamali; Sharma, Renu; Rioux, Robert M; Mallouk, Thomas E

2014-04-16

Metal nanoparticles are commonly supported on metal oxides, but their utility as catalysts is limited by coarsening at high temperatures. Rhodium oxide and rhodium metal nanoparticles on niobate and tantalate supports are anomalously stable. To understand this, the nanoparticle-support interaction was studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM), and synchrotron X-ray absorption and scattering techniques. Nanosheets derived from the layered oxides KCa2Nb3O10, K4Nb6O17, and RbTaO3 were compared as supports to nanosheets of Na-TSM, a synthetic fluoromica (Na0.66Mg2.68(Si3.98Al0.02)O10.02F1.96), and α-Zr(HPO4)2·H2O. High surface area SiO2 and γ-Al2O3 supports were also used for comparison in the ITC experiments. A Born-Haber cycle analysis of ITC data revealed an exothermic interaction between Rh(OH)3 nanoparticles and the layered niobate and tantalate supports, with ΔH values in the range -32 kJ·mol(-1) Rh to -37 kJ·mol(-1) Rh. In contrast, the interaction enthalpy was positive with SiO2 and γ-Al2O3 supports. The strong interfacial bonding in the former case led to "reverse" ripening of micrometer-size Rh(OH)3, which dispersed as 0.5 to 2 nm particles on the niobate and tantalate supports. In contrast, particles grown on Na-TSM and α-Zr(HPO4)2·H2O nanosheets were larger and had a broad size distribution. ETEM, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and pair distribution function analyses were used to study the growth of supported nanoparticles under oxidizing and reducing conditions, as well as the transformation from Rh(OH)3 to Rh nanoparticles. Interfacial covalent bonding, possibly strengthened by d-electron acid/base interactions, appear to stabilize Rh(OH)3, Rh2O3, and Rh nanoparticles on niobate and tantalate supports.

Synthesis of oxide-free aluminum nanoparticles for application to conductive film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jong Lee, Yung; Lee, Changsoo; Lee, Hyuck Mo

2018-02-01

Aluminum nanoparticles are considered promising as alternatives to conventional ink materials, replacing silver and copper nanoparticles, due to their extremely low cost and low melting temperature. However, a serious obstacle to realizing their use as conductive ink materials is the oxidation of aluminum. In this research, we synthesized the oxide-free aluminum nanoparticles using catalytic decomposition and an oleic acid coating method, and these materials were applied to conductive ink for the first time. The injection time of oleic acid determines the size of the aluminum nanoparticles by forming a self-assembled monolayer on the nanoparticles instead of allowing the formation of an oxide phase. Fabricated nanoparticles were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to verify their structural and chemical composition. In addition, conductive inks made of these nanoparticles exhibit electrical properties when they are sintered at over 300 °C in a reducing atmosphere. This result shows that aluminum nanoparticles can be used as an alternative conductive material in printed electronics and can solve the cost issues associated with noble metals.

Study of bactericidal properties of carbohydrate-stabilized platinum oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rezaei-Zarchi, Saeed; Imani, Saber; mohammad Zand, Ali; Saadati, Mojtaba; Zaghari, Zahra

2012-09-01

Platinum oxide nanoparticles were prepared by a simple hydrothermal route and chemical reduction using carbohydrates (fructose and sucrose) as the reducing and stabilizing agents. In comparison with other metals, platinum oxide has less environmental pollution. Therefore, Pt is considered an appropriate candidate to deal with environmental pathogens. The crystallite size of these nanoparticles was evaluated from X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and was found to be 10 nm, which is the demonstration of EM bright field and transmission electron microscopy. The effect of carbohydrates on the morphology of the nanoparticles was studied using TEM. The nanoparticles were administered to the Pseudomonas stutzeri and Lactobacillus cultures, and the incubation was done at 37°C for 24 h. The nanocomposites exhibited interesting inhibitory as well as bactericidal activity against P. stutzeri and Lactobacillus species. Incorporation of nanoparticles also increased the thermal stability of the carbohydrates. The results of this paper showed that carbohydrates can serve as a carrier for platinum oxide nanoparticles, and nanocomposites can have potential biological applications.

Study of physical properties of metal oxide nanoparticles obtained in acoustoplasma discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulychev, N. A.; Kazaryan, M. A.; Zakharyan, A. R.; Bodryshev, V. V.; Kirichenko, M. N.; Shevchenko, S. N.; Yakunin, V. G.; Timoshenko, V. Y.; Bychenko, A. B.

2018-04-01

Nanoparticles of tungsten, copper, iron, and zinc oxides were synthesized in acoustoplasma discharge. Their size distribution was studied by electron microscopy and laser correlation spectroscopy. Ultrasound was found to narrow significantly the size distribution width of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Water suspensions of zinc oxide nanoparticles showed photoluminescence in red and near infrared spectral ranges, which makes them a promising material for luminescent diagnostics of biological systems.

Microbially-mediated method for synthesis of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles

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

Phelps, Tommy J.; Lauf, Robert J.; Moon, Ji-Won

The invention is directed to a method for producing non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, the method comprising: (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a metal component comprising at least one type of metal ion, iv) a non-metal component comprising at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and As, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes duringmore » consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and (b) isolating said non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, which contain at least one of said metal ions and at least one of said non-metals. The invention is also directed to non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticle compositions produced as above and having distinctive properties.« less

Microbially-mediated method for synthesis of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Phelps, Tommy J.; Lauf, Robert J.; Moon, Ji Won; Rondinone, Adam J.; Love, Lonnie J.; Duty, Chad Edward; Madden, Andrew Stephen; Li, Yiliang; Ivanov, Ilia N.; Rawn, Claudia Jeanette

2014-06-24

The invention is directed to a method for producing non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, the method comprising: (a) subjecting a combination of reaction components to conditions conducive to microbially-mediated formation of non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, wherein said combination of reaction components comprises i) anaerobic microbes, ii) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said anaerobic microbes, iii) a metal component comprising at least one type of metal ion, iv) a non-metal component containing at least one non-metal selected from the group consisting of S, Se, Te, and As, and v) one or more electron donors that provide donatable electrons to said anaerobic microbes during consumption of the electron donor by said anaerobic microbes; and (b) isolating said non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticles, which contain at least one of said metal ions and at least one of said non-metals. The invention is also directed to non-oxide semiconductor nanoparticle compositions produced as above and having distinctive properties.

DNA-length-dependent quenching of fluorescently labeled iron oxide nanoparticles with gold, graphene oxide and MoS2 nanostructures.

PubMed

Balcioglu, Mustafa; Rana, Muhit; Robertson, Neil; Yigit, Mehmet V

2014-08-13

We controlled the fluorescence emission of a fluorescently labeled iron oxide nanoparticle using three different nanomaterials with ultraefficient quenching capabilities. The control over the fluorescence emission was investigated via spacing introduced by the surface-functionalized single-stranded DNA molecules. DNA molecules were conjugated on different templates, either on the surface of the fluorescently labeled iron oxide nanoparticles or gold and nanographene oxide. The efficiency of the quenching was determined and compared with various fluorescently labeled iron oxide nanoparticle and nanoquencher combinations using DNA molecules with three different lengths. We have found that the template for DNA conjugation plays significant role on quenching the fluorescence emission of the fluorescently labeled iron oxide nanoparticles. We have observed that the size of the DNA controls the quenching efficiency when conjugated only on the fluorescently labeled iron oxide nanoparticles by setting a spacer between the surfaces and resulting change in the hydrodynamic size. The quenching efficiency with 12mer, 23mer and 36mer oligonucleotides decreased to 56%, 54% and 53% with gold nanoparticles, 58%, 38% and 32% with nanographene oxide, 46%, 38% and 35% with MoS2, respectively. On the other hand, the presence, not the size, of the DNA molecules on the other surfaces quenched the fluorescence significantly with different degrees. To understand the effect of the mobility of the DNA molecules on the nanoparticle surface, DNA molecules were attached to the surface with two different approaches. Covalently immobilized oligonucleotides decreased the quenching efficiency of nanographene oxide and gold nanoparticles to ∼22% and ∼21%, respectively, whereas noncovalently adsorbed oligonucleotides decreased it to ∼25% and ∼55%, respectively. As a result, we have found that each nanoquencher has a powerful quenching capability against a fluorescent nanoparticle, which can be

IRON OXIDE NANOPARTICLE-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND INFLAMMATION

EPA Science Inventory

1. Nanoparticle Physicochemical Characterizations

We first focused on creating NP systems that could be used to test our hypotheses and assessing their stability in aqueous media. The iron oxide NP systems were not stable in cell culture medium o...

2. Zinc oxide nanoparticles as selective killers of proliferating cells

   PubMed Central

   Taccola, Liuba; Raffa, Vittoria; Riggio, Cristina; Vittorio, Orazio; Iorio, Maria Carla; Vanacore, Renato; Pietrabissa, Andrea; Cuschieri, Alfred

   2011-01-01

   Background: It has recently been demonstrated that zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) induce death of cancerous cells whilst having no cytotoxic effect on normal cells. However, there are several issues which need to be resolved before translation of zinc oxide nanoparticles into medical use, including lack of suitable biocompatible dispersion protocols and a better understanding being needed of the mechanism of their selective cytotoxic action. Methods: Nanoparticle dose affecting cell viability was evaluated in a model of proliferating cells both experimentally and mathematically. The key issue of selective toxicity of ZnO NPs toward proliferating cells was addressed by experiments using a biological model of noncancerous cells, ie, mesenchymal stem cells before and after cell differentiation to the osteogenic lineage. Results: In this paper, we report a biocompatible protocol for preparation of stable aqueous solutions of monodispersed zinc oxide nanoparticles. We found that the threshold of intracellular ZnO NP concentration required to induce cell death in proliferating cells is 0.4 ± 0.02 mM. Finally, flow cytometry analysis revealed that the threshold dose of zinc oxide nanoparticles was lethal to proliferating pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells but exhibited negligible cytotoxic effects to osteogenically differentiated mesenchymal stem cells. Conclusion: Results confirm the ZnO NP selective cytotoxic action on rapidly proliferating cells, whether benign or malignant. PMID:21698081

3. Size-dependent cytotoxicity of yttrium oxide nanoparticles on primary osteoblasts in vitro

   NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

   Zhou, Guoqiang; Li, Yunfei; Ma, Yanyan; Liu, Zhu; Cao, Lili; Wang, Da; Liu, Sudan; Xu, Wenshi; Wang, Wenying

   2016-05-01

   Yttrium oxide nanoparticles are an excellent host material for the rare earth metals and have high luminescence efficiency providing a potential application in photodynamic therapy and biological imaging. In this study, the effects of yttrium oxide nanoparticles with four different sizes were investigated using primary osteoblasts in vitro. The results demonstrated that the cytotoxicity generated by yttrium oxide nanoparticles depended on the particle size, and smaller particles possessed higher toxicological effects. For the purpose to elucidate the relationship between reactive oxygen species generation and cell damage, cytomembrane integrity, intracellular reactive oxygen species level, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell apoptosis rate, and activity of caspase-3 in cells were then measured. Increased reactive oxygen species level was also observed in a size-dependent way. Thus, our data demonstrated that exposure to yttrium oxide nanoparticles resulted in a size-dependent cytotoxicity in cultured primary osteoblasts, and reactive oxygen species generation should be one possible damage pathway for the toxicological effects produced by yttrium oxide particles. The results may provide useful information for more rational applications of yttrium oxide nanoparticles in the future.

4. Enzymatic oxidative biodegradation of nanoparticles: Mechanisms, significance and applications

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

   Vlasova, Irina I.

   Biopersistence of carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide (GO) and several other types of carbonaceous nanomaterials is an essential determinant of their health effects. Successful biodegradation is one of the major factors defining the life span and biological responses to nanoparticles. Here, we review the role and contribution of different oxidative enzymes of inflammatory cells – myeloperoxidase, eosinophil peroxidase, lactoperoxidase, hemoglobin, and xanthine oxidase – to the reactions of nanoparticle biodegradation. We further focus on interactions of nanomaterials with hemoproteins dependent on the specific features of their physico-chemical and structural characteristics. Mechanistically, we highlight the significance of immobilized peroxidase reactive intermediates vsmore » diffusible small molecule oxidants (hypochlorous and hypobromous acids) for the overall oxidative biodegradation process in neutrophils and eosinophils. We also accentuate the importance of peroxynitrite-driven pathways realized in macrophages via the engagement of NADPH oxidase- and NO synthase-triggered oxidative mechanisms. We consider possible involvement of oxidative machinery of other professional phagocytes such as microglial cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, in the context of biodegradation relevant to targeted drug delivery. We evaluate the importance of genetic factors and their manipulations for the enzymatic biodegradation in vivo. Finally, we emphasize a novel type of biodegradation realized via the activation of the “dormant” peroxidase activity of hemoproteins by the nano-surface. This is exemplified by the binding of GO to cyt c causing the unfolding and ‘unmasking’ of the peroxidase activity of the latter. We conclude with the strategies leading to safe by design carbonaceous nanoparticles with optimized characteristics for mechanism-based targeted delivery and regulatable life-span of drugs in circulation. - Highlights: • Nanoparticles can be degraded

5. Hamaker constants of iron oxide nanoparticles.

   PubMed

   Faure, Bertrand; Salazar-Alvarez, German; Bergström, Lennart

   2011-07-19

   The Hamaker constants for iron oxide nanoparticles in various media have been calculated using Lifshitz theory. Expressions for the dielectric responses of three iron oxide phases (magnetite, maghemite, and hematite) were derived from recently published optical data. The nonretarded Hamaker constants for the iron oxide nanoparticles interacting across water, A(1w1) = 33 - 39 zJ, correlate relatively well with previous reports, whereas the calculated values in nonpolar solvents (hexane and toluene), A(131) = 9 - 29 zJ, are much lower than the previous estimates, particularly for magnetite. The magnitude of van der Waals interactions varies significantly between the studied phases (magnetite < maghemite < hematite), which highlights the importance of a thorough characterization of the particles. The contribution of magnetic dispersion interactions for particle sizes in the superparamagnetic regime was found to be negligible. Previous conjectures related to colloidal stability and self-assembly have been revisited on the basis of the new Lifshitz values of the Hamaker constants.

6. Copper Oxide Nanoparticles Impact Several Toxicological Endpoints and Cause Neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans

   PubMed Central

   Zanon, Tyler; Kappell, Anthony D.; Petrella, Lisa N.; Andersen, Erik C.; Hristova, Krassimira R.

   2016-01-01

   Engineered nanoparticles are becoming increasingly incorporated into technology and consumer products. In 2014, over 300 tons of copper oxide nanoparticles were manufactured in the United States. The increased production of nanoparticles raises concerns regarding the potential introduction into the environment or human exposure. Copper oxide nanoparticles commonly release copper ions into solutions, which contribute to their toxicity. We quantified the inhibitory effects of both copper oxide nanoparticles and copper sulfate on C. elegans toxicological endpoints to elucidate their biological effects. Several toxicological endpoints were analyzed in C. elegans, including nematode reproduction, feeding behavior, and average body length. We examined three wild C. elegans isolates together with the Bristol N2 laboratory strain to explore the influence of different genotypic backgrounds on the physiological response to copper challenge. All strains exhibited greater sensitivity to copper oxide nanoparticles compared to copper sulfate, as indicated by reduction of average body length and feeding behavior. Reproduction was significantly reduced only at the highest copper dose, though still more pronounced with copper oxide nanoparticles compared to copper sulfate treatment. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of copper oxide nanoparticles and copper sulfate on neurons, cells with known vulnerability to heavy metal toxicity. Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons was observed in up to 10% of the population after copper oxide nanoparticle exposure. Additionally, mutants in the divalent-metal transporters, smf-1 or smf-2, showed increased tolerance to copper exposure, implicating both transporters in copper-induced neurodegeneration. These results highlight the complex nature of CuO nanoparticle toxicity, in which a nanoparticle-specific effect was observed in some traits (average body length, feeding behavior) and a copper ion specific effect was observed for other traits

7. Mercury removal in wastewater by iron oxide nanoparticles

   NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

   Vélez, E.; Campillo, G. E.; Morales, G.; Hincapié, C.; Osorio, J.; Arnache, O.; Uribe, J. I.; Jaramillo, F.

   2016-02-01

   Mercury is one of the persistent pollutants in wastewater; it is becoming a severe environmental and public health problem, this is why nowadays its removal is an obligation. Iron oxide nanoparticles are receiving much attention due to their properties, such as: great biocompatibility, ease of separation, high relation of surface-area to volume, surface modifiability, reusability, excellent magnetic properties and relative low cost. In this experiment, Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized using iron salts and NaOH as precipitation agents, and Aloe Vera as stabilizing agent; then these nanoparticles were characterized by three different measurements: first, using a Zetasizer Nano ZS for their size estimation, secondly UV-visible spectroscopy which showed the existence of resonance of plasmon at λmax∼360 nm, and lastly by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to determine nanoparticles form. The results of this characterization showed that the obtained Iron oxides nanoparticles have a narrow size distribution (∼100nm). Mercury removal of 70% approximately was confirmed by atomic absorption spectroscopy measurements.

8. Quantitative 3D evolution of colloidal nanoparticle oxidation in solution

   DOE PAGES

   Sun, Yugang; Zuo, Xiaobing; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S.; ...

   2017-04-21

   Real-time tracking three-dimensional (3D) evolution of colloidal nanoparticles in solution is essential for understanding complex mechanisms involved in nanoparticle growth and transformation. We simultaneously use time-resolved small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering to monitor oxidation of highly uniform colloidal iron nanoparticles, enabling the reconstruction of intermediate 3D morphologies of the nanoparticles with a spatial resolution of ~5 Å. The in-situ probing combined with large-scale reactive molecular dynamics simulations reveals the transformational details from the solid metal nanoparticles to hollow metal oxide nanoshells via nanoscale Kirkendall process, for example, coalescence of voids upon their growth, reversing of mass diffusion direction depending onmore » crystallinity, and so forth. In conclusion, our results highlight the complex interplay between defect chemistry and defect dynamics in determining nanoparticle transformation and formation.« less

9. Quantitative 3D evolution of colloidal nanoparticle oxidation in solution

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

   Sun, Yugang; Zuo, Xiaobing; Sankaranarayanan, Subramanian K. R. S.

   Real-time tracking three-dimensional (3D) evolution of colloidal nanoparticles in solution is essential for understanding complex mechanisms involved in nanoparticle growth and transformation. We simultaneously use time-resolved small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering to monitor oxidation of highly uniform colloidal iron nanoparticles, enabling the reconstruction of intermediate 3D morphologies of the nanoparticles with a spatial resolution of ~5 Å. The in-situ probing combined with large-scale reactive molecular dynamics simulations reveals the transformational details from the solid metal nanoparticles to hollow metal oxide nanoshells via nanoscale Kirkendall process, for example, coalescence of voids upon their growth, reversing of mass diffusion direction depending onmore » crystallinity, and so forth. In conclusion, our results highlight the complex interplay between defect chemistry and defect dynamics in determining nanoparticle transformation and formation.« less

10. 21 CFR 886.3100 - Ophthalmic tantalum clip.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... blood vessels in the eye. (b) Classification. Class II (special controls). The device is exempt from the...) MEDICAL DEVICES OPHTHALMIC DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 886.3100 Ophthalmic tantalum clip. (a) Identification. An ophthalmic tantalum clip is a malleable metallic device intended to be implanted permanently...

11. Graphene Oxide-Promoted Reshaping and Coarsening of Gold Nanorods and Nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Pan, Hanqing; Low, Serena; Weerasuriya, Nisala; Shon, Young-Seok

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes thermally induced reshaping and coarsening behaviors of gold nanorods and nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of graphene oxide. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-stabilized gold nanorods with an aspect ratio of ~3.5 (54:15 nm) and glutathione-capped gold nanoparticles with an average core size of ~3 nm were synthesized and self-assembled onto the surface of graphene oxide. The hybrid materials were then heated at different temperatures ranging from 50 to 300 °C. The effects of heat treatments were monitored using UV–vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These results were directly compared with those of heat-treated free-standing gold nanorods and nanoparticles without graphene oxide to understand the heat-induced morphological changes of the nanohybrids. The obtained results showed that the gold nanorods would undergo a complete reshaping to spherical particles at the temperature of 50 °C when they are assembled on graphene oxide. In comparison, the complete reshaping of free-standing gold nanorods to spherical particles would ultimately require a heating of the samples at 200 °C. In addition, the spherical gold nanoparticles immobilized on graphene oxide would undergo a rapid coarsening at the temperature of 100–150 °C, which was lower than the temperature (150–200 °C) required for visible coarsening of free-standing gold nanoparticles. The results indicated that graphene oxide facilitates the reshaping and coarsening of gold nanorods and nanoparticles, respectively, during the heat treatments. The stripping and spillover of stabilizing ligands promoted by graphene oxide are proposed to be the main mechanism for the enhancements in the heat-induced transformations of nanohybrids. PMID:25611371

12. Solid-stabilized emulsion formation using stearoyl lactylate coated iron oxide nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vengsarkar, Pranav S.; Roberts, Christopher B.

    2014-10-01

    Iron oxide nanoparticles can exhibit highly tunable physicochemical properties that are extremely important in applications such as catalysis, biomedicine and environmental remediation. The small size of iron oxide nanoparticles can be used to stabilize oil-in-water Pickering emulsions due to their high energy of adsorption at the interface of oil droplets in water. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of the primary particle characteristics and stabilizing agent chemistry on the stability of oil-in-water Pickering emulsions. Iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by the co-precipitation method using stoichiometric amounts of Fe2+ and Fe3+ salts. Sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), a Food and Drug Administration approved food additive, was used to functionalize the iron oxide nanoparticles. SSL is useful in the generation of fat-in-water emulsions due to its high hydrophilic-lipophilic balance and its bilayer-forming capacity. Generation of a monolayer or a bilayer coating on the nanoparticles was controlled through systematic changes in reagent concentrations. The coated particles were then characterized using various analytical techniques to determine their size, their crystal structure and surface functionalization. The capacity of these bilayer coated nanoparticles to stabilize oil-in-water emulsions under various salt concentrations and pH values was also systematically determined using various characterization techniques. This study successfully demonstrated the ability to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles (20-40 nm) coated with SSL in order to generate stable Pickering emulsions that were pH-responsive and resistant to significant destabilization in a saline environment, thereby lending themselves to applications in advanced oil spill recovery and remediation.

13. Adsorption of collagen to indium oxide nanoparticles and infrared emissivity study thereon

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

    Zhou Yuming; Shan Yun; Sun Yanqing

    Adsorption of collagen to indium oxide nanoparticles was carried out in water-acetone solution at volumetric ratio of 1:1 with pH value varying from 3.2 to 9.3. As indicated by TGA, maximum collagen adsorption to indium oxide nanoparticles occurred at pH of 3.2. It was proposed that noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding, hydrophilic and electrostatic interactions made main contributions to collagen adsorption. The IR emissivity values (8-14 {mu}m) of collagen-adsorbed indium oxide nanoparticles decreased significantly compared to either pure collagen or indium oxide nanoparticles possibly due to the interfacial interactions between collagen and indium oxide nanoparticles. And the lowest infraredmore » emissivity value of 0.587 was obtained at collagen adsorption of 1.94 g/100 g In{sub 2}O{sub 3}. On the chance of improved compatibility with organic adhesives, the chemical activity of adsorbed collagen was further confirmed by grafting copolymerization with methyl methacrylate by formation of polymer shell outside, as evidenced by IR spectrum and transmission electron microscopy.« less

14. Exchange Bias Effects in Iron Oxide-Based Nanoparticle Systems

    DOE PAGES

    Phan, Manh-Huong; Alonso, Javier; Khurshid, Hafsa; ...

    2016-11-23

    The exploration of exchange bias (EB) on the nanoscale provides a novel approach to improving the anisotropic properties of magnetic nanoparticles for prospective applications in nanospintronics and nanomedicine. However, the physical origin of EB is not fully understood. Recent advances in chemical synthesis provide a unique opportunity to explore EB in a variety of iron oxide-based nanostructures ranging from core/shell to hollow and hybrid composite nanoparticles. Experimental and atomistic Monte Carlo studies have shed light on the roles of interface and surface spins in these nanosystems. This review paper aims to provide a thorough understanding of the EB and relatedmore » phenomena in iron oxide-based nanoparticle systems, knowledge of which is essential to tune the anisotropic magnetic properties of exchange-coupled nanoparticle systems for potential applications.« less

Exchange Bias Effects in Iron Oxide-Based Nanoparticle Systems

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

Phan, Manh-Huong; Alonso, Javier; Khurshid, Hafsa

The exploration of exchange bias (EB) on the nanoscale provides a novel approach to improving the anisotropic properties of magnetic nanoparticles for prospective applications in nanospintronics and nanomedicine. However, the physical origin of EB is not fully understood. Recent advances in chemical synthesis provide a unique opportunity to explore EB in a variety of iron oxide-based nanostructures ranging from core/shell to hollow and hybrid composite nanoparticles. Experimental and atomistic Monte Carlo studies have shed light on the roles of interface and surface spins in these nanosystems. This review paper aims to provide a thorough understanding of the EB and relatedmore » phenomena in iron oxide-based nanoparticle systems, knowledge of which is essential to tune the anisotropic magnetic properties of exchange-coupled nanoparticle systems for potential applications.« less

Exchange Bias Effects in Iron Oxide-Based Nanoparticle Systems

PubMed Central

Phan, Manh-Huong; Alonso, Javier; Khurshid, Hafsa; Lampen-Kelley, Paula; Chandra, Sayan; Stojak Repa, Kristen; Nemati, Zohreh; Das, Raja; Iglesias, Óscar; Srikanth, Hariharan

2016-01-01

The exploration of exchange bias (EB) on the nanoscale provides a novel approach to improving the anisotropic properties of magnetic nanoparticles for prospective applications in nanospintronics and nanomedicine. However, the physical origin of EB is not fully understood. Recent advances in chemical synthesis provide a unique opportunity to explore EB in a variety of iron oxide-based nanostructures ranging from core/shell to hollow and hybrid composite nanoparticles. Experimental and atomistic Monte Carlo studies have shed light on the roles of interface and surface spins in these nanosystems. This review paper aims to provide a thorough understanding of the EB and related phenomena in iron oxide-based nanoparticle systems, knowledge of which is essential to tune the anisotropic magnetic properties of exchange-coupled nanoparticle systems for potential applications. PMID:28335349

The Effect of Metal Oxide on Nanoparticles from Thermite Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Lewis Ryan

2006-01-01

The purpose of this research was to determine how metal oxide used in a thermite reaction can impact the production of nanoparticles. The results showed the presence of nanoparticles (less than 1 micron in diameter) of at least one type produced by each metal oxide. The typical particles were metallic spheres, which ranged from 300 nanometers in…

Facile solid-state synthesis of oxidation-resistant metal nanoparticles at ambient conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kyu Hyung; Jung, Hyuk Joon; Lee, Ju Hee; Kim, Kyungtae; Lee, Byeongno; Nam, Dohyun; Kim, Chung Man; Jung, Myung-Hwa; Hur, Nam Hwi

2018-05-01

A simple and scalable method for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles in the solid-state was developed, which can produce nanoparticles in the absence of solvents. Nanoparticles of coinage metals were synthesized by grinding solid hydrazine and the metal precursors in their acetates and oxides at 25 °C. The silver and gold acetates converted completely within 6 min into Ag and Au nanoparticles, respectively, while complete conversion of the copper acetate to the Cu sub-micrometer particles took about 2 h. Metal oxide precursors were also converted into metal nanoparticles by grinding alone. The resulting particles exhibit distinctive crystalline lattice fringes, indicating the formation of highly crystalline phases. The Cu sub-micrometer particles are better resistant to oxidation and exhibit higher conductivity compared to conventional Cu nanoparticles. This solid-state method was also applied for the synthesis of platinum group metals and intermetallic Cu3Au, which can be further extended to synthesize other metal nanoparticles.

Iron oxide nanoparticles stabilized with dendritic polyglycerols as selective MRI contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordmeyer, Daniel; Stumpf, Patrick; Gröger, Dominic; Hofmann, Andreas; Enders, Sven; Riese, Sebastian B.; Dernedde, Jens; Taupitz, Matthias; Rauch, Ursula; Haag, Rainer; Rühl, Eckart; Graf, Christina

2014-07-01

Monodisperse small iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with dendritic polyglycerol (dPG) or dendritic polyglycerol sulfate (dPGS) are prepared. They are highly stable in aqueous solutions as well as physiological media. In particular, oleic acid capped iron oxide particles (core diameter = 11 +/- 1 nm) were modified by a ligand exchange process in a one pot synthesis with dPG and dPGS bearing phosphonate as anchor groups. Dynamic light scattering measurements performed in water and different biological media demonstrate that the hydrodynamic diameter of the particles is only slightly increased by the ligand exchange process resulting in a final diameter of less than 30 nm and that the particles are stable in these media. It is also revealed by magnetic resonance studies that their magnetic relaxivity is reduced by the surface modification but it is still sufficient for high contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Additionally, incubation of dPGS functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles with human umbilical vein endothelial cells showed a 50% survival at 85 nM (concentration of nanoparticles). Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) studies demonstrate that the dPGS functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles inhibit L-selectin ligand binding whereas the particles containing only dPG do not show this effect. Experiments in a flow chamber with human myelogenous leukemia cells confirmed L-selectin inhibition of the dPGS functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles and with that the L-selectin mediated leukocyte adhesion. These results indicate that dPGS functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles are a promising contrast agent for inflamed tissue probed by MRI.Monodisperse small iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with dendritic polyglycerol (dPG) or dendritic polyglycerol sulfate (dPGS) are prepared. They are highly stable in aqueous solutions as well as physiological media. In particular, oleic acid capped iron oxide particles (core diameter = 11 +/- 1 nm) were modified by a

Pulmonary Nanoparticle Exposure Disrupts Systemic Microvascular Nitric Oxide Signaling

PubMed Central

Nurkiewicz, Timothy R.; Porter, Dale W.; Hubbs, Ann F.; Stone, Samuel; Chen, Bean T.; Frazer, David G.; Boegehold, Matthew A.; Castranova, Vincent

2009-01-01

We have shown that pulmonary nanoparticle exposure impairs endothelium dependent dilation in systemic arterioles. However, the mechanism(s) through which this effect occurs is/are unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify alterations in the production of reactive species and endogenous nitric oxide (NO) after nanoparticle exposure, and determine the relative contribution of hemoproteins and oxidative enzymes in this process. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to fine TiO2 (primary particle diameter ∼1 μm) and TiO2 nanoparticles (primary particle diameter ∼21 nm) via aerosol inhalation at depositions of 4–90 μg per rat. As in previous intravital experiments in the spinotrapezius muscle, dose-dependent arteriolar dilations were produced by intraluminal infusions of the calcium ionophore A23187. Nanoparticle exposure robustly attenuated these endothelium-dependent responses. However, this attenuation was not due to altered microvascular smooth muscle NO sensitivity because nanoparticle exposure did not alter arteriolar dilations in response to local sodium nitroprusside iontophoresis. Nanoparticle exposure significantly increased microvascular oxidative stress by ∼60%, and also elevated nitrosative stress fourfold. These reactive stresses coincided with a decreased NO production in a particle deposition dose-dependent manner. Radical scavenging, or inhibition of either myeloperoxidase or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (reduced) oxidase partially restored NO production as well as normal microvascular function. These results indicate that in conjunction with microvascular dysfunction, nanoparticle exposure also decreases NO bioavailability through at least two functionally distinct mechanisms that may mutually increase local reactive species. PMID:19270016

Efficacy of Tantalum Tungsten Alloys for Diffusion Barrier Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smathers, D. B.; Aimone, P. R.

2017-12-01

Traditionally either Niobium, Tantalum or a combination of both have been used as diffusion barriers in Nb3Sn Multi-filament wire. Vanadium has also been used successfully but the ultimate RRR of the copper is limited unless an external shell of Niobium is included. Niobium is preferred over Tantalum when alternating current losses are not an issue as the Niobium will react to form Nb3Sn. Pure Tantalum tends to deform irregularly requiring extra starting thickness to ensure good barrier qualities. Our evaluations showed Tantalum lightly alloyed with 3 wt% Tungsten is compatible with the wire drawing process while deforming as well as or better than pure Niobium. Ta3wt%W has been processed as a single barrier and as a distributed barrier to fine dimensions. In addition, the higher modulus and strength of the Tantalum Tungsten alloy improves the overall tensile properties of the wire.

Environment friendly route of iron oxide nanoparticles from Zingiber officinale (ginger) root extract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin Hui, Yau; Yi Peng, Teoh; Wei Wen, Liu; Zhong Xian, Ooi; Peck Loo, Kiew

2016-11-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles were prepared from the reaction between the Zingiber officinale (ginger) root extracts and ferric chloride solution at 50°C for 2 h in mild stirring condition. The synthesized powder forms of nanoparticles were further characterized by using UV-Vis spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction spectrometry. UV-Vis analysis shows the absorption peak of iron oxide nanoparticles is appeared at 370 nm. The calculation of crystallite size from the XRD showed that the average particle size of iron oxide nanoparticles was 68.43 nm. Therefore, this eco-friendly technique is low cost and large scale nanoparticles synthesis to fulfill the demand of various applications.

Studying tantalum-based high-κ dielectrics in terms of capacitance measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stojanovska-Georgievska, L.

2016-08-01

The trend of rapid development of microelectronics towards nano-miniaturization dictates the inevitable introduction of dielectrics with high permittivity (high-κ dielectrics), as alternative material for replacing SiO2. Therefore, studying these materials in terms of their characteristics, especially in terms of reliability, is of great importance for proper design and manufacture of devices. In this paper, alteration of capacitance in different frequency regimes is used, in order to determine the overall behavior of the material. Samples investigated here are MOS structures containing nanoscale tantalum based dielectrics. Layers of pure Ta2O5, but also Hf and Ti doped tantalum pentoxide, i.e. Ta2O5:Hf and Ta2O5:Ti are studied here. All samples are considered as ultrathin oxide layers with thicknesses less than 15 nm, obtained by radio frequent sputtering on p-type silicon substrate. Measuring capacitive characteristics enables determination of several specific parameters of the structures. The obtained results for capacitance in accumulation, the thickness and time evolution of the interfacial SiO2 layer, values of flatband and threshold voltage, density of oxide charges, interfacial and border states, and reliability properties favor the possibilities for more intensive use of studied materials in new nanoelectronic technologies.

Study of iron oxide nanoparticles in soil for remediation of arsenic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipley, Heather J.; Engates, Karen E.; Guettner, Allison M.

2011-06-01

There is a growing interest in the use of nanoparticles for environmental applications due to their unique physical and chemical properties. One possible application is the removal of contaminants from water. In this study, the use of iron oxide nanoparticles (19.3 nm magnetite and 37.0 nm hematite) were examined to remove arsenate and arsenite through column studies. The columns contained 1.5 or 15 wt% iron oxide nanoparticles and soil. Arsenic experiments were conducted with 1.5 wt% iron oxides at 1.5 and 6 mL/h with initial arsenate and arsenite concentrations of 100 μg/L. Arsenic release occurred after 400 PV, and 100% release was reached. A long-term study was conducted with 15 wt% magnetite nanoparticles in soil at 0.3 mL/h with an initial arsenate concentration of 100 μg/L. A negligible arsenate concentration occurred for 3559.6 pore volumes (PVs) (132.1 d). Eventually, the arsenate concentration reached about 20% after 9884.1 PV (207.9 d). A retardation factor of about 6742 was calculated indicating strong adsorption of arsenic to the magnetite nanoparticles in the column. Also, increased adsorption was observed after flow interruption. Other experiments showed that arsenic and 12 other metals (V, Cr, Co, Mn, Se, Mo, Cd, Pb, Sb, Tl, Th, U) could be simultaneously removed by the iron oxide nanoparticles in soil. Effluent concentrations were less than 10% for six out of the 12 metals. Desorption experiment showed partial irreversible sorption of arsenic to the iron oxide nanoparticle surface. Strong adsorption, large retardation factor, and resistant desorption suggest that magnetite and hematite nanoparticles have the potential to be used to remove arsenic in sandy soil possibly through in situ techniques.

Nanochips of Tantalum Oxide Nanodots as artificial-microenvironments for monitoring Ovarian cancer progressiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhawan, Udesh; Wang, Ssu-Meng; Chu, Ying Hao; Huang, Guewha S.; Lin, Yan Ren; Hung, Yao Ching; Chen, Wen Liang

2016-08-01

Nanotopography modulates cell characteristics and cell behavior. Nanotopological cues can be exploited to investigate the in-vivo modulation of cell characteristics by the cellular microenvironment. However, the studies explaining the modulation of tumor cell characteristics and identifying the transition step in cancer progressiveness are scarce. Here, we engineered nanochips comprising of Tantalum oxide nanodot arrays of 10, 50, 100 and 200 nm as artificial microenvironments to study the modulation of cancer cell behavior. Clinical samples of different types of Ovarian cancer at different stages were obtained, primary cultures were established and then seeded on different nanochips. Immunofluorescence (IF) was performed to compare the morphologies and cell characteristics. Indices corresponding to cell characteristics were defined. A statistical comparison of the cell characteristics in response to the nanochips was performed. The cells displayed differential growth parameters. Morphology, Viability, focal adhesions, microfilament bundles and cell area were modulated by the nanochips which can be used as a measure to study the cancer progressiveness. The ease of fabrication of nanochips ensures mass-production. The ability of the nanochips to act as artificial microenvironments and modulate cell behavior may lead to further prospects in the markerless monitoring of the progressiveness and ultimately, improving the prognosis of Ovarian cancer.

Tantalum oxide/silicon nitride: A negatively charged surface passivation stack for silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Yimao; Bullock, James; Cuevas, Andres

2015-05-01

This letter reports effective passivation of crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces by thermal atomic layer deposited tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) underneath plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposited silicon nitride (SiNx). Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy imaging shows an approximately 2 nm thick interfacial layer between Ta2O5 and c-Si. Surface recombination velocities as low as 5.0 cm/s and 3.2 cm/s are attained on p-type 0.8 Ω.cm and n-type 1.0 Ω.cm c-Si wafers, respectively. Recombination current densities of 25 fA/cm2 and 68 fA/cm2 are measured on 150 Ω/sq boron-diffused p+ and 120 Ω/sq phosphorus-diffused n+ c-Si, respectively. Capacitance-voltage measurements reveal a negative fixed insulator charge density of -1.8 × 1012 cm-2 for the Ta2O5 film and -1.0 × 1012 cm-2 for the Ta2O5/SiNx stack. The Ta2O5/SiNx stack is demonstrated to be an excellent candidate for surface passivation of high efficiency silicon solar cells.

Characterization of injected aluminum oxide nanoparticle clouds in an rf discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, Harald; Killer, Carsten; Schütt, Stefan; Melzer, André

2018-02-01

An experimental setup to deagglomerate and insert nanoparticles into a radio frequency discharge has been developed to confine defined aluminum oxide nanoparticles in a dusty plasma. For the confined particle clouds we have measured the spatially resolved in situ size and density distributions. Implementing the whole plasma chamber into the sample volume of an FTIR spectrometer the infrared spectrum of the confined aluminum oxide nanoparticles has been obtained. We have investigated the dependency of the absorbance of the nanoparticles in terms of plasma power, pressure and cloud shape. The particles’ infrared phonon resonance has been identified.

The Green Synthesis and Evaluation of Silver Nanoparticles and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebear-Eigzabher, Bellsabel

Nanoparticle (NP) research has received exceptional attention as the field of study that contributes to transforming the world of materials science. When implementing NPs in consumer and industrial products, their unique properties improve technologies to the extent of significant game-changing breakthroughs. Conversely, the increased production of NPs, their use, their disposal or inadvertent release in the environment drove the need for processes and policies that ensures consumer and environmental safety. Mitigation of any harmful effects that NPs could potentially have combines methods of safe preparation, safe handling and safe disposal as well as containment of any inadvertent release. Our focus is in safe preparation of nanomaterials and we report green and energy efficient synthesis methods for metal NPs and metal oxide NPs of two popular materials: silver (Ag) and zinc oxide (ZnO). The thesis explained: 1) The impact of NPs in nowadays' world; 2) Synthesis methods that were designed to include environmentally-friendly staring materials and energy-saving fabrication processes, with emphasis on maintaining NPs final size and morphology when compared with existing methods; and 3) Nanoparticles characterization and data collection which allowed us to determine and/or validate their properties. Nanoparticles were studied using transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD), low-voltage (5 keV) transmission electron microscopy (LV EM 5), Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. We developed an aqueous-based preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using microwave-assisted chemistry to render a well-controlled particle size distribution within each set of reaction conditions in the range of 15 nm to 75 nm. We developed a scalable silver nanoparticles synthesis by chemical reduction methods. The NPs could be used in consumer products. The measurement tools for consumer products

Facile self-assembly and stabilization of metal oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Charbonneau, Cecile; Holliman, Peter J; Davies, Matthew L; Watson, Trystan M; Worsley, David A

2015-03-15

This paper describes a facile method of self-assembling different metal oxide nanoparticles into nanostructured materials via di-carboxylate linkers (oxalic acid) using TiO2 as an example. In this method, the di-carboxylate linkers react with surface hydroxyls on metal oxide nanoparticles forming covalent, ester-like bonds, which enable the binding of two metal oxide particles, one at either end of the linker and facilitates efficient self-assembly of one group of metal oxide nanoparticles homogeneously distributed onto the surface of another group. The oxalate linkers can then be removed by thermal decomposition. This approach is shown to be effective using differently-sized TiO2 nanoparticles, namely in-house synthesized 3-5nm anatase nanocrystals and Degussa P25 titania particles (mean 21nm particle size). Our data show that the application of a high temperature heat treatment (450°C for 30min), conventionally applied to achieve a stable porous structure by thermal decomposition of the linker molecules and by inducing inter-particle necking, damages the surface area of the nanostructured material. However, here we show that sintering at 300°C for 30min or by flash near infrared radiation sintering for 12s efficiently decomposes the oxalate linkers and stabilizes the nanostructure of the material whilst maintaining its high surface area. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hafnium radioisotope recovery from irradiated tantalum

DOEpatents

Taylor, Wayne A.; Jamriska, David J.

2001-01-01

Hafnium is recovered from irradiated tantalum by: (a) contacting the irradiated tantalum with at least one acid to obtain a solution of dissolved tantalum; (b) combining an aqueous solution of a calcium compound with the solution of dissolved tantalum to obtain a third combined solution; (c) precipitating hafnium, lanthanide, and insoluble calcium complexes from the third combined solution to obtain a first precipitate; (d) contacting the first precipitate of hafnium, lanthanide and calcium complexes with at least one fluoride ion complexing agent to form a fourth solution; (e) selectively adsorbing lanthanides and calcium from the fourth solution by cationic exchange; (f) separating fluoride ion complexing agent product from hafnium in the fourth solution by adding an aqueous solution of ferric chloride to obtain a second precipitate containing the hafnium and iron; (g) dissolving the second precipitate containing the hafnium and iron in acid to obtain an acid solution of hafnium and iron; (h) selectively adsorbing the iron from the acid solution of hafnium and iron by anionic exchange; (i) drying the ion exchanged hafnium solution to obtain hafnium isotopes. Additionally, if needed to remove residue remaining after the product is dried, dissolution in acid followed by cation exchange, then anion exchange, is performed.

Electrocatalytic performance of Pt nanoparticles sputter-deposited on indium tin oxide toward methanol oxidation reaction: The particle size effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ting, Chao-Cheng; Chao, Chih-Hsuan; Tsai, Cheng Yu; Cheng, I.-Kai; Pan, Fu-Ming

2017-09-01

We sputter-deposited Pt nanoparticles with an average size ranging from 2.0 nm to 8.5 nm on the indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate, and studied the effect of the size of Pt nanoparticles on electrocatalytic activity of the Pt/ITO electrode toward methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in acidic solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals an interfacial oxidized Pt layer present between Pt nanoparticles and the ITO substrate, which may modify the surface electronic structure of Pt nanoparticles and thus influences the electrocatalytic properties of the Pt catalyst toward MOR. According to electrochemical analyses, smaller Pt nanoparticles exhibit slower kinetics for CO electrooxidation and MOR. However, a smaller particle size enables better CO tolerance because the bifunctional mechanism is more effective on smaller Pt nanoparticles. The electrocatalytic activity decays rapidly for Pt nanoparticles with a size smaller than 3 nm and larger than 8 nm. The rapid activity decay is attributed to Pt dissolution for smaller nanoparticles and to CO poisoning for larger ones. Pt nanoparticles of 5-6 nm in size loaded on ITO demonstrate a greatly improved electrocatalytic activity and stability compared with those deposited on different substrates in our previous studies.

Influence of process parameters on plasma electrolytic surface treatment of tantalum for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowa, Maciej; Woszczak, Maja; Kazek-Kęsik, Alicja; Dercz, Grzegorz; Korotin, Danila M.; Zhidkov, Ivan S.; Kurmaev, Ernst Z.; Cholakh, Seif O.; Basiaga, Marcin; Simka, Wojciech

2017-06-01

This work aims to quantify the effect of anodization voltage and electrolyte composition used during DC plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO), operated as a 2-step process, on the surface properties of the resulting oxide coatings on tantalum. The first step consisted of galvanostatic anodization (150 mA cm-2) of the tantalum workpiece up to several limiting voltages (200, 300, 400 and 500 V). After attaining the limiting voltage, the process was switched to voltage control, which resulted in a gradual decrease of the anodic current density. The anodic treatment was realized in a 0.5 M Ca(H2PO2)2 solution, which was then modified by the addition of 1.15 M Ca(HCOO)2 as well as 1.15 M and 1.5 M Mg(CH3COO)2. The increasing voltage of anodization led to the formation of thicker coatings, with larger pores and enriched with electrolytes species to a higher extent. The solutions containing HCOO- and CH3COO- ions caused the formation of coatings which were slightly hydrophobic (high contact angle). In the case of the samples anodized up to 500 V, scattered crystalline deposits were observed. Bioactive phases, such as hydroxyapatite, were detected in the treated oxide coatings by XRD and XPS.

Engineering the defect state and reducibility of ceria based nanoparticles for improved anti-oxidation performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yan-Jie; Dong, Hao; Lyu, Guang-Ming; Zhang, Huai-Yuan; Ke, Jun; Kang, Li-Qun; Teng, Jia-Li; Sun, Ling-Dong; Si, Rui; Zhang, Jing; Liu, Yan-Jun; Zhang, Ya-Wen; Huang, Yun-Hui; Yan, Chun-Hua

2015-08-01

Due to their excellent anti-oxidation performance, CeO2 nanoparticles receive wide attention in pharmacological application. Deep understanding of the anti-oxidation mechanism of CeO2 nanoparticles is extremely important to develop potent CeO2 nanomaterials for anti-oxidation application. Here, we report a detailed study on the anti-oxidation process of CeO2 nanoparticles. The valence state and coordination structure of Ce are characterized before and after the addition of H2O2 to understand the anti-oxidation mechanism of CeO2 nanoparticles. Adsorbed peroxide species are detected during the anti-oxidation process, which are responsible for the red-shifted UV-vis absorption spectra of CeO2 nanoparticles. Furthermore, the coordination number of Ce in the first coordination shell slightly increased after the addition of H2O2. On the basis of these experimental results, the reactivity of coordination sites for peroxide species is considered to play a key role in the anti-oxidation performance of CeO2 nanoparticles. Furthermore, we present a robust method to engineer the anti-oxidation performance of CeO2 nanoparticles through the modification of the defect state and reducibility by doping with Gd3+. Improved anti-oxidation performance is also observed in cell culture, where the biocompatible CeO2-based nanoparticles can protect INS-1 cells from oxidative stress induced by H2O2, suggesting the potential application of CeO2 nanoparticles in the treatment of diabetes.Due to their excellent anti-oxidation performance, CeO2 nanoparticles receive wide attention in pharmacological application. Deep understanding of the anti-oxidation mechanism of CeO2 nanoparticles is extremely important to develop potent CeO2 nanomaterials for anti-oxidation application. Here, we report a detailed study on the anti-oxidation process of CeO2 nanoparticles. The valence state and coordination structure of Ce are characterized before and after the addition of H2O2 to understand the anti-oxidation

Zinc oxide nanoparticles as novel alpha-amylase inhibitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhobale, Sandip; Thite, Trupti; Laware, S. L.; Rode, C. V.; Koppikar, Soumya J.; Ghanekar, Ruchika-Kaul; Kale, S. N.

2008-11-01

Amylase inhibitors, also known as starch blockers, contain substances that prevent dietary starches from being absorbed by the body via inhibiting breakdown of complex sugars to simpler ones. In this sense, these materials are projected as having potential applications in diabetes control. In this context, we report on zinc oxide nanoparticles as possible alpha-amylase inhibitors. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized using soft-chemistry approach and 1-thioglycerol was used as a surfactant to yield polycrystalline nanoparticles of size ˜18 nm, stabilized in wurtzite structure. Conjugation study and structural characterization have been done using x-ray diffraction technique, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Cytotoxicity studies on human fibrosarcoma (HT-1080) and skin carcinoma (A-431) cell lines as well as mouse primary fibroblast cells demonstrate that up to a dose of 20 μg/ml, ZnO nanoparticles are nontoxic to the cells. We report for the first time the alpha-amylase inhibitory activity of ZnO nanoparticles wherein an optimum dose of 20 μg/ml was sufficient to exhibit 49% glucose inhibition at neutral pH and 35 °C temperature. This inhibitory activity was similar to that obtained with acarbose (a standard alpha-amylase inhibitor), thereby projecting ZnO nanoparticles as novel alpha-amylase inhibitors.

Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Stabilization of Nickel and Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles: A Green Adeptness

PubMed Central

Rani, Aneela

2016-01-01

Green protocols for the synthesis of nanoparticles have been attracting a lot of attention because they are eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective. Nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized by green routes and characterized for impact of green chemistry on the properties and biological effects of nanoparticles in the last five years. Green synthesis, properties, and applications of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles have been reported in the literature. This review summarizes the synthesis of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles using different biological systems. This review also provides comparative overview of influence of chemical synthesis and green synthesis on structural properties of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles and their biological behavior. It concludes that green methods for synthesis of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles are better than chemical synthetic methods. PMID:27413375

The development of latent fingerprints by zinc oxide and tin oxide nanoparticles prepared by precipitation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luthra, Deepali; Kumar, Sacheen

2018-05-01

Fingerprints are the very important evidence at the crime scene which must be developed clearly with shortest duration of time to solve the case. Metal oxide nanoparticles could be the mean to develop the latent fingerprints. Zinc oxide and Tin Oxide Nanoparticles were prepared by using chemical precipitation technique which were dried and characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible spectroscopy and FTIR. The size of zinc oxide crystallite was found to be 14.75 nm with minimum reflectance at 360 nm whereas tin oxide have the size of 90 nm and reflectance at minimum level 321 nm. By using these powdered samples on glass, plastic and glossy cardboard, latent fingerprints were developed. Zinc oxide was found to be better candidate than tin oxide for the fingerprint development on all the three types of substrates.

In vitro assessment of the antimicrobial activity of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles against fish pathogens.

PubMed

Shaalan, Mohamed Ibrahim; El-Mahdy, Magdy Mohamed; Theiner, Sarah; El-Matbouli, Mansour; Saleh, Mona

2017-07-21

Antibiotic resistance is a global issue that threatens public health. The excessive use of antibiotics contributes to this problem as the genes of antibiotic resistance can be transferred between the bacteria in humans, animals and aquatic organisms. Metallic nanoparticles could serve as future substitutes for some conventional antibiotics because of their antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles against major fish pathogens and assess their safety in vitro. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction and characterized with UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and zeta sizer. The concentrations of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Subsequently, silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles were tested for their antimicrobial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Edwardsiella tarda, Francisella noatunensis subsp. orientalis, Yersinia ruckeri and Aphanomyces invadans and the minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined. MTT assay was performed on eel kidney cell line (EK-1) to determine the cell viability after incubation with nanoparticles. The interaction between silver nanoparticles and A. salmonicida was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The tested nanoparticles exhibited marked antimicrobial activity. Silver nanoparticles inhibited the growth of both A. salmonicida and A. invadans at a concentration of 17 µg/mL. Zinc oxide nanoparticles inhibited the growth of A. salmonicida, Y. ruckeri and A. invadans at concentrations of 15.75, 31.5 and 3.15 µg/mL respectively. Silver nanoparticles showed higher cell viability when compared to zinc oxide nanoparticles in the MTT assay. Transmission electron microscopy showed the attachment of silver nanoparticles to the bacterial membrane and disruption of its

High-performance iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic particle imaging - guided hyperthermia (hMPI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, Lisa M.; Situ, Shu F.; Griswold, Mark A.; Samia, Anna Cristina S.

2016-06-01

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging imaging modality that allows the direct and quantitative mapping of iron oxide nanoparticles. In MPI, the development of tailored iron oxide nanoparticle tracers is paramount to achieving high sensitivity and good spatial resolution. To date, most MPI tracers being developed for potential clinical applications are based on spherical undoped magnetite nanoparticles. For the first time, we report on the systematic investigation of the effects of changes in chemical composition and shape anisotropy on the MPI performance of iron oxide nanoparticle tracers. We observed a 2-fold enhancement in MPI signal through selective doping of magnetite nanoparticles with zinc. Moreover, we demonstrated focused magnetic hyperthermia heating by adapting the field gradient used in MPI. By saturating the iron oxide nanoparticles outside of a field free region (FFR) with an external static field, we can selectively heat a target region in our test sample. By comparing zinc-doped magnetite cubic nanoparticles with undoped spherical nanoparticles, we could show a 5-fold improvement in the specific absorption rate (SAR) in magnetic hyperthermia while providing good MPI signal, thereby demonstrating the potential for high-performance focused hyperthermia therapy through an MPI-guided approach (hMPI).Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is an emerging imaging modality that allows the direct and quantitative mapping of iron oxide nanoparticles. In MPI, the development of tailored iron oxide nanoparticle tracers is paramount to achieving high sensitivity and good spatial resolution. To date, most MPI tracers being developed for potential clinical applications are based on spherical undoped magnetite nanoparticles. For the first time, we report on the systematic investigation of the effects of changes in chemical composition and shape anisotropy on the MPI performance of iron oxide nanoparticle tracers. We observed a 2-fold enhancement in MPI signal

Extracellular synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticle using seaweeds of gulf of Mannar, India.

PubMed

Nagarajan, Sangeetha; Arumugam Kuppusamy, Kumaraguru

2013-12-03

The biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles by marine resources is thought to be clean, nontoxic, and environmentally acceptable "green procedures". Marine ecosystems are very important for the overall health of both marine and terrestrial environments. The use of natural sources like Marine biological resources essential for nanotechnology. Seaweeds constitute one of the commercially important marine living renewable resources. Seaweeds such as green Caulerpa peltata, red Hypnea Valencia and brown Sargassum myriocystum were used for synthesis of Zinc oxide nanoparticles. The preliminary screening of physico-chemical parameters such as concentration of metals, concentration of seaweed extract, temperature, pH and reaction time revealed that one seaweed S. myriocystum were able to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles. It was confirmed through the, initial colour change of the reaction mixture and UV visible spectrophotometer. The extracellular biosynthesized clear zinc oxide nanoparticles size 36 nm through characterization technique such as DLS, AFM, SEM -EDX, TEM, XRD and FTIR. The biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles are effective antibacterial agents against Gram-positive than the Gram-negative bacteria. Based on the FTIR results, fucoidan water soluble pigments present in S. myriocystum leaf extract is responsible for reduction and stabilization of zinc oxide nanoparticles. by this approach are quite stable and no visible changes were observed even after 6 months. These soluble elements could have acted as both reduction and stabilizing agents preventing the aggregation of nanoparticles in solution, extracellular biological synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles of size 36 nm.

Titanium-doped cerium oxide nanoparticles protect cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Andrea; Zhu, Aiping; Petty, Howard R.

2013-12-01

To develop new nanoparticle materials possessing antioxidative capacity with improved physical characteristics, we have studied titanium-doped cerium oxide (CeTiO2) nanoparticles. CeTiO2 nanoparticles had mode diameters in the range of 15-20 nm. These nanoparticles demonstrated catalase activity, and did not promote the activation of hemolytic or cytolytic pathways in living cells. Using surface plasmon resonance-enhanced microscopy, we find that these nanoparticles associate with cells. Transmission electron microscopy studies demonstrated that these nanoparticles accumulate within the vacuolar compartment of cells. Importantly, CeTiO2 nanoparticles decrease hydrogen peroxide-mediated apoptosis of cells as judged by the reduced cleavage of a caspase 3-sensitive label. CeTiO2 nanoparticles may contribute to deflecting tissue damage in a broad spectrum of oxidant-mediated diseases, such as macular degeneration and Alzheimer's disease.

Altering Iron Oxide Nanoparticle Surface Properties Induce Cortical Neuron Cytotoxicity

PubMed Central

Rivet, Christopher J.; Yuan, Yuan; Borca-Tasciuc, Diana-Andra; Gilbert, Ryan J.

2014-01-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, with diameters in the range of a few tens of nanometers, display the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and are envisioned as diagnostic and therapeutic tools in neuro-medicine. However, despite the numerous applications being explored, insufficient information is available on their potential toxic effect on neurons. While iron oxide has been shown to pose a decreased risk of toxicity, surface functionalization, often employed for targeted delivery, can significantly alter the biological response. This aspect is addressed in the present study, which investigates the response of primary cortical neurons to iron oxide nanoparticles with coatings frequently used in biomedical applications: aminosilane, dextran, and polydimethylamine. Prior to administering the particles to neuronal cultures, each particle type was thoroughly characterized to assess the (1) size of individual nanoparticles, (2) concentration of the particles in solution and (3) agglomeration size and morphology. Culture results show that polydimethylamine functionalized nanoparticles induce cell death at all concentrations tested by swift and complete removal of the plasma membrane. Aminosilane coated particles affected metabolic activity only at higher concentrations while leaving the membrane intact and dextran-coated nanoparticles partially altered viability at higher concentrations. These findings suggest that nanoparticle characterization and primary cell-based cytotoxicity evaluation should be completed prior to applying nanomaterials to the nervous system. PMID:22111864

Surface functionalization of dopamine coated iron oxide nanoparticles for various surface functionalities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherwood, Jennifer; Xu, Yaolin; Lovas, Kira; Qin, Ying; Bao, Yuping

2017-04-01

We present effective conjugation of four small molecules (glutathione, cysteine, lysine, and Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane) onto dopamine-coated iron oxide nanoparticles. Conjugation of these molecules could improve the surface functionality of nanoparticles for more neutral surface charge at physiological pH and potentially reduce non-specific adsorption of proteins to nanoparticles surfaces. The success of conjugation was evaluated with dynamic light scattering by measuring the surface charge changes and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for surface chemistry analysis. The stability of dopamine-coated nanoparticles and the ability of conjugated nanoparticles to reduce the formation of protein corona were evaluated by measuring the size and charge of the nanoparticles in biological medium. This facile conjugation method opens up possibilities for attaching various surface functionalities onto iron oxide nanoparticle surfaces for biomedical applications.

Human nitric oxide biomarker as potential NO donor in conjunction with superparamagnetic iron oxide @ gold core shell nanoparticles for cancer therapeutics.

PubMed

Singh, Nimisha; Patel, Khushbu; Sahoo, Suban K; Kumar, Rajender

2018-03-01

Nitric oxide releasing superparamagnetic (Fe 3 O 4 -Au@NTHP) nanoparticles were synthesized by conjugation of human biomarker of nitric oxide, N-nitrosothioproline with iron oxide-gold (Fe 3 O 4 -Au) core shell nanoparticles. The structure and morphology of the prepared nanoparticles were confirmed by ATR-FTIR, HR-TEM, EDAX, XPS, DLS and VSM measurements. N-nitrosothioproline is a natural molecule and nontoxic to humans. Thus, the core shell nanoparticles prepared were highly biocompatible. The prepared Fe 3 O 4 -Au@NTHP nanoparticles also provided an excellent release of nitric oxide in dark and upon light irradiation for cancer treatment. The amount of NO release was controllable with the wavelength of light and time of irradiation. The developed nanoparticles provided efficient cellular uptake and good cytotoxicity in picomolar range when tested on HeLa cancerous cells. These nanoparticles on account of their controllable NO release can also be used to release small amount of NO for killing cancerous cells without any toxic effect. Furthermore, the magnetic and photochemical properties of these nanoparticles provides dual platform for magneto therapy and phototherapy for cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure and Oxidation Behavior of Nickel Nanoparticles Supported by YSZ(111)

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Nickel nanoparticles supported by the yttria-stabilized zirconia (111) surface show several preferential epitaxial relationships, as revealed by in situ X-ray diffraction. The two main nanoparticle orientations are found to have their [111] direction parallel to the substrate surface normal and ∼41.3 degrees tilted from this direction. The former orientation is described by a cube-on-cube stacking at the oxide–metal interface and the latter by a so-called coherent tilt strain-relieving mechanism, which is hitherto unreported for nanoparticles in literature. A modified Wulff construction used for the 111-oriented particles results in a value of the adhesion energy ranging from 1.4 to 2.2 Jm2, whereby the lower end corresponds to more rounded particles and the upper to relatively flat geometries. Upon oxidation at 10–3 Pa of molecular oxygen and 673 K, a NiO shell forms epitaxially on the [111]-oriented particles. Only a monolayer of metallic nickel of the top (111) facets oxidizes, whereas the side facets seem to react more severely. An apparent size increase of the remaining metallic Ni core is discussed in relation to a size-dependent oxidation mechanism, whereby smaller nanoparticles react at a faster rate. We argue that such a preferential oxidation mechanism, which inactivates the smallest and most reactive metal nanoparticles, might play a role for the long-term degradation of solid oxide fuel cells. PMID:28217243

Preparation, characterization and dynamical mechanical properties of dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (DIONPs).

PubMed

Can, Hatice Kaplan; Kavlak, Serap; ParviziKhosroshahi, Shahed; Güner, Ali

2018-03-01

Dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (DIONPs) with appropriate surface chemistry exhibit many interesting properties that can be exploited in a variety of biomedical applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement, tissue repair, hyperthermia, drug delivery and in cell separation. This paper reports the experimental detail for preparation, characterization and investigation of thermal and dynamical mechanical characteristics of the dextran-coated Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles. In our work, DIONPs were prepared in a 1:2 ratio of Fe(II) and Fe(III) salt in the HCl solution with NaOH at given temperature. The obtained dextran-coated iron-oxide nanoparticles structure-property correlation was characterized by spectroscopic methods; attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and XRD. Coating dextran on the iron-oxide proof of important peaks can be seen from the ATR-FTIR. Dramatic crystallinity increment can be observed from the XRD pattern of the iron-oxide dextran nanoparticles. The thermal analysis was examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Dynamical mechanical properties of dextran nanoparticles were analysed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Thermal stability of the iron oxide dextran nanoparticles is higher than that of the dextran.

Enhanced Formation of Oxidants from Bimetallic Nickel-Iron Nanoparticles in the Presence of Oxygen

PubMed Central

Lee, Changha; Sedlak, David L.

2009-01-01

Nanoparticulate zero-valent iron (nZVI) rapidly reacts with oxygen to produce strong oxidants, capable of transforming organic contaminants in water. However, the low yield of oxidants with respect to the iron added normally limits the application of this system. Bimetallic nickel-iron nanoparticles (nNi-Fe; i.e., Ni-Fe alloy and Ni-coated Fe nanoparticles) exhibited enhanced yields of oxidants compared to nZVI. nNi-Fe (Ni-Fe alloy nanoparticles with [Ni]/[Fe] = 0.28 and Ni-coated Fe nanoparticles with [Ni]/[Fe] = 0.035) produced approximately 40% and 85% higher yields of formaldehyde from the oxidation of methanol relative to nZVI at pH 4 and 7, respectively. Ni-coated Fe nanoparticles showed a higher efficiency for oxidant production relative to Ni-Fe alloy nanoparticles based on Ni content. Addition of Ni did not enhance the oxidation of 2-propanol or benzoic acid, indicating that Ni addition did not enhance hydroxyl radical formation. The enhancement in oxidant yield was observed over a pH range of 4 – 9. The enhanced production of oxidant by nNi-Fe appears to be attributable to two factors. First, the nNi-Fe surface is less reactive toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) than the nZVI surface, which favors the reaction of H2O2 with dissolved Fe(II) (the Fenton reaction). Second, the nNi-Fe surface promotes oxidant production from the oxidation of ferrous ion by oxygen at neutral pH values. PMID:19068843

Facile preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces based on metal oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Xue-Mei; Cui, Jin-Feng; Sun, Han-Xue; Liang, Wei-Dong; Zhu, Zhao-Qi; An, Jin; Yang, Bao-Ping; La, Pei-Qing; Li, An

2014-06-01

A novel method for fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces was developed by facile coating various metal oxide nanoparticles, including ZnO, Al2O3 and Fe3O4, on various substrates followed by treatment with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. Using ZnO nanoparticles as a model, the changes in the surface chemical composition and crystalline structures of the metal oxide nanoparticles by PDMS treatment were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The results show that the combination of the improved surface roughness generated from of the nanoparticles aggregation with the low surface-energy of silicon-coating originated from the thermal pyrolysis of PDMS would be responsible for the surface superhydrophobicity. By a simple dip-coating method, we show that the metal oxide nanoparticles can be easily coated onto the surfaces of various textural and dimensional substrates, including glass slide, paper, fabric or sponge, for preparation of superhydrophobic surfaces for different purpose. The present strategy may provide an inexpensive and new route to surperhydrophobic surfaces, which would be of technological significance for various practical applications especially for separation of oils or organic contaminates from water.

Size distribution of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles using Warren-Averbach XRD analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahadevan, S.; Behera, S. P.; Gnanaprakash, G.; Jayakumar, T.; Philip, J.; Rao, B. P. C.

2012-07-01

We use the Fourier transform based Warren-Averbach (WA) analysis to separate the contributions of X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile broadening due to crystallite size and microstrain for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The profile shape of the column length distribution, obtained from WA analysis, is used to analyze the shape of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. From the column length distribution, the crystallite size and its distribution are estimated for these nanoparticles which are compared with size distribution obtained from dynamic light scattering measurements. The crystallite size and size distribution of crystallites obtained from WA analysis are explained based on the experimental parameters employed in preparation of these magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The variation of volume weighted diameter (Dv, from WA analysis) with saturation magnetization (Ms) fits well to a core shell model wherein it is known that Ms=Mbulk(1-6g/Dv) with Mbulk as bulk magnetization of iron oxide and g as magnetic shell disorder thickness.

Enhancement radiative cooling performance of nanoparticle crystal via oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Zi-Xun; Shuai, Yong; Li, Meng; Guo, Yanmin; Tan, He-ping

2018-03-01

Nanoparticle-crystal is a promising candidate for large scale metamaterial fabrication. However, in radiative cooling application, the maximum blackbody radiation wavelength locates far from metal's plasmon wavelength. In this paper, it will be shown if the metallic nanoparticle crystal can be properly oxidized, the absorption performance within room temperature blackbody radiation spectrum can be improved. Magnetic polariton and surface plasmon polariton have been explained for the mechanism of absorption improvement. Three different oxidation patterns have been investigated in this paper, and the results show they share a similar enhancing mechanism.

Impact of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on Plant: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Rastogi, Anshu; Zivcak, Marek; Sytar, Oksana; Kalaji, Hazem M.; He, Xiaolan; Mbarki, Sonia; Brestic, Marian

2017-01-01

An increasing need of nanotechnology in various industries may cause a huge environment dispersion of nanoparticles in coming years. A concern about nanoparticles interaction with flora and fauna is raised due to a growing load of it in the environment. In recent years, several investigators have shown impact of nanoparticles on plant growth and their accumulation in food source. This review examines the research performed in the last decade to show how metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are influencing the plant metabolism. We addressed here, the impact of nanoparticle on plant in relation to its size, concentration, and exposure methodology. Based on the available reports, we proposed oxidative burst as a general mechanism through which the toxic effects of nanoparticles are spread in plants. This review summarizes the current understanding and the future possibilities of plant-nanoparticle research. PMID:29075626

Impact of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles on plant: A critical review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rastogi, Anshu; Zivcak, Marek; Sytar, Oksana; Kalaji, Hazem M.; He, Xiaolan; Mbarki, Sonia; Brestic, Marian

2017-10-01

An increasing need of nanotechnology in various industries may cause a huge environment dispersion of nanoparticles in coming years. A concern about nanoparticles interaction with flora and fauna is raised due to a growing load of it in the environment. In recent years, several investigators have shown impact of nanoparticles on plant growth and its accumulation in food source. This review examines the research performed in the last decade to show how metal and metal oxide nanoparticles are influencing the plant metabolisms. We addressed here, the impact of nanoparticle on plant in relation to its size, concentration, and exposure methodology. Based on the available reports, we proposed oxidative burst as a general mechanism through which the toxic effects of nanoparticles are spread in plants. This review summarises the current understanding and the future possibilities of plant-nanoparticle research.

Extracellular synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticle using seaweeds of gulf of Mannar, India

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles by marine resources is thought to be clean, nontoxic, and environmentally acceptable “green procedures”. Marine ecosystems are very important for the overall health of both marine and terrestrial environments. The use of natural sources like Marine biological resources essential for nanotechnology. Seaweeds constitute one of the commercially important marine living renewable resources. Seaweeds such as green Caulerpa peltata, red Hypnea Valencia and brown Sargassum myriocystum were used for synthesis of Zinc oxide nanoparticles. Result The preliminary screening of physico-chemical parameters such as concentration of metals, concentration of seaweed extract, temperature, pH and reaction time revealed that one seaweed S. myriocystum were able to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles. It was confirmed through the, initial colour change of the reaction mixture and UV visible spectrophotometer. The extracellular biosynthesized clear zinc oxide nanoparticles size 36 nm through characterization technique such as DLS, AFM, SEM –EDX, TEM, XRD and FTIR. The biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles are effective antibacterial agents against Gram-positive than the Gram-negative bacteria. Conclusion Based on the FTIR results, fucoidan water soluble pigments present in S. myriocystum leaf extract is responsible for reduction and stabilization of zinc oxide nanoparticles. by this approach are quite stable and no visible changes were observed even after 6 months. These soluble elements could have acted as both reduction and stabilizing agents preventing the aggregation of nanoparticles in solution, extracellular biological synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles of size 36 nm. PMID:24298944

Limonia acidissima L. leaf mediated synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles: A potent tool against Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

PubMed

Taranath, Tarikere C; Patil, Bheemanagouda N

2016-06-01

The present investigation was undertaken to synthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles using Limonia acidissima L. and to test their efficacy against the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was confirmed with UV-visible spectrophotometry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows the presence of bio-molecules involved in the stabilization of zinc oxide nanoparticles. The shape and size was confirmed with atomic force microscope, X-ray diffraction, and high resolution transmission electron microscope. These nanoparticles were tested for their effect on the growth of M. tuberculosis through the microplate alamar blue assay technique. The UV-visible data reveal that an absorbance peak at 374nm confirms formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles and they are spherical in shape with sizes between 12nm and 53nm. These nanoparticles control the growth of M. tuberculosis at 12.5μg/mL. Phytosynthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles is a green, eco-friendly technology because it is inexpensive and pollution free. In the present investigation, based on our results we conclude that the aqueous extract of leaves of L. acidissima can be used for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles. These nanoparticles control the growth of M. tuberculosis and this was confirmed with the microplate alamar blue method. The potential of biogenic zinc oxide nanoparticles may be harnessed as a novel medicine ingredient to combat tuberculosis disease. Copyright © 2016 Asian-African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vitro cytotoxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles: effects of chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol as stabilizing agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Phong A.; Nguyen, Hiep T.; Fox, Kate; Tran, Nhiem

2018-03-01

Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles have significant potential in biomedical applications such as in diagnosis, imaging and therapeutic agent delivery. The choice of stabilizers and surface functionalization is important as it is known to strongly influence the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of surface charges on the cytotoxicity of iron oxide nanoparticles. We used a co-precipitation method to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles which were then stabilized with either chitosan (CS) or polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) which have net positive charge and zero charge at physiological pH, respectively. The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of size, charges and chemical oxidation state. Cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles was assessed using mouse fibroblast cells and was correlated with surface charges of the nanoparticles and their aggregation.

Fabrication of oxidation-resistant Ge colloidal nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation in aqueous HCl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamanaka, Yasushi; Iwata, Masahiro; Katsuno, Junichi

2017-06-01

Spherical Ge nanoparticles with diameters of 20-80 nm were fabricated by laser ablation of a Ge single crystal in water and in aqueous HCl using sub-picosecond laser pulses (1040 nm, 700 fs, 100 kHz, and a pulse energy of 10 µJ). We found that the as-synthesized nanoparticles suffered rapid oxidization followed by dissolution when laser ablation was conducted in pure water. In contrast, oxidation of Ge nanoparticles produced in dilute HCl and stored intact was minimal, and colloidal dispersions of the Ge nanoparticles remained stable up to 7 days. It was elucidated that dangling bonds on the surfaces of the Ge nanoparticles were terminated by Cl, which inhibited oxidation, and that such hydrophilic surfaces might improve the dispersibility of nanoparticles in aqueous solvent.

Interaction of fluorescent sensor with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Karunakaran, Chockalingam; Jayabharathi, Jayaraman; Sathishkumar, Ramalingam; Jayamoorthy, Karunamoorthy

2013-06-01

To sense superparamagnetic iron oxides (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) nanocrystals a sensitive bioactive phenanthroimidazole based fluorescent molecule, 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-phenyl-1H-phenanthro [9,10-d] imidazole has been designed and synthesized. Electronic spectral studies show that phenanthroimidazole is bound to the surface of iron oxide semiconductors. Fluorescent enhancement has been explained on the basis of photo-induced electron transfer (PET) mechanism and apparent binding constants have been deduced. Binding of phenanthroimidazole with iron oxide nanoparticles lowers the HOMO and LUMO energy levels of phenanthroimidazole molecule. Chemical affinity between the nitrogen atom of the phenanthroimidazole and Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) ions on the surface of the nano-oxide may result in strong binding of the phenanthroimidazole derivative with the nanoparticles. The electron injection from the photoexcited phenanthroimidazole to the iron oxides conduction band explains the enhanced fluorescence. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Surface passivation of semiconducting oxides by self-assembled nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Park, Dae-Sung; Wang, Haiyuan; Vasheghani Farahani, Sepehr K.; Walker, Marc; Bhatnagar, Akash; Seghier, Djelloul; Choi, Chel-Jong; Kang, Jie-Hun; McConville, Chris F.

2016-01-01

Physiochemical interactions which occur at the surfaces of oxide materials can significantly impair their performance in many device applications. As a result, surface passivation of oxide materials has been attempted via several deposition methods and with a number of different inert materials. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach to passivate the surface of a versatile semiconducting oxide, zinc oxide (ZnO), evoking a self-assembly methodology. This is achieved via thermodynamic phase transformation, to passivate the surface of ZnO thin films with BeO nanoparticles. Our unique approach involves the use of BexZn1-xO (BZO) alloy as a starting material that ultimately yields the required coverage of secondary phase BeO nanoparticles, and prevents thermally-induced lattice dissociation and defect-mediated chemisorption, which are undesirable features observed at the surface of undoped ZnO. This approach to surface passivation will allow the use of semiconducting oxides in a variety of different electronic applications, while maintaining the inherent properties of the materials. PMID:26757827

Poly(organo phosphazene) nanoparticles surface modified with poly(ethylene oxide).

PubMed

Vandorpe, J; Schacht, E; Stolnik, S; Garnett, M C; Davies, M C; Illum, L; Davis, S S

1996-10-05

The use of biodegradable derivatives of poly(organo phosphazenes) for the preparation of nanoparticles and their surface modification with the novel poly(ethylene oxide) derivative of poly(organo phosphazene) has been assessed using a range of in vitro characterization methods. The nanoparticles were produced by the precipitation solvent evaporation method from the derivative co-substituted with phenylalanine and glycine ethyl ester side groups. A reduction in particle size to less than 200 nm was achieved by an increase in pH of the preparation medium. The formation (and colloidal stability) of these nanoparticles seems to be controlled by two opposite effects: attractive hydrophobic interactions between phenylalanine ester groups and electrostatic repulsions arising from the carboxyl groups formed due to (partial) hydrolysis of the ester bond(s) at the high pH of the preparation medium. The poly[(glycine ethyl ester)phosphazene] derivative containing 5000-Da poly(ethylene oxide) as 5% of the side groups was used for the surface modification of nanoparticles. Adsorbed onto the particles, the polymer produced a thick coating layer of approximately 35 nm. The coated nanoparticles exhibited reduced surface negative potential and improved colloidal stability toward electrolyte-induced flocculation, relative to the uncoated system. However, the steric stabilization provided was less effective than that of a Poloxamine 908 coating. This difference in effectiveness of the steric stabilization might indicate that, although both the stabilizing polymers possess a 5000-Da poly(ethylene oxide) moiety, there is a difference in the arrangements of these poly(ethylene oxide) chains at the particle surface. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Biogenic copper oxide nanoparticles synthesis using Tabernaemontana divaricate leaf extract and its antibacterial activity against urinary tract pathogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivaraj, Rajeshwari; Rahman, Pattanathu K. S. M.; Rajiv, P.; Salam, Hasna Abdul; Venckatesh, R.

2014-12-01

This investigation explains the biosynthesis and characterization of copper oxide nanoparticles from an Indian medicinal plant by an eco-friendly method. The main objective of this study is to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles from Tabernaemontana divaricate leaves through a green chemistry approach. Highly stable, spherical copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by using 50% concentration of Tabernaemontana leaf extract. Formation of copper oxide nanoparticles have been characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. All the analyses revealed that copper oxide nanoparticles were 48 ± 4 nm in size. Functional groups and chemical composition of copper oxide were also confirmed. Antimicrobial activity of biogenic copper oxide nanoparticles were investigated and maximum zone of inhibition was found in 50 μg/ml copper oxide nanoparticles against urinary tract pathogen (Escherichia coli).

High Temperature Evaluation of Tantalum Capacitors - Test 1

DOE Data Explorer

Cieslewski, Grzegorz

2014-09-28

Tantalum capacitors can provide much higher capacitance at high-temperatures than the ceramic capacitors. This study evaluates selected tantalum capacitors at high temperatures to determine their suitability for you in geothermal field. This data set contains results of the first test where three different types of capacitors were evaluated at 260C.

2017 NEPP Tasks Update for Ceramic and Tantalum Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander A.

2017-01-01

This presentation gives an overview of current NEPP tasks on ceramic and tantalum capacitors and plans for the future. It includes tasks on leakage currents, gas generation and case deformation in wet tantalum capacitors; ESR degradation and acceleration factors in MnO2 and polymer cathode capacitors. Preliminary results on the effect of moisture on degradation of reverse currents in MnO2 tantalum capacitors are discussed. Latest results on mechanical characteristics of MLCCs and modeling of degradation of leakage currents in BME capacitors with defects are also presented.

Induction of oxidative stress, DNA damage, and apoptosis in a malignant human skin melanoma cell line after exposure to zinc oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Alarifi, Saud; Ali, Daoud; Alkahtani, Saad; Verma, Ankit; Ahamed, Maqusood; Ahmed, Mukhtar; Alhadlaq, Hisham A

2013-01-01

The widespread use of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles worldwide exposes humans to their adverse effects, so it is important to understand their biological effects and any associated risks. This study was designed to investigate the cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis caused by ZnO nanoparticles in human skin melanoma (A375) cells. MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide] and lactate dehydrogenase-based cell viability assays showed a significant decrease in cell viability after exposure to ZnO nanoparticles, and phase contrast images revealed that cells treated with these nanoparticles had a lower density and a rounded morphology. ZnO nanoparticles were also found to induce oxidative stress, evidenced by generation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of the antioxidant, glutathione. Induction of apoptosis was confirmed by chromosomal condensation assay and caspase-3 activation. Further, more DNA damage was observed in cells exposed to the highest concentration of ZnO nanoparticles. These results demonstrate that ZnO nanoparticles have genotoxic potential in A375 cells, which may be mediated via oxidative stress. Our short-term exposure study showing induction of a genotoxic and apoptotic response to ZnO nanoparticles needs further investigation to determine whether there may be consequences of long-term exposure to ZnO nanoparticles. PMID:23493450

Evaluation of antioxidant and anticancer activity of copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized using medicinally important plant extracts.

PubMed

Rehana, Dilaveez; Mahendiran, D; Kumar, R Senthil; Rahiman, A Kalilur

2017-05-01

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by green chemistry approach using different plant extracts obtained from the leaves of Azadirachta indica, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Murraya koenigii, Moringa oleifera and Tamarindus indica. In order to compare their efficiency, the same copper oxide nanoparticles was also synthesized by chemical method. Phytochemical screening of the leaf extracts showed the presence of carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic compounds, saponins, tannins, proteins and amino acids. FT IR spectra confirmed the possible biomolecules responsible for the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. The surface plasmon resonance absorption band at 220-235nm in the UV-vis spectra also supports the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. XRD patterns revealed the monoclinic phase of the synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles. The average size, shape and the crystalline nature of the nanoparticles were determined by SEM, TEM and SAED analysis. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of elements in the synthesized nanoparticles. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by three different free radical scavenging assays. The cytotoxicity of copper oxide nanoparticles was evaluated against four cancer cell lines such as human breast (MCF-7), cervical (HeLa), epithelioma (Hep-2) and lung (A549), and one normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cell line. The morphological changes were evaluated using Hoechst 33258 staining assay. Copper oxide nanoparticles synthesized by green method exhibited high antioxidant and cytotoxicity than that synthesized by chemical method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle Inhalation Increases Microvascular Oxidative Stress and Compromises Nitric Oxide Bioavailability

EPA Science Inventory

We have shown that pulmonary nanoparticle exposure impairs endothelium dependent dilation in systemic arterioles. However, the mechanism(s) through which this effect occurs are unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify alterations in the production of oxidative stress an...

Gas Sensors Based on Tin Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from a Mini-Arc Plasma Source

DOE PAGES

Lu, Ganhua; Huebner, Kyle L.; Ocola, Leonidas E.; ...

2006-01-01

Minimore » aturized gas sensors or electronic noses to rapidly detect and differentiate trace amount of chemical agents are extremely attractive. In this paper, we report on the fabrication and characterization of a functional tin oxide nanoparticle gas sensor. Tin oxide nanoparticles are first synthesized using a convenient and low-cost mini-arc plasma source. The nanoparticle size distribution is measured online using a scanning electrical mobility spectrometer (SEMS). The product nanoparticles are analyzed ex-situ by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) for morphology and defects, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy for elemental composition, electron diffraction for crystal structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for surface composition. Nonagglomerated rutile tin oxide ( SnO 2 ) nanoparticles as small as a few nm have been produced. Larger particles bear a core-shell structure with a metallic core and an oxide shell. The nanoparticles are then assembled onto an e-beam lithographically patterned interdigitated electrode using electrostatic force to fabricate the gas sensor. The nanoparticle sensor exhibits a fast response and a good sensitivity when exposed to 100 ppm ethanol vapor in air.« less

METHOD OF PROTECTING TANTALUM CRUCIBLES AGAINST REACTION WITH MOLTEN URANIUM

DOEpatents

Feder, H.M.; Chellew, N.R.

1960-08-16

Tantalum crucibles against reaction with molten uranium by contacting the surfaces to be protected with metallic boron (as powder, vapor, or suspension in a liquid-volatilenonreacting medium, such as acetone and petroleum oil) at about 1800 deg C in vacuum, discontinuing contact with the boron, and heating the crucibles to a temperature of between 1800 aad 2000 deg C, whereby the tantalum boride formed in the first heating step is converted to tantalum monoboride.

Characterization of oxide nanoparticles in Al-free and Al-containing oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steels.

PubMed

Lee, Jae Hoon; Kim, Jeoung Han

2013-09-01

Oxide nanoparticles in oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels with and without Al have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy. It is confirmed that most of the complex oxide particles consist of Y2TiO5 for 18Cr-ODS steel and YAlO3 or YAl5O12 for 18Cr5Al-ODS steel, respectivley. The addition of 5% Al in 18Cr-ODS steel leads to the formation of larger oxide particles and the reduction in their number density. For 18Cr-ODS steel, 87% of the oxide particles are coherent. The misfit strain of the coherent particles and a few semi-coherent particles is about 0.034 and 0.056, respectively. For 18Cr5Al-ODS steel, 75% of the oxide particles are semi-coherent, of which the misfit strain is 0.091 and 0.125, respectively. These results suggest that for the Al-containing ODS steel the Al addition accelerates the formation of semi-coherent oxide particles and its larger coherent and semi-coherent particles result in the larger misfit strain between the oxide particle and alloy matrix, indicating that the coherence of oxide nanoparticles in ODS steels is size-dependent.

Electron spin resonance spectroscopy for immunoassay using iron oxide nanoparticles as probe.

PubMed

Jiang, Jia; Tian, Sizhu; Wang, Kun; Wang, Yang; Zang, Shuang; Yu, Aimin; Zhang, Ziwei

2018-02-01

With the help of iron oxide nanoparticles, electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) was applied to immunoassay. Iron oxide nanoparticles were used as the ESR probe in order to achieve an amplification of the signal resulting from the large amount of Fe 3+ ion enclosed in each nanoparticle. Rabbit IgG was used as antigen to test this method. Polyclonal antibody of rabbit IgG was used as antibody to detect the antigen. Iron oxide nanoparticle with a diameter of either 10 or 30 nm was labeled to the antibody, and Fe 3+ in the nanoparticle was probed for ESR signal. The sepharose beads were used as solid phase to which rabbit IgG was conjugated. The nanoparticle-labeled antibody was first added in the sample containing antigen, and the antigen-conjugated sepharose beads were then added into the sample. The nanoparticle-labeled antibody bound to the antigen on sepharose beads was separated from the sample by centrifugation and measured. We found that the detection ranges of the antigen obtained with nanoparticles of different sizes were different because the amount of antibody on nanoparticles of 10 nm was about one order of magnitude higher than that on nanoparticles of 30 nm. When 10 nm nanoparticle was used as probe, the upper limit of detection was 40.00 μg mL -1 , and the analytical sensitivity was 1.81 μg mL -1 . When 30 nm nanoparticle was used, the upper limit of detection was 3.00 μg mL -1 , and the sensitivity was 0.014 and 0.13 μg mL -1 depending on the ratio of nanoparticle to antibody. Graphical abstract Schematic diagram of procedure and ESR spectra.

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of hybrid chitosan-cerium oxide nanoparticles: As a bionanomaterials.

PubMed

Senthilkumar, R P; Bhuvaneshwari, V; Ranjithkumar, R; Sathiyavimal, S; Malayaman, V; Chandarshekar, B

2017-11-01

The hybrid chitosan cerium oxide nanoparticles were prepared for the first time by green chemistry approach using plant leaf extract. The intense peak observed around 292nm in the UV-vis spectrum indicate the formation of cerium oxide nanoparticles. The XRD pattern revealed that the hybrid chitosan-cerium oxide nanoparticles have a polycrystalline structure with cubic fluorite phase. The FTIR spectrum of prepared samples showed the formation of Ce-O bonds and chitosan main chains COC and CO. The FESEM image of hybrid chitosan cerium oxide nanoparticles revealed that the particles are spherical in shape with grains size varying from 23.12nm to 89.91nm. EDAX analysis confirmed the presence of Ce, O, C and N elements in the prepared sample. TEM images showed that the prepared hybrid chitosan-cerium oxide nanoparticles are predominantly uniform in size and most of the particles are spherical in shape with less agglomeration and the particles size varies from 3.61nm to 24.40nm. The prepared chitosan cerium oxide nanoparticles of 50μL concentration showed good antibacterial properties against test pathogens, which was confirmed by the FESEM analysis. The prepared small particle size facilitate that these hybrid ChiCO 2 NPs could effectively be used in biomedical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fabrication of a Tantalum-Based Josephson Junction for an X-Ray Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morohashi, Shin'ichi; Gotoh, Kohtaroh; Yokoyama, Naoki

2000-06-01

We have fabricated a tantalum-based Josephson junction for an X-ray detector. The tantalum layer was selected for the junction electrode because of its long quasiparticle lifetime, large X-ray absorption efficiency and stability against thermal cycling. We have developed a buffer layer to fabricate the tantalum layer with a body-centered cubic structure. Based on careful consideration of their superconductivity, we have selected a niobium thin layer as the buffer layer for fabricating the tantalum base electrode, and a tungsten thin layer for the tantalum counter electrode. Fabricated Nb/AlOx-Al/Ta/Nb and Nb/Ta/W/AlOx-Al/Ta/Nb Josephson junctions exhibited current-voltage characteristics with a low subgap leakage current.

Evaluation of folate conjugated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for scintigraphic/magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Chauhan, Ram Prakash; Mathur, Rashi; Singh, Gurjaspreet; Kaul, Ankur; Bag, Narmada; Singh, Sweta; Kumar, Hemanth; Patra, Manoj; Mishra, Anil K

2013-03-01

The physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles influence their pharmacokinetics and ability to accumulate in tumors. In this paper we report a facile method to conjugate folic acid molecule to iron oxide nanoparticles to increase the specific uptake of these nanoparticles by the tumor, which will be useful in targeted imaging of the tumor. The iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by alkaline co precipitation method and were surface modified with dextranto make them stable. The folic acid is conjugated to the dextran modified iron oxide nanoparticles by reductive amination process after the oxidation of the dextran with periodate. The synthesized folic acid conjugated nanoparticles were characterized for size, phase, morphology and magnetization by using various physicochemical characterization techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, dynamic light scattering and zetasizer etc. The quantification of the generated carbonyl groups and folic acid conjugated to the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles was done by colorimetric estimations using UV-Visible spectroscopy. The in vitro MR studies were carried out over a range of concentrations and showed significant shortening of the transverse relaxation rate, showing the ability of the nanoconjugate to act as an efficient probe for MR imaging. The biodistribution studies and the scintigraphy done by radiolabeling the nanoconjugate with 99mTc show the enhanced uptake at the tumor site showing its enhanced specificity.

In vitro biological validation and cytocompatibility evaluation of hydrogel iron-oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catalano, Enrico

2017-08-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) have recently been investigated for their excellent biocompatibility as well as multi-purpose biomedical potential with promising results, owing to their ability to be targeted and heated by magnetic fields. In this study, novel hydrogel, chitosan Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized for possible use for induced magnetic hyperthermia, and targeted drug delivery. The coating of iron oxide nanoparticles plays a key-role to efficiently improve internalization of nanoparticles in many cell types. Targeting is also highly desirable for these applications. In this regard hydrophilic coating like chitosan was used to improve drug release. Uncoated (Fe3O4)and chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (CS-Fe3O4) were synthesized and characterized from the biological point of view. The aim of this study was to provide an in vitro evaluation of the cytocompatibility of Fe3O4 and CS-Fe3O4 MNPs by using different in vitro evaluation tests. In this context, the cytocompatibility and cytotoxic effects of uncoated and hydrogel chemically-engineered chitosan-coated iron oxide NPs were investigated according to the ISO standard 10993-5:2009. Fe3O4 and CS-Fe3O4 NPs were tested on human mammary epithelial cells (MCF-10A) by using direct and not direct contact cytotoxicity evaluation tests, by evaluating influence of the iron particles on the cytoskeleton with phalloidin/DAPI staining and in vitro cellular iron uptake with Perl's Prussian blue staining. The results indicate that uncoated and chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles are cytocompatible, without negative influence on the cytoskeleton or higher accumulation of iron in the cytoplasm. Therefore, it is encouraging that our data suggest uncoated and chitosan-coated iron oxide nanoparticles have satisfactory proliferative and viability effects on MCF-10A cells. In conclusion data suggest that both MNP types may be differently aimed in biomedical application in relation

From iron coordination compounds to metal oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Iacob, Mihail; Racles, Carmen; Tugui, Codrin; Stiubianu, George; Bele, Adrian; Sacarescu, Liviu; Timpu, Daniel; Cazacu, Maria

2016-01-01

Various types, shapes and sizes of iron oxide nanoparticles were obtained depending on the nature of the precursor, preparation method and reaction conditions. The mixed valence trinuclear iron acetate, [Fe 2 III Fe II O(CH 3 COO) 6 (H 2 O) 3 ]·2H 2 O (FeAc1), μ 3 -oxo trinuclear iron(III) acetate, [Fe 3 O(CH 3 COO) 6 (H 2 O) 3 ]NO 3 ∙4H 2 O (FeAc2), iron furoate, [Fe 3 O(C 4 H 3 OCOO) 6 (CH 3 OH) 3 ]NO 3 ∙2CH 3 OH (FeF), iron chromium furoate, FeCr 2 O(C 4 H 3 OCOO) 6 (CH 3 OH) 3 ]NO 3 ∙2CH 3 OH (FeCrF), and an iron complex with an original macromolecular ligand (FePAZ) were used as precursors for the corresponding oxide nanoparticles. Five series of nanoparticle samples were prepared employing either a classical thermal pathway (i.e., thermal decomposition in solution, solvothermal method, dry thermal decomposition/calcination) or using a nonconventional energy source (i.e., microwave or ultrasonic treatment) to convert precursors into iron oxides. The resulting materials were structurally characterized by wide-angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared, Raman, energy-dispersive X-ray, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopies, as well as thermogravimetric analysis. The morphology was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The parameters were varied within each route to fine tune the size and shape of the formed nanoparticles.

From iron coordination compounds to metal oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Iacob, Mihail; Racles, Carmen; Tugui, Codrin; Stiubianu, George; Bele, Adrian; Sacarescu, Liviu; Timpu, Daniel

2016-01-01

Various types, shapes and sizes of iron oxide nanoparticles were obtained depending on the nature of the precursor, preparation method and reaction conditions. The mixed valence trinuclear iron acetate, [Fe2 IIIFeIIO(CH3COO)6(H2O)3]·2H2O (FeAc1), μ3-oxo trinuclear iron(III) acetate, [Fe3O(CH3COO)6(H2O)3]NO3∙4H2O (FeAc2), iron furoate, [Fe3O(C4H3OCOO)6(CH3OH)3]NO3∙2CH3OH (FeF), iron chromium furoate, FeCr2O(C4H3OCOO)6(CH3OH)3]NO3∙2CH3OH (FeCrF), and an iron complex with an original macromolecular ligand (FePAZ) were used as precursors for the corresponding oxide nanoparticles. Five series of nanoparticle samples were prepared employing either a classical thermal pathway (i.e., thermal decomposition in solution, solvothermal method, dry thermal decomposition/calcination) or using a nonconventional energy source (i.e., microwave or ultrasonic treatment) to convert precursors into iron oxides. The resulting materials were structurally characterized by wide-angle X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared, Raman, energy-dispersive X-ray, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopies, as well as thermogravimetric analysis. The morphology was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The parameters were varied within each route to fine tune the size and shape of the formed nanoparticles. PMID:28144555

Extreme Response in Tension and Compression of Tantalum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remington, Tane Perry

This research on a model bcc metal, tantalum, has three components: the study of tensile failure; defects generated under a nanoindenter; and dislocation velocities in an extreme regime generated by pulsed lasers. The processes of dynamic failure by spalling were established in nano, poly, and mono crystalline tantalum in recovery experiments following laser compression and release. The process of spall was characterized by different techniques: optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microcomputerized tomography and electron backscatter diffraction. Additionally, the pull back signal was measured by VISAR and the pressure decay was compared with HYADES simulations. There are clear differences in the microscopic fracture mechanisms, dictated by the grain sizes. In the nano and poly crystals, spalling occurred by ductile fracture favoring grain boundaries. In the monocrystals, grain boundaries are absent, and the process was of ductile failure by void initiation, growth and coalescence. The spall strength of single crystalline tantalum was higher than the poly and nano crystals. It was experimentally confirmed that spall strength in tantalum increases with strain rate. In order to generate dislocations close to the surface, single crystalline tantalum with orientations (100), (110) and (111) was nanoindented with a Berkovich tip. Atomic force microscopy showed pile-ups of dislocations around the perimeter of the nanoindentations. Sections of nanoindentations were focused ion beam cut into transmission electron microscope foils. The mechanisms of deformation under a nanoindentation in tantalum were identified and quantified. Molecular dynamics simulations were conducted and the simulated plastic deformation proceeds by the formation of nanotwins, which rapidly evolve into shear dislocation loops. Dislocation densities under the indenter were estimated experimentally (~1.2 x 1015 m-2), by MD (~7 x1015 m-2) and through an analytical calculation (2.6--19 x10

Bismuth oxide aqueous colloidal nanoparticles inhibit Candida albicans growth and biofilm formation

PubMed Central

Hernandez-Delgadillo, Rene; Velasco-Arias, Donaji; Martinez-Sanmiguel, Juan Jose; Diaz, David; Zumeta-Dube, Inti; Arevalo-Niño, Katiushka; Cabral-Romero, Claudio

2013-01-01

Multiresistance among microorganisms to common antimicrobials has become one of the most significant concerns in modern medicine. Nanomaterials are a new alternative to successfully treat the multiresistant microorganisms. Nanostructured materials are used in many fields, including biological sciences and medicine. Recently, it was demonstrated that the bactericidal activity of zero-valent bismuth colloidal nanoparticles inhibited the growth of Streptococcus mutans; however the antimycotic potential of bismuth nanostructured derivatives has not yet been studied. The main objective of this investigation was to analyze the fungicidal activity of bismuth oxide nanoparticles against Candida albicans, and their antibiofilm capabilities. Our results showed that aqueous colloidal bismuth oxide nanoparticles displayed antimicrobial activity against C. albicans growth (reducing colony size by 85%) and a complete inhibition of biofilm formation. These results are better than those obtained with chlorhexidine, nystatin, and terbinafine, the most effective oral antiseptic and commercial antifungal agents. In this work, we also compared the antimycotic activities of bulk bismuth oxide and bismuth nitrate, the precursor metallic salt. These results suggest that bismuth oxide colloidal nanoparticles could be a very interesting candidate as a fungicidal agent to be incorporated into an oral antiseptic. Additionally, we determined the minimum inhibitory concentration for the synthesized aqueous colloidal Bi2O3 nanoparticles. PMID:23637533

Effect of metal oxide nanoparticles on Godavari river water treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goud, Ravi Kumar; Ajay Kumar, V.; Reddy, T. Rakesh; Vinod, B.; Shravani, S.

2018-05-01

Nowadays there is a continuously increasing worldwide concern for the development of water treatment technologies. In the area of water purification, nanotechnology offers the possibility of an efficient removal of pollutants and germs. Nanomaterials reveal good results than other techniques used in water treatment because of its high surface area to volume ratio. In the present work, iron oxide and copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by simple heating method. The synthesized nanoparticles were used to purify Godavari river water. The effect of nanoparticles at 70°C temperature, 12 centimeter of sand bed height and pH of 8 shows good results as compared to simple sand bed filter. The attained values of BOD5, COD and Turbidity were in permissible limit of world health organization.

Harmonics distribution of iron oxide nanoparticles solutions under diamagnetic background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saari, Mohd Mawardi; Che Lah, Nurul Akmal; Sakai, Kenji; Kiwa, Toshihiko; Tsukada, Keiji

2018-04-01

The static and dynamic magnetizations of low concentrated multi-core iron oxide nanoparticles solutions were investigated by a specially developed high-Tc Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometer. The size distribution of iron oxide cores was determined from static magnetization curves concerning different concentrations. The simulated harmonics distribution was compared to the experimental results. Effect of the diamagnetic background from carrier liquid to harmonics distribution was investigated with respect to different intensity and position of peaks in the magnetic moment distribution using a numerical simulation. It was found that the diamagnetic background from carrier liquid of iron oxide nanoparticles affected the harmonics distribution as their concentration decreased and depending on their magnetic moment distribution. The first harmonic component was susceptible to the diamagnetic contribution of carrier liquid when the concentration was lower than 24 μg/ml. The second and third harmonics were affected when the peak position of magnetic moment distribution was smaller than m = 10-19 Am2 and the concentration was 10 ng/ml. A highly sensitive detection up to sub-nanogram of iron oxide nanoparticles in solutions can be achieved by utilizing second and third harmonic components.

New Perspectives on Biomedical Applications of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Magro, Massimiliano; Baratella, Davide; Bonaiuto, Emanuela; de A Roger, Jessica; Vianello, Fabio

2018-02-12

Iron oxide nanomaterials are considered promising tools for improved therapeutic efficacy and diagnostic applications in biomedicine. Accordingly, engineered iron oxide nanomaterials are increasingly proposed in biomedicine, and the interdisciplinary researches involving physics, chemistry, biology (nanotechnology) and medicine have led to exciting developments in the last decades. The progresses of the development of magnetic nanoparticles with tailored physico-chemical and surface properties produced a variety of clinically relevant applications, spanning from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug delivery, magnetic hyperthermia, to in vitro diagnostics. Notwithstanding the wellknown conventional synthetic procedures and their wide use, along with recent advances in the synthetic methods open the door to new generations of naked iron oxide nanoparticles possessing peculiar surface chemistries, suitable for other competitive biomedical applications. New abilities to rationally manipulate iron oxides and their physical, chemical, and biological properties, allow the emersion of additional possibilities for designing novel nanomaterials for theranostic applications. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Evaluation of the sonosensitizing properties of nano-graphene oxide in comparison with iron oxide and gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beik, Jaber; Abed, Ziaeddin; Shakeri-Zadeh, Ali; Nourbakhsh, Mitra; Shiran, Mohammad Bagher

2016-07-01

In cancer hyperthermia, ultrasound is considered as an appropriate source of energy to achieve desired therapeutic levels of heating. It is assumed that such a heating is targeted to cancer cells by using nanoparticles as sonosensitization agents. Here, we report the sonosensitizing effects of Nano-Graphene Oxide (NGO) and compare them with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), Iron Oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). Experiments were conducted to explore the effects of nanoparticle type and concentration, as well as ultrasound power, on transient heating up of the solutions exposed by 1 MHz ultrasound. Nanoparticles concentration was selected from 0.25 to 2.5 mg/ml and the solutions were exposed by ultrasound powers from 1 to 8 W. Real time temperature monitoring was done by a thermocouple and obtained data was analyzed. Temperature profiles of various nanoparticle solutions showed the higher heating rates, in comparison to water. Heating rise was strongly depended on nanoparticles concentration and ultrasound power. AuNPs showed a superior efficiency in heat generation enhancement in comparison to IONPs and NGO. Our result supports the idea of sonosensitizing capabilities of AuNPs, IONPs, and NGO. Targeted hyperthermia may be achievable by preferential loading of tumor with nanoparticles and subsequent ultrasound irradiation.

Ultra-fast self-assembly and stabilization of reactive nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide films

PubMed Central

Chen, Yanan; Egan, Garth C.; Wan, Jiayu; Zhu, Shuze; Jacob, Rohit Jiji; Zhou, Wenbo; Dai, Jiaqi; Wang, Yanbin; Danner, Valencia A.; Yao, Yonggang; Fu, Kun; Wang, Yibo; Bao, Wenzhong; Li, Teng; Zachariah, Michael R.; Hu, Liangbing

2016-01-01

Nanoparticles hosted in conductive matrices are ubiquitous in electrochemical energy storage, catalysis and energetic devices. However, agglomeration and surface oxidation remain as two major challenges towards their ultimate utility, especially for highly reactive materials. Here we report uniformly distributed nanoparticles with diameters around 10 nm can be self-assembled within a reduced graphene oxide matrix in 10 ms. Microsized particles in reduced graphene oxide are Joule heated to high temperature (∼1,700 K) and rapidly quenched to preserve the resultant nano-architecture. A possible formation mechanism is that microsized particles melt under high temperature, are separated by defects in reduced graphene oxide and self-assemble into nanoparticles on cooling. The ultra-fast manufacturing approach can be applied to a wide range of materials, including aluminium, silicon, tin and so on. One unique application of this technique is the stabilization of aluminium nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide film, which we demonstrate to have excellent performance as a switchable energetic material. PMID:27515900

Shape control of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles under different chain length of reducing agents

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

Ngoi, Kuan Hoon; Chia, Chin-Hua, E-mail: chia@ukm.edu.my; Zakaria, Sarani

2015-09-25

We report on the effect of using reducing agents with different chain-length on the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles by thermal decomposition of iron (III) acetylacetonate in 1-octadecene. This modification allows us to control the shape of nanoparticles into spherical and cubic iron oxide nanoparticles. The highly monodisperse 14 nm spherical nanoparticles are obtained under 1,2-dodecanediol and average 14 nm edge-length cubic iron oxide nanoparticles are obtained under 1,2-tetradecanediol. The structural characterization such as transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows similar properties between two particles with different shapes. The vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) shows no significant difference between sphericalmore » and cubic nanoparticles, which are 36 emu/g and 37 emu/g respectively and superparamagnetic in nature.« less

Oxidation behaviour of Fe-Ni alloy nanoparticles synthesized by thermal plasma route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghodke, Neha; Kamble, Shalaka; Raut, Suyog; Puranik, Shridhar; Bhoraskar, S. V.; Rayaprol, Sudhindra; Mathe, V. L.

2018-04-01

Here we report synthesis of Fe-Ni nanoparticles using thermal plasma route. In thermal plasma, gas phase nucleation and growth at sufficiently higher temperature is observed. The synthesized Fe-Ni nanoparticles are examined by X-ray Diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer and Thermo gravimetric Analysis. Formation of 16-21 nm sized Fe-Ni nanoparticles having surface oxidation show maximum value of magnetization of ˜107 emu/g. The sample synthesized at relatively low power (4kW) show presence of carbonaceous species whereas the high power (6 kW) synthesis does not depicts carbonaceous species. The presence of carbonaceous species protects oxidation of the nanoparticles significantly as evidenced from TGA data.

ON THE GEOCHEMISTRY OF NIOBIUM AND TANTALUM IN CLAYS (in Russian)

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

Pachadzhanov, D.N.

1963-10-01

With the aid of the spectral method with a preliminary enrichment in tannin, the niobium and tantalum content was determined in some humid and arid clays of the Russian platform. The investigated samples were composed of 354 specimens. The average content of niobium in humid clays is 0.0020%, of tantalum 0.00024% (the Nb/Ta ratio is 8.4) and in arid clays is respectively the content of niobium 0.00133% and the content of tantalum 0.00009% (the Nb/Ta ratio is 14.8). The average value of the content of niobium content for all studied clays is 0.00183% and of the tantalum content 0.00020%, themore » Nb/Ta ratio being 9.1. In clays an interconnection of niobium with tantalum, as well as with aluminium, titanium, zirconium, and hafnium was observed. However, on the background of this connection some separation of the named elements is noted. A tendency for the Nb/Ta ratio shift from the region of matter removal towards the center of the marine basin was observed. The study of niobium and tantalum distribution over different clay fractions showed that one part of elements is connected with zircon and titanium minerals in aleuosand fraction (0.1-- 0.01 mm). Another, approximately similar part is contained in the proper clay fraction (<0. 01 mm), the tantalum somewhat more concentrating in the aleurosand fraction and niobium in the clay fraction. (P.C.H.)« less

Multi-scale Modeling of Plasticity in Tantalum.

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

Lim, Hojun; Battaile, Corbett Chandler.; Carroll, Jay

In this report, we present a multi-scale computational model to simulate plastic deformation of tantalum and validating experiments. In atomistic/ dislocation level, dislocation kink- pair theory is used to formulate temperature and strain rate dependent constitutive equations. The kink-pair theory is calibrated to available data from single crystal experiments to produce accurate and convenient constitutive laws. The model is then implemented into a BCC crystal plasticity finite element method (CP-FEM) model to predict temperature and strain rate dependent yield stresses of single and polycrystalline tantalum and compared with existing experimental data from the literature. Furthermore, classical continuum constitutive models describingmore » temperature and strain rate dependent flow behaviors are fit to the yield stresses obtained from the CP-FEM polycrystal predictions. The model is then used to conduct hydro- dynamic simulations of Taylor cylinder impact test and compared with experiments. In order to validate the proposed tantalum CP-FEM model with experiments, we introduce a method for quantitative comparison of CP-FEM models with various experimental techniques. To mitigate the effects of unknown subsurface microstructure, tantalum tensile specimens with a pseudo-two-dimensional grain structure and grain sizes on the order of millimeters are used. A technique combining an electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) and high resolution digital image correlation (HR-DIC) is used to measure the texture and sub-grain strain fields upon uniaxial tensile loading at various applied strains. Deformed specimens are also analyzed with optical profilometry measurements to obtain out-of- plane strain fields. These high resolution measurements are directly compared with large-scale CP-FEM predictions. This computational method directly links fundamental dislocation physics to plastic deformations in the grain-scale and to the engineering-scale applications. Furthermore

Ultrafast electron and energy transfer in dye-sensitized iron oxide and oxyhydroxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Gilbert, Benjamin; Katz, Jordan E; Huse, Nils; Zhang, Xiaoyi; Frandsen, Cathrine; Falcone, Roger W; Waychunas, Glenn A

2013-10-28

An emerging area in chemical science is the study of solid-phase redox reactions using ultrafast time-resolved spectroscopy. We have used molecules of the photoactive dye 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (DCF) anchored to the surface of iron(III) oxide nanoparticles to create iron(II) surface atoms via photo-initiated interfacial electron transfer. This approach enables time-resolved study of the fate and mobility of electrons within the solid phase. However, complete analysis of the ultrafast processes following dye photoexcitation of the sensitized iron(III) oxide nanoparticles has not been reported. We addressed this topic by performing femtosecond transient absorption (TA) measurements of aqueous suspensions of uncoated and DCF-sensitized iron oxide and oxyhydroxide nanoparticles, and an aqueous iron(III)-dye complex. Following light absorption, excited state relaxation times of the dye of 115-310 fs were found for all samples. Comparison between TA dynamics on uncoated and dye-sensitized hematite nanoparticles revealed the dye de-excitation pathway to consist of a competition between electron and energy transfer to the nanoparticles. We analyzed the TA data for hematite nanoparticles using a four-state model of the dye-sensitized system, finding electron and energy transfer to occur on the same ultrafast timescale. The interfacial electron transfer rates for iron oxides are very close to those previously reported for DCF-sensitized titanium dioxide (for which dye-oxide energy transfer is energetically forbidden) even though the acceptor states are different. Comparison of the alignment of the excited states of the dye and the unoccupied states of these oxides showed that the dye injects into acceptor states of different symmetry (Ti t2gvs. Fe eg).

Ultrasmall water-soluble metal-iron oxide nanoparticles as T1-weighted contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Zeng, Leyong; Ren, Wenzhi; Zheng, Jianjun; Cui, Ping; Wu, Aiguo

2012-02-28

Using an improved hydrolysis method of inorganic salts assisted with water-bath incubation, ultrasmall water-soluble metal-iron oxide nanoparticles (including Fe(3)O(4), ZnFe(2)O(4) and NiFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles) were synthesized in aqueous solutions, which were used as T(1)-weighted contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The morphology, structure, MRI relaxation properties and cytotoxicity of the as-prepared metal-iron oxide nanoparticles were characterized, respectively. The results showed that the average sizes of nanoparticles were about 4 nm, 4 nm and 5 nm for Fe(3)O(4), ZnFe(2)O(4) and NiFe(2)O(4) nanoparticles, respectively. Moreover, the nanoparticles have good water dispersibility and low cytotoxicity. The MRI test showed the strong T(1)-weighted, but the weak T(2)-weighted MRI performance of metal-iron oxide nanoparticles. The high T(1)-weighted MRI performance can be attributed to the ultrasmall size of metal-iron oxide nanoparticles. Therefore, the as-prepared metal-iron oxide nanoparticles with good water dispersibility and ultrasmall size can have potential applications as T(1)-weighted contrast agent materials for MRI.

Development and Applications of Porous Tantalum Trabecular Metal Enhanced Titanium Dental Implants

PubMed Central

Bencharit, Sompop; Byrd, Warren C.; Altarawneh, Sandra; Hosseini, Bashir; Leong, Austin; Reside, Glenn; Morelli, Thiago; Offenbacher, Steven

2013-01-01

Statement of Problem Porous tantalum trabecular metal has recently been incorporated in titanium dental implants as a new form of implant surface enhancement. However, there is little information on the applications of this material in implant dentistry. Methods We, therefore review the current literature on the basic science and clinical uses of this material. Results Porous tantalum metal is used to improve the contact between osseous structure and dental implants; and therefore presumably facilitate osseointegration. Success of porous tantalum metal in orthopedic implants led to the incorporation of porous tantalum metal in the design of root-from endosseous titanium implants. The porous tantalum three-dimensional enhancement of titanium dental implant surface allows for combining bone ongrowth together with bone ingrowth, or osseoincorporation. While little is known about the biological aspect of the porous tantalum in the oral cavity, there seems to be several possible advantages of this implant design. This article reviews the biological aspects of porous tantalum enhanced titanium dental implants, in particular the effects of anatomical consideration and oral environment to implant designs. Conclusions We propose here possible clinical situations and applications for this type of dental implant. Advantages and disadvantages of the implants as well as needed future clinical studies are discussed. PMID:23527899

Stability of Y-Ti-O nanoparticles during laser deposition of oxide dispersion strengthened steel powder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Euh, Kwangjun; Arkhurst, Barton; Kim, Il Hyun; Kim, Hyun-Gil; Kim, Jeoung Han

2017-11-01

This study investigated the feasibility of a direct energy deposition process for fabrication of oxide dispersion strengthened steel cladding. The effect of the laser working power and scan speed on the microstructural stability of oxide nanoparticles in the deposition layer was examined. Y-Ti-O type oxide nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 45 nm were successfully dispersed by the laser deposition process. The laser working power significantly affected nanoparticle size and number density. A high laser power with a low scan speed seriously induced particle coarsening and agglomeration. Compared with bulk oxide dispersion strengthened steel, the hardness of the laser deposition layer was much lower because of a relatively coarse particle and grain size. Formation mechanism of nanoparticles during laser deposition was discussed.

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.

Thermal shock and erosion resistant tantalum carbide ceramic material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Honeycutt, L., III; Manning, C. R. (Inventor)

1978-01-01

Ceramic tantalum carbide artifacts with high thermal shock and mechanical erosion resistance are provided by incorporating tungsten-rhenium and carbon particles in a tantalum carbide matrix. The mix is sintered by hot pressing to form the ceramic article which has a high fracture strength relative to its elastic modulus and thus has an improved thermal shock and mechanical erosion resistance. The tantalum carbide is preferable less than minus 100 mesh, the carbon particles are preferable less than minus 100 mesh, and the tungsten-rhenium particles are preferable elongate, having a length to thickness ratio of at least 2/1. Tungsten-rhenium wire pieces are suitable as well as graphite particles.

Cobalt Oxide Hollow Nanoparticles Derived by Bio-Templating

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Jae-Woo; Choi, Sang H.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Chu, Sang-Hyon; King, Glen C.; Watt, Gerald D.

2005-01-01

We present here the first fabrication of hollow cobalt oxide nanoparticles produced by a protein-regulated site-specific reconstitution process in aqueous solution and describe the metal growth mechanism in the ferritin interior.

Surface- and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy reveals spin-waves in iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez, Raul D.; Sheremet, Evgeniya; Deckert-Gaudig, Tanja; Chaneac, Corinne; Hietschold, Michael; Deckert, Volker; Zahn, Dietrich R. T.

2015-05-01

Nanomaterials have the remarkable characteristic of displaying physical properties different from their bulk counterparts. An additional degree of complexity and functionality arises when oxide nanoparticles interact with metallic nanostructures. In this context the Raman spectra due to plasmonic enhancement of iron oxide nanocrystals are here reported showing the activation of spin-waves. Iron oxide nanoparticles on gold and silver tips are found to display a band around 1584 cm-1 attributed to a spin-wave magnon mode. This magnon mode is not observed for nanoparticles deposited on silicon (111) or on glass substrates. Metal-nanoparticle interaction and the strongly localized electromagnetic field contribute to the appearance of this mode. The localized excitation that generates this mode is confirmed by tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). The appearance of the spin-waves only when the TERS tip is in close proximity to a nanocrystal edge suggests that the coupling of a localized plasmon with spin-waves arises due to broken symmetry at the nanoparticle border and the additional electric field confinement. Beyond phonon confinement effects previously reported in similar systems, this work offers significant insights on the plasmon-assisted generation and detection of spin-waves optically induced.Nanomaterials have the remarkable characteristic of displaying physical properties different from their bulk counterparts. An additional degree of complexity and functionality arises when oxide nanoparticles interact with metallic nanostructures. In this context the Raman spectra due to plasmonic enhancement of iron oxide nanocrystals are here reported showing the activation of spin-waves. Iron oxide nanoparticles on gold and silver tips are found to display a band around 1584 cm-1 attributed to a spin-wave magnon mode. This magnon mode is not observed for nanoparticles deposited on silicon (111) or on glass substrates. Metal-nanoparticle interaction and the strongly

International strategic minerals inventory summary report; niobium (columbium) and tantalum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crockett, R.N.; Sutphin, D.M.

1993-01-01

Major world resources of niobium and tantalum are described in this summary report of information in the International Strategic Minerals Inventory (ISMI). ISMI is a cooperative data-collection effort of earth-science and mineral-resource agencies in Australia, Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Part I of this report presents an overview of the resources and potential supply of niobium and tantalum based on inventory information; Part II contains tables of both geologic and mineral-resource information and includes production data collected by ISMI participants. Niobium is used principally as an alloying element in special steels and superalloys, and tantalum is used mainly in electronics. Minerals in the columbite-tantalite series are principal ore minerals of niobium and tantalum. Pyrochlore is a principal source of niobium. These minerals are found in carbonatite, certain rocks in alkaline igneous complexes, pegmatite, and placer deposits. ISMI estimates show that there are over 7 million metric tons of niobium and almost 0.5 million metric tons of tantalum in known deposits, outside of China and the former Soviet Union, for which reliable estimates have been made. Brazilian deposits, followed by Canadian deposits, contain by far the largest source of niobium. Tantalum production is spread widely among several countries, and Brazil and Canada are the most significant of these producers. Brazil's position is further strengthened by potential byproduct columbite from tin mining. Present economically exploitable resources of niobium appear to be sufficient for the near future, but Brazil will continue to be the predominant world supplier of ferrocolumbium. Tantalum, a byproduct of tin production, has been captive to the fluctuations of that market, but resources in pegmatite in Canada and Australia make it likely that future increases in the present modest demand will be met.

Dispersion and surface functionalization of oxide nanoparticles for transparent photocatalytic and UV-protecting coatings and sunscreens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faure, Bertrand; Salazar-Alvarez, German; Ahniyaz, Anwar; Villaluenga, Irune; Berriozabal, Gemma; De Miguel, Yolanda R.; Bergström, Lennart

2013-04-01

This review describes recent efforts on the synthesis, dispersion and surface functionalization of the three dominating oxide nanoparticles used for photocatalytic, UV-blocking and sunscreen applications: titania, zinc oxide, and ceria. The gas phase and liquid phase synthesis is described briefly and examples are given of how weakly aggregated photocatalytic or UV-absorbing oxide nanoparticles with different composition, morphology and size can be generated. The principles of deagglomeration are reviewed and the specific challenges for nanoparticles highlighted. The stabilization of oxide nanoparticles in both aqueous and non-aqueous media requires a good understanding of the magnitude of the interparticle forces and the surface chemistry of the materials. Quantitative estimates of the Hamaker constants in various media and measurements of the isoelectric points for the different oxide nanoparticles are presented together with an overview of different additives used to prepare stable dispersions. The structural and chemical requirements and the various routes to produce transparent photocatalytic and nanoparticle-based UV-protecting coatings, and UV-blocking sunscreens are described and discussed.

Dispersion and surface functionalization of oxide nanoparticles for transparent photocatalytic and UV-protecting coatings and sunscreens

PubMed Central

Faure, Bertrand; Salazar-Alvarez, German; Ahniyaz, Anwar; Villaluenga, Irune; Berriozabal, Gemma; De Miguel, Yolanda R; Bergström, Lennart

2013-01-01

This review describes recent efforts on the synthesis, dispersion and surface functionalization of the three dominating oxide nanoparticles used for photocatalytic, UV-blocking and sunscreen applications: titania, zinc oxide, and ceria. The gas phase and liquid phase synthesis is described briefly and examples are given of how weakly aggregated photocatalytic or UV-absorbing oxide nanoparticles with different composition, morphology and size can be generated. The principles of deagglomeration are reviewed and the specific challenges for nanoparticles highlighted. The stabilization of oxide nanoparticles in both aqueous and non-aqueous media requires a good understanding of the magnitude of the interparticle forces and the surface chemistry of the materials. Quantitative estimates of the Hamaker constants in various media and measurements of the isoelectric points for the different oxide nanoparticles are presented together with an overview of different additives used to prepare stable dispersions. The structural and chemical requirements and the various routes to produce transparent photocatalytic and nanoparticle-based UV-protecting coatings, and UV-blocking sunscreens are described and discussed. PMID:27877568

Synthesis, Characterization and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Nitric Oxide-Iron Oxide magnetic Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haddad, P. S.; Britos, T. N.; Santos, M. C.; Seabra, A. B.; Palladino, M. V.; Justo, G. Z.

2015-05-01

The present work is focused on the synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic evaluation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). SPIONs have been proposed for an increasing number of biomedical applications, such as drug-delivery. To this end, toxicological studies of their potential effects in biological systems must be better evaluated. The aim of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxicity of thiolated (SH) and S-nitrosated (S-NO) SPIONs in cancer cell lines. SPIONs were prepared by the coprecipitation method using ferrous and ferric chlorides in aqueous solution. The nanoparticles (Fe3O4) were coated with thiol containing molecule cysteine (Cys) (molar ratio SPIONs:ligand = 1:20), leading to the formation of an aqueous dispersion of thiolated nanoparticles (SH- SPIONs). These particles were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results obtained showed that Cys-SPIONs have a mean diameter of 14 nm at solid state and present super paramagnetic behavior at room temperature. Thiol groups on the surface of the nanoparticles were nitrosated through the addition of sodium nitrite leading to the formation of S-NOCys-SPIONs (S-nitrosated-Cys-SPIONs), which act as spontaneous nitric oxide (NO) donor). The cytotoxicity of thiolated and S-nitrosated nanoparticles was evaluated in acute T cell leukemia (Jurkat cell line) and Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) cells. The results showed that at low concentrations thiolated (Cys) and S- nitrosated (S-NOCyst) SPIONs display low cytotoxicity in both cell types. However, at higher concentrations, Cys-SPIONs exhibited cytotoxic effects, whereas S-NOCys-SPIONs protected them, and also promoted cell proliferation.

Morphology and electronic structure of the oxide shell on the surface of iron nanoparticles.

PubMed

Wang, Chongmin; Baer, Donald R; Amonette, James E; Engelhard, Mark H; Antony, Jiji; Qiang, You

2009-07-01

An iron (Fe) nanoparticle exposed to air at room temperature will be instantly covered by an oxide shell that is typically approximately 3 nm thick. The nature of this native oxide shell, in combination with the underlying Fe(0) core, determines the physical and chemical behavior of the core-shell nanoparticle. One of the challenges of characterizing core-shell nanoparticles is determining the structure of the oxide shell, that is, whether it is FeO, Fe(3)O(4), gamma-Fe(2)O(3), alpha-Fe(2)O(3), or something else. The results of prior characterization efforts, which have mostly used X-ray diffraction and spectroscopy, electron diffraction, and transmission electron microscopic imaging, have been framed in terms of one of the known Fe-oxide structures, although it is not necessarily true that the thin layer of Fe oxide is a known Fe oxide. In this Article, we probe the structure of the oxide shell on Fe nanoparticles using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) at the oxygen (O) K-edge with a spatial resolution of several nanometers (i.e., less than that of an individual particle). We studied two types of representative particles: small particles that are fully oxidized (no Fe(0) core) and larger core-shell particles that possess an Fe core. We found that O K-edge spectra collected for the oxide shell in nanoparticles show distinct differences from those of known Fe oxides. Typically, the prepeak of the spectra collected on both the core-shell and the fully oxidized particles is weaker than that collected on standard Fe(3)O(4). Given the fact that the origin of this prepeak corresponds to the transition of the O 1s electron to the unoccupied state of O 2p hybridized with Fe 3d, a weak pre-edge peak indicates a combination of the following four factors: a higher degree of occupancy of the Fe 3d orbital; a longer Fe-O bond length; a decreased covalency of the Fe-O bond; and a measure of cation vacancies. These results suggest that the coordination configuration in

Nitric oxide-releasing porous silicon nanoparticles

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In this study, the ability of porous silicon nanoparticles (PSi NPs) to entrap and deliver nitric oxide (NO) as an effective antibacterial agent is tested against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. NO was entrapped inside PSi NPs functionalized by means of the thermal hydrocarbonization (THC) process. Subsequent reduction of nitrite in the presence of d-glucose led to the production of large NO payloads without reducing the biocompatibility of the PSi NPs with mammalian cells. The resulting PSi NPs demonstrated sustained release of NO and showed remarkable antibacterial efficiency and anti-biofilm-forming properties. These results will set the stage to develop antimicrobial nanoparticle formulations for applications in chronic wound treatment. PMID:25114633

Nitric oxide-releasing porous silicon nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kafshgari, Morteza Hasanzadeh; Cavallaro, Alex; Delalat, Bahman; Harding, Frances J; McInnes, Steven Jp; Mäkilä, Ermei; Salonen, Jarno; Vasilev, Krasimir; Voelcker, Nicolas H

2014-01-01

In this study, the ability of porous silicon nanoparticles (PSi NPs) to entrap and deliver nitric oxide (NO) as an effective antibacterial agent is tested against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. NO was entrapped inside PSi NPs functionalized by means of the thermal hydrocarbonization (THC) process. Subsequent reduction of nitrite in the presence of d-glucose led to the production of large NO payloads without reducing the biocompatibility of the PSi NPs with mammalian cells. The resulting PSi NPs demonstrated sustained release of NO and showed remarkable antibacterial efficiency and anti-biofilm-forming properties. These results will set the stage to develop antimicrobial nanoparticle formulations for applications in chronic wound treatment.

Nitric oxide-releasing porous silicon nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafshgari, Morteza Hasanzadeh; Cavallaro, Alex; Delalat, Bahman; Harding, Frances J.; McInnes, Steven JP; Mäkilä, Ermei; Salonen, Jarno; Vasilev, Krasimir; Voelcker, Nicolas H.

2014-07-01

In this study, the ability of porous silicon nanoparticles (PSi NPs) to entrap and deliver nitric oxide (NO) as an effective antibacterial agent is tested against different Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. NO was entrapped inside PSi NPs functionalized by means of the thermal hydrocarbonization (THC) process. Subsequent reduction of nitrite in the presence of d-glucose led to the production of large NO payloads without reducing the biocompatibility of the PSi NPs with mammalian cells. The resulting PSi NPs demonstrated sustained release of NO and showed remarkable antibacterial efficiency and anti-biofilm-forming properties. These results will set the stage to develop antimicrobial nanoparticle formulations for applications in chronic wound treatment.

Multifunctional iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloemen, M.; Denis, C.; Van Stappen, T.; De Meester, L.; Geukens, N.; Gils, A.; Verbiest, T.

2015-03-01

Multifunctional nanoparticles have attracted a lot of attention since they can combine interesting properties like magnetism, fluorescence or plasmonic effects. As a core material, iron oxide nanoparticles have been the subject of intensive research. These cost-effective and non-toxic particles are used nowadays in many applications. We developed a heterobifunctional PEG ligand that can be used to introduce functional groups (carboxylic acids) onto the surface of the NP. Via click chemistry, a siloxane functionality was added to this ligand, for a subsequent covalent ligand exchange reaction. The functionalized nanoparticles have an excellent colloidal stability in complex environments like buffers and serum or plasma. Antibodies were coupled to the introduced carboxylic acids and these NP-antibody bioconjugates were brought into contact with Legionella bacteria for magnetic separation experiments.

Synthesis and dielectric properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles using a biotemplate

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

P, Sharmila P, E-mail: sharmilavishram@gmail.com; Tharayil, Nisha J., E-mail: nishajohntharayil@gmail.com

Zinc Oxide nanoparticles are synthesized using DNA as capping agent. Zinc oxide nanoparticles are synthesized using DNA as a capping agent. Structural and morphological characterizations are done using SEM, FTIR and XRD. The particle size and lattice parameters are calculated from the diffraction data. The optical properties are studied using UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and bandgap variation with temperature is determined. The dielectric property of nanoparticles is studied by varying temperature and frequency. The dielectric constant and dispersion parameters are found out. Method of Cole-Cole analysis is used to study the high temperature dispersion of relaxation time. The variation of bothmore » AC and DC conductivity are studied and activation energy calculated.« less

Biosynthesis of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles using Pichia fermentans JA2 and their antimicrobial property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chauhan, Ritika; Reddy, Arpita; Abraham, Jayanthi

2015-01-01

The development of eco-friendly alternative to chemical synthesis of metal nanoparticles is of great challenge among researchers. The present study aimed to investigate the biological synthesis, characterization, antimicrobial study and synergistic effect of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles against clinical pathogens using Pichia fermentans JA2. The extracellular biosynthesis of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles was investigated using Pichia fermentans JA2 isolated from spoiled fruit pulp bought in Vellore local market. The crystalline and stable metallic nanoparticles were characterized evolving several analytical techniques including UV-visible spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction pattern analysis and FE-scanning electron microscope with EDX-analysis. The biosynthesized metallic nanoparticles were tested for their antimicrobial property against medically important Gram positive, Gram negative and fungal pathogenic microorganisms. Furthermore, the biosynthesized nanoparticles were also evaluated for their increased antimicrobial activities with various commercially available antibiotics against clinical pathogens. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles inhibited most of the Gram negative clinical pathogens, whereas zinc oxide nanoparticles were able to inhibit only Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The combined effect of standard antibiotic disc and biosynthesized metallic nanoparticles enhanced the inhibitory effect against clinical pathogens. The biological synthesis of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles is a novel and cost-effective approach over harmful chemical synthesis techniques. The metallic nanoparticles synthesized using Pichia fermentans JA2 possess potent inhibitory effect that offers valuable contribution to pharmaceutical associations.

Palladium nanoparticles supported on vertically oriented reduced graphene oxide for methanol electro-oxidation.

PubMed

Yang, Liming; Tang, Yanhong; Luo, Shenglian; Liu, Chengbin; Song, Hejie; Yan, Dafeng

2014-10-01

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is a promising support material for nanosized electrocatalysts. However, the conventional stacking arrangement of rGO sheets confines the electrocatalysts between rGO layers, which decreases the number of catalytic sites substantially. We report here a facile synthesis of vertically oriented reduced graphene oxide (VrGO) through cyclic voltammetric electrolysis of graphene oxide (GO) in the presence of Na2 PdCl4 . Experiments without Pd nanoparticles or with a low loading amount of Pd nanoparticles results in the deposition of rGO parallel to the electrodes. The vertical orientation of Pd/rGO nanoflakes causes a remarkable enhancement of the catalytic activity toward methanol electro-oxidation. The mass activity (620.1 A gPd (-1) ) of Pd/VrGO is 1.9 and 6.2 times that of Pd/flat-lying rGO (331.8 A gPd (-1) ) and commercial Pd/C (100.5 A gPd (-1) ), respectively. Furthermore, the Pd/VrGO catalyst shows excellent resistance to CO poisoning. This work provides a simple wet-chemical method for VrGO preparation. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles in human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells: cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation of metal oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sun, Jing; Wang, Shaochuang; Zhao, Dong; Hun, Fei Han; Weng, Lei; Liu, Hui

2011-10-01

Wide applications and extreme potential of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) increase occupational and public exposure and may yield extraordinary hazards for human health. Exposure to NPs has a risk for dysfunction of the vascular endothelial cells. The objective of this study was to assess the cytotoxicity of six metal oxide NPs to human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) in vitro. Metal oxide NPs used in this study included zinc oxide (ZnO), iron(III) oxide (Fe(2)O(3)), iron(II,III) oxide (Fe(3)O(4)), magnesium oxide (MgO), aluminum oxide (Al(2)O(3)), and copper(II) oxide (CuO). The cell viability, membrane leakage of lactate dehydrogenase, intracellular reactive oxygen species, permeability of plasma membrane, and expression of inflammatory markers vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, macrophage cationic peptide-1, and interleukin-8 in HCMECs were assessed under controlled and exposed conditions (12-24 h and 0.001-100 μg/ml of exposure). The results indicated that Fe(2)O(3), Fe(3)O(4), and Al(2)O(3) NPs did not have significant effects on cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation response in HCMECs at any of the concentrations tested. ZnO, CuO, and MgO NPs produced the cytotoxicity at the concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner, and elicited the permeability and inflammation response in HCMECs. These results demonstrated that cytotoxicity, permeability, and inflammation in vascular endothelial cells following exposure to metal oxide nanoparticles depended on particle composition, concentration, and exposure time. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

Green Synthesis of Formulated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Chemical Protection of Skin Care and Related Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koppolu, Ramya

Nanomaterials have diversified applications based on the unique properties. These nanoparticles and functionalized nanocomposites have been studied in the health care filed. Nanoparticles are mostly used in sunscreens which are a part of human life. These sunscreens consist of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Due to the higher band crevices, they help the skin to protect from ultraviolet rays, for instance, ultraviolet B and ultraviolet A. A series of nanostructured zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared by cost-effective chemical and bioinspired methods and variables were optimized. Highly stable and spherical zinc oxide nanoparticles were formulated by aloe vera ( Aloe barbadensis) plant extract and avocado (Persea americana Mill) fruit extract. The state-of-the-art instrumentation was used to characterize the morphology, elemental composition, and particle size distribution. X-ray diffraction data indicated highly crystalline and ultrafine nanoparticles were obtained from the colloidal methods. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed the chemical state of zinc, carbon, and oxygen atoms were well-indexed and are used as fingerprint identification of the elements. Transmission electron microscopy images show the shape of particles were cubic and fiber shape contingent upon the protecting operators and heat treatment conditions. The toxicity studies of zinc oxide nanoparticles were found to cause an increase in nitric oxide, which is protecting against further oxidative stress and appears to be nontoxic.

Atomic scale observation of oxygen delivery during silver–oxygen nanoparticle catalysed oxidation of carbon nanotubes

PubMed Central

Yue, Yonghai; Yuchi, Datong; Guan, Pengfei; Xu, Jia; Guo, Lin; Liu, Jingyue

2016-01-01

To probe the nature of metal-catalysed processes and to design better metal-based catalysts, atomic scale understanding of catalytic processes is highly desirable. Here we use aberration-corrected environmental transmission electron microscopy to investigate the atomic scale processes of silver-based nanoparticles, which catalyse the oxidation of multi-wall carbon nanotubes. A direct semi-quantitative estimate of the oxidized carbon atoms by silver-based nanoparticles is achieved. A mechanism similar to the Mars–van Krevelen process is invoked to explain the catalytic oxidation process. Theoretical calculations, together with the experimental data, suggest that the oxygen molecules dissociate on the surface of silver nanoparticles and diffuse through the silver nanoparticles to reach the silver/carbon interfaces and subsequently oxidize the carbon. The lattice distortion caused by oxygen concentration gradient within the silver nanoparticles provides the direct evidence for oxygen diffusion. Such direct observation of atomic scale dynamics provides an important general methodology for investigations of catalytic processes. PMID:27406595

Mixed oxide nanoparticles and method of making

DOEpatents

Lauf, Robert J.; Phelps, Tommy J.; Zhang, Chuanlun; Roh, Yul

2002-09-03

Methods and apparatus for producing mixed oxide nanoparticulates are disclosed. Selected thermophilic bacteria cultured with suitable reducible metals in the presence of an electron donor may be cultured under conditions that reduce at least one metal to form a doped crystal or mixed oxide composition. The bacteria will form nanoparticles outside the cell, allowing easy recovery. Selection of metals depends on the redox potentials of the reducing agents added to the culture. Typically hydrogen or glucose are used as electron donors.

Effects of coating spherical iron oxide nanoparticles

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

Milosevic, Irena; Motte, Laurence; Aoun, Bachir

2017-01-01

We investigate the effect of several coatings applied in biomedical applications to iron oxide nanoparticles on the size, structure and composition of the particles. The four structural techniques employed - TEM, DLS, VSM, SAXS and EXAFS - show no significant effects of the coatings on the spherical shape of the bare nanoparticles, the average sizes or the local order around the Fe atoms. The NPs coated with hydroxylmethylene bisphosphonate or catechol have a lower proportion of magnetite than the bare and citrated ones, raising the question whether the former are responsible for increasing the valence state of the oxide onmore » the NP surfaces and lowering the overall proportion of magnetite in the particles. VSM measurements show that these two coatings lead to a slightly higher saturation magnetization than the citrate. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Science for Life" Guest Editor: Dr. Austen Angell, Dr. Salvatore Magazu and Dr. Federica Migliardo.« less

Thermochemistry of tantalum-wall cooling system with lithium and sodium working fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tower, L. K.

1972-01-01

Plots are presented which show the distribution of oxygen between liquid lithium and tantalum or niobium, and between liquid sodium and tantalum at elevated temperatures. Additional plots showing the composition of the gas phase above the solutions of oxygen and alkali metal are presented. The use of the plots is illustrated by an example tantalum heat pipe filled with lithium.

Tantalum coatings for inertial confinement fusion dry wall designs

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

Taylor, L.H.; Green, L.

1996-12-31

The coating on a dry first wall inertial confinement fusion reactor must survive the target explosion and be ductile, inexpensive, and compatible with the materials in the target, i.e. have a high atomic number Z. Calculations indicate that tantalum is the best choice for the coating material. As a test of this design 1 mm tantalum coatings were plasma sprayed onto ferrite steel tubes. They were then subjected to 100 heating-cooling cycles which simulated the stressful thermal cycling which would be encountered during five years of plant startups and shutdowns. The coatings were undamaged and continued to bond well tomore » the steel. Furthermore, chemical reactions should not degrade tantalum coatings.« less

Properties of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Activity Against Microbes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqi, Khwaja Salahuddin; ur Rahman, Aziz; Tajuddin; Husen, Azamal

2018-05-01

Zinc oxide is an essential ingredient of many enzymes, sun screens, and ointments for pain and itch relief. Its microcrystals are very efficient light absorbers in the UVA and UVB region of spectra due to wide bandgap. Impact of zinc oxide on biological functions depends on its morphology, particle size, exposure time, concentration, pH, and biocompatibility. They are more effective against microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina lutea, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas vulgaris, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. Mechanism of action has been ascribed to the activation of zinc oxide nanoparticles by light, which penetrate the bacterial cell wall via diffusion. It has been confirmed from SEM and TEM images of the bacterial cells that zinc oxide nanoparticles disintegrate the cell membrane and accumulate in the cytoplasm where they interact with biomolecules causing cell apoptosis leading to cell death.

Properties of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Activity Against Microbes.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Khwaja Salahuddin; Ur Rahman, Aziz; Tajuddin; Husen, Azamal

2018-05-08

Zinc oxide is an essential ingredient of many enzymes, sun screens, and ointments for pain and itch relief. Its microcrystals are very efficient light absorbers in the UVA and UVB region of spectra due to wide bandgap. Impact of zinc oxide on biological functions depends on its morphology, particle size, exposure time, concentration, pH, and biocompatibility. They are more effective against microorganisms such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina lutea, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas vulgaris, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger. Mechanism of action has been ascribed to the activation of zinc oxide nanoparticles by light, which penetrate the bacterial cell wall via diffusion. It has been confirmed from SEM and TEM images of the bacterial cells that zinc oxide nanoparticles disintegrate the cell membrane and accumulate in the cytoplasm where they interact with biomolecules causing cell apoptosis leading to cell death.

Constitutive behavior of tantalum and tantalum-tungsten alloys

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

Chen, S.R.; Gray, G.T. III

1996-10-01

The effects of strain rate, temperature, and tungsten alloying on the yield stress and the strain-hardening behavior of tantalum were investigated. The yield and flow stresses of unalloyed Ta and tantalum-tungsten alloys were found to exhibit very high rate sensitivities, while the hardening rates in Ta and Ta-W alloys were found to be insensitive to strain rate and temperature at lower temperatures or at higher strain rates. This behavior is consistent with the observation that overcoming the intrinsic Peierls stress is shown to be the rate-controlling mechanism in these materials at low temperatures. The dependence of yield stress on temperaturemore » and strain rate was found to decrease, while the strain-hardening rate increased with tungsten alloying content. The mechanical threshold stress (MTS) model was adopted to model the stress-strain behavior of unalloyed Ta and the Ta-W alloys. Parameters for the constitutive relations for Ta and the Ta-W alloys were derived for the MTS model, the Johnson-Cook (JC), and the Zerilli-Armstrong (ZA) models. The results of this study substantiate the applicability of these models for describing the high strain-rate deformation of Ta and Ta-W alloys. The JC and ZA models, however, due to their use of a power strain-hardening law, were found to yield constitutive relations for Ta and Ta-W alloys that are strongly dependent on the range of strains for which the models were optimized.« less

Comparison and functionalization study of microemulsion-prepared magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Okoli, Chuka; Sanchez-Dominguez, Margarita; Boutonnet, Magali; Järås, Sven; Civera, Concepción; Solans, Conxita; Kuttuva, Gunaratna Rajarao

2012-06-05

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MION) for protein binding and separation were obtained from water-in-oil (w/o) and oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions. Characterization of the prepared nanoparticles have been performed by TEM, XRD, SQUID magnetometry, and BET. Microemulsion-prepared magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ME-MION) with sizes ranging from 2 to 10 nm were obtained. Study on the magnetic properties at 300 K shows a large increase of the magnetization ~35 emu/g for w/o-ME-MION with superparamagnetic behavior and nanoscale dimensions in comparison with o/w-ME-MION (10 emu/g) due to larger particle size and anisotropic property. Moringa oleifera coagulation protein (MOCP) bound w/o- and o/w-ME-MION showed an enhanced performance in terms of coagulation activity. A significant interaction between the magnetic nanoparticles and the protein can be described by changes in fluorescence emission spectra. Adsorbed protein from MOCP is still retaining its functionality even after binding to the nanoparticles, thus implying the extension of this technique for various applications.

Oxidative stress mediated apoptosis induced by nickel ferrite nanoparticles in cultured A549 cells.

PubMed

Ahamed, Maqusood; Akhtar, Mohd Javed; Siddiqui, Maqsood A; Ahmad, Javed; Musarrat, Javed; Al-Khedhairy, Abdulaziz A; AlSalhi, Mohamad S; Alrokayan, Salman A

2011-05-10

Due to the interesting magnetic and electrical properties with good chemical and thermal stabilities, nickel ferrite nanoparticles are being utilized in many applications including magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery and hyperthermia. Recent studies have shown that nickel ferrite nanoparticles produce cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. However, there is very limited information concerning the toxicity of nickel ferrite nanoparticles at the cellular and molecular level. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and apoptosis induction by well-characterized nickel ferrite nanoparticles (size 26 nm) in human lung epithelial (A549) cells. Nickel ferrite nanoparticles induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity in A549 cells demonstrated by MTT, NRU and LDH assays. Nickel ferrite nanoparticles were also found to induce oxidative stress evidenced by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and depletion of antioxidant glutathione (GSH). Further, co-treatment with the antioxidant L-ascorbic acid mitigated the ROS generation and GSH depletion due to nickel ferrite nanoparticles suggesting the potential mechanism of oxidative stress. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that following the exposure of A549 cells to nickel ferrite nanoparticles, the level of mRNA expressions of cell cycle checkpoint protein p53 and apoptotic proteins (bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9) were significantly up-regulated, whereas the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins (survivin and bcl-2) were down-regulated. Moreover, activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 enzymes were also significantly higher in nickel ferrite nanoparticles exposed cells. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report showing that nickel ferrite nanoparticles induced apoptosis in A549 cells through ROS generation and oxidative stress via p53, survivin, bax/bcl-2 and caspase pathways. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The disclosed transformation of pre-sputtered Ti films into nanoparticles via controlled thermal oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awad, M. A.; Raaif, M.

2018-05-01

Nanoparticles of TiO2 were successfully prepared from pre-sputtered Ti films using the controlled thermal oxidation. The effect of oxidation temperature on structural, morphological and optical properties in addition to photocatalysis activity of the sputtered films was tested and explained. Analysis of XRD and EDAX elucidated the enhancement in crystallization and oxygen content with the increase of oxidation temperature. SEM depicted the formation of very fine nanoparticles with no specific border on the films oxidized at 550 and 600 °C, whilst crystallites with larger size of approximately from 16 to 23 nm have been observed for the film oxidized at 650 °C. Both optical transmission and refractive index were increased with increasing the oxidation temperature. A red shift in the absorption edge was obtained for the films oxidized at 650 °C compared to that oxidized at 600 °C. The photocatalysis tests demonstrated the priority of 600 °C nanoparticle films to decompose methyl orange (MO) more than 650 °C treated film.

Mineral-deposit model for lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradley, Dwight C.; McCauley, Andrew D.; Stillings, Lisa L.

2017-06-20

Lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites comprise a compositionally defined subset of granitic pegmatites. The major minerals are quartz, potassium feldspar, albite, and muscovite; typical accessory minerals include biotite, garnet, tourmaline, and apatite. The principal lithium ore minerals are spodumene, petalite, and lepidolite; cesium mostly comes from pollucite; and tantalum mostly comes from columbite-tantalite. Tin ore as cassiterite and beryllium ore as beryl also occur in LCT pegmatites, as do a number of gemstones and high-value museum specimens of rare minerals. Individual crystals in LCT pegmatites can be enormous: the largest spodumene was 14 meters long, the largest beryl was 18 meters long, and the largest potassium feldspar was 49 meters long.Lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatites account for about one-fourth of the world’s lithium production, most of the tantalum production, and all of the cesium production. Giant deposits include Tanco in Canada, Greenbushes in Australia, and Bikita in Zimbabwe. The largest lithium pegmatite in the United States, at King’s Mountain, North Carolina, is no longer being mined although large reserves of lithium remain. Depending on size and attitude of the pegmatite, a variety of mining techniques are used, including artisanal surface mining, open-pit surface mining, small underground workings, and large underground operations using room-and-pillar design. In favorable circumstances, what would otherwise be gangue minerals (quartz, potassium feldspar, albite, and muscovite) can be mined along with lithium and (or) tantalum as coproducts.Most LCT pegmatites are hosted in metamorphosed supracrustal rocks in the upper greenschist to lower amphibolite facies. Lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatite intrusions generally are emplaced late during orogeny, with emplacement being controlled by pre-existing structures. Typically, they crop out near evolved, peraluminous granites and leucogranites from which they are inferred to be

Surface-Directed Synthesis of Erbium-Doped Yttrium Oxide Nanoparticles within Organosilane Zeptoliter Containers

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We introduce an approach to synthesize rare earth oxide nanoparticles using high temperature without aggregation of the nanoparticles. The dispersity of the nanoparticles is controlled at the nanoscale by using small organosilane molds as reaction containers. Zeptoliter reaction vessels prepared from organosilane self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used for the surface-directed synthesis of rare earth oxide (REO) nanoparticles. Nanopores of octadecyltrichlorosilane were prepared on Si(111) using particle lithography with immersion steps. The nanopores were filled with a precursor solution of erbium and yttrium salts to confine the crystallization step to occur within individual zeptoliter-sized organosilane reaction vessels. Areas between the nanopores were separated by a matrix film of octadecyltrichlorosilane. With heating, the organosilane template was removed by calcination to generate a surface array of erbium-doped yttria nanoparticles. Nanoparticles synthesized by the surface-directed approach retain the periodic arrangement of the nanopores formed from mesoparticle masks. While bulk rare earth oxides can be readily prepared by solid state methods at high temperature (>900 °C), approaches for preparing REO nanoparticles are limited. Conventional wet chemistry methods are limited to low temperatures according to the boiling points of the solvents used for synthesis. To achieve crystallinity of REO nanoparticles requires steps for high-temperature processing of samples, which can cause self-aggregation and dispersity in sample diameters. The facile steps for particle lithography address the problems of aggregation and the requirement for high-temperature synthesis. PMID:25163977

Aqueous Assembly of Oxide and Fluoride Nanoparticles into 3D Microassemblies.

PubMed

Cui, Shanying; Guan, Xin N; Ghantous, Eliana; Vajo, John J; Lucas, Matthew; Hsiao, Ming-Siao; Drummy, Lawrence F; Collins, Joshua; Juhl, Abigail; Roper, Christopher S; Gross, Adam F

2018-06-28

We demonstrate rapid [∼mm 3 /(h·L)] organic ligand-free self-assembly of three-dimensional, >50 μm single-domain microassemblies containing up to 10 7 individual aligned nanoparticles through a scalable aqueous process. Organization and alignment of aqueous solution-dispersed nanoparticles are induced by decreasing their pH-dependent surface charge without organic ligands, which could be temperature-sensitive or infrared light absorbing. This process is exhibited by transforming both dispersed iron oxide hydroxide nanorods and lithium yttrium fluoride nanoparticles into high packing density microassemblies. The approach is generalizable to nanomaterials with pH-dependent surface charge (e.g., oxides, fluorides, and sulfides) for applications requiring long-range alignment of nanostructures as well as high packing density.

Core–Shell Au@Metal-Oxide Nanoparticle Electrocatalysts for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution

DOE PAGES

Strickler, Alaina L.; Escudero-Escribano, Marı́a; Jaramillo, Thomas F.

2017-09-25

Enhanced catalysis for electrochemical oxygen evolution is essential for the efficacy of many renewable energy technologies, including water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries. Recently, Au supports have been shown to enhance the activity of many 3d transition metal-oxide thin films for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. In this paper, we translate the beneficial impact of Au supports to high surface area, device-ready core–shell nanoparticles consisting of a Au-core and a metal-oxide shell (Au@M xO y where M = Ni, Co, Fe, and CoFe). Through a systematic evaluation, we establish trends in performance and illustrate the universal activity enhancementmore » when employing the Au-core in the 3d transition metal-oxide nanoparticles. Finally, the highest activity particles, Au@CoFeO x, demonstrate an overpotential of 328 ± 3 mV over a 2 h stability test at 10 mA cm –2, illustrating that strategically coupling Au support and mixed metal-oxide effects in a core–shell nanoparticle morphology is a promising avenue to achieve device-ready, high-performance OER catalysts.« less

Core–Shell Au@Metal-Oxide Nanoparticle Electrocatalysts for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution

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

Strickler, Alaina L.; Escudero-Escribano, Marı́a; Jaramillo, Thomas F.

Enhanced catalysis for electrochemical oxygen evolution is essential for the efficacy of many renewable energy technologies, including water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries. Recently, Au supports have been shown to enhance the activity of many 3d transition metal-oxide thin films for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline media. In this paper, we translate the beneficial impact of Au supports to high surface area, device-ready core–shell nanoparticles consisting of a Au-core and a metal-oxide shell (Au@M xO y where M = Ni, Co, Fe, and CoFe). Through a systematic evaluation, we establish trends in performance and illustrate the universal activity enhancementmore » when employing the Au-core in the 3d transition metal-oxide nanoparticles. Finally, the highest activity particles, Au@CoFeO x, demonstrate an overpotential of 328 ± 3 mV over a 2 h stability test at 10 mA cm –2, illustrating that strategically coupling Au support and mixed metal-oxide effects in a core–shell nanoparticle morphology is a promising avenue to achieve device-ready, high-performance OER catalysts.« less

In vitro toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandurangan, Muthuraman; Kim, Doo Hwan

2015-03-01

The toxic effect of ZnO nanoparticles is due to their solubility. ZnO nanoparticles dissolve in the extracellular region, which in turn increases the intracellular [Zn2+] level. The mechanism for increased intracellular [Zn2+] level and ZnO nanoparticles dissolution in the medium is still unclear. Cytotoxicity, increased oxidative stress, increased intracellular [Ca2+] level, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and interleukin-8 productions occur in the BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells and A549 alveolar adenocarcinoma cells following the exposure of ZnO nanoparticles. Confluent C2C12 cells are more resistant to ZnO nanoparticles compared to the sparse monolayer. Loss of 3T3-L1 cell viability, membrane leakage, and morphological changes occurs due to exposure of ZnO nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticle induces cytotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction in RKO colon carcinoma cells. The occurrence of apoptosis, increased ROS level, reduced mitochondrial activity and formation of tubular intracellular structures are reported following exposure of ZnO nanoparticles in skin cells. Macrophages, monocytes, and dendritic cells are affected by ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, genotoxicity is also induced. The present review summarizes the literature on in vitro toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles (10-100 nm) on various cell lines.

Green synthesis of colloidal copper oxide nanoparticles using Carica papaya and its application in photocatalytic dye degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankar, Renu; Manikandan, Perumal; Malarvizhi, Viswanathan; Fathima, Tajudeennasrin; Shivashangari, Kanchi Subramanian; Ravikumar, Vilwanathan

2014-03-01

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by treating 5 mM cupric sulphate with Carica papaya leaves extract. The kinetics of the reaction was studied using UV-visible spectrophotometry. An intense surface Plasmon resonance between 250-300 nm in the UV-vis spectrum clearly reveals the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) exhibited that the green synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles are rod in shape and having a mean particle size of 140 nm, further negative zeta potential disclose its stability at -28.9 mV. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results examined the occurrence of bioactive functional groups required for the reduction of copper ions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirmed the copper oxide nanoparticles crystalline nature. Furthermore, colloidal copper oxide nanoparticles effectively degrade the Coomassie brilliant blue R-250 dye beneath the sunlight.

Microsomal Glutathione Transferase 1 Protects Against Toxicity Induced by Silica Nanoparticles but Not by Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Microsomal glutathione transferase 1 (MGST1) is an antioxidant enzyme located predominantly in the mitochondrial outer membrane and endoplasmic reticulum and has been shown to protect cells from lipid peroxidation induced by a variety of cytostatic drugs and pro-oxidant stimuli. We hypothesized that MGST1 may also protect against nanomaterial-induced cytotoxicity through a specific effect on lipid peroxidation. We evaluated the induction of cytotoxicity and oxidative stress by TiO2, CeO2, SiO2, and ZnO in the human MCF-7 cell line with or without overexpression of MGST1. SiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles caused dose- and time-dependent toxicity, whereas no obvious cytotoxic effects were induced by nanoparticles of TiO2 and CeO2. We also noted pronounced cytotoxicity for three out of four additional SiO2 nanoparticles tested. Overexpression of MGST1 reversed the cytotoxicity of the main SiO2 nanoparticles tested and for one of the supplementary SiO2 nanoparticles but did not protect cells against ZnO-induced cytotoxic effects. The data point toward a role of lipid peroxidation in SiO2 nanoparticle-induced cell death. For ZnO nanoparticles, rapid dissolution was observed, and the subsequent interaction of Zn2+ with cellular targets is likely to contribute to the cytotoxic effects. A direct inhibition of MGST1 by Zn2+ could provide a possible explanation for the lack of protection against ZnO nanoparticles in this model. Our data also showed that SiO2 nanoparticle-induced cytotoxicity is mitigated in the presence of serum, potentially through masking of reactive surface groups by serum proteins, whereas ZnO nanoparticles were cytotoxic both in the presence and in the absence of serum. PMID:22303956

Gold nanotriangles decorated with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: a compositional and microstructural study

DOE PAGES

Hachtel, J. A.; Yu, S.; Lupini, A. R.; ...

2016-03-11

The combination of iron oxide and gold in a single nanoparticle results in both magnetic and plasmonic properties that can stimulate novel applications in bio-sensing, medical imaging, or therapeutics. Microwave assisted heating allows the fabrication of multi-component, multi-functional nanostructures by promoting selective heating at desired sites. Recently, we reported a microwave-assisted polyol route yielding gold nanotriangles decorated with iron oxide nanoparticles. Here, we present an in-depth microstructural and compositional characterization of the system by using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy loss (EELS) spectroscopy. A method to remove the iron oxide nanoparticles from the gold nanocrystals and somemore » insights on crystal nucleation and growth mechanisms are also provided.« less

Surface functionalization of magnetic nanoparticles formed by self-associating hydrophobized oxidized dextrans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farber, Shimon; Ickowicz, Diana E.; Melnik, Kristie; Yudovin-Farber, Ira; Recko, Daniel; Rampersaud, Arfaan; Domb, Abraham J.

2014-06-01

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles surface covered with oleic acid layer followed by a second layer of hydrophobized oxidized dextran aldehyde were prepared and tested for physico-chemical properties and ligand- and cell-specific binding. It was demonstrated that oleic acid-iron oxide nanoparticles coated with an additional layer of hydrophobized oxidized dextran were dispersible in buffer solutions and possess surface aldehyde active groups available for further binding of ligands or markers via imine or amine bond formation. Hydrophobized dextrans were synthesized by periodate oxidation and conjugation of various alkanamines to oxidized dextran by imination. Physico-chemical properties, as separation using magnetic field, magnetite concentration, and particle diameter, of the prepared magnetic samples are reported. The biotin-binding protein, neutravidin, was coupled to the particle surface by a simple reductive amination procedure. The particles were used for specific cell separation with high specificity.

Metal oxide nanoparticles with low toxicity.

PubMed

Ng, Alan Man Ching; Guo, Mu Yao; Leung, Yu Hang; Chan, Charis M N; Wong, Stella W Y; Yung, Mana M N; Ma, Angel P Y; Djurišić, Aleksandra B; Leung, Frederick C C; Leung, Kenneth M Y; Chan, Wai Kin; Lee, Hung Kay

2015-10-01

A number of different nanomaterials produced and incorporated into various products are rising. However, their environmental hazards are frequently unknown. Here we consider three different metal oxide compounds (SnO2, In2O3, and Al2O3), which have not been extensively studied and are expected to have low toxicity. This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the physicochemical properties of these nanomaterials and investigate their toxicity on bacteria (Escherichia coli) under UV illumination and in the dark, as well as on a marine diatom (Skeletonema costatum) under ambient illumination/dark (16-8h) cycles. The material properties responsible for their low toxicity have been identified based on comprehensive experimental characterizations and comparison to a metal oxide exhibiting significant toxicity under illumination (anatase TiO2). The metal oxide materials investigated exhibited significant difference in surface properties and interaction with the living organisms. In order for a material to exhibit significant toxicity, it needs to be able to both form a stable suspension in the culture medium and to interact with the cell walls of the test organism. Our results indicated that the observed low toxicities of the three nanomaterials could be attributed to the limited interaction between the nanoparticles and cell walls of the test organisms. This could occur either due to the lack of significant attachment between nanoparticles and cell walls, or due to their tendency to aggregate in solution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bioelectrochemistry of non-covalent immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase on oxidized diamond nanoparticles.

PubMed

Nicolau, Eduardo; Méndez, Jessica; Fonseca, José J; Griebenow, Kai; Cabrera, Carlos R

2012-06-01

Diamond nanoparticles are considered a biocompatible material mainly due to their non-cytotoxicity and remarkable cellular uptake. Model proteins such as cytochrome c and lysozyme have been physically adsorbed onto diamond nanoparticles, proving it to be a suitable surface for high protein loading. Herein, we explore the non-covalent immobilization of the redox enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (E.C.1.1.1.1) onto oxidized diamond nanoparticles for bioelectrochemical applications. Diamond nanoparticles were first oxidized and physically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR and TEM. Langmuir isotherms were constructed to investigate the ADH adsorption onto the diamond nanoparticles as a function of pH. It was found that a higher packing density is achieved at the isoelectric point of the enzyme. Moreover, the relative activity of the immobilized enzyme on diamond nanoparticles was addressed under optimum pH conditions able to retain up to 70% of its initial activity. Thereafter, an ethanol bioelectrochemical cell was constructed by employing the immobilized alcohol dehydrogenase onto diamond nanoparticles, this being able to provide a current increment of 72% when compared to the blank solution. The results of this investigation suggest that this technology may be useful for the construction of alcohol biosensors or biofuel cells in the near future. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopic Characterization of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radu, T.; Iacovita, C.; Benea, D.; Turcu, R.

2017-05-01

We report X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results on iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle (Fe3O4) synthesized using solvothermal reduction in the presence of polyethylene glycol. The magnetite obtained was employed as precursor for the synthesis of γ-Fe2O3 (by oxygen dissociation) which in turn was transformed into α-Fe2O3. We confirmed the magnetite, maghemite and hematite structure by Fourier Transformed Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The analysis of the XPS core level and valence band (VB) photoemission spectra for all investigated samples is discussed in terms of the degree of iron oxidation. This is of fundamental importance to better understand the electronic structure of the obtained iron oxide nanoparticles in order to control and improve their quality for specific biomedical applications. Moreover, theoretical band structure calculations are performed for magnetite and the separate contributions of Fe in tetragonal and octahedral environment are shown.

Control of Gallium Oxide Growth on Liquid Metal Eutectic Gallium/Indium Nanoparticles via Thiolation.

PubMed

Farrell, Zachary J; Tabor, Christopher

2018-01-09

Eutectic gallium-indium alloy (EGaIn, a room-temperature liquid metal) nanoparticles are of interest for their unique potential uses in self-healing and flexible electronic devices. One reason for their interest is due to a passivating oxide skin that develops spontaneously on exposure to ambient atmosphere which resists deformation and rupture of the resultant liquid particles. It is then of interest to develop methods for control of this oxide growth process. It is hypothesized here that functionalization of EGaIn nanoparticles with thiolated molecules could moderate oxide growth based on insights from the Cabrera-Mott oxidation model. To test this, the oxidation dynamics of several thiolated nanoparticle systems were tracked over time with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. These results demonstrate the ability to suppress gallium oxide growth by up to 30%. The oxide progressively matures over a 28 day period, terminating in different final thicknesses as a function of thiol selection. These results indicate not only that thiols moderate gallium oxide growth via competition with oxygen for surface sites but also that different thiols alter the thermodynamics of oxide growth through modification of the EGaIn work function.

Fruit peel extract mediated green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nava, O. J.; Soto-Robles, C. A.; Gómez-Gutiérrez, C. M.; Vilchis-Nestor, A. R.; Castro-Beltrán, A.; Olivas, A.; Luque, P. A.

2017-11-01

This work presents a study of the effects on the photocatalytic capabilities of zinc oxide nanoparticles when prepared via green synthesis using different fruit peel extracts as reducing agents. Zinc nitrate was used as a source of the zinc ions, while Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato), Citrus sinensis (orange), Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) and Citrus aurantifolia (lemon) contributed their peels for extracts. The Synthesized Samples were studied and characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). All samples presented a band at 618 cm-1, indicating the presence of the Znsbnd O bond. The different samples all presented the same hexagonal crystal growth in their structure, the Wurtzite phase. The surface morphology of the nanoparticles showed that, depending on the extract used, the samples vary in size and shape distribution due to the chemical composition of the extracts. The photocatalytic properties of the zinc oxide samples were tested through UV light aided degradation of methylene blue. Most samples exhibited degradation rates at 180 min of around 97%, a major improvement when compared to chemically synthesized commercially available zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Biosynthesis and characterization of Acalypha indica mediated copper oxide nanoparticles and evaluation of its antimicrobial and anticancer activity.

PubMed

Sivaraj, Rajeshwari; Rahman, Pattanathu K S M; Rajiv, P; Narendhran, S; Venckatesh, R

2014-08-14

Copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by biological method using aqueous extract of Acalypha indica leaf and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, XRD, FT-IR, SEM TEM and EDX analysis. The synthesised particles were highly stable, spherical and particle size was in the range of 26-30 nm. The antimicrobial activity of A.indica mediated copper oxide nanoparticles was tested against selected pathogens. Copper oxide nanoparticles showed efficient antibacterial and antifungal effect against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Candida albicans. The cytotoxicity activity of A.indica mediated copper nanoparticles was evaluated by MTT assay against MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines and confirmed that copper oxide nanoparticles have cytotoxicity activity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Linker-free conjugation and specific cell targeting of antibody functionalized iron-oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Xu, Yaolin; Baiu, Dana C.; Sherwood, Jennifer A.; McElreath, Meghan R.; Qin, Ying; Lackey, Kimberly H.; Otto, Mario; Bao, Yuping

2015-01-01

Specific targeting is a key step to realize the full potential of iron oxide nanoparticles in biomedical applications, especially tumor-associated diagnosis and therapy. Here, we developed anti-GD2 antibody conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles for highly efficient neuroblastoma cell targeting. The antibody conjugation was achieved through an easy, linker-free method based on catechol reactions. The targeting efficiency and specificity of the antibody-conjugated nanoparticles to GD2-positive neuroblastoma cells were confirmed by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, Prussian blue staining and transmission electron microscopy. These detailed studies indicated that the receptor-recognition capability of the antibody was fully retained after conjugation and the conjugated nanoparticles quickly attached to GD2-positive cells within four hours. Interestingly, longer treatment (12 h) led the cell membrane-bound nanoparticles to be internalized into cytosol, either by directly penetrating the cell membrane or escaping from the endosomes. Last but importantly, the uniquely designed functional surfaces of the nanoparticles allow easy conjugation of other bioactive molecules. PMID:26660881

Synthesis of composite nanoparticles using co-precipitation of a magnetic iron-oxide shell onto core nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Primc, Darinka; Belec, Blaž; Makovec, Darko

2016-03-01

Composite nanoparticles can be synthesized by coating a shell made of one material onto core nanoparticles made of another material. Here we report on a novel method for coating a magnetic iron oxide onto the surface of core nanoparticles in an aqueous suspension. The method is based on the heterogeneous nucleation of an initial product of Fe3+/Fe2+ co-precipitation on the core nanoparticles. The close control of the supersaturation of the precipitating species required for an exclusively heterogeneous nucleation and the growth of the shell were achieved by immobilizing the reactive Fe3+ ions in a nitrate complex with urea ([Fe((CO(NH2)2)6](NO3)3) and by using solid Mg(OH)2 as the precipitating reagent. The slow thermal decomposition of the complex at 60 °C homogeneously releases the reactive Fe3+ ions into the suspension of the core nanoparticles. The key stage of the process is the thermal hydrolysis of the released Fe3+ ions prior to the addition of Mg(OH)2. The thermal hydrolysis results in the formation of γ-FeOOH, exclusively at the surfaces of the core nanoparticles. After the addition of the solid hydroxide Mg(OH)2, the pH increases and at pH 5.7 the Fe2+ precipitates and reacts with the γ-FeOOH to form magnetic iron oxide with a spinel structure (spinel ferrite) at the surfaces of the core nanoparticles. The proposed low-temperature method for the synthesis of composite nanoparticles is capable of forming well-defined interfaces between the two components, important for the coupling of the different properties. The procedure is environmentally friendly, inexpensive, and appropriate for scaling up to mass production.

In situ growth of capping-free magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on liquid-phase exfoliated graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsoufis, T.; Syrgiannis, Z.; Akhtar, N.; Prato, M.; Katsaros, F.; Sideratou, Z.; Kouloumpis, A.; Gournis, D.; Rudolf, P.

2015-05-01

We report a facile approach for the in situ synthesis of very small iron oxide nanoparticles on the surface of high-quality graphene sheets. Our synthetic strategy involved the direct, liquid-phase exfoliation of highly crystalline graphite (avoiding any oxidation treatment) and the subsequent chemical functionalization of the graphene sheets via the well-established 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. The resulting graphene derivatives were employed for the immobilization of the nanoparticle precursor (Fe cations) at the introduced organic groups by a modified wet-impregnation method, followed by interaction with acetic acid vapours. The final graphene-iron oxide hybrid material was achieved by heating (calcination) in an inert atmosphere. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron and atomic force microscopy, Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy gave evidence for the formation of rather small (<12 nm), spherical, magnetite-rich nanoparticles which were evenly distributed on the surface of few-layer (<1.2 nm thick) graphene. Due to the presence of the iron oxide nanoparticles, the hybrid material showed a superparamagnetic behaviour at room temperature.We report a facile approach for the in situ synthesis of very small iron oxide nanoparticles on the surface of high-quality graphene sheets. Our synthetic strategy involved the direct, liquid-phase exfoliation of highly crystalline graphite (avoiding any oxidation treatment) and the subsequent chemical functionalization of the graphene sheets via the well-established 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction. The resulting graphene derivatives were employed for the immobilization of the nanoparticle precursor (Fe cations) at the introduced organic groups by a modified wet-impregnation method, followed by interaction with acetic acid vapours. The final graphene-iron oxide hybrid material was achieved by heating (calcination) in an inert atmosphere. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, transmission

Controllable synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles in porous NaCl matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurapov, Yury A.; E Litvin, Stanislav; Romanenko, Sergey M.; Didikin, Gennadii G.; Oranskaya, Elena I.

2017-03-01

The paper gives the results of studying the structure of porous condensates of Fe + NaCl composition, chemical and phase compositions and dimensions of nanoparticles produced from the vapor phase by EB-PVD. Iron nanoparticles at fast removal from the vacuum oxidize in air and possess significant sorption capacity relative to oxygen and moisture. At heating in air, reduction of porous condensate weight occurs right to the temperature of 650 °C, primarily, due to desorption of physically sorbed moisture. Final oxidation of Fe3O4 to Fe2O3 proceeds in the range of 380 °C-650 °C, due to the remaining fraction of physically adsorbed oxygen. At iron concentrations of up to 10-15 at%, condensate sorption capacity is markedly increased with increase of iron concentration, i.e. of the quantity of fine particles. Increase of condensation temperature is accompanied by increase of nanoparticle size, resulting in a considerable reduction of the total area of nanoparticle surface, and, hence of their sorption capacity. In addition to condensation temperature, the size and phase composition of nanoparticles can also be controlled by heat treatment of initial condensate, produced at low condensation temperatures. Magnetite nanoparticles can be transferred into stable colloid systems.

UNS S31603 Stainless Steel Tungsten Inert Gas Welds Made with Microparticle and Nanoparticle Oxides.

PubMed

Tseng, Kuang-Hung; Lin, Po-Yu

2014-06-20

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding of austenitic stainless steel assisted by microparticle oxides and that assisted by nanoparticle oxides. SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ were used to investigate the effects of the thermal stability and the particle size of the activated compounds on the surface appearance, geometric shape, angular distortion, delta ferrite content and Vickers hardness of the UNS S31603 stainless steel TIG weld. The results show that the use of SiO₂ leads to a satisfactory surface appearance compared to that of the TIG weld made with Al₂O₃. The surface appearance of the TIG weld made with nanoparticle oxide has less flux slag compared with the one made with microparticle oxide of the same type. Compared with microparticle SiO₂, the TIG welding with nanoparticle SiO₂ has the potential benefits of high joint penetration and less angular distortion in the resulting weldment. The TIG welding with nanoparticle Al₂O₃ does not result in a significant increase in the penetration or reduction of distortion. The TIG welding with microparticle or nanoparticle SiO₂ uses a heat source with higher power density, resulting in a higher ferrite content and hardness of the stainless steel weld metal. In contrast, microparticle or nanoparticle Al₂O₃ results in no significant difference in metallurgical properties compared to that of the C-TIG weld metal. Compared with oxide particle size, the thermal stability of the oxide plays a significant role in enhancing the joint penetration capability of the weld, for the UNS S31603 stainless steel TIG welds made with activated oxides.

In-situ synthesis of magnetic iron-oxide nanoparticle-nanofibre composites using electrospinning.

PubMed

Burke, Luke; Mortimer, Chris J; Curtis, Daniel J; Lewis, Aled R; Williams, Rhodri; Hawkins, Karl; Maffeis, Thierry G G; Wright, Chris J

2017-01-01

We demonstrate a facile, one-step process to form polymer scaffolds composed of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) contained within electrospun nano- and micro-fibres of two biocompatible polymers, Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). This was achieved with both needle and free-surface electrospinning systems demonstrating the scalability of the composite fibre manufacture; a 228 fold increase in fibre fabrication was observed for the free-surface system. In all cases the nanoparticle-nanofibre composite scaffolds displayed morphological properties as good as or better than those previously described and fabricated using complex multi-stage techniques. Fibres produced had an average diameter (Needle-spun: 125±18nm (PEO) and 1.58±0.28μm (PVP); Free-surface electrospun: 155±31nm (PEO)) similar to that reported previously, were smooth with no bead defects. Nanoparticle-nanofibre composites were characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS) (Nanoparticle average diameter ranging from 8±3nm to 27±5nm), XRD (Phase of iron oxide nanoparticles identified as magnetite) and nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation measurements (NMR) (T1/T2: 32.44 for PEO fibres containing MNPs) were used to verify the magnetic behaviour of MNPs. This study represents a significant step forward for production rates of magnetic nanoparticle-nanofibre composite scaffolds by the electrospinning technique. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Different effect of hydrogelation on anti-fouling and circulation properties of dextran–iron oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Karmali, Priya Prakash; Chao, Ying; Park, Ji-Ho (Joe); Sailor, Michael J.; Ruoslahti, Erkki; Esener, Sadik C.; Simberg, Dmitri

2012-01-01

Premature recognition and clearance of nanoparticulate imaging and therapeutic agents by macrophages in the tissues can dramatically reduce both the nanoparticle half-life and delivery to the diseased tissue. Grafting nanoparticles with hydrogels prevents nanoparticulate recognition by liver and spleen macrophages and greatly prolongs circulation times in vivo. Understanding the mechanisms by which hydrogels achieve this “stealth” effect has implications for the design of long-circulating nanoparticles. Thus, the role of plasma protein absorption in the hydrogel effect is not yet understood. Short-circulating dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles could be converted into stealth hydrogel nanoparticles by crosslinking with 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane. We show that hydrogelation did not affect the size, shape and zeta potential, but completely prevented the recognition and clearance by liver macrophages in vivo. Hydrogelation decreased the number of hydroxyl groups on the nanoparticle surface and reduced the binding of the anti-dextran antibody. At the same time, hydrogelation did not reduce the absorption of cationic proteins on the nanoparticle surface. Specifically, there was no effect on the binding of kininogen, histidine-rich glycoprotein, and protamine sulfate to the anionic nanoparticle surface. In addition, hydrogelation did not prevent activation of plasma kallikrein on the metal oxide surface. These data suggest that: (a) a stealth hydrogel coating does not mask charge interactions with iron oxide surface and (b) the total blockade of plasma protein absorption is not required for maintaining iron oxide nanoparticles’ long-circulating stealth properties. These data illustrate a novel, clinically promising property of long-circulating stealth nanoparticles. PMID:22243419

Thermal and magnetic properties of chitosan-iron oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Soares, Paula I P; Machado, Diana; Laia, César; Pereira, Laura C J; Coutinho, Joana T; Ferreira, Isabel M M; Novo, Carlos M M; Borges, João Paulo

2016-09-20

Chitosan is a biopolymer widely used for biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems, wound healing, and tissue engineering. Chitosan can be used as coating for other types of materials such as iron oxide nanoparticles, improving its biocompatibility while extending its range of applications. In this work iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) produced by chemical precipitation and thermal decomposition and coated with chitosan with different molecular weights were studied. Basic characterization on bare and chitosan-Fe3O4 NPs was performed demonstrating that chitosan does not affect the crystallinity, chemical composition, and superparamagnetic properties of the Fe3O4 NPs, and also the incorporation of Fe3O4 NPs into chitosan nanoparticles increases the later hydrodynamic diameter without compromising its physical and chemical properties. The nano-composite was tested for magnetic hyperthermia by applying an alternating current magnetic field to the samples demonstrating that the heating ability of the Fe3O4 NPs was not significantly affected by chitosan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Green synthesis of colloidal copper oxide nanoparticles using Carica papaya and its application in photocatalytic dye degradation.

PubMed

Sankar, Renu; Manikandan, Perumal; Malarvizhi, Viswanathan; Fathima, Tajudeennasrin; Shivashangari, Kanchi Subramanian; Ravikumar, Vilwanathan

2014-01-01

Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by treating 5 mM cupric sulphate with Carica papaya leaves extract. The kinetics of the reaction was studied using UV-visible spectrophotometry. An intense surface Plasmon resonance between 250-300 nm in the UV-vis spectrum clearly reveals the formation of copper oxide nanoparticles. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) exhibited that the green synthesized copper oxide nanoparticles are rod in shape and having a mean particle size of 140 nm, further negative zeta potential disclose its stability at -28.9 mV. The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy results examined the occurrence of bioactive functional groups required for the reduction of copper ions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra confirmed the copper oxide nanoparticles crystalline nature. Furthermore, colloidal copper oxide nanoparticles effectively degrade the Coomassie brilliant blue R-250 dye beneath the sunlight. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 421.110 - Applicability: Description of the primary columbium-tantalum subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS NONFERROUS METALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE... the production of columbium or tantalum by primary columbium-tantalum facilities. [49 FR 8817, Mar. 8...

Cytotoxicity and oxidative stress induced by different metallic nanoparticles on human kidney cells

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Some manufactured nanoparticles are metal-based and have a wide variety of applications in electronic, engineering and medicine. Until now, many studies have described the potential toxicity of NPs on pulmonary target, while little attention has been paid to kidney which is considered to be a secondary target organ. The objective of this study, on human renal culture cells, was to assess the toxicity profile of metallic nanoparticles (TiO2, ZnO and CdS) usable in industrial production. Comparative studies were conducted, to identify whether particle properties impact cytotoxicity by altering the intracellular oxidative status. Results Nanoparticles were first characterized by size, surface charge, dispersion and solubility. Cytotoxicity of NPs was then evaluated in IP15 (glomerular mesangial) and HK-2 (epithelial proximal) cell lines. ZnO and CdS NPs significantly increased the cell mortality, in a dose-dependent manner. Cytotoxic effects were correlated with the physicochemical properties of NPs tested and the cell type used. Analysis of reactive oxygen species and intracellular levels of reduced and oxidized glutathione revealed that particles induced stress according to their composition, size and solubility. Protein involved in oxidative stress such as NF-κb was activated with ZnO and CdS nanoparticles. Such effects were not observed with TiO2 nanoparticles. Conclusion On glomerular and tubular human renal cells, ZnO and CdS nanoparticles exerted cytotoxic effects that were correlated with metal composition, particle scale and metal solubility. ROS production and oxidative stress induction clearly indicated their nephrotoxic potential. PMID:21371295

Biogenic terbium oxide nanoparticles as the vanguard against osteosarcoma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iram, Sana; Khan, Salman; Ansary, Abu Ayoobul; Arshad, Mohd; Siddiqui, Sahabjada; Ahmad, Ejaz; Khan, Rizwan H.; Khan, Mohd Sajid

2016-11-01

The synthesis of inner transition metal nanoparticles via an ecofriendly route is quite difficult. This study, for the first time, reports synthesis of terbium oxide nanoparticles using fungus, Fusarium oxysporum. The biocompatible terbium oxide nanoparticles (Tb2O3 NPs) were synthesized by incubating Tb4O7 with the biomass of fungus F. oxysporum. Multiple physical characterization techniques, such as UV-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy, TEM, SAED, and zeta-potential were used to confirm the synthesis, purity, optical and surface characteristics, crystallinity, size, shape, distribution, and stability of the nanoemulsion of Tb2O3 NPs. The Tb2O3 NPs were found to inhibit the propagation of MG-63 and Saos-2 cell-lines (IC50 value of 0.102 μg/mL) and remained non-toxic up to a concentration of 0.373 μg/mL toward primary osteoblasts. Cell viability decreased in a concentration-dependent manner upon exposure to 10 nm Tb2O3 NPs in the concentration range 0.023-0.373 μg/mL. Cell toxicity was evaluated by observing changes in cell morphology, cell viability, oxidative stress parameters, and FACS analysis. Morphological examinations of cells revealed cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation, and formation of apoptotic bodies. The level of ROS within the cells-an indicator of oxidative stress was significantly increased. The induction of apoptosis at concentrations ≤ IC50 was corroborated by 4‧,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride (DAPI) staining (DNA damage and nuclear fragmentation). Flow-cytometric studies indicated that the response was dose dependent with a threshold effect.

A comparative ecotoxicity analysis of α- and γ-phase aluminium oxide nanoparticles towards a freshwater bacterial isolate Bacillus licheniformis.

PubMed

Pakrashi, Sunandan; Kumar, Deepak; Iswarya, V; Bhuvaneshwari, M; Chandrasekaran, N; Mukherjee, Amitava

2014-12-01

Crystalline structure of nanoparticles may influence their physicochemical behaviour as well as their toxicological impact on biota. The differences in orientation of the atoms result in the variations in chemical stability. Thus, toxicological impacts of different crystalline phases of aluminium oxide nanoparticles are expected to vary. The present study brings out a comparative toxicity analysis of γ-phase and α-phase aluminium oxide nanoparticles of comparable hydrodynamic size range towards a freshwater bacterial isolate Bacillus licheniformis at low exposure concentrations (5, 1, 0.5 and 0.05 µg/mL). Upon 2-h exposure, the α-aluminium oxide particles showed lower toxicity than the γ-phase aluminium oxide. The lower level of oxidative stress generation and cell membrane damage in case of the α-phase aluminium oxide nanoparticles substantiated the toxicity results. The involvement of protein, lipopolysaccharides in nanoparticle-cell surface interaction, was noted in both the cases. To conclude, the crystallinity of aluminium oxide nanoparticles played an important role in the interaction and the toxicity response.

Tantalum oxide/silicon nitride: A negatively charged surface passivation stack for silicon solar cells

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

Wan, Yimao, E-mail: yimao.wan@anu.edu.au; Bullock, James; Cuevas, Andres

2015-05-18

This letter reports effective passivation of crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces by thermal atomic layer deposited tantalum oxide (Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}) underneath plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposited silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}). Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy imaging shows an approximately 2 nm thick interfacial layer between Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} and c-Si. Surface recombination velocities as low as 5.0 cm/s and 3.2 cm/s are attained on p-type 0.8 Ω·cm and n-type 1.0 Ω·cm c-Si wafers, respectively. Recombination current densities of 25 fA/cm{sup 2} and 68 fA/cm{sup 2} are measured on 150 Ω/sq boron-diffused p{sup +} and 120 Ω/sq phosphorus-diffused n{sup +} c-Si, respectively. Capacitance–voltage measurements reveal a negativemore » fixed insulator charge density of −1.8 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2} for the Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} film and −1.0 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2} for the Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/SiN{sub x} stack. The Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/SiN{sub x} stack is demonstrated to be an excellent candidate for surface passivation of high efficiency silicon solar cells.« less

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Selective Destruction of Tumor Cells and Potential for Drug Delivery Applications

PubMed Central

Rasmussen, John W.; Martinez, Ezequiel; Louka, Panagiota; Wingett, Denise G.

2010-01-01

Importance of the field Metal oxide nanoparticles, including zinc oxide, are versatile platforms for biomedical applications and therapeutic intervention. There is an urgent need to develop new classes of anticancer agents, and recent studies demonstrate that ZnO nanomaterials hold considerable promise. Areas covered in this review This review analyzes the biomedical applications of metal oxide and ZnO nanomaterials under development at the experimental, preclinical, and clinical levels. A discussion regarding the advantages, approaches, and limitations surrounding the use of metal oxide nanoparticles for cancer applications and drug delivery is presented. The scope of this article is focused on ZnO, and other metal oxide nanomaterial systems, and their proposed mechanisms of cytotoxic action, as well as current approaches to improve their targeting and cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Take home message Through a better understanding of the mechanisms of action and cellular consequences resulting from nanoparticles interactions with cells, the inherent toxicity and selectivity of ZnO nanoparticles against cancer may be further improved to make them attractive new anti-cancer agents. PMID:20716019

Use of Agave tequilana-lignin and zinc oxide nanoparticles for skin photoprotection.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Hernández, José Manuel; Escalante, Alfredo; Murillo-Vázquez, Raquel Nalleli; Delgado, Ezequiel; González, Francisco Javier; Toríz, Guillermo

2016-10-01

The use of sunscreens is essential for preventing skin damage and the potential appearance of skin cancer in humans. Inorganic active components such as zinc oxide (ZnO) have been used commonly in sunscreens due to their ability to block UVA radiation. This ultraviolet (UV) protection might be enhanced to cover the UVB and UVC bands when combined with other components such as titanium dioxide (TiO2). In this work we evaluate the photoprotection properties of organic nanoparticles made from lignin in combination with ZnO nanoparticles as active ingredients for sunscreens. Lignin nanoparticles were synthesized from Agave tequilana lignin. Two different pulping methods were used for dissolving lignin from agave bagasse. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the precipitation method. All nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy. Nanoparticles were mixed with a neutral vehicle in different concentrations and in-vitro sun protection factor (SPF) values were calculated. Different sizes of spherical lignin nanoparticles were obtained from the spent liquors of two different pulping methods. ZnO nanoparticles resulted with a flake shape. The mixture of all components gave SPF values in a range between 4 and 13. Lignin nanoparticles showed absorption in the UVB and UVC regions which can enhance the SPF value of sunscreens composed only of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Lignin nanoparticles have the added advantage of being of organic nature and its brown color can be used to match the skin tone of the person using it. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uniform 2 nm gold nanoparticles supported on iron oxides as active catalysts for CO oxidation reaction: structure-activity relationship

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yu; Gu, Dong; Jin, Zhao; Du, Pei-Pei; Si, Rui; Tao, Jing; Xu, Wen-Qian; Huang, Yu-Ying; Senanayake, Sanjaya; Song, Qi-Sheng; Jia, Chun-Jiang; Schüth, Ferdi

2015-03-01

Uniform Au nanoparticles (~2 nm) with narrow size-distribution (standard deviation: 0.5-0.6 nm) supported on both hydroxylated (Fe_OH) and dehydrated iron oxide (Fe_O) have been prepared by either deposition-precipitation (DP) or colloidal-deposition (CD) methods. Different structural and textural characterizations were applied to the dried, calcined and used gold-iron oxide samples. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) showed high homogeneity in the supported Au nanoparticles. The ex situ and in situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) characterization monitored the electronic and short-range local structure of active gold species. The synchrotron-based in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), together with the corresponding temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen (H2-TPR), indicated a structural evolution of the iron-oxide supports, correlating to their reducibility. An inverse order of catalytic activity between DP (Au/Fe_OH < Au/Fe_O) and CD (Au/Fe_OH > Au/Fe_O) was observed. Effective gold-support interaction results in a high activity for gold nanoparticles, locally generated by the sintering of dispersed Au atoms on the oxide support in the DP synthesis, while a hydroxylated surface favors the reactivity of externally introduced Au nanoparticles on Fe_OH support for the CD approach. This work reveals why differences in the synthetic protocol translate to differences in the catalytic performance of Au/FeOx catalysts with very similar structural characteristics in CO oxidation.

Uniform 2 nm gold nanoparticles supported on iron oxides as active catalysts for CO oxidation reaction: Structure-activity relationship

DOE PAGES

Guo, Yu; Senanayake, Sanjaya; Gu, Dong; ...

2015-01-12

Uniform Au nanoparticles (~2 nm) with narrow size-distribution (standard deviation: 0.5–0.6 nm) supported on both hydroxylated (Fe_OH) and dehydrated iron oxide (Fe_O) have been prepared by either deposition-precipitation (DP) or colloidal-deposition (CD) methods. Different structural and textural characterizations were applied to the dried, calcined and used gold-iron oxide samples. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) described the high homogeneity in the supported Au nanoparticles. The ex-situ and in-situ X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) characterization monitored the electronic and short-range local structure of active gold species. The synchrotron-based in-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), together with the corresponding temperature-programmed reductionmore » by hydrogen (H₂-TPR), indicated a structural evolution of the iron-oxide supports, correlating to their reducibility. An inverse order of catalytic activity between DP (Au/Fe_OH < Au/Fe_O) and CD (Au/Fe_OH > Au/Fe_O) was observed. Effective gold-support interaction results in a high activity for gold nanoparticles, locally generated by the sintering of dispersed Au atoms on the oxide support in the DP synthesis, while a hydroxylated surface favors the reactivity of externally introduced Au nanoparticles on Fe_OH support for the CD approach. This work reveals why differences in the synthetic protocol translate to differences in the catalytic performance of Au/FeO x catalysts with very similar structural characteristics in CO oxidation.« less

Enhanced conductivity of reduced graphene oxide decorated with aluminium oxide nanoparticles by oxygen annealing.

PubMed

Liu, Hao; Choy, Kwang-Leong; Roe, Martin

2013-07-07

A process involving the filtration of graphene oxide (GO) dispersion through an alumina membrane, followed by oxygen annealing to synthesize alumina nanoparticles exclusively at the edges of holes or vacancies in the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) plane, is used to prepare paper-like composites with a 21% enhanced electrical conductivity. Moreover, the rGO/alumina nanocomposites have a smaller band gap and hydrophilic properties.

Conquering the Dark Side: Colloidal Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Senpan, Angana; Caruthers, Shelton D.; Rhee, Ilsu; Mauro, Nicholas A.; Pan, Dipanjan; Hu, Grace; Scott, Michael J.; Fuhrhop, Ralph W.; Gaffney, Patrick J.; Wickline, Samuel A.; Lanza, Gregory M.

2009-01-01

Nanomedicine approaches to atherosclerotic disease will have significant impact on the practice and outcomes of cardiovascular medicine. Iron oxide nanoparticles have been extensively used for nontargeted and targeted imaging applications based upon highly sensitive T2* imaging properties, which typically result in negative contrast effects that can only be imaged 24 or more hours after systemic administration due to persistent blood pool interference. Although recent advances involving MR pulse sequences have converted these dark contrast voxels into bright ones, the marked delays in imaging from persistent magnetic background interference and prominent dipole blooming effects of the magnetic susceptibility remain barriers to overcome. We report a T1-weighted (T1w) theranostic colloidal iron oxide nanoparticle platform, CION, which is achieved by entrapping oleate-coated magnetite particles within a cross-linked phospholipid nanoemulsion. Contrary to expectations, this formulation decreased T2 effects thus allowing positive T1w contrast detection down to low nanomolar concentrations. CION, a vascular constrained nanoplatform administered in vivo permitted T1w molecular imaging 1 hour after treatment without blood pool interference, although some T2 shortening effects on blood, induced by the superparamagnetic particles persisted. Moreover, CION was shown to encapsulate antiangiogenic drugs, like fumagillin, and retained them under prolonged dissolution, suggesting significant theranostic functionality. Overall, CION is a platform technology, developed with generally recognized as safe components, that overcomes the temporal and spatial imaging challenges associated with current iron oxide nanoparticle T2 imaging agents, and which has theranostic potential in vascular diseases for detecting unstable ruptured plaque or treating atherosclerotic angiogenesis. PMID:19908850

Virucidal properties of metal oxide nanoparticles and their halogen adducts.

PubMed

Häggström, Johanna; Balyozova, Denitza; Klabunde, Kenneth J; Marchin, George

2010-04-01

Selected metal oxide nanoparticles are capable of strongly adsorbing large amounts of halogens (Cl(2), Br, I(2)) and mixed halogens. These solid adducts are relatively stable thermally, and they can be stored for long periods. However, in the open environment, they are potent biocides. Herein are described studies with a number of bacteriophage MS2, phiX174, and PRD-1 (virus examples). PRD-1 is generally more resistant to chemical disinfection, but in this paper it is shown to be very susceptible to selected interhalogen and iodine adducts of CeO(2), Al(2)O(3), and TiO(2) nanoparticles. Overall, the halogen adducts of TiO(2) and Al(2)O(3) were most effective. The mechanism of disinfection by these nanoparticles is not completely clear, but could include abrasive properties, as well as oxidative powers. A hypothesis that nanoparticles damage virons or stick to them and prevent binding to the host cell is a consideration that needs to be explored. Herein are reported comparative biocidal activities of a series of adducts and electron microscope images of before and after treatment.

Topical Report Tantalum – 2.5% Tungsten Machinability Testing

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

L. J. Lazarus

2009-09-02

Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 484, Standard for Combustible Metals, Chapter 9 Tantalum and Annex E, supplemental Information on Tantalum require cutting oil be used when machining tantalum because it burns at such a high temperature that it breaks down the water in a water-based metalworking fluid (MWF). The NFPA guide devotes approximately 20 pages to this material. The Kansas City Plant (KCP) uses Fuchs Lubricants Ecocut Base 44 LVC as a MWF. This is a highly chlorinated oil with a high flash point (above 200° F). The chlorine is very helpful in preventing BUE (Built Up Edge) that occurs frequentlymore » with this very gummy material. The Ecocut is really a MWF additive that Fuchs uses to add chlorinated fats to other non-chlorinated MWF.« less

Au Nanoparticle Sub-Monolayers Sandwiched between Sol-Gel Oxide Thin Films

PubMed Central

Della Gaspera, Enrico; Menin, Enrico; Sada, Cinzia

2018-01-01

Sub-monolayers of monodisperse Au colloids with different surface coverage have been embedded in between two different metal oxide thin films, combining sol-gel depositions and proper substrates functionalization processes. The synthetized films were TiO2, ZnO, and NiO. X-ray diffraction shows the crystallinity of all the oxides and verifies the nominal surface coverage of Au colloids. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the metal nanoparticles is affected by both bottom and top oxides: in fact, the SPR peak of Au that is sandwiched between two different oxides is centered between the SPR frequencies of Au sub-monolayers covered with only one oxide, suggesting that Au colloids effectively lay in between the two oxide layers. The desired organization of Au nanoparticles and the morphological structure of the prepared multi-layered structures has been confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses that show a high quality sandwich structure. The multi-layered structures have been also tested as optical gas sensors. PMID:29538338

Compliance-Free, Digital SET and Analog RESET Synaptic Characteristics of Sub-Tantalum Oxide Based Neuromorphic Device.

PubMed

Abbas, Yawar; Jeon, Yu-Rim; Sokolov, Andrey Sergeevich; Kim, Sohyeon; Ku, Boncheol; Choi, Changhwan

2018-01-19

A two terminal semiconducting device like a memristor is indispensable to emulate the function of synapse in the working memory. The analog switching characteristics of memristor play a vital role in the emulation of biological synapses. The application of consecutive voltage sweeps or pulses (action potentials) changes the conductivity of the memristor which is considered as the fundamental cause of the synaptic plasticity. In this study, a neuromorphic device using an in-situ growth of sub-tantalum oxide switching layer is fabricated, which exhibits the digital SET and analog RESET switching with an electroforming process without any compliance current (compliance free). The process of electroforming and SET is observed at the positive sweeps of +2.4 V and +0.86 V, respectively, while multilevel RESET is observed with the consecutive negative sweeps in the range of 0 V to -1.2 V. The movement of oxygen vacancies and gradual change in the anatomy of the filament is attributed to digital SET and analog RESET switching characteristics. For the Ti/Ta 2 O 3-x /Pt neuromorphic device, the Ti top and Pt bottom electrodes are considered as counterparts of the pre-synaptic input terminal and a post-synaptic output terminal, respectively.

Synchrotron speciation of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles aged in a kaolin suspension.

PubMed

Scheckel, Kirk G; Luxton, Todd P; El Badawy, Amro M; Impellitteri, Christopher A; Tolaymat, Thabet M

2010-02-15

Assessments of the environmental fate and mobility of nanoparticles must consider the behavior of nanoparticles in relevant environmental systems that may result in speciation changes over time. Environmental conditions may act on nanoparticles to change their size, shape, and surface chemistry. Changing these basic characteristics of nanoparticles may result in a final reaction product that is significantly different than the initial nanomaterial. As such, basing long-term risk and toxicity on the initial properties of a nanomaterial may lead to erroneous conclusions if nanoparticles change upon release to the environment. The influence of aging on the speciation and chemical stability of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles in kaolin suspensions was examined in batch reactors for up to 18 months. Silver nanoparticles remained unchanged in sodium nitrate suspensions; however, silver chloride was identified with the metallic silver nanoparticles in sodium chloride suspensions and may be attributed to an in situ silver chloride surface coating. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were rapidly converted via destabilization/dissolution mechanisms to Zn(2+) inner-sphere sorption complexes within 1 day of reaction and these sorption complexes were maintained through the 12 month aging processes. Chemical and physical alteration of nanomaterials in the environment must be examined to understand fate, mobility, and toxicology.

Mobility and Oxidation of Adsorbed CO on Shape-Controlled Pt Nanoparticles in Acidic Medium.

PubMed

Farias, Manuel J S; Busó-Rogero, Carlos; Vidal-Iglesias, Francisco J; Solla-Gullón, José; Camara, Giuseppe A; Feliu, Juan M

2017-01-31

The knowledge about how CO occupies and detaches from specific surface sites on well-structured Pt surfaces provides outstanding information on both dynamics/mobility of CO ads and oxidation of this molecule under electrochemical conditions. This work reports how the potentiostatic growth of different coverage CO adlayers evolves with time on both cubic and octahedral Pt nanoparticles in acidic medium. Data suggest that during the growth of the CO adlayer, CO ads molecules slightly shift toward low coordination sites only on octahedral Pt nanoparticles, so that these undercoordinated sites are the first filled on octahedral Pt nanoparticles. Conversely, on cubic Pt nanoparticles, adsorbed CO behaves as an immobile species, and low coordinated sites as well as (100) terraces are apparently filled uniformly and simultaneously. However, once the adlayer is complete, irrespectively of whether the CO is oxidized in a single step or in a sequence of different potential steps, results suggest that CO ads behaves as an immobile species during its oxidation on both octahedral and cubic Pt nanoparticles.

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.

Gold and Iron Oxide Nanoparticle-Based Ethylcellulose Nanocapsules for Cisplatin Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Sathish Kumar, Kannaiyan; Jaikumar, Vasudevan

2011-01-01

The present study is aimed at the overall improvement in the efficacy, reduced toxicity and enhancement of therapeutic index of cisplatin. Nanocapsules of cisplatin containing ethylcellulose have been prepared using solvent evaporation technique under ambient conditions. The prepared nanocapsules were used for controlled drug release of anticancer agents with gold and iron oxide nanoparticles. The drug-entrapped nanocapsules were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) studies indicated the absence of chemical interactions between the drug, polymer and metal nanoparticles. The drug loaded nanoparticles are spherical in shape and had average diameter in the range of 100-300 nm. Drug release study showed that the acidic media provided a faster release than the phosphate buffer media. These findings were also compared statistically through calculating mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation for various polymer nanocapsules. However, the drug release for gold nanoparticles/anticancer drug (Au-cis) incorporated ethylcellulose nanocapsules was controlled and slow compared to iron oxide nanoparticles-cisplatin incorporated ethylcellulose nanocapsules. Hence, gold nanoparticles act as good trapping agents which slow down the rate of drug release from nanocapsules. PMID:24250373

Advanced Wet Tantalum Capacitors: Design, Specifications and Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2016-01-01

Insertion of new types of commercial, high volumetric efficiency wet tantalum capacitors in space systems requires reassessment of the existing quality assurance approaches that have been developed for capacitors manufactured to MIL-PRF-39006 requirements. The specifics of wet electrolytic capacitors is that leakage currents flowing through electrolyte can cause gas generation resulting in building up of internal gas pressure and rupture of the case. The risk associated with excessive leakage currents and increased pressure is greater for high value advanced wet tantalum capacitors, but it has not been properly evaluated yet. This presentation gives a review of specifics of the design, performance, and potential reliability risks associated with advanced wet tantalum capacitors. Problems related to setting adequate requirements for DPA, leakage currents, hermeticity, stability at low and high temperatures, ripple currents for parts operating in vacuum, and random vibration testing are discussed. Recommendations for screening and qualification to reduce risks of failures have been suggested.

Advanced Wet Tantalum Capacitors: Design, Specifications and Performance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2017-01-01

Insertion of new types of commercial, high volumetric efficiency wet tantalum capacitors in space systems requires reassessment of the existing quality assurance approaches that have been developed for capacitors manufactured to MIL-PRF-39006 requirements. The specifics of wet electrolytic capacitors is that leakage currents flowing through electrolyte can cause gas generation resulting in building up of internal gas pressure and rupture of the case. The risk associated with excessive leakage currents and increased pressure is greater for high value advanced wet tantalum capacitors, but it has not been properly evaluated yet. This presentation gives a review of specifics of the design, performance, and potential reliability risks associated with advanced wet tantalum capacitors. Problems related to setting adequate requirements for DPA, leakage currents, hermeticity, stability at low and high temperatures, ripple currents for parts operating in vacuum, and random vibration testing are discussed. Recommendations for screening and qualification to reduce risks of failures have been suggested.

Implications of room temperature oxidation on crystal structure and exchange bias effect in Co/CoO nanoparticles

DOE PAGES

Feygenson, Mikhail; Formo, Eric V.; Freeman, Katherine; ...

2015-11-02

In this study, we describe how the exchange bias effect in Co/CoO nanoparticles depends on the size focusing and temperature treatment of precursor Co nanoparticles before oxidation at ambient conditions. By appealing to magnetization, microscopy, neutron and synchrotron x-ray measurements we found that as-synthesized Co nanoparticles readily oxidize in air only after 20 days. The highest exchange bias field of 814 Oe is observed at T = 2K. When the same nanoparticles are centrifuged and annealed at 70 °C in vacuum prior to oxidation, the exchange bias field is increased to 2570 Oe. Annealing of Co nanoparticles in vacuum improvesmore » their crystallinity and prevents complete oxidation, so that Co-core/CoO-shell structure is preserved even after 120 days. The crystal structure of CoO shell in both samples is different from its bulk counterpart. Implications of such distorted CoO shells on exchange bias are discussed. Coating of Co nanoparticles with amorphous silica shell makes them resistant to oxidation, but ultimately modifies the crystal structure of both Co core and SiO 2 shell.« less

Tribological performance of polycrystalline tantalum-carbide-incorporated diamond films on silicon substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ullah, Mahtab; Rana, Anwar Manzoor; Ahmed, E.; Malik, Abdul Sattar; Shah, Z. A.; Ahmad, Naseeb; Mehtab, Ujala; Raza, Rizwan

2018-05-01

Polycrystalline tantalum-carbide-incorporated diamond coatings have been made on unpolished side of Si (100) wafer by hot filament chemical vapor deposition process. Morphology of the coatings has been found to vary from (111) triangular-facetted to predominantly (111) square-faceted by increasing the concentration of tantalum carbide. The results have been compared to those of a diamond reference coating with no tantalum content. An increase in roughness has been observed with the increase of tantalum carbide (TaC) due to change in morphology of the diamond films. It is noticed that roughness of the coatings increases as grains become more square-faceted. It is found that diamond coatings involving tantalum carbide are not as resistant as diamond films with no TaC content and the coefficient of friction for such coatings with microcrystalline grains can be manipulated to 0·33 under high vacuum of 10-7 Torr. Such a low friction coefficient value enhances tribological behavior of unpolished Si substrates and can possibly be used in sliding applications.

Electrochromic device containing metal oxide nanoparticles and ultraviolet blocking material

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

Garcia, Guillermo; Koo, Bonil; Gregoratto, Ivano

An electrochromic device includes a nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer that includes one or more transition metal oxide and one or more dopant. The electrochromic device also includes nanoparticles containing one or more transparent conducting oxide (TCO), a solid state electrolyte, a counter electrode, and at least one protective layer to prevent degradation of the one or more nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze. The nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze selectively modulates transmittance of near-infrared (NIR) and visible radiation as a function of an applied voltage to the device.

UNS S31603 Stainless Steel Tungsten Inert Gas Welds Made with Microparticle and Nanoparticle Oxides

PubMed Central

Tseng, Kuang-Hung; Lin, Po-Yu

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding of austenitic stainless steel assisted by microparticle oxides and that assisted by nanoparticle oxides. SiO2 and Al2O3 were used to investigate the effects of the thermal stability and the particle size of the activated compounds on the surface appearance, geometric shape, angular distortion, delta ferrite content and Vickers hardness of the UNS S31603 stainless steel TIG weld. The results show that the use of SiO2 leads to a satisfactory surface appearance compared to that of the TIG weld made with Al2O3. The surface appearance of the TIG weld made with nanoparticle oxide has less flux slag compared with the one made with microparticle oxide of the same type. Compared with microparticle SiO2, the TIG welding with nanoparticle SiO2 has the potential benefits of high joint penetration and less angular distortion in the resulting weldment. The TIG welding with nanoparticle Al2O3 does not result in a significant increase in the penetration or reduction of distortion. The TIG welding with microparticle or nanoparticle SiO2 uses a heat source with higher power density, resulting in a higher ferrite content and hardness of the stainless steel weld metal. In contrast, microparticle or nanoparticle Al2O3 results in no significant difference in metallurgical properties compared to that of the C-TIG weld metal. Compared with oxide particle size, the thermal stability of the oxide plays a significant role in enhancing the joint penetration capability of the weld, for the UNS S31603 stainless steel TIG welds made with activated oxides. PMID:28788704

Cuprous oxide nanoparticles selectively induce apoptosis of tumor cells

PubMed Central

Wang, Ye; Zi, Xiao-Yuan; Su, Juan; Zhang, Hong-Xia; Zhang, Xin-Rong; Zhu, Hai-Ying; Li, Jian-Xiu; Yin, Meng; Yang, Feng; Hu, Yi-Ping

2012-01-01

In the rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, many researchers have discovered that metal oxide nanoparticles have very useful pharmacological effects. Cuprous oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) can selectively induce apoptosis and suppress the proliferation of tumor cells, showing great potential as a clinical cancer therapy. Treatment with CONPs caused a G1/G0 cell cycle arrest in tumor cells. Furthermore, CONPs enclosed in vesicles entered, or were taken up by mitochondria, which damaged their membranes, thereby inducing apoptosis. CONPs can also produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and initiate lipid peroxidation of the liposomal membrane, thereby regulating many signaling pathways and influencing the vital movements of cells. Our results demonstrate that CONPs have selective cytotoxicity towards tumor cells, and indicate that CONPs might be a potential nanomedicine for cancer therapy. PMID:22679374

Study on the mechanism of antibacterial action of magnesium oxide nanoparticles against foodborne pathogens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO nanoparticles, with average size of 20 nm) have strong antibacterial activities against several important foodborne pathogens. Resazurin (a redox sensitive dye) microplate assay was used for measuring growth inhibition of bacteria treated with MgO nanoparticles. Th...

Anomalous softening of yield strength in tantalum at high pressures

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

Jing, Qiumin, E-mail: j-qm@163.com; Wu, Qiang; Xu, Ji-an

2015-02-07

The pressure dependence of the yield strength of tantalum was investigated experimentally up to 101 GPa at room temperature using a diamond anvil cell. A yield strength softening is observed between 52 and 84 GPa, whereas a normal trend is observed below 52 GPa and above 84 GPa. The onset pressure of the softening is in agreement with previous results obtained by the pressure gradient method and shock wave experiments. This unusual strength softening in tantalum is not related with structural transformation, preferred orientation, or material damage. Our measurements indicate that microscopic deviatoric strain is the major reason for the observed strength softening inmore » tantalum.« less

In vivo assessment of impact of titanium oxide nanoparticle on zebrafish embryo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Suresh K.; Mishra, Anurag K.; Suar, M.; Parashar, S. K. S.

2017-05-01

Technologies and innovations have attended a new height with recent development in nanotechnology in last few decades. With these developments there has a great raise in demand of metal oxides like TiO2, ZnO having versatile physical, chemical and biological application. However the great rise has raised concern over the effect of these nanoparticles in biological system. In this study, we have assessed the impact of titanium oxide nanoparticles synthesized by high energy ball milling (HEBM) by milling bulk TiO2 particles for 15h. The synthesized particles were characterized with XRD, UV-Visible spectroscopy and DLS for their physiochemical properties. Biological impact of these nanoparticles was then studied on zebrafish embryo as invivo model. Mortality and hatching rate were calculated for 48hpf and 96hpf treatment. To determine the mechanism of mortality effect, Reactive oxygen species (ROS) was determined with the help of flow cytometry. 15h nanoparticles were found to have a LC50 of ( ) for zebrafish embryo. However TiO2 nanoparticles were found to be a ROS scavenger for the treated Zebrafish cells.

Evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of hydrated metal oxide nanoparticles by INS techniques

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

Spencer, Elinor; Ross, Dr. Nancy; Parker, Stewart F.

2013-01-01

In this contribution we will present a detailed methodology for the elucidation of the following aspects of the thermodynamic properties of hydrated metal oxide nanoparticles from high-resolution, low-temperature inelastic neutron scattering (INS) data: (i) the isochoric heat capacity and entropy of the hydration layers both chemi- and physisorbed to the particle surface; (ii) the magnetic contribution to the heat capacity of the nanoparticles. This will include the calculation of the vibrational density of states (VDOS) from the raw INS spectra, and the subsequent extraction of the thermodynamic data from the VDOS. This technique will be described in terms of amore » worked example namely, cobalt oxide (Co3O4 and CoO). To complement this evaluation of the physical properties of metal oxide nanoparticle systems, we will emphasise the importance of high-resolution, high-energy INS for the determination of the structure and dynamics of the water species, namely molecular (H2O) and dissociated water (OH, hydroxyl), confined to the oxide surfaces. For this component of the chapter we will focus on INS investigations of hydrated isostructural rutile (a-TiO2) and cassiterite (SnO2) nanoparticles. We will complete this discussion of nanoparticle analysis by including an appraisal of the INS instrumentation employed in such studies with particular focus on TOSCA [ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), U.K.] and the newly developed spectrometer SEQUOIA [SNS, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), U.S.A].« less

Amorphous iron–chromium oxide nanoparticles with long-term stability

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

Iacob, Mihail; Institute of Chemistry of ASM, Academiei str. 3, Chisinau 2028, Republic of Moldova; Cazacu, Maria, E-mail: mcazacu@icmpp.ro

2015-05-15

Highlights: • Fe–Cr oxide nanoparticles with pre-established metals ratio were obtained. • The amorphous state and its long-term stability were highlighted by X-ray diffraction. • The average diameter of dried nanoparticles was 3.5 nm, as was estimated by TEM, AFM. • In hexane dispersion, nanoparticles with diameter in the range 2.33–4.85 nm were found. • Superparamagnetic state of NPs co-exists with diamagnetism of the organic layer. - Abstract: Iron–chromium nanoparticles (NPs) were obtained through the thermal decomposition of μ{sub 3}-oxo heterotrinuclear (FeCr{sub 2}O) acetate in the presence of sunflower oil and dodecylamine (DA) as surfactants. The average diameter of themore » NPs was 3.5 nm, as estimated on the basis of transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images. Both techniques revealed the formation of roughly approximated spheres with some irregularities and agglomerations in larger spherical assemblies of 50–100 nm. In hexane, NPs with diameters in the 2.33–4.85 nm range are individually dispersed, as emphasized by dynamic light scattering measurements. The amorphous nature of the product was emphasized by X-ray powder diffraction. The study of the magnetic properties shows the presence of superparamagnetic state of iron–chromium oxide NPs and the diamagnetic contribution from DA layer forming a shell of NPs.« less

Electrocatalytic oxidation and determination of insulin at nickel oxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotube modified screen printed electrode.

PubMed

Rafiee, Banafsheh; Fakhari, Ali Reza

2013-08-15

Nickel oxide nanoparticles modified nafion-multiwalled carbon nanotubes screen printed electrode (NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs/SPE) were prepared using pulsed electrodeposition of NiONPs on the MWCNTs/SPE surface. The size, distribution and structure of the NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) and also the results show that NiO nanoparticles were homogeneously electrodeposited on the surfaces of MWCNTs. Also, the electrochemical behavior of NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs composites in aqueous alkaline solutions of insulin was studied by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It was found that the prepared nanoparticles have excellent electrocatalytic activity towards insulin oxidation due to special properties of NiO nanoparticles. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed that the NiONPs/Nafion-MWCNTs film modified SPE, lowers the overpotentials and improves electrochemical behavior of insulin oxidation, as compared to the bare SPE. Amperometry was also used to evaluate the analytical performance of modified electrode in the quantitation of insulin. Excellent analytical features, including high sensitivity (1.83 μA/μM), low detection limit (6.1 nM) and satisfactory dynamic range (20.0-260.0 nM), were achieved under optimized conditions. Moreover, these sensors show good repeatability and a high stability after a while or successive potential cycling. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A predictive model of iron oxide nanoparticles flocculation tuning Z-potential in aqueous environment for biological application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldassarre, Francesca; Cacciola, Matteo; Ciccarella, Giuseppe

2015-09-01

Iron oxide nanoparticles are the most used magnetic nanoparticles in biomedical and biotechnological field because of their nontoxicity respect to the other metals. The investigation of iron oxide nanoparticles behaviour in aqueous environment is important for the biological applications in terms of polydispersity, mobility, cellular uptake and response to the external magnetic field. Iron oxide nanoparticles tend to agglomerate in aqueous solutions; thus, the stabilisation and aggregation could be modified tuning the colloids physical proprieties. Surfactants or polymers are often used to avoid agglomeration and increase nanoparticles stability. We have modelled and synthesised iron oxide nanoparticles through a co-precipitation method, in order to study the influence of surfactants and coatings on the aggregation state. Thus, we compared experimental results to simulation model data. The change of Z-potential and the clusters size were determined by Dynamic Light Scattering. We developed a suitable numerical model to predict the flocculation. The effects of Volume Mean Diameter and fractal dimension were explored in the model. We obtained the trend of these parameters tuning the Z-potential. These curves matched with the experimental results and confirmed the goodness of the model. Subsequently, we exploited the model to study the influence of nanoparticles aggregation and stability by Z-potential and external magnetic field. The highest Z-potential is reached up with a small external magnetic influence, a small aggregation and then a high suspension stability. Thus, we obtained a predictive model of Iron oxide nanoparticles flocculation that will be exploited for the nanoparticles engineering and experimental setup of bioassays.

Surface-charge-dependent cell localization and cytotoxicity of cerium oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Asati, Atul; Santra, Santimukul; Kaittanis, Charalambos; Perez, J Manuel

2010-09-28

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) have shown great potential as antioxidant and radioprotective agents for applications in cancer therapy. Recently, various polymer-coated nanoceria preparations have been developed to improve their aqueous solubility and allow for surface functionalization of these nanoparticles. However, the interaction of polymer-coated nanoceria with cells, their uptake mechanism, and subcellular localization are poorly understood. Herein, we engineered polymer-coated cerium oxide nanoparticles with different surface charges (positive, negative, and neutral) and studied their internalization and toxicity in normal and cancer cell lines. The results showed that nanoceria with a positive or neutral charge enters most of the cell lines studied, while nanoceria with a negative charge internalizes mostly in the cancer cell lines. Moreover, upon entry into the cells, nanoceria is localized to different cell compartments (e.g., cytoplasm and lysosomes) depending on the nanoparticle's surface charge. The internalization and subcellular localization of nanoceria plays a key role in the nanoparticles' cytotoxicity profile, exhibiting significant toxicity when they localize in the lysosomes of the cancer cells. In contrast, minimal toxicity is observed when they localize into the cytoplasm or do not enter the cells. Taken together, these results indicate that the differential surface-charge-dependent localization of nanoceria in normal and cancer cells plays a critical role in the nanoparticles' toxicity profile.

The responses of immune cells to iron oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Xu, Yaolin; Sherwood, Jennifer A; Lackey, Kimberly H; Qin, Ying; Bao, Yuping

2016-04-01

Immune cells play an important role in recognizing and removing foreign objects, such as nanoparticles. Among various parameters, surface coatings of nanoparticles are the first contact with biological system, which critically affect nanoparticle interactions. Here, surface coating effects on nanoparticle cellular uptake, toxicity and ability to trigger immune response were evaluated on a human monocyte cell line using iron oxide nanoparticles. The cells were treated with nanoparticles of three types of coatings (negatively charged polyacrylic acid, positively charged polyethylenimine and neutral polyethylene glycol). The cells were treated at various nanoparticle concentrations (5, 10, 20, 30, 50 μg ml(-1) or 2, 4, 8, 12, 20 μg cm(-2)) with 6 h incubation or treated at a nanoparticle concentration of 50 μg ml(-1) (20 μg cm(-2)) at different incubation times (6, 12, 24, 48 or 72 h). Cell viability over 80% was observed for all nanoparticle treatment experiments, regardless of surface coatings, nanoparticle concentrations and incubation times. The much lower cell viability for cells treated with free ligands (e.g. ~10% for polyethylenimine) suggested that the surface coatings were tightly attached to the nanoparticle surfaces. The immune responses of cells to nanoparticles were evaluated by quantifying the expression of toll-like receptor 2 and tumor necrosis factor-α. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α and toll-like receptor 2 were not significant in any case of the surface coatings, nanoparticle concentrations and incubation times. These results provide useful information to select nanoparticle surface coatings for biological and biomedical applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Air-stable superparamagnetic metal nanoparticles entrapped in graphene oxide matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuček, Jiří; Sofer, Zdeněk; Bouša, Daniel; Pumera, Martin; Holá, Kateřina; Malá, Aneta; Poláková, Kateřina; Havrdová, Markéta; Čépe, Klára; Tomanec, Ondřej; Zbořil, Radek

2016-09-01

Superparamagnetism is a phenomenon caused by quantum effects in magnetic nanomaterials. Zero-valent metals with diameters below 5 nm have been suggested as superior alternatives to superparamagnetic metal oxides, having greater superspin magnitudes and lower levels of magnetic disorder. However, synthesis of such nanometals has been hindered by their chemical instability. Here we present a method for preparing air-stable superparamagnetic iron nanoparticles trapped between thermally reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and exhibiting ring-like or core-shell morphologies depending on iron concentration. Importantly, these hybrids show superparamagnetism at room temperature and retain it even at 5 K. The corrected saturation magnetization of 185 Am2 kg-1 is among the highest values reported for iron-based superparamagnets. The synthetic concept is generalized exploiting functional groups of graphene oxide to stabilize and entrap cobalt, nickel and gold nanoparticles, potentially opening doors for targeted delivery, magnetic separation and imaging applications.

Diatom frustules decorated with zinc oxide nanoparticles for enhanced optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamastra, F. R.; Grilli, M. L.; Leahu, G.; Belardini, A.; Li Voti, R.; Sibilia, C.; Salvatori, D.; Cacciotti, I.; Nanni, F.

2017-09-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized on diatomite (DE) surface by a low temperature sol gel technique, starting from zinc acetate dihydrate (Zn(CH3COO)2 · 2H2O) solution in water/ethyl alcohol, in presence of triethanolamine (TEA) with functions of Zn2+ chelating agent, catalyst and mediator of nanoparticle growth on DE surface. Microstructural features were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. ZnO crystalline nanoparticles, well distributed both on the surface and into the porous architecture of diatomite, were obtained just after the synthesis carried out at 80 °C without the need of calcination treatments. The optical properties of ZnO/DE hybrid powders were measured for the first time by means of photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). A new method to retrieve both the optical absorption and scattering coefficients from PAS is here discussed for powder aggregates. The fingerprint of the zinc oxide nanoparticles has been highlighted in the Mie scattering resonance in the UV-Vis range, and in the enhancement of the optical absorption with respect to diatomite.

Antibacterial activity and mechanism of action of zinc oxide nanoparticles against Campylobacter jejuni.

PubMed

Xie, Yanping; He, Yiping; Irwin, Peter L; Jin, Tony; Shi, Xianming

2011-04-01

The antibacterial effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on Campylobacter jejuni was investigated for inhibition and inactivation of cell growth. The results showed that C. jejuni was extremely sensitive to treatment with ZnO nanoparticles. The MIC of ZnO nanoparticles for C. jejuni was determined to be 0.05 to 0.025 mg/ml, which is 8- to 16-fold lower than that for Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (0.4 mg/ml). The action of ZnO nanoparticles against C. jejuni was determined to be bactericidal, not bacteriostatic. Scanning electron microscopy examination revealed that the majority of the cells transformed from spiral shapes into coccoid forms after exposure to 0.5 mg/ml of ZnO nanoparticles for 16 h, which is consistent with the morphological changes of C. jejuni under other stress conditions. These coccoid cells were found by ethidium monoazide-quantitative PCR (EMA-qPCR) to have a certain level of membrane leakage. To address the molecular basis of ZnO nanoparticle action, a large set of genes involved in cell stress response, motility, pathogenesis, and toxin production were selected for a gene expression study. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) showed that in response to treatment with ZnO nanoparticles, the expression levels of two oxidative stress genes (katA and ahpC) and a general stress response gene (dnaK) were increased 52-, 7-, and 17-fold, respectively. These results suggest that the antibacterial mechanism of ZnO nanoparticles is most likely due to disruption of the cell membrane and oxidative stress in Campylobacter.

In vitro antiplasmodial activity of PDDS-coated metal oxide nanoparticles against Plasmodium falciparum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacob Inbaneson, Samuel; Ravikumar, Sundaram

2013-06-01

Malaria is the most important parasitic disease, leading to annual death of about one million people and the Plasmodium falciparum develops resistant to well-established antimalarial drugs. The newest antiplasmodial drug from metal oxide nanoparticles helps in addressing this problem. Commercial nanoparticles such as Fe3O4, MgO, ZrO2, Al2O3 and CeO2 coated with PDDS and all the coated and non-coated nanoparticles were screened for antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum. The Al2O3 nanoparticles (71.42 ± 0.49 μg ml-1) showed minimum level of IC50 value and followed by MgO (72.33 ± 0.37 μg ml-1) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles (77.23 ± 0.42 μg ml-1). The PDDS-Fe3O4 showed minimum level of IC50 value (48.66 ± 0.45 μg ml-1), followed by PDDS-MgO (60.28 ± 0.42 μg ml-1) and PDDS-CeO2 (67.06 ± 0.61 μg ml-1). The PDDS-coated metal oxide nanoparticles showed superior antiplasmodial activity than the non-PDDS-coated metal oxide nanoparticles. Statistical analysis reveals that, significant in vitro antiplasmodial activity ( P < 0.05) was observed between the concentrations and time of exposure. The chemical injury to erythrocytes showed no morphological changes in erythrocytes by the nanoparticles after 48 h of incubation. It is concluded from the present study that, the PDDS-Fe3O4 showed good antiplasmodial activity and it might be used for the development of antiplasmodial drugs.

Ultrasound irradiation based in-situ synthesis of star-like Tragacanth gum/zinc oxide nanoparticles on cotton fabric.

PubMed

Ghayempour, Soraya; Montazer, Majid

2017-01-01

Application of natural biopolymers for green and safe synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the textiles is a novel and interesting approach. The present study offers the use of natural biopolymer, Tragacanth gum, as the reducing, stabilizing and binding agent for in-situ synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles on the cotton fabric. Ultrasonic irradiation leads to clean and easy synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles in short-time at low-temperature. FESEM/EDX, XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, DSC, photocatalytic activities and antimicrobial assay are used to characterize Tragacanth gum/zinc oxide nanoparticles coated cotton fabric. The analysis confirmed synthesis of star-like zinc oxide nanoparticles with hexagonal wurtzite structure on the cotton fabric with the average particle size of 62nm. The finished cotton fabric showed a good photocatalytic activity on degradation of methylene blue and 100% antimicrobial properties with inhibition zone of 3.3±0.1, 3.1±0.1 and 3.0±0.1mm against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sonochemically synthesized iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles: Influence of precursor composition on characteristics

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

Roy, Anirban; Maitra, Saikat; Ghosh, Sobhan

Highlights: • Sonochemical synthesis of iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles. • Green synthesis without alkali at room temperature. • Characterization by UV–vis spectroscopy, FESEM, XRD and EDX. • Influence of precursor composition on characteristics. • Composition and characteristics are correlated. - Abstract: Iron-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized sonochemically from aqueous acetyl acetonate precursors of different proportions. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized with UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and microscopy. Influences of precursor mixture on the characteristics have been examined and modeled. Linear correlations have been proposed between dopant dosing, extent of doping and band gap energy. Experimental data corroborated with themore » proposed models.« less

Toxicity, toxicokinetics and biodistribution of dextran stabilized Iron oxide Nanoparticles for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Remya, N S; Syama, S; Sabareeswaran, A; Mohanan, P V

2016-09-10

Advancement in the field of nanoscience and technology has alarmingly raised the call for comprehending the potential health effects caused by deliberate or unintentional exposure to nanoparticles. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles have an increasing number of biomedical applications and hence a complete toxicological profile of the nanomaterial is therefore a mandatory requirement prior to its intended usage to ensure safety and to minimize potential health hazards upon its exposure. The present study elucidates the toxicity of in house synthesized Dextran stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles (DINP) in a regulatory perspective through various routes of exposure, its associated molecular, immune, genotoxic, carcinogenic effects and bio distribution profile. Synthesized ferrite nanomaterials were successfully coated with dextran (<25nm) and were physicochemically characterized and subjected to in vitro and in vivo toxicity evaluations. The results suggest that surface coating of ferrite nanoparticles with dextran helps in improvising particle stability in biological environments. The nanoparticles do not seem to induce oxidative stress mediated toxicological effects, nor altered physiological process or behavior changes or visible pathological lesions. Furthermore no anticipated health hazards are likely to be associated with the use of DINP and could be concluded that the synthesized DINP is nontoxic/safe to be used for biomedical applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functionalization of textiles with silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulit-Prociak, Jolanta; Chwastowski, Jarosław; Kucharski, Arkadiusz; Banach, Marcin

2016-11-01

The paper presents a method for functionalization of textile materials using fabric dyes modified with silver or zinc oxide nanoparticles. Embedding of these nanoparticles into the structure of other materials makes that the final product is characterized by antimicrobial properties. Indigo and commercially available dye were involved in studies. It is worth to note that silver nanoparticles were obtained in-situ in the reaction of preparing indigo dye and in the process of preparing commercial dye baths. Such a method allows reducing technological steps. The modified dyes were used for dyeing of cotton fibers. The antimicrobial properties of final textile materials were studied. Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain was used in microbiological test. The results confirmed biocidal activity of prepared materials.

Lactoferrin conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles for targeting brain glioma cells in magnetic particle imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomitaka, Asahi; Arami, Hamed; Gandhi, Sonu; Krishnan, Kannan M.

2015-10-01

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is a new real-time imaging modality, which promises high tracer mass sensitivity and spatial resolution directly generated from iron oxide nanoparticles. In this study, monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles with median core diameters ranging from 14 to 26 nm were synthesized and their surface was conjugated with lactoferrin to convert them into brain glioma targeting agents. The conjugation was confirmed with the increase of the hydrodynamic diameters, change of zeta potential, and Bradford assay. Magnetic particle spectrometry (MPS), performed to evaluate the MPI performance of these nanoparticles, showed no change in signal after lactoferrin conjugation to nanoparticles for all core diameters, suggesting that the MPI signal is dominated by Néel relaxation and thus independent of hydrodynamic size difference or presence of coating molecules before and after conjugations. For this range of core sizes (14-26 nm), both MPS signal intensity and spatial resolution improved with increasing core diameter of nanoparticles. The lactoferrin conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles (Lf-IONPs) showed specific cellular internalization into C6 cells with a 5-fold increase in MPS signal compared to IONPs without lactoferrin, both after 24 h incubation. These results suggest that Lf-IONPs can be used as tracers for targeted brain glioma imaging using MPI.

Influence of Scaffold Size on Bactericidal Activity of Nitric Oxide Releasing Silica Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Alexis W.; Slomberg, Danielle L.; Rao, Kavitha S.; Schoenfisch, Mark H.

2011-01-01

A reverse microemulsion synthesis was used to prepare amine functionalized silica nanoparticles of three distinct sizes (i.e., 50, 100, and 200 nm) with identical amine concentrations. The resulting hybrid nanoparticles, consisting of N-(6 aminohexyl) aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane, were highly monodisperse in size. N-diazeniumdiolate nitric oxide (NO) donors were subsequently formed on secondary amines while controlling reaction conditions to keep the total amount of nitric oxide (NO) released constant for each particle size. The bactericidal efficacy of the NO releasing nanoparticles against Pseudomonas aeruginosa increased with decreasing particle size. Additionally, smaller diameter nanoparticles were found to associate with the bacteria at a faster rate and to a greater extent than larger particles. Neither control (non-NO-releasing) nor NO releasing particles exhibited toxicity towards L929 mouse fibroblasts at concentrations above their respective minimum bactericidal concentrations. This study represents the first investigation of the bactericidal efficacy of NO-releasing silica nanoparticles as a function of particle size. PMID:21842899

High efficiency tantalum-based ceramic composite structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, David A. (Inventor); Leiser, Daniel B. (Inventor); DiFiore, Robert R. (Inventor); Katvala, Victor W. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Tantalum-based ceramics are suitable for use in thermal protection systems. These composite structures have high efficiency surfaces (low catalytic efficiency and high emittance), thereby reducing heat flux to a spacecraft during planetary re-entry. These ceramics contain tantalum disilicide, molybdenum disilicide and borosilicate glass. The components are milled, along with a processing aid, then applied to a surface of a porous substrate, such as a fibrous silica or carbon substrate. Following application, the coating is then sintered on the substrate. The composite structure is substantially impervious to hot gas penetration and capable of surviving high heat fluxes at temperatures approaching 3000.degree. F. and above.

Structural characterization, antibacterial and catalytic effect of iron oxide nanoparticles synthesised using the leaf extract of Cynometra ramiflora

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groiss, Silvia; Selvaraj, Raja; Varadavenkatesan, Thivaharan; Vinayagam, Ramesh

2017-01-01

In the present investigation, the leaf extract of Cynometra ramiflora was used to synthesize iron oxide nanoparticles. Within minutes of adding iron sulphate to the leaf extract, iron oxide nanoparticles were formed and thus, the method is very simple and fast. UV-VIS spectra showed the strong absorption band in the visible region. SEM images showed discrete spherical shaped particles and EDS spectra confirmed the iron and oxygen presence. The XRD results depicted the crystalline structure of iron oxide nanoparticles. FT-IR spectra portrayed the existence of functional groups of phytochemicals which are probably involved in the formation and stabilization of nanoparticles. The iron oxide nanoparticles exhibited effective inhibition against E. coli and S. epidermidis which may find its applications in the antibacterial drug development. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of the nanoparticles as Fenton-like catalyst was successfully investigated for the degradation of Rhodamine-B dye. This outcome could play a prominent role in the wastewater treatment.

Biosynthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of copper oxide nanoparticles (CONPs) produced using brown alga extract ( Bifurcaria bifurcata)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abboud, Y.; Saffaj, T.; Chagraoui, A.; El Bouari, A.; Brouzi, K.; Tanane, O.; Ihssane, B.

2014-06-01

Recently, biosynthesis of nanoparticles has attracted scientists' attention because of the necessity to develop new clean, cost-effective and efficient synthesis techniques. In particular, metal oxide nanoparticles are receiving increasing attention in a large variety of applications. However, up to now, the reports on the biopreparation and characterization of nanocrystalline copper oxide are relatively few compared to some other metal oxides. In this paper, we report for the first time the use of brown alga ( Bifurcaria bifurcata) in the biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles of dimensions 5-45 nm. The synthesized nanomaterial is characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrum analysis. X-ray diffraction confirms the formation and the crystalline nature of copper oxide nanomaterial. Further, these nanoparticles were found to exhibit high antibacterial activity against two different strains of bacteria Enterobacter aerogenes (Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive).

Influence of support material on the electrocatalytic activity of nickel oxide nanoparticles for urea electro-oxidation reaction.

PubMed

Abdel Hameed, R M; Medany, Shymaa S

2018-03-01

Nickel oxide nanoparticles were deposited on different carbon supports including activated Vulcan XC-72R carbon black (NiO/AC), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NiO/MWCNTs), graphene (NiO/Gr) and graphite (NiO/Gt) through precipitation step followed by calcination at 400 °C. To determine the crystalline structure and morphology of prepared electrocatalysts, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed. The electrocatalytic activity of NiO/carbon support electrocatalysts was investigated towards urea electro-oxidation reaction in NaOH solution using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Urea oxidation peak current density was increased in the following order: NiO/AC < NiO/MWCNTs < NiO/Gr < NiO/Gt. Chronoamperometry test also showed an increased steady state oxidation current density for NiO/Gt in comparison to other electrocatalysts. The increased activity and stability of NiO/Gt electrocatalyst encourage the application of graphite as an efficient and cost-saving support to carry metal nanoparticles for urea electro-oxidation reaction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum Mechanical Studies of Large Metal, Metal Oxide, and Metal Chalcogenide Nanoparticles and Clusters

DOE PAGES

Fernando, Amendra; Weerawardene, K. L. Dimuthu M.; Karimova, Natalia V.; ...

2015-04-21

Here, metal, metal oxide, and metal chalcogenide materials have a wide variety of applications. For example, many metal clusters and nanoparticles are used as catalysts for reactions varying from the oxidation of carbon monoxide to the reduction of protons to hydrogen gas. Noble metal nanoparticles have unique optical properties such as a surface plasmon resonance for large nanoparticles that yield applications in sensing and photonics. In addition, a number of transition metal clusters are magnetic. Metal oxide clusters and surfaces are commonly used as catalysts for reactions such as water splitting. Both metal oxide and metal chalcogenide materials can bemore » semiconducting, which leads to applications in sensors, electronics, and solar cells. Many researchers have been interested in studying nanoparticles and/or small clusters of these materials. Some of the system sizes under investigation have been experimentally synthesized, which enables direct theory–experiment comparison. Other clusters that have been examined theoretically are of interest as models of larger systems or surfaces. Often, the size-dependence of their properties such as their HOMO–LUMO gap, magnetic properties, optical properties, etc., is of interest.« less

Micro- and nanostructure of a titanium surface electric-spark-doped with tantalum and modified by high-frequency currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fomin, A. A.; Fomina, M. A.; Koshuro, V. A.; Rodionov, I. V.; Voiko, A. V.; Zakharevich, A. M.; Aman, A.; Oseev, A.; Hirsch, S.; Majcherek, S.

2016-09-01

We have studied the characteristics of the porous microstructure of tantalum coatings obtained by means of electric spark spraying on the surface of commercial grade titanium. It is established that, at an electric spark current within 0.8-2.2 A, a mechanically strong tantalum coating microstructure is formed with an average protrusion size of 5.1-5.4 µm and pore sizes from 3.5 to 9.2 µm. On the nanoscale, a structurally heterogeneous state of coatings has been achieved by subsequent thermal modification at 800-830°C with the aid of high-frequency currents. A metal oxide nanostructure with grain sizes from 40 to 120 nm is formed by short-time (~30 s) thermal modification. The coating hardness reaches 9.5-10.5 GPa at an elastic modulus of 400-550 GPa.

Identification of a Catalytically Highly Active Surface Phase for CO Oxidation over PtRh Nanoparticles under Operando Reaction Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hejral, U.; Franz, D.; Volkov, S.; Francoual, S.; Strempfer, J.; Stierle, A.

2018-03-01

Pt-Rh alloy nanoparticles on oxide supports are widely employed in heterogeneous catalysis with applications ranging from automotive exhaust control to energy conversion. To improve catalyst performance, an atomic-scale correlation of the nanoparticle surface structure with its catalytic activity under industrially relevant operando conditions is essential. Here, we present x-ray diffraction data sensitive to the nanoparticle surface structure combined with in situ mass spectrometry during near ambient pressure CO oxidation. We identify the formation of ultrathin surface oxides by detecting x-ray diffraction signals from particular nanoparticle facets and correlate their evolution with the sample's enhanced catalytic activity. Our approach opens the door for an in-depth characterization of well-defined, oxide-supported nanoparticle based catalysts under operando conditions with unprecedented atomic-scale resolution.

Reduced graphene oxide supported gold nanoparticles for electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saquib, Mohammad; Halder, Aditi

2018-02-01

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide is one of the methods which have the capability to recycle CO2 into valuable products for energy and industrial applications. This research article describes about a new electrocatalyst "reduced graphene oxide supported gold nanoparticles" for selective electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide. The main aim for conversion of CO2 to CO lies in the fact that the latter is an important component of syn gas (a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide), which is then converted into liquid fuel via well-known industrial process called Fischer-Tropsch process. In this work, we have synthesized different composites of the gold nanoparticles supported on defective reduced graphene oxide to evaluate the catalytic activity of reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-supported gold nanoparticles and the role of defective RGO support towards the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Electrochemical and impedance measurements demonstrate that higher concentration of gold nanoparticles on the graphene support led to remarkable decrease in the onset potential of 240 mV and increase in the current density for CO2 reduction. Lower impedance and Tafel slope values also clearly support our findings for the better performance of RGOAu than bare Au for CO2 reduction.

Oxidative dissolution of silver nanoparticles: A new theoretical approach.

PubMed

Adamczyk, Zbigniew; Oćwieja, Magdalena; Mrowiec, Halina; Walas, Stanisław; Lupa, Dawid

2016-05-01

A general model of an oxidative dissolution of silver particle suspensions was developed that rigorously considers the bulk and surface solute transport. A two-step surface reaction scheme was proposed that comprises the formation of the silver oxide phase by direct oxidation and the acidic dissolution of this phase leading to silver ion release. By considering this, a complete set of equations is formulated describing oxygen and silver ion transport to and from particles' surfaces. These equations are solved in some limiting cases of nanoparticle dissolution in dilute suspensions. The obtained kinetic equations were used for the interpretation of experimental data pertinent to the dissolution kinetics of citrate-stabilized silver nanoparticles. In these kinetic measurements the role of pH and bulk suspension concentration was quantitatively evaluated by using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). It was shown that the theoretical model adequately reflects the main features of the experimental results, especially the significant increase in the dissolution rate for lower pH. Also the presence of two kinetic regimes was quantitatively explained in terms of the decrease in the coverage of the fast dissolving oxide layer. The overall silver dissolution rate constants characterizing these two regimes were determined. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Zinc Tantalum Oxynitride (ZnTaO2N) Photoanode Modified with Cobalt Phosphate Layers for the Photoelectrochemical Oxidation of Alkali Water

PubMed Central

T. Weller, Mark

2018-01-01

Photoanodes fabricated by the electrophoretic deposition of a thermally prepared zinc tantalum oxynitride (ZnTaO2N) catalyst onto indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates show photoactivation for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline solutions. The photoactivity of the OER is further boosted by the photodeposition of cobalt phosphate (CoPi) layers onto the surface of the ZnTaO2N photoanodes. Structural, morphological, and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the modified ZnTaO2N photoanodes are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet visible (UV−Vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and electrochemical techniques. The presence of the CoPi layer significantly improved the PEC performance of water oxidation in an alkaline sulphate solution. The photocurrent-voltage behavior of the CoPi-modified ZnTaO2N anodes was improved, with the influence being more prominent at lower oxidation potentials. A stable photocurrent density of about 2.3 mA·cm−2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE was attained upon visible light illumination. Relative to the ZnTaO2N photoanodes, an almost three-fold photocurrent increase was achieved at the CoPi/ZnTaO2N photoelectrode. Perovskite-based oxynitrides are modified using an oxygen-evolution co-catalyst of CoPi, and provide a new dimension for enhancing the photoactivity of oxygen evolution in solar-assisted water-splitting reactions. PMID:29346306

Air-stable superparamagnetic metal nanoparticles entrapped in graphene oxide matrix.

PubMed

Tuček, Jiří; Sofer, Zdeněk; Bouša, Daniel; Pumera, Martin; Holá, Kateřina; Malá, Aneta; Poláková, Kateřina; Havrdová, Markéta; Čépe, Klára; Tomanec, Ondřej; Zbořil, Radek

2016-09-15

Superparamagnetism is a phenomenon caused by quantum effects in magnetic nanomaterials. Zero-valent metals with diameters below 5 nm have been suggested as superior alternatives to superparamagnetic metal oxides, having greater superspin magnitudes and lower levels of magnetic disorder. However, synthesis of such nanometals has been hindered by their chemical instability. Here we present a method for preparing air-stable superparamagnetic iron nanoparticles trapped between thermally reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and exhibiting ring-like or core-shell morphologies depending on iron concentration. Importantly, these hybrids show superparamagnetism at room temperature and retain it even at 5 K. The corrected saturation magnetization of 185 Am(2) kg(-1) is among the highest values reported for iron-based superparamagnets. The synthetic concept is generalized exploiting functional groups of graphene oxide to stabilize and entrap cobalt, nickel and gold nanoparticles, potentially opening doors for targeted delivery, magnetic separation and imaging applications.

Air-stable superparamagnetic metal nanoparticles entrapped in graphene oxide matrix

PubMed Central

Tuček, Jiří; Sofer, Zdeněk; Bouša, Daniel; Pumera, Martin; Holá, Kateřina; Malá, Aneta; Poláková, Kateřina; Havrdová, Markéta; Čépe, Klára; Tomanec, Ondřej; Zbořil, Radek

2016-01-01

Superparamagnetism is a phenomenon caused by quantum effects in magnetic nanomaterials. Zero-valent metals with diameters below 5 nm have been suggested as superior alternatives to superparamagnetic metal oxides, having greater superspin magnitudes and lower levels of magnetic disorder. However, synthesis of such nanometals has been hindered by their chemical instability. Here we present a method for preparing air-stable superparamagnetic iron nanoparticles trapped between thermally reduced graphene oxide nanosheets and exhibiting ring-like or core-shell morphologies depending on iron concentration. Importantly, these hybrids show superparamagnetism at room temperature and retain it even at 5 K. The corrected saturation magnetization of 185 Am2 kg–1 is among the highest values reported for iron-based superparamagnets. The synthetic concept is generalized exploiting functional groups of graphene oxide to stabilize and entrap cobalt, nickel and gold nanoparticles, potentially opening doors for targeted delivery, magnetic separation and imaging applications. PMID:27628898

Zinc oxide nanoparticles decrease the expression and activity of plasma membrane calcium ATPase, disrupt the intracellular calcium homeostasis in rat retinal ganglion cells.

PubMed

Guo, Dadong; Bi, Hongsheng; Wang, Daoguang; Wu, Qiuxin

2013-08-01

Zinc oxide nanoparticle is one of the most important materials with diverse applications. However, it has been reported that zinc oxide nanoparticles are toxic to organisms, and that oxidative stress is often hypothesized to be an important factor in cytotoxicity mediated by zinc oxide nanoparticles. Nevertheless, the mechanism of toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles has not been completely understood. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles and the possible molecular mechanism involved in calcium homeostasis mediated by plasma membrane calcium ATPase in rat retinal ganglion cells. Real-time cell electronic sensing assay showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles could exert cytotoxic effect on rat retinal ganglion cells in a concentration-dependent manner; flow cytometric analysis indicated that zinc oxide nanoparticles could lead to cell damage by inducing the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, zinc oxide nanoparticles could also apparently decrease the expression level and their activity of plasma membrane calcium ATPase, which finally disrupt the intracellular calcium homeostasis and result in cell death. Taken together, zinc oxide nanoparticles could apparently decrease the plasma membrane calcium ATPase expression, inhibit their activity, cause the elevated intracellular calcium ion level and disrupt the intracellular calcium homeostasis. Further, the disrupted calcium homeostasis will trigger mitochondrial dysfunction, generate excessive reactive oxygen species, and finally initiate cell death. Thus, the disrupted calcium homeostasis is involved in the zinc oxide nanoparticle-induced rat retinal ganglion cell death. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Metal Oxide Nanoparticle Band Gap to Develop a Predictive Paradigm for Oxidative Stress and Acute Pulmonary Inflammation

PubMed Central

Zhang, Haiyuan; Ji, Zhaoxia; Xia, Tian; Meng, Huan; Low-Kam, Cecile; Liu, Rong; Pokhrel, Suman; Lin, Sijie; Wang, Xiang; Liao, Yu-Pei; Wang, Meiying; Li, Linjiang; Rallo, Robert; Damoiseaux, Robert; Telesca, Donatello; Mädler, Lutz; Cohen, Yoram; Zink, Jeffrey I.; Nel, Andre E.

2014-01-01

We demonstrate for 24 metal oxide (MOx) nanoparticles that it is possible to use conduction band energy levels to delineate their toxicological potential at cellular and whole animal levels. Among the materials, the overlap of conduction band energy (Ec) levels with the cellular redox potential (−4.12 to −4.84 eV) was strongly correlated to the ability of Co3O4, Cr2O3, Ni2O3, Mn2O3 and CoO nanoparticles to induce oxygen radicals, oxidative stress and inflammation. This outcome is premised on permissible electron transfers from the biological redox couples that maintain the cellular redox equilibrium to the conduction band of the semiconductor particles. Both single parameter cytotoxic as well as multi-parameter oxidative stress assays in cells showed excellent correlation to the generation of acute neutrophilic inflammation and cytokine responses in the lungs of CB57 Bl/6 mice. Co3O4, Ni2O3, Mn2O3 and CoO nanoparticles could also oxidize cytochrome c as a representative redox couple involved in redox homeostasis. While CuO and ZnO generated oxidative stress and acute pulmonary inflammation that is not predicted by Ec levels, the adverse biological effects of these materials could be explained by their solubility, as demonstrated by ICP-MS analysis. Taken together, these results demonstrate, for the first time, that it is possible to predict the toxicity of a large series of MOx nanoparticles in the lung premised on semiconductor properties and an integrated in vitro/in vivo hazard ranking model premised on oxidative stress. This establishes a robust platform for modeling of MOx structure-activity relationships based on band gap energy levels and particle dissolution. This predictive toxicological paradigm is also of considerable importance for regulatory decision-making about this important class of engineered nanomaterials. PMID:22502734

Use of metal oxide nanoparticle band gap to develop a predictive paradigm for oxidative stress and acute pulmonary inflammation.

PubMed

Zhang, Haiyuan; Ji, Zhaoxia; Xia, Tian; Meng, Huan; Low-Kam, Cecile; Liu, Rong; Pokhrel, Suman; Lin, Sijie; Wang, Xiang; Liao, Yu-Pei; Wang, Meiying; Li, Linjiang; Rallo, Robert; Damoiseaux, Robert; Telesca, Donatello; Mädler, Lutz; Cohen, Yoram; Zink, Jeffrey I; Nel, Andre E

2012-05-22

We demonstrate for 24 metal oxide (MOx) nanoparticles that it is possible to use conduction band energy levels to delineate their toxicological potential at cellular and whole animal levels. Among the materials, the overlap of conduction band energy (E(c)) levels with the cellular redox potential (-4.12 to -4.84 eV) was strongly correlated to the ability of Co(3)O(4), Cr(2)O(3), Ni(2)O(3), Mn(2)O(3), and CoO nanoparticles to induce oxygen radicals, oxidative stress, and inflammation. This outcome is premised on permissible electron transfers from the biological redox couples that maintain the cellular redox equilibrium to the conduction band of the semiconductor particles. Both single-parameter cytotoxic as well as multi-parameter oxidative stress assays in cells showed excellent correlation to the generation of acute neutrophilic inflammation and cytokine responses in the lungs of C57 BL/6 mice. Co(3)O(4), Ni(2)O(3), Mn(2)O(3), and CoO nanoparticles could also oxidize cytochrome c as a representative redox couple involved in redox homeostasis. While CuO and ZnO generated oxidative stress and acute pulmonary inflammation that is not predicted by E(c) levels, the adverse biological effects of these materials could be explained by their solubility, as demonstrated by ICP-MS analysis. These results demonstrate that it is possible to predict the toxicity of a large series of MOx nanoparticles in the lung premised on semiconductor properties and an integrated in vitro/in vivo hazard ranking model premised on oxidative stress. This establishes a robust platform for modeling of MOx structure-activity relationships based on band gap energy levels and particle dissolution. This predictive toxicological paradigm is also of considerable importance for regulatory decision-making about this important class of engineered nanomaterials.

Aloe barbadensis Miller mediated green synthesis of mono-disperse copper oxide nanoparticles: Optical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunalan, Sangeetha; Sivaraj, Rajeshwari; Venckatesh, Rajendran

2012-11-01

In this paper, we report on the synthesis of nanostructured copper oxide particles by both chemical and biological method. A facile and efficient synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles was carried out with controlled surface properties via green chemistry approach. The CuO nanoparticles synthesized are monodisperse and versatile and were characterized with the help of UV-Vis, PL, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques. The particles are crystalline in nature and average sizes were between 15 and 30 nm. The morphology of the nanoparticles can be controlled by tuning the amount of Aloe vera extract. This new eco-friendly approach of synthesis is a novel, cheap, and convenient technique suitable for large scale commercial production and health related applications of CuO nanoparticles.

Nanovectors for anticancer agents based on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Douziech-Eyrolles, Laurence; Marchais, Hervé; Hervé, Katel; Munnier, Emilie; Soucé, Martin; Linassier, Claude; Dubois, Pierre; Chourpa, Igor

2007-01-01

During the last decade, the application of nanotechnologies for anticancer drug delivery has been extensively explored, hoping to improve the efficacy and to reduce side effects of chemotherapy. The present review is dedicated to a certain kind of anticancer drug nanovectors developed to target tumors with the help of an external magnetic field. More particularly, this work treats anticancer drug nanoformulations based on superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles coated with biocompatible polymers. The major purpose is to focus on the specific requirements and technological difficulties related to controlled delivery of antitumoral agents. We attempt to state the problem and its possible perspectives by considering the three major constituents of the magnetic therapeutic vectors: iron oxide nanoparticles, polymeric coating and anticancer drug. PMID:18203422

Effects of Processing Variables on Tantalum Nitride by Reactive-Ion-Assisted Magnetron Sputtering Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Chao‑Tsang; Shieh, Han‑Ping D.

2006-08-01

The binary compound tantalum nitride (TaN) and ternary compounds tantalum tungsten nitrides (Ta1-xWxNy) exhibit interesting properties such as high melting point, high hardness, and chemical inertness. Such nitrides were deposited on a tungsten carbide (WC) die and silicon wafers by ion-beam-sputter evaporation of the respective metal under nitrogen ion-assisted deposition (IAD). The effects of N2/Ar flux ratio, post annealing, ion-assisted deposition, deposition rate, and W doping in coating processing variables on hardness, load critical scratching, oxidation resistance, stress and surface roughness were investigated. The optimum N2/Ar flux ratios in view of the hardness and critical load of TaN and Ta1-xWxNy films were ranged from 0.9 to 1.0. Doping W into TaN to form Ta1-xWxNy films led significant increases in hardness, critical load, oxidation resistance, and reduced surface roughness. The optimum doping ratio was [W/(W+Ta)]=0.85. From the deposition rate and IAD experiments, the stress in the films is mainly contributed by sputtering atoms. The lower deposition rate at a high N2/Ar flux ratio resulted in a higher compressive stress. A high compressive residual stress accounts for a high hardness. The relatively high compressive stress was attributed primarily to peening by atoms, ions and electrons during film growth, the Ta1-xWxNy films showed excellent hardness and strength against a high temperature, and sticking phenomena can essentially be avoided through their use. Ta1-xWxNy films showed better performance than the TaN film in terms of mechanical properties and oxidation resistance.

Experimental Evaluation of Oxide Nanoparticles as Friction and Wear Improvement Additives in Motor Oil

DOE PAGES

Demas, Nicholaos G.; Erck, Robert A.; Lorenzo-Martin, Cinta; ...

2017-01-30

The effect of two nanoparticle oxides on friction and wear was studied under laboratory test conditions using a reciprocating test machine and two test configurations. The addition of these nanoparticles in base stock oil under certain conditions reduced the coefficient of friction and improved wear, but that depended on the test configuration. Examination of the rubbed surfaces showed the pronounced formation of a tribofilm in some cases, while polishing on the surface was also observed in other cases. Contact configuration is important when oxide nanoparticles are being evaluated and the conclusions about their efficacy can be vastly different.

Analysis of Weibull Grading Test for Solid Tantalum Capacitors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2010-01-01

Weibull grading test is a powerful technique that allows selection and reliability rating of solid tantalum capacitors for military and space applications. However, inaccuracies in the existing method and non-adequate acceleration factors can result in significant, up to three orders of magnitude, errors in the calculated failure rate of capacitors. This paper analyzes deficiencies of the existing technique and recommends more accurate method of calculations. A physical model presenting failures of tantalum capacitors as time-dependent-dielectric-breakdown is used to determine voltage and temperature acceleration factors and select adequate Weibull grading test conditions. This, model is verified by highly accelerated life testing (HALT) at different temperature and voltage conditions for three types of solid chip tantalum capacitors. It is shown that parameters of the model and acceleration factors can be calculated using a general log-linear relationship for the characteristic life with two stress levels.

Investigation of photoluminescence and dielectric properties of pure and Fe doped nickel oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Jhalak; Ahmad, Arham S.

2018-05-01

The nanocrystallites of pure and Fe doped Nickel Oxide (NiO) were synthesized by the cost effective co-precipitation method using nickel nitrate as the initial precursor. The synthesized nickel oxide nanoparticles were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Photoluminiscence Spectroscopy (PL), LCR meter. The crystallite size of synthesized pure Nickel Oxide nanoparticles obtained by XRD using Debye Scherer's formula was found to be 21.8nm and the size decreases on increasing the dopant concentration. The optical properties were analyzed by PL and dielectric ones by using LCR meter.

Monodispersed bimetallic PdAg nanoparticles with twinned structures: Formation and enhancement for the methanol oxidation

PubMed Central

Yin, Zhen; Zhang, Yining; Chen, Kai; Li, Jing; Li, Wenjing; Tang, Pei; Zhao, Huabo; Zhu, Qingjun; Bao, Xinhe; Ma, Ding

2014-01-01

Monodispersed bimetallic PdAg nanoparticles can be fabricated through the emulsion-assisted ethylene glycol (EG) ternary system. Different compositions of bimetallic PdAg nanoparticles, Pd80Ag20, Pd65Ag35 and Pd46Ag54 can be obtained via adjusting the reaction parameters. For the formation process of the bimetallic PdAg nanoparticles, there have two-stage growth processes: firstly, nucleation and growth of the primary nanoclusters; secondly, formation of the secondary nanoparticles with the size-selection and relax process via the coalescence or aggregation of the primary nanoclusters. The as-prepared PdAg can be supported on the carbon black without any post-treatment, which exhibited high electro-oxidation activity towards methanol oxidation under alkaline media. More importantly, carbon-supported Pd80Ag20 nanoparticles reveal distinctly superior activities for the methanol oxidation, even if compared with commercial Pt/C electro-catalyst. It is concluded that the enhanced activity is dependant on the unique twinning structure with heterogeneous phase due to the dominating coalescence growth in EG ternary system. PMID:24608736

Protein-functionalized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: time efficient potential-water treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okoli, Chuka; Boutonnet, Magali; Järås, Sven; Rajarao-Kuttuva, Gunaratna

2012-10-01

Recent advances in nanoscience suggest that the existing issues involving water quality could be resolved or greatly improved using nanomaterials, especially magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Magnetic nanoparticles have been synthesized for the development and use, in association with natural coagulant protein for water treatment. The nanoparticles size, morphology, structure, and magnetic properties were characterized by transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry. Purified Moringa oleifera protein was attached onto microemulsions-prepared magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ME-MION) to form stable protein-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (PMO+ME-MION). The turbidity removal efficiency in both synthetic and surface water samples were investigated and compared with the commonly used synthetic coagulant (alum) as well as PMO. More than 90 % turbidity could be removed from the surface waters within 12 min by magnetic separation of PMO+ME-MION; whereas gravimetrically, 70 % removal in high and low turbid waters can be achieved within 60 min. In contrast, alum requires 180 min to reduce the turbidity of low turbid water sample. These data support the advantage of separation with external magnetic field (magnetophoresis) over gravitational force. Time kinetics studies show a significant enhancement in ME-MION efficiency after binding with PMO implying the availability of large surface of the ME-MION. The coagulated particles (impurities) can be removed from PMO+ME-MION by washing with mild detergent or cleaning solution. To our knowledge, this is the first report on surface water turbidity removal using protein-functionalized magnetic nanoparticle.

Modeling and sensitivity analysis on the transport of aluminum oxide nanoparticles in saturated sand: effects of ionic strength, flow rate, and nanoparticle concentration.

PubMed

Rahman, Tanzina; Millwater, Harry; Shipley, Heather J

2014-11-15

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles have been widely used in various consumer products and there are growing concerns regarding their exposure in the environment. This study deals with the modeling, sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification of one-dimensional transport of nano-sized (~82 nm) aluminum oxide particles in saturated sand. The transport of aluminum oxide nanoparticles was modeled using a two-kinetic-site model with a blocking function. The modeling was done at different ionic strengths, flow rates, and nanoparticle concentrations. The two sites representing fast and slow attachments along with a blocking term yielded good agreement with the experimental results from the column studies of aluminum oxide nanoparticles. The same model was used to simulate breakthrough curves under different conditions using experimental data and calculated 95% confidence bounds of the generated breakthroughs. The sensitivity analysis results showed that slow attachment was the most sensitive parameter for high influent concentrations (e.g. 150 mg/L Al2O3) and the maximum solid phase retention capacity (related to blocking function) was the most sensitive parameter for low concentrations (e.g. 50 mg/L Al2O3). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Destructive Clustering of Metal Nanoparticles in Chalcogenide and Oxide Glassy Matrices.

PubMed

Shpotyuk, M V; Shpotyuk, O I; Cebulski, J; Kozyukhin, S

2016-12-01

The energetic χ-criterion is developed to parameterize difference in the origin of high-order optical non-linearity associated with metallic atoms (Cu, Ag, Au) embedded destructively in oxide- and chalcogenide glasses. Within this approach, it is unambiguously proved that covalent-bonded networks of soft semiconductor chalcogenides exemplified by binary As(Ge)-S(Se) glasses differ essentially from those typical for hard dielectric oxides like vitreous silica by impossibility to accommodate pure agglomerates of metallic nanoparticles. In an excellence according to known experimental data, it is suggested that destructive clustering of nanoparticles is possible in Cu-, Ag-, and Au-ion-implanted dielectric oxide glass media, possessing a strongly negative χ-criterion. Some recent speculations trying to ascribe equally this ability to soft chalcogenide glasses despite an obvious difference in the corresponding bond dissociation energies have been disclosed and criticized as inconclusive.

Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion of zinc oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Baek, Miri; Chung, Hae-Eun; Yu, Jin; Lee, Jung-A; Kim, Tae-Hyun; Oh, Jae-Min; Lee, Won-Jae; Paek, Seung-Min; Lee, Jong Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Choy, Jin-Ho; Choi, Soo-Jin

2012-01-01

Background This study explored the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion profile of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with respect to their particle size in rats. Methods Two ZnO nanoparticles of different size (20 nm and 70 nm) were orally administered to male and female rats, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve, tissue distribution, excretion, and the fate of the nanoparticles in organs were analyzed. Results The plasma zinc concentration of both sizes of ZnO nanoparticles increased during the 24 hours after administration in a dose-dependent manner. They were mainly distributed to organs such as the liver, lung, and kidney within 72 hours without any significant difference being found according to particle size or rat gender. Elimination kinetics showed that a small amount of ZnO nanoparticles was excreted via the urine, while most of nanoparticles were excreted via the feces. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy studies in the tissues showed no noticeable ZnO nanoparticles, while new Zn-S bonds were observed in tissues. Conclusion ZnO nanoparticles of different size were not easily absorbed into the bloodstream via the gastrointestinal tract after a single oral dose. The liver, lung, and kidney could be possible target organs for accumulation and toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles was independent of particle size or gender. ZnO nanoparticles appear to be absorbed in the organs in an ionic form rather than in a particulate form due to newly formed Zn-S bonds. The nanoparticles were mainly excreted via the feces, and smaller particles were cleared more rapidly than the larger ones. ZnO nanoparticles at a concentration below 300 mg/kg were distributed in tissues and excreted within 24 hours. These findings provide crucial information on possible acute and chronic toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in potential target organs. PMID:22811602

Impact of thermal oxidation on chemical composition and magnetic properties of iron nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krajewski, Marcin; Brzozka, Katarzyna; Tokarczyk, Mateusz; Kowalski, Grzegorz; Lewinska, Sabina; Slawska-Waniewska, Anna; Lin, Wei Syuan; Lin, Hong Ming

2018-07-01

The main objective of this work is to study the influence of thermal oxidation on the chemical composition and magnetic properties of iron nanoparticles which were manufactured in a simple chemical reduction of Fe3+ ions coming from iron salt with sodium borohydride. The annealing processing was performed in an argon atmosphere containing the traces of oxygen to avoid spontaneous oxidation of iron at temperatures ranging from 200 °C to 800 °C. The chemical composition and magnetic properties of as-prepared and thermally-treated nanoparticles were determined by means of X-ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. Due to the magnetic interactions, the investigated iron nanoparticles tended to create the dense aggregates which were difficult to split even at low temperatures. This caused that there was no empty space between them, which led to their partial sintering at elevated temperatures. These features hindered their precise morphological observations using the electron microscopy techniques. The obtained results show that the annealing process up to 800 °C resulted in a progressive change in the chemical composition of as-prepared iron nanoparticles which was associated with their oxidation. As a consequence, their magnetic properties also depended on the annealing temperature. For instance, considering the values of saturation magnetization, its highest value was recorded for the as-prepared nanoparticles at 1 T and it equals 149 emu/g, while the saturation point for nanoparticles treated at 600 °C and higher temperatures was not reached even at the magnetic field of about 5 T. Moreover, a significant enhancement of coercivity was observed for the iron nanoparticles annealed over 600 °C.

Characterization, sorption, and exhaustion of metal oxide nanoparticles as metal adsorbents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engates, Karen Elizabeth

Safe drinking water is paramount to human survival. Current treatments do not adequately remove all metals from solution, are expensive, and use many resources. Metal oxide nanoparticles are ideal sorbents for metals due to their smaller size and increased surface area in comparison to bulk media. With increasing demand for fresh drinking water and recent environmental catastrophes to show how fragile water supplies are, new approaches to water conservation incorporating new technologies like metal oxide nanoparticles should be considered as an alternative method for metal contaminant adsorbents from typical treatment methods. This research evaluated the potential of manufactured iron, anatase, and aluminum nanoparticles (Al2O3, TiO2, Fe2O3) to remove metal contaminants (Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni, Zn) in lab-controlled and natural waters in comparison to their bulk counterparts by focusing on pH, contaminant and adsorbent concentrations, particle size, and exhaustive capabilities. Microscopy techniques (SEM, BET, EDX) were used to characterize the adsorbents. Adsorption experiments were performed using 0.01, 0.1, or 0.5 g/L nanoparticles in pH 8 solution. When results were normalized by mass, nanoparticles adsorbed more than bulk particles but when surface area normalized the opposite was observed. Adsorption was pH-dependent and increased with time and solid concentration. Aluminum oxide was found to be the least acceptable adsorbent for the metals tested, while titanium dioxide anatase (TiO2) and hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) showed great ability to remove individual and multiple metals from pH 8 and natural waters. Intraparticle diffusion was likely part of the complex kinetic process for all metals using Fe2O3 but not TiO 2 nanoparticles within the first hour of adsorption. Adsorption kinetics for all metals tested were described by a modified first order rate equation used to consider the diminishing equilibrium metal concentrations with increasing metal oxides, showing faster

Synthesis of gold nanoparticles with graphene oxide.

PubMed

Wang, Wenshuo; He, Dawei; Zhang, Xiqing; Duan, Jiahua; Wu, Hongpeng; Xu, Haiteng; Wang, Yongsheng

2014-05-01

Single sheets of functionalized graphene oxide are derived through chemical exfoliation of natural flake graphite. We present an effective synthetic method of graphene-gold nanoparticles hybrid nanocomposites. AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) was used to measure the thickness of the individual GO nanosheet. FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopy was used to verify the attachment of oxygen functionalities on the surface of graphene oxide. TEM (Transmission Electron Microscope) data revealed the average diameters of the gold colloids and characterized the composite particles situation. Absorption spectroscopy showed that before and after synthesis the gold particle size did not change. Our studies indicate that the hybrid is potential substrates for catalysts and biosensors.

Engineering of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Application in Electrochemical Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Lidia Sofia Leitao

The growing demand for materials and devices with new functionalities led to the increased interest in the field of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies. Nanoparticles, not only present a reduced size as well as high reactivity, which allows the development of electronic and electrochemical devices with exclusive properties, when compared with thin films. This dissertation aims to explore the development of several nanostructured metal oxides by solvothermal synthesis and its application in different electrochemical devices. Within this broad theme, this study has a specific number of objectives: a) research of the influence of the synthesis parameters to the structure and morphology of the nanoparticles; b) improvement of the performance of the electrochromic devices with the application of the nanoparticles as electrode; c) application of the nanoparticles as probes to sensing devices; and d) production of solution-pro-cessed transistors with a nanostructured metal oxide semiconductor. Regarding the results, several conclusions can be exposed. Solvothermal synthesis shows to be a very versatile method to control the growth and morphology of the nanoparticles. The electrochromic device performance is influenced by the different structures and morphologies of WO3 nanoparticles, mainly due to the surface area and conductivity of the materials. The deposition of the electrochromic layer by inkjet printing allows the patterning of the electrodes without wasting material and without any additional steps. Nanostructured WO3 probes were produced by electrodeposition and drop casting and applied as pH sensor and biosensor, respectively. The good performance and sensitivity of the devices is explained by the high number of electrochemical reactions occurring at the surface of the na-noparticles. GIZO nanoparticles were deposited by spin coating and used in electrolyte-gated transistors, which promotes a good interface between the semiconductor and the dielectric. The

Effects of Nanoparticle Size on Cellular Uptake and Liver MRI with PVP-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Huang, Jing; Bu, Lihong; Xie, Jin; Chen, Kai; Cheng, Zhen; Li, Xingguo; Chen, Xiaoyuan

2010-01-01

The effect of nanoparticle size (30–120 nm) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of hepatic lesions in vivo has been systematically examined using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (PVP-IOs). Such biocompatible PVP-IOs with different sizes were synthesized by a simple one-pot pyrolysis method. These PVP-IOs exhibited good crystallinity and high T2 relaxivities, and the relaxivity increased with the size of the magnetic nanoparticles. It was found that cellular uptake changed with both size and surface physiochemical properties, and that PVP-IO-37 with a core size of 37 nm and hydrodynamic particle size of 100 nm exhibited higher cellular uptake rate and greater distribution than other PVP-IOs and Feridex. We systematically investigated the effect of nanoparticle size on MRI of normal liver and hepatic lesions in vivo. The physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles influenced their pharmacokinetic behavior, which ultimately determined their ability to accumulate in the liver. The contrast enhancement of PVP-IOs within the liver was highly dependent on the overall size of the nanoparticles, and the 100 nm PVP-IO-37 nanoparticles exhibited the greatest enhancement. These results will have implications in designing engineered nanoparticles that are optimized as MR contrast agents or for use in therapeutics. PMID:21043459

Au nanoparticle monolayers covered with sol-gel oxide thin films: optical and morphological study.

PubMed

Della Gaspera, Enrico; Karg, Matthias; Baldauf, Julia; Jasieniak, Jacek; Maggioni, Gianluigi; Martucci, Alessandro

2011-11-15

In this work, we provide a detailed study of the influence of thermal annealing on submonolayer Au nanoparticle deposited on functionalized surfaces as standalone films and those that are coated with sol-gel NiO and TiO(2) thin films. The systems are characterized through the use of UV-vis absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The surface plasmon resonance peak of the Au nanoparticles was found to red-shift and increase in intensity with increasing surface coverage, an observation that is directly correlated to the complex refractive index properties of Au nanoparticle layers. The standalone Au nanoparticles sinter at 200 °C, and a relationship between the optical properties and the annealing temperature is presented. When overcoated with sol-gel metal oxide films (NiO, TiO(2)), the optical properties of the Au nanoparticles are strongly affected by the metal oxide, resulting in an intense red shift and broadening of the plasmon band; moreover, the temperature-driven sintering is strongly limited by the metal oxide layer. Optical sensing tests for ethanol vapor are presented as one possible application, showing reversible sensing dynamics and confirming the effect of Au nanoparticles in increasing the sensitivity and in providing a wavelength dependent response, thus confirming the potential use of such materials as optical probes.

Preliminary study of injury from heating systemically delivered, nontargeted dextran–superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in mice

PubMed Central

Kut, Carmen; Zhang, Yonggang; Hedayati, Mohammad; Zhou, Haoming; Cornejo, Christine; Bordelon, David; Mihalic, Jana; Wabler, Michele; Burghardt, Elizabeth; Gruettner, Cordula; Geyh, Alison; Brayton, Cory; Deweese, Theodore L; Ivkov, Robert

2013-01-01

Aim To assess the potential for injury to normal tissues in mice due to heating systemically delivered magnetic nanoparticles in an alternating magnetic field (AMF). Materials & methods Twenty three male nude mice received intravenous injections of dextran–superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on days 1–3. On day 6, they were exposed to AMF. On day 7, blood, liver and spleen were harvested and analyzed. Results Iron deposits were detected in the liver and spleen. Mice that had received a high-particle dose and a high AMF experienced increased mortality, elevated liver enzymes and significant liver and spleen necrosis. Mice treated with low-dose superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and a low AMF survived, but had elevated enzyme levels and local necrosis in the spleen. Conclusion Magnetic nanoparticles producing only modest heat output can cause damage, and even death, when sequestered in sufficient concentrations. Dextran–superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are deposited in the liver and spleen, making these the sites of potential toxicity. PMID:22830502

Improving the oxidation resistance and stability of Ag nanoparticles by coating with multilayered reduced graphene oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yahui; Zhang, Huayu; Wu, Bowen; Guo, Zhuo

2017-12-01

A kind of coating nanostructure, Ag nanoparticles coated with multilayered reduced graphene oxide (RGO), is fabricated by employing a three-step reduction method in an orderly manner, which is significantly different from the conventional structures that are simply depositing or doping with Ag nanoparticles on RGO via chemical reduction. The as-prepared nanostructure is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electronic diffraction (SEAD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the obtained Ag/RGO nanostructure is observed to be a perfect coating structure with well dispersed Ag particles, which is responsible for the remarkable oxidation resistance. The results of XPS spectra indicate the content of metallic Ag is far greater than that of Ag oxides despite of prolonged exposure to the air, which fully demonstrate the excellent stability of thus coating nanostructure.

A perspective on the hemolytic activity of chemical and green-synthesized silver and silver oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashokraja, C.; Sakar, M.; Balakumar, S.

2017-10-01

We report the hemolysis properties of silver and silver oxide nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by chemical and green-synthesis methods. The prepared silver and silver oxide NPs were analyzed using UV-vis spectroscopy to confirm their formation by characterizing their surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and absorption band peaks respectively. The Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) spectra of the materials showed the characteristic functional groups corresponding to the molecules present in leaf extracts, which is proposed to be acted as reducing and capping agents that are also found on the surface of silver and silver oxide nanoparticles that synthesized via green-synthesis method. Zeta potential analysis revealed the surface charge and stability of the prepared NPs. HRTEM images showed almost spherical shape nanoparticles with an average size of 15.2 and 31.5 nm for wet chemical synthesized silver and silver oxide nanoparticles respectively. In the case of green synthesized silver and silver oxide nanoparticles, it was observed to be 19.4 and 30.4 nm respectively. The order of hemolysis efficacy of the materials is found to be as follows: chemically synthesized Ag2O>  chemically synthesized Ag NPs followed by green-synthesized Ag2O and green-synthesized Ag NPs which showed almost similar hemolysis with respect to concentration. The relatively stable nature of the silver NPs could be attributed to their lower hemolysis efficacy, while the increased lysis properties of silver oxide could be attributed due to reductive/oxidative processes that give rise to the hemolysis through interfacial charge interactions with RBCs.

Antibacterial activity of trimetal (CuZnFe) oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Alzahrani, Khalid E; Niazy, Abdurahman A; Alswieleh, Abdullah M; Wahab, Rizwan; El-Toni, Ahmed M; Alghamdi, Hamdan S

2018-01-01

The increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics is a challenging worldwide health problem that has led to the search for new and more efficient antibacterial agents. Nanotechnology has proven to be an effective tool for the fight against bacteria. In this paper, we present the synthesis and traits of trimetal (CuZnFe) oxide nanoparticles (NPs) using X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. We evaluated the antibacterial activity of these NPs against gram-negative Escherichia coli and gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis and then compared it to that of their pure single-metal oxide components CuO and ZnO. Our study showed that the antibacterial activity of the trimetal oxide NPs was greater against E . coli than against E . faecalis . Overall, the antimicrobial effect of trimetal NPs is between those of pure ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which may mean that their cytotoxicity is also between that of pure ZnO and CuO NPs, making them potential antibiotics. However, the cytotoxicity of trimetal NPs to mammalian cells needs to be verified. The combination of three metal oxide NPs (ZnO, CuO, and Fe 2 O 3 ) in one multimetal (CuZnFe) oxide NPs will enhance the therapeutic strategy against a wide range of microbial infections. Bacteria are unlikely to develop resistance against this new NP because bacteria must go through a series of mutations to become resistant to the trimetal oxide NP. Therefore, this NP can combat existing and emerging bacterial infections.

Toxicological Assessment of CoO and La2O3 Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Human Small Airway Epithelial Cells

PubMed Central

Pirela, Sandra V.; Shaffer, Justine; Mihalchik, Amy L.; Chisholm, William P.; Andrew, Michael E.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Castranova, Vincent; Demokritou, Philip; Qian, Yong

2016-01-01

Cobalt monoxide (CoO) and lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanoparticles are 2 metal oxide nanoparticles with different redox potentials according to their semiconductor properties. By utilizing these two nanoparticles, this study sought to determine how metal oxide nanoparticle’s mode of toxicological action is related to their physio-chemical properties in human small airway epithelial cells (SAEC). We investigated cellular toxicity, production of superoxide radicals and alterations in gene expression related to oxidative stress, and cellular death at 6 and 24 h following exposure to CoO and La2O3 (administered doses: 0, 5, 25, and 50 µg/ml) nanoparticles. CoO nanoparticles induced gene expression related to oxidative stress at 6 h. After characterizing the nanoparticles, transmission electron microscope analysis showed SAEC engulfed CoO and La2O3 nanoparticles. CoO nanoparticles were toxic after 6 and 24 h of exposure to 25.0 and 50.0 µg/ml administered doses, whereas, La2O3 nanoparticles were toxic only after 24 h using the same administered doses. Based upon the Volumetric Centrifugation Method in vivo Sedimentation, Diffusion, and Dosimetry, the dose of CoO and La2O3 nanoparticles delivered at 6 and 24 h were determined to be: CoO: 1.25, 6.25, and 12.5 µg/ml; La2O3: 5, 25, and 50 µg/ml and CoO: 4, 20, and 40 µg/ml; and La2O3: 5, 25, 50 µg/ml, respectively. CoO nanoparticles produced more superoxide radicals and caused greater stimulation of total tyrosine and threonine phosphorylation at both 6 and 24 h when compared with La2O3 nanoparticles. Taken together, these data provide evidence that different toxicological modes of action were involved in CoO and La2O3 metal oxide nanoparticle-induced cellular toxicity. PMID:26769336

Shifts in oxidation states of cerium oxide nanoparticles detected inside intact hydrated cells and organelles

PubMed Central

Szymanski, Craig J.; Munusamy, Prabhakaran; Mihai, Cosmin; Xie, Yumei; Hu, Dehong; Gilles, Mary K.; Tyliszczak, Tolek; Thevuthasan, Suntharampillai; Baer, Donald R.; Orr, Galya

2015-01-01

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) have been shown to induce diverse biological effects, ranging from toxic to beneficial. The beneficial effects have been attributed to the potential antioxidant activity of CNPs via certain redox reactions, depending on their oxidation state or Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio. However, this ratio is strongly dependent on the environment and age of the nanoparticles and it is unclear whether and how the complex intracellular environment impacts this ratio and the possible redox reactions of CNPs. To identify any changes in the oxidation state of CNPs in the intracellular environment and better understand their intracellular reactions, we directly quantified the oxidation states of CNPs outside and inside intact hydrated cells and organelles using correlated scanning transmission x-ray and super resolution fluorescence microscopies. By analyzing hundreds of small CNP aggregates, we detected a shift to a higher Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio in CNPs inside versus outside the cells, indicating a net reduction of CNPs in the intracellular environment. We further found a similar ratio in the cytoplasm and in the lysosomes, indicating that the net reduction occurs earlier in the internalization pathway. Together with oxidative stress and toxicity measurements, our observations identify a net reduction of CNPs in the intracellular environment, which is consistent with their involvement in potentially beneficial oxidation reactions, but also point to interactions that can negatively impact the health of cells. PMID:26056725

Shifts in oxidation states of cerium oxide nanoparticles detected inside intact hydrated cells and organelles

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

Szymanski, Craig J.; Munusamy, Prabhakaran; Mihai, Cosmin

2015-09-01

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) have been shown to induce diverse biological effects, ranging from toxic to beneficial. The beneficial effects have been attributed to the potential antioxidant activity of CNPs via certain redox reactions, depending on their oxidation state or Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio. However, this ratio is strongly dependent on the environment and age of the nanoparticles and it is unclear whether and how the complex intracellular environment impacts this ratio and the possible redox reactions of CNPs. To identify any changes in the oxidation state of CNPs in the intracellular environment and better understand their intracellular reactions, we directly quantifiedmore » the oxidation states of CNPs outside and inside intact hydrated cells and organelles using correlated scanning transmission x-ray and super resolution fluorescence microscopies. By analyzing hundreds of small CNP aggregates, we detected a shift to a higher Ce3+/Ce4+ ratio in CNPs inside versus outside the cells, indicating a net reduction of CNPs in the intracellular environment. We further found a similar ratio in the cytoplasm and in the lysosomes, indicating that the net reduction occurs earlier in the internalization pathway. Together with oxidative stress and toxicity measurements, our observations identify a net reduction of CNPs in the intracellular environment, which is consistent with their involvement in potentially beneficial oxidation reactions, but also point to interactions that can negatively impact the health of cells.« less

Development of Coatings for Tantalum Alloy Nozzle Vanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stetson, A. R.; Wimber, R. T.

1967-01-01

A group of silicide coatings developed for the T222 tantalum-base alloy have afforded over 600 hours of protection at 1600 and 2400 F during cyclic exposure in air. These coatings were applied in two steps. A modifier alloy was applied by slurry techniques and was sintered in vacuum prior to siliciding by pack cementation in argon. Application of the modifier alloy by pack cementation was found to be much less effective. The addition of titanium and vanadium to molybdenum and tungsten yielded beneficial modifier alloys, whereas the addition of chromium showed no improvement. After siliciding, the 15Ti- 35W-15V-35Mo modifier alloy exhibited the best performance; one sample survived 1064 hours of oxidation at 2400 F. This same coating was the only coating to reproducibly provide 600 hours of protection at both 1600 and 2400 F; in the second and third of three experiments, involving oxidation of three to five specimens at each temperature in each experiment, no failures were observed in 600 hours of testing. The slurry coatings were also shown to protect the Cb752 and D43 columbium-base alloys.

Indium-oxide nanoparticles for RRAM devices compatible with CMOS back-end-off-line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

León Pérez, Edgar A. A.; Guenery, Pierre-Vincent; Abouzaid, Oumaïma; Ayadi, Khaled; Brottet, Solène; Moeyaert, Jérémy; Labau, Sébastien; Baron, Thierry; Blanchard, Nicholas; Baboux, Nicolas; Militaru, Liviu; Souifi, Abdelkader

2018-05-01

We report on the fabrication and characterization of Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) devices based on nanoparticles in MIM structures. Our approach is based on the use of indium oxide (In2O3) nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric matrix using CMOS-full-compatible fabrication processes in view of back-end-off-line integration for non-volatile memory (NVM) applications. A bipolar switching behavior has been observed using current-voltage measurements (I-V) for all devices. Very high ION/IOFF ratios have been obtained up to 108. Our results provide insights for further integration of In2O3 nanoparticles-based devices for NVM applications. He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Institute of Nanotechnologies of Lyon (INL), INSA de Lyon, France, in the Electronics Department. His current research include indium oxide nanoparticles for non-volatile memory applications, and the integrations of these devices in CMOS BEOL.

Doxorubicin loaded iron oxide nanoparticles overcome multidrug resistance in cancer in vitro

PubMed Central

Kievit, Forrest M.; Wang, Freddy Y.; Fang, Chen; Mok, Hyejung; Wang, Kui; Silber, John R.; Ellenbogen, Richard G.; Zhang, Miqin

2011-01-01

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is characterized by the overexpression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters that actively pump a broad class of hydrophobic chemotherapeutic drugs out of cancer cells. MDR is a major mechanism of treatment resistance in a variety of human tumors, and clinically applicable strategies to circumvent MDR remain to be characterized. Here we describe the fabrication and characterization of a drug-loaded iron oxide nanoparticle designed to circumvent MDR. Doxorubicin (DOX), an anthracycline antibiotic commonly used in cancer chemotherapy and substrate for ABC-mediated drug efflux, was covalently bound to polyethylenimine via a pH sensitive hydrazone linkage and conjugated to an iron oxide nanoparticle coated with amine terminated polyethylene glycol. Drug loading, physiochemical properties and pH lability of the DOX-hydrazone linkage were evaluated in vitro. Nanoparticle uptake, retention, and dose-dependent effects on viability were compared in wild-type and DOX-resistant ABC transporter over-expressing rat glioma C6 cells. We found that DOX release from nanoparticles was greatest at acidic pH, indicative of cleavage of the hydrazone linkage. DOX-conjugated nanoparticles were readily taken up by wild-type and drug-resistant cells. In contrast to free drug, DOX-conjugated nanoparticles persisted in drug-resistant cells, indicating that they were not subject to drug efflux. Greater retention of DOX-conjugated nanoparticles was accompanied by reduction of viability relative to cells treated with free drug. Our results suggest that DOX-conjugated nanoparticles could improve the efficacy of chemotherapy by circumventing MDR. PMID:21277920

Generation and oxidation of aerosol deposited PdAg nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blomberg, S.; Gustafson, J.; Martin, N. M.; Messing, M. E.; Deppert, K.; Liu, Z.; Chang, R.; Fernandes, V. R.; Borg, A.; Grönbeck, H.; Lundgren, E.

2013-10-01

PdAg nanoparticles with a diameter of 10 nm have been generated by an aerosol particle method, and supported on a silica substrate. By using a combination of X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy it is shown that the size distribution of the particles is narrow and that the two metals form an alloy with a mixture of 75% Pd and 25% Ag. Under oxidizing conditions, Pd is found to segregate to the surface and a thin PdO like oxide is formed similar to the surface oxide previously reported on extended PdAg and pure Pd surfaces.

The Tri-lab Tantalum Strength Consortium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flicker, Dawn G.; Arsenlis, Thomas A.; Austin, Ryan; Barton, Nathan R.; Benage, John F.; Bronkhorst, Curt A.; Brown, Justin L.; Brown, Staci L.; Buttler, William T.; Shen, Shuh-Rong; Dattelbaum, Dana M.; Fensin, Sayu J.; Gray, George T., III; Lane, J. Matthew D.; Lim, Hojun; Luscher, D. J.; Mattsson, Thomas R.; McNabb, Dennis P.; Remington, Bruce A.; Park, Hye-Sook; Prisbrey, Shon T.; Prime, Michael B.; Scharff, Robert J.; Schraad, Mark W.; Sun, Amy C.

2017-06-01

A Tri-lab consortium of experimentalists and theorists at SNL, LLNL, and LANL is joining forces to better understand tantalum strength across an unprecedented range of loading conditions. The team is collecting and comparing tantalum strength data from Hopkinson bar, Taylor cylinder, guns, Z, Omega and the NIF. These experiments, all using Ta from a single lot, span pressures from tenths to hundreds of GPa and strain rates from 103 to 107. New experiments are underway to provide more overlap between the platforms. The experiments are being simulated with a variety of models in order to determine which processes are important under which conditions. The presentation will show results to date. Sandia is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Department of Energy under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Simultaneous determination of tantalum and hafnium in silicates by neutron activation analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenland, L.P.

1968-01-01

A neutron activation procedure suitable for the routine determination of tantalum and hafnium in silicates is described. The irradiated sample is fused with sodium peroxide and leached, and the insoluble hydroxides are dissolved in dilute hydrofluoric acid-hydrochloric acid. After LaF3 and AgCl scavenges, tantalum and hafnium are separated by anion exchange. Tantalum is obtained radiochemically pure; 233Pa and 95Zr contaminants in the hafnium fraction are resolved by ??-ray spectrometry. The chemical yield of the procedure is detemined after counting by re-irradiation. Values for the 8 U.S. Geological Survey standard rocks are reported. ?? 1968.

Cytotoxic and genotoxic characterization of aluminum and silicon oxide nanoparticles in macrophages.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Masanori; Imazato, Satoshi

2015-05-01

Although aluminum oxide and silicon oxide nanoparticles are currently available as dental materials, there is a lack of basic information concerning their biocompatibility. This study evaluates the biological responses of cultured macrophages (RAW264) to aluminum oxide (Al2O3NPs) and silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) by analyzing cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The nanoparticles are amorphous and spherical, with diameters of 13 nm for the Al2O3NPs and 12 nm for the SiO2NPs. The cultured RAW264 are exposed to the nanoparticles (NPs) and examined for cytotoxicity using the WST-8 cell viability and Hoechst/PI apoptosis assay, for genotoxicity by micronucleus analysis, for changes in nuclear shape (deformed nuclei) and for comet assay using confocal microscopy, and micromorphological analysis is done using scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Nuclei and DNA damage because of exposure to both types of NPs is observed by inmunostaining genotoxicity testing. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity are well correlated in this study. Numerous NPs are observed as large aggregates in vesicles, but less or nonexistent NP internalization is seen in the nucleus or cytoplasm. These morphological results suggest that a primary cause of cell disruption is the chemical changes of the NPs in the low pH of vesicles (i.e., ionization of Al2O3 or SiO2) for both types of oxide NPs. Although further research on the elution of NP concentrations on cell or tissue activity under simulated clinical conditions is required, NP concentrations over 200 μg/mL are large enough to induce cytotoxic and genotoxic effects to cells. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of phase-pure and monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles by thermal decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hufschmid, Ryan; Arami, Hamed; Ferguson, R. Matthew; Gonzales, Marcela; Teeman, Eric; Brush, Lucien N.; Browning, Nigel D.; Krishnan, Kannan M.

2015-06-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are used for a wide range of biomedical applications requiring precise control over their physical and magnetic properties, which are dependent on their size and crystallographic phase. Here we present a comprehensive template for the design and synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles with control over size, size distribution, phase, and resulting magnetic properties. We investigate critical parameters for synthesis of monodisperse SPIONs by organic thermal decomposition. Three different, commonly used, iron containing precursors (iron oleate, iron pentacarbonyl, and iron oxyhydroxide) are evaluated under a variety of synthetic conditions. We compare the suitability of these three kinetically controlled synthesis protocols, which have in common the use of iron oleate as a starting precursor or reaction intermediate, for producing nanoparticles with specific size and magnetic properties. Monodisperse particles were produced over a tunable range of sizes from approximately 2-30 nm. Reaction parameters such as precursor concentration, addition of surfactant, temperature, ramp rate, and time were adjusted to kinetically control size and size-distribution, phase, and magnetic properties. In particular, large quantities of excess surfactant (up to 25 : 1 molar ratio) alter reaction kinetics and result in larger particles with uniform size; however, there is often a trade-off between large particles and a narrow size distribution. Iron oxide phase, in addition to nanoparticle size and shape, is critical for establishing magnetic properties such as differential susceptibility (dm/dH) and anisotropy. As an example, we show the importance of obtaining the required size and iron oxide phase for application to Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI), and describe how phase purity can be controlled. These results provide much of the information necessary to determine which iron oxide synthesis protocol is best suited to a particular

Protection from radiation-induced pneumonitis using cerium oxide nanoparticles.

PubMed