Enhancement of efficiency by embedding ZnS and Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles in P3HT:PCBM hybrid solid state solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabeen, Uzma; Adhikari, Tham; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Nunzi, Jean-Michel; Badshah, Amin; Ahmad, Iqbal

2017-06-01

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) and Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by wet chemical method. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible, fluorescence, X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrometer, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to find particle size while chemical composition of the synthesized materials was investigated by EDAX. UV-visible absorption spectrum of Mn-doped ZnS was slightly shifted to lower wavelength with respect to the un-doped zinc sulphide with decrease in the size of nanoparticles. Consequently, the band gap was tuned from 3.04 to 3.13 eV. The photoluminescence (PL) emission positioned at 597 nm was ascribed to 4T1 → 6A1 transition within the 3d shell of Mn2+. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the synthesized nanomaterials existed in cubic crystalline state. The effect of embedding un-doped and doped ZnS nanoparticles in the active layer and changing the ratio of PCBM ([6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester) to nanoparticles on the performance of hybrid solar cell was studied. The device with active layer consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), and un-doped ZnS nanoparticles combined in the ratio of (1:0.5:0.5) attained an efficiency of 2.42% which was found 71% higher than the reference device under the same conditions but not containing nanoparticles. Replacing ZnS nanoparticles with Mn-doped ZnS had a little effect on the enhancement of efficiency. The packing behavior and morphology of blend of nanoparticles with P3HT:PCBM were examined using atomic force microscope (AFM) and XRD. Contribution to the topical issue "Materials for Energy harvesting, conversion and storage II (ICOME 2016)", edited by Jean-Michel Nunzi, Rachid Bennacer and Mohammed El Ganaoui

Synthesis and characterization of Ce, Cu co-doped ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harish, G. S.; Sreedhara Reddy, P.

2015-09-01

Ce, Cu co-doped ZnS nanoparticles were prepared at room temperature using a chemical co-precipitation method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X- ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) and high resolution Raman spectroscopic techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction studies showed that the diameter of the particles was around 2-3 nm. Broadened XRD peaks revealed the formation of nanoparticles with a face centered cubic (fcc) structure. DRS studies confirmed that the band gap increased with an increase in the dopant concentration. The Raman spectra of undoped and Ce, Cu ions co-doped ZnS nanoparticles showed longitudinal optical mode and transverse optical mode. Compared with the Raman modes (276 and 351 cm-1) of undoped ZnS nanoparticles, the Raman modes of Ce, Cu co- doped ZnS nanoparticles were slightly shifted towards lower frequency. PL spectra of the samples showed remarkable enhancement in the intensity upon doping.

Fabrication of ZnS nanoparticle chains on a protein template

PubMed Central

Hulleman, J.; Kim, S. M.; Tumkur, T.; Rochet, J.-C.; Stach, E.; Stanciu, L.

2011-01-01

In the present study, we have exploited the properties of a fibrillar protein for the template synthesis of zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticle chains. The diameter of the ZnS nanoparticle chains was tuned in range of ~30 to ~165 nm by varying the process variables. The nanoparticle chains were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, UV–Visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The effect of incubation temperature on the morphology of the nanoparticle chains was also studied. PMID:21804765

Observation of ZnS nanoparticles sputtered from ZnS films under 2 MeV Au irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiri, P. K.; Joseph, B.; Ghatak, J.; Lenka, H. P.; Sahu, G.; Acharya, B. S.; Mahapatra, D. P.

2006-07-01

ZnS nanoparticles have been observed on catcher foils due to 2 MeV Au ion irradiation of ZnS films thermally evaporated on Si(1 0 0) substrates. The structure and size distribution of nanoclusters collected were studied using transmission electron microscopy for irradiation fluences in the range of 1 × 10 11-1 × 10 15 ions cm -2. The nanoclusters were found to have a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Optical absorption measurements on similarly deposited ZnS on silica glass indicate the film to be also composed of hexagonal wurtzite ZnS. Based on this and available data we argue that the observed nanoparticles on the catcher foils are the results of shock waves induced emission of material chunks with the same atomic coordination as in the target.

Using fluorescence measurement of zinc ions liberated from ZnS nanoparticle labels in bioassay for Escherichia coli O157:H7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowles, Chad L.; Zhu, Xiaoshan; Pai, Chi-Yun

2011-10-01

In this study, an alternative approach using ZnS nanoparticle biolabels as fluorescence signal transducers is reported for the immunoassay of E. coli O157:H7 in tap water samples. Instead of measuring the fluorescence of ZnS nanoparticles in the assay, the fluorescence signal is generated through the binding of zinc ions released from nanoparticle labels with zinc-ion sensitive fluorescence indicator Fluozin-3. In the assay, ZnS nanoparticles around 50 nm in diameter were synthesized, bioconjugated, and applied for the detection of E. coli O157:H7. The assay shows a detection range over two orders of magnitude and a detection limit around 1000 colony-forming units (cfu) of E. coli O157:H7.

ZnS nanoparticles electrodeposited onto ITO electrode as a platform for fabrication of enzyme-based biosensors of glucose.

PubMed

Du, Jian; Yu, Xiuping; Wu, Ying; Di, Junwei

2013-05-01

The electrochemical and photoelectrochemical biosensors based on glucose oxidase (GOD) and ZnS nanoparticles modified indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode were investigated. The ZnS nanoparticles were electrodeposited directly on the surface of ITO electrode. The enzyme was immobilized on ZnS/ITO electrode surface by sol-gel method to fabricate glucose biosensor. GOD could electrocatalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen, which resulted in a great increase of the reduction peak current. The reduction peak current decreased linearly with the addition of glucose, which could be used for glucose detection. Moreover, ZnS nanoparticles deposited on ITO electrode surface showed good photocurrent response under illumination. A photoelectrochemical biosensor for the detection of glucose was also developed by monitoring the decreases in the cathodic peak photocurrent. The results indicated that ZnS nanoparticles deposited on ITO substrate were a good candidate material for the immobilization of enzyme in glucose biosensor construction. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural, magnetic and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures converted from ZnS nanoparticles

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

Patel, Prayas Chandra; Ghosh, Surajit; Srivastava, P.C., E-mail: pcsrivastava50@gmail.com

Graphical abstract: The phase conversion of ZnS to highly crystalline hexagonal ZnO was done by heat treatment. - Highlights: • Phase change of cubic ZnS to hexagonal ZnO via heat treatment. • Band gap was found to decrease with increasing calcinations temperature. • ZnO samples have higher magnetic moment than ZnS. • Blocking Temperature of the samples is well above room temperature. • Maximum negative%MR with saturation value ∼38% was found for sample calcined at 600° C. - Abstract: The present work concentrates on the synthesis of cubic ZnS and hexagonal ZnO semiconducting nanoparticle from same precursor via co-precipitation method.more » The phase conversion of ZnS to highly crystalline hexagonal ZnO was done by heat treatment. From the analysis of influence of calcination temperature on the structural, optical and vibrational properties of the samples, an optimum temperature was found for the total conversion of ZnS nanoparticles to ZnO. Role of quantum confinement due to finite size is evident from the blue shift of the fundamental absorption in UV–vis spectra only in the ZnS nanoparticles. The semiconducting nature of the prepared samples is confirmed from the UV–vis, PL study and transport study. From the magnetic and transport studies, pure ZnO phase was found to be more prone to magnetic field.« less

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

Shukla, Vaishali; Singh, Man

Currently, the development of micelles route is thrust area of research in nanoscience for the control particle size and remarkable properties through chemical co-precipitation method. A 0.9 mM aqueous CTAB micellar solution plays a role as capping agent in the homogeneous solution of 0.5 M ZnSO{sub 4} and 0.5 M Na{sub 2}S for synthesis, further precipitates purified with centrifugation in cold ethanol and millipore water to remove unreacted reagents and ionic salt particles. A resultant, white colored luminescent ZnS nanoparticle out with ∼95% yield is reported. The ZnS nanoparticles have been examined by their luminescence properties, optical properties and crystal structure.more » The mean particle size of ZnS nanoparticles is found to be ∼10 nm in various technical results and UV-absorption was 80 nm blue shifts moved from 345 nm (bulk material) to 265 nm, showing a quantum size impact. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern shows the immaculate cubic phase. Photoluminescence (PL) investigates the recombination mechanism with blue emission from shallow electron traps at 490 nm in ZnS nanoparticles. An FTIR spectrum and Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) gives confirmation of CTAB – cationic surfactant on surface of ZnS nanoparticle as capping agent as well thermal stability of CTAB capped ZnS nanoparticles with respect to temperature.« less

A Post-synthetic Modification of II–VI Nanoparticles to Create Tb3+ and Eu3+ Luminophores

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Prasun; Sloan, Robin F.; Shade, Chad M.; Waldeck, David H.; Petoud, Stéphane

2013-01-01

We describe a novel method for creating luminescent lanthanide-containing nanoparticles in which the lanthanide cations are sensitized by the semiconductor nanoparticle’s electronic excitation. In contrast to previous strategies, this new approach creates such materials by addition of external salt to a solution of fully formed nanoparticles. We demonstrate this post-synthetic modification for the lanthanide luminescence sensitization of two visible emitting lanthanides (Ln), Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions, through ZnS nanoparticles in which the cations were added post-synthetically as external Ln(NO3)3·xH2O salt to solutions of ZnS nanoparticles. The post-synthetically treated ZnS nanoparticle systems display Tb3+ and Eu3+ luminescence intensities that are comparable to those of doped Zn(Ln)S nanoparticles, which we reported previously (J. Phys. Chem. A, 2011, 115, 4031–4041). A comparison with the synthetically doped systems is used to contrast the spatial distribution of the lanthanide ions, bulk versus surface localized. The post-synthetic strategy described in this work is fundamentally different from the synthetic incorporation (doping) approach and offers a rapid and less synthetically demanding protocol for Tb3+:ZnS and Eu3+:ZnS luminophores, thereby facilitating their use in a broad range of applications. PMID:23997842

Photoluminescence study of Mn doped ZnS nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshpande, M. P.; Patel, Kamakshi; Gujarati, Vivek P.; Chaki, S. H.

2016-05-01

ZnS nanoparticles co-doped with different concentration (5,10,15%) of Mn were synthesized using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent under microwave irradiation. We confirmed doping of Mn in the host ZnS by EDAX whereas powder X-ray diffractogram showed the cubic zinc blende structure of all these samples. TEM images did showed agglomeration of particles and SAED pattern obtained indicated polycrystalline nature. From SAED pattern we calculated lattice parameter of the samples which have close resemblance from that obtained from XRD pattern. The band gap values of pure and doped ZnS nanoparticles were calculated from UV-Visible absorption spectra. ZnS itself is a luminescence material but when we dope it with transition metal ion such as Mn, Co, and Cu they exhibits strong and intense luminescence in the particular region. The photoluminescence spectra of pure ZnS nanoparticles showed an emission at 421 and 485nm which is blue emission which was originated from the defect sites of ZnS itself and also sulfur deficiency and when doped with Mn2+ an extra peak with high intensity was observed at 530nm which is nearly yellow-orange emission which isrelated to the presence of Mn in the host lattice.

Investigations on structural and optical properties of starch capped ZnS nanoparticles synthesized by microwave irradiation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lalithadevi, B.; Mohan Rao, K.; Ramananda, D.

2018-05-01

Following a green synthesis method, zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles were prepared by chemical co-precipitation technique using starch as capping agent. Microwave irradiation was used as heating source. X-ray diffraction studies indicated that nanopowders obtained were polycrystalline possessing ZnS simple cubic structure. Transmission electron microscopic studies indicated that starch limits the agglomeration by steric stabilization. Interaction between ZnS and starch was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as well as Raman scattering studies. Quantum size effects were observed in optical absorption studies while quenching of defect states on nanoparticles was improved with increase in starch addition as indicated by photoluminescence spectra.

Visible Light-Induced Degradation of Methylene Blue in the Presence of Photocatalytic ZnS and CdS Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Soltani, Nayereh; Saion, Elias; Hussein, Mohd Zobir; Erfani, Maryam; Abedini, Alam; Bahmanrokh, Ghazaleh; Navasery, Manizheh; Vaziri, Parisa

2012-01-01

ZnS and CdS nanoparticles were prepared by a simple microwave irradiation method under mild conditions. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, TEM and EDX. The results indicated that high purity of nanosized ZnS and CdS was successfully obtained with cubic and hexagonal crystalline structures, respectively. The band gap energies of ZnS and CdS nanoparticles were estimated using UV-visible absorption spectra to be about 4.22 and 2.64 eV, respectively. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was carried out using physical mixtures of ZnS and CdS nanoparticles under a 500-W halogen lamp of visible light irradiation. The residual concentration of methylene blue solution was monitored using UV-visible absorption spectrometry. From the study of the variation in composition of ZnS:CdS, a composition of 1:4 (by weight) was found to be very efficient for degradation of methylene blue. In this case the degradation efficiency of the photocatalyst nanoparticles after 6 h irradiation time was about 73% with a reaction rate of 3.61 × 10−3 min−1. Higher degradation efficiency and reaction rate were achieved by increasing the amount of photocatalyst and initial pH of the solution. PMID:23202896

ZnO nanorods decorated with ZnS nanoparticles

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

Joicy, S.; Sivakumar, P.; Thangadurai, P., E-mail: thangaduraip.nst@pondiuni.edu.in

In this study, ZnO nanorods (NRs) and ZnS nanoparticles decorated ZnO-NRs were prepared by a combination of hydrothermal and hydrolysis method. Structural and optical properties of the samples were studied by XRD, FE-SEM, UV-Vis DRS and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Microscopy analysis revealed that the diameter of ZnO-NRs was ∼500 nm and the length was ranging from a few hundred nm to several micrometers and their surface was decorated with ZnS nanoparticles. UV-Vis DRS showed the absorption of ZnS decorated ZnO-NRs was blue shifted with respect to pure ZnO-NRs which enhanced the separation of electron-hole pairs. PL spectrum of ZnS decorated ZnO-NRs showedmore » a decrease in intensity of UV and green emissions with the appearance of blue emission at 436 nm.« less

Synthesis, structural and optical properties of PVP coated transition metal doped ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, N. V.; Shaikh, I. A.; Rawal, K. G.; Shah, D. V.

2018-05-01

The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) of transition metal doped ZnS nanoparticles is investigated in the present study. The PVP coated ZnS nanoparticles doped with transition metals are synthesized by facile wet chemical co-precipitation method with the concentration of impurity 1%. The UV-Vis absorbance spectra have a peak at 324nm which shifts slightly to 321nm upon introduction of the impurity. The incorporation of the transition metal as dopant is confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The particle size and the morphology are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), XRD and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The average size of synthesized nanoparticles is about 2.6nm. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) of undoped and doped ZnS nanoparticles show a strong and sharp peak at 782nm and 781.6nm respectively. The intensity of the PL changes with the type of doping having maximum for manganese (Mn).

Structural, optical, and photoluminescence characterization of electron beam evaporated ZnS/CdSe nanoparticles thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, S. H.; Ali, H. M.

2011-01-01

Structural, optical, and photoluminescence investigations of ZnS capped with CdSe films prepared by electron beam evaporation are presented. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the ZnS/CdSe nanoparticles films contain cubic cadmium selenide and hexagonal zinc sulfide crystals and the ZnS grain sizes increased with increasing ZnS thickness. The refractive index was evaluated in terms of envelope method, which has been suggested by Swanepoel in the transparent region. The refractive index values were found to increase with increasing ZnS thickness. However, the optical band gap and the extinction coefficient were decreased with increasing ZnS thickness. Photoluminescence (PL) investigations revealed the presence of two broad emission bands. The ZnS thickness significantly influenced the PL intensities.

Effect of Mo and Ti doping concentration on the structural and optical properties of ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naz, Hina; Ali, Rai Nauman; Zhu, Xingqun; Xiang, Bin

2018-06-01

In this paper, we report the effect of single phase Mo and Ti doping concentration on the structural and optical properties of the ZnS nanoparticles. The structural and optical properties of the as-synthesized samples have been examined by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible near infrared absorption spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. TEM characterizations reveal a variation in the doped ZnS nanoparticle size distribution by utilizing different dopants of Mo and Ti. In absorption spectra, a clear red shift of 14 nm is observed with increasing Mo concentration as compared to pure ZnS nanoparticles, while by increasing Ti doping concentration, blue shift of 14 nm is obtained. Moreover, it demonstrates that the value of energy band gap decreases from 4.03 eV to 3.89 eV in case of Mo doping. However, the value of energy band gap have shown a remarkable increase from 4.11 eV to 4.27 eV with increasing Ti doping concentration. Our results provide a new pathway to understand the effect of Mo and Ti doping concentrations on the structural and optical properties of ZnS nanoparticles as it could be the key to tune the properties for future optoelectronic devices.

Near-Infrared-Emitting CuInS2/ZnS Dot-in-Rod Colloidal Heteronanorods by Seeded Growth

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Synthesis protocols for anisotropic CuInX2 (X = S, Se, Te)-based heteronanocrystals (HNCs) are scarce due to the difficulty in balancing the reactivities of multiple precursors and the high solid-state diffusion rates of the cations involved in the CuInX2 lattice. In this work, we report a multistep seeded growth synthesis protocol that yields colloidal wurtzite CuInS2/ZnS dot core/rod shell HNCs with photoluminescence in the NIR (∼800 nm). The wurtzite CuInS2 NCs used as seeds are obtained by topotactic partial Cu+ for In3+ cation exchange in template Cu2–xS NCs. The seed NCs are injected in a hot solution of zinc oleate and hexadecylamine in octadecene, 20 s after the injection of sulfur in octadecene. This results in heteroepitaxial growth of wurtzite ZnS primarily on the Sulfur-terminated polar facet of the CuInS2 seed NCs, the other facets being overcoated only by a thin (∼1 monolayer) shell. The fast (∼21 nm/min) asymmetric axial growth of the nanorod proceeds by addition of [ZnS] monomer units, so that the polarity of the terminal (002) facet is preserved throughout the growth. The delayed injection of the CuInS2 seed NCs is crucial to allow the concentration of [ZnS] monomers to build up, thereby maximizing the anisotropic heteroepitaxial growth rates while minimizing the rates of competing processes (etching, cation exchange, alloying). Nevertheless, a mild etching still occurred, likely prior to the onset of heteroepitaxial overgrowth, shrinking the core size from 5.5 to ∼4 nm. The insights provided by this work open up new possibilities in designing multifunctional Cu-chalcogenide based colloidal heteronanocrystals. PMID:29569443

Polymerizable-group capped ZnS nanoparticle for high refractive index inorganic-organic hydrogel contact lens.

PubMed

Zhao, Peili; Xu, Jinku; Zhang, Yongchun; Zhu, Weiyue; Cui, Yuezhi

2018-09-01

Refractive index (RI) is an important parameter for contact lens biomaterials. In this paper, a novel polymerizable-group capped ZnS nanoparticle (NP) was synthesized by chemical link between hydroxyl group on the surface of ZnS (ME-capped) and isocyanate group of polymerizable molecule of 2-isocyanatoethyl methacrylate. Then the ZnS NP copolymerized with monomer of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) to prepare high refractive index hydrogel contact lens with high content of inorganic ZnS NP. Increasing polymerizable-group capped ZnS content in the hydrogels improved its RI value and mechanical properties, however decreased slightly its transmittance, equilibrium (ESR) and lysozyme deposition on the hydrogel surface. The ZnS-containing hydrogels possessed good cytocompatibility and in vivo biocompatibility in rabbit eyes, demonstrating a potential application as high RI ocular refractive correction biomaterial. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Latex-mediated synthesis of ZnS nanoparticles: green synthesis approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudlikar, Manish; Joglekar, Shreeram; Dhaygude, Mayur; Kodam, Kisan

2012-05-01

A low-cost, green synthesis of ZnS nanoparticles is reported using 0.3 % latex solution prepared from Jatropha curcas L. ZnS nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, selected area electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis of X-rays, UV-vis optical absorption and photoluminescence techniques. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy was performed to find the role of cyclic peptides namely curcacycline A (an octapeptide), curcacycline B (a nonapeptide) and curcain (an enzyme) as a possible reducing and stabilizing agents present in the latex of J. curcas L. The average size of ZnS nanoparticles was found to be 10 nm. Latex of J. curcas L. itself acts as a source of sulphide (S-2) ions that are donated to Zn ions under present experimental conditions. Source of sulphide (S-2) ions is still unclear, but we speculate that cysteine or thiol residues present in enzyme curcain may be donating these sulphide (S-2) ions.

Synthesis of zinc sulfide nanoparticles during zinc oxidization by H2S and H2S/H2O supercritical fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vostrikov, A. A.; Fedyaeva, O. N.; Sokol, M. Ya.; Shatrova, A. V.

2014-12-01

Formation of zinc sulfide nanoparticles was detected during interaction of bulk samples with hydrogen sulfide at supercritical parameters. Synthesis proceeds with liberation of H2 by the reaction nZn + nH2S = (ZnS) n + nH2. It has been found by the X-ray diffraction method, scanning electron microscopy, and mass spectrometry that the addition of water stimulates coupled reactions of nanoparticle synthesis nZn + nH2O = (ZnO) n + nH2 and (ZnO) n + nH2S = (ZnS) n + nH2O and brings about an increase in the synthesis rate and morphological changes of (ZnS) n nanoparticles.

Photo-sensitization of ZnS nanoparticles with renowned ruthenium dyes N3, N719 and Z907 for application in solid state dye sensitized solar cells: A comparative study.

PubMed

Nosheen, Erum; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Hussain, Hazrat; Murtaza, Ghulam

2016-09-01

This article presents a comprehensive relative report on the grafting of ZnS with renowned ruthenium ((Ru) dyes i.e. N3, N719 and Z907) and gives insight into their charge transfer interaction and sensitization mechanism for boosting solar cell efficiency. Influence of dye concentration on cell performance is also reported here. ZnS nanoparticles synthesized by a simple coprecipitation method with an average particle size of 15±2nm were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Elemental dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), tunneling electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. UV-Vis, photoluminescence (PL) and Fourier transform infra-red (FT-IR) spectroscopy confirms the successful grafting of these dyes over ZnS nanoparticles surface. Low-energy metal-to-ligand charge-transfer transition (MLCT) bands of dyes are mainly affected on grafting over the nanoparticle surface. Moreover their current voltage (I-V) results confirm the efficiency enhancement in ZnS solid state dye sensitized solar cells (SSDSSCs) owing to effective sensitization of this material with Ru dyes and helps in finding the optimum dye concentration for nanoparticles sensitization. Highest rise in overall solar cell efficiency i.e. 64% of the reference device has been observed for 0.3mM N719-ZnS sample owing to increased open circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF). Experimental and proposed results were found in good agreement with each other. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient photocatalytic degradation of malachite green dye under visible irradiation by water soluble ZnS:Mn/ZnS core/shell nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaparde, Rohini A.; Acharya, Smita A.

2018-05-01

ZnS:Mn/ ZnS core/shell nanoparticles was prepared by two step synthesis method. In first step, oleic acid - coated Mn doped ZnS core nanoparticles were prepared which were charged through ligand exchange. Shell of ZnS NPs was finally deposited upon the surface of charged Mn doped ZnS core. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image exhibit morphological confirmation of ZnS:Mn/ZnS core/shell. As Nano ZnS are the most suitable candidates for photocatalyst that extensively involved in degradation and complete mineralization of various toxic organic pollutants owing to its high efficiency, strong oxidizing power, non-toxicity, high photochemical and biological stability, corrosive resistance and low cost. Photodegradation of malachite green is systematically investigated by adding different molar proportional of ZnS:Mn/ZnS core/shell in the dye. The rate of de-coloration of dye is detected by UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. Efficient detoriation in the colour of dye is attributed to the core /shell morphology of the particles.

Thermal and optical characterization of biologically synthesized ZnS nanoparticles synthesized from an endophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus: A colorimetric probe in metal detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uddandarao, Priyanka; Balakrishnan, Raj Mohan

2017-03-01

Nanostructured semiconductor materials are of great importance for several technological applications due to their optical and thermal properties. The design and fabrication of metal sulfide nanoparticles with tunable properties for advanced applications have drawn a great deal of attention in the field of nanotechnology. ZnS is a potential II-IV group material which is used in hetero-junction solar cells, light emitting diodes, optoelectronic devices, electro luminescent devices and photovoltaic cells. Due to their multiple applications, there is a need to elucidate their thermal and optical properties. In the present study, thermal and optical properties of biologically synthesized ZnS nanoparticles are determined in detail with Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Derivative Thermogravimetric Analysis (DTG), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), Photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopy. The results reveal that ZnS NPs exhibit a very strong quantum confinement with a significant increase in their optical band gap energy. These biologically synthesized ZnS NPs contain protein residues that can selectively bind with metal ions in aqueous solutions and can exhibit an aggregation-induced color change. This phenomenon is utilized to quantitatively measure the metal concentrations of Cu2 + and Mn2 + in this study. Further the stability of nanoparticles for the metal sensing process is accessed by UV-Vis spectrometer, zeta potential and cyclic voltammeter. The selectivity and sensitivity of ZnS NPs indicate its potential use as a sensor for metal detection in the ecosystem.

Optical properties and toxicity of undoped and Mn-doped ZnS semiconductor nanoparticles synthesized through the aqueous route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labiadh, Houcine; Sellami, Badreddine; Khazri, Abdelhafidh; Saidani, Wiem; Khemais, Said

2017-02-01

Undoped and Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized at 95 °C in basic aqueous solution using the nucleation-doping strategy. Various samples of the Mn:ZnS NPs with 5, 10 and 20% of Mn dopant have been prepared and characterized using X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, high resolution electron microscopy and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. When increasing the concentration of manganese Mn, the photoluminescence intensity gradually decreases. The PL spectra of the Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles at room temperature exhibit both, the 450 nm blue defect-related emission and the 592 nm orange Mn2+ emission. It is vital to obtain NPs that meet the application requirements, however their environmental toxicity needs to be investigated. In this study, the induction of oxidative stress within the digestive gland of the Ruditapes decussatus organism (clam) is described. Antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) levels have been determined in the digestive gland after exposure to 100 μg/L of ZnS, ZnS:Mn (5%), ZnS:Mn (10%) and ZnS:Mn (20%). The nanomaterials studied exhibit different responses in the digestive gland. Undoped Mn-ZnS has no effect on the markers considered, showing the limited interaction between this nanoparticle and the cells of the test organisms. In contrast, Mn-doped ZnS increases the activities of SOD and CAT and the level of MDA species, although this toxicity is highly dependent on the chemical properties of the material. These findings provide ideas for future considerations of ZnS nanoparticles, as well as information on the interaction between these materials and an aquatic environment. These data are the first evidence available of the formation of ZnS NPs using aqueous method and are an indication of the importance of knowing the biological target of the NPs when testing their potential impact on environmental model organisms.

Optical Properties of Synthesized Nanoparticles ZnS Using Methacrylic Acid as the Capping Agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazerdeylami, Somayeh; Saievar Iranizad, Esmaiel; Molaei, Mehdi

Optical analysis (UV-vis spectroscopy) of solution of ZnS nanoparticles prepared at room temperature by a chemical capping method using methacrylic acid (MAA) capping agent at concentration of 0.05, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.17 molar is investigated. The spectroscopy results indicate increasing of band gap of ZnS through increasing concentration of the methacrylic acid as capping agent in the solution. According to the relation of Effective Mass Approximation, it is concluded that the size of nanoparticles decreased with the increasing concentration of the capping agent in the tested solutions. The size of the particles is found to be in 1.77-2.05 nm range.

Mechanochemistry of Chitosan-Coated Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) Nanocrystals for Bio-imaging Applications.

PubMed

Bujňáková, Zdenka; Dutková, Erika; Kello, Martin; Mojžiš, Ján; Baláž, Matej; Baláž, Peter; Shpotyuk, Oleh

2017-12-01

The ZnS nanocrystals were prepared in chitosan solution (0.1 wt.%) using a wet ultra-fine milling. The obtained suspension was stable and reached high value of zeta potential (+57 mV). The changes in FTIR spectrum confirmed the successful surface coating of ZnS nanoparticles by chitosan. The prepared ZnS nanocrystals possessed interesting optical properties verified in vitro. Four cancer cells were selected (CaCo-2, HCT116, HeLa, and MCF-7), and after their treatment with the nanosuspension, the distribution of ZnS in the cells was studied using a fluorescence microscope. The particles were clearly seen; they passed through the cell membrane and accumulated in cytosol. The biological activity of the cells was not influenced by nanoparticles, they did not cause cell death, and only the granularity of cells was increased as a consequence of cellular uptake. These results confirm the potential of ZnS nanocrystals using in bio-imaging applications.

Mechanochemistry of Chitosan-Coated Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) Nanocrystals for Bio-imaging Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bujňáková, Zdenka; Dutková, Erika; Kello, Martin; Mojžiš, Ján; Baláž, Matej; Baláž, Peter; Shpotyuk, Oleh

2017-05-01

The ZnS nanocrystals were prepared in chitosan solution (0.1 wt.%) using a wet ultra-fine milling. The obtained suspension was stable and reached high value of zeta potential (+57 mV). The changes in FTIR spectrum confirmed the successful surface coating of ZnS nanoparticles by chitosan. The prepared ZnS nanocrystals possessed interesting optical properties verified in vitro. Four cancer cells were selected (CaCo-2, HCT116, HeLa, and MCF-7), and after their treatment with the nanosuspension, the distribution of ZnS in the cells was studied using a fluorescence microscope. The particles were clearly seen; they passed through the cell membrane and accumulated in cytosol. The biological activity of the cells was not influenced by nanoparticles, they did not cause cell death, and only the granularity of cells was increased as a consequence of cellular uptake. These results confirm the potential of ZnS nanocrystals using in bio-imaging applications.

Influence of the dopant concentration on structural, optical and photovoltaic properties of Cu-doped ZnS nanocrystals based bulk heterojunction hybrid solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabeen, Uzma; Adhikari, Tham; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Pathak, Dinesh; Wagner, Tomas; Nunzi, Jean-Michel

2017-06-01

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) and Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by the wet chemical method. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible, fluorescence, fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Scanning electron microscopy supplemented with EDAX was employed to observe the morphology and chemical composition of the un-doped and doped samples. A significant blue shift of the absorption band with respect to the un-doped zinc sulphide was sighted by increasing the Cu concentration in the doped sample with decreasing the size of nanoparticles. Consequently, the band gap was tuned from 3.13 to 3.49 eV due to quantum confinement. The green emission arises from the recombination between the shallow donor level (sulfur vacancy) and the t2 level of Cu2+. However, the fluorescence emission spectrum of the undoped ZnS nanoparticles was deconvoluted into two bands, which are centered at 419 and 468 nm. XRD analysis showed that the nanomaterials were in cubic crystalline state. XRD peaks show that there were no massive crystalline distortions in the crystal lattice when the Cu concentration (0.05-0.1 M) was increased in the ZnS lattice. However, in the case of Cu-doped samples (0.15-0.2 M), the XRD pattern showed an additional peak at 37° due to incomplete substitution occurring during the experimental reaction step. A comparative study of surfaces of undoped and Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The synthesized nanomaterial in combination with poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was used in the fabrication of solar cells. The devices with ZnS nanoparticles showed an efficiency of 0.31%. The overall power conversion efficiency of the solar cells at 0.1 M Cu content in doped ZnS nanoparticles was found to be 1.6 times higher than the reference device (P3HT:ZnS). Furthermore, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques were employed to study morphology and packing behavior of blends of nanocrystals and polymer respectively. Contribution to the topical issue "Materials for Energy harvesting, conversion and storage II (ICOME 2016)", edited by Jean-Michel Nunzi, Rachid Bennacer and Mohammed El Ganaoui

Aqueous Synthesis of PEGylated Quantum Dots with Increased Colloidal Stability and Reduced Cytotoxicity.

PubMed

Ulusoy, Mehriban; Jonczyk, Rebecca; Walter, Johanna-Gabriela; Springer, Sergej; Lavrentieva, Antonina; Stahl, Frank; Green, Mark; Scheper, Thomas

2016-02-17

Ligands used on the surface of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) have a significant impact on physiochemical properties of NPs and their interaction in biological environments. In this study, we report a one-pot aqueous synthesis of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-functionalized CdTe/CdS/ZnS quantum dots (Qdots) in the presence of thiol-terminated methoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) molecules as a surface coordinating ligand. The resulting mPEG-Qdots were characterized by using ζ potential, FTIR, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, and microscale thermophoresis (MST) studies. We investigated the effect of mPEG molecules and their grafting density on the Qdots photophysical properties, colloidal stability, protein binding affinity, and in vitro cellular toxicity. Moreover, cellular binding features of the resulting Qdots were examined by using three-dimensional (3D) tumor-like spheroids, and the results were discussed in detail. Promisingly, mPEG ligands were found to increase colloidal stability of Qdots, reduce adsorption of proteins to the Qdot surface, and mitigate Qdot-induced side effects to a great extent. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy studies revealed that PEGylated Qdots exhibited distinctive cellular interactions with respect to their mPEG grafting density. As a result, mPEG molecules demonstrated a minimal effect on the ZnS shell deposition and the Qdot fluorescence efficiency at a low mPEG density, whereas they showed pronounced effect on Qdot colloidal stability, protein binding affinity, cytotoxicity, and nonspecific binding at a higher mPEG grafting amount.

Multicolor tuning of manganese-doped ZnS colloidal nanocrystals.

PubMed

Quan, Zewei; Yang, Dongmei; Li, Chunxia; Kong, Deyan; Yang, Piaoping; Cheng, Ziyong; Lin, Jun

2009-09-01

In this paper, we report a facile route which is based on tuning doping concentration of Mn(2+) ions in ZnS nanocrystals, to achieve deliberate color modulation from blue to orange-yellow under single-wavelength excitation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), as well as photoluminescence (PL) spectra were employed to characterize the obtained samples. In this process, the relative emission intensities of both ZnS host (blue) and Mn(2+) dopant (orange-yellow) are sensitive to the Mn(2+) doping concentration, due to the energy transfer from ZnS host to Mn(2+) dopant. As a result of fine-tuning of these two emission components, white emission can be realized for Mn(2+)-doped ZnS nanocrystals. Furthermore, the as-synthesized doped nanocrystals possess extremely narrow size distribution and can be readily transferred into aqueous solution for the next potential applications.

ZnS, CdS and HgS nanoparticles via alkyl-phenyl dithiocarbamate complexes as single source precursors.

PubMed

Onwudiwe, Damian C; Ajibade, Peter A

2011-01-01

The synthesis of II-VI semiconductor nanoparticles obtained by the thermolysis of certain group 12 metal complexes as precursors is reported. Thermogravimetric analysis of the single source precursors showed sharp decomposition leading to their respective metal sulfides. The structural and optical properties of the prepared nanoparticles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the prepared ZnS nanoparticles have a cubic sphalerite structure; the CdS indicates a hexagonal phase and the HgS show the presence of metacinnabar phase. The TEM image demonstrates that the ZnS nanoparticles are dot-shaped, the CdS and the HgS clearly showed a rice and spherical morphology respectively. The UV-Vis spectra exhibited a blue-shift with respect to that of the bulk samples which is attributed to the quantum size effect. The band gap of the samples have been calculated from absorption spectra and werefound to be about 4.33 eV (286 nm), 2.91 eV (426 nm) and 4.27 eV (290 nm) for the ZnS, CdS and HgS samples respectively.

ZnS, CdS and HgS Nanoparticles via Alkyl-Phenyl Dithiocarbamate Complexes as Single Source Precursors

PubMed Central

Onwudiwe, Damian C.; Ajibade, Peter A.

2011-01-01

The synthesis of II-VI semiconductor nanoparticles obtained by the thermolysis of certain group 12 metal complexes as precursors is reported. Thermogravimetric analysis of the single source precursors showed sharp decomposition leading to their respective metal sulfides. The structural and optical properties of the prepared nanoparticles were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) UV-Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction pattern showed that the prepared ZnS nanoparticles have a cubic sphalerite structure; the CdS indicates a hexagonal phase and the HgS show the presence of metacinnabar phase. The TEM image demonstrates that the ZnS nanoparticles are dot-shaped, the CdS and the HgS clearly showed a rice and spherical morphology respectively. The UV-Vis spectra exhibited a blue-shift with respect to that of the bulk samples which is attributed to the quantum size effect. The band gap of the samples have been calculated from absorption spectra and werefound to be about 4.33 eV (286 nm), 2.91 eV (426 nm) and 4.27 eV (290 nm) for the ZnS, CdS and HgS samples respectively. PMID:22016607

Effect of temperature on storage modulus and glass transition temperature of ZnS/PS nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agarwal, Sonalika; Awasthi, Kamlendra; Saxena, N. S.

2018-05-01

In the present study, a simplified solution casting method has been used for preparation of ZnS/PS nanocomposites, based on mixing the ZnS nano filler in nanometer range with the polymer matrix. The prepared nanocomposites with different concentration (0, 2, 4, 6 & 8 wt %) are structurally characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The main objective of this study is to investigate the variation of storage modulus and glass transition temperature (Tg) within temperature range 30oC to 150oC for PS and ZnS/PS nanocomposites and have been performed through dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). The result shows that storage modulus and Tg of nanocomposites increase with the increase of ZnS nanoparticles up to 4 wt. % in PS and beyond this wt. %, both storage modulus and Tg decrease. The increasing behavior is due to the good adhesion between the ZnS nanoparticles and PS matrix which indicates that ZnS nanoparticles are capable of reinforcing the PS matrix. Beside this the decreasing behaviour at higher filler concentration (6 and 8 wt. %) is due to the agglomeratation of nanoparticles in polymer matrix.

International Conference (4th) on Nanostructured Materials Held in Stockholm, Sweden on 14-19 June 1998. Book of Abstracts

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-06-19

Coatings P2-67 Kuruvilla, B.A.; Nanda, J.; Sarma, D.D.; India Optical Properties ofPbS- CdS Coated Semiconductor Nanoparticles P2-68 Misra, S.; India...including phosphors, pigments and magnetic materials. In this study, the synthesis of ZnS, CdS and Ce2S3 nanoparticles by mechanochemical reaction has...formation of separated nanoparticles ; ZnS, CdS and Ce2S3 nanoparticles of ~7 nm, ɠ nm and -20 nm, respectively, were obtained. The average size of CdS

Bias Voltage-Dependent Impedance Spectroscopy Analysis of Hydrothermally Synthesized ZnS Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Arka; Dhar, Joydeep; Sil, Sayantan; Jana, Rajkumar; Ray, Partha Pratim

2018-04-01

In this report, bias voltage-dependent dielectric and electron transport properties of ZnS nanoparticles were discussed. ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by introducing a modified hydrothermal process. The powder XRD pattern indicates the phase purity, and field emission scanning electron microscope image demonstrates the morphology of the synthesized sample. The optical band gap energy (E g = 4.2 eV) from UV measurement explores semiconductor behavior of the synthesized material. The electrical properties were performed at room temperature using complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS) technique as a function of frequency (40 Hz-10 MHz) under different forward dc bias voltages (0-1 V). The CIS analysis demonstrates the contribution of bulk resistance in conduction mechanism and its dependency on forward dc bias voltages. The imaginary part of the impedance versus frequency curve exhibits the existence of relaxation peak which shifts with increasing dc forward bias voltages. The dc bias voltage-dependent ac and dc conductivity of the synthesized ZnS was studied on thin film structure. A possible hopping mechanism for electrical transport processes in the system was investigated. Finally, it is worth to mention that this analysis of bias voltage-dependent dielectric and transport properties of as-synthesized ZnS showed excellent properties for emerging energy applications.

Pseudo-bi-enzyme glucose sensor: ZnS hollow spheres and glucose oxidase concerted catalysis glucose.

PubMed

Shuai, Ying; Liu, Changhua; Wang, Jia; Cui, Xiaoyan; Nie, Ling

2013-06-07

This work creatively uses peroxidase-like ZnS hollow spheres (ZnS HSs) to cooperate with glucose oxidase (GOx) for glucose determinations. This approach is that the ZnS HSs electrocatalytically oxidate the enzymatically generated H2O2 to O2, and then the O2 circularly participates in the previous glucose oxidation by glucose oxidase. Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used as electron transfer and enzyme immobilization matrices, respectively. The biosensor of glucose oxidase-carbon nanotubes-Au nanoparticles-ZnS hollow spheres-gold electrode (GOx-CNT-AuNPs-ZnS HSs-GE) exhibits a rapid response, a low detection limit (10 μM), a wide linear range (20 μM to 7 mM) as well as good anti-interference, long-term longevity and reproducibility.

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

Liu, Shuling, E-mail: liusl8888@yahoo.com.cn; Li, Honglin; Yan, Lu

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • 3D urchin-like ZnS/CdS composites were synthesized via a two-step method. • The CdS nanoparticles were assembled on the thorns of 3D ZnS urchins. • The ZnS/CdS composites show excellent photocatalytic degradation activities. • The modification of CdS on ZnS is responsible for the enhanced property. - Abstract: Urchin-like ZnS/CdS semiconductor composites were successfully synthesized by combining solvothermal route with homogeneous precipitation process. The as-obtained samples were characterized by means of XRD, EDX, TEM, HR-TEM, ED and FE-SEM techniques. The results show that the as-obtained composites were comprised of the hexagonal structure ZnS and CdS, andmore » CdS nanoparticles were assembled on the surfaces of the thorns of urchin-like ZnS. In addition, the optical properties and photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared ZnS/CdS composites toward some organic dyes (such as Methyl Orange, Pyronine B, Rhodamine B and Methylene Blue) were separately investigated. It is found that the ZnS/CdS composites exhibit excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for these dyes under UV irradiation, as compared to corresponding pure ZnS urchins and commercial anatase TiO{sub 2} (P-25). This enhanced activity may be related to the modification of CdS nanoparticles on the surfaces of thorns of ZnS urchins and a tentative mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic degradation activities of the ZnS/CdS composite catalyst was proposed.« less

Hydrogel nanocomposites: a potential UV/blue light filtering material for ophthalmic lenses.

PubMed

Bozukova, Dimitriya; Pagnoulle, Christophe; De Pauw-Gillet, Marie-Claire; Vertruyen, Bénédicte; Jérôme, Robert; Jérôme, Christine

2011-01-01

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA-co-MMA)) and ZnS hydrogel nanocomposites were prepared and characterized. The chemical composition of the inorganic nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and the homogeneity of their distribution within the hydrogel was assessed by transmission electron microscopy. The influence of the content of ZnS nanoparticles on the optical performances of the nanocomposites was investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The ability of the hydrogel nanocomposites to filter the hazardous UV light and part of the blue light was reported, which makes them valuable candidates for ophthalmic lens application. In contrast to the optical properties, the thermo-mechanical properties of neat poly(HEMA-co-MMA) hydrogels were found to be largely independent of filling by ZnS nanoparticles (≤2 mg/ml co-monomer mixture). Finally, in vitro cell adhesion test with lens epithelial cells (LECs), extracted from porcine lens crystalline capsule, showed that ZnS had no deleterious effect on the biocompatibility of neat hydrogels, at least at low content. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011

Microstructure Hierarchical Model of Competitive e+-Ps Trapping in Nanostructurized Substances: from Nanoparticle-Uniform to Nanoparticle-Biased Systems.

PubMed

Shpotyuk, Oleh; Ingram, Adam; Bujňáková, Zdenka; Baláž, Peter

2017-12-01

Microstructure hierarchical model considering the free-volume elements at the level of interacting crystallites (non-spherical approximation) and the agglomerates of these crystallites (spherical approximation) was developed to describe free-volume evolution in mechanochemically milled As 4 S 4 /ZnS composites employing positron annihilation spectroscopy in a lifetime measuring mode. Positron lifetime spectra were reconstructed from unconstrained three-term decomposition procedure and further subjected to parameterization using x3-x2-coupling decomposition algorithm. Intrinsic inhomogeneities due to coarse-grained As 4 S 4 and fine-grained ZnS nanoparticles were adequately described in terms of substitution trapping in positron and positronium (Ps) (bound positron-electron) states due to interfacial triple junctions between contacting particles and own free-volume defects in boundary compounds. Compositionally dependent nanostructurization in As 4 S 4 /ZnS nanocomposite system was imagined as conversion from o-Ps trapping sites to positron traps. The calculated trapping parameters that were shown could be useful to characterize adequately the nanospace filling in As 4 S 4 /ZnS composites.

Effect of aluminum and yttrium doping on zinc sulphide nanoparticles

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

Sharma, Swati, E-mail: sharma.swati1507@gmail.com; Kashyap, Jyoti; Kapoor, A.

2016-05-06

In this work, pristine and doped Zinc Sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles have been synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method. ZnS nanoparticles have been doped with Aluminium (Al) and Yttrium (Y) with doping concentration of 5wt% each. The structural and optical properties of the as prepared nanoparticles have been studied using X-Ray diffraction (XRD) technique and Photoluminescence spectroscopy. Average grain size of 2-3nm is observed through the XRD analysis. Effect of doping on stress, strain and lattice constant of the nanoparticles has also been analyzed. Photoluminescence spectra of the as prepared nanoparticles is enhanced due to Al doping and quenched due to Ymore » doping. EDAX studies confirm the relative doping percentage to be 3.47 % and 3.94% by wt. for Al and Y doped nanoparticles respectively. Morphology of the nanoparticles studied using TEM and SEM indicates uniform distribution of spherical nanoparticles.« less

Synthesis and characterization of biopolymer protected zinc sulphide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senapati, U. S.; Sarkar, D.

2015-09-01

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) nanoparticles are prepared by a simple, economic and green synthesis route. X-ray diffraction patterns confirm zinc blend structure. ZnS formation is confirmed through chemical analysis by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays. Transmission electron microscopy reveals formation of nanosize with dimension in the range of 8-2 nm. Band gap of the nanocrystals is found to lie in the range of 4.51-4.65 eV. Photoluminescence study indicate defect like vacancies. The growth mechanism of ZnS nanoparticles is discussed with the help of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The materials show high dielectric constant compared to its bulk counterpart. The dielectric loss of the samples shows anomalous behaviour. The frequency dependent A.C. conductivity of the samples is discussed both in high and low frequency regimes. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristic performed under dark and under illumination, shows excellent light response of the material.

Visible light photocatalytic H2-production activity of wide band gap ZnS nanoparticles based on the photosensitization of graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Faze; Zheng, Maojun; Zhu, Changqing; Zhang, Bin; Chen, Wen; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

2015-08-01

Visible light photocatalytic H2 production from water splitting is considered an attractive way to solve the increasing global energy crisis in modern life. In this study, a series of zinc sulfide nanoparticles and graphene (GR) sheet composites were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method, which used zinc chloride, sodium sulfide, and graphite oxide (GO) as the starting materials. The as-prepared ZnS-GR showed highly efficient visible light photocatalytic activity in hydrogen generation. The morphology and structure of the composites obtained by transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction exhibited a small crystallite size and a good interfacial contact between the ZnS nanoparticles and the two-dimensional (2D) GR sheet, which were beneficial for the photocatalysis. When the content of the GR in the catalyst was 0.1%, the ZG0.1 sample exhibited the highest H2-production rate of 7.42 μmol h-1 g-1, eight times more than the pure ZnS sample. This high visible-light photocatalytic H2 production activity is attributed to the photosensitization of GR. Irradiated by visible light, the electrons photogenerated from GR transfer to the conduction band of ZnS to participate in the photocatalytic process. This study presents the visible-light photocatalytic activity of wide bandgap ZnS and its application in H2 evolution.

Visible light photocatalytic H2-production activity of wide band gap ZnS nanoparticles based on the photosensitization of grapheme.

PubMed

Wang, Faze; Zheng, Maojun; Zhu, Changqing; Zhang, Bin; Chen, Wen; Ma, Li; Shen, Wenzhong

2015-08-28

Visible light photocatalytic H(2) production from water splitting is considered an attractive way to solve the increasing global energy crisis in modern life. In this study, a series of zinc sulfide nanoparticles and graphene (GR) sheet composites were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method, which used zinc chloride, sodium sulfide, and graphite oxide (GO) as the starting materials. The as-prepared ZnS-GR showed highly efficient visible light photocatalytic activity in hydrogen generation. The morphology and structure of the composites obtained by transmission electron microscope and x-ray diffraction exhibited a small crystallite size and a good interfacial contact between the ZnS nanoparticles and the two-dimensional (2D) GR sheet,which were beneficial for the photocatalysis. When the content of the GR in the catalyst was 0.1%, the ZG0.1 sample exhibited the highest H(2)-production rate of 7.42 μmol h(−1) g(−1), eight times more than the pure ZnS sample. This high visible-light photocatalytic H(2) production activity is attributed to the photosensitization of GR. Irradiated by visible light, the electrons photogenerated from GR transfer to the conduction band of ZnS to participate in the photocatalytic process. This study presents the visible-light photocatalytic activity of wide bandgap ZnS and its application in H(2) evolution.

Insights into Comparative Antimicrobial Efficacies of Synthetic and Organic Agents: The Case of ZnS Nanoparticles and Zingiber officinale Rosc.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obidi, O. F.; Nejo, A. O.; Ayeni, R. A.; Revaprasadu, N.

2018-03-01

The differences among the antimicrobial activities of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs), organic agents and conventional antibiotics against human pathogens are little known. We compared the antimicrobial activities of aqueous, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Zingiber officinale rhizomes with ZnS NPs and tetracycline/nystatin using agar-diffusion techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet spectroscopy were used to characterize ZnS NPs. At 100 mg/ml, ethanol and ethyl acetate extract inhibited Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus faecium, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans with zones of inhibition (ZOI) ranging between 0-42 mm and 0-39 mm, respectively. Candida albicans had a remarkable ZOI of 42 mm and 22 mm from ethanol and ZnS NPs compared with 20 mm from conventional nystatin. TEM and FTIR revealed spherically shaped polydispersed NPs with particle size of 12.5 nm and the role of banana peel extracts in ZnS NPs synthesis. Organic and synthetic NPs proved potential alternatives to conventional antimicrobial agents.

Insights into Comparative Antimicrobial Efficacies of Synthetic and Organic Agents: The Case of ZnS Nanoparticles and Zingiber officinale Rosc.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obidi, O. F.; Nejo, A. O.; Ayeni, R. A.; Revaprasadu, N.

2018-06-01

The differences among the antimicrobial activities of synthetic nanoparticles (NPs), organic agents and conventional antibiotics against human pathogens are little known. We compared the antimicrobial activities of aqueous, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of Zingiber officinale rhizomes with ZnS NPs and tetracycline/nystatin using agar-diffusion techniques. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ultraviolet spectroscopy were used to characterize ZnS NPs. At 100 mg/ml, ethanol and ethyl acetate extract inhibited Acinetobacter baumannii, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus faecium, Shigella flexneri, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Candida albicans with zones of inhibition (ZOI) ranging between 0-42 mm and 0-39 mm, respectively. Candida albicans had a remarkable ZOI of 42 mm and 22 mm from ethanol and ZnS NPs compared with 20 mm from conventional nystatin. TEM and FTIR revealed spherically shaped polydispersed NPs with particle size of 12.5 nm and the role of banana peel extracts in ZnS NPs synthesis. Organic and synthetic NPs proved potential alternatives to conventional antimicrobial agents.

Effect of isovalent dopants on photodegradation ability of ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khaparde, Rohini; Acharya, Smita

2016-06-01

Isovalent (Mn, Cd, Cu, Co)-doped-ZnS nanoparticles having size vary in between 2 to 5 nm are synthesized by co-precipitation route. Their photocatalytic activity for decoloration of Cango Red and Malachite Green dyes is tested in visible radiation under natural conditions. Structural and morphological features of the samples are investigated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and UVsbnd Vis spectrometer. Single phase zinc blende structure of as-synthesized undoped and doped-ZnS is confirmed by XRD and revealed by Rietveld fitting. SEM and TEM images show ultrafine nanoparticles having size in the range of 2 to 5 nm. UV-Vis absorption spectra exhibit blue shift in absorption edge of undoped and doped ZnS as compared to bulk counterpart. The photocatalytic activity as a function of dopant concentration and irradiation time is systematically studied. The rate of de-coloration of dyes is detected by UVsbnd Vis absorption spectroscopy and organic dye mineralization is confirmed by table of carbon (TOC) study. The photocatalytic activity of Mn-doped ZnS is highest amongst all dopants; however Co as a dopant is found to reduce photocatalytic activity than pure ZnS.

Controlling the Photocorrosion of Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles in Water by Doping with Chloride and Cobalt Ions.

PubMed

Weide, Philipp; Schulz, Katharina; Kaluza, Stefan; Rohe, Markus; Beranek, Radim; Muhler, Martin

2016-12-06

Photodegradation under UV light irradiation is a major drawback in photocatalytic applications of sulfide semiconductors. ZnS nanoparticles were doped with very low amounts of chloride or cobalt ions in the ppm range and codoped with chloride and cobalt ions during their synthesis by precipitation in aqueous solution followed by calcination. The high-temperature wurtzite phase annealed at 800 °C had a high susceptibility to UV irradiation in water, while the low-temperature zincblende phase annealed at 400 °C was found to be stable. Chlorine doping increased the rate of photocorrosion in water, whereas cobalt doping led to a stabilization of the ZnS nanoparticles. Based on photochemical and spectroscopic investigations applying UV/vis, X-ray photoelectron, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, the increased susceptibility of Cl-doped ZnS is ascribed to a higher number of surface point defects, whereas the stabilization by Co 2+ is caused by additional recombination pathways for the charge carriers in the bulk, thus avoiding photocorrosion processes at the surface. Additional doping of Cl-doped ZnS with cobalt ions was found to counteract the detrimental effect of the chloride ions efficiently.

Fluorescent magnetic hybrid nanoprobe for multimodal bioimaging

PubMed Central

Bright, Vanessa

2011-01-01

A fluorescent magnetic hybrid imaging nanoprobe (HINP) was fabricated by conjugation of superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles and visible light-emitting (~600 nm) fluorescent CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs). The assembly strategy used the covalent linking of the oxidized dextran shell of magnetic particles to the glutathione ligands of QDs. Synthesized HINP formed stable water-soluble colloidal dispersions. The structure and properties of the particles were characterized by transmission electron and atomic force microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering analysis, optical absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and fluorescent imaging. The luminescence imaging region of the nanoprobe was extended to the near-infrared (NIR) (~800 nm) by conjugation of superparamagnetic nanoparticles with synthesized CdHgTe/CdS QDs. Cadmium, mercury based QDs in HINP can be easily replaced by novel water soluble glutathione stabilized AgInS2/ZnS QDs to present a new class of cadmium-free multimodal imaging agents. Observed NIR photoluminescence of fluorescent magnetic nanocomposites supports their use for bioimaging. The developed HINP provides dual-imaging channels for simultaneous optical and magnetic resonance imaging. PMID:21597146

Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of ZnS nanobowl arrays via colloidal monolayer template

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Two-dimensional Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanobowl arrays were synthesized via self-assembled monolayer polystyrene sphere template floating on precursor solution surface. A facile approach was proposed to investigate the morphology evolution of nanobowl arrays by post-annealing procedure. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement of as-grown nanoarrays shows that the spectrum mainly includes two parts: a purple emission peak at 382 nm and a broad blue emission band centering at 410 nm with a shoulder around 459 nm, and a blue emission band at 440 nm was obtained after the annealing procedure. ZnS nanoarrays with special morphologies and PL emission are benefits to their promising application in novel photoluminescence nanodevice. PMID:25246857

Morphology and thermal studies of zinc sulfide and cadmium sulfide nanoparticles in polyvinyl alcohol matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osuntokun, Jejenija; Ajibade, Peter A.

2016-09-01

Zn(II) and Cd(II) metal complexes of 1-cyano-1-carboethoxyethylene-2,2-dithiolato-κS,S'-bis(N,N-dimethylthiourea-κS) have been synthesized and characterized with analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The complexes were thermolysed in hexadecylamine at 200 °C to prepare ZnS and CdS nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD). TEM images showed spherically shaped nanoparticles, whose sizes are in the range 4.33-7.21 nm for ZnS and 4.95-7.7 nm CdS respectively and XRD confirmed cubic crystalline phases for the nanoparticles. The optical band gap energy evaluated from the absorption spectra are 2.88 eV (430 nm) and 2.81 eV (440 nm) for the ZnS and CdS nanoparticles respectively. The as-prepared metal sulfide nanoparticles were further incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to give ZnS/PVA and CdS/PVA composites. The polymer nanocomposites were studied to investigate their morphology and thermal properties relative to the pure PVA. XRD diffractions indicated that the crystalline phases of the nanoparticles and the sizes in PVA matrices remained unaltered. Infra-red spectra studies revealed interactions between the PVA and the metal sulfide nanoparticles and TGA studies show that the ZnS/PVA and CdS/PVA nanocomposites exhibit better thermal stability than the pure PVA.

The solubility of sphalerite (ZnS) in sulfidic solutions at 25°C and 1 atm pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daskalakis, Kostas D.; Helz, George R.

1993-10-01

The solubility of both synthetic and natural sphalerite have been measured at 25°, pH 2.2 to 9.1, and ΣS(-II) 0.1 to 0.0004 M. Inversion of wurtzite to sphalerite during equilibration precluded measuring wurtzite solubilities. To hinder colloid formation, we used well-crystallized ZnS preleached with EDTA. Run durations were several months. Clean-room analytical procedures were used. Measured solubilities are much lower than those of GüBELI and STE-MARIE (1967), whose solutions probably contained colloids. Colloidal ZnS sols are shown not to equilibrate with sphalerite even over several months. The new data are consistent with, and complementary to those of HAYASHI et al. (1990). The solubility of Zn 2+ in equilibrium with sphalerite is given by a Zn2+a 2HS-/a H2 S = 10 18.47 +- 0.01. Aqueous Zn-polysulfides appear to be unimportant under the conditions studied. In terms of anhydrous, mononuclear complexes, Zn solubility can be described by a series of complexes whose formation is represented by: ZnS( sp) + (2 y- z-2) HS- + ( z- y+1) H2SaqZnSyHz-(2 y- z-2) , Kyz. Three complexes are essential to model the results adequately: Zn( HS) -24, logK44 = -3.83 ± 0.17; ZnS( HS) -, logK21 = -4.64 ± 0.08; and ZnS( HS) -22, logK32 = -5.33 ± 0.07. Additional complexes improve the fit marginally. Others have suggested that ZnS(HS) -22 should be represented by its hydrated formula, Zn(OH)(HS) -23. The observed stability of this complex is much greater than predicted for a mixed ligand complex derived from Zn(HS) -24 and Zn(OH) -24. Based on recent calculations, less than 3/4 of the discrepancy can be accounted for by molecular orbital stabilization. A tetranuclear formula suggested by known Zn-thiolate structures and supported by EXAFS evidence of multinuclearity is a possible alternative. The solubility of Zn in anoxic marine waters is determined largely by ZnS(HS) -, which dominates in mildly alkaline solutions at low σS(-II). According to the new data, anoxic zones in Framvaren Fjord and the Black Sea are undersaturated with respect to sphalerite, except immediately below the oxic/anoxic interface. This suggests that scavenging, rather than precipitation, controls Zn.

Formation of ZnS nanostructures by a simple way of thermal evaporation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, H. J.; Xie, S. S.; Liu, D. F.; Yan, X. Q.; Zhou, Z. P.; Ci, L. J.; Wang, J. X.; Gao, Y.; Song, L.; Liu, L. F.; Zhou, W. Y.; Wang, G.

2003-11-01

The mass synthesis of ZnS nanobelts, nanowires, and nanoparticles has been achieved by a simple method of thermal evaporation of ZnS powders onto silicon substrates in the presence of Au catalyst. The temperature of the substrates and the concentration of ZnS vapor were the critical experimental parameters for the formation of different morphologies of ZnS nanostructures. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that the diameters of as-prepared nanowires were 30-70 nm. The UV emission at 374 nm is probably related to the exciton emission, while the mechanism of blue emission at 443 nm is probably mainly due to the presence of various surface states.

Structural, optical, opto-thermal and thermal properties of ZnS-PVA nanofluids synthesized through a radiolytic approach.

PubMed

Kharazmi, Alireza; Faraji, Nastaran; Mat Hussin, Roslina; Saion, Elias; Yunus, W Mahmood Mat; Behzad, Kasra

2015-01-01

This work describes a fast, clean and low-cost approach to synthesize ZnS-PVA nanofluids consisting of ZnS nanoparticles homogeneously distributed in a PVA solution. The ZnS nanoparticles were formed by the electrostatic force between zinc and sulfur ions induced by gamma irradiation at a dose range from 10 to 50 kGy. Several experimental characterizations were conducted to investigate the physical and chemical properties of the samples. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the chemical structure and bonding conditions of the final products, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for determining the shape morphology and average particle size, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) for confirming the formation and crystalline structure of ZnS nanoparticles, UV-visible spectroscopy for measuring the electronic absorption characteristics, transient hot wire (THW) and photoacoustic measurements for measuring the thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity of the samples, from which, for the first time, the values of specific heat and thermal diffusivity of the samples were then calculated.

Synthesis of zinc sulfide nanoparticles and their incorporation into poly(hydroxybutyrate) matrix in the formation of a novel nanocomposite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riaz, Shahina; Raza, Zulfiqar Ali; Majeed, Muhammad Irfan; Jan, Tariq

2018-05-01

In the present study, zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized through a modified chemical precipitation protocol and then mediated into poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) matrix to get ZnS/PHB nanocomposite. Mean diameter and zeta potential of ZnS NPs, as determined using dynamic light scattering technique (DLS), were observed to be 53 nm and ‑89 mV, respectively. The structural investigations performed using x-ray diffraction (XRD) technique depicted the phase purity of ZnS NPs exhibiting cubic crystal structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis was conducted to identify the presence or absence of bonding vibrational modes on the surface of synthesized single phase ZnS NPs. The FTIR analysis confirmed the metal to sulphur bond formation by showing the characteristic band at 1123 cm‑1. The UV–vis absorption spectra of ZnS NPs confirmed the synthesis of particles in nanoscale regime showing a λ max of 302 nm. These NPs were then successfully incorporated into PHB matrix to synthesize ZnS/PHB nanocomposite. The synthesis of nanocomposite was confirmed by EDX analysis. The chemical bonding and structural properties of ZnS/PHB nanocomposite were determined by FTIR and XRD analysis, respectively. The FTIR analysis confirmed the synthesis of ZnS/PHB nanocomposite. Moreover, XRD analysis showed that structure of nanocomposite was completely controlled by ZnS NPs as pure PHB exhibited orthorhombic crystal structure while the nanocomposite demonstrated cubic crystal structure of ZnS. Thermal properties of nanocomposite were studied through thermogravimetric analysis revealing that the incorporation of ZnS NPs into PHB matrix lead to enhance heat resistance properties of PHB.

An experimental and theoretical investigation on the optical and photocatalytic properties of ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Porta, F. A.; Nogueira, A. E.; Gracia, Lourdes; Pereira, W. S.; Botelho, G.; Mulinari, T. A.; Andrés, Juan; Longo, E.

2017-04-01

From the viewpoints of materials chemistry and physical chemistry, crystal structure directly determines the electronic structure and furthermore their optical and photocatalytic properties. Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) with tunable photoluminescence (PL) emission and high photocatalytic activity have been obtained by means of a microwave-assisted solvothermal (MAS) method using different precursors (i.e., zinc nitrate (ZN), zinc chloride (ZC), or zinc acetate (ZA)). The morphologies, optical properties, and electronic structures of the as-synthesized ZnS NPs were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) isotherms for N2 adsorption/desorption processes, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), PL measurements and theoretical calculations. Density functional theory calculations were used to determine the geometries and electronic properties of bulk wurtzite (WZ) ZnS NPs and their (0001), (101 ̅0), (112 ̅0), (101 ̅1), and (101 ̅2) surfaces. The dependence of the PL emission behavior of ZnS NPs on the precursor was elucidated by examining the energy band structure and density of states. The method for degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) was used as a probe reaction to investigate the photocatalytic activity of the as-Synthesised ZnS NPs under UV light irradiation. The PL behavior as well as photocatalytic activities of ZnS NPs were attributed to specific features of the structural and electronic structures. Increased photocatalytic degradation was observed for samples synthesized using different precursors in the following order: ZA

Solution-phase synthesis of nanomaterials at low temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yongchun; Qian, Yitai

2009-01-01

This paper reviews the solution-phase synthesis of nanoparticles via some routes at low temperatures, such as room temperature route, wave-assisted synthesis (γ-irradiation route and sonochemical route), directly heating at low temperatures, and hydrothermal/solvothermal methods. A number of strategies were developed to control the shape, the size, as well as the dispersion of nanostructures. Using diethylamine or n-butylamine as solvent, semiconductor nanorods were yielded. By the hydrothermal treatment of amorphous colloids, Bi2S3 nanorods and Se nanowires were obtained. CdS nanowires were prepared in the presence of polyacrylamide. ZnS nanowires were obtained using liquid crystal. The polymer poly (vinyl acetate) tubule acted as both nanoreactor and template for the CdSe nanowire growth. Assisted by the surfactant of sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS), nickel nanobelts were synthesized. In addition, Ag nanowires, Te nanotubes and ZnO nanorod arrays could be prepared without adding any additives or templates.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnS@Fe3O4 fluorescent-magnetic bifunctional nanospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koc, Kenan; Karakus, Baris; Rajar, Kausar; Alveroglu, Esra

2017-10-01

Herein, we synthesized and characterized fluorescent and super paramagnetic ZnS@Fe3O4 nanospheres. First, (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPS) capped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and SiO2 coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized separately by using solution growth and co-precipitation techniques. After synthesis and characterization of these two nanoparticles, they were conglutinated together in a nano sized sphere. The QDs were attached to the surface of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles by Sisbnd Osbnd Si bonds and so Sisbnd Osbnd Si bonds created a SiO2 network around the nanoparticles during the formation of the ZnS@Fe3O4 nanospheres. The synthesized MPS capped ZnS fluorescent QDs, SiO2 coated magnetite super paramagnetic nanoparticles and ZnS@Fe3O4 fluorescent-magnetic bifunctional nanospheres were characterized by using UV-Vis Absorption Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, X-ray analysis, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer analysis, Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. ZnS@Fe3O4 bifunctional nanospheres were shown to retain the magnetic properties of magnetite, while exhibiting the luminescent optical properties of ZnS nanoparticles. The combination of fluorescent and magnetic behaviors of nano composites make them useful for potential applications in the field of bio-medical and environmental.

Quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells fabricated by the combined process of the direct attachment of colloidal CdSe quantum dots having a ZnS glue layer and spray pyrolysis deposition.

PubMed

Im, Sang Hyuk; Lee, Yong Hui; Seok, Sang Il; Kim, Sung Woo; Kim, Sang-Wook

2010-12-07

We were able to attach CdSe quantum dots (QDs) having a ZnS inorganic glue layer directly to a mesoporous TiO(2) (mp-TiO(2)) surface by spray coating and thermal annealing. Quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells based on CdSe QDs having ZnS as the inorganic glue layer could easily transport generated charge carriers because of the intimate bonding between CdSe and mp-TiO(2). The application of spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) to obtain additional CdSe layers improved the performance characteristics to V(oc) = 0.45 V, J(sc) = 10.7 mA/cm(2), fill factor = 35.8%, and power conversion efficiency = 1.7%. Furthermore, ZnS post-treatment improved the device performance to V(oc) = 0.57 V, J(sc) = 11.2 mA/cm(2), fill factor = 35.4%, and power conversion efficiency = 2.2%.

UV-curable ZnS/polymer nanocomposite for replication of micron and submicron features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalima, Valtteri; Vartiainen, Ismo; Saastamoinen, Toni; Suvanto, Mika; Kuittinen, Markku; Pakkanen, Tuula T.

2009-08-01

In view of the wide interest in high refractive index polymers for microreplication, study was made of UV-curable high refractive index nanocomposite material for microreplication purposes. The refractive index of the nanocomposite was tailored through the addition of surface-modified ZnS nanoparticles to commercial ORMOCOMP ® inorganic-organic hybrid polymer. The refractive index of ORMOCOMP ® was increased linearly from 1.514 (620 nm) to 1.645 (620 nm) by embedding of the nanoparticles (18.6 V%). The nanocomposite showed excellent transparency ( T = 89-92%), and increase in the nanoparticle loading shifted the absorption edge from 380 nm to 420 nm. Low scattering of transmitted light (determined by UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometry) and high dispersion of ZnS (determined by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy) indicated low aggregation of the ZnS nanoparticles. Finally, the nanocomposite was applied to micromolding in capillaries to replicate micrometer-size channels (8 μm × 1.5 μm) with Bragg gratings (period 520 nm and depth 400 nm) on top of the channels. Based on the AFM results the MIMIC molding method was found to be suitable for the replication of microchannels into nanocomposite material.

Structure and stability of charged colloid-nanoparticle mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weight, Braden M.; Denton, Alan R.

2018-03-01

Physical properties of colloidal materials can be modified by addition of nanoparticles. Within a model of like-charged mixtures of particles governed by effective electrostatic interactions, we explore the influence of charged nanoparticles on the structure and thermodynamic phase stability of charge-stabilized colloidal suspensions. Focusing on salt-free mixtures of particles of high size and charge asymmetry, interacting via repulsive Yukawa effective pair potentials, we perform molecular dynamics simulations and compute radial distribution functions and static structure factors. Analysis of these structural properties indicates that increasing the charge and concentration of nanoparticles progressively weakens correlations between charged colloids. We show that addition of charged nanoparticles to a suspension of like-charged colloids can induce a colloidal crystal to melt and can facilitate aggregation of a fluid suspension due to attractive van der Waals interactions. We attribute the destabilizing influence of charged nanoparticles to enhanced screening of electrostatic interactions, which weakens repulsion between charged colloids. This interpretation is consistent with recent predictions of an effective interaction theory of charged colloid-nanoparticle mixtures.

Preparation, properties and anticancer effects of mixed As4S4/ZnS nanoparticles capped by Poloxamer 407.

PubMed

Bujňáková, Z; Baláž, M; Zdurienčíková, M; Sedlák, J; Čaplovičová, M; Čaplovič, Ľ; Dutková, E; Zorkovská, A; Turianicová, E; Baláž, P; Shpotyuk, O; Andrejko, S

2017-02-01

Arsenic sulfide compounds have a long history of application in a traditional medicine. In recent years, realgar has been studied as a promising drug in cancer treatment. In this study, the arsenic sulfide (As 4 S 4 ) nanoparticles combined with zinc sulfide (ZnS) ones in different molar ratio have been prepared by a simple mechanochemical route in a planetary mill. The successful synthesis and structural properties were confirmed and followed via X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements. The morphology of the particles was studied via scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy methods and the presence of nanocrystallites was verified. For biological tests, the prepared As 4 S 4 /ZnS nanoparticles were further milled in a circulation mill in a water solution of Poloxamer 407 (0.5wt%), in order to cover the particles with this biocompatible copolymer and to obtain stable nanosuspensions with unimodal distribution. The average size of the particles in the nanosuspensions (~120nm) was determined by photon cross-correlation spectroscopy method. Stability of the nanosuspensions was determined via particle size distribution and zeta potential measurements, confirming no physico-chemical changes for several months. Interestingly, with the increasing amount of ZnS in the sample, the stability was improved. The anti-cancer effects were tested on two melanoma cell lines, A375 and Bowes, with promising results, confirming increased efficiency of the samples containing both As 4 S 4 and ZnS nanocrystals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum-dot light-emitting diodes utilizing CdSe /ZnS nanocrystals embedded in TiO2 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Seung-Hee; Kumar, Ch. Kiran; Lee, Zonghoon; Kim, Kyung-Hyun; Huh, Chul; Kim, Eui-Tae

2008-11-01

Quantum-dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are demonstrated on Si wafers by embedding core-shell CdSe /ZnS nanocrystals in TiO2 thin films via plasma-enhanced metallorganic chemical vapor deposition. The n-TiO2/QDs /p-Si LED devices show typical p-n diode current-voltage and efficient electroluminescence characteristics, which are critically affected by the removal of QD surface ligands. The TiO2/QDs /Si system we presented can offer promising Si-based optoelectronic and electronic device applications utilizing numerous nanocrystals synthesized by colloidal solution chemistry.

Structural, optical, opto-thermal and thermal properties of ZnS–PVA nanofluids synthesized through a radiolytic approach

PubMed Central

Faraji, Nastaran; Mat Hussin, Roslina; Saion, Elias; Yunus, W Mahmood Mat; Behzad, Kasra

2015-01-01

Summary This work describes a fast, clean and low-cost approach to synthesize ZnS–PVA nanofluids consisting of ZnS nanoparticles homogeneously distributed in a PVA solution. The ZnS nanoparticles were formed by the electrostatic force between zinc and sulfur ions induced by gamma irradiation at a dose range from 10 to 50 kGy. Several experimental characterizations were conducted to investigate the physical and chemical properties of the samples. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to determine the chemical structure and bonding conditions of the final products, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for determining the shape morphology and average particle size, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) for confirming the formation and crystalline structure of ZnS nanoparticles, UV–visible spectroscopy for measuring the electronic absorption characteristics, transient hot wire (THW) and photoacoustic measurements for measuring the thermal conductivity and thermal effusivity of the samples, from which, for the first time, the values of specific heat and thermal diffusivity of the samples were then calculated. PMID:25821695

Dependence of nonlinear optical properties of Ag2S@ZnS core-shells on Zinc precursor and capping agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehghanipour, M.; Khanzadeh, M.; Karimipour, M.; Molaei, M.

2018-03-01

In this research, four different types of Ag2S@ZnS core-shells were synthesized and their nonlinear optical (NLO) properties were investigated using a Z-scan technique by a 532 nm laser diode. Here, Ag2S and ZnS nanoparticles were also synthesized and their NLO properties were compared with Ag2S@ZnS core-shells. It was observed that the NLO properties of Ag2S@ZnS quantum dots significantly increased by increasing the values of Zn(NO3)2 and thioglycolic acid (TGA). It was also observed that the NLO properties of Ag2S@ZnS core-shells for 0.1 g of Zn(NO3)2 and 7000 μl TGA is higher than sole Ag2S and ZnS nanoparticles. In open aperture Z-scan curve of ZnS sample, a saturable absorption peak was observed and this peak was seen also in type of Ag2S@ZnS nanoparticles which the value of Zn(NO3)2 much more.

Computational study of the absorption spectrum of defected ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michos, F. I.; Sigalas, M. M.

2018-04-01

Energy levels and absorption spectra of defected ZnS nanoparticles (NPs) were calculated with Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time Dependent DFT. Several types of defects were examined such as vacancies and substitutions. NPs with S vacancies were found to have their absorption spectra moved to lower energies well inside the visible spectrum with significantly high oscillator strength. Also, NPs with substitution of S atoms with Cl, Br, or I showed significant absorption. In general, this type of defect moves the absorption spectra in lower energies, thus bringing the absorption edge into the visible spectrum, while the unperturbed NPs have absorption edges in the UV region. In addition, ZnS NPs are made from more abundant and less toxic elements than the more commonly used CdSe NPs. For that reason, they may find significant applications in solar cells and other photonic applications, as well as in biosensing applications as biomarkers.

The Critical Role of Thioacetamide Concentration in the Formation of ZnO/ZnS Heterostructures by Sol-Gel Process

PubMed Central

Kiatkoski Kaminski, Renata Cristina; Caetano, Bruno Leonardo; Magnani, Marina; Meneau, Florian; Rochet, Amélie; Santilli, Celso Valentim; Briois, Valérie; Bourgaux, Claudie

2018-01-01

ZnO/ZnS heterostructures have emerged as an attractive approach for tailoring the properties of particles comprising these semiconductors. They can be synthesized using low temperature sol-gel routes. The present work yields insight into the mechanisms involved in the formation of ZnO/ZnS nanostructures. ZnO colloidal suspensions, prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of a Zn acetate precursor solution, were allowed to react with an ethanolic thioacetamide solution (TAA) as sulfur source. The reactions were monitored in situ by Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and UV-vis spectroscopy, and the final colloidal suspensions were characterized by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). The powders extracted at the end of the reactions were analyzed by X-ray Absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Depending on TAA concentration, different nanostructures were revealed. ZnO and ZnS phases were mainly obtained at low and high TAA concentrations, respectively. At intermediate TAA concentrations, we evidenced the formation of ZnO/ZnS heterostructures. ZnS formation could take place via direct crystal growth involving Zn ions remaining in solution and S ions provided by TAA and/or chemical conversion of ZnO to ZnS. The combination of all the characterization techniques was crucial to elucidate the reaction steps and the nature of the final products. PMID:29360735

Correlation between physical structure and magnetic anisotropy of a magnetic nanoparticle colloid.

PubMed

Dennis, C L; Jackson, A J; Borchers, J A; Gruettner, C; Ivkov, R

2018-05-25

We show the effects of a time-invariant magnetic field on the physical structure and magnetic properties of a colloid comprising 44 nm diameter magnetite magnetic nanoparticles, with a 24 nm dextran shell, in water. Structural ordering in this colloid parallel to the magnetic field occurs simultaneously with the onset of a colloidal uniaxial anisotropy. Further increases in the applied magnetic field cause the nanoparticles to order perpendicular to the field, producing unexpected colloidal unidirectional and trigonal anisotropies. This magnetic behavior is distinct from the cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the magnetite and has its origins in the magnetic interactions among the mobile nanoparticles within the colloid. Specifically, these field-induced anisotropies and colloidal rearrangements result from the delicate balance between the magnetostatic and steric forces between magnetic nanoparticles. These magnetic and structural rearrangements are anticipated to influence applications that rely upon time-dependent relaxation of the magnetic colloids and fluid viscosity, such as magnetic hyperthermia and shock absorption.

Correlation between physical structure and magnetic anisotropy of a magnetic nanoparticle colloid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, C. L.; Jackson, A. J.; Borchers, J. A.; Gruettner, C.; Ivkov, R.

2018-05-01

We show the effects of a time-invariant magnetic field on the physical structure and magnetic properties of a colloid comprising 44 nm diameter magnetite magnetic nanoparticles, with a 24 nm dextran shell, in water. Structural ordering in this colloid parallel to the magnetic field occurs simultaneously with the onset of a colloidal uniaxial anisotropy. Further increases in the applied magnetic field cause the nanoparticles to order perpendicular to the field, producing unexpected colloidal unidirectional and trigonal anisotropies. This magnetic behavior is distinct from the cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the magnetite and has its origins in the magnetic interactions among the mobile nanoparticles within the colloid. Specifically, these field-induced anisotropies and colloidal rearrangements result from the delicate balance between the magnetostatic and steric forces between magnetic nanoparticles. These magnetic and structural rearrangements are anticipated to influence applications that rely upon time-dependent relaxation of the magnetic colloids and fluid viscosity, such as magnetic hyperthermia and shock absorption.

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

Liu, Shuling, E-mail: shulingliu@aliyun.com; College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710021; Ma, Lanbing

Highlights: • ZnS/Ni{sub 2}P composites have been firstly synthesized via a gentle hydrothermal route. • The composites have been characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. • ZnS/Ni{sub 2}P showed enhanced photocatalytic degradation activity for pyronine B. • The reason for the enhanced photocatalytic activity has been discussed. - Abstract: ZnS/Ni{sub 2}P core/shell composites were successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal method. The composites have been characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and the corresponding results showed that the composites were composed of the cubic ZnS microspheres, which were made up of ZnS nanoparticles, and Ni{sub 2}P nanoparticles coated on the surfaces ofmore » ZnS microspheres. Compared with ZnS microspheres, ZnS/Ni{sub 2}P core/shell composites showed enhanced photocatalytic degradation activity for pyronine B under UV irradiation. This may be related to the effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs in ZnS/Ni{sub 2}P composites which can greatly reduce the chance of their recombination. Furthermore, superoxide ions and hydroxyl radical can be more easily produced through ZnS/Ni{sub 2}P composites, which is also beneficial for the degradation of pyronine B.« less

Effect of Au irradiation energy on ejection of ZnS nanoparticles from ZnS film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiri, P. K.; Ghatak, J.; Joseph, B.; Lenka, H. P.; Sahu, G.; Mahapatra, D. P.; Tripathi, A.; Kanjilal, D.; Mishra, N. C.

2007-01-01

ZnS films deposited on Si have been irradiated with Au ions at 35 keV, 2, and 100 MeV. Sputtered particles, collected on catcher foils during irradiation, were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. For the case of 35 keV Au irradiation, no nanoparticle (NP) could be observed on the catcher foil. However, NPs 2-7 nm in size, have been observed on the catcher foils for MeV irradiations at room temperature. For particle sizes ≥3 nm, the distributions could be fitted to power law decays with decay exponents varying between 2 and 3.5. At 2 MeV, after correction for cluster breakup effects, the decay exponent has been found to be close to 2, indicating shock waves induced ejection to be the dominant mechanism. The corrected decay exponent for the 100 MeV Au irradiation case has been found to be about 2.6. Coulomb explosion followed by thermal spike induced vaporization of ZnS seems to be the dominant mechanism regarding material removal at such high energy. In such a case the evaporated material can cool down going into the fragmentation region forming clusters.

The bipyridine adducts of N-phenyldithiocarbamato complexes of Zn(II) and Cd(II); synthesis, spectral, thermal decomposition studies and use as precursors for ZnS and CdS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onwudiwe, Damian C.; Strydom, Christien A.

2015-01-01

Bipyridine adducts of N-phenyldithiocarbamato complexes, [ML12L2] (M = Cd(II), Zn(II); L1 = N-phenyldithiocarbamate, L2 = 2,2‧ bipyridine), have been synthesized and characterised. The decomposition of these complexes to metal sulphides has been investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The complexes were used as single-source precursors to synthesize MS (M = Zn, Cd) nanoparticles (NPs) passivated by hexadecyl amine (HDA). The growth of the nanoparticles was carried out at two different temperatures: 180 and 220 °C, and the optical and structural properties of the nanoparticles were studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), transmission emission microscopy (TEM) and powdered X-ray diffraction (p-XRD). Nanoparticles, whose average diameters are 2.90 and 3.54 nm for ZnS, and 8.96 and 9.76 nm for CdS grown at 180 and 220 °C respectively, were obtained.

Interaction of Inorganic Nanoparticles With Cell Membranes

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-20

the field of colloidal and biological behaviour of nanoparticles. Questions regarding the colloidal behavior of particles in biological liquids...better the behaviour of nanoparticles in living systems. 2. Research work During the preparation phase of this project we have defined following...unique knowledge of the participating researgroups in the field of colloidal and biological behaviour of nanoparticles. Questions regarding the

Facile in situ synthesis of wurtzite ZnS/ZnO core/shell heterostructure with highly efficient visible-light photocatalytic activity and photostability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Jian-Hua; Huang, Wei-Qing; Hu, Yong-sheng; Zeng, Fan; Huang, Qin-Yi; Zhou, Bing-Xin; Pan, Anlian; Li, Kai; Huang, Gui-Fang

2018-02-01

High photocatalytic activity and photostability are the pursuit of the goal for designing promising photocatalysts. Herein, using ZnO to encapsulate ZnS nanoparticles is proposed as an effective strategy to enhance photocatalytic activity and anti-photocorrosion. The ZnS/ZnO core/shell heterostructures are obtained via an annealing treatment of ZnS nanoparticles produced by a facile wet chemical approach. Due to its small size, the nascent cubic sphalerite ZnS (s-ZnS) converts into a hexagonal wurtzite ZnS (w-ZnS)/ZnO core/shell structure after annealing treatment. In situ oxidation leads to increasing ZnO, simultaneously decreasing the w-ZnS content in the resultant w-ZnS/ZnO with thermal annealing time. The w-ZnS/ZnO core/shell heterostructures show high photocatalytic activity, demonstrated by the photodegradation rate of methylene blue being up to ten-fold and seven-fold higher than that of s-ZnS under UV and visible light irradiation, respectively, and the high capability of degrading rhodamine B. The enhanced photocatalytic activity may be attributed to the large specific surface and improved charge carrier separation at the core/shell interface. Moreover, it displays high photostability owing to the protection of the ZnO shell, greatly inhibiting the photocorrosion of ZnS. This facile in situ oxidation is effective and easily scalable, providing opportunities for developing novel core/shell structure photocatalysts with high activity and photostability.

A novel metallogel based approach to synthesize (Mn, Cu) doped ZnS quantum dots and labeling of MCF-7 cancer cells.

PubMed

Bhowal, Soumya; Ghosh, Arijit; Chowdhuri, Srijita Paul; Mondal, Raju; Das, Benu Brata

2018-05-08

The present study aims to formulate a common synthetic strategy for preparing quantum dots (QDs) in a greener way by using combination of popular methods, viz. a colloidal method with suitable capping agent and low molecular weight gel based synthesis. Pyridine dicarboxylic acid (PDC) in presence of AlCl3 forms a stable metallogel, which serves as an excellent medium for selective ZnS QD synthesis. The aromatic pyridine moiety, well known for being a capping agent, indeed plays its part in the run up to QD synthesis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of a metallogel based doped ZnS QD synthesis. Altering the doping material and its composition changes the properties of the QDs, but herein we also tried to establish how these changes affect the gel morphology and stability of both gel and QDs. We further demonstrate, by using live cell confocal microscopy, the delivery of QDs Cu ZnS and MnZnS nanomaterials in the nucleus and the cytoplasm of human breast cancer cells (MCF7), implicating the use of metallogel based QDs for bio-imaging and bio-labeling.

Self-assembly and alignment of semiconductor nanoparticles on cellulose nanocrystals

Treesearch

Sonal Padalkar; Jeff R. Capadona; Stuart J. Rowan; Christoph Weder; Robert J. Moon; Lia A. Stanciu

2011-01-01

The synthesis of cadmium sulfide (CdS), zinc sulfide (ZnS), and lead sulfide (PbS) nanoparticle chains on cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) templates can be accomplished by the reaction of the precursor salts. The use of a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), was critical for the synthesis of well-defined semiconductor nanoparticle chains on the...

Synthesis and photocatalytic studies of ZnS nanoparticles from heteroleptic complex of Zn(II) 1-cyano-1-carboethoxy-2,-2-ethylenedithiolato diisopropylthiourea and its adducts with N-donor ligands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osuntokun, Jejenija; Ajibade, Peter A.; Onwudiwe, Damian C.

2016-12-01

Zinc complexes of the type [Zn(diptu)2(ced)] (1), [Zn(diptu)2(ced)py] (2), [Zn(diptu)2(ced)bpy] (3), and [Zn(diptu)2(ced)phen] (4), (where (diptu)2(ced) = 1-cyano-1-carboethoxyethylene-2,2-dithiolato-κS,S‧-bis(N,N-diisopropyllthiourea), py = pyridine, bpy = 2, 2‧ bipyridine and phen = 1, 10 phenanthroline have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) and Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. The parent complex (1) was formulated as four coordinate species, which gave rise to 5 coordinate complex in (2) and six coordinate compounds in (3) and (4), with the dithiolate acting as bidentate chelating ligand. The complexes were used as single-source precursors for the synthesis of HDA-capped ZnS nanoparticles. The nanoparticles gave different morphologies with sizes in the range of 1.92-4.72 nm as observed from the TEM analysis and supported by XRD. The UV-vis spectroscopy showed that all the ZnS nanoparticles are blue shifted, with respect to the bulk, which confirmed quantum confinement. The photoluminescence spectra showed narrow and broad emission peaks around 290 and 360 nm which are ascribed to spontaneous emission peaks from band to band transition and surface states respectively. Photocatalytic activities of all the nanoparticles were investigated with methylene blue (MB) acting as the organic dye, and the UV-vis spectral revealed a gradual decrease in absorption peak that confirmed the degradation of the MB.

Bioengineered II-VI semiconductor quantum dot-carboxymethylcellulose nanoconjugates as multifunctional fluorescent nanoprobes for bioimaging live cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansur, Alexandra A. P.; Mansur, Herman S.; Mansur, Rafael L.; de Carvalho, Fernanda G.; Carvalho, Sandhra M.

2018-01-01

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are light-emitting ultra-small nanoparticles, which have emerged as a new class of nanoprobes with unique optical properties for bioimaging and biomedical diagnostic. However, to be used for most biomedical applications the biocompatibility and water-solubility are mandatory that can achieved through surface modification forming QD-nanoconjugates. In this study, semiconductor II-VI quantum dots of type MX (M = Cd, Pb, Zn, X = S) were directly synthesized in aqueous media and at room temperature using carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt (CMC) behaving simultaneously as stabilizing and surface biofunctional ligand. These nanoconjugates were extensively characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential. The results demonstrated that the biopolymer was effective on nucleating and stabilizing the colloidal nanocrystals of CdS, ZnS, and PbS with the average diameter ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 nm depending on the composition of the semiconductor core, which showed quantum-size confinement effect. These QD/polysaccharide conjugates showed luminescent activity from UV-visible to near-infrared range of the spectra under violet laser excitation. Moreover, the bioassays performed proved that these novel nanoconjugates were biocompatible and behaved as composition-dependent fluorescent nanoprobes for in vitro live cell bioimaging with very promising perspectives to be used in numerous biomedical applications and nanomedicine.

The bipyridine adducts of N-phenyldithiocarbamato complexes of Zn(II) and Cd(II); synthesis, spectral, thermal decomposition studies and use as precursors for ZnS and CdS nanoparticles.

PubMed

Onwudiwe, Damian C; Strydom, Christien A

2015-01-25

Bipyridine adducts of N-phenyldithiocarbamato complexes, [ML(1)2L(2)] (M=Cd(II), Zn(II); L(1)=N-phenyldithiocarbamate, L(2)=2,2' bipyridine), have been synthesized and characterised. The decomposition of these complexes to metal sulphides has been investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The complexes were used as single-source precursors to synthesize MS (M=Zn, Cd) nanoparticles (NPs) passivated by hexadecyl amine (HDA). The growth of the nanoparticles was carried out at two different temperatures: 180 and 220 °C, and the optical and structural properties of the nanoparticles were studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), transmission emission microscopy (TEM) and powdered X-ray diffraction (p-XRD). Nanoparticles, whose average diameters are 2.90 and 3.54 nm for ZnS, and 8.96 and 9.76 nm for CdS grown at 180 and 220 °C respectively, were obtained. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Evaluation of the Total Magnetic Moments of Colloidal Magnetic Nanoparticles: A Kinetics-based Method.

PubMed

Liu, Haiyi; Sun, Jianfei; Wang, Haoyao; Wang, Peng; Song, Lina; Li, Yang; Chen, Bo; Zhang, Yu; Gu, Ning

2015-06-08

A kinetics-based method is proposed to quantitatively characterize the collective magnetization of colloidal magnetic nanoparticles. The method is based on the relationship between the magnetic force on a colloidal droplet and the movement of the droplet under a gradient magnetic field. Through computational analysis of the kinetic parameters, such as displacement, velocity, and acceleration, the magnetization of colloidal magnetic nanoparticles can be calculated. In our experiments, the values measured by using our method exhibited a better linear correlation with magnetothermal heating, than those obtained by using a vibrating sample magnetometer and magnetic balance. This finding indicates that this method may be more suitable to evaluate the collective magnetism of colloidal magnetic nanoparticles under low magnetic fields than the commonly used methods. Accurate evaluation of the magnetic properties of colloidal nanoparticles is of great importance for the standardization of magnetic nanomaterials and for their practical application in biomedicine. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

In house development of (99m)Tc-Rhenium sulfide colloidal nanoparticles for sentinel lymph node detection.

PubMed

Dar, Ume-Kalsoom; Khan, Irfanullah; Javed, Muhammad; Ali, Muhammad; Hyder, Syed Waqar; Murad, Sohail; Anwar, Jamil

2013-03-01

In this study, rhenium sulfide colloidal nanoparticles were developed as radiopharmaceutical for sentinel lymph node detection. We directly used rhenium sulfide as a starting material for the preparation of colloidal nanoparticles. UV-visible spectrophotometry was used for characterization of in house developed colloidal particles. The size distribution of radioactive particles was studied by using membrane filtration method. The percentage of radiolabeled colloidal nanoparticles was determined by paper chromatography (PC). The study also includes in vitro stability, protein binding in human blood and bioevaluation in a rabbit model. The results indicate that 77.27 ± 3.26 % particles of size less than 20nm (suitable for lymphoscintigraphy) were radiolabeled. (99m)Tc labeled rhenium sulfide labeling efficacy with the radiometal is 98.5 ± 0.5%, which remains considerably stable beyond 5h at room temperature. Furthermore, it was observed that 70.2 ± 1.3% radiolabeled colloid complex showed binding with the blood protein. Bioevaluation results show the remarkable achievement of our radiopharmaceutical. The in house prepared (99m)Tc labeled rhenium sulfide colloidal nanoparticles reached the sentinel node within 15 min of post injection. These results indicate that (99m)Tc labeled rhenium sulfide colloid nanoparticles kit produced by a novel procedure seems of significant potential as a feasible candidate for further development to be used in clinical practice.

Manufacturing demonstration of microbially mediated zinc sulfide nanoparticles in pilot-plant scale reactors

DOE PAGES

Moon, Ji-Won; Phelps, Tommy J.; Fitzgerald Jr, Curtis L.; ...

2016-04-27

The thermophilic anaerobic metal-reducing bacterium Thermoanaerobacter sp. X513 efficiently produces zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) in laboratory-scale ( ≤24-L) reactors. To determine whether this process can be up-scaled and adapted for pilot-plant production while maintaining NP yield and quality, a series of meso-scale experiments were performed using 100-l and 900-l reactors. Pasteurization and N 2-sparging replaced autoclaving and boiling for deoxygenating media in the transition from small-scale to pilot-plant reactors. Consecutive 100-L batches using new or recycled media produced ZnS NPs with highly reproducible ~2 nm average crystallite size (ACS) and yields of ~0.5g L -1, similar to small-scale batches.more » The 900-L pilot plant reactor produced ~ 320 g ZnS without process optimization or replacement of used medium; this quantity would be sufficient to form a ZnS thin film with ~120 nm thickness over 0.5 m width 13 km length. At all scales, the bacteria produced significant amounts of acetic, lactic and formic acids, which could be neutralized by the controlled addition of sodium hydroxide without the use of an organic pH buffer, eliminating 98% of the buffer chemical costs. In conclusion, the final NP products were characterized using XRD, ICP-OES, FTIR, DLS, and C/N analyses, which confirmed the growth medium without organic buffer enhanced the ZnS NP properties by reducing carbon and nitrogen surface coatings and supporting better dispersivity with similar ACS.« less

Manufacturing demonstration of microbially mediated zinc sulfide nanoparticles in pilot-plant scale reactors.

PubMed

Moon, Ji-Won; Phelps, Tommy J; Fitzgerald, Curtis L; Lind, Randall F; Elkins, James G; Jang, Gyoung Gug; Joshi, Pooran C; Kidder, Michelle; Armstrong, Beth L; Watkins, Thomas R; Ivanov, Ilia N; Graham, David E

2016-09-01

The thermophilic anaerobic metal-reducing bacterium Thermoanaerobacter sp. X513 efficiently produces zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs) in laboratory-scale (≤ 24-L) reactors. To determine whether this process can be up-scaled and adapted for pilot-plant production while maintaining NP yield and quality, a series of pilot-plant scale experiments were performed using 100-L and 900-L reactors. Pasteurization and N2-sparging replaced autoclaving and boiling for deoxygenating media in the transition from small-scale to pilot plant reactors. Consecutive 100-L batches using new or recycled media produced ZnS NPs with highly reproducible ~2-nm average crystallite size (ACS) and yields of ~0.5 g L(-1), similar to the small-scale batches. The 900-L pilot plant reactor produced ~320 g ZnS without process optimization or replacement of used medium; this quantity would be sufficient to form a ZnS thin film with ~120 nm thickness over 0.5 m width × 13 km length. At all scales, the bacteria produced significant amounts of acetic, lactic, and formic acids, which could be neutralized by the controlled addition of sodium hydroxide without the use of an organic pH buffer, eliminating 98 % of the buffer chemical costs. The final NP products were characterized using XRD, ICP-OES, TEM, FTIR, PL, DLS, HPLC, and C/N analyses, which confirmed that the growth medium without organic buffer enhanced the ZnS NP properties by reducing carbon and nitrogen surface coatings and supporting better dispersivity with similar ACS.

Anti-iridescent colloidal photonic nanostructure from thermal gradients and polymeric brush effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seung Yeol; Kim, Hyoungsoo; Kim, Shin-Hyun; Stone, Howard

2017-11-01

Colloidal nanostructures induced by self-assembly are important in reflective displays, plasmonic or photonic sensors, and color pigments. During the evaporation of droplets of colloidal suspension, due to the non-uniform evaporation rate along the droplet interface, a radially outward flow is created and it carries colloidal particles to the pinned contact line of the droplet. We document that the packing at the contact line is a face-center-cubic (fcc) colloidal nanostructure in a ring shape. The fcc structure of the colloidal nanoparticles exhibits angle-dependent color. In particular, we introduce a novel method to suppress the familiar coffee-ring effect and modify colloidal nanostructures to exhibit angle-independent optical properties. A suspension of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-coated silica nanoparticles dispersed in ethanol-water mixture is prepared. The droplet containing the nanoparticles dries on a heated substrate, which creates a thermal gradient along the interface of the droplet. This thermal gradient induces thermal-Marangoni stresses that suppress the coffee-ring effects. PEO adsorbed on the surface of silica nanoparticles produces an additional interaction between colloidal nanoparticles, which makes the final structure disordered. The disordered photonic nanostructures in our experiments exhibit angle-independent structural color. This technique can be applied to printing or optical filtering systems.

Aqueous synthesis of highly luminescent AgInS2-ZnS quantum dots and their biological applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Regulacio, Michelle D.; Win, Khin Yin; Lo, Seong Loong; Zhang, Shuang-Yuan; Zhang, Xinhai; Wang, Shu; Han, Ming-Yong; Zheng, Yuangang

2013-02-01

Highly emissive and air-stable AgInS2-ZnS quantum dots (ZAIS QDs) with quantum yields of up to 20% have been successfully synthesized directly in aqueous media in the presence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) as stabilizing and reactivity-controlling agents. The as-prepared water-dispersible ZAIS QDs are around 3 nm in size, possess the tetragonal chalcopyrite crystal structure, and exhibit long fluorescence lifetimes (>100 ns). In addition, these ZAIS QDs are found to exhibit excellent optical and colloidal stability in physiologically relevant pH values as well as very low cytotoxicity, which render them particularly suitable for biological applications. Their potential use in biological labelling of baculoviral vectors is demonstrated.Highly emissive and air-stable AgInS2-ZnS quantum dots (ZAIS QDs) with quantum yields of up to 20% have been successfully synthesized directly in aqueous media in the presence of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and mercaptoacetic acid (MAA) as stabilizing and reactivity-controlling agents. The as-prepared water-dispersible ZAIS QDs are around 3 nm in size, possess the tetragonal chalcopyrite crystal structure, and exhibit long fluorescence lifetimes (>100 ns). In addition, these ZAIS QDs are found to exhibit excellent optical and colloidal stability in physiologically relevant pH values as well as very low cytotoxicity, which render them particularly suitable for biological applications. Their potential use in biological labelling of baculoviral vectors is demonstrated. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Quantum yields, EDX spectrum and photoluminescence decay curves. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr34159c

Passivation effects on quantum dots prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Qilin; Maloney, Scott; Chen, Weimin; Poudyal, Uma; Wang, Wenyong

2016-06-01

ZnS is typically used to passivate semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) prepared by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method for solar cell applications, while for colloidal QDs, organic ligands are usually used for this passivation purpose. In this study we utilized oleylamine and oleic acid ligands, besides ZnS, to passivate QDs prepared by the SILAR approach, and investigated their effects on the incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) performance of the solar cells. It was observed that oleylamine passivation decreased device performance, while oleic acid passivation improved the IPCE of the cells. Redshift of the IPCE onset wavelength was also observed after oleic acid coating, which was attributed to the delocalization of excitons in the CdS QDs.

Surface patterning of nanoparticles with polymer patches

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

Choueiri, Rachelle M.; Galati, Elizabeth; Thérien-Aubin, Héloïse

Patterning of colloidal particles with chemically or topographically distinct surface domains (patches) has attracted intense research interest. Surface-patterned particles act as colloidal analogues of atoms and molecules serve as model systems in studies of phase transitions in liquid systems, behave as ‘colloidal surfactants’ and function as templates for the synthesis of hybrid particles. The generation of micrometre- and submicrometre-sized patchy colloids is now efficient but surface patterning of inorganic colloidal nanoparticles with dimensions of the order of tens of nanometres is uncommon. Such nanoparticles exhibit size- and shape-dependent optical, electronic and magnetic properties, and their assemblies show new collective properties.more » At present, nanoparticle patterning is limited to the generation of two-patch nanoparticles and nanoparticles with surface ripples or a ‘raspberry’ surface morphology. We demonstrate nanoparticle surface patterning, which utilizes thermodynamically driven segregation of polymer ligands from a uniform polymer brush into surface-pinned micelles following a change in solvent quality. Patch formation is reversible but can be permanently preserved using a photocrosslinking step. The methodology offers the ability to control the dimensions of patches, their spatial distribution and the number of patches per nanoparticle, in agreement with a theoretical model. The versatility of the strategy is demonstrated by patterning nanoparticles with different dimensions, shapes and compositions, tethered with various types of polymers and subjected to different external stimuli. Furthermore, these patchy nanocolloids have potential applications in fundamental research, the self-assembly of nanomaterials, diagnostics, sensing and colloidal stabilization.« less

Surface patterning of nanoparticles with polymer patches

DOE PAGES

Choueiri, Rachelle M.; Galati, Elizabeth; Thérien-Aubin, Héloïse; ...

2016-08-24

Patterning of colloidal particles with chemically or topographically distinct surface domains (patches) has attracted intense research interest. Surface-patterned particles act as colloidal analogues of atoms and molecules serve as model systems in studies of phase transitions in liquid systems, behave as ‘colloidal surfactants’ and function as templates for the synthesis of hybrid particles. The generation of micrometre- and submicrometre-sized patchy colloids is now efficient but surface patterning of inorganic colloidal nanoparticles with dimensions of the order of tens of nanometres is uncommon. Such nanoparticles exhibit size- and shape-dependent optical, electronic and magnetic properties, and their assemblies show new collective properties.more » At present, nanoparticle patterning is limited to the generation of two-patch nanoparticles and nanoparticles with surface ripples or a ‘raspberry’ surface morphology. We demonstrate nanoparticle surface patterning, which utilizes thermodynamically driven segregation of polymer ligands from a uniform polymer brush into surface-pinned micelles following a change in solvent quality. Patch formation is reversible but can be permanently preserved using a photocrosslinking step. The methodology offers the ability to control the dimensions of patches, their spatial distribution and the number of patches per nanoparticle, in agreement with a theoretical model. The versatility of the strategy is demonstrated by patterning nanoparticles with different dimensions, shapes and compositions, tethered with various types of polymers and subjected to different external stimuli. Furthermore, these patchy nanocolloids have potential applications in fundamental research, the self-assembly of nanomaterials, diagnostics, sensing and colloidal stabilization.« less

Surface patterning of nanoparticles with polymer patches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choueiri, Rachelle M.; Galati, Elizabeth; Thérien-Aubin, Héloïse; Klinkova, Anna; Larin, Egor M.; Querejeta-Fernández, Ana; Han, Lili; Xin, Huolin L.; Gang, Oleg; Zhulina, Ekaterina B.; Rubinstein, Michael; Kumacheva, Eugenia

2016-10-01

Patterning of colloidal particles with chemically or topographically distinct surface domains (patches) has attracted intense research interest. Surface-patterned particles act as colloidal analogues of atoms and molecules, serve as model systems in studies of phase transitions in liquid systems, behave as ‘colloidal surfactants’ and function as templates for the synthesis of hybrid particles. The generation of micrometre- and submicrometre-sized patchy colloids is now efficient, but surface patterning of inorganic colloidal nanoparticles with dimensions of the order of tens of nanometres is uncommon. Such nanoparticles exhibit size- and shape-dependent optical, electronic and magnetic properties, and their assemblies show new collective properties. At present, nanoparticle patterning is limited to the generation of two-patch nanoparticles, and nanoparticles with surface ripples or a ‘raspberry’ surface morphology. Here we demonstrate nanoparticle surface patterning, which utilizes thermodynamically driven segregation of polymer ligands from a uniform polymer brush into surface-pinned micelles following a change in solvent quality. Patch formation is reversible but can be permanently preserved using a photocrosslinking step. The methodology offers the ability to control the dimensions of patches, their spatial distribution and the number of patches per nanoparticle, in agreement with a theoretical model. The versatility of the strategy is demonstrated by patterning nanoparticles with different dimensions, shapes and compositions, tethered with various types of polymers and subjected to different external stimuli. These patchy nanocolloids have potential applications in fundamental research, the self-assembly of nanomaterials, diagnostics, sensing and colloidal stabilization.

Hydrothermal synthesis and magnetic properties of Mn doped ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashad, M. M.; Rayan, D. A.; El-Barawy, K.

2010-01-01

Nanocrystallite Mn doped Zn1-XS (X = 0 to 0.4) powders have been synthesized through a hydrothermal route. The effect of the hydrothermal temperature and Mn2+ ions substitution on the crystal structure, crystallite size, microstructure and magnetic properties were investigated using (XRD), (SEM) and (VSM). The results revealed that wurtzite zinc sulfide phase was formed using thiourea as a sulfur source at temperature 150- 200oC for 24 h. The crystallite size was (7.9-15.1 nm) was obtained at the same conditions. The doping of Mn2+ ions decreased the crystallite size of the formed ZnS wurtzite phase was in the range between 7.9 and 3.8 nm. SEM micrographs showed that the produced ZnS and Mn doped ZnS particles were appeared as spherical shape. The magnetic properties were improved by substitution of Mn2+ ions up to 0.2.

Appropriate salt concentration of nanodiamond colloids for electrostatic self-assembly seeding of monosized individual diamond nanoparticles on silicon dioxide surfaces.

PubMed

Yoshikawa, Taro; Zuerbig, Verena; Gao, Fang; Hoffmann, René; Nebel, Christoph E; Ambacher, Oliver; Lebedev, Vadim

2015-05-19

Monosized (∼4 nm) diamond nanoparticles arranged on substrate surfaces are exciting candidates for single-photon sources and nucleation sites for ultrathin nanocrystalline diamond film growth. The most commonly used technique to obtain substrate-supported diamond nanoparticles is electrostatic self-assembly seeding using nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Currently, monodisperse nanodiamond colloids, which have a narrow distribution of particle sizes centering on the core particle size (∼4 nm), are available for the seeding technique on different substrate materials such as Si, SiO2, Cu, and AlN. However, the self-assembled nanoparticles tend to form small (typically a few tens of nanometers or even larger) aggregates on all of those substrate materials. In this study, this major weakness of self-assembled diamond nanoparticles was solved by modifying the salt concentration of nanodiamond colloidal suspensions. Several salt concentrations of colloidal suspensions were prepared using potassium chloride as an inserted electrolyte and were examined with respect to seeding on SiO2 surfaces. The colloidal suspensions and the seeded surfaces were characterized by dynamic light scattering and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Also, the interaction energies between diamond nanoparticles in each of the examined colloidal suspensions were compared on the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. From these investigations, it became clear that the appropriate salt concentration suppresses the formation of small aggregates during the seeding process owing to the modified electrostatic repulsive interaction between nanoparticles. Finally, monosized (<10 nm) individual diamond nanoparticles arranged on SiO2 surfaces have been successfully obtained.

Parameters optimization for synthesis of Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles by laser ablation in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krstulović, Nikša; Salamon, Krešimir; Budimlija, Ognjen; Kovač, Janez; Dasović, Jasna; Umek, Polona; Capan, Ivana

2018-05-01

Al-doped ZnO crystalline colloidal nanoparticles were synthesized by a laser ablation of ZnO:Al2O3 in MilliQ water. Experiments were performed systematically by changing the number of applied laser pulses and laser output energy with the aim to affect the nanoparticle size, composition (Al/Zn ratio) and characteristics (band-gap, crystallinity). Distinctly, set of nanoparticle syntheses was performed in deionized water for comparison. SEM investigation of colloidal nanoparticles revealed that the formed nanoparticles are 30 nm thick discs with average diameters ranging from 450 to 510 nm. It was found that craters in the target formed during the laser ablation influence the size of synthesized colloidal nanoparticles. This is explained by efficient nanoparticle growth through diffusion process which take place in spatially restricted volume of the target crater. When laser ablation takes place in deionized water the synthesized nanoparticles have a mesh-like structure with sparse concentration of disc-like nanoparticles. Al/Zn ratio and band-gap energy of nanoparticles are highly influenced by the number and output energy of applied laser pulses. In addition, the procedure how to calculate the concentration of colloidal nanoparticles synthesized by laser ablation in liquids is proposed. The Al-doped ZnO colloidal nanoparticles properties were obtained using different techniques like scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction, photoabsorption, photoluminescence and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Protein-directed synthesis of Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots: a dual-channel biosensor for two proteins.

PubMed

Wu, Peng; Zhao, Ting; Tian, Yunfei; Wu, Lan; Hou, Xiandeng

2013-06-03

Proteins typically have nanoscale dimensions and multiple binding sites with inorganic ions, which facilitates the templated synthesis of nanoparticles to yield nanoparticle-protein hybrids with tailored functionality, water solubility, and tunable frameworks with well-defined structure. In this work, we report a protein-templated synthesis of Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) by exploring bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the template. The obtained Mn-doped ZnS QDs give phosphorescence emission centered at 590 nm, with a decay time of about 1.9 ms. A dual-channel sensing system for two different proteins was developed through integration of the optical responses (phosphorescence emission and resonant light scattering (RLS)) of Mn-doped ZnS QDs and recognition of them by surface BSA phosphorescent sensing of trypsin and RLS sensing of lysozyme. Trypsin can digest BSA and remove BSA from the surface of Mn-doped ZnS QDs, thus quenching the phosphorescence of QDs, whereas lysozyme can assemble with BSA to lead to aggregation of QDs and enhanced RLS intensity. The detection limits for trypsin and lysozyme were 40 and 3 nM, respectively. The selectivity of the respective channel for trypsin and lysozyme was evaluated with a series of other proteins. Unlike other protein sensors based on nanobioconjugates, the proposed dual-channel sensor employs only one type of QDs but can detect two different proteins. Further, we found the RLS of QDs can also be useful for studying the BSA-lysozyme binding stoichiometry, which has not been reported in the literature. These successful biosensor applications clearly demonstrate that BSA not only serves as a template for growth of Mn-doped ZnS QDs, but also impacts the QDs for selective recognition of analyte proteins. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-stabilized ZnO colloid nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Gutul, Tatyana; Condur, Nadejda; Ursaki, Veaceslav; Goncearenco, Evgenii; Vlazan, Paulina

2014-01-01

Summary We propose a method for the synthesis of a colloidal ZnO solution with poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) as stabilizer. Stable colloidal solutions with good luminescence properties are obtained by using PVP as stabilizer in the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by a sol–gel method assisted by ultrasound. Nanoparticles with sizes of 30–40 nm in a PVP matrix are produced as a solid product. The colloidal ZnO/PVP/methanol solution, apart from the most intense PL band at 356 nm coming from the PVP, exhibits a strong PL band at 376 nm (3.30 eV) which corresponds to the emission of the free exciton recombination in ZnO nanoparticles. PMID:24778966

Hydration Repulsion between Carbohydrate Surfaces Mediated by Temperature and Specific Ions

PubMed Central

Chen, Hsieh; Cox, Jason R.; Ow, Hooisweng; Shi, Rena; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.

2016-01-01

Stabilizing colloids or nanoparticles in solution involves a fine balance between surface charges, steric repulsion of coating molecules, and hydration forces against van der Waals attractions. At high temperature and electrolyte concentrations, the colloidal stability of suspensions usually decreases rapidly. Here, we report a new experimental and simulation discovery that the polysaccharide (dextran) coated nanoparticles show ion-specific colloidal stability at high temperature, where we observed enhanced colloidal stability of nanoparticles in CaCl2 solution but rapid nanoparticle-nanoparticle aggregation in MgCl2 solution. The microscopic mechanism was unveiled in atomistic simulations. The presence of surface bound Ca2+ ions increases the carbohydrate hydration and induces strongly polarized repulsive water structures beyond at least three hydration shells which is farther-reaching than previously assumed. We believe leveraging the binding of strongly hydrated ions to macromolecular surfaces represents a new paradigm in achieving absolute hydration and colloidal stability for a variety of materials, particularly under extreme conditions. PMID:27334145

Hydration Repulsion between Carbohydrate Surfaces Mediated by Temperature and Specific Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hsieh; Cox, Jason R.; Ow, Hooisweng; Shi, Rena; Panagiotopoulos, Athanassios Z.

2016-06-01

Stabilizing colloids or nanoparticles in solution involves a fine balance between surface charges, steric repulsion of coating molecules, and hydration forces against van der Waals attractions. At high temperature and electrolyte concentrations, the colloidal stability of suspensions usually decreases rapidly. Here, we report a new experimental and simulation discovery that the polysaccharide (dextran) coated nanoparticles show ion-specific colloidal stability at high temperature, where we observed enhanced colloidal stability of nanoparticles in CaCl2 solution but rapid nanoparticle-nanoparticle aggregation in MgCl2 solution. The microscopic mechanism was unveiled in atomistic simulations. The presence of surface bound Ca2+ ions increases the carbohydrate hydration and induces strongly polarized repulsive water structures beyond at least three hydration shells which is farther-reaching than previously assumed. We believe leveraging the binding of strongly hydrated ions to macromolecular surfaces represents a new paradigm in achieving absolute hydration and colloidal stability for a variety of materials, particularly under extreme conditions.

Evaluation of Flexural Strength of Polymethyl Methacrylate modified with Silver Colloidal Nanoparticles subjected to Two Different Curing Cycles: An in vitro Study.

PubMed

Munikamaiah, Ranganath L; Jain, Saket K; Pal, Kapil S; Gaikwad, Ajay

2018-03-01

Silver colloidal nanoparticles have been incorporated into acrylic resins to induce antimicrobial properties. However, as additives, they can influence the mechanical properties of the final product. Mechanical properties are also dependent on different curing cycles. The aim of this study was to evaluate flexural strength of a denture base resin incorporated with different concentrations of silver colloidal nanoparticles subjected to two different curing cycles. Lucitone 199 denture base resin was used into which silver colloidal nanoparticles were incorporated at 0.5 and 5% by polymer mass. Specimens devoid of nanoparticles were used as controls. A total of 60 specimens were fabricated and divided into two groups. Each group was divided into three subgroups consisting of 10 specimens each. The specimens were fabricated according to American Dental Association (ADA) specification No. 12 and tested for flexural strength using universal testing machine. Silver colloidal nanoparticle incorporation at 0.5% concentration increased the mean flexural strength in both curing cycles by 7.5 and 4.4%, respectively, when compared with the control group. The study suggested that the mean flexural strength value of 0.5% silver colloidal nanoparticles in denture base resin was above the value of the control group both in short and long curing cycles, which makes it clinically suitable as a denture base material. However, at 5% concentration, the statistically significant amount of decrease in flexural strength compared with the value of control group both in short and long curing cycles gives it a questionable prognosis. The specimens incorporated with the antimicrobial agent 0.5% silver colloidal nanoparticles and processed by long curing cycles showed significant increase in its flexural strength compared with the control group, which makes it clinically suitable as a denture base material.

A Study on Dielectric Properties of Cadmium Sulfide-Zinc Sulfide Core-Shell Nanocomposites for Application as Nanoelectronic Filter Component in the Microwave Domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devi, Jutika; Datta, Pranayee

2018-07-01

Complex permittivities of cadmium sulfide (CdS), zinc sulfide (ZnS), and of cadmium sulfide-zinc sulfide (CdS/ZnS) core-shell nanoparticles embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol matrix (PVA) were measured in liquid phase using a VectorNetwork Analyzer in the frequency range of 500 MHz-10 GHz. These nanocomposites are modeled as an embedded capacitor, and their electric field distribution and polarization have been studied using COMSOL Multiphysics software. By varying the thickness of the shell and the number of inclusions, the capacitance values were estimated. It was observed that CdS, ZnS and CdS/ZnS core-shell nanoparticles embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol matrix show capacitive behavior. There is a strong influence of the dielectric properties in the capacitive behavior of the embedded nanocapacitor. The capping matrix, position and filling factors of nanoinclusions all affect the capacitive behavior of the tested nanocomposites. Application of the CdS, ZnS and CdS/ZnS core-shell nanocomposite as the passive low-pass filter circuit has also been investigated. From the present study, it has been found that CdS/ZnS core-shell nanoparticles embedded in PVA matrix are potential structures for application as nanoelectronic filter components in different areas of communication.

A Study on Dielectric Properties of Cadmium Sulfide-Zinc Sulfide Core-Shell Nanocomposites for Application as Nanoelectronic Filter Component in the Microwave Domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devi, Jutika; Datta, Pranayee

2018-03-01

Complex permittivities of cadmium sulfide (CdS), zinc sulfide (ZnS), and of cadmium sulfide-zinc sulfide (CdS/ZnS) core-shell nanoparticles embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol matrix (PVA) were measured in liquid phase using a VectorNetwork Analyzer in the frequency range of 500 MHz-10 GHz. These nanocomposites are modeled as an embedded capacitor, and their electric field distribution and polarization have been studied using COMSOL Multiphysics software. By varying the thickness of the shell and the number of inclusions, the capacitance values were estimated. It was observed that CdS, ZnS and CdS/ZnS core-shell nanoparticles embedded in a polyvinyl alcohol matrix show capacitive behavior. There is a strong influence of the dielectric properties in the capacitive behavior of the embedded nanocapacitor. The capping matrix, position and filling factors of nanoinclusions all affect the capacitive behavior of the tested nanocomposites. Application of the CdS, ZnS and CdS/ZnS core-shell nanocomposite as the passive low-pass filter circuit has also been investigated. From the present study, it has been found that CdS/ZnS core-shell nanoparticles embedded in PVA matrix are potential structures for application as nanoelectronic filter components in different areas of communication.

A Colloidal Route to Detection of Organic Molecules Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Using Nanostructured Substrate Derived from Aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gen, Masao; Kakuta, Hideo; Kamimoto, Yoshihito; Wuled Lenggoro, I.

2011-06-01

A detection method based on the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active substrate derived from aerosol nanoparticles and a colloidal suspension for detecting organic molecules of a model analyte (a pesticide) is proposed. This approach can detect the molecules of the derived from its solution with the concentration levels of ppb. For substrate fabrication, a gas-phase method is used to directly deposit Ag nanoparticles on to a silicon substrate having pyramidal structures. By mixing the target analyte with a suspension of Ag colloids purchased in advance, clotianidin analyte on Ag colloid can exist in junctions of co-aggregated Ag colloids. Using (i) a nanostructured substrate made from aerosol nanoparticles and (ii) colloidal suspension can increase the number of activity spots.

Optical transmission larger than 1 (T>1) through ZnS -SiO2/AgOx/ZnS-SiO2 sandwiched thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jingsong; Xiao, Mufei

2006-09-01

Optical transmission through flat media should be smaller than 1. However, we have observed optical transmission up to T =1.18. The samples were ZnS -SiO2/AgOx/ZnS-SiO2 sandwiched thin films on glass substrate. The supertransmission could only be observed in the near field. We attribute the supertransmission to the lateral propagation relayed by the laser activated and decomposed Ag nanoparticles.

Nanoparticles migration in fractured rocks and affects on contaminant migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Missana, Tiziana; Garcia-Gutierrez, Miguel; Alonso, Ursula

2014-05-01

In previous studies, the transport behavior of artificial (gold and latex) and natural (smectite clay) colloids, within a planar fracture in crystalline rock, was analyzed. In order to better understand the effects of colloid size, shape and surface charge on nanoparticle migration and especially on filtration processes on natural rock surfaces, different clay colloids and oxide nanoparticles were selected and their transport studied as a function of the residence time. In all the cases, (a fraction of) the nanoparticles travelled in the fracture as fast as or faster than water (with a retardation factor, Rf ≤ 1) and the observed Rf, was related to the Taylor dispersion coefficient, accounting for colloid size, water velocity and fracture width. However, under most of the cases, in contrast to the behavior of a conservative tracer, colloids recovery was much lower than 100 %. Differences in recovery between different nanoparticles, under similar residence times, were analyzed. In order to evaluate the possible consequences, on contaminant migration, of the presence of nanoparticles in the system, transport tests were carried out with both colloids and sorbing radionuclides. The overall capacity for colloids of enhancing radionuclide migration in crystalline rock fractures is discussed. Acknowledgments: The research leading to these results received funding from EU FP7/2007-2011 grant agreement Nº 295487 (BELBAR, Bentonite Erosion: effects on the Long term performance of the engineered Barrier and Radionuclide Transport) and by the Spanish Government under the project NANOBAG (CTM2011-2797).

The Interaction between Zein and Lecithin in Ethanol-Water Solution and Characterization of Zein-Lecithin Composite Colloidal Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Dai, Lei; Sun, Cuixia; Wang, Di; Gao, Yanxiang

2016-01-01

Lecithin, a naturally small molecular surfactant, which is widely used in the food industry, can delay aging, enhance memory, prevent and treat diabetes. The interaction between zein and soy lecithin with different mass ratios (20:1, 10:1, 5:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2) in ethanol-water solution and characterisation of zein and lecithin composite colloidal nanoparticles prepared by antisolvent co-precipitation method were investigated. The mean size of zein-lecithin composite colloidal nanoparticles was firstly increased with the rise of lecithin concentration and then siginificantly decreased. The nanoparticles at the zein to lecithin mass ratio of 5:1 had the largest particle size (263 nm), indicating that zein and lecithin formed composite colloidal nanoparticles, which might aggregate due to the enhanced interaction at a higher proportion of lecithin. Continuing to increase lecithin concentration, the zein-lecithin nanoparticles possibly formed a reverse micelle-like or a vesicle-like structure with zein in the core, which prevented the formation of nanoparticle aggregates and decreased the size of composite nanoparticles. The presence of lecithin significantly reduced the ζ-potential of zein-lecithin composite colloidal nanoparticles. The interaction between zein and lecithin enhanced the intensity of the fluorescence emission of zein in ethanol-water solution. The secondary structure of zein was also changed by the addition of lecithin. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms revealed that the thermal stability of zein-lecithin nanoparticles was enhanced with the rise of lecithin level. The composite nanoparticles were relatively stable to elevated ionic strengths. Possible interaction mechanism between zein and lecithin was proposed. These findings would help further understand the theory of the interaction between the alcohol soluble protein and the natural small molecular surfactant. The composite colloidal nanoparticles formed in this study can broaden the application of zein and be suitable for incorporating water-insoluble bioactive components in functional food and beverage products.

The Interaction between Zein and Lecithin in Ethanol-Water Solution and Characterization of Zein–Lecithin Composite Colloidal Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Dai, Lei; Sun, Cuixia; Wang, Di; Gao, Yanxiang

2016-01-01

Lecithin, a naturally small molecular surfactant, which is widely used in the food industry, can delay aging, enhance memory, prevent and treat diabetes. The interaction between zein and soy lecithin with different mass ratios (20:1, 10:1, 5:1, 3:1, 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2) in ethanol-water solution and characterisation of zein and lecithin composite colloidal nanoparticles prepared by antisolvent co-precipitation method were investigated. The mean size of zein-lecithin composite colloidal nanoparticles was firstly increased with the rise of lecithin concentration and then siginificantly decreased. The nanoparticles at the zein to lecithin mass ratio of 5:1 had the largest particle size (263 nm), indicating that zein and lecithin formed composite colloidal nanoparticles, which might aggregate due to the enhanced interaction at a higher proportion of lecithin. Continuing to increase lecithin concentration, the zein-lecithin nanoparticles possibly formed a reverse micelle-like or a vesicle-like structure with zein in the core, which prevented the formation of nanoparticle aggregates and decreased the size of composite nanoparticles. The presence of lecithin significantly reduced the ζ-potential of zein-lecithin composite colloidal nanoparticles. The interaction between zein and lecithin enhanced the intensity of the fluorescence emission of zein in ethanol-water solution. The secondary structure of zein was also changed by the addition of lecithin. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms revealed that the thermal stability of zein-lecithin nanoparticles was enhanced with the rise of lecithin level. The composite nanoparticles were relatively stable to elevated ionic strengths. Possible interaction mechanism between zein and lecithin was proposed. These findings would help further understand the theory of the interaction between the alcohol soluble protein and the natural small molecular surfactant. The composite colloidal nanoparticles formed in this study can broaden the application of zein and be suitable for incorporating water-insoluble bioactive components in functional food and beverage products. PMID:27893802

Highly Luminescent Water-Dispersible NIR-Emitting Wurtzite CuInS2/ZnS Core/Shell Colloidal Quantum Dots

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Copper indium sulfide (CIS) quantum dots (QDs) are attractive as labels for biomedical imaging, since they have large absorption coefficients across a broad spectral range, size- and composition-tunable photoluminescence from the visible to the near-infrared, and low toxicity. However, the application of NIR-emitting CIS QDs is still hindered by large size and shape dispersions and low photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs). In this work, we develop an efficient pathway to synthesize highly luminescent NIR-emitting wurtzite CIS/ZnS QDs, starting from template Cu2-xS nanocrystals (NCs), which are converted by topotactic partial Cu+ for In3+ exchange into CIS NCs. These NCs are subsequently used as cores for the overgrowth of ZnS shells (≤1 nm thick). The CIS/ZnS core/shell QDs exhibit PL tunability from the first to the second NIR window (750–1100 nm), with PLQYs ranging from 75% (at 820 nm) to 25% (at 1050 nm), and can be readily transferred to water upon exchange of the native ligands for mercaptoundecanoic acid. The resulting water-dispersible CIS/ZnS QDs possess good colloidal stability over at least 6 months and PLQYs ranging from 39% (at 820 nm) to 6% (at 1050 nm). These PLQYs are superior to those of commonly available water-soluble NIR-fluorophores (dyes and QDs), making the hydrophilic CIS/ZnS QDs developed in this work promising candidates for further application as NIR emitters in bioimaging. The hydrophobic CIS/ZnS QDs obtained immediately after the ZnS shelling are also attractive as fluorophores in luminescent solar concentrators. PMID:28638177

Self-organized colloidal quantum dots and metal nanoparticles for plasmon-enhanced intermediate-band solar cells.

PubMed

Mendes, Manuel J; Hernández, Estela; López, Esther; García-Linares, Pablo; Ramiro, Iñigo; Artacho, Irene; Antolín, Elisa; Tobías, Ignacio; Martí, Antonio; Luque, Antonio

2013-08-30

A colloidal deposition technique is presented to construct long-range ordered hybrid arrays of self-assembled quantum dots and metal nanoparticles. Quantum dots are promising for novel opto-electronic devices but, in most cases, their optical transitions of interest lack sufficient light absorption to provide a significant impact in their implementation. A potential solution is to couple the dots with localized plasmons in metal nanoparticles. The extreme confinement of light in the near-field produced by the nanoparticles can potentially boost the absorption in the quantum dots by up to two orders of magnitude.In this work, light extinction measurements are employed to probe the plasmon resonance of spherical gold nanoparticles in lead sulfide colloidal quantum dots and amorphous silicon thin-films. Mie theory computations are used to analyze the experimental results and determine the absorption enhancement that can be generated by the highly intense near-field produced in the vicinity of the gold nanoparticles at their surface plasmon resonance.The results presented here are of interest for the development of plasmon-enhanced colloidal nanostructured photovoltaic materials, such as colloidal quantum dot intermediate-band solar cells.

Tuning and synthesis of semiconductor nanostructures by mechanical compression

DOEpatents

Fan, Hongyou; Li, Binsong

2015-11-17

A mechanical compression method can be used to tune semiconductor nanoparticle lattice structure and synthesize new semiconductor nanostructures including nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets, and other three-dimensional interconnected structures. II-VI or IV-VI compound semiconductor nanoparticle assemblies can be used as starting materials, including CdSe, CdTe, ZnSe, ZnS, PbSe, and PbS.

Interpreting the adsorption of serum albumin and lactoglobulin onto ZnS nanopaticles: effect of conformational rigidity of the proteins.

PubMed

Saikia, Jiban; Saha, Bedabrata; Das, Gopal

2014-02-15

The work we have undertaken is to investigate the adsorption of two different proteins (BSA and BLG) having near same IEP and differing in their conformational flexibility, onto the surface of ZnS nanoparticles (ZnS NPs). BSA and BLG both have an IEP value around pH~5. BSA is more prone to conformational deformation and considered "soft" while BLG holds the conformational rigidity and considered as "hard" protein. To ascertain the differences in surface coverage and conformation of the protein onto ZnS surface (PZC ~ 3.7), we have evaluated the adsorption profile at pH 7, where the entire surface behaves negatively. An integrated approach was taken by incorporating zeta (ζ) potential, fluorescence and CD for analyzing the adsorption process. In both systems, an increase in protein surface coverage was observed with the increase in free protein concentration in the solution and ζ values approaching that of native protein at high surface coverage. An alteration in the tertiary structure was observed for both BSA and BLG. The CD spectra analysis reveals that the secondary structure of the BSA was more deviated from the native protein structure, accommodating the increased adsorption value. For BLG no such prominent structural alteration was observed. These findings help us to understand better, how adjustment of the protein adsorption amount can be achieved onto the surface of nanoparticles having like charges. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

pH Triggered Recovery and Reuse of Thiolated Poly(acrylic acid) Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles with Applications in Colloidal Catalysis.

PubMed

Ansar, Siyam M; Fellows, Benjamin; Mispireta, Patrick; Mefford, O Thompson; Kitchens, Christopher L

2017-08-08

Thiolated poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-SH) functionalized gold nanoparticles were explored as a colloidal catalyst with potential application as a recoverable catalyst where the PAA provides pH-responsive dispersibility and phase transfer capability between aqueous and organic media. This system demonstrates complete nanoparticle recovery and redispersion over multiple reaction cycles without changes in nanoparticle morphology or reduction in conversion. The catalytic activity (rate constant) was reduced in subsequent reactions when recovery by aggregation was employed, despite unobservable changes in morphology or dispersibility. When colloidal catalyst recovery employed a pH induced phase transfer between two immiscible solvents, the catalytic activity of the recovered nanoparticles was unchanged over four cycles, maintaining the original rate constant and 100% conversion. The ability to recover and reuse colloidal catalysts by aggregation/redispersion and phase transfer methods that occur at low and high pH, respectively, could be used for different gold nanoparticle catalyzed reactions that occur at different pH conditions.

New method for MBE growth of GaAs nanowires on silicon using colloidal Au nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouravleuv, A.; Ilkiv, I.; Reznik, R.; Kotlyar, K.; Soshnikov, I.; Cirlin, G.; Brunkov, P.; Kirilenko, D.; Bondarenko, L.; Nepomnyaschiy, A.; Gruznev, D.; Zotov, A.; Saranin, A.; Dhaka, V.; Lipsanen, H.

2018-01-01

We present a new method for the deposition of colloidal Au nanoparticles on the surface of silicon substrates based on short-time Ar plasma treatment without the use of any polymeric layers. The elaborated method is compatible with molecular beam epitaxy, which allowed us to carry out the detailed study of GaAs nanowire synthesis on Si(111) substrates using colloidal Au nanoparticles as seeds for their growth. The results obtained elucidated the causes of the difference between the initial nanoparticle sizes and the diameters of the grown nanowires.

Nanoparticle engineering of colloidal suspension behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Angel Thanda

We investigate the effects of highly charged nanoparticles on the phase behavior, structure, and assembly of colloidal microsphere suspensions. Specifically, by selectively tuning the electrostatic interactions between silica microspheres and polystyrene nanoparticles, we study the behavior of four key systems: (i) strongly repulsive, (ii) haloing, (iii) weakly attractive, and (iv) strongly attractive systems. In each system, a combination of nanoparticle adsorption, zeta potential, and confocal microscopy measurements are carried out to systematically study the effects of nanoparticle volume fraction, microsphere/nanoparticle size ratios, and interparticle interactions on their behavior. Our observations indicate that minimal adsorption of highly charged nanoparticles occurs on like-charged and negligibly-charged microspheres, whereas their extent of association increases dramatically with increasing microsphere-nanoparticle attraction. A rich phase behavior emerges in these systems based on whether the nanoparticle species serve as depletants, haloing, or bridging species. The phase transitions in the haloing system occur at constant nanoparticle volume fractions, φnano, over a broad range of microsphere volume fractions, φmicro . By contrast, the observed transitions in the weakly and strongly attractive mixtures occur at a constant number ratio of nanoparticles per microsphere, Nnano/Nmicro. Important structural differences emerge, which can be exploited in the assembly of colloidal gels for direct ink writing and colloidal crystals on epitaxially patterned substrates. Finally, for the first time, we explore nanoparticle haloing as a new route for stabilizing hydrophobic colloidal drugs in aqueous suspensions media for preparation of injectable pharmaceuticals. These microsphere suspensions exhibit improved stability relative to their surfactant-stabilized counterparts after autoclaving, a critical processing step for this target applications. This research opens up a new avenue for stabilization of hydrophobic particles, when surfactant additions alone do not provide sufficient stabilization.

Characterization of engineered nanoparticles in commercially available spray disinfectant products advertised to contain colloidal silver

EPA Science Inventory

Given the potential for human exposure to silver nanoparticles from spray disinfectants and dietary supplements, we characterized the silver-containing nanoparticles in 22 commercial products that advertised the use of silver or colloidal silver as the active ingredient. Characte...

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.

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

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

The rapid size- and shape-controlled continuous hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunne, Peter W.; Starkey, Chris L.; Gimeno-Fabra, Miquel; Lester, Edward H.

2014-01-01

Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control.Continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis offers a cheap, green and highly scalable route for the preparation of inorganic nanomaterials which has predominantly been applied to metal oxide based materials. In this work we report the first continuous flow hydrothermal synthesis of metal sulphide nanomaterials. A wide range of binary metal sulphides, ZnS, CdS, PbS, CuS, Fe(1-x)S and Bi2S3, have been synthesised. By varying the reaction conditions two different mechanisms may be invoked; a growth dominated route which permits the formation of nanostructured sulphide materials, and a nucleation driven process which produces nanoparticles with temperature dependent size control. This offers a new and industrially viable route to a wide range of metal sulphide nanoparticles with facile size and shape control. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, refinement procedure, fluorescence spectra of ZnS samples. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05749f

Heteroaggregation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles with natural clay colloids.

PubMed

Labille, Jérôme; Harns, Carrie; Bottero, Jean-Yves; Brant, Jonathan

2015-06-02

To better understand and predict the fate of engineered nanoparticles in the water column, we assessed the heteroaggregation of TiO2 nanoparticles with a smectite clay as analogues for natural colloids. Heteroaggregation was evaluated as a function of water salinity (10(-3) and 10(-1) M NaCl), pH (5 and 8), and selected nanoparticle concentration (0-4 mg/L). Time-resolved laser diffraction was used, coupled to an aggregation model, to identify the key mechanisms and variables that drive the heteroaggregation of the nanoparticles with colloids. Our data show that, at a relevant concentration, nanoparticle behavior is mainly driven by heteroaggregation with colloids, while homoaggregation remains negligible. The affinity of TiO2 nanoparticles for clay is driven by electrostatic interactions. Opposite surface charges and/or high ionic strength favored the formation of primary heteroaggregates via the attachment of nanoparticles to the clay. The initial shape and dispersion state of the clay as well as the nanoparticle/clay concentration ratio also affected the nature of the heteroaggregation mechanism. With dispersed clay platelets (10(-3) M NaCl), secondary heteroaggregation driven by bridging nanoparticles occurred at a nanoparticle/clay number ratio of greater than 0.5. In 10(-1) M NaCl, the clay was preaggregated into larger and more spherical units. This favored secondary heteroaggregation at lower nanoparticle concentration that correlated to the nanoparticle/clay surface area ratio. In this latter case, a nanoparticle to clay sticking efficiency could be determined.

Synthesis and influence of ultrasonic treatment on luminescence of Mn incorporated ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadis, A.-I.; Muresan, L. E.; Perhaita, I.; Munteanu, V.; Karabulut, Y.; Garcia Guinea, J.; Canimoglu, A.; Ayvacikli, M.; Can, N.

2017-10-01

Manganese (Mn) doping of ZnS phosphors was achieved by precipitation method using different ultrasound (US) maturation times. The structural and luminescence properties of the samples were carried out by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), photoluminescence (PL), and cathodoluminescence (CL). The real amount of manganese incorporated in ZnS lattice was calculated based on ICP-OES results. According with XRD patterns, the phase structure of ZnS:Mn samples is cubic. EDS spectra reveal deviations of the Mn dopant concentration from the target composition. Both 300 K PL and CL emission spectra of the Mn doped ZnS phosphors display intense orange emission at 590 and 600 nm, respectively, which is characteristic emission of Mn ion corresponding to a 4T1→6A1 transition. Both PL and CL spectra confirmed manganese is substitutionally incorporated into the ZnS host as Mn2+. However, it is suggested that the origin of broad blue emission around 400 nm appeared in CL is due to the radiative recombination at deep level defect states in the ZnS. The ultrasound treatment at first enhances the luminescent intensity by ∼3 times in comparison with samples prepared by classical way. This study gives rise to an optimization guideline, which is extremely demanded for the development of new luminescent materials.

Probing the defects in nano-semiconductors using positrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nambissan, P. M. G.

2011-01-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) is a very useful tool to study the defect properties of nanoscale materials. The ability of thermalized positrons to diffuse over to the surfaces of nanocrystallites prior to annihilation helps to explore the disordered atomic arrangement over there and is very useful in understanding the structure and properties of nanomaterials. As examples, the results of studies on FeS2 nanorods and ZnS nanoparticles are presented. In semiconductor nanoparticles, there are positron trapping sites within the grains also and these are characterised by using appropriate models on the measured positron lifetimes. We have observed vivid changes in the measured positron lifetimes and Doppler broadened gamma ray spectral lineshapes during structural transformations prompted by substitutional effects in Mn2+-doped ZnS nanorods. Interestingly, the nanoparticles did not exhibit the transformation, implying the morphologies of the nanosystems playing a decisive role. Quantum confinement effect in CdS nanoparticles was another phenomenon that could be seen through positron annihilation experiments. Coincidence Doppler broadening measurements have been useful to identify the elemental environment around the vacancy clusters that trap positrons. Recent studies on nanocrystalline oxide and sulphide semiconductors are also discussed.

[MAXIMUM SINGLE DOSE OF COLLOIDAL SILVER NEGATIVELY AFFECTS ERYTHROPOIESIS IN VITRO].

PubMed

Tishevskayal, N V; Zakharovl, Y M; Bolotovl, A A; Arkhipenko, Yu V; Sazontova, T G

2015-01-01

Erythroblastic islets (EI) of rat bone marrow were cultured for 24 h in the presence of silver nanoparticles (1.07 · 10(-4) mg/ml; 1.07 · 10(-3) mg/ml; and 1.07 · 10(-2) mg/mL). The colloidal silver at 1.07 · 10(-3) mg/ml concentration inhibited the formation of new Elby disrupting contacts of bone marrow macrophages with CFU-E (erythropoiesis de novo) by 65.3% (p < 0.05). Colloidal silver nanoparticles suppressed the reconstruction of erythropoiesis and inhibited the formation of new EI by disrupting contacts of CFU-E and central macrophages with matured erythroidal "crown" (erythropoiesis de repeto). The colloidal silver concentration of 1.07 · 10(-3) mg/ml in the culture medium also reduced the number of self-reconstructing EI by 67.5% (p <0.05), whereas 1.07 · 10(-2) mg/ml colloidal silver reduced this value by 93.7% (p < 0.05). Silver nanoparticles retarded maturation of erythroid cells at the stage of oxiphylic normoblast denucleation: 1.07 · 10(-3) mg/ml colloidal silver increased the number of mature El by 53% (p < 0.05). The retardation of erythropoiesis by colloidal silver in concentration equivalent to the maximum single dose is related to the effect of silver nanoparticles rather than glycerol present in the colloidal suspension.

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

Stimulated low-frequency Raman scattering in aqueous suspension of nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Averyushkin, Anatolii S.; Baranov, Anatoly N.; Bulychev, Nikolay A.; Kazaryan, Mishik A.; Kudryavtseva, Anna D.; Shevchenko, Mikhail A.; Strokov, Maxim A.; Tcherniega, Nikolay V.; Zemskov, Konstantin I.

2018-04-01

The low-frequency acoustic mode in nanoparticles of different nature in aqueous suspension has been studied by stimulated low-frequency Raman scattering (SLFRS). Nanoparticles investigated (CuO, Ag, Au, ZnS) had different dimensions and different vibrational properties. Synthesis of cupric oxide nanoparticles in acoustoplasma discharge is described in details. SLFRS has been excited by nanosecond pulses of ruby laser. Spectra of the scattered light had been registered with the help of Fabry-Perot interferometer. SLFRS conversion efficiency, threshold and frequency shift of the scattered light are measured.

Nanoparticle halos: A new colloid stabilization mechanism

PubMed Central

Tohver, Valeria; Smay, James E.; Braem, Alan; Braun, Paul V.; Lewis, Jennifer A.

2001-01-01

A new mechanism for regulating the stability of colloidal particles has been discovered. Negligibly charged colloidal microspheres, which flocculate when suspended alone in aqueous solution, undergo a remarkable stabilizing transition upon the addition of a critical volume fraction of highly charged nanoparticle species. Zeta potential analysis revealed that these microspheres exhibited an effective charge buildup in the presence of such species. Scanning angle reflectometry measurements indicated, however, that these nanoparticle species did not adsorb on the microspheres under the experimental conditions of interest. It is therefore proposed that highly charged nanoparticles segregate to regions near negligibly charged microspheres because of their repulsive Coulombic interactions in solution. This type of nanoparticle haloing provides a previously unreported method for tailoring the behavior of complex fluids. PMID:11447264

Heparin Assisted Photochemical Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Their Performance as SERS Substrates

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Torres, Maria del Pilar; Díaz-Torres, Luis Armando; Romero-Servin, Sergio

2014-01-01

Reactive and pharmaceutical-grade heparins were used as biologically compatible reducing and stabilizing agents to photochemically synthesize colloidal gold nanoparticles. Aggregates and anisotropic shapes were obtained photochemically under UV black-light lamp irradiation (λ = 366 nm). Heparin-functionalized gold nanoparticles were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The negatively charged colloids were used for the Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) analysis of differently charged analytes (dyes). Measurements of pH were taken to inspect how the acidity of the medium affects the colloid-analyte interaction. SERS spectra were taken by mixing the dyes and the colloidal solutions without further functionalization or addition of any aggregating agent. PMID:25342319

Sunlight-assisted synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles using chitosan as reducing agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susilowati, E.; Maryani; Ashadi

2018-04-01

The present study we explore an environmentally friendly colloidal silver nanoparticles preparation using chitosan as reducing agent and stabilizer. It develops a new strategy on preparation of silver nanoparticles through the gel phase using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as accelerator reagent. Sunlight irradiation was employed to assisted reducing process of silver ions to silver nanoparticles. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) phenomenon of silver nanoparticles was investigated using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The shape and size of silver particles were analyzed using TEM. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by the appearance of LSPR absorption peak at 396.0–412.0 nm. The absorption peak of LSPR were affected by NaOH amount, time of sulight irradiation and concentration of AgNO3. The produced silver nanoparticles were spherical with dominant size range of 5 to 8 nm as shown by TEM images. All colloidals were stable without any aggregation for 30 days after preparation.

Assembling nanoparticle coatings to improve the drug delivery performance of lipid based colloids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simovic, Spomenka; Barnes, Timothy J.; Tan, Angel; Prestidge, Clive A.

2012-02-01

Lipid based colloids (e.g. emulsions and liposomes) are widely used as drug delivery systems, but often suffer from physical instabilities and non-ideal drug encapsulation and delivery performance. We review the application of engineered nanoparticle layers at the interface of lipid colloids to improve their performance as drug delivery systems. In addition we focus on the creation of novel hybrid nanomaterials from nanoparticle-lipid colloid assemblies and their drug delivery applications. Specifically, nanoparticle layers can be engineered to enhance the physical stability of submicron lipid emulsions and liposomes, satbilise encapsulated active ingredients against chemical degradation, control molecular transport and improve the dermal and oral delivery characteristics, i.e. increase absorption, bioavailability and facilitate targeted delivery. It is feasible that hybrid nanomaterials composed of nanoparticles and colloidal lipids are effective encapsulation and delivery systems for both poorly soluble drugs and biological drugs and may form the basis for the next generation of medicines. Additional pre-clinical research including specific animal model studies are required to advance the peptide/protein delivery systems, whereas the silica lipid hybrid systems have now entered human clinical trials for poorly soluble drugs.

Silver nanoparticles-enhanced time-resolved fluorescence sensor for VEGF(165) based on Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots.

PubMed

Zhu, Dong; Li, Wei; Wen, Hong-Mei; Yu, Sheng; Miao, Zhao-Yi; Kang, An; Zhang, Aihua

2015-12-15

A silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-enhanced time-resolved fluorescence (TR-FL) sensor based on long-lived fluorescent Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) is developed for the sensitive detection of vascular endothelial growth factor-165 (VEGF165), a predominant cancer biomarker in cancer angiogenesis. The aptamers bond with the Mn-doped ZnS QDs and the BHQ-2 quencher-labelling strands hybridized in duplex are coupled with streptavidin (SA)-functionalized AgNPs to form the AgNPs-enhanced TR-FL sensor, showing lower fluorescence intensity in the duplex state due to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the Mn-doped ZnS QDs and quenchers. Upon the addition of VEGF165, the BHQ-2 quencher-labelling strands of the duplex are displaced, leading to the disruption of the FRET. As a result, the fluorescence of the Mn-doped QDs within the proximity of the AgNPs is recovered. The FL signal can be measured free of the interference of short-lived background by setting appropriate delay time and gate time, which offers a signal with high signal-to-noise ratio in photoluminescent biodetection. Compared with the bare TR-FL sensor, the AgNPs-based TR-FL sensor showed a huge improvement in fluorescence based on metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) effect, and the sensitivity increased 11-fold with the detection limit of 0.08 nM. In addition, the sensor provided a wide range of linear detection from 0.1 nM to 16 nM. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-purity nano particles ZnS production by a simple coupling reaction process of biological reduction and chemical precipitation mediated with EDTA.

PubMed

Xin, Baoping; Huang, Qun; Chen, Shi; Tang, Xuemei

2008-01-01

High-purity nanoparticles ZnS has been successfully synthesized using a simple coupling reaction process of biological reduction and chemical precipitation mediated with EDTA referred to as the CRBRCP-EDTA process. This research investigated the optimum conditions of the transformation of SO(4) (2-) into S(2-) by SRB, and the production of ZnS in the CRBRCP-EDTA process. The results showed that the molar ratio of Zn(2+) to EDTA = 1:1 was crucial for SRB growth and ZnS synthesis. At the ratio(n) (Zn2+)/n) (EDTA) = 1:1, lower Zn(2+) concentration enhanced both the growth of SRB and the reduction of SO(4) (2-), leading to higher ZnS production. Although increase in Na(2)SO(4) concentration resulted in decrease in both SRB growth and SO(4) (2-) reduction, it improved the S(2-) and ZnS production. Under the optimum conditions (0.05 mol L(-1) ZnCl(2), 0.05 mol L(-1) EDTA, and 0.1 mol L(-1) Na(2)SO(4)), the synthesized ZnS was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis showed that the obtained ZnS were high-purity and well-distributed solid spheres with diameters of about 15 nm for primary particles and around 400 nm for secondary particles. When polyacrylamide (PAM) was incorporated in the CRBRCP-EDTA process, the secondary particle's diameters were reduced to less than 100 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of produced ZnS centered at 396 nm, the spectrum with PAM added showed the gradual increase in absorption and stronger intensity in PL property. The present simple, low-cost, and safe method may be extended to prepare other metal-sulfide nanocomposites.

Effect of mint solution concentration on the absorption spectra of silver nanoparticles in thulium ions presence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmagin, S. I.; Krasovskii, V. I.; Apresyan, L. A.; Novikov, I. K.; Krystob, V. I.; Kazaryan, M. A.

2018-04-01

By the method of green synthesis, silver nanoparticles were obtained in colloidal solutions. The solutions were modified with thulium ions. Using the method of electron microscopy and optical method, the properties of silver nanoparticles obtained are studied. The influence of change in concentration of the solution of mint and thulium ions on the properties of colloidal silver nanoparticles was studied.

Rubber-based carbon electrode materials derived from dumped tires for efficient sodium-ion storage.

PubMed

Wu, Zhen-Yue; Ma, Chao; Bai, Yu-Lin; Liu, Yu-Si; Wang, Shi-Feng; Wei, Xiao; Wang, Kai-Xue; Chen, Jie-Sheng

2018-04-03

The development of sustainable and low cost electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries has attracted considerable attention. In this work, a carbon composite material decorated with in situ generated ZnS nanoparticles has been prepared via a simple pyrolysis of the rubber powder from dumped tires. Upon being used as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries, the carbon composite shows a high reversible capacity and rate capability. A capacity as high as 267 mA h g-1 is still retained after 100 cycles at a current density of 50 mA g-1. The well dispersed ZnS nanoparticles in carbon significantly enhance the electrochemical performance. The carbon composites derived from the rubber powder are proposed as promising electrode materials for low-cost, large-scale energy storage devices. This work provides a new and effective method for the reuse of dumped tires, contributing to the recycling of valuable waste resources.

Electrocatalytic activity of ZnS nanoparticles in direct ethanol fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bredol, Michael; Kaczmarek, Michał; Wiemhöfer, Hans-Dieter

2014-06-01

Low temperature fuel cells consuming ethanol without reformation would be a major step toward the use of renewable energy sources from biomass. However, the necessary electrodes and electrocatalysts still are far from being perfect and suffer from various poisoning and deactivation processes. This work describes investigations on systems using carbon/ZnS-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in complete membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). MEAs were built on Nafion membranes with active masses prepared from ZnS nanoparticles and Vulcan carbon support. Under operation, acetic acid and acetaldehyde were identified and quantified as soluble oxidation products, whereas the amount of CO2 generated could not be quantified directly. Overall conversion efficiencies of up to 25% were estimated from cells operated over prolonged time. From polarization curves, interrupt experiments and analysis of reaction products, mass transport problems (concentration polarization) and breakthrough losses were found to be the main deficiencies of the ethanol oxidation electrodes fabricated so far.

Studies on the antimicrobial properties of colloidal silver nanoparticles stabilized by bovine serum albumin.

PubMed

Mathew, Thomas V; Kuriakose, Sunny

2013-01-01

Colloidal silver nanoparticles were synthesised using sol-gel method and these nanoparticles were stabilised by encapsulated into the scaffolds of bovine serum albumin. Silver nanoparticles and encapsulated products were characterised by FTIR, NMR, XRD, TG, SEM and TEM analyses. Silver nanoparticle encapsulated bovine serum albumin showed highly potent antibacterial activity towards the bacterial strains such as Staphylococcus aureus, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical and structural properties of colloidal zirconia nanoparticles prepared by arc discharge in liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peymani forooshani, Reza; Poursalehi, Reza; Yourdkhani, Amin

2018-01-01

Zirconia is one of the important ceramic materials with unique properties such as high melting point, high ionic conductivity, high mechanical properties and low thermal conductivity. Therefore, zirconia is one of the useful materials in refractories, thermal barriers, cutting tools, oxygen sensors electrolytes, catalysis, catalyst supports and solid oxide fuel cells. Recently, direct current (DC) arc discharge is extensively employed to synthesis of metal oxide nanostructures in liquid environments. The aim of this work is the synthesis of colloidal zirconia nanoparticles by DC arc discharge method in water as a medium. Arc discharge was ignited between two pure zirconium electrodes in water. Optical and structural properties of prepared colloidal nanoparticles were investigated. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-visible spectroscopy, were employed for characterization of particle size, morphology, crystal structure and optical properties, respectively. SEM images demonstrate that the nanoparticles are spherical in shape with an average size lower than 38 nm. The XRD patterns of the nanoparticles were consistent with tetragonal and monoclinic zirconia crystal structures. The optical transmission spectra of the colloidal solution show optical characteristic of zirconia nanoparticles as a wide band gap semiconductor with no absorption peak in visible wavelength with the considerable amount of oxygen deficiency. Oxidation of colloidal nanoparticles in water could be explained via reaction with either dissociated oxygen from water in hot plasma region or with dissolved oxygen in water. The results provide a simple and flexible method for preparation of zirconia nanoparticles with a capability of mass production without environmental footprints.

Synthesis of PVP-stabilized ruthenium colloids with low boiling point alcohols.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuqing; Yu, Jiulong; Niu, Haijun; Liu, Hanfan

2007-09-15

A route to the preparation of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP)-stabilized ruthenium colloids by refluxing ruthenium(III) chloride in low boiling point alcohols was developed. Deep purple colloids with shuttle-like ruthenium particles were also synthesized. XPS measurement verified the nanoparticles were in the metallic state. The morphology of metal nanoparticles was characterized by UV-visible absorption spectrophotometry, TEM and XRD.

Colloidal stability of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in the central nervous system: a review.

PubMed

Champagne, Pierre-Olivier; Westwick, Harrison; Bouthillier, Alain; Sawan, Mohamad

2018-06-01

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) consist of nanosized metallic-based particles with unique magnetic properties. Their potential in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the CNS is at the source of an expanding body of the literature in recent years. Colloidal stability of nanoparticles represents their ability to resist aggregation and is a central aspect for the use of SPION in biological environment such as the CNS. This review gives a comprehensive update of the recent developments and knowledge on the determinants of colloidal stability of SPIONs in the CNS. Factors leading to aggregate formation and the repercussions of colloidal instability of SPION are reviewed in detail pertaining to their use in the CNS.

ZnS-Au planet-like structure: a facile fabrication and improved optical performance induced by surface plasmon resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chaoshun; An, Guofei; Zhou, Yawei; Zhao, Xiaopeng

2013-05-01

Semiconductor-metal planet-like structure composed of ZnS crystals and Au nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized using a simple method. The external surface of ZnS was pre-modified with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). With the assistance of this anionic surfactant, Au NPs could be deposited onto the surface of ZnS crystals via electrostatic adsorption. The samples were structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and transmission electron microscope. It was shown that all samples were made up of face-centered cubic Au and wurtzite ZnS. In this structure, the surface coverage of Au NPs could be readily adjusted by varying the Au/ZnS ratio during the synthesis. Photoluminescence results showed that the defect emission intensity of the ZnS-Au planet-like structure improved by 20 % at the Au/ZnS molar ratio of 1:588, with the Au NPs measuring 12 nm in diameter. This enhancement can be primarily ascribed to localized surface plasmon resonance on the surface of the Au NPs.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles incorporated into silica nanoparticles by inelastic collision via ultrasonic field: Role of colloidal stability

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

Sodipo, Bashiru Kayode; Azlan, Abdul Aziz; Innovation

2015-04-24

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION)/Silica composite nanoparticles were prepared by ultrasonically irradiating colloidal suspension of silica and SPION mixture. Both silica and SPION were synthesized independently via co-precipitation and sol-gel method, respectively. Their mixtures were sonicated at different pH between 3 and 5. Electrophoresis measurement and other physicochemical analyses of the products demonstrate that at lower pH SPION was found incorporated into the silica. However, at pH greater than 4, SPION was unstable and unable to withstand the turbulence flow and shock wave from the ultrasonic field. Results suggest that the formation of the SPION/silica composite nanoparticles is strongly relatedmore » to the inelastic collision induced by ultrasonic irradiation. More so, the formation the composite nanoparticles via the ultrasonic field are dependent on the zeta potential and colloidal stability of the particles.« less

Preparation and characterization of silver nanoparticles homogenous thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hegazy, Maroof A.; Borham, E.

2018-06-01

The wet chemical method by metal salt reduction has been widely used to synthesize nanoparticles. Accordingly the silver nitrate used as silver precursor and sodium borohydrate as reduction agent. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by different characterization techniques including UV-VIS spectrometry, Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Zeta potential technique. Thin films of the colloidal solution were fabricated using direct precipitation technique on ITO glass, silicon substrate and commercial glass substrate and characterized by imaging technique. The absorption peak of the silver nanoparticles colloidal solution was around 400 nm. The TEM images indicate that the silver nanoparticles had spherical shape and their sizes were from 10 to 17 nm. The particle size of the silver nanoparticles was confirmed by Zeta potential technique. The imaging technique indicated that the homogeneous distribution of the colloidal silver solution thin film on the silicon substrate was stronger than the ITO glass and inhomogeneous film was emerged on the commercial glass.

The study of the antimicrobial activity of colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles prepared using food stabilizers.

PubMed

Balandin, G V; Suvorov, O A; Shaburova, L N; Podkopaev, D O; Frolova, Yu V; Ermolaeva, G A

2015-06-01

The bactericidal effect of colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles based on food stabilizers, gum arabic and chitosan, against bacterial cultures of microorganisms in food production is described. The antibacterial activity of nanotechnology products containing different amounts of stabilizing additives when applied to solid pH-neutral substrates is studied. For its evaluation a method making it possible to take into account the capability of nanoparticles to diffuse in solid media was applied. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of nanoparticles used against Erwinia herbicola, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, Sarcina flava were found. A suggestion was made concerning the influence of the spatial structure of bacteria on the antibacterial activity of colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles. The data concerning the antibacterial activity and minimal inhibiting concentrations of nanoparticles may be used for development of products suppressing activity of microorganisms hazardous for food production.

Interaction of insulin with colloidal ZnS quantum dots functionalized by various surface capping agents.

PubMed

Hosseinzadeh, Ghader; Maghari, Ali; Farniya, Seyed Morteza Famil; Keihan, Amir Homayoun; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali A

2017-08-01

Interaction of quantum dots (QDs) and proteins strongly influenced by the surface characteristics of the QDs at the protein-QD interface. For a precise control of these surface-related interactions, it is necessary to improve our understanding in this field. In this regard, in the present work, the interaction between the insulin and differently functionalized ZnS quantum dots (QDs) were studied. The ZnS QDs were functionalized with various functional groups of hydroxyl (OH), carboxyl (COOH), amine (NH 2 ), and amino acid (COOH and NH 2 ). The effect of surface hydrophobicity was also studied by changing the alkyl-chain lengths of mercaptocarboxylic acid capping agents. The interaction between insulin and the ZnS QDs were investigated by fluorescence quenching, synchronous fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD), and thermal aggregation techniques. The results reveal that among the studied QDs, mercaptosuccinic acid functionalized QDs has the strongest interaction (∆G ° =-51.50kJ/mol at 310K) with insulin, mercaptoethanol functionalized QDs destabilize insulin by increasing the beta-sheet contents, and only cysteine functionalized QDs improves the insulin stability by increasing the alpha-helix contents of the protein, and. Our results also indicate that by increasing the alkyl-chain length of capping agents, due to an increase in hydrophobicity of the QDs surface, the beta-sheet contents of insulin increase which results in the enhancement of insulin instability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

Stability of colloidal silver nanoparticles trapped in lipid bilayer: effect of lecithin concentration and applied temperature.

PubMed

Barani, Hossein; Montazer, Majid; Braun, Hans-Georg; Dutschk, Victoria

2014-12-01

The use of silver nanoparticle on various substrates has been widespread because of its good antibacterial properties that directly depend on the stability of the silver nanoparticles in a colloidal suspension. In this study, the colloidal solutions of the silver nanoparticles were synthesised by a simple and safe method by using lecithin as a stabilising agent and their stability was examined at various temperatures. The effect of the lecithin concentrations on the stability of the synthesised silver nanoparticles was examined from 25 to 80°C at 5°C intervals, by recording the changes in the UV-vis absorption spectra, the hydrodynamic diameter and the light scattering intensity of the silver nanoparticles. In addition, the morphology of the synthesised silver nanoparticles was investigated with the low-voltage scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that increasing temperature caused different changes in the size of the stabilised and the unstabilised silver nanoparticles. The size of the stabilised silver nanoparticles reduced from 38 to 36 nm during increasing temperature, which confirmed good stability.

Biocompatible Colloidal Suspensions Based on Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Toxicological Profile

PubMed Central

Coricovac, Dorina-Elena; Moacă, Elena-Alina; Pinzaru, Iulia; Cîtu, Cosmin; Soica, Codruta; Mihali, Ciprian-Valentin; Păcurariu, Cornelia; Tutelyan, Victor A.; Tsatsakis, Aristidis; Dehelean, Cristina-Adriana

2017-01-01

The use of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in biomedicine has evolved intensely in the recent years due to the multiple applications of these nanomaterials, mainly in domains like cancer. The aim of the present study was: (i) to develop biocompatible colloidal suspensions based on magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as future theranostic tools for skin pathology and (ii) to test their effects in vitro on human keratinocytes (HaCat cells) and in vivo by employing an animal model of acute dermal toxicity. Biocompatible colloidal suspensions were obtained by coating the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles resulted during the solution combustion synthesis with a double layer of oleic acid, as innovative procedure in increasing bioavailability. The colloidal suspensions were characterized in terms of dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The in vitro effects of these suspensions were tested by means of Alamar blue assay and the noxious effects at skin level were measured using non-invasive methods. The in vitro results indicated a lack of toxicity on normal human cells induced by the iron oxide nanoparticles colloidal suspensions after an exposure of 24 h to different concentrations (5, 10, and 25 μg·mL−1). The dermal acute toxicity test showed that the topical applications of the colloidal suspensions on female and male SKH-1 hairless mice were not associated with significant changes in the quality of barrier skin function. PMID:28400730

Stabilized super-thermite colloids: A new generation of advanced highly energetic materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbasuney, Sherif; Gaber Zaky, M.; Radwan, Mostafa; Mostafa, Sherif F.

2017-10-01

One of the great impetus of nanotechnology on energetic materials is the achievement of nanothermites (metal-oxide/metal) which are characterized by massive heat output. Yet, full exploitation of super-thermites in highly energetic systems has not been achieved. This manuscript reports on the sustainable fabrication of colloidal Fe2O3 and CuO nanoparticles for thermite applications. TEM micrographs demonstrated mono-dispersed Fe2O3 and CuO with an average particle size of 3 and 15 nm respectively. XRD diffractograms demonstrated highly crystalline materials. SEM micrographs demonstrated a great tendency of the developed oxides to aggregate over drying process. The effective integration and dispersion of mono-dispersed colloidal thermite particles into energetic systems are vital for enhanced performance. Aluminum is of interest as highly energetic metal fuel. In this paper, synthesized Fe2O3 and CuO nanoparticles were re-dispersed in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) with aluminum nanoparticles using ultrasonic prope homogenizer. The colloidal thermite peraticles can be intgegrated into highly energetic system for subsequent nanocomposite development. Thanks to stabilization of colloidal CuO nanoparticles in IPA which could offer intimate mixing between oxidizer and metal fuel. The stabilization mechanism of CuO in IPA was correlated to steric stabilization with solvent molecules. This approach eliminated nanoparticle drying and the re-dispersion of dry aggregates into energetic materials. This manuscript shaded the light on the real development of colloidal thermite mixtures and their integration into highly energetic systems.

Synthesis of substantially monodispersed colloids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoeva, Savka (Inventor); Klabunde, Kenneth J. (Inventor); Sorensen, Christopher (Inventor)

2003-01-01

A method of forming ligated nanoparticles of the formula Y(Z).sub.x where Y is a nanoparticle selected from the group consisting of elemental metals having atomic numbers ranging from 21-34, 39-52, 57-83 and 89-102, all inclusive, the halides, oxides and sulfides of such metals, and the alkali metal and alkaline earth metal halides, and Z represents ligand moieties such as the alkyl thiols. In the method, a first colloidal dispersion is formed made up of nanoparticles solvated in a molar excess of a first solvent (preferably a ketone such as acetone), a second solvent different than the first solvent (preferably an organic aryl solvent such as toluene) and a quantity of ligand moieties; the first solvent is then removed under vacuum and the ligand moieties ligate to the nanoparticles to give a second colloidal dispersion of the ligated nanoparticles solvated in the second solvent. If substantially monodispersed nanoparticles are desired, the second dispersion is subjected to a digestive ripening process. Upon drying, the ligated nanoparticles may form a three-dimensional superlattice structure.

Barrierless growth of precursor-free, ultrafast laser-fragmented noble metal nanoparticles by colloidal atom clusters - A kinetic in situ study.

PubMed

Jendrzej, Sandra; Gökce, Bilal; Amendola, Vincenzo; Barcikowski, Stephan

2016-02-01

Unintended post-synthesis growth of noble metal colloids caused by excess amounts of reactants or highly reactive atom clusters represents a fundamental problem in colloidal chemistry, affecting product stability or purity. Hence, quantified kinetics could allow defining nanoparticle size determination in dependence of the time. Here, we investigate in situ the growth kinetics of ps pulsed laser-fragmented platinum nanoparticles in presence of naked atom clusters in water without any influence of reducing agents or surfactants. The nanoparticle growth is investigated for platinum covering a time scale of minutes to 50days after nanoparticle generation, it is also supplemented by results obtained from gold and palladium. Since a minimum atom cluster concentration is exceeded, a significant growth is determined by time resolved UV/Vis spectroscopy, analytical disc centrifugation, zeta potential measurement and transmission electron microscopy. We suggest a decrease of atom cluster concentration over time, since nanoparticles grow at the expense of atom clusters. The growth mechanism during early phase (<1day) of laser-synthesized colloid is kinetically modeled by rapid barrierless coalescence. The prolonged slow nanoparticle growth is kinetically modeled by a combination of coalescence and Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner kinetic for Ostwald ripening, validated experimentally by the temperature dependence of Pt nanoparticle size and growth quenching by Iodide anions. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Synthesis and applications of heterostructured semiconductor nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khon, Elena

Semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) have been of great interest to researchers for several decades due to their unique optoelectronic properties. These nanoparticles are widely used for a variety of different applications. However, there are many unresolved issues that lower the efficiency and/or stability of devices which incorporate these NCs. Our research is dedicated to addressing these issues by identifying potential problems and resolving them, improving existing systems, generating new synthetic strategies, and/or building new devices. The general strategies for the synthesis of different nanocrystals were established in this work, one of which is the colloidal growth of gold domains onto CdS semiconductor nanocrystals. Control of shape and size was achieved simply by adjusting the temperature and the time of the reaction. Depending on the exact morphology of Au and CdS domains, fabricated nano-composites can undergo evaporation-induced self-assembly onto a substrate, which is very useful for building devices. CdS/Au heterostructures can assemble in two different ways: through end-to-end coupling of Au domains, resulting in the formation of one-dimensional chains; and via side-by-side packing of CdS nanorods, leading to the onset of two-dimensional superlattices. We investigated the nature of exciton-plasmon interactions in Au-tipped CdS nanorods using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The study demonstrated that the key optoelectronic properties of electrically coupled metal and semiconductor domains are significantly different from those observed in systems with weak inter-domain coupling. In particular, strongly-coupled nanocomposites promote mixing of electronic states at semiconductor-metal domain interfaces, which causes a significant suppression of both plasmon and exciton carrier excitations. Colloidal QDs are starting to replace organic molecules in many different applications, such as organic light emmiting diods (OLEDs), due to their light emmision tunability. We reported a general strategy for the assembly of all-inorganic light-emitting nanocrystal films with an emission quantum yield in the 30-52% range. Our methodology relies on solution-processing of CdSe nanocrystals into a crystalline matrix of a wide band gap semiconductor (CdS, ZnS). As a result, we replace original organic ligands on nanocrystal surfaces with an inorganic medium which efficiently preserves the quantum confinement of electrical charges in CdSe NCs. In addition to strong emission, fabricated films demonstrated excellent thermal and chemical stability, and a large refractive index, which avails their integration into emerging solid-state nanocrystal devices. The ability to control size and shape of NCs is essential as it automatically affects the optoelectronic properties of the crystals. Colloidal chemistry offers an assortment of synthetic tools for tuning the shape of NCs, but some nanoparticle morphologies require alternative processing strategies. We have shown that chemical etching of colloidal nanoparticles can facilitate the realization of desirable nanocrystal geometries. This methodology allows both CdSe and CdS composed semiconductor domains be exposed to the external environment, while maintaining a structural design that is highly desirable for catalytic applications. Hydrogen production tests confirmed the improved catalytic activity of CdSe/CdS dimers. We expect that the demonstrated application will become a common methodology in the synthesis of charge-separating nanocrystals, leading to advanced nanoparticle architectures for applications in the areas of photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and light detection.

Synthesis of a colloid solution of silica-coated gold nanoparticles for X-ray imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Yoshio; Nagasu, Ryoko; Shibuya, Kyosuke; Nakagawa, Tomohiko; Kubota, Yohsuke; Gonda, Kohsuke; Ohuchi, Noriaki

2014-08-01

This work proposes a method for fabricating silica-coated gold (Au) nanoparticles, surface modified with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) (Au/SiO2/PEG), with a particle size of 54.8 nm. X-ray imaging of a mouse is performed with the colloid solution. A colloid solution of 17.9 nm Au nanoparticles was prepared by reducing Au ions (III) with sodium citrate in water at 80 °C. The method used for silica-coating the Au nanoparticles was composed of surface-modification of the Au nanoparticles with (3-aminopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (APMS) and a sol-gel process. The sol-gel process was performed in the presence of the surface-modified Au nanoparticles using tetraethylorthosilicate, APMS, water, and sodium hydroxide, in which the formation of silica shells and the introduction of amino groups to the silica-coated particles took place simultaneously (Au/SiO2-NH2). Surface modification of the Au/SiO2-NH2 particles with PEG, or PEGylation of the particle surface, was performed by adding PEG with a functional group that reacted with an amino group in the Au/SiO2-NH2 particle colloid solution. A computed tomography (CT) value of the aqueous colloid solution of Au/SiO2/PEG particles with an actual Au concentration of 0.112 M was as high as 922 ± 12 Hounsfield units, which was higher than that of a commercial X-ray contrast agent with the same iodine concentration. Injecting the aqueous colloid solution of Au/SiO2/PEG particles into a mouse increased the light contrast of tissues. A CT value of the heart rose immediately after the injection, and this rise was confirmed for up to 6 h.

Insights into the sonochemical synthesis and properties of salt-free intrinsic plutonium colloids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalodière, Elodie; Virot, Matthieu; Morosini, Vincent; Chave, Tony; Dumas, Thomas; Hennig, Christoph; Wiss, Thierry; Dieste Blanco, Oliver; Shuh, David K.; Tyliszcak, Tolek; Venault, Laurent; Moisy, Philippe; Nikitenko, Sergey I.

2017-03-01

Fundamental knowledge on intrinsic plutonium colloids is important for the prediction of plutonium behaviour in the geosphere and in engineered systems. The first synthetic route to obtain salt-free intrinsic plutonium colloids by ultrasonic treatment of PuO2 suspensions in pure water is reported. Kinetics showed that both chemical and mechanical effects of ultrasound contribute to the mechanism of Pu colloid formation. In the first stage, fragmentation of initial PuO2 particles provides larger surface contact between cavitation bubbles and solids. Furthermore, hydrogen formed during sonochemical water splitting enables reduction of Pu(IV) to more soluble Pu(III), which then re-oxidizes yielding Pu(IV) colloid. A comparative study of nanostructured PuO2 and Pu colloids produced by sonochemical and hydrolytic methods, has been conducted using HRTEM, Pu LIII-edge XAS, and O K-edge NEXAFS/STXM. Characterization of Pu colloids revealed a correlation between the number of Pu-O and Pu-Pu contacts and the atomic surface-to-volume ratio of the PuO2 nanoparticles. NEXAFS indicated that oxygen state in hydrolytic Pu colloid is influenced by hydrolysed Pu(IV) species to a greater extent than in sonochemical PuO2 nanoparticles. In general, hydrolytic and sonochemical Pu colloids can be described as core-shell nanoparticles composed of quasi-stoichiometric PuO2 cores and hydrolyzed Pu(IV) moieties at the surface shell.

Insights into the sonochemical synthesis and properties of salt-free intrinsic plutonium colloids

PubMed Central

Dalodière, Elodie; Virot, Matthieu; Morosini, Vincent; Chave, Tony; Dumas, Thomas; Hennig, Christoph; Wiss, Thierry; Dieste Blanco, Oliver; Shuh, David K.; Tyliszcak, Tolek; Venault, Laurent; Moisy, Philippe; Nikitenko, Sergey I.

2017-01-01

Fundamental knowledge on intrinsic plutonium colloids is important for the prediction of plutonium behaviour in the geosphere and in engineered systems. The first synthetic route to obtain salt-free intrinsic plutonium colloids by ultrasonic treatment of PuO2 suspensions in pure water is reported. Kinetics showed that both chemical and mechanical effects of ultrasound contribute to the mechanism of Pu colloid formation. In the first stage, fragmentation of initial PuO2 particles provides larger surface contact between cavitation bubbles and solids. Furthermore, hydrogen formed during sonochemical water splitting enables reduction of Pu(IV) to more soluble Pu(III), which then re-oxidizes yielding Pu(IV) colloid. A comparative study of nanostructured PuO2 and Pu colloids produced by sonochemical and hydrolytic methods, has been conducted using HRTEM, Pu LIII-edge XAS, and O K-edge NEXAFS/STXM. Characterization of Pu colloids revealed a correlation between the number of Pu-O and Pu-Pu contacts and the atomic surface-to-volume ratio of the PuO2 nanoparticles. NEXAFS indicated that oxygen state in hydrolytic Pu colloid is influenced by hydrolysed Pu(IV) species to a greater extent than in sonochemical PuO2 nanoparticles. In general, hydrolytic and sonochemical Pu colloids can be described as core-shell nanoparticles composed of quasi-stoichiometric PuO2 cores and hydrolyzed Pu(IV) moieties at the surface shell. PMID:28256635

Insights into the sonochemical synthesis and properties of salt-free intrinsic plutonium colloids

DOE PAGES

Dalodière, Elodie; Virot, Matthieu; Morosini, Vincent; ...

2017-03-03

Fundamental knowledge on intrinsic plutonium colloids is important for the prediction of plutonium behaviour in the geosphere and in engineered systems. The first synthetic route to obtain salt-free intrinsic plutonium colloids by ultrasonic treatment of PuO 2 suspensions in pure water is reported. Kinetics showed that both chemical and mechanical effects of ultrasound contribute to the mechanism of Pu colloid formation. In the first stage, fragmentation of initial PuO 2 particles provides larger surface contact between cavitation bubbles and solids. Furthermore, hydrogen formed during sonochemical water splitting enables reduction of Pu(IV) to more soluble Pu(III), which then re-oxidizes yielding Pu(IV)more » colloid. A comparative study of nanostructured PuO 2 and Pu colloids produced by sonochemical and hydrolytic methods, has been conducted using HRTEM, Pu LIII-edge XAS, and O K-edge NEXAFS/STXM. Characterization of Pu colloids revealed a correlation between the number of Pu-O and Pu-Pu contacts and the atomic surface-to-volume ratio of the PuO 2 nanoparticles. NEXAFS indicated that oxygen state in hydrolytic Pu colloid is influenced by hydrolysed Pu(IV) species to a greater extent than in sonochemical PuO 2 nanoparticles. In general, hydrolytic and sonochemical Pu colloids can be described as core-shell nanoparticles composed of quasi-stoichiometric PuO 2 cores and hydrolyzed Pu(IV) moieties at the surface shell.« less

Efficient intracellular delivery and improved biocompatibility of colloidal silver nanoparticles towards intracellular SERS immuno-sensing.

PubMed

Bhardwaj, Vinay; Srinivasan, Supriya; McGoron, Anthony J

2015-06-21

High throughput intracellular delivery strategies, electroporation, passive and TATHA2 facilitated diffusion of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are investigated for cellular toxicity and uptake using state-of-art analytical techniques. The TATHA2 facilitated approach efficiently delivered high payload with no toxicity, pre-requisites for intracellular applications of plasmonic metal nanoparticles (PMNPs) in sensing and therapeutics.

Solution synthesis of mixed-metal chalcogenide nanoparticles and spray deposition of precursor films

DOEpatents

Schulz, Douglas L.; Curtis, Calvin J.; Ginley, David S.

2000-01-01

A colloidal suspension comprising metal chalcogenide nanoparticles and a volatile capping agent. The colloidal suspension is made by reacting a metal salt with a chalcogenide salt in an organic solvent to precipitate a metal chalcogenide, recovering the metal chalcogenide, and admixing the metal chalcogenide with a volatile capping agent. The colloidal suspension is spray deposited onto a substrate to produce a semiconductor precursor film which is substantially free of impurities.

MBE growth of GaAs and InAs nanowires using colloidal Ag nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilkiv, I. V.; Reznik, R. R.; Kotlyar, K. P.; Bouravleuv, A. D.; Cirlin, G. E.

2017-11-01

Ag colloidal nanoparticles were used as a catalyst for molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs and InAs nanowires on the Si(111) substrates. The scanning electron microscopy measurements revealed that nanowires obtained are uniform and have small size distribution.

Colloidal synthesis of inorganic fullerene nanoparticles and hollow spheres of titanium disulfide.

PubMed

Prabakar, Sujay; Collins, Sean; Northover, Bryan; Tilley, Richard D

2011-01-07

The synthesis of inorganic fullerene (IF) nanoparticles and IF hollow spheres of titanium disulfide by a simple colloidal route is reported. The injection temperature of the titanium precursor into the solvent mixture was found to be important in controlling the morphology.

Room-temperature ferromagnetic Zn1- x Ni x S nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunapalli, Chaitanya Kumar; Shaik, Kaleemulla

2018-05-01

Nickel-doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles (Zn1- x Ni x S) at x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.05, 0.08 and 0.10 were synthesized by solid-state reaction. The (nickel sulfide) NiS and (zinc sulfide) ZnS nanoparticles in desired ratios were taken, mixed and ground for 6 h at a speed rate of 300 rpm using a planetary ball mill. The milled nanoparticles were sintered at 600 °C for 8 h using a high-temperature vacuum furnace. The structural, optical, luminescence and magnetic properties of the Zn1- x Ni x S nanoparticles were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis-NIR diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). No change in crystal structure was observed from XRD by substitution of Ni into ZnS lattice. The mean crystallite size was found to be 37 nm. The band gap of Zn1- x Ni x S nanoparticles decreased from 3.57 to 3.37 eV on increasing the dopant concentration. The room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Zn1- x Ni x S nanoparticles showed two broad and intense emission peaks at 420 and 438 nm with excitation wavelength of 330 nm. The Zn1- x Ni x S nanoparticles showed ferromagnetism at 100 K and at room temperature (300 K) and also the strength of magnetization increased with Ni concentration. The maximum magnetization value of 0.18 emu/g was observed for x = 0.10 at 100 K. The strength of the magnetization observed at 100 K was higher than that of magnetization observed at 300 K.

Radionuclide desorption kinetics on synthetic Zn/Ni-labeled montmorillonite nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, F. M.; Heck, S.; Truche, L.; Bouby, M.; Brendlé, J.; Hoess, P.; Schäfer, T.

2015-01-01

Sorption/desorption kinetics for selected radionuclides (99Tc(VII), 232Th(IV), 233U(VI), 237Np(V), 242Pu and 243Am(III)) under Grimsel (Switzerland) ground water conditions (pH 9.7 and ionic strength of ∼1 mM) in the presence of synthetic Zn or Ni containing montmorillonite nanoparticles and granodiorite fracture filling material (FFM) from Grimsel were examined in batch studies. The structurally bound Zn or Ni in the octahedral sheet of the synthetic colloids rendered them suitable as colloid markers. Only a weak interaction of the montmorillonite colloids with the fracture filling material occurs over the experimental duration of 10,000 h (∼13 months). The tri- and tetravalent radionuclides are initially strongly associated with nanoparticles in contrast to 99Tc(VII), 233U(VI) and 237Np(V) which showed no sorption to the montmorillonite colloids. Radionuclide desorption of the nanoparticles followed by sorption to the fracture filling material is observed for 232Th(IV), 242Pu and 243Am(III). Based on the conceptual model that the driving force for the kinetically controlled radionuclide desorption from nanoparticles and subsequent association to the FFM is the excess in surface area offered by the FFM, the observed desorption kinetics are related to the colloid/FFM surface area ratio. The observed decrease in concentration of the redox sensitive elements 99Tc(VII), 233U(VI) and 237Np(V) may be explained by reduction to lower oxidation states in line with Eh-pH conditions prevailing in the experiments and thermodynamic considerations leading to (i) precipitation of a sparingly soluble phase, (ii) sorption to the fracture filling material, (iii) possible formation of eigencolloids and/or (iv) sorption to the montmorillonite colloids. Subsequent to the sorption/desorption kinetics study, an additional experiment was conducted investigating the potential remobilization of radionuclides/colloids attached to the FFM used in the sorption/desorption kinetic experiments by contacting this FFM with pure Grimsel groundwater for 7 days. A positive correlation of 242Pu, 232Th(IV) and 237Np was observed with the Zn and Ni concentrations in the desorption experiments indicating a remobilization of sorbed montmorillonite colloids. The results of the study in hand highlight (i) the novel use of structural labeled colloids to decrease the uncertainties in the determination of nanoparticle attachment providing more confidence in the derived radionuclide desorption rates. Moreover, the data illustrate (ii) the importance of radionuclide colloid desorption to be considered in the analysis and application of colloid facilitated transport both in laboratory or in-situ experiments and numerical model simulations and (iii) a possible remobilization of sorbed colloids and associated radionuclides by desorption from the matrix material (FFM) under non-equilibrium conditions.

Synthesis of dextrin-stabilized colloidal silver nanoparticles and their application as modifiers of cement mortar.

PubMed

Konował, Emilia; Sybis, Marta; Modrzejewska-Sikorska, Anna; Milczarek, Grzegorz

2017-11-01

Various commercial dextrins were used as reducing and stabilizing agents for a novel one-step synthesis of silver nanoparticles from ammonia complexes of silver ions. As a result, stable colloids of silver were formed during the reaction with the particle size being the function of the dextrin type. The obtained colloids were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry, size distribution (using Non-Invasive Backscatter optics) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The achieved results clearly indicate the possibility of low-cost production of large quantities of colloidal silver nanoparticles using materials derived from renewable sources. The resulting silver colloids can be used for different purposes, e.g. as bactericidal agents. Combination of the aforementioned properties of nanosilver particles with plasticizing properties of dextrin enables to obtain cement mortars with increased workability and enhanced compressive strength. Moreover, the obtained material is also characterized by increased immunity to adverse impact of microorganisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer between ZnSe ZnS quantum dots and bovine serum albumin in bioaffinity assays of anticancer drugs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Chang; Ding, Li; Zhong, Wenying

2014-10-01

In the current work, using ZnSe ZnS quantum dots (QDs) as representative nanoparticles, the affinities of seven anticancer drugs for bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The FRET efficiency of BSA-QD conjugates can reach as high as 24.87% by electrostatic interaction. The higher binding constant (3.63 × 107 L mol-1) and number of binding sites (1.75) between ZnSe ZnS QDs and BSA demonstrated that the QDs could easily associate to plasma proteins and enhance the transport efficacy of drugs. The magnitude of binding constants (103-106 L mol-1), in the presence of QDs, was between drugs-BSA and drugs-QDs in agreement with common affinities of drugs for serum albumins (104-106 L mol-1) in vivo. ZnSe ZnS QDs significantly increased the affinities for BSA of Vorinostat (SAHA), Docetaxel (DOC), Carmustine (BCNU), Doxorubicin (Dox) and 10-Hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT). However, they slightly reduced the affinities of Vincristine (VCR) and Methotrexate (MTX) for BSA. The recent work will not only provide useful information for appropriately understanding the binding affinity and binding mechanism at the molecular level, but also illustrate the ZnSe ZnS QDs are perfect candidates for nanoscal drug delivery system (DDS).

Luminescence of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in alcohols and biological application of ZnO passivated by MgO.

PubMed

Sikora, Bożena; Fronc, Krzysztof; Kamińska, Izabela; Koper, Kamil; Stępień, Piotr; Elbaum, Danek

2013-05-15

This report presents the results of spectroscopic measurements of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in various alcohols. Luminescence of colloidal ZnO was monitored under different reaction conditions to elucidate the mechanism of the visible emission. We performed the process in different alcohols, temperatures and reaction times for two different reactants: water and NaOH. Based on the presented and previously published results it is apparent that the luminescence of the nanoparticles is influenced by several competing phenomena: the formation of new nucleation centers, the growth of the nanoparticles and surface passivation. Superimposed on the above effects is a size dependent luminescence alteration resulting from the quantum confinement. The study contributes to our understanding of the origin of ZnO nanoparticles' green emission which is important in a rational design of fluorescent probes for nontoxic biological applications. The ZnO nanoparticles were coated with a magnesium oxide layer and introduced into a HeLa cancer cell.

Interactions of aqueous amino acids and proteins with the (110) surface of ZnS in molecular dynamics simulations

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

Nawrocki, Grzegorz; Cieplak, Marek

2014-03-07

The growing usage of nanoparticles of zinc sulfide as quantum dots and biosensors calls for a theoretical assessment of interactions of ZnS with biomolecules. We employ the molecular-dynamics-based umbrella sampling method to determine potentials of mean force for 20 single amino acids near the ZnS (110) surface in aqueous solutions. We find that five amino acids do not bind at all and the binding energy of the remaining amino acids does not exceed 4.3 kJ/mol. Such energies are comparable to those found for ZnO (and to hydrogen bonds in proteins) but the nature of the specificity is different. Cysteine canmore » bind with ZnS in a covalent way, e.g., by forming the disulfide bond with S in the solid. If this effect is included within a model incorporating the Morse potential, then the potential well becomes much deeper—the binding energy is close to 98 kJ/mol. We then consider tryptophan cage, a protein of 20 residues, and characterize its events of adsorption to ZnS. We demonstrate the relevance of interactions between the amino acids in the selection of optimal adsorbed conformations and recognize the key role of cysteine in generation of lasting adsorption. We show that ZnS is more hydrophobic than ZnO and that the density profile of water is quite different than that forming near ZnO—it has only a minor articulation into layers. Furthermore, the first layer of water is disordered and mobile.« less

Purchase of a Raman and Photoluminescence Imaging System for Characterization of Advanced Electrochemical and Electronic Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-05

regularly used the Raman imaging system to characterize the doping chemistry of colloidal indium nitride nanoparticles . This material shows an interesting...regularly used the Raman imaging system to characterize the doping chemistry of colloidal indium nitride nanoparticles . This material shows an...analysis of thin film coatings, bulk materials, powders and nanoparticles . The instrument is extensively used to characterize advanced electrochemical and

Anions adsorption onto nanoparticles: effects on colloid stability and mobility in the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Missana, Tiziana; Benedicto, Ana; Mayordomo, Natalia; Alonso, Ursula

2013-04-01

Nanoparticles and colloids can enhance the contaminant transport in groundwater, if the contaminant is irreversibly adsorbed onto their surface; additionally colloids must be stable and mobile under the chemical conditions of the environment of interest. Colloid stability and mobility are factors directly related to the chemistry of the water, which determines the charge and size of the particles, but these colloidal properties can also be affected by the contaminant adsorption. This last point, which is potentially very relevant on the overall colloid-driven transport, is scarcely investigated. The evaluation of the stability of a colloidal system is generally carried out by measuring the aggregation kinetic after the change of a specific chemical condition, mainly pH or ionic strength of the aqueous solution. The effect of anion adsorption onto the stability of colloidal systems is mostly neglected. Parameters of the nanoparticles,as the point of zero charge (pH PCZ) or the isoelectric point (pH IEP) are determined with "inert" electrolytes and this might not be representative of their real behavior in natural systems. In this work, the effects of the Se(IV) (selenite) adsorption on alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles have been analyzed. Selenite adsorption was studied in a wide range of pH (2-12) and ionic strengths (0.0005 - 0.1 M in NaClO4) and the effect of the adsorption on the main properties of the colloids (size and charge) were analyzed. Se adsorption on Al2O3 is almost independent of the ionic strength and decreases with increasing pH; sorption data were successfully fit by surface complexation modeling. Selenite adsorption (at medium-high surface occupancies) clearly affected the stability of Al2O3 colloids, with a clear shift of the isoelectric point towards more acid pH and enhancing colloid aggregation when the ionic strength increases. Considering the obtained results, the effect of anions in the chemical composition of natural water, frequently not accounted for in stability studies, will be discussed, as well as their implications on possible colloid-driven selenite transport in the environment.

Green synthesis of colloid silver nanoparticles and resulting biodegradable starch/silver nanocomposites.

PubMed

Cheviron, Perrine; Gouanvé, Fabrice; Espuche, Eliane

2014-08-08

Environmentally friendly silver nanocomposite films were prepared by an ex situ method consisting firstly in the preparation of colloidal silver dispersions and secondly in the dispersion of the as-prepared nanoparticles in a potato starch/glycerol matrix, keeping a green chemistry process all along the synthesis steps. In the first step concerned with the preparation of the colloidal silver dispersions, water, glucose and soluble starch were used as solvent, reducing agent and stabilizing agent, respectively. The influences of the glucose amount and reaction time were investigated on the size and size distribution of the silver nanoparticles. Two distinct silver nanoparticle populations in size (diameter around 5 nm size for the first one and from 20 to 50 nm for the second one) were distinguished and still highlighted in the potato starch/glycerol based nanocomposite films. It was remarkable that lower nanoparticle mean sizes were evidenced by both TEM and UV-vis analyses in the nanocomposites in comparison to the respective colloidal silver dispersions. A dispersion mechanism based on the potential interactions developed between the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix and on the polymer chain lengths was proposed to explain this morphology. These nanocomposite film series can be viewed as a promising candidate for many applications in antimicrobial packaging, biomedicines and sensors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mercury mobilization in a flooded soil by incorporation into metallic copper and metal sulfide nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hofacker, Anke F; Voegelin, Andreas; Kaegi, Ralf; Kretzschmar, Ruben

2013-07-16

Mercury is a highly toxic priority pollutant that can be released from wetlands as a result of biogeochemical redox processes. To investigate the temperature-dependent release of colloidal and dissolved Hg induced by flooding of a contaminated riparian soil, we performed laboratory microcosm experiments at 5, 14, and 23 °C. Our results demonstrate substantial colloidal Hg mobilization concomitant with Cu prior to the main period of sulfate reduction. For Cu, we previously showed that this mobilization was due to biomineralization of metallic Cu nanoparticles associated with suspended bacteria. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Hg LIII-edge showed that colloidal Hg corresponded to Hg substituting for Cu in the metallic Cu nanoparticles. Over the course of microbial sulfate reduction, colloidal Hg concentrations decreased but continued to dominate total Hg in the pore water for up to 5 weeks of flooding at all temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) suggested that Hg became associated with Cu-rich mixed metal sulfide nanoparticles. The formation of Hg-containing metallic Cu and metal sulfide nanoparticles in contaminated riparian soils may influence the availability of Hg for methylation or volatilization processes and has substantial potential to drive Hg release into adjacent water bodies.

Effect of gold nanoparticles on the fluorescence excitation spectrum of α-fetoprotein: Local environment dependent fluorescence quenching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jian-jun; Chen, Yu; Wang, A.-qing; Zhu, Jian; Zhao, Jun-wu

2011-01-01

The effect of colloid gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the fluorescence excitation spectrum of α-fetoprotein (AFP) has been investigated experimentally. The excitation spectral peaks of AFP with low concentration from 0.01 ng ml -1 to 12 ng ml -1 increase monotonically with increasing of AFP concentration. When some gold colloids were added to the AFP solution, the excitation peak at 285 nm decreases distinctly. By comparing the excitation peak intensity of AFP solution with gold colloids and without gold colloids at different AFP concentrations, the quenching effect from gold nanoparticle was more effective at lower AFP concentration. So the range of concentration from 0.01 ng ml -1 to 0.09 ng ml -1 will be the potential range of applications because of the higher sensitivity. The physical origin based on local field effect was investigated to illuminate this local environment dependent fluorescence quenching. The changing extent of quenching with different AFP concentrations can be attributed to the nonlinear decreasing of the local field factor of gold nanoparticles as a function of environmental dielectric constant.

Measuring binding kinetics of aromatic thiolated molecules with nanoparticles via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devetter, Brent M.; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Murphy, Catherine J.; Bhargava, Rohit

2015-05-01

Colloidal plasmonic nanomaterials, consisting of metals such as gold and silver, are excellent candidates for advanced optical probes and devices, but precise control over surface chemistry is essential for realizing their full potential. Coupling thiolated (R-SH) molecules to nanoprobe surfaces is a convenient and established route to tailor surface properties. The ability to dynamically probe and monitor the surface chemistry of nanoparticles in solution is essential for rapidly manufacturing spectroscopically tunable nanoparticles. In this study, we report the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a method to monitor the kinetics of gold-thiolate bond formation on colloidal gold nanoparticles. A theoretical model combining SERS enhancement with the Beer-Lambert law is proposed to explain ensemble scattering and absorption effects in colloids during chemisorption. In order to maximize biological relevance and signal reproducibility, experiments used to validate the model focused on maintaining nanoparticle stability after the addition of water-soluble aromatic thiolated molecules. Our results indicate that ligand exchange on gold nanoparticles follow a first-order Langmuir adsorption model with rate constants on the order of 0.01 min-1. This study demonstrates an experimental spectroscopic method and theoretical model for monitoring binding kinetics that may prove useful for designing novel probes.Colloidal plasmonic nanomaterials, consisting of metals such as gold and silver, are excellent candidates for advanced optical probes and devices, but precise control over surface chemistry is essential for realizing their full potential. Coupling thiolated (R-SH) molecules to nanoprobe surfaces is a convenient and established route to tailor surface properties. The ability to dynamically probe and monitor the surface chemistry of nanoparticles in solution is essential for rapidly manufacturing spectroscopically tunable nanoparticles. In this study, we report the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a method to monitor the kinetics of gold-thiolate bond formation on colloidal gold nanoparticles. A theoretical model combining SERS enhancement with the Beer-Lambert law is proposed to explain ensemble scattering and absorption effects in colloids during chemisorption. In order to maximize biological relevance and signal reproducibility, experiments used to validate the model focused on maintaining nanoparticle stability after the addition of water-soluble aromatic thiolated molecules. Our results indicate that ligand exchange on gold nanoparticles follow a first-order Langmuir adsorption model with rate constants on the order of 0.01 min-1. This study demonstrates an experimental spectroscopic method and theoretical model for monitoring binding kinetics that may prove useful for designing novel probes. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr01006c

Biosynthesis of silver fine particles and particles decorated with nanoparticles using the extract of Illicium verum (star anise) seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luna, Carlos; Chávez, V. H. G.; Barriga-Castro, Enrique Díaz; Núñez, Nuria O.; Mendoza-Reséndez, Raquel

2015-04-01

Given the upsurge of new technologies based on nanomaterials, the development of sustainable methods to obtain functional nanostructures has become an imperative task. In this matter, several recent researches have shown that the biodegradable natural antioxidants of several plant extracts can be used simultaneously as reducing and stabilizing agents in the wet chemical synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, opening new opportunities to design greener synthesis. However, the challenge of these new techniques is to produce stable colloidal nanoparticles with controlled particle uniformity, size, shape and aggregation state, in similar manner than the well-established synthetic methods. In the present work, colloidal metallic silver nanoparticles have been synthesized using silver nitrate and extracts of Illicium verum (star anise) seeds at room temperature in a facile one-step procedure. The resulting products were colloidal suspensions of two populations of silver nanoparticles, one of them with particle sizes of few nanometers and the other with particles of tens of nm. Strikingly, the variation of the AgNO3/extract weight ratio in the reaction medium yielded to the variation of the spatial distribution of the nanoparticles: high AgNO3/extract concentration ratios yielded to randomly dispersed particles, whereas for lower AgNO3/extract ratios, the biggest particles appeared coated with the finest nanoparticles. This biosynthesized colloidal system, with controlled particle aggregation states, presents plasmonic and SERS properties with potential applications in molecular sensors and nanophotonic devices.

Biosynthesis of silver fine particles and particles decorated with nanoparticles using the extract of Illicium verum (star anise) seeds.

PubMed

Luna, Carlos; Chávez, V H G; Barriga-Castro, Enrique Díaz; Núñez, Nuria O; Mendoza-Reséndez, Raquel

2015-04-15

Given the upsurge of new technologies based on nanomaterials, the development of sustainable methods to obtain functional nanostructures has become an imperative task. In this matter, several recent researches have shown that the biodegradable natural antioxidants of several plant extracts can be used simultaneously as reducing and stabilizing agents in the wet chemical synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, opening new opportunities to design greener synthesis. However, the challenge of these new techniques is to produce stable colloidal nanoparticles with controlled particle uniformity, size, shape and aggregation state, in similar manner than the well-established synthetic methods. In the present work, colloidal metallic silver nanoparticles have been synthesized using silver nitrate and extracts of Illicium verum (star anise) seeds at room temperature in a facile one-step procedure. The resulting products were colloidal suspensions of two populations of silver nanoparticles, one of them with particle sizes of few nanometers and the other with particles of tens of nm. Strikingly, the variation of the AgNO3/extract weight ratio in the reaction medium yielded to the variation of the spatial distribution of the nanoparticles: high AgNO3/extract concentration ratios yielded to randomly dispersed particles, whereas for lower AgNO3/extract ratios, the biggest particles appeared coated with the finest nanoparticles. This biosynthesized colloidal system, with controlled particle aggregation states, presents plasmonic and SERS properties with potential applications in molecular sensors and nanophotonic devices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Colloidal silver nanoparticles/rhamnolipid (SNPRL) composite as novel chemotactic antibacterial agent.

PubMed

Bharali, P; Saikia, J P; Paul, S; Konwar, B K

2013-10-01

The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles and rhamnolipid are well known individually. In the present research, antibacterial and chemotactic activity due to colloidal silver nanoparticles (SNP), rhamnolipid (RL) and silver nanoparticles/rhamnolipid composite (SNPRL) were evaluated using Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC3160), Escherichia coli (MTCC40), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC8163) and Bacillus subtilis (MTCC441) as test strains. Further, the SNPRL nanoparticles were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The observation clearly indicates that SNPRL shows prominent antibacterial and chemotactic activity in comparison to all of its individual precursor components. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solution synthesis of metal silicide nanoparticles.

PubMed

McEnaney, Joshua M; Schaak, Raymond E

2015-02-02

Transition-metal silicides are part of an important family of intermetallic compounds, but the high-temperature reactions that are generally required to synthesize them preclude the formation of colloidal nanoparticles. Here, we show that palladium, copper, and nickel nanoparticles react with monophenylsilane in trioctylamine and squalane at 375 °C to form colloidal Pd(2)Si, Cu(3)Si, and Ni(2)Si nanoparticles, respectively. These metal silicide nanoparticles were screened as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and Pd(2)Si and Ni(2)Si were identified as active catalysts that require overpotentials of -192 and -243 mV, respectively, to produce cathodic current densities of -10 mA cm(-2).

Hybrid Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticle Colloidal Gels are Injectable Fillers for Bone Tissue Engineering

PubMed Central

Gu, Zhen; Jamal, Syed; Detamore, Michael S.

2013-01-01

Injectable bone fillers have emerged as an alternative to the invasive surgery often required to treat bone defects. Current bone fillers may benefit from improvements in dynamic properties such as shear thinning during injection and recovery of material stiffness after placement. Negatively charged inorganic hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticles (NPs) were assembled with positively charged organic poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs to create a cohesive colloidal gel. This material is held together by electrostatic forces that may be disrupted by shear to facilitate extrusion, molding, or injection. Scanning electron micrographs of the dried colloidal gels showed a well-organized, three-dimensional porous structure. Rheology tests revealed that certain colloidal gels could recover after being sheared. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were also highly viable when seeded on the colloidal gels. HAp/PLGA NP colloidal gels offer an attractive scheme for injectable filling and regeneration of bone tissue. PMID:23815275

Metal chalcogenide nanoparticle gel networks: Their formation mechanism and application for novel material generation and heavy metal water remediation via cation exchange reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palhares, Leticia F.

The dissertation research is focused on (1) uncovering the mechanism of metal chalcogenide nanoparticle gel formation; (2) extending the cation exchange reaction protocol to zinc sulfide gel networks, with the goal of accessing new aerogel chemistries and understanding the factors that drive the process; and (3) conducting a quantitative analysis of the ability of ZnS aerogels to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions. The mechanism of metal chalcogenide nanoparticle gel formation was investigated using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to probe the chemical changes that occur during the gelation process. These techniques suggest that the bonding between the particles in the CdSe nanoparticle gels is due to the oxidation of surface selenide species, forming covalent Se--Se bonds. Treating the gel networks with a suitable reducing agent, such as a thiol, breaks the covalent bond and disperses the gel network. The addition of sodium borohydride, a "pure" reducing agent, also breaks down the gel network, strengthening the hypothesis that the reducing character of the thiols, not their ligation ability, is responsible for the gel network breakdown. UV-Vis spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Powder X-ray Diffraction were used to analyze the particles after successive gelation-dispersion cycles. The primary particle size decreases after repeated oxidation-reduction cycles, due to nanoparticle surface etching. This trend is observed for CdSe and CdS gel networks, allowing for the proposition that the oxidative-reductive mechanism responsible for the formation-dispersion of the gels is general, applying to other metal chalcogenide nanocrystals as well. The cation exchange reaction previously demonstrated for CdSe gels was extended to ZnS gel networks. The exchange occurs under mild reaction conditions (room temperature, methanol solvent) with exchanging ions of different size, charge and mobility (Ag+, Pb2+, Cd2+ , Cu2+). The overall reaction is kinetically controlled, since systems with similar solubility, and thus similar thermodynamic driving force (e.g. PbS and CdS) exchange at very different rates. A correlation exists between the speed of the reaction and the difference between the reduction potential of the incoming cation and that of Zn2+; the larger the difference, the faster the exchange. At the same time, the porosity of the aerogels and the surfactant-free surfaces hold great importance for the exchange reactions, allowing for exchange between cations of similar size and charge (i.e. Pb2+ for Zn2+), a phenomenon that was previously reported as impossible in ligand-capped metal chalcogenide nanoparticles. These observations allowed for a better understanding of the factors governing the cation exchange reaction in nanoscale metal chalcogenides. Quaternary ZnS-CuInS2 gels were obtained by cation exchange with Cu+ and In3+, but the pure CuInS2 phase was not obtained under the mild reaction conditions used, probably due to the very different mobility of the two exchanging cations. The kinetically fast cation exchange process and the propensity of the soft chalcogenide gel networks to bind heavy metal ions selectively, suggest that these materials could also be suitable for the removal of heavy metal ions from the environment. The dissertation research studied the capacity of ZnS aerogels to sequester heavy metal ions such as Pb2+ and Hg2+ from water. The materials are efficient in removing the heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions with a wide range of initial concentrations. For initial concentrations that mimic an environmental spill (i.e. 100 ppb Pb2+), the treatment with the aerogel affords a final concentration lower than the 15 ppm action level recommended by the EPA. Under thermodynamically forcing conditions, the water remediation capacity of the ZnS nanoparticle aerogels was determined to be 14.2 mmol Pb2+ / g ZnS aerogel, which is the highest value reported to date.

Capping agents in nanoparticle synthesis: Surfactant and solvent system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulati, Shivani; Sachdeva, M.; Bhasin, K. K.

2018-05-01

The preparation of nanomaterials by organometallic precursors require a capping agent, which primarily acts as stabilizing agent and provide colloidal stability along with preventing agglomeration and stopping uncontrolled growth. Final morphology of nanocrystal largely depends on the type of capping agent which is adsorbed on the surface of nanocrystal. Thus capping agents are the keys to obtain the small-sized nanoparticles and are very frequently used in colloidal synthesis of nanoparticles to avoid its overgrowth.

Colloidal silver nanoparticles prepared by UV-light induced citrate reduction technique for the quantitative detection of uric acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maity, Anupam; Panda, Sovan Kumar

2018-04-01

Reddish-yellow color colloid consisting of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has been synthesized by reducing aqueous AgNO3 solution by photo-induced citrate reduction technique under UV light. As prepared colloid exhibits single and intense plasmonic absorption peak in the violet region of the visible spectra with the peak centered at 405 nm. The NPs are fine and spherical with diameter ranging from 5 to 10 nm. These colloidal NPs have been used for the quantitative detection of uric acid by UV-VIS spectroscopy. A linear red shifting of the characteristics Plasmonic absorption peak of Ag NPs is observed with uric acid concentration. Uric acid can be detected by UV-VIS spectroscopy down to 5 nM limit using the prepared colloid.

Effect of different-sized colloids on the transport and deposition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in quartz sand.

PubMed

Cai, Li; Peng, Shengnan; Wu, Dan; Tong, Meiping

2016-01-01

Colloids (non-biological and biological) with different sizes are ubiquitous in natural environment. The investigations regarding the influence of different-sized colloids on the transport and deposition behaviors of engineered-nanoparticles in porous media yet are still largely lacking. This study investigated the effects of different-sized non-biological and biological colloids on the transport of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nTiO2) in quartz sand under both electrostatically favorable and unfavorable conditions. Fluorescent carboxylate-modified polystyrene latex microspheres (CML) with sizes of 0.2-2 μm were utilized as model non-biological colloids, while Gram-negative Escherichia coli (∼ 1 μm) and Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis (∼ 2 μm) were employed as model biological colloids. Under the examined solution conditions, both breakthrough curves and retained profiles of nTiO2 with different-sized CML particles/bacteria were similar as those without colloids under favorable conditions, indicating that the copresence of model colloids in suspensions had negligible effects on the transport and deposition of nTiO2 under favorable conditions. In contrast, higher breakthrough curves and lower retained profiles of nTiO2 with CML particles/bacteria relative to those without copresent colloids were observed under unfavorable conditions. Clearly, the copresence of model colloids increased the transport and decreased the deposition of nTiO2 in quartz sand under unfavorable conditions (solution conditions examined in present study). Both competition of deposition sites on quartz sand surfaces and the enhanced stability/dispersion of nTiO2 induced by copresent colloids were found to be responsible for the increased nTiO2 transport with colloids under unfavorable conditions. Moreover, the smallest colloids had the highest coverage on sand surface and most significant dispersion effect on nTiO2, resulting in the greatest nTiO2 transport. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Luminescence of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in alcohols and biological application of ZnO passivated by MgO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sikora, Bożena; Fronc, Krzysztof; Kamińska, Izabela; Koper, Kamil; Stępień, Piotr; Elbaum, Danek

2013-05-01

This report presents the results of spectroscopic measurements of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in various alcohols. Luminescence of colloidal ZnO was monitored under different reaction conditions to elucidate the mechanism of the visible emission. We performed the process in different alcohols, temperatures and reaction times for two different reactants: water and NaOH. Based on the presented and previously published results it is apparent that the luminescence of the nanoparticles is influenced by several competing phenomena: the formation of new nucleation centers, the growth of the nanoparticles and surface passivation. Superimposed on the above effects is a size dependent luminescence alteration resulting from the quantum confinement. The study contributes to our understanding of the origin of ZnO nanoparticles’ green emission which is important in a rational design of fluorescent probes for nontoxic biological applications. The ZnO nanoparticles were coated with a magnesium oxide layer and introduced into a HeLa cancer cell.

Removal of Metal Nanoparticles Colloidal Solutions by Water Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olkhovych, Olga; Svietlova, Nataliia; Konotop, Yevheniia; Karaushu, Olena; Hrechishkina, Svitlana

2016-11-01

The ability of seven species of aquatic plants ( Elodea canadensis, Najas guadelupensis, Vallisneria spiralis L., Riccia fluitans L., Limnobium laevigatum, Pistia stratiotes L., and Salvinia natans L.) to absorb metal nanoparticles from colloidal solutions was studied. It was established that investigated aquatic plants have a high capacity for removal of metal nanoparticles from aqueous solution (30-100%) which indicates their high phytoremediation potential. Analysis of the water samples content for elements including the mixture of colloidal solutions of metal nanoparticles (Mn, Cu, Zn, Ag + Ag2O) before and after exposure to plants showed no significant differences when using submerged or free-floating hydrophytes so-called pleuston. However, it was found that the presence of submerged hydrophytes in aqueous medium ( E. canadensis, N. guadelupensis, V. spiralis L., and R. fluitans L.) and significant changes in the content of photosynthetic pigments, unlike free-floating hydrophytes ( L. laevigatum, P. stratiotes L., S. natans L.), had occur. Pleuston possesses higher potential for phytoremediation of contaminated water basins polluted by metal nanoparticles. In terms of removal of nanoparticles among studied free-floating hydrophytes, P. stratiotes L. and S. natans L. deserve on special attention.

Group 12 dithiocarbamate complexes: Synthesis, spectral studies and their use as precursors for metal sulfides nanoparticles and nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajibade, Peter A.; Ejelonu, Benjamin C.

2013-09-01

Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) dithiocarbamate complexes have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-Vis, FTIR, 1H- and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The complexes were thermolysed at 180 °C and used as single molecule precursors for the synthesis of HDA capped ZnS, CdS and HgS nanoparticles and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites. The optical and structural properties of the nanoparticles and nanocomposites were studied by UV-Vis, PL, XRD and SEM. The crystallites sizes of the nanoparticles varied between 3.03 and 23.45 nm. SEM and EDX analyses of the nanocomposites confirmed the presence of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix.

Radical change of Zn speciation in pig slurry amended soil: Key role of nano-sized sulfide particles.

PubMed

Formentini, Thiago Augusto; Legros, Samuel; Fernandes, Cristovão Vicente Scapulatempo; Pinheiro, Adilson; Le Bars, Maureen; Levard, Clément; Mallmann, Fábio Joel Kochem; da Veiga, Milton; Doelsch, Emmanuel

2017-03-01

Spreading livestock manure as fertilizer on farmlands is a widespread practice. It represents the major source of heavy metal(loid)s (HM) input in agricultural soils. Since zinc (Zn) is present at high concentrations in manure, it poses special environmental concerns related to phytotoxicity, groundwater contamination, and introduction in the food chain. Therefore, investigations on the fate and behavior of manure-borne Zn, when it enters the soil environment, are necessary to predict the environmental effects. Nevertheless, long-term field studies assessing Zn speciation in the organic waste matrix, as well as within the soil after manure application, are lacking. This study was designed to fill this gap. Using SEM-EDS and XAS analysis, we reported the following new results: (i) ZnS made up 100% of the Zn speciation in the pig slurry (the highest proportion of ZnS ever observed in organic waste); and (ii) ZnS aggregates were about 1-μm diameter (the smallest particle size ever reported in pig slurry). Moreover, the pig slurry containing ZnS was spread on the soil over an 11-year period, totaling 22 applications, and the resulting Zn speciation within the amended soil was analyzed. Surprisingly, ZnS, i.e. the only species responsible for a nearly 2-fold increase in the Zn concentration within the amended soil, was not detected in this soil. Based on SEM-EDS and XAS observations, we put forward the hypothesis that Zn in the pig slurry consisted of nano-sized ZnS crystallites that further aggregated. The low stability of ZnS nanoparticles within oxic and complex environments such as the studied soil was the key explanation for the radical change in pig slurry-borne Zn speciation after long-term amendments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of high refractive ZnS/PVP/PDMAA hydrogel nanocomposites for artificial cornea implants.

PubMed

Zhang, Quanyuan; Su, Kai; Chan-Park, Mary B; Wu, Hong; Wang, Dongan; Xu, Rong

2014-03-01

A series of high refractive index (RI) ZnS/PVP/PDMAA hydrogel nanocomposites containing ZnS nanoparticles (NPs) were successfully synthesized via a simple ultraviolet-light-initiated free radical co-polymerization method. The average diameter of the ZnS NPs is ∼ 3 nm and the NPs are well dispersed and stabilized in the PVP/PDMAA hydrogel matrix up to a high content of 60 wt.% in the hydrogel nanocomposites. The equilibrium water content of ZnS/PVP/PDMAA hydrogel nanocomposites varied from 82.0 to 66.8 wt.%, while the content of mercaptoethanol-capped ZnS NPs correspondingly varied from 30 to 60 wt.%. The resulting nanocomposites are clear and transparent and their RIs were measured to be as high as 1.58-1.70 and 1.38-1.46 in the dry and hydrated states, respectively, which can be tuned by varying the ZnS NPs content. In vitro cytotoxicity assays suggested that the introduction of ZnS NPs added little cytotoxicity to the PVP/PDMAA hydrogel and all the hydrogel nanocomposites exhibited minimal cytotoxicity towards common cells. The hydrogel nanocomposites implanted in rabbit eyes can be well tolerated over 3 weeks. Hence, the high RI ZnS/PVP/PDMAA hydrogel nanocomposites with adjustable RIs developed in this work might potentially be a candidate material for artificial corneal implants. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carrier-induced ferromagnetism in half-metallic Co-doped ZnS-diluted magnetic semiconductor: a DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saikia, D.; Borah, J. P.

2018-03-01

Systematic experimental and theoretical calculations have been performed to investigate the origin of the carrier-induced ferromagnetism in the Co-doped ZnS-diluted magnetic semiconductors. The crystalline structure, morphology of the chemically synthesized Co-doped ZnS nanoparticles are evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and obtained the average crystallite size in the range 5-8 nm. Fourier transform-infrared spectra reveal the characteristic Zn-S vibrations of cubic ZnS and also show the splitting of peaks with increasing Co concentration which indicates that the Co-doping level beyond 3% affects the structure of ZnS. The room temperature ferromagnetic behavior analyzed by M- H curve exhibited up to the doping level 5%, achieving due to the indirect ` p- d' exchange interactions between the localized ` d' spins of Co2+ ion and the free-delocalized carriers in the host lattice. The existence of the antiferromagnetic coupling is discernable beyond the 5% doping level, owing to the short-range super-exchange interactions between the characteristic ` d' spins of the Co2+ ions which minimize the ferromagnetic ordering. Band structure and density of states (DOS) calculations demonstrate the p- d hybridization mechanism in Co-doped ZnS system which is the main cause of realizing ferromagnetic ordering in the system and also shows the half-metallic characteristics with the combination of semiconducting and metallic nature in the spin-up and spin-down states, respectively.

pH-modulated self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles in a dual-droplet inkjet printing process.

PubMed

Al-Milaji, Karam Nashwan; Radhakrishnan, Vinod; Kamerkar, Prajakta; Zhao, Hong

2018-06-05

Interfacial self-assembly has been demonstrated as a powerful driving mechanism for creating various nanostructured assemblies. In this work, we employed a dual-droplet printing process and interfacial self-assembly mechanism to produce deposits with controlled assembly structures of colloidal nanoparticles. We hypothesize that pH modulation of the droplet will influence the interfacial self-assembly through the multibody interactions, e.g. particle-particle, particle-interface, and particle-substrate interactions, correspondingly affecting the deposition morphology of the colloidal nanoparticles. During the dual-droplet printing, a wetting droplet, containing colloidal nanoparticles, was jetted over a supporting droplet that contains water only. pH modulation was carried out to the supporting droplet. The self-assembly of two kinds of functionalized polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles (carboxyl-PS and sulfate-PS) was systematically investigated under various pH conditions. Depending on the pH level of the supporting droplet, deposits of carboxyl-PS particles ranging from clear ring-like patterns to nearly uniform monolayer depositions have been obtained. On the other hand, the sulfate-PS particles, even at extreme basic and acidic environments, successfully assemble into nearly monolayer depositions. The multibody interactions are discussed. Such findings can be harnessed in manufacturing high-performance optical and electronic devices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle assembly on patterned "plus/minus" surfaces from electrospray of colloidal dispersion.

PubMed

Lenggoro, I Wuled; Lee, Hye Moon; Okuyama, Kikuo

2006-11-01

Selective deposition of metal (Au) and oxide (SiO2) nanoparticles with a size range of 10-30 nm on patterned silicon-silicon oxide substrate was performed using the electrospray method. Electrical charging characteristics of particles produced by the electrospray and patterned area created by contact charging of the electrical conductor with non- or semi-conductors were investigated. Colloidal droplets were electrosprayed and subsequently dried as individual nanoparticles which then were deposited on substrates, and observed using field emission-scanning electron microscopy. The number of elementary charge units on particles generated by the electrospray was 0.4-148, and patterned area created by contact charging contained sufficient negative charges to attract multiple charged particles. Locations where nanoparticles were (reversibly) deposited depended on voltage polarity applied to the spraying colloidal droplet and the substrate, and the existence of additional ions such as those from a stabilizer.

UV-shielding property, photocatalytic activity and photocytotoxicity of ceria colloid solutions.

PubMed

Zholobak, N M; Ivanov, V K; Shcherbakov, A B; Shaporev, A S; Polezhaeva, O S; Baranchikov, A Ye; Spivak, N Ya; Tretyakov, Yu D

2011-01-10

UV-shielding property, photocatalytic activity and cytotoxicity (including photocytotoxicity) of citrate-stabilized ceria colloid solutions were studied. It was established that UV-shielding property (namely, the sun protection factor, the critical absorption wavelength and the UVA/UVB-ratio) of ceria nanoparticles are as good as those of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. It was further demonstrated that ceria nanoparticles possesses substantially lower photocatalytic activity, which additionally decreases upon decrease in ceria particle size. It was found that colloid ceria solutions are non-toxic to mouse fibroblasts (L929) and fibroblast-like cells of African Green monkey (VERO). Moreover, ceria nanoparticles are capable to protect these cells from UV-irradiation-induced damage. It was proposed that nanocrystalline ceria could be used not only as UV-blocking material, but also as prophylactic and even therapeutic compound for sunburns treatment. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sweet Nanochemistry: A Fast, Reliable Alternative Synthesis of Yellow Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles Using Benign Reagents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooke, Jason; Hebert, Dominique; Kelly, Joel A.

2015-01-01

This work describes a convenient and reliable laboratory experiment in nanochemistry that is flexible and adaptable to a wide range of educational settings. The rapid preparation of yellow colloidal silver nanoparticles is achieved by glucose reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of starch and sodium citrate in gently boiling water, using…

H51E-1535: Biogeochemical factors influencing the transport and fate of colloids and colloid-associated contaminants in the vadose zone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The vadose zone exhibits large spatial and temporal variability in many physical, chemical, and biological factors that strongly influence the transport and fate of colloids (e.g., microbes, nanoparticles, clays, and dissolved organic matter) and colloid-associated contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, ...

Fabrication and characterization of ZnS/ZnO core shell nanostructures on silver wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kao, Chyuan Haur; Su, Wei Ming; Li, Cheng Yuan; Weng, Wei Chih; Weng, Chen Yuan; Cheng, Chin-Chi; Lin, Yung-Sen; Lin, Chia Feng; Chen, Hsiang

2018-06-01

In this research, ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized on ZnO/silver wires to form ZnS/ZnO core shell structures. Various outward appearance and colors could be observed by different ZnO growth and sulfurization conditions. To evaluate the properties of these nanostructures, optical properties and chemical bindings were analyzed by photoluminescence, Raman analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, material characterizations including transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction confirmed that cubic ZnS (311)/ZnO nanostructures were grown on silver wires for the first time. ZnS/ZnO core shell structures on silver wires are promising for future optoelectronic and biomedical applications.

Continuous chemical operations and modifications on magnetic γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles confined in nanoliter droplets for the assembly of fluorescent and magnetic SiO2@γ-Fe2O3.

PubMed

Ferraro, D; Lin, Y; Teste, B; Talbot, D; Malaquin, L; Descroix, S; Abou-Hassan, A

2015-12-11

We present a microfluidic platform that allows undergoing different chemical operations in a nanoliter droplet starting from the colloidal suspension of magnetic iron oxide (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles "NPs" (ferrofluid). These operations include: mixing, flocculation, magnetic decantation, colloidal redispersion, washing, surface functionalization, heating and colloidal assembly. To prove the platform capabilities, we produced fluorescent and magnetic nanoassemblies composed of fluorescent silica and magnetic NPs.

Deposition of gold nanoparticles from colloid on TiO2 surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehacek, Vlastimil; Hotovy, Ivan

2017-11-01

In this paper, experimental results are presented on the deposition of colloidal gold nanoparticles on the surfaces of TiO2 prepared on silicon/silicon dioxide. Important procedures, such as titanium dioxide surface hydrophilization as well as functionalization by an organosilane coupling agent (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane and (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane were investigated in order to obtain a metal oxide surface with the most convenient properties for immobilization of gold nanoparticles having a dense and uniform distribution. TiO2 nanotips prepared by reactive ion etching of oxide surface covered with self-mask gold nanoparticles are demonstrated.

A novel 'green' synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles (SNP) using Dillenia indica fruit extract.

PubMed

Singh, Susmita; Saikia, Jyoti P; Buragohain, Alak K

2013-02-01

In the present research we have defined a novel green method of silver nanoparticles synthesis using Dillenia indica fruit extract. D. indica is an edible fruit widely distributed in the foothills of Himalayas and known for its antioxidant and further predicted for cancer preventive potency. The maximum absorbance of the colloidal silver nanoparticle solution was observed at 421 nm when examined with UV-vis spectrophotometer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasmall iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications: improving the colloidal and magnetic properties.

PubMed

Costo, Rocio; Bello, Valentina; Robic, Caroline; Port, Marc; Marco, Jose F; Puerto Morales, M; Veintemillas-Verdaguer, Sabino

2012-01-10

A considerable increase in the saturation magnetization, M(s) (40%), and initial susceptibility of ultrasmall (<5 nm) iron oxide nanoparticles prepared by laser pyrolysis was obtained through an optimized acid treatment. Moreover, a significant enhancement in the colloidal properties, such as smaller aggregate sizes in aqueous media and increased surface charge densities, was found after this chemical protocol. The results are consistent with a reduction in nanoparticle surface disorder induced by a dissolution-recrystallization mechanism.

Filter-feeding bivalves store and biodeposit colloidally stable gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hull, Matthew S; Chaurand, Perrine; Rose, Jerome; Auffan, Melanie; Bottero, Jean-Yves; Jones, Jason C; Schultz, Irvin R; Vikesland, Peter J

2011-08-01

Nanoparticles resistant to salt-induced aggregation are continually being developed for biomedical and industrial applications. Because of their colloidal stability these functionalized nanoparticles are anticipated to be persistent aquatic contaminants. Here, we show that Corbicula fluminea, a globally distributed clam that is a known sentinel of aquatic ecosystem contamination, can uptake and biodeposit bovine serum albumin (BSA) stabilized gold nanoparticles. Nanoparticle clearance rates from suspension were dictated by diameter and concentration, with the largest particles cleared most quickly on a mass basis. Particle capture facilitates size-selective 'biopurification' of particle suspensions with nanoscale resolution. Nanoparticles were retained either within the clam digestive tract or excreted in feces. Our results suggest that biotransformation and biodeposition will play a significant role in the fate and transport of persistent nanoparticles in aquatic systems.

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles with improved aqueous colloidal stability and electrophoretic mobility

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

Munjal, Sandeep, E-mail: drsandeepmunjal@gmail.com; Khare, Neeraj, E-mail: nkhare@physics.iitd.ernet.in

We have synthesized CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (CFO) nanoparticles of size ∼ 12.2 nm by hydrothermal synthesis method. To control the size of these CFO nanoparticles, oleic acid was used as a surfactant. The inverse spinel phase of the synthesized nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction method. As synthesized oleic acid coated CFO (OA@CFO) nanoparticles has very less electrophoretic mobility in the water and are not water dispersible. These OA@CFO nanoparticles were successfully turned into water soluble phase with a better colloidal aqueous stability, through a chemical treatment using citric acid. The modified citric acid coated CFO (CA@CFO) nanoparticles were dispersible inmore » water and form a stable aqueous solution with high electrophoretic mobility.« less

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.

Iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetically-guided and magnetically-responsive drug delivery.

PubMed

Estelrich, Joan; Escribano, Elvira; Queralt, Josep; Busquets, Maria Antònia

2015-04-10

In this review, we discuss the recent advances in and problems with the use of magnetically-guided and magnetically-responsive nanoparticles in drug delivery and magnetofection. In magnetically-guided nanoparticles, a constant external magnetic field is used to transport magnetic nanoparticles loaded with drugs to a specific site within the body or to increase the transfection capacity. Magnetofection is the delivery of nucleic acids under the influence of a magnetic field acting on nucleic acid vectors that are associated with magnetic nanoparticles. In magnetically-responsive nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles are encapsulated or embedded in a larger colloidal structure that carries a drug. In this last case, an alternating magnetic field can modify the structure of the colloid, thereby providing spatial and temporal control over drug release.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetically-Guided and Magnetically-Responsive Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Estelrich, Joan; Escribano, Elvira; Queralt, Josep; Busquets, Maria Antònia

2015-01-01

In this review, we discuss the recent advances in and problems with the use of magnetically-guided and magnetically-responsive nanoparticles in drug delivery and magnetofection. In magnetically-guided nanoparticles, a constant external magnetic field is used to transport magnetic nanoparticles loaded with drugs to a specific site within the body or to increase the transfection capacity. Magnetofection is the delivery of nucleic acids under the influence of a magnetic field acting on nucleic acid vectors that are associated with magnetic nanoparticles. In magnetically-responsive nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles are encapsulated or embedded in a larger colloidal structure that carries a drug. In this last case, an alternating magnetic field can modify the structure of the colloid, thereby providing spatial and temporal control over drug release. PMID:25867479

Simple synthetic route for hydroxyapatite colloidal nanoparticles via a Nd:YAG laser ablation in liquid medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mhin, Sung Wook; Ryu, Jeong Ho; Kim, Kang Min; Park, Gyeong Seon; Ryu, Han Wool; Shim, Kwang Bo; Sasaki, Takeshi; Koshizaki, Naoto

2009-08-01

Pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in liquid medium was successfully employed to synthesize hydroxyapatite (HAp) colloidal nanoparticles. The crystalline phase, particle morphology, size distribution and microstructure of the HAp nanoparticles were investigated in detail. The obtained HAp nanoparticles had spherical shape with sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm. The laser ablation and the nanoparticle forming process were studied in terms of the explosive ejection mechanism by investigating the change of the surface morphology on target. The stoichiometry and bonding properties were studied by using XPS, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. A molar ratio of Ca/P of the prepared HAp nanoparticles was more stoichiometric than the value reported in the case of ablation in vacuum.

Optical and Photothermal Behaviors of Colloidal and Self-Assembled Magnetic-Plasmonic Nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kai

This dissertation is based on numerous efforts in exploring the capabilties of numerical simulation for investigating novel optical phenomena in different colloidal plasmonic systems. The dissertation includes five chapters. Chapter 1 contains a general introduction to the fundamentals of plasmonic behaviors in colloidal clusters and bottom-up self-assembly methods for manufacturing colloidal clusters which include magnetic based and DNA-assisted pathways. Chapter 2 presents a systematic comparison of optical and thermodynamic properties of near-infrared colloidal nanoparticles, including SiO2 Au core-shell, Au nanocage and Au nanorod, and an example of the nanobubble-based photothermal therapy application. In Chapter 3, a optical phenomenon named Fano resonance is demonstrated in a colloidal heptamer design which consists of seven Fe 3O4 Au core-shell nanoparticles. The incorporation of the magnetic core enables a magnetic-assisted self-assembly process which will be discussed after the photonic analysis. In Chapter 4, the optical behaviors in a 1D magnetic-plasmonic chain are explored. A demonstration of the magnetic-based self-assembly of this 1D chain is given. Chapter 5 is focused on the study of the chiral optical responses in a helical nanoscale system which follows a 3D helical arrangement of Fe3O4 Au core-shell nanoparticles.

Plasmonics-Based Detection of Virus Using Sialic Acid Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Lee, Changwon; Wang, Peng; Gaston, Marsha A; Weiss, Alison A; Zhang, Peng

2017-01-01

Biosensor for the detection of virus was developed by utilizing plasmonic peak shift phenomenon of the gold nanoparticles and viral infection mechanism of hemagglutinin on virus and sialic acid on animal cells. The plasmonic peak of the colloidal gold nanoparticles changes with the aggregation of the particles due to the plasmonic interaction between nearby particles and the color of the colloidal nanoparticle solution changes from wine red to purple. Sialic acid reduced and stabilized colloidal gold nanoparticle aggregation is induced by the addition of viral particles in the solution due to the hemagglutinin-sialic acid interaction. In this work, sialic acid reduced and stabilized gold nanoparticles (d = 20.1 ± 1.8 nm) were synthesized by a simple one-pot, green method without chemically modifying sialic acid. The gold nanoparticles showed target-specific aggregation with viral particles via hemagglutinin-sialic acid binding. A linear correlation was observed between the change in optical density and dilution of chemically inactivated influenza B virus species. The detection limit of the virus dilution (hemagglutinination assay titer, 512) was shown to be 0.156 vol% and the upper limit of the linearity can be extended with the use of more sialic acid-gold nanoparticles.

Graphene transforms wide band gap ZnS to a visible light photocatalyst. The new role of graphene as a macromolecular photosensitizer.

PubMed

Zhang, Yanhui; Zhang, Nan; Tang, Zi-Rong; Xu, Yi-Jun

2012-11-27

We report the assembly of nanosized ZnS particles on the 2D platform of a graphene oxide (GO) sheet by a facile two-step wet chemistry process, during which the reduced graphene oxide (RGO, also called GR) and the intimate interfacial contact between ZnS nanoparticles and the GR sheet are achieved simultaneously. The ZnS-GR nanocomposites exhibit visible light photoactivity toward aerobic selective oxidation of alcohols and epoxidation of alkenes under ambient conditions. In terms of structure-photoactivity correlation analysis, we for the first time propose a new photocatalytic mechanism where the role of GR in the ZnS-GR nanocomposites acts as an organic dye-like macromolecular "photosensitizer" for ZnS instead of an electron reservoir. This novel photocatalytic mechanism is distinctly different from all previous research on GR-semiconductor photocatalysts, for which GR is claimed to behave as an electron reservoir to capture/shuttle the electrons photogenerated from the semiconductor. This new concept of the reaction mechanism in graphene-semiconductor photocatalysts could provide a new train of thought on designing GR-based composite photocatalysts for targeting applications in solar energy conversion, promoting our in-depth thinking on the microscopic charge carrier transfer pathway connected to the interface between the GR and the semiconductor.

Interplay between Surface Chemistry, Precursor Reactivity, and Temperature Determines Outcome of ZnS Shelling Reactions on CuInS2 Nanocrystals

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ZnS shelling of I–III–VI2 nanocrystals (NCs) invariably leads to blue-shifts in both the absorption and photoluminescence spectra. These observations imply that the outcome of ZnS shelling reactions on I–III–VI2 colloidal NCs results from a complex interplay between several processes taking place in solution, at the surface of, and within the seed NC. However, a fundamental understanding of the factors determining the balance between these different processes is still lacking. In this work, we address this need by investigating the impact of precursor reactivity, reaction temperature, and surface chemistry (due to the washing procedure) on the outcome of ZnS shelling reactions on CuInS2 NCs using a seeded growth approach. We demonstrate that low reaction temperatures (150 °C) favor etching, cation exchange, and alloying regardless of the precursors used. Heteroepitaxial shell overgrowth becomes the dominant process only if reactive S- and Zn-precursors (S-ODE/OLAM and ZnI2) and high reaction temperatures (210 °C) are used, although a certain degree of heterointerfacial alloying still occurs. Remarkably, the presence of residual acetate at the surface of CIS seed NCs washed with ethanol is shown to facilitate heteroepitaxial shell overgrowth, yielding for the first time CIS/ZnS core/shell NCs displaying red-shifted absorption spectra, in agreement with the spectral shifts expected for a type-I band alignment. The insights provided by this work pave the way toward the design of improved synthesis strategies to CIS/ZnS core/shell and alloy NCs with tailored elemental distribution profiles, allowing precise tuning of the optoelectronic properties of the resulting materials. PMID:29657360

Sustainable steric stabilization of colloidal titania nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elbasuney, Sherif

2017-07-01

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

MBE growth of nanowires using colloidal Ag nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouravleuv, A. D.; Ilkiv, I. V.; Reznik, R. R.; Shtrom, I. V.; Khrebtov, A. I.; Samsonenko, Yu B.; Soshnikov, I. P.; Cirlin, G. E.; Lipsanen, H.

2017-06-01

Ag colloidal nanoparticles are used as a catalyst for growth of GaAs nanowires by the molecular beam epitaxy on the Si(111) and GaAs(111)B substrate surfaces. The scanning electron microscopy measurements revealed that the nanowire formation occurs in different ways on different substrates, but the parameters of the synthesized nanowires open great prospects for their further use.

High Ultraviolet Absorption in Colloidal Gallium Nanoparticles Prepared from Thermal Evaporation

PubMed Central

Bravo, Iria; Catalan-Gomez, Sergio; Vázquez, Luis; Lorenzo, Encarnación; Pau, Jose Luis

2017-01-01

New methods for the production of colloidal Ga nanoparticles (GaNPs) are introduced based on the evaporation of gallium on expendable aluminum zinc oxide (AZO) layer. The nanoparticles can be prepared in aqueous or organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran in order to be used in different sensing applications. The particles had a quasi mono-modal distribution with diameters ranging from 10 nm to 80 nm, and their aggregation status depended on the solvent nature. Compared to common chemical synthesis, our method assures higher yield with the possibility of tailoring particles size by adjusting the deposition time. The GaNPs have been studied by spectrophotometry to obtain the absorption spectra. The colloidal solutions exhibit strong plasmonic absorption in the ultra violet (UV) region around 280 nm, whose width and intensity mainly depend on the nanoparticles dimensions and their aggregation state. With regard to the colloidal GaNPs flocculate behavior, the water solvent case has been investigated for different pH values, showing UV-visible absorption because of the formation of NPs clusters. Using discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method simulations, a close connection between the UV absorption and NPs with a diameter smaller than ~40 nm was observed. PMID:28684687

Synthesis and characterization of Pd(0), PdS, and Pd-PdO core-shell nanoparticles by solventless thermolysis of a Pd-thiolate cluster

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

Jose, Deepa; Jagirdar, Balaji R., E-mail: jagirdar@ipc.iisc.ernet.i

2010-09-15

Colloids of palladium nanoparticles have been prepared by the solvated metal atom dispersion (SMAD) method. The as-prepared Pd colloid consists of particles with an average diameter of 2.8{+-}0.1 nm. Digestive ripening of the as-prepared Pd colloid, a process involving refluxing the as-prepared colloid at or near the boiling point of the solvent in the presence of a passivating agent, dodecanethiol resulted in a previously reported Pd-thiolate cluster, [Pd(SC{sub 12}H{sub 25}){sub 2}]{sub 6} but did not render the expected narrowing down of the particle size distribution. Solventless thermolysis of the Pd-thiolate complex resulted in various Pd systems such as Pd(0), PdS,more » and Pd-PdO core-shell nanoparticles thus demonstrating its versatility. These Pd nanostructures have been characterized using high-resolution electron microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction methods. - Graphical abstract: Solventless thermolysis of a single palladium-thiolate cluster affords various Pd systems such as Pd(0), Pd-PdO core-shell, and PdS nanoparticles demonstrating the versatility of the precursor and the methodology.« less

Quantification of nanoparticle concentration in colloidal suspensions by a non-destructive optical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clement, Sandhya; Gardner, Brint; Razali, Wan Aizuddin W.; Coleman, Victoria A.; Jämting, Åsa K.; Catchpoole, Heather J.; Goldys, Ewa M.; Herrmann, Jan; Zvyagin, Andrei

2017-11-01

The estimation of nanoparticle number concentration in colloidal suspensions is a prerequisite in many procedures, and in particular in multi-stage, low-yield reactions. Here, we describe a rapid, non-destructive method based on optical extinction and dynamic light scattering (DLS), which combines measurements using common bench-top instrumentation with a numerical algorithm to calculate the particle size distribution (PSD) and concentration. These quantities were derived from Mie theory applied to measurements of the optical extinction spectrum of homogeneous, non-absorbing nanoparticles, and the relative PSD of a colloidal suspension. The work presents an approach to account for PSDs achieved by DLS which, due to the underlying model, may not be representative of the true sample PSD. The presented approach estimates the absolute particle number concentration of samples with mono-, bi-modal and broad size distributions with <50% precision. This provides a convenient and practical solution for number concentration estimation required during many applications of colloidal nanomaterials.

Magneto-optical characterization of colloidal dispersions. Application to nickel nanoparticles.

PubMed

Pascu, Oana; Caicedo, José Manuel; Fontcuberta, Josep; Herranz, Gervasi; Roig, Anna

2010-08-03

We report here on a fast magneto-optical characterization method for colloidal liquid dispersions of magnetic nanoparticles. We have applied our methodology to Ni nanoparticles with size equal or below 15 nm synthesized by a ligand stabilized solution-phase synthesis. We have measured the magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of colloidal dispersions and found that we can probe the intrinsic magnetic properties within a wide concentration range, from 10(-5) up to 10(-2) M, with sensitivity to concentrations below 1 microg/mL of magnetic Ni particles. We found that the measured MCD signal scales up with the concentration thus providing a means of determining the concentration values of highly diluted dispersions. The methodology presented here exhibits large flexibility and versatility and might be suitable to study either fundamental problems related to properties of nanosize particles including surface related effects which are highly relevant for magnetic colloids in biomedical applications or to be applied to in situ testing and integration in production lines.

Design of Magnetic Gelatine/Silica Nanocomposites by Nanoemulsification: Encapsulation versus in Situ Growth of Iron Oxide Colloids

PubMed Central

Allouche, Joachim; Chanéac, Corinne; Brayner, Roberta; Boissière, Michel; Coradin, Thibaud

2014-01-01

The design of magnetic nanoparticles by incorporation of iron oxide colloids within gelatine/silica hybrid nanoparticles has been performed for the first time through a nanoemulsion route using the encapsulation of pre-formed magnetite nanocrystals and the in situ precipitation of ferrous/ferric ions. The first method leads to bi-continuous hybrid nanocomposites containing a limited amount of well-dispersed magnetite colloids. In contrast, the second approach allows the formation of gelatine-silica core-shell nanostructures incorporating larger amounts of agglomerated iron oxide colloids. Both magnetic nanocomposites exhibit similar superparamagnetic behaviors. Whereas nanocomposites obtained via an in situ approach show a strong tendency to aggregate in solution, the encapsulation route allows further surface modification of the magnetic nanocomposites, leading to quaternary gold/iron oxide/silica/gelatine nanoparticles. Hence, such a first-time rational combination of nano-emulsion, nanocrystallization and sol-gel chemistry allows the elaboration of multi-component functional nanomaterials. This constitutes a step forward in the design of more complex bio-nanoplatforms. PMID:28344239

Design of Magnetic Gelatine/Silica Nanocomposites by Nanoemulsification: Encapsulation versus in Situ Growth of Iron Oxide Colloids.

PubMed

Allouche, Joachim; Chanéac, Corinne; Brayner, Roberta; Boissière, Michel; Coradin, Thibaud

2014-07-31

The design of magnetic nanoparticles by incorporation of iron oxide colloids within gelatine/silica hybrid nanoparticles has been performed for the first time through a nanoemulsion route using the encapsulation of pre-formed magnetite nanocrystals and the in situ precipitation of ferrous/ferric ions. The first method leads to bi-continuous hybrid nanocomposites containing a limited amount of well-dispersed magnetite colloids. In contrast, the second approach allows the formation of gelatine-silica core-shell nanostructures incorporating larger amounts of agglomerated iron oxide colloids. Both magnetic nanocomposites exhibit similar superparamagnetic behaviors. Whereas nanocomposites obtained via an in situ approach show a strong tendency to aggregate in solution, the encapsulation route allows further surface modification of the magnetic nanocomposites, leading to quaternary gold/iron oxide/silica/gelatine nanoparticles. Hence, such a first-time rational combination of nano-emulsion, nanocrystallization and sol-gel chemistry allows the elaboration of multi-component functional nanomaterials. This constitutes a step forward in the design of more complex bio-nanoplatforms.

Single-step fabrication of quantum funnels via centrifugal colloidal casting of nanoparticle films

PubMed Central

Kim, Jin Young; Adinolfi, Valerio; Sutherland, Brandon R.; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Kwon, S. Joon; Kim, Tae Wu; Kim, Jeongho; Ihee, Hyotcherl; Kemp, Kyle; Adachi, Michael; Yuan, Mingjian; Kramer, Illan; Zhitomirsky, David; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Sargent, Edward H.

2015-01-01

Centrifugal casting of composites and ceramics has been widely employed to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of functional materials. This powerful method has yet to be deployed in the context of nanoparticles—yet size–effect tuning of quantum dots is among their most distinctive and application-relevant features. Here we report the first gradient nanoparticle films to be constructed in a single step. By creating a stable colloid of nanoparticles that are capped with electronic-conduction-compatible ligands we were able to leverage centrifugal casting for thin-films devices. This new method, termed centrifugal colloidal casting, is demonstrated to form films in a bandgap-ordered manner with efficient carrier funnelling towards the lowest energy layer. We constructed the first quantum-gradient photodiode to be formed in a single deposition step and, as a result of the gradient-enhanced electric field, experimentally measured the highest normalized detectivity of any colloidal quantum dot photodetector. PMID:26165185

High potential of Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles with different dopant concentrations as novel MRI contrast agents: synthesis and in vitro relaxivity studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jahanbin, Tania; Gaceur, Meriem; Gros-Dagnac, Hélène; Benderbous, Soraya; Merah, Souad Ammar

2015-06-01

Over several decades, metal-doped quantum dots (QDs) with core-shell structure have been studied as dual probes: fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probes (Dixit et al., Mater Lett 63(30):2669-2671, 2009). However, metal-doped nanoparticles, in which the majority of metal ions are close to the surface, can affect their efficacy as MRI contrast agents (CAs). In this context, herein the high potential of synthesized Mn-doped ZnS QDs via polyol method as imaging probe is demonstrated. The mean diameters of QDs were measured via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Optical and magnetic properties of MnZnS nanoparticles were characterized using fluorescence spectroscopy and super quanducting interference devices magnetometer and electron paramagnetic resonance system, respectively. T1- and T2-weighted images of nanoparticles in aqueous solution were acquired from spin-echo sequences at 3 T. From TEM images and XRD spectra of the prepared nanoparticles, it is observed that the average diameter of particles does not significantly change with Mn dopant content ( 1.6-1.9 nm). All three samples exhibit broad blue emission under UV light excitation. According to the MRI studies, MnZnS nanoparticles generate strong T1 contrast enhancement (bright T1-weighted images) at the low concentration (<0.1 mM). The MnZnS nanoparticles exhibit the high longitudinal ( r 1) relaxivity that increases from 20.34 to 75.5 mM-1 s-1 with the Mn dopant contents varying between 10 and 30 %. Strong signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high r 1 with {r2 }/{r_{1 }} ≈ 1 can demonstrate the high potential of the synthesized Mn:ZnS nanoparticles, which can serve as an effective T1 CA.

Directed assembly of colloidal particles for micro/nano photonics (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yuebing

2017-02-01

Bottom-up fabrication of complex structures with chemically synthesized colloidal particles as building blocks pave an efficient and cost-effective way towards micro/nano photonics with unprecedented functionality and tunability. Novel properties can arise from quantum effects of colloidal particles, as well as inter-particle interactions and spatial arrangement in particle assemblies. Herein, I discuss our recent developments and applications of three types of techniques for directed assembly of colloidal particles: moiré nanosphere lithography (MNSL), bubble-pen lithography (BPL), and optothermal tweezers (OTTs). Specifically, MNSL provides an efficient approach towards creating moiré metasurface with tunable and multiband optical responses from visible to mid-infrared regime. Au moiré metasurfaces have been applied for surface-enhanced infrared spectroscopy, optical capture and patterning of bacteria, and photothermal denaturation of proteins. BPL is developed to pattern a variety of colloidal particles on plasmonic substrates and two-dimensional atomic-layer materials in an arbitrary manner. The laser-directed microbubble captures and immobilizes nanoparticles through coordinated actions of Marangoni convection, surface tension, gas pressure, and substrate adhesion. OTTs are developed to create dynamic nanoparticle assemblies at low optical power. Such nanoparticle assemblies have been used for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy for molecular analysis in their native environments.

Ultra-rapid photocatalytic activity of Azadirachta indica engineered colloidal titanium dioxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sankar, Renu; Rizwana, Kadarmohideen; Shivashangari, Kanchi Subramanian; Ravikumar, Vilwanathan

2015-08-01

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were effectively synthesized from aqueous leaf extract of Azadirachta indica under pH and temperature-dependent condition. 5 mM titanium isopropoxide solution worked as a primary source for the synthesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The green synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectrum of synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles authorized the presence of bioactive compounds in the leaf extract, which may play a role as capping and reducing agent. The high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analyses results showed the interconnected spherical in shape titanium dioxide nanoparticles having a mean particle size of 124 nm and a zeta potential of -24 mV. Besides, the colloidal titanium dioxide nanoparticles energetically degrade the industrially harmful methyl red dye under bright sunlight.

Protein Corona Composition Does Not Accurately Predict Hematocompatibility of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Dobrovolskaia, Marina A.; Neun, Barry W.; Man, Sonny; Ye, Xiaoying; Hansen, Matthew; Patri, Anil K.; Crist, Rachael M.; McNeil, Scott E.

2014-01-01

Proteins bound to nanoparticle surfaces are known to affect particle clearance by influencing immune cell uptake and distribution to the organs of the mononuclear phagocytic system. The composition of the protein corona has been described for several types of nanomaterials, but the role of the corona in nanoparticle biocompatibility is not well established. In this study we investigate the role of nanoparticle surface properties (PEGylation) and incubation times on the protein coronas of colloidal gold nanoparticles. While neither incubation time nor PEG molecular weight affected the specific proteins in the protein corona, the total amount of protein binding was governed by the molecular weight of PEG coating. Furthermore, the composition of the protein corona did not correlate with nanoparticle hematocompatibility. Specialized hematological tests should be used to deduce nanoparticle hematotoxicity. PMID:24512761

Group 12 dithiocarbamate complexes: synthesis, spectral studies and their use as precursors for metal sulfides nanoparticles and nanocomposites.

PubMed

Ajibade, Peter A; Ejelonu, Benjamin C

2013-09-01

Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) dithiocarbamate complexes have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-Vis, FTIR, (1)H- and (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The complexes were thermolysed at 180 °C and used as single molecule precursors for the synthesis of HDA capped ZnS, CdS and HgS nanoparticles and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites. The optical and structural properties of the nanoparticles and nanocomposites were studied by UV-Vis, PL, XRD and SEM. The crystallites sizes of the nanoparticles varied between 3.03 and 23.45 nm. SEM and EDX analyses of the nanocomposites confirmed the presence of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasmon-Enhanced Photocleaving Dynamics in Colloidal MicroRNA-Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles Monitored with Second Harmonic Generation.

PubMed

Kumal, Raju R; Abu-Laban, Mohammad; Landry, Corey R; Kruger, Blake; Zhang, Zhenyu; Hayes, Daniel J; Haber, Louis H

2016-10-11

The photocleaving dynamics of colloidal microRNA-functionalized nanoparticles are studied using time-dependent second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements. Model drug-delivery systems composed of oligonucleotides attached to either silver nanoparticles or polystyrene nanoparticles using a nitrobenzyl photocleavable linker are prepared and characterized. The photoactivated controlled release is observed to be most efficient on resonance at 365 nm irradiation, with pseudo-first-order rate constants that are linearly proportional to irradiation powers. Additionally, silver nanoparticles show a 6-fold plasmon enhancement in photocleaving efficiency over corresponding polystyrene nanoparticle rates, while our previous measurements on gold nanoparticles show a 2-fold plasmon enhancement compared to polystyrene nanoparticles. Characterizations including extinction spectroscopy, electrophoretic mobility, and fluorimetry measurements confirm the analysis from the SHG results. The real-time SHG measurements are shown to be a highly sensitive method for investigating plasmon-enhanced photocleaving dynamics in model drug delivery systems.

Localized Plasmon resonance in metal nanoparticles using Mie theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duque, J. S.; Blandón, J. S.; Riascos, H.

2017-06-01

In this work, scattering light by colloidal metal nanoparticles with spherical shape was studied. Optical properties such as diffusion efficiencies of extinction and absorption Q ext and Q abs were calculated using Mie theory. We employed a MATLAB program to calculate the Mie efficiencies and the radial dependence of electric field intensities emitted for colloidal metal nanoparticles (MNPs). By UV-Vis spectroscopy we have determined the LSPR for Cu nanoparticles (CuNPs), Ni nanoparticles (NiNPs) and Co nanoparticles (CoNPs) grown by laser ablation technique. The peaks of resonances appear in 590nm, 384nm and 350nm for CuNPs, NiNPs and CoNPs respectively suspended in water. Changing the medium to acetone and ethanol we observed a shift of the resonance peaks, these values agreed with our simulations results.

Robust surface coating for a fast, facile fluorine-18 labeling of iron oxide nanoparticles for PET/MR dual-modality imaging

DOE PAGES

Sun, Ziyan; Cheng, Kai; Wu, Fengyu; ...

2016-10-31

Grafting a robust organic shell around inorganic nanoparticles can optimize their colloidal features to dramatically improve their physicochemical properties. Here, we have developed a polymer coating procedure for providing colloidal stability to the nanoparticles and, more importantly, for applying a fast, facile fluorine-18 labeling of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) for positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) dual-modality imaging. The structure of the amphiphilic polymer is based on a backbone of polyacrylic acid, conjugated with multiple oleylamines to form a comb-like branched structure. The dense polymer shell provides high colloidal stability to the IONPs against harsh conditions such as high temperature,more » low pH value, and high ion strength. By incorporating a 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (NOTA) chelator to the comb-like amphiphilic polymer for the chelation of aluminum fluoride ions, we applied a one-step radiolabeling approach for a fast, facile radiofluorination of magnetic nanoparticles. The new strategy can significantly reduce the procedure time and radiation exposure. In conclusion, the PET/MR dual modality imaging was successfully achieved in living subjects by using 18F labeled magnetic nanoparticles.« less

Robust surface coating for a fast, facile fluorine-18 labeling of iron oxide nanoparticles for PET/MR dual-modality imaging

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

Sun, Ziyan; Cheng, Kai; Wu, Fengyu

Grafting a robust organic shell around inorganic nanoparticles can optimize their colloidal features to dramatically improve their physicochemical properties. Here, we have developed a polymer coating procedure for providing colloidal stability to the nanoparticles and, more importantly, for applying a fast, facile fluorine-18 labeling of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) for positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) dual-modality imaging. The structure of the amphiphilic polymer is based on a backbone of polyacrylic acid, conjugated with multiple oleylamines to form a comb-like branched structure. The dense polymer shell provides high colloidal stability to the IONPs against harsh conditions such as high temperature,more » low pH value, and high ion strength. By incorporating a 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (NOTA) chelator to the comb-like amphiphilic polymer for the chelation of aluminum fluoride ions, we applied a one-step radiolabeling approach for a fast, facile radiofluorination of magnetic nanoparticles. The new strategy can significantly reduce the procedure time and radiation exposure. In conclusion, the PET/MR dual modality imaging was successfully achieved in living subjects by using 18F labeled magnetic nanoparticles.« less

Synthesis of robust water-soluble ZnS:Mn/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jing; Zhuang, Jiaqi; Guan, Shaowei; Yang, Wensheng

2008-04-01

Water-soluble Mn doped ZnS (ZnS:Mn) nanocrystals synthesized by using 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) as stabilizer were homogeneously coated with a dense silica shell through a multi-step procedure. First, 3-mercaptopropyl triethoxy silane (MPS) was used to replace MPA on the particle surface to form a vitreophilic layer for further silica deposition under optimal experimental conditions. Then a two-step silica deposition was performed to form the final water-soluble ZnS:Mn/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles. The as-prepared core/shell nanoparticles show little change in fluorescence intensity in a wide range of pH value.

Synthesis of pure colloidal silver nanoparticles with high electroconductivity for printed electronic circuits: the effect of amines on their formation in aqueous media.

PubMed

Natsuki, Jun; Abe, Takao

2011-07-01

This paper describes a practical and convenient method to prepare stable colloidal silver nanoparticles for use in printed electronic circuits. The method uses a dispersant and two kinds of reducing agents including 2-(dimethylamino) ethanol (DMAE), which play important roles in the reduction of silver ions in an aqueous medium. The effect of DMAE and dispersant, as well as the factors affecting particle size and morphology are investigated. In the formation of the silver nanoparticles, reduction occurs rapidly at room temperature and the silver particles can be separated easily from the mixture in a short time. In addition, organic solvents are not used. Pure, small and relatively uniform particles with a diameter less than 10 nm can be obtained that exhibit high electroconductivity. The silver nanoparticles are stable, and can be isolated as a dried powder that can be fully redispersed in deionized water. This method of producing colloidal silver nanoparticles will find practical use in electronics applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Natural colloids are the dominant factor in the sedimentation of nanoparticles.

PubMed

Quik, Joris T K; Stuart, Martien Cohen; Wouterse, Marja; Peijnenburg, Willie; Hendriks, A Jan; van de Meent, Dik

2012-05-01

Estimating the environmental exposure to manufactured nanomaterials is part of risk assessment. Because nanoparticles aggregate with each other (homoaggregation) and with other particles (heteroaggregation), the main route of the removal of most nanoparticles from water is aggregation, followed by sedimentation. The authors used water samples from two rivers in Europe, the Rhine and the Meuse. To distinguish between small (mainly natural organic matter [NOM]) particles and the remainder of the natural colloids present, both filtered and unfiltered river water was used to prepare the particle suspensions. The results show that the removal of nanoparticles from natural river water follows first-order kinetics toward a residual concentration. This was measured in river water with less than 1 mg L(-1) CeO(2) nanoparticles. The authors inferred that the heteroaggregation with or deposition onto the solid fraction of natural colloids was the main mechanism causing sedimentation in relation to homoaggregation. In contrast, the NOM fraction in filtered river water stabilized the residual nanoparticles against further sedimentation for up to 12 d. In 10 mg L(-1) and 100 mg L(-1) CeO(2) nanoparticle suspensions, homoaggregation is likely the main mechanism leading to sedimentation. The proposed model could form the basis for improved exposure assessment for nanomaterials. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Influence of dose on particle size and optical properties of colloidal platinum nanoparticles.

PubMed

Gharibshahi, Elham; Saion, Elias

2012-11-12

Attempts to produce colloidal platinum nanoparticles by using steady absorption spectra with various chemical-based reduction methods often resulted in the fast disappearance of the absorption maxima leaving reduced platinum nanoparticles with little information on their optical properties. We synthesized colloidal platinum nanoparticles in an aqueous solution of polyvinyl pyrrolidone by gamma radiolytic reduction method, which produced steady absorption spectra of fully reduced and highly pure platinum nanoparticles free from by-product impurities or reducing agent contamination. The average particle size was found to be in the range of 3.4–5.3 nm and decreased with increasing dose due to the domination of nucleation over ion association in the formation of metal nanoparticles by the gamma radiolytic reduction method. The platinum nanoparticles exhibit optical absorption spectra with two absorption peaks centered at about 216 and 264 nm and the peaks blue shifted to lower wavelengths with decreasing particle size. The absorption spectra of platinum nanoparticles were also calculated using quantum mechanical treatment and coincidently a good agreement was obtained between the calculated and measured absorption peaks at various particle sizes. This indicates that the 216 and 264-nm absorption peaks of platinum nanoparticles conceivably originated from the intra-band transitions of conduction electrons of (n = 5, l = 2) and (n = 6, l = 0) energy states respectively to higher energy states. The absorption energies, i.e., conduction band energies of platinum nanoparticles derived from the absorption peaks increased with increasing dose and decreased with increasing particle size.

Influence of Dose on Particle Size and Optical Properties of Colloidal Platinum Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Gharibshahi, Elham; Saion, Elias

2012-01-01

Attempts to produce colloidal platinum nanoparticles by using steady absorption spectra with various chemical-based reduction methods often resulted in the fast disappearance of the absorption maxima leaving reduced platinum nanoparticles with little information on their optical properties. We synthesized colloidal platinum nanoparticles in an aqueous solution of polyvinyl pyrrolidone by gamma radiolytic reduction method, which produced steady absorption spectra of fully reduced and highly pure platinum nanoparticles free from by-product impurities or reducing agent contamination. The average particle size was found to be in the range of 3.4–5.3 nm and decreased with increasing dose due to the domination of nucleation over ion association in the formation of metal nanoparticles by the gamma radiolytic reduction method. The platinum nanoparticles exhibit optical absorption spectra with two absorption peaks centered at about 216 and 264 nm and the peaks blue shifted to lower wavelengths with decreasing particle size. The absorption spectra of platinum nanoparticles were also calculated using quantum mechanical treatment and coincidently a good agreement was obtained between the calculated and measured absorption peaks at various particle sizes. This indicates that the 216 and 264-nm absorption peaks of platinum nanoparticles conceivably originated from the intra-band transitions of conduction electrons of (n = 5, l = 2) and (n = 6, l = 0) energy states respectively to higher energy states. The absorption energies, i.e., conduction band energies of platinum nanoparticles derived from the absorption peaks increased with increasing dose and decreased with increasing particle size. PMID:23203091

Synthesis and Thermoluminescence of ZnS:Mn2+ Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zahedifar, M.; Taghavinia, N.; Aminpour, M.

2007-08-01

The controlled chemical method has been used for synthesis of Mn doped ZnS nanoparticles. Optical absorption studies showed that increasing of surfactant density, from 0.0001 to 0.5 mol/lit., causes the size of nanoparticles to decrease from 4.8 nm to about 3 nm and the band gap width to increase from 4.15 to 4.50 eV. Also increasing the temperature during the synthesis process caused the nanoparticle size to be increased. As a new result we observed a thermoluminescence (TL) glow peak at about 475 K, with its intensity depending on concentration of the Mn dopant. Activation energy of this glow peak was obtained to be about 0.6eV. A discussion of the obtained results is also presented.

Colloidal chemical synthesis and formation kinetics of uniformly sized nanocrystals of metals, oxides, and chalcogenides.

PubMed

Kwon, Soon Gu; Hyeon, Taeghwan

2008-12-01

Nanocrystals exhibit interesting electrical, optical, magnetic, and chemical properties not achieved by their bulk counterparts. Consequently, to fully exploit the potential of nanocrystals, the synthesis of nanocrystals must focus on producing materials with uniform size and shape. Top-down physical processes can produce large quantities of nanocrystals, but controlling the size is difficult with these methods. On the other hand, colloidal chemical synthetic methods can produce uniform nanocrystals with a controlled particle size. In this Account, we present our synthesis of uniform nanocrystals of various shapes and materials, and we discuss the kinetics of nanocrystal formation. We employed four different synthetic approaches including thermal decomposition, nonhydrolytic sol-gel reactions, thermal reduction, and use of reactive chalcogen reagents. We synthesized uniform oxide nanocrystals via heat-up methods. This method involved slowly heat-up reaction mixtures composed of metal precursors, surfactants, and solvents from room temperature to high temperature. We then held reaction mixtures at an aging temperature for a few minutes to a few hours. Kinetics studies revealed a three-step mechanism for the synthesis of nanocrystals through the heat-up method with size distribution control. First, as metal precursors thermally decompose, monomers accumulate. At the aging temperature, burst nucleation occurs rapidly; at the end of this second phase, nucleation stops, but continued diffusion-controlled growth leads to size focusing to produce uniform nanocrystals. We used nonhydrolytic sol-gel reactions to synthesize various transition metal oxide nanocrystals. We employed ester elimination reactions for the synthesis of ZnO and TiO(2) nanocrystals. Uniform Pd nanoparticles were synthesized via a thermal reduction reaction induced by heating up a mixture of Pd(acac)(2), tri-n-octylphosphine, and oleylamine to the aging temperature. Similarly, we synthesized nanoparticles of copper and nickel using metal(II) acetylacetonates. Ni/Pd core/shell nanoparticles were synthesized by simply heating the reaction mixture composed of acetylacetonates of nickel and palladium. Using alternative chalcogen reagents, we synthesized uniform nanocrystals of various metal chalcogenides. Uniform nanocrystals of PbS, ZnS, CdS, and MnS were obtained by heating reaction mixtures composed of metal chlorides and sulfur dissolved in oleylamine. In the future, a detailed understanding of nanocrystal formation kinetics and synthetic chemistry will lead to the synthesis of uniform nanocrystals with controlled size, shape, and composition. In particular, the synthesis of uniform nanocrystals of doped materials, core/shell materials, and multicomponent materials is still a challenge. We expect that these uniformly sized nanocrystals will find important applications in areas including information technology, biomedicine, and energy/environmental technology.

Magnetically Driven Swimming of Nanoscale Colloidal Assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breidenich, Jennifer; Benkoski, Jason; Baird, Lance; Deacon, Ryan; Land, H. Bruce; Hayes, Allen; Keng, Pei; Pyun, Jeffrey

2009-03-01

At microscopic length scales, locomotion can only be generated through asymmetric conformation changes, such as the undulating flagellum employed by protozoa. This simple yet elegant design is optimized according to the dueling needs of miniaturization and the fluid dynamics of the low Reynolds number environment. In this study, we fabricate nanoscale colloidal assemblies that mimic the head + tail structure of flagellates. The assemblies consist of two types of magnetic colloids: 25 nm polystyrene-coated Co nanoparticles, and 250 nm polyethylene glycol coated magnetite nanoparticles. When mixed together in N-dimethylformamide, the Co nanoparticles assemble into flexible, segmented chains ranging in length from 1 - 5 μm. These chains then attach at one end to the larger magnetic beads due to magnetic attraction. This head + tail structure aligns with an external uniform magnetic field and is actuated by an oscillating transverse field. We examine the effects of Co nanoparticle concentration, magnetite bead concentration, magnetic field strength, and oscillation frequency on the formation of swimmers and the speed of locomotion.

Pure colloidal metal and ceramic nanoparticles from high-power picosecond laser ablation in water and acetone.

PubMed

Bärsch, Niko; Jakobi, Jurij; Weiler, Sascha; Barcikowski, Stephan

2009-11-04

The generation of colloids by laser ablation of solids in a liquid offers a nearly unlimited material variety and a high purity as no chemical precursors are required. The use of novel high-power ultra-short-pulsed laser systems significantly increases the production rates even in inflammable organic solvents. By applying an average laser power of 50 W and pulse durations below 10 ps, up to 5 mg min(-1) of nanoparticles have been generated directly in acetone, marking a breakthrough in productivity of ultra-short-pulsed laser ablation in liquids. The produced colloids remain stable for more than six months. In the case of yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic, the nanoparticles retain the tetragonal crystal structure of the ablated target. Laser beam self-focusing plays an important role, as a beam radius change of 2% on the liquid surface can lead to a decrease of nanoparticle production rates of 90% if the target position is not re-adjusted.

Characteristics of colloidal aluminum nanoparticles prepared by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in deionized water in presence of parallel external electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdieh, Mohammad Hossein; Mozaffari, Hossein

2017-10-01

In this paper, we investigate experimentally the effect of electric field on the size, optical properties and crystal structure of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) of aluminum prepared by nanosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation (PLA) in deionized water. The experiments were conducted for two different conditions, with and without the electric field parallel to the laser beam path and the results were compared. To study the influence of electric field, two polished parallel aluminum metals plates perpendicular to laser beam path were used as the electrodes. The NPs were synthesized for target in negative, positive and neutral polarities. The colloidal nanoparticles were characterized using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results indicate that initial charge on the target has strong effect on the size properties and concentration of the synthesized nanoparticles. The XRD patterns show that the structure of produced NPs with and without presence of electric field is Boehmite (AlOOH).

Evaluation of Hydrodynamic Chromatography Coupled with UV-Visible, Fluorescence and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry Detectors for Sizing and Quantifying Colloids in Environmental Media

PubMed Central

Philippe, Allan; Schaumann, Gabriele E.

2014-01-01

In this study, we evaluated hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the analysis of nanoparticles in environmental samples. Using two commercially available columns (Polymer Labs-PDSA type 1 and 2), a set of well characterised calibrants and a new external time marking method, we showed that flow rate and eluent composition have few influence on the size resolution and, therefore, can be adapted to the sample particularity. Monitoring the agglomeration of polystyrene nanoparticles over time succeeded without observable disagglomeration suggesting that even weak agglomerates can be measured using HDC. Simultaneous determination of gold colloid concentration and size using ICP-MS detection was validated for elemental concentrations in the ppb range. HDC-ICP-MS was successfully applied to samples containing a high organic and ionic background. Indeed, online combination of UV-visible, fluorescence and ICP-MS detectors allowed distinguishing between organic molecules and inorganic colloids during the analysis of Ag nanoparticles in synthetic surface waters and TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles in commercial sunscreens. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HDC-ICP-MS is a flexible, sensitive and reliable method to measure the size and the concentration of inorganic colloids in complex media and suggest that there may be a promising future for the application of HDC in environmental science. Nonetheless the rigorous measurements of agglomerates and of matrices containing natural colloids still need to be studied in detail. PMID:24587393

Evaluation of hydrodynamic chromatography coupled with UV-visible, fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detectors for sizing and quantifying colloids in environmental media.

PubMed

Philippe, Allan; Schaumann, Gabriele E

2014-01-01

In this study, we evaluated hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the analysis of nanoparticles in environmental samples. Using two commercially available columns (Polymer Labs-PDSA type 1 and 2), a set of well characterised calibrants and a new external time marking method, we showed that flow rate and eluent composition have few influence on the size resolution and, therefore, can be adapted to the sample particularity. Monitoring the agglomeration of polystyrene nanoparticles over time succeeded without observable disagglomeration suggesting that even weak agglomerates can be measured using HDC. Simultaneous determination of gold colloid concentration and size using ICP-MS detection was validated for elemental concentrations in the ppb range. HDC-ICP-MS was successfully applied to samples containing a high organic and ionic background. Indeed, online combination of UV-visible, fluorescence and ICP-MS detectors allowed distinguishing between organic molecules and inorganic colloids during the analysis of Ag nanoparticles in synthetic surface waters and TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles in commercial sunscreens. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HDC-ICP-MS is a flexible, sensitive and reliable method to measure the size and the concentration of inorganic colloids in complex media and suggest that there may be a promising future for the application of HDC in environmental science. Nonetheless the rigorous measurements of agglomerates and of matrices containing natural colloids still need to be studied in detail.

Fabrication of quantum dot/silica core-shell particles immobilizing Au nanoparticles and their dual imaging functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Yoshio; Matsudo, Hiromu; Li, Ting-ting; Shibuya, Kyosuke; Kubota, Yohsuke; Oikawa, Takahiro; Nakagawa, Tomohiko; Gonda, Kohsuke

2016-03-01

The present work proposes preparation methods for quantum dot/silica (QD/SiO2) core-shell particles that immobilize Au nanoparticles (QD/SiO2/Au). A colloid solution of QD/SiO2 core-shell particles with an average size of 47.0 ± 6.1 nm was prepared by a sol-gel reaction of tetraethyl orthosilicate in the presence of the QDs with an average size of 10.3 ± 2.1 nm. A colloid solution of Au nanoparticles with an average size of 17.9 ± 1.3 nm was prepared by reducing Au3+ ions with sodium citrate in water at 80 °C. Introduction of amino groups to QD/SiO2 particle surfaces was performed using (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (QD/SiO2-NH2). The QD/SiO2/Au particles were fabricated by mixing the Au particle colloid solution and the QD/SiO2-NH2 particle colloid solution. Values of radiant efficiency and computed tomography for the QD/SiO2/Au particle colloid solution were 2.23 × 107 (p/s/cm2/sr)/(μW/cm2) at a QD concentration of 8 × 10-7 M and 1180 ± 314 Hounsfield units and an Au concentration of 5.4 × 10-2 M. The QD/SiO2/Au particle colloid solution was injected into a mouse chest wall. Fluorescence emitted from the colloid solution could be detected on the skin covering the chest wall. The colloid solution could also be X-ray-imaged in the chest wall. Consequently, the QD/SiO2/Au particle colloid solution was found to have dual functions, i.e., fluorescence emission and X-ray absorption in vivo, which makes the colloid solution suitable to function as a contrast agent for dual imaging processes.

Pulse laser ablation of Au, Ag, and Cu metal targets in liquid for nanoparticle production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbani, Y.; Irmaniar; Nasution, R. S.; Mujtahid, F.; Masse, S.

2018-03-01

We have fabricated metal and oxide nanoparticles using pulse laser ablation of Au, Ag, and Cu metal targets immersed in water. While laser ablation of Au and Ag targets in water produced metal nanoparticles which were stable for a month even without any dispersant, we found CuO nanoparticles for Cu target due to rapid oxidation of Cu in water resulted in its poor stability. Au, Ag, and CuO nanoparticles production were barely identified by naked eyes for their distinctive colour of red, yellow, and dark green colloidal suspensions, respectively. It was also verified using UV-Vis spectrometer that Au, Ag, and CuO colloidal nanoparticles have their respective surface plasmon resonance at 520, 400, and 620 nm. TEM observation showed that particle sizes for all the fabricated nanoparticles were in the range of 20 – 40 nm with crystalline structures.

Enhancing heat capacity of colloidal suspension using nanoscale encapsulated phase-change materials for heat transfer.

PubMed

Hong, Yan; Ding, Shujiang; Wu, Wei; Hu, Jianjun; Voevodin, Andrey A; Gschwender, Lois; Snyder, Ed; Chow, Louis; Su, Ming

2010-06-01

This paper describes a new method to enhance the heat-transfer property of a single-phase liquid by adding encapsulated phase-change nanoparticles (nano-PCMs), which absorb thermal energy during solid-liquid phase changes. Silica-encapsulated indium nanoparticles and polymer-encapsulated paraffin (wax) nanoparticles have been made using colloid method, and suspended into poly-alpha-olefin (PAO) and water for potential high- and low-temperature applications, respectively. The shells prevent leakage and agglomeration of molten phase-change materials, and enhance the dielectric properties of indium nanoparticles. The heat-transfer coefficients of PAO containing indium nanoparticles (30% by mass) and water containing paraffin nanoparticles (10% by mass) are 1.6 and 1.75 times higher than those of corresponding single-phase fluids. The structural integrity of encapsulation allows repeated use of such nanoparticles for many cycles in high heat generating devices.

Bioavailable nanoparticles obtained in laser ablation of a selenium target in water

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

Kuzmin, P G; Shafeev, Georgii A; Voronov, Valerii V

The process of producing colloidal solutions of selenium nanoparticles in water using the laser ablation method is described. The prospects of using nanoparticles of elementary selenium as a nutrition source of this microelement are discussed. (nanoparticles)

Sensitive Analysis of Protein Adsorption to Colloidal Gold by Differential Centrifugal Sedimentation

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

It is demonstrated that the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) to aqueous gold colloids can be quantified with molecular resolution by differential centrifugal sedimentation (DCS). This method separates colloidal particles of comparable density by mass. When proteins adsorb to the nanoparticles, both their mass and their effective density change, which strongly affects the sedimentation time. A straightforward analysis allows quantification of the adsorbed layer. Most importantly, unlike many other methods, DCS can be used to detect chemisorbed proteins (“hard corona”) as well as physisorbed proteins (“soft corona”). The results for BSA on gold colloid nanoparticles can be modeled in terms of Langmuir-type adsorption isotherms (Hill model). The effects of surface modification with small thiol-PEG ligands on protein adsorption are also demonstrated. PMID:28513153

Synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticle clusters and their application in ascorbic acid detection by SERS.

PubMed

Cholula-Díaz, Jorge L; Lomelí-Marroquín, Diana; Pramanick, Bidhan; Nieto-Argüello, Alfonso; Cantú-Castillo, Luis A; Hwang, Hyundoo

2018-03-01

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) has an essential role in the human body mainly due to its antioxidant function. In this work, metallic silver nanoparticle (AgNP) colloids were used in SERS experiments to detect ascorbic acid in aqueous solution. The AgNPs were synthesized by a green method using potato starch as reducing and stabilizing agent, and water as the solvent. The optical properties of the yellowish as-synthesized silver colloids were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, in which besides a typical band at 410 nm related to the localized surface plasmon resonance of the silver nanoparticles, a shoulder band around 500 nm, due to silver nanoparticle cluster formation, is presented when relatively higher concentrations of starch are used in the synthesis. These starch-capped silver nanoparticles show an intrinsic Raman peak at 1386 cm -1 assigned to deformation modes of the starch structure. The increase of the intensity of the SERS peak at 1386 cm -1 with an increase in the concentration of the ascorbic acid is related to a decrease of the gap between dimers and trimers of the silver nanoparticle clusters produced by the presence of ascorbic acid in the colloid. The limit of detection of this technique for ascorbic acid is 0.02 mM with a measurement concentration range of 0.02-10 mM, which is relevant for the application of this method for detecting ascorbic acid in biological specimen. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formation of stable uranium(VI) colloidal nanoparticles in conditions relevant to radioactive waste disposal.

PubMed

Bots, Pieter; Morris, Katherine; Hibberd, Rosemary; Law, Gareth T W; Mosselmans, J Frederick W; Brown, Andy P; Doutch, James; Smith, Andrew J; Shaw, Samuel

2014-12-09

The favored pathway for disposal of higher activity radioactive wastes is via deep geological disposal. Many geological disposal facility designs include cement in their engineering design. Over the long term, interaction of groundwater with the cement and waste will form a plume of a hyperalkaline leachate (pH 10-13), and the behavior of radionuclides needs to be constrained under these extreme conditions to minimize the environmental hazard from the wastes. For uranium, a key component of many radioactive wastes, thermodynamic modeling predicts that, at high pH, U(VI) solubility will be very low (nM or lower) and controlled by equilibrium with solid phase alkali and alkaline-earth uranates. However, the formation of U(VI) colloids could potentially enhance the mobility of U(VI) under these conditions, and characterizing the potential for formation and medium-term stability of U(VI) colloids is important in underpinning our understanding of U behavior in waste disposal. Reflecting this, we applied conventional geochemical and microscopy techniques combined with synchrotron based in situ and ex situ X-ray techniques (small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray adsorption spectroscopy (XAS)) to characterize colloidal U(VI) nanoparticles in a synthetic cement leachate (pH > 13) containing 4.2-252 μM U(VI). The results show that in cement leachates with 42 μM U(VI), colloids formed within hours and remained stable for several years. The colloids consisted of 1.5-1.8 nm nanoparticles with a proportion forming 20-60 nm aggregates. Using XAS and electron microscopy, we were able to determine that the colloidal nanoparticles had a clarkeite (sodium-uranate)-type crystallographic structure. The presented results have clear and hitherto unrecognized implications for the mobility of U(VI) in cementitious environments, in particular those associated with the geological disposal of nuclear waste.

Hydrophobic-Sheath Segregated Macromolecular Fluorophores: Colloidal Nanoparticles of Polycaprolactone-Grafted Conjugated Polymers with Bright Far-Red/Near-Infrared Emission for Biological Imaging.

PubMed

Yang, Cangjie; Liu, Hui; Zhang, Yingdan; Xu, Zhigang; Wang, Xiaochen; Cao, Bin; Wang, Mingfeng

2016-05-09

This article describes molecular design, synthesis and characterization of colloidal nanoparticles containing polycaprolactone-grafted conjugated polymers that exhibit strong far red/near-infrared (FR/NIR) fluorescence for bioimaging. Specifically, we synthesized two kinds of conjugated polymer bottle brushes (PFTB(out)-g-PCL and PFTB(in)-g-PCL) with different positions of the hexyl groups on the thiophene rings. A synthetic amphiphilic block copolymer PCL-b-POEGMA was employed as surfactants to encapsulate PFTB-g-PCL polymers into colloidal nanoparticles (denoted as "nanoREDs") in aqueous media. The chain length of the PCL side chains in PFTB-g-PCL played a critical role in determining the fluorescence properties in both bulk solid states and the colloidal nanoparticles. Compared to semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) composed of PFTB(out) without grafted PCL, nanoRED(out) showed at least four times higher fluorescence quantum yield (∼20%) and a broader emission band centered at 635 nm. We further demonstrated the application of this new class of nanoREDs for effective labeling of L929 cells and HeLa cancer cells with good biocompatibility. This strategy of hydrophobic-sheath segregated macromolecular fluorophores is expected to be applicable to a broad range of conjugated polymers with tunable optical properties for applications such as bioimaging.

Freeze the Moment: High Speed Capturing of Weakly Bonded Dynamic Nanoparticle Assemblies in Solution by Ag Ion Soldering.

PubMed

Wang, Yueliang; Fang, Lingling; Chen, Gaoli; Song, Lei; Deng, Zhaoxiang

2018-02-01

Despite the versatile forms of colloidal aggregates, these spontaneously formed structures are often hard to find a suitable application in nanotechnology and materials science. A determinate reason is the lack of a suitable method to capture the transiently formed and quickly evolving colloidal structures in solution. To address this challenge, a simple but highly efficient strategy is herein reported to capture the dynamic and metastable colloidal assemblies formed in an aqueous or nonaqueous solution. This process takes advantage of a recently developed Ag ion soldering reaction to realize a rapid fixation of as-formed metastable assemblies. This method works efficiently for both solid (3D) nanoparticle aggregates and weakly bonded fractal nanoparticle chains (1D). In both cases, very high capturing speed and close to 100% efficiency are achieved to fully retain a quickly growing structure. The soldered nanochains further enable a fabrication of discrete, uniform, and functionalizable nanoparticle clusters with enriched linear conformation by mechanical shearing, which would otherwise be difficult to make. The captured products are water dispersible and mechanically robust, favoring an exploration of their properties toward possible applications. The work paves a way to previously untouched aspects of colloidal science and thus would create new chances in nanotechnology. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Colloidal synthesis of silicon nanoparticles in molten salts.

PubMed

Shavel, A; Guerrini, L; Alvarez-Puebla, R A

2017-06-22

Silicon nanoparticles are unique materials with applications in a variety of fields, from electronics to catalysis and biomedical uses. Despite technological advancements in nanofabrication, the development of a simple and inexpensive route for the synthesis of homogeneous silicon nanoparticles remains highly challenging. Herein, we describe a new, simple and inexpensive colloidal synthetic method for the preparation, under normal pressure and mild temperature conditions, of relatively homogeneous spherical silicon nanoparticles of either ca. 4 or 6 nm diameter. The key features of this method are the selection of a eutectic salt mixture as a solvent, the identification of appropriate silicon alkoxide precursors, and the unconventional use of alkali earth metals as shape-controlling agents.

Effect of Zinc and Copper Nanoparticles on Drought Resistance of Wheat Seedlings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taran, Nataliya; Storozhenko, Volodymyr; Svietlova, Nataliia; Batsmanova, Ludmila; Shvartau, Viktor; Kovalenko, Mariia

2017-01-01

The effect of a colloidal solution of Cu,Zn-nanoparticles on pro-oxidative/antioxidative balance and content of photosynthetic pigments and leaf area of winter wheat plants of steppe (Acveduc) and forest-steppe (Stolichna) ecotypes was investigated in drought conditions. It has been shown that Cu,Zn-nanoparticles decreased the negative effect of drought action upon plants of steppe ecotype Acveduc. In particular, increased activity of antioxidative enzymes reduced the level of accumulation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and stabilized the content of photosynthetic pigments and increased relative water content in leaves. Colloidal solution of Cu,Zn-nanoparticles had less significant influence on these indexes in seedlings of the Stolichna variety under drought.

Multidentate oligomeric ligands to enhance the biocompatibility of iron oxide and other metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wentao; Palui, Goutam; Ji, Xin; Aldeek, Fadi; Mattoussi, Hedi

2014-03-01

We prepared a set of multi-coordinating and reactive amphiphilic polymer ligands and used them for surface-functionalizing magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The amphiphilic oligomers were prepared by coupling (via one step nucleophilic addition) several dopamine anchoring groups, polyethylene glycol moieties and reactive groups onto a poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride) chain. The availability of several anchoring groups in the same ligand greatly enhances the ligand affinity to the nanoparticle surfaces, via multiplecoordination, while the hydrophilic and reactive groups promote colloidal stability in buffer media and allow subsequent conjugation to target biomolecules. The hydrophilic nanoparticles capped with these polymers maintain compact size and exhibit great long term colloidal stability.

Colloidal strategies for controlling the morphology, composition, and crystal structure of inorganic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodges, James M.

Emerging applications and fundamental studies require nanomaterials with increasingly sophisticated architectures that have precise composition, morphology, and crystal structure. Colloidal nanochemistry has emerged as one of the most effective methods for generating high quality, monodisperse nanoparticles with diverse structural features and highly complex geometries. These wet-chemical approaches offer an array of synthetic levers that can be used to tailor nanoparticles for targeted applications, and deliver solution-dispersible solids that are easily integrated onto device architectures. Additionally, colloidal nanoparticles can be used as building blocks for constructing periodic superlattices and multicomponent hybrid nanoparticles, which offer unique properties that can support next-generation technologies. As the applications for colloidal nanoparticles continue to expand, the architectural and compositional requirements for these materials are becoming increasingly rigid. Conventional colloidal methods are effective for generating diverse nanoparticle systems, but rely on complex nucleation and growth processes, which are often poorly understood and difficult to control in dynamic reaction environments. For these reasons, there are a number of high profile nanoparticle targets that remain out of reach. Accordingly, new approaches are needed that can circumvent these synthetic bottlenecks and narrow the growing disconnect between nano-design and synthetic capability. In this dissertation, I present several colloidal strategies for engineering synthetically challenging nanomaterials using multistep reaction sequences that, in many ways, parallel the total-synthesis framework that organic chemists use to access complex molecules. A variety of approaches are discussed, including nanoscale ion exchange transformations and seeded-growth protocol for constructing multicomponent hybrid nanoparticles. First, I demonstrate that solution-mediated anion and cation exchange can be integrated into one multistep reaction sequence, which leads to a complete material transformation of a pre-synthesized nanotemplate. Importantly, although the final product does not contain any of the original elements, the morphology is retained, effectively decoupling morphology and composition control. Next, I demonstrate that both anion and cation sublattice features of preformed Cu2-xS nanocrystals can be retained during cation exchange with Co2+ and Mn2+, yielding wurtzite-type CoS and MnS polymorphs that are metastable in bulk systems. This study was enabled by new cation exchange chemistry with previously unexplored 3d transition metal systems, and offers new guidelines for predictably targeting sublattice features in colloidal nanomaterials. To conclude the dissertation, I offer two studies investigating the seeded-growth synthesis of three-component Ag-Pt-Fe3O4 heterotrimer nanoparticles, which are generated by adding a Ag domain to preformed Pt-Fe 3O4 heterodimers. First, to gain access to the alternate Pt-Fe3O4-Ag configuration, I demonstrate that a thin iron oxide shell can be applied to the Pt surface of the Pt-Fe3O 4 seeds, which acts as a solid-state protecting group that can direct Ag growth onto the Fe3O4 domain, producing the otherwise inaccessible Pt-Fe3O4-Ag architecture. This strategy is inspired by similar techniques used in organic synthesis, and represents an important addition to the 'total synthesis toolbox' used to construct colloidal hybrid nanoparticles. Finally, I offer an in-depth microscopic investigation that probes the chemoselective addition of Ag to Pt-Fe 3O4 to form the Ag-Pt-Fe3O4 heterotrimer product. This study reveals that Ag indiscriminately nucleates on both the Pt and Fe3O4 domains of the Pt-Fe3O 4 seeds during the early stages of the reaction, followed by a surface-mediated coalescence of Ag onto the Pt domain to yield the Ag-Pt-Fe3O 4 configuration. The mechanistic insights gained in this work provide new design criteria for synthesizing multicomponent hybrid nanoparticle systems with targeted configurations.

Tunable photonic crystals with partial bandgaps from blue phase colloidal crystals and dielectric-doped blue phases.

PubMed

Stimulak, Mitja; Ravnik, Miha

2014-09-07

Blue phase colloidal crystals and dielectric nanoparticle/polymer doped blue phases are demonstrated to combine multiple components with different symmetries in one photonic material, creating a photonic crystal with variable and micro-controllable photonic band structure. In this composite photonic material, one contribution to the band structure is determined by the 3D periodic birefringent orientational profile of the blue phases, whereas the second contribution emerges from the regular array of the colloidal particles or from the dielectric/nanoparticle-doped defect network. Using the planewave expansion method, optical photonic bands of the blue phase I and II colloidal crystals and related nanoparticle/polymer doped blue phases are calculated, and then compared to blue phases with no particles and to face-centred-cubic and body-centred-cubic colloidal crystals in isotropic background. We find opening of local band gaps at particular points of Brillouin zone for blue phase colloidal crystals, where there were none in blue phases without particles or dopants. Particle size and filling fraction of the blue phase defect network are demonstrated as parameters that can directly tune the optical bands and local band gaps. In the blue phase I colloidal crystal with an additionally doped defect network, interestingly, we find an indirect total band gap (with the exception of one point) at the entire edge of SC irreducible zone. Finally, this work demonstrates the role of combining multiple - by symmetry - differently organised components in one photonic crystal material, which offers a novel approach towards tunable soft matter photonic materials.

Colloidal aluminum nanoparticles with tunable localized surface plasmon resonances for energy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yan; Smith, Kenneth; Arinze, Ebuka; Nyirjesy, Gabrielle; Bragg, Arthur; Thon, Susanna

Localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) of noble metal nanoparticles are of interest for energy applications due to their visible and near infrared wavelength sensitivity. However, application of these materials in optoelectronic devices is limited by their rarity and high cost. Earth-abundant, inexpensive and non-toxic aluminum is a promising alternative material with a plasmon resonance that can also be tuned via size-, shape- and surface-oxide-control. Here, we employ solution-processed methods to synthesize stable colloidal aluminum nanoparticles. We systematically investigate parameters in the synthesis that control size, shape and oxidation of the aluminum nanoparticles and tune their LSPRs over the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions. We optically characterize the nanoparticle solutions and evaluate their potential for future integration into photovoltaic, photocatalytic and photosensing systems.

Hydrothermal synthesis of histidine-functionalized single-crystalline gold nanoparticles and their pH-dependent UV absorption characteristic.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiguo; Zu, Yuangang; Fu, Yujie; Meng, Ronghua; Guo, Songling; Xing, Zhimin; Tan, Shengnan

2010-03-01

L-Histidine capped single-crystalline gold nanoparticles have been synthesized by a hydrothermal process under a basic condition at temperature between 65 and 150 degrees C. The produced gold nanoparticles were spherical with average diameter of 11.5+/-2.9nm. The synthesized gold colloidal solution was very stable and can be stored at room temperature for more than 6 months. The color of the colloidal solution can change from wine red to mauve, purple and blue during the acidifying process. This color changing phenomenon is attributed to the aggregation of gold nanoparticles resulted from hydrogen bond formation between the histidines adsorbed on the gold nanoparticles surfaces. This hydrothermal synthetic method is expected to be used for synthesizing some other amino acid functionalized gold nanomaterials.

Chitosan doped with nanoparticles of copper, nickel and cobalt.

PubMed

Cárdenas-Triviño, Galo; Elgueta, Carolina; Vergara, Luis; Ojeda, Javier; Valenzuela, Ariel; Cruzat, Christian

2017-11-01

Metal colloids in 2 propanol using nanoparticles (NPs) of copper, nickel and cobalt were prepared by Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method. The resulting colloidal dispersions were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The colloids were supported in chitosan. Then, microbiological assays were performed using E. coli and S. aureus in order to determine the bactericide/bacteriostatic activity of nanoparticles (NPs) trapped or chelated with chitosan. Finally, the toxicity of the metal colloids Cu, Ni and Co was tested. Bio-assays were conducted in three different animal species. First of all on earth warms (Eisenia foetida) to evaluate the toxicity and the biocompatibility of chitosan in lactic acid (1% and 0.5%). Secondly bio-assay done in fishes (rainbow trout), the liver toxicity of NPs in vivo was evaluated. Finally, a bio-assay was conducted in Sprange-Dawley rats of 100g weight, which were injected intraperitoneally with different solutions of chitosan metal colloids. Then, the minimum and maximum concentration were determined for copper, nickel and cobalt. The purpose of the use of chitosan was acting as a carrier for some magnetic NPs, which toxicity would allow to obtain new polymeric materials with potential applications as magnet future drugs carrier. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure and dynamics of optically directed self-assembly of nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Roy, Debjit; Mondal, Dipankar; Goswami, Debabrata

2016-01-01

Self-assembly of nanoparticles leading to the formation of colloidal clusters often serves as the representative analogue for understanding molecular assembly. Unravelling the in situ structure and dynamics of such clusters in liquid suspensions is highly challenging. Presently colloidal clusters are first isolated from their generating environment and then their structures are probed by light scattering methods. In order to measure the in situ structure and dynamics of colloidal clusters, we have generated them using the high-repetition-rate femtosecond laser pulse optical tweezer. Since the constituent of our dimer, trimer or tetramer clusters are 250 nm radius two-photon resonant fluorophore coated nanospheres under the optical trap, they inherently produce Two-Photon Fluorescence, which undergo intra-nanosphere Fluorescence Energy Transfer. This unique energy transfer signature, in turn, enables us to visualize structures and orientations of these colloidal clusters during the process of their formation and subsequent dynamics in a liquid suspension. We also show that due to shape-birefringence, orientation and structural control of these colloidal clusters are possible as the polarization of the trapping laser is changed from linear to circular. We thus report important progress in sampling the smallest possible aggregates of nanoparticles, dimers, trimers or tetramers, formed early in the self-assembly process. PMID:27006305

Quantitative characterization of colloidal assembly of graphene oxide-silver nanoparticle hybrids using aerosol differential mobility-coupled mass analyses.

PubMed

Nguyen, Thai Phuong; Chang, Wei-Chang; Lai, Yen-Chih; Hsiao, Ta-Chih; Tsai, De-Hao

2017-10-01

In this work, we develop an aerosol-based, time-resolved ion mobility-coupled mass characterization method to investigate colloidal assembly of graphene oxide (GO)-silver nanoparticle (AgNP) hybrid nanostructure on a quantitative basis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential (ZP) analysis were used to provide visual information and elemental-based particle size distributions, respectively. Results clearly show a successful controlled assembly of GO-AgNP by electrostatic-directed heterogeneous aggregation between GO and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-functionalized AgNP under an acidic environment. Additionally, physical size, mass, and conformation (i.e., number of AgNP per nanohybrid) of GO-AgNP were shown to be proportional to the number concentration ratio of AgNP to GO (R) and the selected electrical mobility diameter. An analysis of colloidal stability of GO-AgNP indicates that the stability increased with its absolute ZP, which was dependent on R and environmental pH. The work presented here provides a proof of concept for systematically synthesizing hybrid colloidal nanomaterials through the tuning of surface chemistry in aqueous phase with the ability in quantitative characterization. Graphical Abstract Colloidal assembly of graphene oxide-silver nanoparticle hybrids characterized by aerosol differential mobility-coupled mass analyses.

Switchable vanadium dioxide (VO2) metamaterials fabricated from tungsten doped vanadia-based colloidal nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paik, Taejong; Hong, Sung-Hoon; Gordon, Thomas; Gaulding, Ashley; Kagan, Cherie; Murray, Christopher

2013-03-01

We report the fabrication of thermochromic VO2-based metamaterials using solution-processable colloidal nanocrystals. Vanadium-based nanoparticles are prepared through a non-hydrolytic reaction, resulting in stable colloidal dispersions in solution. Thermochromic nanocrystalline VO2 thin-films are prepared via rapid thermal annealing of colloidal nanoparticles coated on a variety of substrates. Nanostructured VO2 can be patterned over large areas by nanoimprint lithography. Precise control of tungsten (W) doping concentration in colloidal nanoparticles enables tuning of the phase transition temperature of the nanocrystalline VO2 thin-films. W-doped VO2 films display a sharp temperature dependent phase transition, similar to the undoped VO2 film, but at lower temperatures tunable with the doping level. By sequential coating of doped VO2 with different doping concentrations, we fabricate ?smart? multi-layered VO2 films displaying multiple phase transition temperatures within a single structure, allowing for dynamic modulation of the metal-dielectric layered structure. The optical properties programmed into the layered structure are switchable with temperature, which provides additional degrees of freedom to design tunable optical metamaterials. This work is supported by the US Office of Naval Research Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) program grant number ONR-N00014-10-1-0942.

MEASUREMENT OF NANOPARTICLES IN WATER

EPA Science Inventory

Measuring nanoparticles in water differs from traditional dissolved solute measurement in several ways. The most salient difference is that nanoparticles are colloids rather than solutes and therefore are subject to the interparticle interactions (mainly electrostatic and Van de...

The Role of Citric Acid in the Stabilization of Nanoparticles and Colloidal Particles in the Environment: Measurement of Surface Forces between Hafnium Oxide Surfaces in the Presence of Citric Acid.

PubMed

Shinohara, Shuhei; Eom, Namsoon; Teh, E-Jen; Tamada, Kaoru; Parsons, Drew; Craig, Vincent S J

2018-02-27

The interactions between colloidal particles and nanoparticles determine solution stability and the structures formed when the particles are unstable to flocculation. Therefore, knowledge of the interparticle interactions is important for understanding the transport, dissolution, and fate of particles in the environment. The interactions between particles are governed by the surface properties of the particles, which are altered when species adsorb to the surface. The important interactions in the environment are almost never those between the bare particles but rather those between particles that have been modified by the adsorption of natural organic materials. Citric acid is important in this regard not only because it is present in soil but also as a model of humic and fulvic acids. Here we have studied the surface forces between the model metal oxide surface hafnia in the presence of citric acid in order to understand the stability of colloidal particles and nanoparticles. We find that citric acid stabilizes the particles over a wide range of pH at low to moderate ionic strength. At high ionic strength, colloidal particles will flocculate due to a secondary minimum, resulting in aggregates that are dense and easily redispersed. In contrast, nanoparticles stabilized by citric acid remain stable at high ionic strengths and therefore exist in solution as individual particles; this will contribute to their dispersion in the environment and the uptake of nanoparticles by mammalian cells.

Silver distribution and release from an antimicrobial denture base resin containing silver colloidal nanoparticles.

PubMed

Monteiro, Douglas Roberto; Gorup, Luiz Fernando; Takamiya, Aline Satie; de Camargo, Emerson Rodrigues; Filho, Adhemar Colla Ruvolo; Barbosa, Debora Barros

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a denture base resin containing silver colloidal nanoparticles through morphological analysis to check the distribution and dispersion of these particles in the polymer and by testing the silver release in deionized water at different time periods. A Lucitone 550 denture resin was used, and silver nanoparticles were synthesized by reduction of silver nitrate with sodium citrate. The acrylic resin was prepared in accordance with the manufacturers' instructions, and silver nanoparticle suspension was added to the acrylic resin monomer in different concentrations (0.05, 0.5, and 5 vol% silver colloidal). Controls devoid of silver nanoparticles were included. The specimens were stored in deionized water at 37°C for 7, 15, 30, 60, and 120 days, and each solution was analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Silver was not detected in deionized water regardless of the silver nanoparticles added to the resin and of the storage period. Micrographs showed that with lower concentrations, the distribution of silver nanoparticles was reduced, whereas their dispersion was improved in the polymer. Moreover, after 120 days of storage, nanoparticles were mainly located on the surface of the nanocomposite specimens. Incorporation of silver nanoparticles in the acrylic resin was evidenced. Moreover, silver was not detected by the detection limit of the atomic absorption spectrophotometer used in this study, even after 120 days of storage in deionized water. Silver nanoparticles are incorporated in the PMMA denture resin to attain an effective antimicrobial material to help control common infections involving oral mucosal tissues in complete denture wearers. © 2011 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Measuring binding kinetics of aromatic thiolated molecules with nanoparticles via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

DeVetter, Brent M; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Murphy, Catherine J; Bhargava, Rohit

2015-05-21

Colloidal plasmonic nanomaterials, consisting of metals such as gold and silver, are excellent candidates for advanced optical probes and devices, but precise control over surface chemistry is essential for realizing their full potential. Coupling thiolated (R-SH) molecules to nanoprobe surfaces is a convenient and established route to tailor surface properties. The ability to dynamically probe and monitor the surface chemistry of nanoparticles in solution is essential for rapidly manufacturing spectroscopically tunable nanoparticles. In this study, we report the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a method to monitor the kinetics of gold-thiolate bond formation on colloidal gold nanoparticles. A theoretical model combining SERS enhancement with the Beer-Lambert law is proposed to explain ensemble scattering and absorption effects in colloids during chemisorption. In order to maximize biological relevance and signal reproducibility, experiments used to validate the model focused on maintaining nanoparticle stability after the addition of water-soluble aromatic thiolated molecules. Our results indicate that ligand exchange on gold nanoparticles follow a first-order Langmuir adsorption model with rate constants on the order of 0.01 min(-1). This study demonstrates an experimental spectroscopic method and theoretical model for monitoring binding kinetics that may prove useful for designing novel probes.

Measuring binding kinetics of aromatic thiolated molecules with nanoparticles via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

PubMed Central

DeVetter, Brent M.; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Murphy, Catherine J.; Bhargava, Rohit

2015-01-01

Colloidal plasmonic nanomaterials, consisting of metals such as gold and silver, are excellent candidates for advanced optical probes and devices, but precise control over surface chemistry is essential for realizing their full potential. Coupling thiolated (R-SH) molecules to nanoprobe surfaces is a convenient and established route to tailor surface properties. The ability to dynamically probe and monitor the surface chemistry of nanoparticles in solution is essential for rapidly manufacturing spectroscopically tunable nanoparticles. In this study, we report the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a method to monitor the kinetics of gold-thiolate bond formation on colloidal gold nanoparticles. A theoretical model combining SERS enhancement with the Beer-Lambert law is proposed to explain ensemble scattering and absorption effects in colloids during chemisorption. In order to maximize biological relevance and signal reproducibility, experiments used to validate the model focused on maintaining nanoparticle stability after the addition of water-soluble aromatic thiolated molecules. Our results indicate that ligand exchange on gold nanoparticles follow a first-order Langmuir adsorption model with rate constants on the order of 0.01 min 1. This study demonstrates an experimental spectroscopic method and theoretical model for monitoring binding kinetics that may prove useful for designing novel probes. PMID:25905515

Powerful colloidal silver nanoparticles for the prevention of gastrointestinal bacterial infections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Anh-Tuan; Tam Le, Thi; Quy Nguyen, Van; Hoang Tran, Huy; Dang, Duc Anh; Tran, Quang Huy; Vu, Dinh Lam

2012-12-01

In this work we have demonstrated a powerful disinfectant ability of colloidal silver nanoparticles (NPs) for the prevention of gastrointestinal bacterial infections. The silver NPs colloid was synthesized by a UV-enhanced chemical precipitation. Two gastrointestinal bacterial strains of Escherichia coli (ATCC 43888-O157:k-:H7) and Vibrio cholerae (O1) were used to verify the antibacterial activity of the as-prepared silver NPs colloid by means of surface disinfection assay in agar plates and turbidity assay in liquid media. Transmission electron microscopy was also employed to analyze the ultrastructural changes of bacterial cells caused by silver NPs. Noticeably, our silver NPs colloid displayed a highly effective bactericidal effect against two tested gastrointestinal bacterial strains at a silver concentration as low as ˜3 mg l-1. More importantly, the silver NPs colloid showed an enhancement of antibacterial activity and long-lasting disinfectant effect as compared to conventional chloramin B (5%) disinfection agent. These advantages of the as-prepared colloidal silver NPs make them very promising for environmental treatments contaminated with gastrointestinal bacteria and other infectious pathogens. Moreover, the powerful disinfectant activity of silver-containing materials can also help in controlling and preventing further outbreak of diseases.

Attachment of micro- and nano-particles on tipless cantilevers for colloidal probe microscopy.

PubMed

D'Sa, Dexter J; Chan, Hak-Kim; Chrzanowski, Wojciech

2014-07-15

Current colloidal probe preparation techniques face several challenges in the production of functional probes using particles ⩽5 μm. Challenges include: glue encapsulated particles, glue altered particle properties, improper particle or agglomerate attachment, and lengthy procedures. We present a method to rapidly and reproducibly produce functional micro and nano-colloidal probes. Using a six-step procedure, cantilevers mounted on a custom designed 45° holder were used to approach and obtain a minimal amount of epoxy resin (viscosity of ∼14,000 cP) followed by a single micron/nano particle on the apex of a tipless cantilever. The epoxy and particles were prepared on individual glass slides and subsequently affixed to a 10× or 40× optical microscope lens using another custom designed holder. Scanning electron microscopy and comparative glue-colloidal probe measurements were used to confirm colloidal probe functionality. The method presented allowed rapid and reproducible production of functional colloidal probes (80% success). Single nano-particles were prominently affixed to the apex of the cantilever, unaffected by the epoxy. Nano-colloidal probes were used to conduct topographical, instantaneous force, and adhesive force mapping measurements in dry and liquid media conveying their versatility and functionality in studying nano-colloidal systems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extracellular polymeric substances govern the surface charge of biogenic elemental selenium nanoparticles.

PubMed

Jain, Rohan; Jordan, Norbert; Weiss, Stephan; Foerstendorf, Harald; Heim, Karsten; Kacker, Rohit; Hübner, René; Kramer, Herman; van Hullebusch, Eric D; Farges, François; Lens, Piet N L

2015-02-03

The origin of the organic layer covering colloidal biogenic elemental selenium nanoparticles (BioSeNPs) is not known, particularly in the case when they are synthesized by complex microbial communities. This study investigated the presence of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) on BioSeNPs. The role of EPS in capping the extracellularly available BioSeNPs was also examined. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and colorimetric measurements confirmed the presence of functional groups characteristic of proteins and carbohydrates on the BioSeNPs, suggesting the presence of EPS. Chemical synthesis of elemental selenium nanoparticles in the presence of EPS, extracted from selenite fed anaerobic granular sludge, yielded stable colloidal spherical selenium nanoparticles. Furthermore, extracted EPS, BioSeNPs, and chemically synthesized EPS-capped selenium nanoparticles had similar surface properties, as shown by ζ-potential versus pH profiles and isoelectric point measurements. This study shows that the EPS of anaerobic granular sludge form the organic layer present on the BioSeNPs synthesized by these granules. The EPS also govern the surface charge of these BioSeNPs, thereby contributing to their colloidal properties, hence affecting their fate in the environment and the efficiency of bioremediation technologies.

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of colloidal NiO nanoparticles.

PubMed

Khashan, Khawlah Salah; Sulaiman, Ghassan Mohammad; Abdul Ameer, Farah Abdul Kareem; Napolitano, Giuliana

2016-03-01

The Colloidal solutions of nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles synthesized via Nd-Yag pulse ablation of nickel immersed in H2O were studied. The created nanoparticles were characterized by UV-VIS absorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). FTIR characterization confirms the formation of nickel oxide nanoparticles. The optical band gap values, determined by UV-VIS absorption measurements, are found to be (4.5 ev). TEM shows that nanoparticles size ranged from 2-21 nm. The antimicrobial activity was carried out against pseudomonas aurogenisa, Escherichia coli (gram negative bacteria), Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumonia (gram positive bacteria). The NiO nanoparticles showed inhibitory activity in both strains of bacteria with best selectivity against gram-positive bacteria. The findings of present study indicate that NiO nanoparticles could potentiate the permeability of bacterial cell wall, and remarkably increase the accumulation of amoxicillin in bacteria, suggesting that NiO nanoparticles together with amoxicillin would facilitate the synergistic impact on growth inhibition of bacterial strains.

Silver nanoparticle aggregation not triggered by an ionic strength mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botasini, Santiago; Méndez, Eduardo

2013-04-01

The synthesis of stable colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles is a major goal in the industry to control their fate in aqueous solutions. The present work studies 10-20-nm silver nanoparticle aggregation triggered by the presence of chloride ions. The aggregation process was followed by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. We found that the mechanism involved differs from the classic explanation of nanoparticle aggregation triggered by an increase in the ionic strength. Moreover, our results give evidence that even when nanoparticles are resistant to an increment of the total amount of ions, the formation of insoluble salts in the vicinity of the nanoparticle is enough to induce the aggregation. The presence of silver chloride around the silver nanoparticles was documented by an X-ray diffraction pattern and electrochemical methods because chloride anions are ubiquitous in real media; this alternative process jeopardized the development of many applications with silver nanoparticles that depend on the use of stable colloids.

Materials and methods for the preparation of nanocomposites

DOEpatents

Nag, Angshuman; Talapin, Dmitri V.

2018-01-30

Disclosed herein is an isolable colloidal particle comprising a nanoparticle and an inorganic capping agent bound to the surface of the nanoparticle, a method for making the same in a biphasic solvent mixture, and the formation of structures and solids from the isolable colloidal particle. The process can yield photovoltaic cells, piezoelectric crystals, thermoelectric layers, optoelectronic layers, light emitting diodes, ferroelectric layers, thin film transistors, floating gate memory devices, phase change layers, and sensor devices.

Large-area, near-infrared (IR) photonic crystals with colloidal gold nanoparticles embedding.

PubMed

Shukla, Shobha; Baev, Alexander; Jee, Hongsub; Hu, Rui; Burzynski, Ryszard; Yoon, Yong-Kyu; Prasad, Paras N

2010-04-01

A polymeric composite material composed of colloidal gold nanoparticles (<10 nm) and SU8 has been utilized for the fabrication of large-area, high-definition photonic crystal. We have successfully fabricated near-infrared photonic crystal slabs from composite materials using a combination of multiple beam interference lithography and reactive ion etching processes. Doping of colloidal gold nanoparticles into the SU8 photopolymer results in a better definition of structural features and hence in the enhancement of the optical properties of the fabricated photonic crystals. A 2D air hole array of triangular symmetry with a hole-to-hole pitch of approximately 500 nm has been successfully fabricated in a large circular area of 1 cm diameter. Resonant features observed in reflectance spectra of our slabs are found to depend on the exposure time, and can be tuned over a range of near-infrared frequencies.

Synthesis of SnS nanoparticles by SILAR method for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

PubMed

Tsukigase, Hiroki; Suzuki, Yoshikazu; Berger, Marie-Hélène; Sagawa, Takashi; Yoshikawa, Susumu

2011-03-01

SnS-sensitized TiO2 electrodes were applied in quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) which are environmentally more favorable than conventional Cd or Pb-chalcogenide-sensitized electrodes. SnS nanoparticles were well-distributed over the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. Deposited SnS nanoparticles had diameter about 3 nm. Under AM1.5 irradiation with 100 mW/cm2 light intensity (at 1 sun), the energy conversion efficiency of obtained cells reached a value of 0.21% (0.25 cm2) at SILAR coating cycles of 5. In addition, the photovoltaic performance was improved by additional ZnS coating on the surface of SnS-sensitized TiO2 electrodes.

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.

The extended Kubelka-Munk theory and its application to colloidal systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcaraz de la Osa, R.; Fernández, A.; Gutiérrez, Y.; Ortiz, D.; González, F.; Moreno, F.; Saiz, J. M.

2017-08-01

The use of nanoparticles is spreading in many fields and a frequent way of preparing them is in the form of colloids, whose characterization becomes increasingly important. The spectral reflectance and transmittance curves of such colloids exhibit a strong dependence with the main parameters of the system. By means of a two-flux model we have performed a colorimetric study of gold colloids varying several parameters of the system, including the radius of the particles, the particle number density, the thickness of the system and the refractive index of the surrounding medium. In all cases, trajectories in the L*a*b* color space have been obtained, as well as the evolution of the luminosity, chroma and hue, either for reflectance or transmittance. The observed colors agree well with typical colors found in the literature for colloidal gold, and could allow for a fast assessment of the parameters involved, e.g., the radius of the nanoparticle during the fabrication process.

Cluster-mediated assembly enables step-growth copolymerization from binary nanoparticle mixtures with rationally designed architectures† †Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c8sc00220g

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xianfeng; Lv, Longfei; Wu, Guanhong; Yang, Dong

2018-01-01

Directed co-assembly of binary nanoparticles (NPs) into one-dimensional copolymer-like chains is fascinating but challenging in the realm of material science. While many strategies have been developed to induce the polymerization of NPs, it remains a grand challenge to produce colloidal copolymers with widely tailored compositions and precisely controlled architectures. Herein we report a robust colloidal polymerization strategy, which enables the growth of sophisticated NP chains with elaborately designed structures. By quantifying NP assembly statistics and kinetics, we establish that the linear assembly of colloidal NPs, with the assistance of PbSO4 clusters, follows a step-growth polymerization mechanism, and on the basis of this, we design and fabricate NP chains structurally analogous to random, block, and alternating copolymers, respectively. Our studies offer mechanistic insights into cluster-mediated colloidal polymerization, paving the way toward the rational synthesis of colloidal copolymers with quantitatively predicted architectures and functionalities. PMID:29862003

A close collaboration of chitosan with lipid colloidal carriers for drug delivery applications.

PubMed

Bugnicourt, Loïc; Ladavière, Catherine

2017-06-28

Chitosan and lipid colloids have separately shown a growing interest in the field of drug delivery applications. Their success is mainly due to their interesting physicochemical behaviors, as well as their biological properties such as bioactivity and biocompatibility. While chitosan is a well-known cationic polysaccharide with the ability to strongly interact with drugs and biological matrices through mainly electrostatic interactions, lipid colloids are carriers particularly recognized for the drug vectorization. In recent years, the combination of both entities has been considered because it offers new systems which gather the advantages of each of them to efficiently deliver various types of bioactive species. The purpose of this review is to describe these associations between chemically-unmodified chitosan chains (solubilized or dispersed) and lipid colloids (as nanoparticles or organized in lipid layers), as well as their potential in the drug delivery area so far. Three assemblies have mainly been reported in the literature: i) lipid nanoparticles (solid lipid nanoparticles or nanostructured lipid carriers) coated with chitosan chains, ii) lipid vesicles covered with chitosan chains, and iii) chitosan chains structured in nanoparticles with a lipid coating. Their elaboration processes, their physicochemical characterization, and their biological studies are detailed and discussed herein. The different bioactive species (drugs and bio(macro)molecules) incorporated in these assemblies, their maximal incorporation efficiency, and their loading capacity are also presented. This review reveals the versatility of these assemblies. Depending on the organization of lipids (i.e., nanoparticles or vesicles) and the state of polymer chains (i.e., solubilized or dispersed under the form of nanoparticles), a large variety of drugs can be successfully incorporated, and various routes of administration can be considered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moderating effect of ammonia on particle growth and stability of quasi-monodisperse silver nanoparticles synthesized by the Turkevich method.

PubMed

Gorup, Luiz F; Longo, Elson; Leite, Edson R; Camargo, Emerson R

2011-08-15

A new method to stabilize silver nanoparticles by the addition of ammonia is proposed. Colloidal dispersions of silver nanoparticles were synthesized by the Turkevich method using sodium citrate to reduce silver nitrate at high pH and at 90 °C. After approximately 12 min, a diluted ammonia solution was added to the reaction flask to form soluble diamine silver (I) complexes that played an important growth moderating role, making it possible to stabilize metallic silver nanoparticles with sizes as small as 1.6 nm after 17 min of reaction. Colloidal dispersions were characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electronic microscopy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lignosulfonate-stabilized selenium nanoparticles and their deposition on spherical silica.

PubMed

Modrzejewska-Sikorska, Anna; Konował, Emilia; Klapiszewski, Łukasz; Nowaczyk, Grzegorz; Jurga, Stefan; Jesionowski, Teofil; Milczarek, Grzegorz

2017-10-01

We report a novel room-temperature synthesis of selenium nanoparticles, which for the first time uses lignosulfonate as a stabilizer. Various lignosulfonates obtained both from hardwood and softwood were tested. Selenium oxide was used as the precursor of zero-valent selenium. Three different reducers were tested - sodium borohydride, hydrazine and ascorbic acid - and the latter proved most effective in terms of the particle size and stability of the final colloid. The lignosulfonate-stabilized selenium nanoparticles had a negative zeta potential, dependent on pH, which for some lignosulfonates reached -50mV, indicating the excellent stability of the colloid. When spherical silica particles were introduced to the synthesis mixture, selenium nanoparticles were deposited on their surface. Additionally, star-like structures consisting of sharp selenium needles with silica cores were observed. After drying, the selenium-functionalized silica had a grey metallic hue. The method reported here is simple and cost-effective, and can be used for the preparation of large quantities of selenium colloids or the surface modification of other materials with selenium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Magnetic field gradient driven self-assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles using programmable magnetically-recorded templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, L.; Qi, B.; Lawton, T. G.; Mefford, O. T.; Rinaldi, C.; Garzon, S.; Crawford, T. M.

2013-03-01

Using the enormous magnetic field gradients (100 MT/m @ z =20 nm) present near the surface of magnetic recording media, we demonstrate the fabrication of diffraction gratings with lines consisting entirely of magnetic nanoparticles assembled from a colloidal fluid onto a disk drive medium, followed by transfer to a flexible and transparent polymer thin film. These nanomanufactured gratings have line spacings programmed with commercial magnetic recording and are inherently concave with radii of curvature controlled by varying the polymer film thickness. The diffracted intensity increases non-monotonically with the length of time the colloidal fluid remains on the disk surface. In addition to comparing longitudinal and perpendicular magnetic recording, a combination of spectral diffraction efficiency measurements, magnetometry, scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emmission spectroscopy of these gratings are employed to understand colloidal nanoparticle dynamics in this extreme gradient limit. Such experiments are necessary to optimize nanoparticle assembly and obtain uniform patterned features. This low-cost and sustainable approach to nanomanufacturing could enable low-cost, high-quality diffraction gratings as well as more complex polymer nanocomposite materials assembled with single-nanometer precision.

Laser ablative nanostructuring of Au in liquid ambience in continuous wave illumination regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucherik, A. O.; Kutrovskaya, S. V.; Arakelyan, S. M.; Ryabchikov, Y. V.; Al-Kattan, A.; Kabashin, A. V.; Itina, T. E.

2016-03-01

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) attract particular attention because of their unique size-dependent chemical, physicochemical and optical properties and, hence, their potential applications in catalysis, nanoelectronics, photovoltaics and medicine. In particular, laser-produced colloidal nanoparticles are not only biocompatible, but also reveal unique chemical properties. Different laser systems can be used for synthesis of these colloids, varying from continuous wave (CW) to ultra-short femtosecond lasers. The choice of an optimum laser system is still a challenge in application development. To bring more light at this issue, we investigate an influence of laser parameters on nanoparticle formation from a gold target immersed in deionized water. First, an optical diagnostics of laser-induced hydrodynamic processes taking place near the gold surface is performed. Then, gold nanoparticle colloids with average particle sizes smaller than 10 nm and a very narrow dispersion are shown to be formed by CW laser ablation. The obtained results are compared with the ones obtained by using the second harmonics and with previous results obtained by using femtosecond laser systems.

Characterizing Fullerene Nanoparticles in Aqueous Suspensions

EPA Science Inventory

Studies have indicated that fullerenes can form stable colloidal suspensions in water when introduced to the aqueous phase through solvent exchange, sonication, or extended mixing. The colloidal suspensions created using these techniques have effective aqueous phase concentratio...

A computational investigation of the thermodynamics and structure in colloid and polymer mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahynski, Nathan Alexander

In this dissertation I use computational tools to study the structure and thermodynamics of colloid-polymer mixtures. I show that fluid-fluid phase separation in mixtures of colloids and linear polymers cannot be universally reduced using polymer-based scaling principles since these assume the binodals exist in a single scaling regime, whereas accurate simulations clearly demonstrate otherwise. I show that rethinking these solutions in terms of multiple length scales is necessary to properly explain the thermodynamic stability and structure of these fluid phases, and produce phase diagrams in nearly quantitative agreement with experimental results. I then extend this work to encompass more geometrically complex "star" polymers revealing how the phase behavior for many of these binary mixtures may be mapped onto that of mixtures containing only linear polymers. I further consider the depletion-driven crystallization of athermal colloidal hard spheres induced by polymers. I demonstrate how the partitioning of a finite amount of polymer into the colloidal crystal phase implies that the polymer's architecture can be tailored to interact with the internal void structure of different crystal polymorphs uniquely, thus providing a direct route to thermodynamically stabilizing one arbitrarily chosen structure over another, e.g., the hexagonal close-packed crystal over the face-centered cubic. I then begin to generalize this result by considering the consequences of thermal interactions and complex polymer architectures. These principles lay the groundwork for intelligently engineering co-solute additives in crystallizing colloidal suspensions that can be used to thermodynamically isolate single crystal morphologies. Finally, I examine the competition between self-assembly and phase separation in polymer-grafted nanoparticle systems by comparing and contrasting the validity of two different models for grafted nanoparticles: "nanoparticle amphiphiles" versus "patchy particles." The latter suggests these systems have some utility in forming novel "equilibrium gel" phases, however, I find that considering grafted nanoparticles as amphiphiles provides a qualitatively accurate description of their thermodynamics revealing either first-order phase separation into two isotropic phases or continuous self-assembly. I find no signs of empty liquid formation, suggesting that these nanoparticles do not provide a route to such phases.

Epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-x nanocomposite films and coated conductors from BaMO3 (M = Zr, Hf) colloidal solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obradors, X.; Puig, T.; Li, Z.; Pop, C.; Mundet, B.; Chamorro, N.; Vallés, F.; Coll, M.; Ricart, S.; Vallejo, B.; Pino, F.; Palau, A.; Gázquez, J.; Ros, J.; Usoskin, A.

2018-04-01

Superconducting nanocomposites are the best material choice to address the performance required in power applications and magnets working under high magnetic fields. However, it is still challenging to sort out how to achieve the highest superconducting performance using attractive and competitive manufacturing processes. Colloidal solutions have been recently developed as a novel and very promising low cost route to manufacture nanocomposite coated conductors. Well dispersed and stabilized preformance nanoparticle solutions are first prepared with high concentrations and then mixed with the YBa2Cu3O7 metalorganic precursor solutions to generate colloidal solutions to grow the nanocomposite films. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that non-reactive BaZrO3 and BaHfO3 perovskite preformed nanoparticles are suitable for growing high quality thin and thick films, and coated conductors with a homogeneous distribution and controlled particle size using this fabrication method. Additionally, we extend the nanoparticle content of the nanocomposites up to 20%-25% mol without any degradation of the superconducting properties. Thick nanocomposite films, up to 0.8 μm, have been prepared with a single deposition of low-fluorine solutions using an ink jet printing dispenser and we demonstrate that the preformed nanoparticles display only a very limited coarsening during the growth process and so high critical current densities J c (B) under high magnetic fields. These films show the highest critical currents achieved so far based on the colloidal solution approach, I c = 220 A/cm-w at 77 K and self-field, and they still have a high potential for further increase in the film thickness. Finally, we also show that nanocomposite YBa2Cu3O7-BaZrO3 coated conductors based on an alternating beam assisted deposited YSZ buffer layer on stainless steel metallic substrates can be developed based on these novel colloidal solutions. Non-reactive preformed oxide perovskite nanoparticles are therefore very promising elements to further advance the colloidal solution approach in the implementation of low cost and high performance coated conductors for high magnetic field applications.

Composition-Tunable Optical Properties of Zn x Cd(1 - x)S Quantum Dot-Carboxymethylcellulose Conjugates: Towards One-Pot Green Synthesis of Multifunctional Nanoplatforms for Biomedical and Environmental Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansur, Alexandra A. P.; Mansur, Herman S.; Caires, Anderson J.; Mansur, Rafael L.; Oliveira, Luiz C.

2017-07-01

Quantum dots (QDs) are colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals with unique properties that can be engineered by controlling the nanoparticle size and chemical composition by doping and alloying strategies. However, due to their potential toxicity, augmenting their biocompatibility is yet a challenge for expanding to several biomedical and environmentally friendly applications. Thus, the main goal of this study was to develop composition-tunable and biocompatible Zn x Cd1 - x S QDs using carboxymethylcellulose polysaccharide as direct capping ligand via green colloidal aqueous route at neutral pH and at room temperature for potential biomedical and environmental applications. The ternary alloyed QDs were extensively characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and X-ray photoelectrons spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that Zn x Cd(1 - x)S QDs were surface stabilized by carboxymethylcellulose biopolymer with spherical morphology for all composition of alloys and narrow sizes distributions ranging from 4 to 5 nm. The XRD results indicated that monophasic ternary alloyed Zn x Cd1 - x S nanocrystals were produced with homogenous composition of the core as evidenced by EELS and XPS analyses. In addition, the absorption and emission optical properties of Zn x Cd1 - x S QDs were red shifted with increasing the amount of Cd2+ in the alloyed nanocrystals, which have also increased the quantum yield compared to pure CdS and ZnS nanoparticles. These properties of alloyed nanomaterials were interpreted based on empirical model of Vegard's law and chemical bond model (CBM). As a proof of concept, these alloyed-QD conjugates were tested for biomedical and environmental applications. The results demonstrated that they were non-toxic and effective fluorophores for bioimaging live HEK293T cells (human embryonic kidney cells) using confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy. Moreover, these conjugates presented photocatalytic activity for photodegradation of methylene blue used as model organic industrial pollutant in water. Hence, composition-tunable optical properties of ternary Zn x Cd1 - x S ( x = 0-1) fluorescent alloyed QDs was achieved using a facile eco-friendly aqueous processing route, which can offer promising alternatives for developing innovative nanomaterials for applications in nanomedicine and environmental science and technology.

Synthesis, surface modifications, and size-sorting of mixed nickel-zinc ferrite colloidal magnetic nanoparticles.

PubMed

Majewski, P; Krysiński, P

2008-01-01

We report on the spontaneous covalent growth of monomolecular adlayers on mixed nickel-zinc nanoferrite colloidal suspensions (ferrofluids). Synthesized nanoparticles were subjected to surface modification by means of acid chloride chemistry, leading to the formation of covalent bonds between the hydroxy groups at the nanoparticle surface and the acid chloride molecules. This procedure can be easily tailored to allow for the formation of adlayers containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions stacked at predetermined distances from the magnetic core, and also providing the nanoferrites with functional carboxy groups capable of further modifications with, for example, drug molecules. Here, fluorophore aminopyrene molecules were bound to such modified nanoferrites through amide bonds. We also used the same chemistry to modify the surface with covalently bound long-chain palmitoyl moieties, and for comparison we also modified the nanoferrite surface by simple adsorption of oleic acid. Both procedures made the surface highly hydrophobic. These hydrophobic colloids were subsequently spread on an aqueous surface to form Langmuir monolayers with different characteristics. Moreover, since uniformity of size is crucial in a number of applications, we propose an efficient way of sorting the magnetic nanoparticles by size in their colloidal suspension. The suspension is centrifuged at increasing rotational speed and the fractions are collected after each run. The mean size of nanoferrite in each fraction was measured by the powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) technique.

Investigation of Ag, Al2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles effects as impurities in Laser Induced Breakdown in distilled water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdieh, Mohammad Hossein; Akbari Jafarabadi, Marzieh; Safari Syahkal, Mehran; Mozaffari, Hossein

2017-08-01

In this paper, laser induced optical breakdown in colloidal nanoparticles was studied by using pump- probe beam technique. Colloidal nanoparticles of Ag (as a good conductor), Al2O3 and TiO2 (with good dielectric properties) were used in this investigation. The optical breakdown was induced by an Nd:YAG laser beam (operating at 1064 nm with pulse duration ∼30 ns). A small portion of the beam was taken by an optical splitter and used as probe beam. The time varying transmission of the probe beam transversely through the plasma was measured during the breakdown process. According to the results, the nanoparticles characteristics and pump beam intensity have significant influence in the breakdown process. Our results also show dissimilar dynamic behaviors for conductor and dielectric nanoparticles at different pump intensity. The results are useful for nanoparticle synthesis by laser ablation in distilled water in which the optical breakdown intensity threshold of ambient water influenced by generated nanoparticles.

Synthesis and Characterization of Hyaluronic Acid Modified Colloidal Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wenbiao; Wang, Yu; Li, Zhen; Wang, Wanxia; Sun, Honghao; Liu, Mingxing

2017-12-01

The colloidal mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized with hyaluronic acid (CMS-HA) were successfully synthesized by grafting hyaluronic acid onto the external surface of the amino-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (CMS-NH2). Moreover, the paticle properties of CMS-HA were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanomaterials were negatively charged and had a relatively uniform spherical morphology with about 100 nm in diameter, which could make it more compatible with blood. So the results suggested that the CMS-HA might be a critical nanomaterial for applying in target drug delivery system.

Engineering Metallic Nanoparticles for Enhancing and Probing Catalytic Reactions.

PubMed

Collins, Gillian; Holmes, Justin D

2016-07-01

Recent developments in tailoring the structural and chemical properties of colloidal metal nanoparticles (NPs) have led to significant enhancements in catalyst performance. Controllable colloidal synthesis has also allowed tailor-made NPs to serve as mechanistic probes for catalytic processes. The innovative use of colloidal NPs to gain fundamental insights into catalytic function will be highlighted across a variety of catalytic and electrocatalytic applications. The engineering of future heterogenous catalysts is also moving beyond size, shape and composition considerations. Advancements in understanding structure-property relationships have enabled incorporation of complex features such as tuning surface strain to influence the behavior of catalytic NPs. Exploiting plasmonic properties and altering colloidal surface chemistry through functionalization are also emerging as important areas for rational design of catalytic NPs. This news article will highlight the key developments and challenges to the future design of catalytic NPs. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Band-gap engineering by molecular mechanical strain-induced giant tuning of the luminescence in colloidal amorphous porous silicon nanostructures.

PubMed

Mughal, A; El Demellawi, J K; Chaieb, Sahraoui

2014-12-14

Nano-silicon is a nanostructured material in which quantum or spatial confinement is the origin of the material's luminescence. When nano-silicon is broken into colloidal crystalline nanoparticles, its luminescence can be tuned across the visible spectrum only when the sizes of the nanoparticles, which are obtained via painstaking filtration methods that are difficult to scale up because of low yield, vary. Bright and tunable colloidal amorphous porous silicon nanostructures have not yet been reported. In this letter, we report on a 100 nm modulation in the emission of freestanding colloidal amorphous porous silicon nanostructures via band-gap engineering. The mechanism responsible for this tunable modulation, which is independent of the size of the individual particles and their distribution, is the distortion of the molecular orbitals by a strained silicon-silicon bond angle. This mechanism is also responsible for the amorphous-to-crystalline transformation of silicon.

New collector efficiency equation for colloid filtration in both natural and engineered flow conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Kirk E.; Ginn, Timothy R.

2011-05-01

A new equation for the collector efficiency (η) of the colloid filtration theory (CFT) is developed via nonlinear regression on the numerical data generated by a large number of Lagrangian simulations conducted in Happel's sphere-in-cell porous media model over a wide range of environmentally relevant conditions. The new equation expands the range of CFT's applicability in the natural subsurface primarily by accommodating departures from power law dependence of η on the Peclet and gravity numbers, a necessary but as of yet unavailable feature for applying CFT to large-scale field transport (e.g., of nanoparticles, radionuclides, or genetically modified organisms) under low groundwater velocity conditions. The new equation also departs from prior equations for colloids in the nanoparticle size range at all fluid velocities. These departures are particularly relevant to subsurface colloid and colloid-facilitated transport where low permeabilities and/or hydraulic gradients lead to low groundwater velocities and/or to nanoparticle fate and transport in porous media in general. We also note the importance of consistency in the conceptualization of particle flux through the single collector model on which most η equations are based for the purpose of attaining a mechanistic understanding of the transport and attachment steps of deposition. A lack of sufficient data for small particles and low velocities warrants further experiments to draw more definitive and comprehensive conclusions regarding the most significant discrepancies between the available equations.

Near-Infrared Photoluminescence Enhancement in Ge/CdS and Ge/ZnS Core/Shell Nanocrystals: Utilizing IV/II-VI Semiconductor Epitaxy

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

Guo, Yijun; Rowland, Clare E; Schaller, Richard D

2014-08-26

Ge nanocrystals have a large Bohr radius and a small, size-tunable band gap that may engender direct character via strain or doping. Colloidal Ge nanocrystals are particularly interesting in the development of near-infrared materials for applications in bioimaging, telecommunications and energy conversion. Epitaxial growth of a passivating shell is a common strategy employed in the synthesis of highly luminescent II–VI, III–V and IV–VI semiconductor quantum dots. Here, we use relatively unexplored IV/II–VI epitaxy as a way to enhance the photoluminescence and improve the optical stability of colloidal Ge nanocrystals. Selected on the basis of their relatively small lattice mismatch comparedmore » with crystalline Ge, we explore the growth of epitaxial CdS and ZnS shells using the successive ion layer adsorption and reaction method. Powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and selected area electron diffraction, clearly show the controllable growth of as many as 20 epitaxial monolayers of CdS atop Ge cores. In contrast, Ge etching and/or replacement by ZnS result in relatively small Ge/ZnS nanocrystals. The presence of an epitaxial II–VI shell greatly enhances the near-infrared photoluminescence and improves the photoluminescence stability of Ge. Ge/II–VI nanocrystals are reproducibly 1–3 orders of magnitude brighter than the brightest Ge cores. Ge/4.9CdS core/shells show the highest photoluminescence quantum yield and longest radiative recombination lifetime. Thiol ligand exchange easily results in near-infrared active, water-soluble Ge/II–VI nanocrystals. We expect this synthetic IV/II–VI epitaxial approach will lead to further studies into the optoelectronic behavior and practical applications of Si and Ge-based nanomaterials.« less

Primary particle diameter differentiation and bimodality identification by five analytical methods using gold nanoparticle size distributions synthesized by pulsed laser ablation in liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letzel, Alexander; Gökce, Bilal; Menzel, Andreas; Plech, Anton; Barcikowski, Stephan

2018-03-01

For a known material, the size distribution of a nanoparticle colloid is a crucial parameter that defines its properties. However, measured size distributions are not easy to interpret as one has to consider weighting (e.g. by light absorption, scattering intensity, volume, surface, number) and the way size information was gained. The radius of a suspended nanoparticle can be given as e.g. sphere equivalent, hydrodynamic, Feret or radius of gyration. In this study, gold nanoparticles in water are synthesized by pulsed-laser ablation (LAL) and fragmentation (LFL) in liquids and characterized by various techniques (scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), analytical disc centrifugation (ADC), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV-vis spectroscopy with Mie-Gans Theory) to study the comparability of different analytical techniques and determine the method that is preferable for a given task related to laser-generated nanoparticles. In particular, laser-generated colloids are known to be bimodal and/or polydisperse, but bimodality is sometimes not analytically resolved in literature. In addition, frequently reported small size shifts of the primary particle mode around 10 nm needs evaluation of its statistical significance related to the analytical method. Closely related to earlier studies on SAXS, different colloids in defined proportions are mixed and their size as a function of the nominal mixing ratio is analyzed. It is found that the derived particle size is independent of the nominal mixing ratio if the colloid size fractions do not overlap considerably. Conversely, the obtained size for colloids with overlapping size fractions strongly depends on the nominal mixing ratio since most methods cannot distinguish between such fractions. Overall, SAXS and ADC are very accurate methods for particle size analysis. Further, the ability of different methods to determine the nominal mixing ratio of sizes fractions is studied experimentally.

Study of adhesion and friction properties on a nanoparticle gradient surface: transition from JKR to DMT contact mechanics.

PubMed

Ramakrishna, Shivaprakash N; Nalam, Prathima C; Clasohm, Lucy Y; Spencer, Nicholas D

2013-01-08

We have previously investigated the dependence of adhesion on nanometer-scale surface roughness by employing a roughness gradient. In this study, we correlate the obtained adhesion forces on nanometer-scale rough surfaces to their frictional properties. A roughness gradient with varying silica particle (diameter ≈ 12 nm) density was prepared, and adhesion and frictional forces were measured across the gradient surface in perfluorodecalin by means of atomic force microscopy with a polyethylene colloidal probe. Similarly to the pull-off measurements, the frictional forces initially showed a reduction with decreasing particle density and later an abrupt increase as the colloidal sphere began to touch the flat substrate beneath, at very low particle densities. The friction-load relation is found to depend on the real contact area (A(real)) between the colloid probe and the underlying particles. At high particle density, the colloidal sphere undergoes large deformations over several nanoparticles, and the contact adhesion (JKR type) dominates the frictional response. However, at low particle density (before the colloidal probe is in contact with the underlying surface), the colloidal sphere is suspended by a few particles only, resulting in local deformations of the colloid sphere, with the frictional response to the applied load being dominated by long-range, noncontact (DMT-type) interactions with the substrate beneath.

Detection of colloidal silver chloride near solubility limit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putri, K. Y.; Adawiah, R.

2018-03-01

Detection of nanoparticles in solution has been made possible by several means; one of them is laser-induced breakdown detection (LIBD). LIBD is able to distinguish colloids of various sizes and concentrations. This technique has been used in several solubility studies. In this study, the formation of colloids in a mixed system of silver nitrate and sodium chloride was observed by acoustic LIBD. Silver chloride has low solubility limit, therefore LIBD measurement is appropriate. Silver and chloride solutions with equal concentrations, set at below and above the solubility of silver chloride as the expected solid product, were mixed and the resulting colloids were observed. The result of LIBD measurement showed that larger particles were present as more silver and chloride introduced. However, once the concentrations exceeded the solubility limit of silver chloride, the detected particle size seemed to be decreasing, hence suggested the occurrence of coprecipitation process. This phenomenon indicated that the ability of LIBD to detect even small changes in colloid amounts might be a useful tool in study on formation and stability of colloids, i.e. to confirm whether nanoparticles synthesis has been successfully performed and whether the system is stable or not.

Electrochemical Synthesis of Amorphous VO2 Colloids and Their Rapid Thermal Transforming to VO2 (M) Nanoparticles with Good Thermochromic Performance.

PubMed

Wu, Hao; Li, Ming; Zhong, Li; Luo, Yuan Yuan; Li, Guang Hai

2016-12-05

Amorphous VO 2 (a-VO 2 ) colloids were synthesized by electrochemical anodic oxidation of metallic vanadium. It was found that the a-VO 2 colloids have a cotton-like morphology composed of very small clusters, and that the crystallization temperature of the a-VO 2 colloids can be adjusted either by the electrolyte of the anodic oxidation or/and the dispersion agent of the colloids. VO 2 (M) nanoparticles (NPs) (and a NP film) with an average size of about 50 nm can be obtained by a rapid thermal annealing of the a-VO 2 colloids at 310 °C under air, which is beneficial for practical applications. The VO 2 (M) NP film shows an obvious metal-semiconductor transition with a resistance less than 10 Ω in the metallic state. An integral visible transmittance of 40.7 %, a solar transmittance modulation of 9.4 %, and a resistance modulation in the order of 5×10 4 were realized in the VO 2 (M) NP film. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of sodium benzoate and 4-picoline in Ag colloids prepared by γ-irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Seong-Ho; Park, Hyun Gyu

2005-04-01

PVP-protected silver colloids were prepared by γ-irradiation and chemical reduction method. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of sodium benzoate and 4-picoline in Ag colloids prepared by γ-irradiation were recorded. The SERS spectra of sodium benzoate were successfully recorded in Ag colloids, whereas the Raman spectra did not appear without Ag colloids. The Raman spectra of 4-picoline were not detected without Ag colloids, while the SERS spectra of 4-picoline were increased by adding Ag colloids. The carboxylate group of sodium benzoate and N donor of 4-picoline were adsorbed on the surface of Ag nanoparticles.

Materials and methods for the preparation of nanocomposites

DOEpatents

Talapin, Dmitri V.; Kovalenko, Maksym V.; Lee, Jong-Soo; Jiang, Chengyang

2016-05-24

Disclosed herein is an isolable colloidal particle comprising a nanoparticle and an inorganic capping agent bound to the surface of the nanoparticle, a solution of the same, a method for making the same from a biphasic solvent mixture, and the formation of structures and solids from the isolable colloidal particle. The process can yield photovoltaic cells, piezoelectric crystals, thermoelectric layers, optoelectronic layers, light emitting diodes, ferroelectric layers, thin film transistors, floating gate memory devices, imaging devices, phase change layers, and sensor devices.

Photovoltaic properties of multilayered quantum dot/quantum rod-sensitized TiO₂ solar cells fabricated by SILAR and electrophoresis.

PubMed

Cerdán-Pasarán, Andrea; López-Luke, Tzarara; Esparza, Diego; Zarazúa, Isaac; De la Rosa, Elder; Fuentes-Ramírez, Rosalba; Alatorre-Ordaz, Alejandro; Sánchez-Solís, Ana; Torres-Castro, Alejandro; Zhang, Jin Z

2015-07-28

A multilayered semiconductor sensitizer structure composed of three differently sized CdSe quantum rods (QRs), labeled as Q530, Q575, Q590, were prepared and deposited on the surface of mesoporous TiO2 nanoparticles by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) for photovoltaic applications. By varying the arrangement of layers as well as the time of EPD, the photoconversion efficiency was improved from 2.0% with the single layer of CdSe QRs (TiO2/Q590/ZnS) to 2.9% for multilayers (TiO2/Q590Q575/ZnS). The optimal EPD time was shorter for the multilayered structures. The effect of CdS quantum dots (QDs) deposited by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) was also investigated. The addition of CdS QDs resulted in the enhancement of efficiency to 4.1% for the configuration (TiO2/CdS/Q590Q575/ZnS), due to increased photocurrent and photovoltage. Based on detailed structural, optical, and photoelectrical studies, the increased photocurrent is attributed to broadened light absorption while the increased voltage is due to a shift in the relevant energy levels.

Green synthesis of Au nanoparticles using potato extract: stability and growth mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castillo-López, D. N.; Pal, U.

2014-08-01

We report on the synthesis of spherical, well-dispersed colloidal gold nanoparticles of 17.5-23.5 nm average sizes in water using potato extract (PE) both as reducing and stabilizing agent. The effects of PE content and the pH value of the reaction mixture have been studied. Formation and growth dynamics of the Au nanoparticles in the colloids were studied using transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis optical absorption spectroscopy techniques. While the reductor content and, hence, the nucleation and growth rates of the nanoparticles could be controlled by controlling the PE content in the reaction solution, the stability of the nanoparticles depended strongly on the pH of the reaction mixture. The mechanisms of Au ion reduction and stabilization of Au nanoparticles by potato starch have been discussed. The use of common natural solvent like water and biological reductor like PE in our synthesis process opens up the possibility of synthesizing Au nanoparticles in fully green (environmental friendly) way, and the Au nanoparticles produced in such way should have good biocompatibility.

Optical and structural properties of Bi-based nanoparticles prepared via pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation in organic liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dadashi, S.; Poursalehi, R.; Delavari, H.

2018-06-01

Colloidal Bi/Bi2O3 and single phase Bi nanoparticles were synthesized by pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation of metallic bismuth target in different organic liquids. In this research, the structural characteristic, optical properties, and colloidal stability of Bi and Bi/Bi2O3 nanoparticles have been studied. Furthermore, the mechanism of nanoparticles formation in liquid media by laser ablation of Bi-based nanoparticles was proposed in different liquid environments based on their chemical nature. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and optical extinction spectroscopy indicate the formation of pure Bi and Bi/Bi2O3 nanoparticles with mean size of 32, 43 and 54 nm in methanol, ethanol, and EMK, respectively, which indicate a mixture of different phases including rhombohedra crystal structure of Bi, monoclinic α-Bi2O3, and tetragonal β-Bi2O3. Finally, this research demonstrates the effect of the surrounding environment on characteristic properties of nanoparticles and clarifies the size, structural characteristics, and optical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles.

A general approach to DNA-programmable atom equivalents.

PubMed

Zhang, Chuan; Macfarlane, Robert J; Young, Kaylie L; Choi, Chung Hang J; Hao, Liangliang; Auyeung, Evelyn; Liu, Guoliang; Zhou, Xiaozhu; Mirkin, Chad A

2013-08-01

Nanoparticles can be combined with nucleic acids to programme the formation of three-dimensional colloidal crystals where the particles' size, shape, composition and position can be independently controlled. However, the diversity of the types of material that can be used is limited by the lack of a general method for preparing the basic DNA-functionalized building blocks needed to bond nanoparticles of different chemical compositions into lattices in a controllable manner. Here we show that by coating nanoparticles protected with aliphatic ligands with an azide-bearing amphiphilic polymer, followed by the coupling of DNA to the polymer using strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (also known as copper-free azide-alkyne click chemistry), nanoparticles bearing a high-density shell of nucleic acids can be created regardless of nanoparticle composition. This method provides a route to a virtually endless class of programmable atom equivalents for DNA-based colloidal crystallization.

In situ spectroscopy of ligand exchange reactions at the surface of colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinkel, Rebecca; Peukert, Wolfgang; Braunschweig, Björn

2017-04-01

Gold and silver nanoparticles with their tunable optical and electronic properties are of great interest for a wide range of applications. Often the ligands at the surface of the nanoparticles have to be exchanged in a second step after particle formation in order to obtain a desired surface functionalization. For many techniques, this process is not accessible in situ. In this review, we present second-harmonic scattering (SHS) as an inherently surface sensitive and label-free optical technique to probe the ligand exchange at the surface of colloidal gold and silver nanoparticles in situ and in real time. First, a brief introduction to SHS and basic features of the SHS of nanoparticles are given. After that, we demonstrate how the SHS intensity decrease can be correlated to the thiol coverage which allows for the determination of the Gibbs free energy of adsorption and the surface coverage.

SERS active colloidal nanoparticles for the detection of small blood biomarkers using aptamers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks, Haley; Mabbott, Samuel; Jackson, George W.; Graham, Duncan; Cote, Gerard L.

2015-03-01

Functionalized colloidal nanoparticles for SERS serve as a promising multifunctional assay component for blood biomarker detection. Proper design of these nanoprobes through conjugation to spectral tags, protective polymers, and sensing ligands can provide experimental control over the sensitivity, range, reproducibility, particle stability, and integration with biorecognition assays. Additionally, the optical properties and degree of electromagnetic SERS signal enhancement can be altered and monitored through tuning the nanoparticle shape, size, material and the colloid's local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Aptamers, synthetic affinity ligands derived from nucleic acids, provide a number of advantages for biorecognition of small molecules and toxins with low immunogenicity. DNA aptamers are simpler and more economical to produce at large scale, are capable of greater specificity and affinity than antibodies, are easily tailored to specific functional groups, can be used to tune inter-particle distance and shift the LSPR, and their intrinsic negative charge can be utilized for additional particle stability.1,2 Herein, a "turn-off" competitive binding assay platform involving two different plasmonic nanoparticles for the detection of the toxin bisphenol A (BPA) using SERS is presented. A derivative of the toxin is immobilized onto a silver coated magnetic nanoparticle (Ag@MNP), and a second solid silver nanoparticle (AgNP) is functionalized with the BPA aptamer and a Raman reporter molecule (RRM). The capture (Ag@MNP) and probe (AgNP) particles are mixed and the aptamer binding interaction draws the nanoparticles closer together, forming an assembly that results in an increased SERS signal intensity. This aptamer mediated assembly of the two nanoparticles results in a 100x enhancement of the SERS signal intensity from the RRM. These pre-bound aptamer/nanoparticle conjugates were then exposed to BPA in free solution and the competitive binding event was monitored by the decrease in SERS intensity.

One-step fabrication of biocompatible chitosan-coated ZnS and ZnS:Mn2+ quantum dots via a γ-radiation route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Shu-Quan; Kang, Bin; Dai, Yao-Dong; Zhang, Hong-Xu; Chen, Da

2011-11-01

Biocompatible chitosan-coated ZnS quantum dots [CS-ZnS QDs] and chitosan-coated ZnS:Mn2+ quantum dots [CS-ZnS:Mn2+ QDs] were successfully fabricated via a convenient one-step γ-radiation route. The as-obtained QDs were around 5 nm in diameter with excellent water-solubility. These QDs emitting strong visible blue or orange light under UV excitation were successfully used as labels for PANC-1 cells. The cell experiments revealed that CS-ZnS and CS-ZnS:Mn2+ QDs showed low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility, which offered possibilities for further biomedical applications. Moreover, this convenient synthesis strategy could be extended to fabricate other nanoparticles coated with chitosan. PACS: 81.07.Ta; 78.67.Hc; 82.35.Np; 87.85.Rs.

Colloidal Nanochemistry Applied to the Discovery and Characterization of Earth-Abundant Nanoparticles as Catalysts for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction and CO2 Photoreduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McEnaney, Joshua M.

Colloidal nanosynthesis has become a powerful fundamental and practical science with increasing methodologies available for the formation of highly controllable, high surface area nanoparticles. By expanding these methodologies to targeted nanomaterials, we have been able to synthesize and characterize new catalytic nanoparticle systems, primarily for the catalysis of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) but also for CO2 photoreduction to carbonaceous fuels. Both of these reactions offer exciting potential routes toward a clean energy future if they can be produced and perform with enough cost efficiency. We begin with a discussion of the capabilities of colloidal nanosynthesis, followed by the intricacies of the HER and CO2 photoreduction. For the HER, replacing highly active noble metals with Earth-abundant, active, and stable materials is a major goal. The majority of this dissertation will focus on the discovery, characterization, and evaluation of new materials to satisfy this goal. For this, we will start by reporting on the synthesis and evaluation of new amorphous molybdenum phosphide and amorphous tungsten phosphide nanoparticles as HER catalysts. Each of the full HER evaluations will include linear scan voltammetry for testing the activity of each material, comparison versus a platinum standard electrode and a bare Ti foil substrate as controls, then sustained cyclic voltammetry as well as a galvanostatic hold for stability testing. We will then discuss the discovery of hollow nanospheres of FeP as an exceptionally active HER catalyst. This will be followed by the establishment of a synthetic route to colloidal transition metal silicide nanoparticles. Ni2Si, Pd2Si, and Cu3Si nanoparticles were all synthesized preliminarily tested for their ability to catalyze the HER. Next, we discuss phase control of cobalt sulfide nanomaterials and establish parameters in a non-polar synthesis to make each of three crystalline phases, and begin to compare them for the HER. After this, we will show specific colloidally controlled manipulations of TiO2truncated bipyramidal nanoparticles, including size control of Ag domains grown on TiO2and multilayered assemblies of TiO2 nanoparticles. Finally, we delve into the challenges and opportunities of CO2 photoreduction before concluding. Briefly, for CO2 reduction, activity has typically been low compared to the HER, product selectivity remains a major hurdle, and there is a lack of standardization in testing methods, though the infrastructures of first world countries are already built for carbon based fuels, and CO2 itself provides an excellent feedstock from a growing pollutant. We highlight colloidally synthesized SnO nanosheets with primarily exposed (001) facets as selective for ethanol production from CO2 and water, then directly compare CuPt alloy nanospheres against Pt nanospheres on a TiO2substrate for CO2 photoreduction to methane. Each of the chapters included will illustrate the powerful capabilities of colloidal nanosynthesis, as they can be applied to learn about and discover solutions to real world problems such as the development clean energy technologies.

Realization of atomistic transitions with colloidal nanoparticles using an ultrafast laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akguc, Gursoy; Ilday, Serim; Ilday, Omer; Gulseren, Oguz; Makey, Ghaith; Yavuz, Koray

We report on realization of rapid atomistic transitions with colloidal nanoparticles in a setting that constitutes a dissipative far-from-equilibrium system subject to stochastic forces. Large colloidal crystals (comprising hundreds of particles) can be formed and transitions between solid-liquid-gas phases can be observed effortlessly and within seconds. Furthermore, this system allows us to form and dynamically arrest metastable phases such as glassy structures and to controllably transform a crystal pattern from square to hexagonal lattices and vice versa as well as to observe formation and propagation of crystal defects (i.e. line defects, point defects, planar defects). The mechanism largely relies on an interplay between convective forces induced by femtosecond pulses and strong Brownian motion; the former drags the colloids to form and reinforce the crystal and the latter is analogous to lattice vibrations, which makes it possible to observe phase transitions, defect formation and propagation and lattice transformation. This unique system can help us get insight into the mechanisms underlying various solid state phenomena that were previously studied under slowly evolving (within hours/days), near-equilibrium colloidal systems.

Lipid-based colloidal carriers for peptide and protein delivery – liposomes versus lipid nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Martins, Susana; Sarmento, Bruno; Ferreira, Domingos C; Souto, Eliana B

2007-01-01

This paper highlights the importance of lipid-based colloidal carriers and their pharmaceutical implications in the delivery of peptides and proteins for oral and parenteral administration. There are several examples of biomacromolecules used nowadays in the therapeutics, which are promising candidates to be delivered by means of liposomes and lipid nanoparticles, such as solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC). Several production procedures can be applied to achieve a high association efficiency between the bioactives and the carrier, depending on the physicochemical properties of both, as well as on the production procedure applied. Generally, this can lead to improved bioavailability, or in case of oral administration a more consistent temporal profile of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Advantages and drawbacks of such colloidal carriers are also pointed out. This article describes strategies used for formulation of peptides and proteins, methods used for assessment of association efficiency and practical considerations regarding the toxicological concerns. PMID:18203427

Antimicrobial polyethyleneimine-silver nanoparticles in a stable colloidal dispersion.

PubMed

Lee, Hyun Ju; Lee, Se Guen; Oh, Eun Jung; Chung, Ho Yun; Han, Sang Ik; Kim, Eun Jung; Seo, Song Yi; Ghim, Han Do; Yeum, Jeong Hyun; Choi, Jin Hyun

2011-11-01

Excellent colloidal stability and antimicrobial activity are important parameters for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a range of biomedical applications. In this study, polyethyleneimine (PEI)-capped silver nanoparticles (PEI-AgNPs) were synthesized in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH(4)) and PEI at room temperature. The PEI-AgNPs had a positive zeta potential of approximately +49 mV, and formed a stable nanocolloid against agglomeration due to electrostatic repulsion. The particle size and hydrodynamic cluster size showed significant correlations with the amount of PEI and NaBH(4). PEI-AgNPs and even PEI showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Staphylococus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The cytotoxic effects of PEI and PEI-AgNPs were confirmed by an evaluation of the cell viability. The results suggest that the amount of PEI should be minimized to the level that maintains the stability of PEI-AgNPs in a colloidal dispersion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioluminescence studies of colloidal oleate-capped β-Na(Gd,Lu)F4:Ln3+ nanoparticles (Ln = Ce, Eu, Tb).

PubMed

Cooper, Daniel R; Capobianco, John A; Seuntjens, Jan

2018-04-26

We report on the synthesis, characterization, and radioluminescence quantification of several new varieties of nanoparticles with the general composition β-NaLnF4, incorporating known luminescent activator/sensitizer pairs. Using Monte Carlo modeling to complement luminescence measurements, we have calculated the radioluminescence yields and intrinsic conversion efficiencies of colloidally-dispersed nanoparticles by comparison to an organic liquid scintillator. While five of the compositions had low to modest radioluminescence yields relative to bulk materials, colloidal β-Na(Lu0.65Gd0.2Tb0.15)F4 displayed a strong output of 39 460 photons per MeV absorbed, comparable to some of the best non-hygroscopic bulk crystal scintillators and X-ray phosphors such as Gd2O2S:Tb. Measurements of β-Na(Lu0.65Gd0.2Tb0.15)F4 powder samples revealed persistent luminescence as well as stable charge trapping, warranting further investigation.

Utilization of hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl cellulose in synthesis of silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Abdel-Halim, E S; Alanazi, Humaid H; Al-Deyab, Salem S

2015-04-01

Hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl cellulose samples having varying degrees of substitution and varying degrees of polymerization were used to reduce silver nitrate to silver nanoparticles. UV spectral analysis of silver nanoparticles colloidal solution reveal that increasing the pH of the reduction solution leads to improvement in the intensity of the absorption band for silver nanoparticles, to be maximum at pH 11. The absorption peak intensity also enhanced upon prolonging the reaction duration up to 60 min. The conversion of silver ions to metallic silver nanoparticles was found to be temperature-dependent and maximum transformation occurs at 60 °C. The reduction efficiency of hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl cellulose was found to be affected by its degree of polymerization. Colloidal solutions of silver nanoparticles having concentration up to 1000 ppm can be prepared upon fixing the ratio between silver nitrate and hydroxypropyl carboxymethyl cellulose at 0.017-0.3g per each 100ml of the reduction solution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. 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.

Metal nanoparticles in DBS card materials modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metelkin, A.; Frolov, G.; Kuznetsov, D.; Kolesnikov, E.; Chuprunov, K.; Kondakov, S.; Osipov, A.; Samsonova, J.

2015-11-01

In the recent years the method of collecting and storing Dried Blood Spots (DBS) on special cellulose membrane (paper) has gained wide popularity. But possible damage of biosamples caused by microorganisms in case of their incomplete drying is a disadvantage of the method. It can be overcome by treating sample-collection membranes with colloidal solutions of metal nanoparticles, having antibacterial effect. The team studied antibacterial properties of nonwoven material samples with various coatings (alcohol sols of copper, aluminium, iron, titanium, silver and vanadium nanoparticles). Colloidal solutions of nanoparticles were obtained by means of electroerosion method with further low-temperature plasma condensation. Antibacterial activity of fiberglass and cellulose membrane samples with nanoparticle coatings was studied using B. cereus and plaque bacteria cultures. It was revealed that nanostructured coatings can suppress bacterial activity; in addition they can diffuse from the membrane surface into medium which leads to widening the areas of inhibiting testing cultures’ growth. Thus, membrane materials treatment with alcohol-sols of metal nanoparticles can be seen as promising for conferring antibacterial properties to DBS carriers.

Determining parameters and mechanisms of colloid retention and release in porous media

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A framework is presented to determine fundamental parameters and mechanisms controlling colloid (including microbes and nanoparticles) retention and release on hypothetical porous medium surfaces that exhibit distributions of nanoscale chemical heterogeneity, nano- to microscale roughness, and spati...

Influence of α-amylase template concentration on systematic entrapment of highly stable and monodispersed colloidal gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananth, A. Nitthin; Ananth, A. Nimrodh; Jose, Sujin P.; Umapathy, S.; Mathavan, T.

2016-01-01

Nano gold / α-amylase colloidal dispersions of profound stability were made using simple procedure with a conventional reducing agent. The surface plasmon resonance of the gold nanocrystals was used to quantify the extent of the dispersion stability and functionalization. It is found that the reduced gold nanoparticles were trapped into the protein network without denaturation the structure of α-amylase protein. This kind of entrapment of particles into the protein network prevents clustering of individual gold nanoparticles (6.42 nm ± 0.92 nm) by acting as a natural spacer. Systematic entrapment was facilitated by the affinity of gold to the sulfur moieties (Au-S) in the protein structure.

Influence of dissolved organic matter on the environmental fate of metals, nanoparticles, and colloids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aiken, George R.; Hsu-Kim, Heileen; Ryan, Joseph N.

2011-01-01

We have known for decades that dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in the biogeochemical cycling of trace metals and the mobility of colloidal particles in aquatic environments. In recent years, concerns about the ecological and human health effects of metal-based engineered nanoparticles released into natural waters have increased efforts to better define the nature of DOM interactions with metals and surfaces. Nanomaterials exhibit unique properties and enhanced reactivities that are not apparent in larger materials of the same composition1,2 or dissolved ions of metals that comprise the nanoparticles. These nanoparticle-specific properties generally result from the relatively large proportion of the atoms located at the surface, which leads to very high specific surface areas and a high proportion of crystal lattice imperfections relative to exposed surface area. Nanoscale colloids are ubiquitous in nature,2 and many engineered nanomaterials have analogs in the natural world. The properties of these materials, whether natural or manmade, are poorly understood, and new challenges have been presented in assessing their environmental fate. These challenges are particularly relevant in aquatic environments where interactions with DOM are key, albeit often overlooked, moderators of reactivity at the molecular and nanocolloidal scales.

CoFe2O4-TiO2 and CoFe2O4-ZnO thin film nanostructures elaborated from colloidal chemistry and atomic layer deposition.

PubMed

Clavel, Guylhaine; Marichy, Catherine; Willinger, Marc-Georg; Ravaine, Serge; Zitoun, David; Pinna, Nicola

2010-12-07

CoFe(2)O(4)-TiO(2) and CoFe(2)O(4)-ZnO nanoparticles/film composites were prepared from directed assembly of colloidal CoFe(2)O(4) in a Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer and atomic layer deposition (ALD) of an oxide (TiO(2) or ZnO). The combination of these two methods permits the use of well-defined nanoparticles from colloidal chemistry, their assembly on a large scale, and the control over the interface between a ferrimagnetic material (CoFe(2)O(4)) and a semiconductor (TiO(2) or ZnO). Using this approach, architectures can be assembled with a precise control from the Angstrom scale (ALD) to the micrometer scale (Langmuir-Blodgett film). The resulting heterostructures present well-calibrated thicknesses. Electron microscopy and magnetic measurement studies give evidence that the size of the nanoparticles and their intrinsic magnetic properties are not altered by the various steps involved in the synthesis process. Therefore, the approach is suitable to obtain a layered composite with a quasi-monodisperse layer of ferrimagnetic nanoparticles embedded in an ultrathin film of semiconducting material.

Room Temperature Radiolytic Synthesized Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Abedini, Alam; Saion, Elias; Larki, Farhad; Zakaria, Azmi; Noroozi, Monir; Soltani, Nayereh

2012-01-01

Colloidal Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by a gamma irradiation method in an aqueous system in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and isopropanol respectively as a colloidal stabilizer and scavenger of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals. The gamma irradiation was carried out in a 60Co gamma source chamber with different doses up to 120 kGy. The formation of Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 nanoparticles was observed initially by the change in color of the colloidal samples from colorless to brown. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of bonds between polymer chains and the metal surface at all radiation doses. Results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that Cu@CuAlO2-Al2O3 nanoparticles are in a core-shell structure. By controlling the absorbed dose and precursor concentration, nanoclusters with different particle sizes were obtained. The average particle diameter increased with increased precursor concentration and decreased with increased dose. This is due to the competition between nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes in the formation of nanoclusters during irradiation. PMID:23109893

Room temperature radiolytic synthesized Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles.

PubMed

Abedini, Alam; Saion, Elias; Larki, Farhad; Zakaria, Azmi; Noroozi, Monir; Soltani, Nayereh

2012-01-01

Colloidal Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by a gamma irradiation method in an aqueous system in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and isopropanol respectively as a colloidal stabilizer and scavenger of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals. The gamma irradiation was carried out in a (60)Co gamma source chamber with different doses up to 120 kGy. The formation of Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles was observed initially by the change in color of the colloidal samples from colorless to brown. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of bonds between polymer chains and the metal surface at all radiation doses. Results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that Cu@CuAlO(2)-Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles are in a core-shell structure. By controlling the absorbed dose and precursor concentration, nanoclusters with different particle sizes were obtained. The average particle diameter increased with increased precursor concentration and decreased with increased dose. This is due to the competition between nucleation, growth, and aggregation processes in the formation of nanoclusters during irradiation.

Changes in optical spectra of silver nanoparticles doped europium ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmagin, S. I.; Krasovskii, V. I.; Novikov, I. K.; Kryshtob, V. I.; Kazaryan, M. A.

2018-04-01

Colloidal solutions of Ag silver nanoparticles were studied in the presence of Eu3+ ions and in the absence of their. Silver nanoparticles were created by the method of green synthesis using an aqueous solution of mint. Optical and electronic spectroscopy have been used to explore the interaction of these ions with silver nanoparticles.

Highly Tunable Complementary Micro/Submicro-Nanopatterned Surfaces Combining Block Copolymer Self-Assembly and Colloidal Lithography.

PubMed

Chang, Tongxin; Du, Binyang; Huang, Haiying; He, Tianbai

2016-08-31

Two kinds of large-area ordered and highly tunable micro/submicro-nanopatterned surfaces in a complementary manner were successfully fabricated by elaborately combining block copolymer self-assembly and colloidal lithography. Employing a monolayer of polystyrene (PS) colloidal spheres assembled on top as etching mask, polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) or polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) micelle films were patterned into micro/submicro patches by plasma etching, which could be further transferred into micropatterned metal nanoarrays by subsequent metal precursor loading and a second plasma etching. On the other hand, micro/submicro-nanopatterns in a complementary manner were generated via preloading a metal precursor in initial micelle films before the assembly of PS colloidal spheres on top. Both kinds of micro/submicro-nanopatterns showed good fidelity at the micro/submicroscale and nanoscale; meanwhile, they could be flexibly tuned by the sample and processing parameters. Significantly, when the PS colloidal sphere size was reduced to 250 nm, a high-resolution submicro-nanostructured surface with 3-5 metal nanoparticles in each patch or a single-nanoparticle interconnected honeycomb network was achieved. Moreover, by applying gold (Au) nanoparticles as anchoring points, micronanopatterned Au arrays can serve as a flexible template to pattern bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules. This facile and cost-effective approach may provide a novel platform for fabrication of micropatterned nanoarrays with high tunability and controllability, which are promising in the applications of biological and microelectronic fields.

Agglomeration, colloidal stability, and magnetic separation of magnetic nanoparticles: collective influences on environmental engineering applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeap, Swee Pin; Lim, JitKang; Ooi, Boon Seng; Ahmad, Abdul Latif

2017-11-01

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) which exhibit magnetic and catalytic bifunctionalities have been widely accepted as one of the most promising nanoagents used in water purification processes. However, due to the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction, MNPs can easily lose their colloidal stability and tend to agglomerate. Thus, it is necessary to enhance their colloidal stability in order to maintain the desired high specific surface area. Meanwhile, in order to successfully utilize MNPs for environmental engineering applications, an effective magnetic separation technology has to be developed. This step is to ensure the MNPs that have been used for pollutant removal can be fully reharvested back. Unfortunately, it was recently highlighted that there exists a conflicting role between colloidal stability and magnetic separability of the MNPs, whereby the more colloidally stable the particle is, the harder for it to be magnetically separated. In other words, attaining a win-win scenario in which the MNPs possess both good colloidal stability and fast magnetic separation rate becomes challenging. Such phenomenon has to be thoroughly understood as the colloidal stability and the magnetic separability of MNPs play a pivotal role on affecting their effective implementation in water purification processes. Accordingly, it is the aim of this paper to provide reviews on (i) the colloidal stability and (ii) the magnetic separation of MNPs, as well as to provide insights on (iii) their conflicting relationship based on recent research findings. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Coupled factors influencing detachment of nano- and micro-sized particles from primary minima.

PubMed

Shen, Chongyang; Lazouskaya, Volha; Jin, Yan; Li, Baoguo; Ma, Zhiqiang; Zheng, Wenjuan; Huang, Yuanfang

2012-06-01

This study examined the detachments of nano- and micro-sized colloids from primary minima in the presence of cation exchange by laboratory column experiments. Colloids were initially deposited in columns packed with glass beads at 0.2 M CaCl(2) in the primary minima of Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) interaction energies. Then, the columns were flushed with NaCl solutions with different ionic strengths (i.e., 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.2 M). Detachments were observed at all ionic strengths and were particularly significant for the nanoparticle. The detachments increased with increasing electrolyte concentration for the nanoparticle whereas increased from 0.001 M to 0.01 M and decreased with further increasing electrolyte concentration for the micro-sized colloid. The observations were attributed to coupled influence of cation exchange, short-range repulsion, surface roughness, surface charge heterogeneity, and deposition in the secondary minima. The detachments of colloids from primary minima challenge the common belief that colloid interaction in primary minimum is irreversible and resistant to disturbance in solution ionic strength and composition. Although the significance of surface roughness, surface charge heterogeneity, and secondary minima on colloid deposition has been widely recognized, our study implies that they also play important roles in colloid detachment. Whereas colloid detachment is frequently associated with decrease of ionic strength, our results show that increase of ionic strength can also cause detachment due to influence of cation exchange. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wound healing applications of biogenic colloidal silver and gold nanoparticles: recent trends and future prospects.

PubMed

Ovais, Muhammad; Ahmad, Irshad; Khalil, Ali Talha; Mukherjee, Sudip; Javed, Rabia; Ayaz, Muhammad; Raza, Abida; Shinwari, Zabta Khan

2018-05-01

Nanotechnology has emerged as a prominent scientific discipline in the technological revolution of this millennium. The scientific community has focused on the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles as compared to physical and chemical methods due to its eco-friendly nature and high efficacy. Medicinal plants have been proven as the paramount source of various phytochemicals that can be used for the biogenic synthesis of colloidal silver and gold nanoparticles as compared to other living organisms, e.g., microbes and fungi. According to various scientific reports, the biogenic nanoparticles have shown promising potential as wound healing agents. However, not a single broad review article was present that demonstrates the wound healing application of biogenic silver and gold nanoparticles. Foreseeing the overall literature published, we for the first time intended to discuss the current trends in wound healing via biogenic silver and gold nanoparticles. Furthermore, light has been shed on the mechanistic aspects of wound healing along with futuristic discussion on the faith of biogenic silver and gold nanoparticles as potential wound healing agents.

Nifedipine Nanoparticle Agglomeration as a Dry Powder Aerosol Formulation Strategy

PubMed Central

Plumley, Carl; Gorman, Eric M.; Munson, Eric J.; Berkland, Cory

2009-01-01

Efficient administration of drugs represents a leading challenge in pulmonary medicine. Dry powder aerosols are of great interest compared to traditional aerosolized liquid formulations in that they may offer improved stability, ease of administration, and simple device design. Particles 1–5 µm in size typically facilitate lung deposition. Nanoparticles may be exhaled as a result of their small size; however, they are desired to enhance the dissolution rate of poorly soluble drugs. Nanoparticles of the hypertension drug nifedipine were co-precipitated with stearic acid to form a colloid exhibiting negative surface charge. Nifedipine nanoparticle colloids were destabilized by using sodium chloride to disrupt the electrostatic repulsion between particles as a means to achieve the agglomerated nanoparticles of a controlled size. The aerodynamic performance of agglomerated nanoparticles was determined by cascade impaction. The powders were found to be well suited for pulmonary delivery. In addition, nanoparticle agglomerates revealed enhanced dissolution of the drug species suggesting the value of this formulation approach for poorly water soluble pulmonary medicines. Ultimately, nifedipine powders are envisioned as an approach to treat pulmonary hypertension. PMID:19015016

Preparation of transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified with (CO)polymers synthesized by RAFT

DOEpatents

McCormick, III., Charles L.; Lowe, Andrew B.; Sumerlin, Brent S.

2006-11-21

A new, facile, general one-phase method of generating thio-functionalized transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized by the RAFT method is described. The method includes the stops of forming a (co)polymer in aqueous solution using the RAFT methodology, forming a colloidal transition metal precursor solution from an appropriate transition metal; adding the metal precursor solution or surface to the (co)polymer solution, adding a reducing agent into the solution to reduce the metal colloid in situ to produce the stabilized nanoparticles or surface, and isolating the stabilized nanoparticles or surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized. The functionalized surfaces generated using these methods can further undergo planar surface modifications, such as functionalization with a variety of different chemical groups, expanding their utility and application.

Preparation of transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified with (co)polymers synthesized by RAFT

DOEpatents

McCormick, III, Charles L.; Lowe, Andrew B [Hattiesburg, MS; Sumerlin, Brent S [Pittsburgh, PA

2011-12-27

A new, facile, general one-phase method of generating thiol-functionalized transition metal nanoparticles and surfaces modified by (co)polymers synthesized by the RAFT method is described. The method includes the steps of forming a (co)polymer in aqueous solution using the RAFT methodology, forming a colloidal transition metal precursor solution from an appropriate transition metal; adding the metal precursor solution or surface to the (co)polymer solution, adding a reducing agent into the solution to reduce the metal colloid in situ to produce the stabilized nanoparticles or surface, and isolating the stabilized nanoparticles or surface in a manner such that aggregation is minimized. The functionalized surfaces generated using these methods can further undergo planar surface modifications, such as functionalization with a variety of different chemical groups, expanding their utility and application.

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Study of 4-ATP on Gold Nanoparticles for Basal Cell Carcinoma Fingerprint Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quynh, Luu Manh; Nam, Nguyen Hoang; Kong, K.; Nhung, Nguyen Thi; Notingher, I.; Henini, M.; Luong, Nguyen Hoang

2016-05-01

The surface-enhanced Raman signals of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) attached to the surface of colloidal gold nanoparticles with size distribution of 2 to 5 nm were used as a labeling agent to detect basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin. The enhanced Raman band at 1075 cm-1 corresponding to the C-S stretching vibration in 4-ATP was observed during attachment to the surface of the gold nanoparticles. The frequency and intensity of this band did not change when the colloids were conjugated with BerEP4 antibody, which specifically binds to BCC. We show the feasibility of imaging BCC by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, scanning the 1075 cm-1 band to detect the distribution of 4-ATP-coated gold nanoparticles attached to skin tissue ex vivo.

Lipid nanoparticles for the delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

PubMed

Bunjes, Heike

2010-11-01

This review discusses important aspects of lipid nanoparticles such as colloidal lipid emulsions and, in particular, solid lipid nanoparticles as carrier systems for poorly water-soluble drugs, with a main focus on the parenteral and peroral use of these carriers. A short historical background of the development of colloidal lipid emulsions and solid lipid nanoparticles is provided and their similarities and differences are highlighted. With regard to drug incorporation, parameters such as the chemical nature of the particle matrix and the physicochemical nature of the drug, effects of drug partition and the role of the particle interface are discussed. Since, because of the crystalline nature of their lipid core, solid lipid nanoparticles display some additional important features compared to emulsions, their specificities are introduced in more detail. This mainly includes their solid state behaviour (crystallinity, polymorphism and thermal behaviour) and the consequences of their usually non-spherical particle shape. Since lipid nanoemulsions and -suspensions are also considered as potential means to alter the pharmacokinetics of incorporated drug substances, some underlying basic considerations, in particular concerning the drug-release behaviour of such lipid nanodispersions on dilution, are addressed as well. Colloidal lipid emulsions and solid lipid nanoparticles are interesting options for the delivery of poorly water-soluble drug substances. Their specific physicochemical properties need, however, to be carefully considered to provide a rational basis for their development into effective carrier systems for a given delivery task. © 2010 The Author. Journal compilation © 2010 Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

Characterization of engineered nanoparticles in commercially available spray disinfectant products advertised to contain colloidal silver.

PubMed

Rogers, Kim R; Navratilova, Jana; Stefaniak, Aleksandr; Bowers, Lauren; Knepp, Alycia K; Al-Abed, Souhail R; Potter, Phillip; Gitipour, Alireza; Radwan, Islam; Nelson, Clay; Bradham, Karen D

2018-04-01

Given the potential for human exposure to silver nanoparticles from spray disinfectants and dietary supplements, we characterized the silver-containing nanoparticles in 22 commercial products that advertised the use of silver or colloidal silver as the active ingredient. Characterization parameters included: total silver, fractionated silver (particulate and dissolved), primary particle size distribution, hydrodynamic diameter, particle number, and plasmon resonance absorbance. A high degree of variability between claimed and measured values for total silver was observed. Only 7 of the products showed total silver concentrations within 20% of their nominally reported values. In addition, significant variations in the relative percentages of particulate vs. soluble silver were also measured in many of these products reporting to be colloidal. Primary silver particle size distributions by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed two populations of particles - smaller particles (<5nm) and larger particles between 20 and 40nm. Hydrodynamic diameter measurements using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) correlated well with TEM analysis for the larger particles. Z-average (Z-Avg) values measured using dynamic light scattering (DLS); however, were typically larger than both NTA or TEM particle diameters. Plasmon resonance absorbance signatures (peak absorbance at around 400nm indicative of metallic silver nanoparticles) were only noted in 4 of the 9 yellow-brown colored suspensions. Although the total silver concentrations were variable among products, ranging from 0.54mg/L to 960mg/L, silver containing nanoparticles were identified in all of the product suspensions by TEM. Published by Elsevier B.V.

White light emitting diode based on InGaN chip with core/shell quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Changyu; Hong, Yan; Ma, Jiandong; Ming, Jiangzhou

2009-08-01

Quantum dots have many applications in optoelectronic device such as LEDs for its many superior properties resulting from the three-dimensional confinement effect of its carrier. In this paper, single chip white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) were fabricated by combining blue InGaN chip with luminescent colloidal quantum dots (QDs). Two kinds of QDs of core/shell CdSe /ZnS and core/shell/shell CdSe /ZnS /CdS nanocrystals were synthesized by thermal deposition using cadmium oxide and selenium as precursors in a hot lauric acid and hexadecylamine trioctylphosphine oxide hybrid. This two kinds of QDs exhibited high photoluminescence efficiency with a quantum yield more than 41%, and size-tunable emission wavelengths from 500 to 620 nm. The QDs LED mainly consists of flip luminescent InGaN chip, glass ceramic protective coating, glisten cup, QDs using as the photoluminescence material, pyroceram, gold line, electric layer, dielectric layer, silicon gel and bottom layer for welding. The WLEDs had the CIE coordinates of (0.319, 0.32). The InGaN chip white-light-emitting diodes with quantum dots as the emitting layer are potentially useful in illumination and display applications.

Interaction of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles with Model Serum Proteins: The Nanoparticle-Protein 'Corona' from a PhysicoChemical Viewpoint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dominguez Medina, Sergio

When nanoparticles come in contact with biological fluids they become coated with a mixture of proteins present in the media, forming what is known as the nanoparticle-protein 'corona'. This corona changes the nanoparticles' original surface properties and plays a central role in how these get screened by cellular receptors. In the context of biomedical research, this presents a bottleneck for the transition of nanoparticles from research laboratories to clinical settings. It is therefore fundamental to probe these nanoparticle-protein interactions in order to understand the different physico-chemical mechanisms involved. This thesis is aimed to investigate the exposure of colloidal gold nanoparticles to model serum proteins, particularly serum albumin, the main transporter of molecular compounds in the bloodstream of mammals. A set of experimental tools based on optical microscopy and spectroscopy were developed in order to probe these interactions in situ. First, the intrinsic photoluminescence and elastic scattering of individual gold nanoparticles were investigated in order to understand its physical origin. These optical signals were then used to measure the size of the nanoparticles while in Brownian diffusion using fluctuation correlation spectroscopy. This spectroscopic tool was then applied to detect the binding of serum albumin onto the nanoparticle surface, increasing its hydrodynamic size. By performing a binding isotherm as a function of protein concentration, it was determined that serum albumin follows an anti-cooperative binding mechanism on negatively charged gold nanoparticles. This protein monolayer substantially enhanced the stability of the colloid, preventing their aggregation in saline solutions with ionic strength higher than biological media. Cationic gold nanoparticles in contrast, aggregated when serum albumin was present at a low protein-to-nanoparticle ratio, but prevented aggregation if exposed in excess. Single-molecule fluorescence microscopy revealed that under low protein-to-nanoparticle binding ratios, serum albumin irreversibly unfolds upon adsorption and spreads across the available nanoparticle surface area. Unfolded proteins then interact with one another, triggering nanoparticle aggregation. Fibrinogen and globulin also triggered aggregation when exposed to cationic nanoparticles. In an effort to relate these physico-chemical observations to relevant biological parameters, the uptake of protein coated gold nanoparticles by a model cancer cell line was investigated under different incubation conditions. Those nanoparticles pre-incubated with bovine serum albumin before fetal bovine serum were found to be uptaken three times more than those only incubated in serum.

Plasmonic Colloidal Nanoantennas for Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectrocopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dill, Tyler J.

Plasmonic nanoantennas that a support localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) are capable of confining visible light to subwavelength dimensions due to strong electromagnetic field enhancement at the probe tip. Nanoantenna enable optical methods such as tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), a technique that uses scanning probe microscopy tips to provide chemical information with nanoscale spatial resolution and single-molecule sensitivities. The LSPR supported by the probe tip is extremely sensitive to the nanoscale morphology of the nanoantenna. Control of nanoscale morphology is notoriously difficult to achieve, resulting in TERS probes with poor reproducibility. In my thesis, I demonstrate high-performance, predictable, and broadband nanospectroscopy probes that are fabricated by self-assembly. Shaped metal nanoparticles are organized into dense layers and deposited onto scanning probe tips. When coupled to a metal substrate, these probes support a strong optical resonance in the gap between the substrate and the probe, producing dramatic field enhancements. I show through experiment and electromagnetic modeling that close-packed but electrically isolated nanoparticles are electromagnetically coupled. Hybridized LSPRs supported by self-assembled nanoparticles with a broadband optical response, giving colloidal nanoantenna a high tolerance for geometric variation resulting from fabrication. I find that coupled nanoparticles act as a waveguide, transferring energy from many neighboring nanoparticles towards the active TERS apex. I also use surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to characterize the effects of nanoparticle polydispersity and gap height on the Raman enhancement. These colloidal probes have consistently achieved dramatic Raman enhancements in the range of 108-109 with sub-50 nm spatial resolution. Furthermore, in contrast to other nanospectroscopy probes, these colloidal probes can be fabricated in a scalable fashion with a batch-to-batch reproducibility of 80%. This body of work serves as an important demonstration that bottom-up engineering can be used for batch fabricatation of high-performance and high-reliability devices using inexpensive equipment and materials.

A one pot organic/CdSe nanoparticle hybrid material synthesis with in situ π-conjugated ligand functionalization.

PubMed

Mazzio, Katherine A; Okamoto, Ken; Li, Zhi; Gutmann, Sebastian; Strein, Elisabeth; Ginger, David S; Schlaf, Rudy; Luscombe, Christine K

2013-02-14

A one pot method for organic/colloidal CdSe nanoparticle hybrid material synthesis is presented. Relative to traditional ligand exchange processes, these materials require smaller amounts of the desired capping ligand, shorter syntheses and fewer processing steps, while maintaining nanoparticle morphology.

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

Novikova, N. N., E-mail: nn-novikova07@yandex.ru; Kovalchuk, M. V.; Yakunin, S. N.

The processes of structural rearrangement in a model membrane, i.e., an arachic acid monolayer formed on a colloidal solution of cerium dioxide or magnetite, are studied in situ in real time by the methods of X-ray standing waves and 2D diffraction. It is shown that the character of the interaction of nanoparticles with the monolayer is determined by their nature and sizes and depends on the conditions of nanoparticle synthesis. In particular, the structure formation in the monolayer–particle system is greatly affected by the stabilizer (citric acid), which is introduced into the colloidal solution during synthesis.

Investigation on the adsorption characteristics of anserine on the surface of colloidal silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Thomas, S; Maiti, N; Mukherjee, T; Kapoor, S

2013-08-01

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of anserine (beta-alanyl-N-methylhistidine) was carried out on colloidal silver nanoparticles to understand its adsorption characteristics. The experimentally observed Raman bands were assigned based on the results of DFT calculations. The studies suggest that the interaction of anserine is primarily through the carboxylate group with the imidazole ring in an upright position with respect to the silver surface. Concentration dependent SERS studies suggest a change in orientation at sub-monolayer concentration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in noble metal based composite nanocatalysts: colloidal synthesis, properties, and catalytic applications.

PubMed

Xu, Yong; Chen, Lei; Wang, Xuchun; Yao, Weitang; Zhang, Qiao

2015-06-28

This Review article provides a report on progress in the synthesis, properties and catalytic applications of noble metal based composite nanomaterials. We begin with a brief discussion on the categories of various composite materials. We then present some important colloidal synthetic approaches to the composite nanostructures; here, major attention has been paid to bimetallic nanoparticles. We also introduce some important physiochemical properties that are beneficial from composite nanomaterials. Finally, we highlight the catalytic applications of such composite nanoparticles and conclude with remarks on prospective future directions.

Magnetic switching of optical reflectivity in nanomagnet/micromirror suspensions: colloid displays as a potential alternative to liquid crystal displays.

PubMed

Bubenhofer, S B; Athanassiou, E K; Grass, R N; Koehler, F M; Rossier, M; Stark, W J

2009-12-02

Two-particle colloids containing nanomagnets and microscale mirrors can be prepared from iron oxide nanoparticles, microscale metal flakes and high-density liquids stabilizing the mirror suspension against sedimentation by matching the constituent's density. The free Brownian rotation of the micromirrors can be magnetically controlled through an anisotropic change in impulse transport arising from impacts of the magnetic nanoparticles onto the anisotropic flakes. The resulting rapid mirror orientation allows large changes in light transmission and switchable optical reflectivity. The preparation of a passive display was conceptually demonstrated through colloid confinement in a planar cavity over an array of individually addressable solenoids and resulted in 4 x 4 digit displays with a reaction time of less than 100 ms.

Study on surface-enhanced Raman scattering efficiency of Ag core-Au shell bimetallic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Xiao; Gu, Huaimin; Kang, Jian; Yuan, Xiaojuan

2009-08-01

In this article, the relationship between the states of Ag core-Au shell (core-shell) nanoparticles (NP) and the intensity of Raman scattering of analytes dissolved in the water and adsorbed on the NP was studied. The core-shell NP were synthesised by coating Au layers over Ag seeds by the method of "seed-growth". To highlight the advantage of the core-shell NP, Ag colloid and Au colloid were chosen for contrasting. The analyte that were chosen for this testing were methylene blue (MB) for the reason that MB has very strong signal in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The SERS activity of optimalizing states of Ag and Au colloids were compared with that of core-shell NP when MB was used as analyte. In this study, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate and sodium nitrate were used as aggregating agents for Ag, Au colloids and core-shell NP, because anions have a strong influence on the SERS efficiency and the stability of colloids. The results indicate that core-shell NP can obviously enhance the SERS of MB. The aim of this study is to prove that compared with the metal colloid, the core-shell NP is a high efficiency SERS active substrate.

Electron transport in gold colloidal nanoparticle-based strain gauges.

PubMed

Moreira, Helena; Grisolia, Jérémie; Sangeetha, Neralagatta M; Decorde, Nicolas; Farcau, Cosmin; Viallet, Benoit; Chen, Ke; Viau, Guillaume; Ressier, Laurence

2013-03-08

A systematic approach for understanding the electron transport mechanisms in resistive strain gauges based on assemblies of gold colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) protected by organic ligands is described. The strain gauges were fabricated from parallel micrometer wide wires made of 14 nm gold (Au) colloidal NPs on polyethylene terephthalate substrates, elaborated by convective self-assembly. Electron transport in such devices occurs by inter-particle electron tunneling through the tunnel barrier imposed by the organic ligands protecting the NPs. This tunnel barrier was varied by changing the nature of organic ligands coating the nanoparticles: citrate (CIT), phosphines (BSPP, TDSP) and thiols (MPA, MUDA). Electro-mechanical tests indicate that only the gold NPs protected by phosphine and thiol ligands yield high gauge sensitivity. Temperature-dependent resistance measurements are explained using the 'regular island array model' that extracts transport parameters, i.e., the tunneling decay constant β and the Coulomb charging energy E(C). This reveals that the Au@CIT nanoparticle assemblies exhibit a behavior characteristic of a strong-coupling regime, whereas those of Au@BSPP, Au@TDSP, Au@MPA and Au@MUDA nanoparticles manifest a weak-coupling regime. A comparison of the parameters extracted from the two methods indicates that the most sensitive gauges in the weak-coupling regime feature the highest β. Moreover, the E(C) values of these 14 nm NPs cannot be neglected in determining the β values.

Electron transport in gold colloidal nanoparticle-based strain gauges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreira, Helena; Grisolia, Jérémie; Sangeetha, Neralagatta M.; Decorde, Nicolas; Farcau, Cosmin; Viallet, Benoit; Chen, Ke; Viau, Guillaume; Ressier, Laurence

2013-03-01

A systematic approach for understanding the electron transport mechanisms in resistive strain gauges based on assemblies of gold colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) protected by organic ligands is described. The strain gauges were fabricated from parallel micrometer wide wires made of 14 nm gold (Au) colloidal NPs on polyethylene terephthalate substrates, elaborated by convective self-assembly. Electron transport in such devices occurs by inter-particle electron tunneling through the tunnel barrier imposed by the organic ligands protecting the NPs. This tunnel barrier was varied by changing the nature of organic ligands coating the nanoparticles: citrate (CIT), phosphines (BSPP, TDSP) and thiols (MPA, MUDA). Electro-mechanical tests indicate that only the gold NPs protected by phosphine and thiol ligands yield high gauge sensitivity. Temperature-dependent resistance measurements are explained using the ‘regular island array model’ that extracts transport parameters, i.e., the tunneling decay constant β and the Coulomb charging energy EC. This reveals that the Au@CIT nanoparticle assemblies exhibit a behavior characteristic of a strong-coupling regime, whereas those of Au@BSPP, Au@TDSP, Au@MPA and Au@MUDA nanoparticles manifest a weak-coupling regime. A comparison of the parameters extracted from the two methods indicates that the most sensitive gauges in the weak-coupling regime feature the highest β. Moreover, the EC values of these 14 nm NPs cannot be neglected in determining the β values.

Effects of Humic and Fulvic Acids on Silver Nanoparticle Stability, Dissolution, and Toxicity

PubMed Central

Gunsolus, Ian L.; Mousavi, Maral P. S.; Hussein, Kadir; Bühlmann, Philippe; Haynes, Christy L.

2015-01-01

The colloidal stability of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in natural aquatic environments influences their transport and environmental persistence, while their dissolution to Ag+ influences their toxicity to organisms. Here, we characterize the colloidal stability, dissolution behavior, and toxicity of two industrially relevant classes of AgNPs (i.e., AgNPs stabilized by citrate or polyvinylpyrrolidone) after exposure to natural organic matter (NOM, i.e., Suwannee River Humic and Fulvic Acid Standards and Pony Lake Fulvic Acid Reference). We show that NOM interaction with the nanoparticle surface depends on (i) the NOM’s chemical composition, where sulfur- and nitrogen-rich NOM more significantly increases colloidal stability, and (ii) the affinity of the capping agent for the AgNP surface, where nanoparticles with loosely bound capping agents are more effectively stabilized by NOM. Adsorption of NOM is shown to have little effect on AgNP dissolution under most experimental conditions, the exception being when the NOM is rich in sulfur and nitrogen. Similarly, the toxicity of AgNPs to a bacterial model (Shewanella oneidensis MR-1) decreases most significantly in the presence of sulfur- and nitrogen-rich NOM. Our data suggest that the rate of AgNP aggregation and dissolution in aquatic environments containing NOM will depend on the chemical composition of the NOM, and that the toxicity of AgNPs to aquatic microorganisms is controlled primarily by the extent of nanoparticle dissolution. PMID:26047330

Photoluminescence Analysis of White-Light-Emitting Si Nanoparticles Using Effective Mass Approximation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Soojin; Cho, Woon Jo; Kim, Yang Do; Kim, Eun Kyu; Park, Jae Gwan

2005-07-01

White-light-emitting Si nanoparticles were prepared from the sodium silicide (NaSi) precursor. The photoluminescence of colloidal Si nanoparticles has been fitted by effective mass approximation (EMA). We analyzed the correlation between experimental photoluminescence and simulated fitting curves. Both the mean diameter and the size dispersion of the white-light-emitting Si nanoparticles were estimated.

Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Devices: Beyond Alignment of Energy Levels

DOE PAGES

Zaiats, Gary; Ikeda, Shingo; Kinge, Sachin; ...

2017-08-25

Multinary semiconductor nanoparticles such as CuInS 2, AgInS 2, and the corresponding alloys with ZnS hold promise for designing future quantum dot light-emitting devices (QLED). The QLED architectures require matching of energy levels between the different electron and hole transport layers. In addition to energy level alignment, conductivity and charge transfer interactions within these layers determine the overall efficiency of QLED. By employing CuInS 2-ZnS QDs we succeeded in fabricating red-emitting QLED using two different hole-transporting materials, polyvinylcarbazole and poly(4- butylphenyldiphenylamine). Despite the similarity of the HOMO-LUMO energy levels of these two hole transport materials, the QLED devices exhibit distinctlymore » different voltage dependence. The difference in onset voltage and excited state interactions shows the complexity involved in selecting the hole transport materials for display devices.« less

Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Devices: Beyond Alignment of Energy Levels

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

Zaiats, Gary; Ikeda, Shingo; Kinge, Sachin

Multinary semiconductor nanoparticles such as CuInS 2, AgInS 2, and the corresponding alloys with ZnS hold promise for designing future quantum dot light-emitting devices (QLED). The QLED architectures require matching of energy levels between the different electron and hole transport layers. In addition to energy level alignment, conductivity and charge transfer interactions within these layers determine the overall efficiency of QLED. By employing CuInS 2-ZnS QDs we succeeded in fabricating red-emitting QLED using two different hole-transporting materials, polyvinylcarbazole and poly(4- butylphenyldiphenylamine). Despite the similarity of the HOMO-LUMO energy levels of these two hole transport materials, the QLED devices exhibit distinctlymore » different voltage dependence. The difference in onset voltage and excited state interactions shows the complexity involved in selecting the hole transport materials for display devices.« less

Green synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles using natural rubber latex extracted from Hevea brasiliensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guidelli, Eder José; Ramos, Ana Paula; Zaniquelli, Maria Elisabete D.; Baffa, Oswaldo

2011-11-01

Colloidal silver nanoparticles were synthesized by an easy green method using thermal treatment of aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and natural rubber latex (NRL) extracted from Hevea brasiliensis. The UV-Vis spectra detected the characteristic surface plasmonic absorption band around 435 nm. Both NRL and AgNO 3 contents in the reaction medium have influence in the Ag nanoparticles formation. Lower AgNO 3 concentration led to decreased particle size. The silver nanoparticles presented diameters ranging from 2 nm to 100 nm and had spherical shape. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns indicated that the silver nanoparticles have face centered cubic (fcc) crystalline structure. FTIR spectra suggest that reduction of the silver ions are facilitated by their interaction with the amine groups from ammonia, which is used for conservation of the NRL, whereas the stability of the particles results from cis-isoprene binding onto the surface of nanoparticles. Therefore natural rubber latex extracted from H. brasiliensis can be employed in the preparation of stable aqueous dispersions of silver nanoparticles acting as a dispersing and/or capping agent. Moreover, this work provides a new method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles that is simple, easy to perform, pollutant free and inexpensive.

Breakthrough to Non-Vacuum Deposition of Single-Crystal, Ultra-Thin, Homogeneous Nanoparticle Layers: A Better Alternative to Chemical Bath Deposition and Atomic Layer Deposition

PubMed Central

Liao, Yu-Kuang; Liu, Yung-Tsung; Hsieh, Dan-Hua; Shen, Tien-Lin; Hsieh, Ming-Yang; Tzou, An-Jye; Chen, Shih-Chen; Tsai, Yu-Lin; Lin, Wei-Sheng; Chan, Sheng-Wen; Shen, Yen-Ping; Cheng, Shun-Jen; Chen, Chyong-Hua; Wu, Kaung-Hsiung; Chen, Hao-Ming; Kuo, Shou-Yi; Charlton, Martin D. B.; Hsieh, Tung-Po; Kuo, Hao-Chung

2017-01-01

Most thin-film techniques require a multiple vacuum process, and cannot produce high-coverage continuous thin films with the thickness of a few nanometers on rough surfaces. We present a new ”paradigm shift” non-vacuum process to deposit high-quality, ultra-thin, single-crystal layers of coalesced sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable thickness down to a few nanometers, based on thermal decomposition. This provides high-coverage, homogeneous thickness, and large-area deposition over a rough surface, with little material loss or liquid chemical waste, and deposition rates of 10 nm/min. This technique can potentially replace conventional thin-film deposition methods, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical bath deposition (CBD) as used by the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cell industry for decades. We demonstrate 32% improvement of CIGS thin-film solar cell efficiency in comparison to reference devices prepared by conventional CBD deposition method by depositing the ZnS NPs buffer layer using the new process. The new ZnS NPs layer allows reduction of an intrinsic ZnO layer, which can lead to severe shunt leakage in case of a CBD buffer layer. This leads to a 65% relative efficiency increase. PMID:28383488

Non-hazardous anticancerous and antibacterial colloidal 'green' silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Barua, Shaswat; Konwarh, Rocktotpal; Bhattacharya, Satya Sundar; Das, Pallabi; Devi, K Sanjana P; Maiti, Tapas K; Mandal, Manabendra; Karak, Niranjan

2013-05-01

Poly(ethylene glycol) stabilized colloidal silver nanoparticles were prepared using the reductive potency of the aqueous extract of Thuja occidentalis leaves under ambient conditions. The nanoparticles were well dispersed within a narrow size spectrum (7-14 nm) and displayed characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at around 420 nm and Bragg's reflection planes of fcc structure. MTT assay revealed the dose-dependent cytocompatibility and toxicity of the nanoparticles with the L929 normal cell line. On the other hand, the antiproliferative action of the nanoparticles was evaluated on HeLa cell (cancerous cells) line. Fluorescence and phase contrast microscopic imaging indicated the appearance of multinucleate stages with aggregation and nuclear membrane disruption of the HeLa cells post treatment with the nanoparticles. The interaction at the prokaryotic level was also assessed via differential antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 3160) and Escherichia coli (MTCC 40). Under these perspectives, it is also necessary to observe the environmental impact of the prepared silver nanoparticles. Hence, the dose dependent toxicity of silver nanoparticles was evaluated upon the earthworm species Eisenia fetida. Neither the survival nor the reproduction was affected by the addition of silver nanoparticles up to 1000 ppm. Thus these 'green' silver nanoparticles have promising potential as future materials. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Enhancing the stability of colloidal silver nanoparticles using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from Bacillus circulans (MTCC 8167) isolated from crude oil contaminated soil.

PubMed

Phukon, Pinkee; Saikia, Jyoti Prasad; Konwar, Bolin Kumar

2011-09-01

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) was produced by growing Bacillus circulans (MTCC 8167) in the specific detection medium. The identification of the polymer as PHA was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. The PHA was purified and characterized using FT-IR. The silver nanoparticles (SNP) were synthesized from AgNO3 in the dispersed colloids of PHA (0.085%) using NaBH4 (sodium borohydrate as reducing agent). The stability was tested using wave length scanning with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and finally with transmission electron microscopy. The PHA stabilized solution was found to be stable for 30 days as against the low stability of silver nanoparticles (SNP) solution alone. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of Core/Shell ZnS:Mn/ZnO Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Jiang, Daixun; Cao, Lixin; Liu, Wei; Su, Ge; Qu, Hua; Sun, Yuanguang; Dong, Bohua

2009-01-01

In this paper the influence of ZnO shell thickness on the luminescence properties of Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles is studied. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the average diameter of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles is around 14 nm. The formation of ZnO shells on the surface of ZnS:Mn nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. A strong increase followed by a gradual decline was observed in the room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra with the thickening of the ZnO shell. The photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra exhibited a blue shift in ZnO-coated ZnS:Mn nanoparticles compared with the uncoated ones. It is shown that the PL enhancement and the blue shift of optimum excitation wavelength are led by the ZnO-induced surface passivation and compressive stress on the ZnS:Mn cores.

One-step large scale gas phase synthesis of Mn2 + doped ZnS nanoparticles in reducing flames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athanassiou, E. K.; Grass, R. N.; Stark, W. J.

2010-05-01

Metal sulfide nanoparticles have attracted considerable interest because of their unique semiconducting and electronic properties. In order to prepare these fascinating materials at an industrial scale, however, solvent-free, dry processes would be most advantageous. In the present work, we demonstrate how traditional oxide nanoparticle synthesis in flames can be extended to sulfides if we apply a careful control on flame gas composition and sulfur content. The ultra-fast (<1 ms) gas phase kinetics at elevated temperatures allow direct sulfidization of metals in flames (\\mathrm {MO}_{x} \\Rightarrow \\mathrm {MS}_{x} ). As a representative example, we prepared air-stable Mn2 + doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles. Post-sintering of the initially polycrystalline nanopowder resulted in a material of high crystallinity and improved photoluminescence. An analysis of the thermodynamics, gas composition, and kinetics in these reducing flames indicates that the here-presented extension of flame synthesis provides access to a broad range of metal sulfide nanoparticles and offers an alternative to non-oxide phosphor preparation.

Clean synthesis of YOF:Er3+, Yb3+ upconversion colloidal nanoparticles in water through liquid phase pulsed laser ablation for imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anjana, R.; Kurias, K. M.; Jayaraj, M. K.

2017-10-01

Upconversion luminescent nanomaterials have great outlook towards imaging applications. These materials have high chemical and thermal stability, low auto fluorescence, high photo stability and IR excitation does not cause photo damage to living cells and penetrate deeply into tissue. Most of the reported nanoparticles are synthesized through chemical methods in which surface modification is needed for dispersing nanoparticles in water. In this paper we report clean and simple synthesis of upconversion luminescent yttrium oxyfluoride (YOF) nanoparticles through laser ablation in deionized water. YOF:Er3+, Yb3+ pellets were used for ablation. Er3+ is the emission centre Yb3+ is the sensitizer. Obtained colloidal solution is transparent to day light and showing red emission on exciting with 980 nm IR laser. By controlling ablation parameters particles of size less than 10 nm dispersed uniformly in water can be obtained through this surfactant free method. The synthesized nanoparticles can be used for cell imaging.

Synthesis of ZnMn₂O₄ Nanoparticles by a Microwave-Assisted Colloidal Method and their Evaluation as a Gas Sensor of Propane and Carbon Monoxide.

PubMed

Morán-Lázaro, Juan Pablo; Guillen-López, Erwin Said; López-Urias, Florentino; Muñoz-Sandoval, Emilio; Blanco-Alonso, Oscar; Guillén-Bonilla, Héctor; Guillén-Bonilla, Alex; Rodríguez-Betancourtt, Verónica María; Sanchez-Tizapa, Marciano; Olvera-Amador, María de la Luz

2018-02-27

Spinel-type ZnMn₂O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple and inexpensive microwave-assisted colloidal route. Structural studies by X-ray diffraction showed that a spinel crystal phase of ZnMn₂O₄ was obtained at a calcination temperature of 500 °C, which was confirmed by Raman and UV-vis characterizations. Spinel-type ZnMn₂O₄ nanoparticles with a size of 41 nm were identified by transmission electron microscopy. Pellet-type sensors were fabricated using ZnMn₂O₄ nanoparticles as sensing material. Sensing measurements were performed by exposing the sensor to different concentrations of propane or carbon monoxide at temperatures in the range from 100 to 300 °C. Measurements performed at an operating temperature of 300 °C revealed a good response to 500 ppm of propane and 300 ppm of carbon monoxide. Hence, ZnMn₂O₄ nanoparticles possess a promising potential in the gas sensors field.

Antibacterial Activity of Electrochemically Synthesized Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles Against Hospital-Acquired Infections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thuc, Dao Tri; Huy, Tran Quang; Hoang, Luc Huy; Hoang, Tran Huy; Le, Anh-Tuan; Anh, Dang Duc

2017-06-01

This study evaluated the antibacterial activity of electrochemically synthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against hospital-acquired infections. Colloidal AgNPs were synthesized via a single process using bulk silver bars, bi-distilled water, trisodium citrate, and direct current voltage at room temperature. Colloidal AgNPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray analyses. The antibacterial activity of colloidal AgNPs against four bacterial strains isolated from clinical samples, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumonia, was evaluated by disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and ultrathin sectioning electron microscopy. The results showed that the prepared AgNPs were 19.7 ± 4.3 nm in size, quasi-spherical, and of high purity. Zones of inhibition approximately 6-10 mm in diameter were found, corresponding to AgNPs concentrations of 50 μg/mL to 100 μg/mL. The MIC results revealed that the antibacterial activity of the prepared AgNPs was strongly dependent on the concentration and strain of the tested bacteria.

From crystal chemistry to colloid stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, B.; Burrows, N.; Penn, R. L.

2008-12-01

Aqueous suspensions of ferrihydrite nanoparticles form a colloid with properties that can be understood using classical theories but which additionally exhibit the distinctive phenomenon of nanocluster formation. While use of in situ light and x-ray scattering methods permit the quantitative determination of colloid stability, interparticle interactions, and cluster or aggregate geometry, there are currently few approaches to predict the colloidal behavior of mineral nanoparticles. A longstanding goal of aqueous geochemistry is the rationalization and prediction of the chemical properties of hydrated mineral interfaces from knowledge of interface structure at the molecular scale. Because interfacial acid-base reactions typically lead to the formation of a net electrostatic charge at the surfaces of oxide, hydroxide, and oxyhydroxide mineral surfaces, quantitative descriptions of this behavior have the potential to permit the prediction of long-range interactions between mineral particles. We will evaluate the feasibility of this effort by constructing a model for surface charge formation for ferrihydrite that combines recent insights into the crystal structure of this phase and proposed methods for estimating the pKa of acidic surface groups. We will test the ability of this model to predict the colloidal stability of ferrihydrite suspensions as a function of solution chemistry.

Control of DNA-Functionalized Nanoparticle Assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olvera de La Cruz, Monica

Directed crystallization of a large variety of nanoparticles, including proteins, via DNA hybridization kinetics has led to unique materials with a broad range of crystal symmetries. The nanoparticles are functionalized with DNA chains that link neighboring functionalized units. The shape of the nanoparticle, the DNA length, the sequence of the hybridizing DNA linker and the grafting density determine the crystal symmetries and lattice spacing. By carefully selecting these parameters one can, in principle, achieve all the symmetries found for both atomic and colloidal crystals of asymmetric shapes as well as new symmetries, and drive transitions between them. A scale-accurate coarse-grained model with explicit DNA chains provides the design parameters, including degree of hybridization, to achieve specific crystal structures. The model also provides surface energy values to determine the shape of defect-free single crystals with macroscopic anisotropic properties, as well as the parameters to develop colloidal models that reproduce both the shape of single crystals and their growth kinetics.

Interaction of DNA bases with silver nanoparticles: assembly quantified through SPRS and SERS.

PubMed

Basu, Soumen; Jana, Subhra; Pande, Surojit; Pal, Tarasankar

2008-05-15

Colloidal silver nanoparticles were prepared by reducing silver nitrate with sodium borohydride. The synthesized silver particles show an intense surface plasmon band in the visible region. The work reported here describes the interaction between nanoscale silver particles and various DNA bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine), which are used as molecular linkers because of their biological significance. In colloidal solutions, the color of silver nanoparticles may range from red to purple to orange to blue, depending on the degree of aggregation as well as the orientation of the individual particles within the aggregates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and absorption spectroscopy were used to characterize the assemblies. DNA base-induced differential silver nanoparticle aggregation was quantified from the peak separation (relates to color) of surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPRS) and the signal intensity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), which rationalize the extent of silver-nucleobase interactions.

The Crystal Structure of Micro- and Nanopowders of ZnS Studied by EPR of Mn2+ and XRD.

PubMed

Nosenko, Valentyna; Vorona, Igor; Grachev, Valentyn; Ishchenko, Stanislav; Baran, Nikolai; Becherikov, Yurii; Zhuk, Anton; Polishchuk, Yuliya; Kladko, Vasyl; Selishchev, Alexander

2016-12-01

The crystal structure of micro- and nanopowders of ZnS doped with different impurities was analyzed by the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of Mn 2+ and XRD methods. The powders of ZnS:Cu, ZnS:Mn, ZnS:Co, and ZnS:Eu with the particle sizes of 5-7 μm, 50-200 nm, 7-10 μm, and 5-7 nm, respectively, were studied. Manganese was incorporated in the crystal lattice of all the samples as uncontrolled impurity or by doping. The Mn 2+ ions were used as EPR structural probes. It is found that the ZnS:Cu has the cubic structure, the ZnS:Mn has the hexagonal structure with a rhombic distortion, the ZnS:Co is the mixture of the cubic and hexagonal phases in the ratio of 1:10, and the ZnS:Eu has the cubic structure and a distorted cubic structure with stacking defects in the ratio 3:1. The EPR technique is shown to be a powerful tool in the determination of the crystal structure for mixed-polytype ZnS powders and powders with small nanoparticles. It allows observation of the stacking defects, which is revealed in the XRD spectra.

Upconversion fluorescence tyrosine doped LaF3:Dy quantum dots useful in biolabeling and biotagging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Amit T.; Khandpekar, M. M.

2018-04-01

Water soluble hexahedral colloidal quantum dots (QDOTs) of Tyrosine doped LaF3:Dy have been synthesized by wet chemical route. The nanoparticles have been irradiated by microwave during synthesis for drying and also to reduce agglomeration. The coating of the LaF3:Dy nanoparticles by the amino acid tyrosine results in colloidal quantum dots. XRD studies indicates hexagonal lattice and confirms JCPDS data. The average particle size obtained by XRD and SEM are 22.89nm and 25.5nm respectively. The average sizes of nanorods obtained from TEM are 55 nm. The presence of elements has been verified with EDAX and ICP-AES technique. The SAED pattern of the samples shows sharp concentric rings indicating the crystalline nature of the synthesized nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra have been used to study the surface modification of the nanoparticles. The optical studies have been done using UV-visible and PL spectra. The PL spectra showed upconversion nature of the synthesized nanoparticles with sharp emission at 618 nm. The nanoparticles synthesized have potential application as biomaterials in bio imaging and biotagging.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using flower extract of Malva sylvestris and investigation of their antibacterial activity.

PubMed

Mahmoodi Esfanddarani, Hassan; Abbasi Kajani, Abolghasem; Bordbar, Abdol-Khalegh

2018-06-01

High-quality colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNP) were synthesised via a green approach by using hydroalcoholic extracts of Malva sylvestris . Silver nitrate was used as a substrate ion while the plant extract successfully played the role of reducing and stabilising agents. The synthesised nanoparticles were carefully characterised by using transmission electron microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. The maximum absorption wavelengths of the colloidal solutions synthesised using 70 and 96% ethanol and 100% methanol, as extraction solvents, were 430, 485 and 504 nm, respectively. Interestingly, the size distribution of nanoparticles depended on the used solvent. The best particle size distribution belonged to the nanoparticles synthesised by 70% ethanol extract, which was 20-40 nm. The antibacterial activity of the synthesised nanoparticles was studied on Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes using disk diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum bactericidal concentrations assays. The best antibacterial activity obtained for the AgNPs produced by using 96% ethanolic extract.

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

Constructing of DNA vectors with controlled nanosize and single dispersion by block copolymer coating gold nanoparticles as template assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Junbo; Wu, Wenlan; Gao, Jiayu; Liang, Ju; Zhou, Huiyun; Liang, Lijuan

2017-03-01

Synthesized vectors with nanoscale size and stable colloid dispersion are highly desirable for improving gene delivery efficiency. Here, a core-shell template particle was constructed with polyethylene glycol- b-poly1-(3-aminopropyl)-3-(2-methacryloyloxy propylimidazolium bromine) (PEG- b-PAMPImB) coating gold nanoparticles (PEG- b-PAMPImB-@-Au NPs) for loading DNA and delivering in vitro. Data from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) suggest that these nanoplexes, by forming an electrostatic complex with DNA at the inner PAMPImB shell, offer steric protection for the outer PEG corona leading to single dispersion and small size. Notably, higher colloid stability and lower cytotoxicity were achieved with these nanoplexes when compared with PAMPImB monolayer-coated gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Confocal laser scanning microscopy and intracellular trafficking TEM further indicate that the nanoplexes can translocate across the cell membrane and partly enter the nucleus for high efficient expression. Thus, template assembly represents a promising approach to control the size and colloid stability of gene vectors and ensure safety and efficiency of DNA delivery.

Colloid particle formulations for antimicrobial applications.

PubMed

Halbus, Ahmed F; Horozov, Tommy S; Paunov, Vesselin N

2017-11-01

Colloidal particles are being extensively studied in various antimicrobial applications due to their small size to volume ratio and ability to exhibit a wide spectrum of antibacterial, antifungal, antialgal and antiviral action. The present review focuses on various nanoparticles (NPs) of inorganic, organic and hybrid materials, and discusses some of the methods for their preparation as well as mechanisms of their antimicrobial action. We consider the antimicrobial applications of metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO, MgO, CuO, Cu 2 O, Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , CeO 2 and Y 2 O 3 ), metal nanoparticles (NPs), such as copper, silver and gold, metal hydroxide NPs such as Mg(OH) 2 as well as hybrid NPs made from biodegradable materials, such as chitosan, lignin and dextran, loaded with other antimicrobial agents. Recent developments for targeted delivery of antimicrobials by using colloid antibodies for microbial cell shape and surface recognition are also discussed. We also consider recent advances in the functionalization of nanoparticles and their potential antimicrobial applications as a viable alternative of conventional antibiotics and antiseptic agents which can help to tackle antimicrobial resistance. The review also covers the recently developed environmentally benign NPs (EbNPs) as a "safer-by-design" green chemistry solution of the post use fate of antimicrobial nanomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Theory and modeling of particles with DNA-mediated interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Licata, Nicholas A.

2008-05-01

In recent years significant attention has been attracted to proposals which utilize DNA for nanotechnological applications. Potential applications of these ideas range from the programmable self-assembly of colloidal crystals, to biosensors and nanoparticle based drug delivery platforms. In Chapter I we introduce the system, which generically consists of colloidal particles functionalized with specially designed DNA markers. The sequence of bases on the DNA markers determines the particle type. Due to the hybridization between complementary single-stranded DNA, specific, type-dependent interactions can be introduced between particles by choosing the appropriate DNA marker sequences. In Chapter II we develop a statistical mechanical description of the aggregation and melting behavior of particles with DNA-mediated interactions. In Chapter III a model is proposed to describe the dynamical departure and diffusion of particles which form reversible key-lock connections. In Chapter IV we propose a method to self-assemble nanoparticle clusters using DNA scaffolds. A natural extension is discussed in Chapter V, the programmable self-assembly of nanoparticle clusters where the desired cluster geometry is encoded using DNA-mediated interactions. In Chapter VI we consider a nanoparticle based drug delivery platform for targeted, cell specific chemotherapy. In Chapter VII we present prospects for future research: the connection between DNA-mediated colloidal crystallization and jamming, and the inverse problem in self-assembly.

Potential application of SERS for arsenic speciation in biological matrices.

PubMed

Yang, Mingwei; Matulis, Shannon; Boise, Lawrence H; McGoron, Anthony J; Cai, Yong

2017-08-01

Speciation of arsenic is usually carried out using chromatography-based methods coupled with spectroscopic determination; however, the inevitable procedures involving sample preparation and separation could potentially alter the integrity of the arsenic metabolites present in biological samples. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) could be a promising alternative for providing a reliable arsenic analysis under the influence of a cellular matrix. A method for arsenic speciation using SERS in cellular matrix was developed in this study and four arsenicals were selected, including arsenite (As III ), arsenate (As V ), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA V ) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA V ). Silver nanoparticles in the form of colliodal suspension with different surface charges, i.e., coated with citrate (AgNPs-Citrate) and spermine (AgNPs-Spermine) were employed as SERS substrates. Adsorption of arsenicals on nanoparticles in colloidal suspensions and the cellular matrix and the pH, size, and zeta potential of the colloidal suspensions were investigated for a better understanding of the SERS signal response of arsenicals in the colloidal suspensions or under the influence of cellular matrix. Arsenicals showed substantially different SERS responses in the two colloidal suspensions, mainly because of the distinct difference in the interaction between the arsenicals and the nanoparticles. Arsenic speciation in cell lysate could be successfully carried out in AgNPs-Spermine suspension, while AgNPs-Citrate could not yield significant SERS signals under the experimental conditions. This study proved that AgNPs-Spermine colloidal suspension could be a promising SERS substrate for studying arsenic metabolism in a biological matrix, reducing the bias caused by traditional techniques that involve sample extraction and pretreatment.

Influence of Geometries on the Assembly of Snowman-Shaped Janus Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kang, Chengjun; Honciuc, Andrei

2018-04-24

The self-assembly of micro/nanoparticles into suprastructures is a promising way to develop reconfigurable materials and to gain insights into the fundamental question of how matter organizes itself. The geometry of particles, especially those deviating from perfectly spherical shapes, is of significant importance in colloidal assembly because it influences the particle "recognition", determines the particle packing, and ultimately dictates the formation of assembled suprastructures. In order to organize particles into desired structures, it is of vital importance to understand the relationship between the shape of the colloidal building blocks and the assembled suprastructures. This fundamental issue is an enduring topic in the assembly of molecular surfactants, but it remained elusive in colloidal assembly. To address this issue, we use snowman-shaped Janus nanoparticles (JNPs) as a model to systematically study the effect of colloidal geometries on their assembled suprastructures. Ten types of JNPs with identical chemical compositions but with different geometries were synthesized. Specifically, the synthesized JNPs differ in their lobe size ratios, phase separation degrees, and overall sizes. We show that by altering these parameters, both finite suprastructures, such as capsules with different curvatures, and nonfinite suprastructures, including free-standing single-layered or double-layered JNPs sheets, can be obtained via self-assembly. All these different types of suprastructures are constituted by highly oriented and hexagonally packed JNPs. These findings demonstrate the significance of geometries in colloidal assembly, such that slightly changing the building block geometries could result in a large variety of very different assembled structures, without altering the chemistry of the particles.

Experimental and theoretical studies of the colloidal stability of nanoparticles-a general interpretation based on stability maps.

PubMed

Segets, Doris; Marczak, Renata; Schäfer, Stefan; Paula, Carolin; Gnichwitz, Jan-Frederik; Hirsch, Andreas; Peukert, Wolfgang

2011-06-28

The current work addresses the understanding of the stabilization of nanoparticles in suspension. Specifically, we study ZnO in ethanol for which the influence of particle size and reactant ratio as well as surface coverage on colloidal stability in dependence of the purification progress was investigated. The results revealed that the well-known ζ-potential determines not only the colloidal stability but also the surface coverage of acetate groups bound to the particle surface. The acetate groups act as molecular spacers between the nanoparticles and prevent agglomeration. Next to DLVO calculations based on the theory of Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey and Overbeek using a core-shell model we find that the stability is better understood in terms of dimensionless numbers which represent attractive forces as well as electrostatic repulsion, steric effects, transport properties, and particle concentration. Evaluating the colloidal stability in dependence of time by means of UV-vis absorption measurements a stability map for ZnO is derived. From this map it becomes clear that the dimensionless steric contribution to colloidal stability scales with a stability parameter including dimensionless repulsion and attraction as well as particle concentration and diffusivity of the particles according to a power law with an exponent of -0.5. Finally, we show that our approach is valid for other stabilizing molecules like cationic dendrons and is generally applicable for a wide range of other material systems within the limitations of vanishing van der Waals forces in refractive index matched situations, vanishing ζ-potential and systems without a stabilizing shell around the particle surface.

Experimental study on the coalescence process of SiO2 supported colloidal Au nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruffino, F.; Torrisi, V.; Grimaldi, M. G.

2015-11-01

We report on an experimental study of the coalescence-driven grow process of colloidal Au nanoparticles on SiO2 surface. Nanoparticles with 30, 50, 80, 100 nm nominal diameters on a SiO2 substrate were deposited, from solutions, by the drop-casting method. Then, annealing processes, in the 573-1173 K temperature range and 900-3600 s time range, were performed. Using scanning electron microscopy analyses, the temporal evolution of the nanoparticles sizes has been studied. In particular, for all classes of nanoparticles, the experimental-obtained diameters distributions evidenced double-peak shapes (i. e. bimodal distributions): a first peak centered (and unchanged changing the annealing temperature and/or time) at the nominal diameter of the as-deposited nanoparticles, , and a second peak shifting at higher mean diameters, , increasing the annealing temperature and/or time. This observation suggested us a coalescence-driven growth process of a nanoparticles sub-population. As a consequence, the temporal evolution of (for each class of nanoparticles and each annealing temperature), within the well-established particles coalescence theoretical framework, has been analyzed. In particular, by the analyses of the experimental data using relations as prescribed by the theoretical model, a characteristic size-dependent activation energy for the Au nanoparticles coalescence process has been evaluated.

The effect of colloidal silica nanoparticles encapsulated fluorescein dye using micelle entrapment method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Atiqah; Zakaria, Nor Dyana; Lockman, Zainovia; Razak, Khairunisak Abdul

2018-05-01

The advancement of nanoparticle-based approaches such as quantum dots (QDs), metallic (Au and Ag) NPs, silica NPs and other types of nanomaterial have led to a large variety of biomolecular imaging and labelling reagents with controlled size and shaped to overcome the limitation of conventional organic dye. In this study, the yellowish green color of fluorescein dye was encapsulated into colloidal silica nanoparticles by using micelle entrapment approach. Two different size of silica nanoparticles encapsulated fluorescein dye (27.7 ± 5.6 and 46.73 ± 4.3 nm) with spherical and monodispered of nanoparticles were synthesised by varying the volume of co-solvent during the synthesis process. The particles size, particles morphology, absorption spectrum and the photostability of fluorescein dye was measured by using dynamic light scaterring (DLS), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and UV-Vis spectrometer. Furthermore, the effect of photostability of of silica nanoparticles encapsulated fluorescein dye was measured under radiation of 200 W of Halogen lamp for 60 minutes. The silica nanoparticles encapsulated fluorescein dye was more stable compared to bare fluorescein dye after the exposure. In conclusion, the photostability of silica nanoparticles encapsulated fluorescein dye was improved compared to bare fluorescein dye, thus silica nanoparticles encapsulation successfully provides protection from the photobleaching and photodegradation of fluorescein dye.

Evasion of the accelerated blood clearance phenomenon by coating of nanoparticles with various hydrophilic polymers.

PubMed

Ishihara, Tsutomu; Maeda, Taishi; Sakamoto, Haruka; Takasaki, Naoko; Shigyo, Masao; Ishida, Tatsuhiro; Kiwada, Hiroshi; Mizushima, Yutaka; Mizushima, Tohru

2010-10-11

The accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon is induced upon repeated injections of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-coated colloidal carriers. It is essential to suppress this phenomenon in a clinical setting because the pharmacokinetics must be reproducible. In this study, we evaluated the induction of the ABC phenomenon using nanoparticles coated with various hydrophilic polymers instead of PEG. Nanoparticles encapsulating prostaglandin E1 were prepared by the solvent diffusion method from a blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and block copolymers consisting of various hydrophilic polymers and PLA. Coating of nanoparticles with poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly(4-acryloylmorpholine), or poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) led to extended residence of the nanoparticles in blood circulation in rats, although they had a shorter half-life than the PEG-coated nanoparticles. The ABC phenomenon was not induced upon repeated injection of PVP-coated nanoparticles at various time intervals, dosages, or frequencies, whereas it was elicited by PEG-coated nanoparticles. In addition, anti-PVP IgM antibody, which is estimated to be one of the crucial factors for induction of the ABC phenomenon, was not produced after injection of PVP-coated nanoparticles. These results suggest that the use of PVP, instead of PEG, as a coating material for colloidal carriers can evade the ABC phenomenon.

Analytic solutions for colloid transport with time- or depth-dependent retention in porous media

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elucidating and quantifying the transport of industrial nanoparticles (e.g. silver, carbon nanotubes, and graphene oxide) and other colloid-size particles such as viruses and bacteria is important to safeguard and manage the quality of the subsurface environment. Analytic solutions were derived for...

Protein Corona Formation on Colloidal Polymeric Nanoparticles and Polymeric Nanogels: Impact on Cellular Uptake, Toxicity, Immunogenicity, and Drug Release Properties.

PubMed

Obst, Katja; Yealland, Guy; Balzus, Benjamin; Miceli, Enrico; Dimde, Mathias; Weise, Christoph; Eravci, Murat; Bodmeier, Roland; Haag, Rainer; Calderón, Marcelo; Charbaji, Nada; Hedtrich, Sarah

2017-06-12

The adsorption of biomolecules to the surface of nanoparticles (NPs) following administration into biological environments is widely recognized. In particular, the "protein corona" is well understood in terms of formation kinetics and impact upon the biological interactions of NPs. Its presence is an essential consideration in the design of therapeutic NPs. In the present study, the protein coronas of six polymeric nanoparticles of prospective therapeutic use were investigated. These included three colloidal NPs-soft core-multishell (CMS) NPs, plus solid cationic Eudragit RS (EGRS), and anionic ethyl cellulose (EC) nanoparticles-and three nanogels (NGs)-thermoresponsive dendritic-polyglycerol (dPG) nanogels (NGs) and two amino-functionalized dPG-NGs. Following incubation with human plasma, protein coronas were characterized and their biological interactions compared with pristine NPs. All NPs demonstrated protein adsorption and increased hydrodynamic diameters, although the solid EGRS and EC NPs bound notably more protein than the other tested particles. Shifts toward moderately negative surface charges were also observed for all corona bearing NPs, despite varied zeta potentials in their pristine states. While the uptake and cellular adhesion of the colloidal NPs in primary human keratinocytes and human umbilical vein endothelial cells were significantly decreased when bearing the protein corona, no obvious impact was seen in the NGs. By contrast, corona bearing NGs induced marked increases in cytokine release from primary human macrophages not seen with corona bearing colloidal NPs. Despite this, no apparent enhancement to in vitro toxicity was noted. Finally, drug release from EGRS and EC NPs was assessed, where a decrease was seen in the EGRS NPs alone. Together these results provide a direct comparison of the physical and biological impact the protein corona has on NPs of widely varied character and in particular highlights a distinction between the corona's effects on NGs and colloidal NPs.

Chemical Sensing Sensitivity of Long-Period Grating Sensor Enhanced by Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Tang, Jaw-Luen; Wang, Jien-Neng

2008-01-01

A simple and effective method is proposed to improve spectral sensitivity and detection limit of long period gratings for refractive index or chemical sensing, where the grating surface is modified by a monolayer of colloidal gold nanoparticles. The transmission spectra and optical properties of gold nanospheres vary with the different refractive index of the environment near the surface of gold nanospheres. The sensor response of gold colloids increases linearly with solvents of increasing refractive index. The results for the measurement of sucrose and sodium chloride solutions are reported, which show that this type of sensor can provide a limiting resolution of ∼10-3 to ∼10-4 for refractive indices in the range of 1.34 to 1.39 and a noticeable increase in detection limit of refractive index to external medium. PMID:27879701

Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene glycol mediated silver nanoparticles by the green method.

PubMed

Shameli, Kamyar; Ahmad, Mansor Bin; Jazayeri, Seyed Davoud; Sedaghat, Sajjad; Shabanzadeh, Parvaneh; Jahangirian, Hossein; Mahdavi, Mahnaz; Abdollahi, Yadollah

2012-01-01

The roles of green chemistry in nanotechnology and nanoscience fields are very significant in the synthesis of diverse nanomaterials. Herein, we report a green chemistry method for synthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in polymeric media. The colloidal Ag NPs were synthesized in an aqueous solution using silver nitrate, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and β-D-glucose as a silver precursor, stabilizer, and reducing agent, respectively. The properties of synthesized colloidal Ag NPs were studied at different reaction times. The ultraviolet-visible spectra were in excellent agreement with the obtained nanostructure studies performed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and their size distributions. The Ag NPs were characterized by utilizing X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The use of green chemistry reagents, such as glucose, provides green and economic features to this work.

Ex vivo assessment of polyol coated-iron oxide nanoparticles for MRI diagnosis applications: toxicological and MRI contrast enhancement effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bomati-Miguel, Oscar; Miguel-Sancho, Nuria; Abasolo, Ibane; Candiota, Ana Paula; Roca, Alejandro G.; Acosta, Milena; Schwartz, Simó; Arus, Carles; Marquina, Clara; Martinez, Gema; Santamaria, Jesus

2014-03-01

Polyol synthesis is a promising method to obtain directly pharmaceutical grade colloidal dispersion of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). Here, we study the biocompatibility and performance as T2-MRI contrast agents (CAs) of high quality magnetic colloidal dispersions (average hydrodynamic aggregate diameter of 16-27 nm) consisting of polyol-synthesized SPIONs (5 nm in mean particle size) coated with triethylene glycol (TEG) chains (TEG-SPIONs), which were subsequently functionalized to carboxyl-terminated meso-2-3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) coated-iron oxide nanoparticles (DMSA-SPIONs). Standard MTT assays on HeLa, U87MG, and HepG2 cells revealed that colloidal dispersions of TEG-coated iron oxide nanoparticles did not induce any loss of cell viability after 3 days incubation with dose concentrations below 50 μg Fe/ml. However, after these nanoparticles were functionalized with DMSA molecules, an increase on their cytotoxicity was observed, so that particles bearing free terminal carboxyl groups on their surface were not cytotoxic only at low concentrations (<10 μg Fe/ml). Moreover, cell uptake assays on HeLa and U87MG and hemolysis tests have demonstrated that TEG-SPIONs and DMSA-SPIONs were well internalized by the cells and did not induce any adverse effect on the red blood cells at the tested concentrations. Finally, in vitro relaxivity measurements and post mortem MRI studies in mice indicated that both types of coated-iron oxide nanoparticles produced higher negative T2-MRI contrast enhancement than that measured for a similar commercial T2-MRI CAs consisting in dextran-coated ultra-small iron oxide nanoparticles (Ferumoxtran-10). In conclusion, the above attributes make both types of as synthesized coated-iron oxide nanoparticles, but especially DMSA-SPIONs, promising candidates as T2-MRI CAs for nanoparticle-enhanced MRI diagnosis applications.

Tracking liquid in drying colloidal fluids with polarized light microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Kun; Park, Jung Soo; Kim, Joon Heon; Weon, Byung Mook

2014-11-01

When colloidal fluids dry, tracking liquid surfaces around colloids is difficult with conventional imaging techniques. Here we show that polarized light microscopy (PM) is very useful in tracking liquid surfaces during drying processes of colloidal fluids. In particular, the PM mode is not a new or difficult way but is able to visualize liquid films above colloids in real time. We demonstrate that when liquid films above colloidal particles are broken, the PM patterns appear clearly: this feature is useful to identify the moment of liquid film rupture above colloids in drying colloidal fluids. This result is helpful to improve relevant processes such as inkjet printing, painting, and nanoparticle patterning (K.C. and J.S.P. equally contributed). This work (NRF-2013R1A22A04008115) was supported by Mid-career Researcher Program through NRF grant funded by the MEST.

AQUEOUS PROTONATION PROPERTIES OF AMPHOTERIC NANOPARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

A divergence is predicted between the acidity behavior of charged sites on micron sized colloidal particles and nanoparticles. Utilizing the approximate analytical solution to the Poisson-Boltzmann equation published by Ohshima et al. (1982), findings from the work included: 1):...

Surface and capillary forces encountered by zinc sulfide microspheres in aqueous electrolyte.

PubMed

Gillies, Graeme; Kappl, Michael; Butt, Hans-Jürgen

2005-06-21

The colloid probe technique was used to investigate the interactions between individual zinc sulfide (ZnS) microspheres and an air bubble in electrolyte solution. Incorporation of zinc ions into the electrolyte solution overcomes the disproportionate zinc ion dissolution and mimics high-volume-fraction conditions common in flotation. Determined interaction forces revealed a distinct lack of long-ranged hydrophobic forces, indicated by the presence of a DLVO repulsion prior to particle engulfment. Single microsphere contact angles were determined from particle-bubble interactions. Contact angles increased with decreasing radii and with surface oxidation. Surface modification by the absorption of copper and subsequently potassium O-ethyldithiocarbonate (KED) reduced repulsive forces and strongly increased contact angles.

Laser-induced particle size tuning and structural transformations in germanium nanoparticles prepared by stain etching and colloidal synthesis route

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

Karatutlu, Ali, E-mail: a.karatutlu@qmul.ac.uk, E-mail: ali.karatutlu@bou.edu.tr; Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Bursa Orhangazi University, 16310 Yıldırım/Bursa; Little, William

In this study, with the aid of Raman measurements, we have observed transformations in small (∼3 nm and ∼10 nm) free-standing Ge nanoparticles under laser light exposure. The nanoparticles were obtained by the chemical stain etching of a monocrystalline Ge wafer and of Ge powder and by colloidal synthesis route. We found that the transformation path depends on laser power and exposure time. At relatively low values of the laser power (2 mW) over a period of 100 min, the Raman signal indicates transformation of the sample from a nanocrystaline to bulk-like state, followed by partial oxidation and finally a conversion of themore » entire sample into alpha-quartz type GeO{sub 2}. However, when the laser power is set at 60 mW, we observed a heat release during an explosive crystallization of the nanocrystalline material into bulk Ge without noticeable signs of oxidation. Together with the transmission electron microscopy measurements, these results suggest that the chemical stain etching method for the preparation of porous Ge may not be a top-down process as has been widely considered, but a bottom up one. Systematic studies of the laser exposure on Ge nanoparticles prepared by colloidal synthesis results in the fact that the explosive crystallisation is common for H-terminated and partially disordered Ge nanoparticles regardless of its particle size. We suggest possible bio-medical applications for the observed phenomena.« less

Preparation and evaluation of 188 Re sulfide colloidal nanoparticles loaded biodegradable poly (L-lactic acid) microspheres for radioembolization therapy.

PubMed

Jamre, Mina; Shamsaei, Mojtaba; Erfani, Mostafa; Sadjadi, Sodeh; Ghannadi Maragheh, Mohammad

2018-04-12

Radioembolization with radioactive microspheres has been an effective method for the treatment of liver lesions. The aim of this study was to prepare carrier-free 188 Re loaded poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) microspheres through 188 Re sulfide colloidal nanoparticles ( 188 Re-SC nanoparticles). The formation of 188 Re-SC nanoparticles was confirmed by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. The labeling yield of 188 Re-SC nanoparticles was verified using the RTLC method. Effects of synthesis parameters on morphology and size of prepared 188 Re-sulfide colloidal-PLLA microspheres ( 188 Re-SC-PLLA microspheres) were studied by scanning electron microscopy. In vitro stability of 188 Re-SC-PLLA microspheres was investigated in normal saline at room temperature and in human serum at 37°C. In vivo distribution studies and gamma camera imaging were performed in healthy BALB/c mice. The microspheres could be prepared with sizes between 13 and 48 μm (modal value 29 μm) and radiolabeling efficiency >99%. After incubation, the microspheres were found stable in vitro up to 72 hours. The biodistribution after intravenous injection in healthy BALB/c mice showed high accumulation in lung as a first capture pathway organ for microsphere followed by great retention over 48 hours for these microspheres. These data show that 188 Re-SC-PLLA microspheres are suitable candidate for clinical studies. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DNA-controlled dynamic colloidal nanoparticle systems for mediating cellular interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohta, Seiichi; Glancy, Dylan; Chan, Warren C. W.

2016-02-01

Precise control of biosystems requires development of materials that can dynamically change physicochemical properties. Inspired by the ability of proteins to alter their conformation to mediate function, we explored the use of DNA as molecular keys to assemble and transform colloidal nanoparticle systems. The systems consist of a core nanoparticle surrounded by small satellites, the conformation of which can be transformed in response to DNA via a toe-hold displacement mechanism. The conformational changes can alter the optical properties and biological interactions of the assembled nanosystem. Photoluminescent signal is altered by changes in fluorophore-modified particle distance, whereas cellular targeting efficiency is increased 2.5 times by changing the surface display of targeting ligands. These concepts provide strategies for engineering dynamic nanotechnology systems for navigating complex biological environments.

Brownian rotational relaxation and power absorption in magnetite nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goya, G. F.; Fernandez-Pacheco, R.; Arruebo, M.; Cassinelli, N.; Ibarra, M. R.

2007-09-01

We present a study of the power absorption efficiency in several magnetite-based colloids, to asses their potential as magnetic inductive hyperthermia (MIH) agents. Relaxation times τ were measured through the imaginary susceptibility component χ″(T), and analyzed within Debye's theory of dipolar fluid. The results indicated Brownian rotational relaxation and allowed to calculate the hydrodynamic radius close to the values obtained from photon correlation. The study of the colloid performances as power absorbers showed no detectable increase of temperature for dextran-coated Fe 3O 4 nanoparticles, whereas a second Fe 3O 4-based dispersion of similar concentration could be heated up to 12 K after 30 min under similar experimental conditions. The different power absorption efficiencies are discussed in terms of the magnetic structure of the nanoparticles.

Experimental evidence of colloids and nanoparticles presence from 25 waste leachates

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

Hennebert, Pierre, E-mail: pierre.hennebert@ineris.fr; Avellan, Astrid; Yan, Junfang

Highlights: • This work is the first assessment of colloids in waste leachates. • Analytical methods are proposed and discussed. • All the waste have at least one element in colloidal form, and some elements are always colloidal. • Man-made nanoparticles are observed. • It can change the interpretation of leachate elemental concentration. - Abstract: The potential colloids release from a large panel of 25 solid industrial and municipal waste leachates, contaminated soil, contaminated sediments and landfill leachates was studied. Standardized leaching, cascade filtrations and measurement of element concentrations in the microfiltrate (MF) and ultrafiltrate (UF) fraction were used tomore » easily detect colloids potentially released by waste. Precautions against CO{sub 2} capture by alkaline leachates, or bacterial re-growth in leachates from wastes containing organic matter should be taken. Most of the colloidal particles were visible by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersion spectrometry (TEM–EDS) if their elemental MF concentration is greater than 200 μg l{sup −1}. If the samples are dried during the preparation for microscopy, neoformation of particles can occur from the soluble part of the element. Size distribution analysis measured by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) were frequently unvalid, particularly due to polydispersity and/or too low concentrations in the leachates. A low sensitivity device is required, and further improvement is desirable in that field. For some waste leachates, particles had a zeta potential strong enough to remain in suspension. Mn, As, Co, Pb, Sn, Zn had always a colloidal form (MF concentration/UF concentration > 1.5) and total organic carbon (TOC), Fe, P, Ba, Cr, Cu, Ni are partly colloidal for more than half of the samples). Nearly all the micro-pollutants (As, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, V and Zn) were found at least once in colloidal form greater than 100 μg l{sup −1}. In particular, the colloidal forms of Zn were always by far more concentrated than its dissolved form. The TEM–EDS method showed various particles, including manufactured nanoparticles (organic polymer, TiO{sub 2}, particles with Sr, La, Ce, Nd). All the waste had at least one element detected as colloidal. The solid waste leachates contained significant amount of colloids different in elemental composition from natural ones. The majority of the elements were in colloidal form for wastes of packaging (3), a steel slag, a sludge from hydrometallurgy, composts (2), a dredged sediment (#18), an As contaminated soil and two active landfill leachates. These results showed that cascade filtration and ICP elemental analysis seems valid methods in this field, and that electronic microscopy with elemental detection allows to identify particles. Particles can be formed from dissolved elements during TEM sample preparation and cross-checking with MF and UF composition by ICP is useful. The colloidal fraction of leachate of waste seems to be a significant source term, and should be taken into account in studies of emission and transfer of contaminants in the environment. Standardized cross-filtration method could be amended for the presence of colloids in waste leachates.« less

Environment effect on the acoustic vibration of metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voisin, C.; Christofilos, D.; Del Fatti, N.; Vallée, F.

2002-05-01

The impact of the environment on the frequency and damping of the breathing acoustic mode of noble metal nanoparticle is discussed using the model of isotropic homogeneous elastic spheres embedded in an elastic medium. The results are compared to the experimental investigations performed in glass embedded silver nanoparticles and gold colloids using a time-resolved pump-probe technique.

Template-directed synthesis of MS (M=Cd, Zn) hollow microsphere via hydrothermal method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shi-Ming; Wang, Qiong-Sheng; Wan, Qing-Li

2008-05-01

CdS, ZnS hollow microspheres were prepared with chitosan as the synthesis template at 140 and 150 °C, respectively, by hydrothermal method. The resultant products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in order to determine the crystalline phase of the products. The structural and morphological features of the nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). The experimental results indicated that all the nanoparticles aggregated into hollow microspheres and chitosan as a template played an important role in the formation of hollow microspheres. In addition, an intermediate complex structure-controlling possible reaction mechanism was proposed in this paper.

Inhibition effects of protein-conjugated amorphous zinc sulfide nanoparticles on tumor cells growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Ying; Wang, Hua-Jie; Cao, Cui; Sun, Yuan-Yuan; Yang, Lin; Wang, Bao-Qing; Zhou, Jian-Guo

2011-07-01

In this article, a facile and environmentally friendly method was applied to fabricate BSA-conjugated amorphous zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the matrix. Transmission electron microscopy analysis indicated that the stable and well-dispersed nanoparticles with the diameter of 15.9 ± 2.1 nm were successfully prepared. The energy dispersive X-ray, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrograph, high resolution transmission electron microscope, and selected area electron diffraction measurements showed that the obtained nanoparticles had the amorphous structure and the coordination occurred between zinc sulfide surfaces and BSA in the nanoparticles. In addition, the inhibition effects of BSA-conjugated amorphous zinc sulfide nanoparticles on tumor cells growth were described in detail by cell viability analysis, optical and electron microscopy methods. The results showed that BSA-conjugated amorphous zinc sulfide nanoparticles could inhibit the metabolism and proliferation of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and the inhibition was dose dependent. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 0.36 mg/mL. Overall, this study suggested that BSA-conjugated amorphous zinc sulfide nanoparticles had the application potential as cytostatic agents and BSA in the nanoparticles could provide the modifiable site for the nanoparticles to improve their bioactivity or to endow them with the target function.

Green synthesis of colloidal silver nanoparticles using natural rubber latex extracted from Hevea brasiliensis.

PubMed

Guidelli, Eder José; Ramos, Ana Paula; Zaniquelli, Maria Elisabete D; Baffa, Oswaldo

2011-11-01

Colloidal silver nanoparticles were synthesized by an easy green method using thermal treatment of aqueous solutions of silver nitrate and natural rubber latex (NRL) extracted from Hevea brasiliensis. The UV-Vis spectra detected the characteristic surface plasmonic absorption band around 435 nm. Both NRL and AgNO(3) contents in the reaction medium have influence in the Ag nanoparticles formation. Lower AgNO(3) concentration led to decreased particle size. The silver nanoparticles presented diameters ranging from 2 nm to 100 nm and had spherical shape. The selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns indicated that the silver nanoparticles have face centered cubic (fcc) crystalline structure. FTIR spectra suggest that reduction of the silver ions are facilitated by their interaction with the amine groups from ammonia, which is used for conservation of the NRL, whereas the stability of the particles results from cis-isoprene binding onto the surface of nanoparticles. Therefore natural rubber latex extracted from H. brasiliensis can be employed in the preparation of stable aqueous dispersions of silver nanoparticles acting as a dispersing and/or capping agent. Moreover, this work provides a new method for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles that is simple, easy to perform, pollutant free and inexpensive. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SERS detection of indirect viral DNA capture using colloidal gold and methylene blue as a Raman label

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An indirect capture model assay using colloidal Au nanoparticles is demonstrated for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy detection of DNA. The sequence targeted for capture is derived from the West Nile Virus (WNV) RNA genome and was selected on the basis of exhibiting minimal seco...

Effect of sonication on the colloidal stability of iron oxide nanoparticles

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

Sodipo, Bashiru Kayode; Aziz, Azlan Abdul

2015-04-24

Colloidal stability of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles’ (SPION) suspensions, ultrasonically irradiated at various pH was studied. Electrophoresis measurement of the sonicated SPION showed that the shock waves and other unique conditions generated from the acoustic cavitation process (formation, growth and collapse of bubbles) affect the zeta potential value of the suspension. In this work, stabled colloidal suspensions of SPION were prepared and their pH is varied between 3 and 5. Prior to ultrasonic irradiation of the suspensions, their initial zeta potential values were determined. After ultrasonic irradiation of the suspensions, we observed that the sonication process interacts with colloidal stabilitymore » of the nanoparticles. The results demonstrated that only suspensions with pH less 4 were found stable and able to retain more than 90% of its initial zeta potential value. However, at pH greater than 4, the suspensions were found unstable. The result implies that good zeta potential value of SPION can be sustained in sonochemical process as long as the pH of the mixture is kept below 4.« less

Fabrication of Polyhedral Particles from Spherical Colloids and Their Self-Assembly into Rotator Phases**

PubMed Central

Vutukuri, Hanumantha Rao; Imhof, Arnout; van Blaaderen, Alfons

2014-01-01

Particle shape is a critical parameter that plays an important role in self-assembly, for example, in designing targeted complex structures with desired properties. Over the last decades, an unprecedented range of monodisperse nanoparticle systems with control over the shape of the particles have become available. In contrast, the choice of micrometer-sized colloidal building blocks of particles with flat facets, that is, particles with polygonal shapes, is significantly more limited. This can be attributed to the fact that in contrast to nanoparticles, the larger colloids are significantly harder to synthesize as single crystals. It is now shown that a very simple building block, such as a micrometer-sized polymeric spherical colloidal particle, is already enough to fabricate particles with regularly placed flat facets, including completely polygonal shapes with sharp edges. As an illustration that the yields are high enough for further self-assembly studies, the formation of three-dimensional rotator phases of fluorescently labelled, micrometer-sized, and charged rhombic dodecahedron particles was demonstrated. This method for fabricating polyhedral particles opens a new avenue for designing new materials. PMID:25366869

Synthesis, characterization and photovoltaic performance of Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots- P3HT hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jabeen, Uzma; Adhikari, Tham; Shah, Syed Mujtaba; Pathak, Dinesh; Nunzi, Jean-Michel

2017-11-01

Zinc sulphide (ZnS) and transition metal-doped ZnS nanocrystals were synthesized by co-precipitation method. Further the synthesized nanocrystals were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM), Fluorescence, UV-Visible, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transformed Infra-red (FTIR) Spectrometer (FTIR). Scanning electron microscope supplemented with EDAX was employed to attain grain size and chemical composition of the nanomaterials. A considerable blue shift of absorption band was noted by the manganese concentration (0.5 M) in the doped sample in comparison with ZnS quantum dots because of the decrease in the size of nanoparticles which may be due to quantum confinement. The photoluminescence emission observed at 596 nm is due to the emission of divalent manganese and can be ascribed to a 4T1→6A1 transition within the 3d shell. Though, the broad blue emission band was observed at 424 nm which may originates from the radiative recombination comprising defect states in the un-doped zinc sulphide quantum dots. XRD analysis exhibited that the synthesized nanomaterial endured in cubic structure. The synthesized nanomaterial combined with organic polymer P3HT, poly (3-hexyl thiophene) and worked in the construction of inverted solar cells. The photovoltaic devices with un-doped zinc sulphide quantum dots showed power conversion efficiency of 0.48% without annealing and 0.52% with annealing. By doping with manganese, the efficiency was enhanced by a factor of 0.52 without annealing and 0.59 with annealing. The morphology and packing behavior of blend of nanocrystals with organic polymer were explored using Atomic Force Microscopy.

The antimicrobial sensitivity of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sangius to colloidal solutions of different nanoparticles applied as mouthwashes

PubMed Central

Ahrari, Farzaneh; Eslami, Neda; Rajabi, Omid; Ghazvini, Kiarash; Barati, Sahar

2015-01-01

Background: Metal nanoparticles have been recently applied in dentistry because of their antibacterial properties. This study aimed to evaluate antibacterial effects of colloidal solutions containing zinc oxide (ZnO), copper oxide (CuO), titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles on Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sangius and compare the results with those of chlorhexidine and sodium fluoride mouthrinses. Materials and Methods: After adding nanoparticles to a water-based solution, six groups were prepared. Groups I to IV included colloidal solutions containing nanoZnO, nanoCuO, nanoTiO2 and nanoAg, respectively. Groups V and VI consisted of 2.0% sodium fluoride and 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwashes, respectively as controls. We used serial dilution method to find minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and with subcultures obtained minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of the solutions against S. mutans and S. sangius. The data were analyzed by analysis of variance and Duncan test and P < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The sodium fluoride mouthrinse did not show any antibacterial effect. The nanoTiO2-containing solution had the lowest MIC against both microorganisms and also displayed the lowest MBC against S. mutans (P < 0.05). The colloidal solutions containing nanoTiO2 and nanoZnO showed the lowest MBC against S. sangius (P < 0.05). On the other hand, chlorhexidine showed the highest MIC and MBC against both streptococci (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The nanoTiO2-containing mouthwash proved to be an effective antimicrobial agent and thus it can be considered as an alternative to chlorhexidine or sodium fluoride mouthrinses in the oral cavity provided the lack of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on biologic tissues. PMID:25709674

A novel approach for the fabrication of all-inorganic nanocrystal solids: Semiconductor matrix encapsulated nanocrystal arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moroz, Pavel

Growing fossil fuels consumption compels researchers to find new alternative pathways to produce energy. Along with new materials for the conversion of different types of energy into electricity innovative methods for efficient processing of energy sources are also introduced. The main criteria for the success of such materials and methods are the low cost and compelling performance. Among different types of materials semiconductor nanocrystals are considered as promising candidates for the role of the efficient and cheap absorbers for solar energy applications. In addition to the anticipated cost reduction, the integration of nanocrystals (NC) into device architectures is inspired by the possibility of tuning the energy of electrical charges in NCs via nanoparticle size. However, the stability of nanocrystals in photovoltaic devices is limited by the stability of organic ligands which passivate the surface of semiconductors to preserve quantum confinement. The present work introduces a new strategy for low-temperature processing of colloidal nanocrystals into all-inorganic films: semiconductor matrix encapsulated nanocrystal arrays (SMENA). This methodology goes beyond the traditional ligand-interlinking scheme and relies on the encapsulation of morphologically-defined nanocrystal arrays into a matrix of a wide-band gap semiconductor, which preserves optoelectronic properties of individual nanoparticles. Fabricated solids exhibit excellent thermal stability, which is attributed to the heteroepitaxial structure of nanocrystal-matrix interfaces. The main characteristics and properties of these solids were investigated and compared with ones of traditionally fabricated nanocrystal films using standard spectroscopic, optoelectronic and electronic techniques. As a proof of concept, we. We also characterized electron transport phenomena in different types of nanocrystal films using all-optical approach. By measuring excited carrier lifetimes in either ligand-linked or matrix-encapsulated PbS nanocrystal films containing a tunable fraction of insulating ZnS domains, we uniquely distinguish the dynamics of charge scattering on defects from other processes of exciton dissociation. The measured times are subsequently used to estimate the diffusion length and the carrier mobility for each film type within hopping transport regime. It is demonstrated that nanocrystal films encapsulated into semiconductor matrices exhibit a lower probability of charge scattering than nanocrystal solids cross-linked with either 3-mercaptopropionic acid or 1,2-ethanedithiol molecular linkers. The suppression of carrier scattering in matrix-encapsulated nanocrystal films is attributed to a relatively low density of surface defects at nanocrystal/matrix interfaces. High stability and low density of defects made it possible to fabricate infrared-emitting nanocrystal solids. Presently, an important challenge facing the development of nanocrystal infrared emitters concerns the fact that both the emission quantum yield and the stability of colloidal nanoparticles become compromised when nanoparticle solutions are processed into solids. Here, we address this issue by developing an assembly technique that encapsulates infrared-emitting PbS NCs into crystalline CdS matrices, designed to preserve NC emission characteristics upon film processing. Here, the morphology of these matrices was designed to suppress the nonradiative carrier decay, whereby increasing the exciton lifetime up to 1 mus, and boosting the emission quantum yield to an unprecedented 3.7% for inorganically encapsulated PbS NC solids.

Green synthesis of highly concentrated aqueous colloidal solutions of large starch-stabilised silver nanoplatelets.

PubMed

Cheng, Fei; Betts, Jonathan W; Kelly, Stephen M; Hector, Andrew L

2015-01-01

A simple, environmentally friendly and cost-effective method has been developed to prepare a range of aqueous silver colloidal solutions, using ascorbic acid as a reducing agent, water-soluble starch as a combined crystallising, stabilising and solubilising agent, and water as the solvent. The diameter of silver nanoplatelets increases with higher concentrations of AgNO3 and starch. The silver nanoparticles are also more uniform in shape the greater the diameter of the nanoparticles. Colloidal solutions with a very high concentration of large, flat, hexagonal silver nanoplatelets (~230 nm in breadth) have been used to deposit and fix an antibacterial coating of these large starch-stabilised silver nanoplates on commercial cotton fibres, using a simple dip-coating process using water as the solvent, in order to study the dependence of the antibacterial properties of these nanoplatelets on their size. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical and structural properties of ensembles of colloidal Ag{sub 2}S quantum dots in gelatin

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

Ovchinnikov, O. V., E-mail: Ovchinnikov-O-V@rambler.ru; Smirnov, M. S.; Shapiro, B. I.

2015-03-15

The size dependences of the absorption and luminescence spectra of ensembles of hydrophilic colloidal Ag{sub 2}S quantum dots produced by the sol-gel method and dispersed in gelatin are analyzed. By X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy, the formation of core/shell nanoparticles is detected. The characteristic feature of the nanoparticles is the formation of crystalline cores, 1.5–2.0 nm in dimensions, and shells of gelatin and its complexes with the components of synthesis. The observed slight size dependence of the position of infrared photoluminescence bands (in the range 1000–1400 nm) in the ensembles of hydrophilic colloidal Ag{sub 2}S quantum dots ismore » explained within the context of the model of the radiative recombination of electrons localized at structural and impurity defects with free holes.« less

Tuning plasmons layer-by-layer for quantitative colloidal sensing with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Anderson, William J; Nowinska, Kamila; Hutter, Tanya; Mahajan, Sumeet; Fischlechner, Martin

2018-04-19

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is well known for its high sensitivity that emerges due to the plasmonic enhancement of electric fields typically on gold and silver nanostructures. However, difficulties associated with the preparation of nanostructured substrates with uniform and reproducible features limit reliability and quantitation using SERS measurements. In this work we use layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly to incorporate multiple functional building blocks of collaborative assemblies of nanoparticles on colloidal spheres to fabricate SERS sensors. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are packaged in discrete layers, effectively 'freezing nano-gaps', on spherical colloidal cores to achieve multifunctionality and reproducible sensing. Coupling between layers tunes the plasmon resonance for optimum SERS signal generation to achieve a 10 nM limit of detection. Significantly, using the layer-by-layer construction, SERS-active AuNP layers are spaced out and thus optically isolated. This uniquely allows the creation of an internal standard within each colloidal sensor to enable highly reproducible self-calibrated sensing. By using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) as the internal standard adenine concentrations are quantified to an accuracy of 92.6-99.5%. Our versatile approach paves the way for rationally designed yet quantitative colloidal SERS sensors and their use in a variety of sensing applications.

Experimental Aspects of Colloidal Interactions in Mixed Systems of Liposome and Inorganic Nanoparticle and Their Applications

PubMed Central

Michel*, Raphael; Gradzielski*, Michael

2012-01-01

In the past few years, growing attention has been devoted to the study of the interactions taking place in mixed systems of phospholipid membranes (for instance in the form of vesicles) and hard nanoparticles (NPs). In this context liposomes (vesicles) may serve as versatile carriers or as a model system for biological membranes. Research on these systems has led to the observation of novel hybrid structures whose morphology strongly depends on the charge, composition and size of the interacting colloidal species as well as on the nature (pH, ionic strength) of their dispersing medium. A central role is played by the phase behaviour of phospholipid bilayers which have a tremendous influence on the liposome properties. Another central aspect is the incorporation of nanoparticles into vesicles, which is intimately linked to the conditions required for transporting a nanoparticle through a membrane. Herein, we review recent progress made on the investigations of the interactions in liposome/nanoparticle systems focusing on the particularly interesting structures that are formed in these hybrid systems as well as their potential applications. PMID:23109874

Enhanced upconversion emission in colloidal (NaYF4:Er(3+))/NaYF4 core/shell nanoparticles excited at 1523 nm.

PubMed

Shao, Wei; Chen, Guanying; Damasco, Jossana; Wang, Xianliang; Kachynski, Aliaksandr; Ohulchanskyy, Tymish Y; Yang, Chunhui; Ågren, Hans; Prasad, Paras N

2014-03-15

In this work, we report on efficient visible and near-IR upconversion emissions in colloidal hexagonal-phase core/shell NaYF4:Er(3+)/NaYF4 nanoparticles (∼38  nm) under IR laser excitation at 1523 nm. Varying amounts of Er(3+) dopants were introduced into the core NaYF4:Er(3+) nanoparticles, revealing an optimized Er(3+) concentration of 10% for the highest luminescent efficiency. An inert epitaxial shell layer of NaYF4 grown onto the core of the NaYF4:Er(3+) 10% nanoparticle increased its upconversion emission intensity fivefold due to suppression of surface-related quenching mechanisms, yielding the absolute upconversion efficiency to be as high as ∼3.9±0.3% under an excitation density of 18  W/cm(2). The dependence of the intensity of upconversion emission peaks on laser excitation density in the core/shell nanoparticle displayed "saturation effects" at low excitation density in the range of 1.5-18  W/cm(2), which again demonstrates high upconversion efficiency.

Synthesis of liquid crystal silane-functionalized gold nanoparticles and their effects on the optical and electro-optic properties of a structurally related nematic liquid crystal.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Javad; Urbanski, Martin; Kitzerow, Heinz-S; Hegmann, Torsten

2014-05-19

Chemically and thermally robust liquid crystal silane-functionalized gold nanoparticles (i.e. AuNP1-AuNP3) were synthesized through silane conjugation. Colloidal dispersions of these particles with mesogenic ligands that are structurally identical (as in AuNP1, AuNP2) or compatible (as in AuNP3) with molecules of the nematic liquid crystal (N-LC) host showed superior colloidal stability and dispersibility. The thermal, optical, and electro-optic behaviors of the N-LC composites at different concentrations of each gold nanoparticle were investigated. All dispersions showed lower values for the rotational viscosity and elastic constant, but only AuNP3 with a dissimilar structure between the nanoparticle ligand and the host displayed the most drastic thermal effects and overall strongest impact on the electro-optic properties of the host. The observed results were explained considering both the structure and the density of the surface ligands of each gold nanoparticle. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhancement of Curcumin Bioavailability by Encapsulation in Sophorolipid-Coated Nanoparticles: An in Vitro and in Vivo Study.

PubMed

Peng, Shengfeng; Li, Ziling; Zou, Liqiang; Liu, Wei; Liu, Chengmei; McClements, David Julian

2018-02-14

There is great interest in developing colloidal delivery systems to enhance the water solubility and oral bioavailability of curcumin, which is a hydrophobic nutraceutical claimed to have several health benefits. In this study, a natural emulsifier was used to form sophorolipid-coated curcumin nanoparticles. The curcumin was loaded into sophorolipid micelles using a pH-driven mechanism based on the decrease in curcumin solubility at lower pH values. The sophorolipid-coated curcumin nanoparticles formed using this mechanism were relatively small (61 nm) and negatively charged (-41 mV). The nanoparticles also had a relatively high encapsulation efficiency (82%) and loading capacity (14%) for curcumin, which was present in an amorphous state. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed that the curcumin nanoparticles had an appreciably higher bioavailability than that of free curcumin crystals (2.7-3.6-fold), which was mainly attributed to their higher bioaccessibility. These results may facilitate the development of natural colloidal systems that enhance the oral bioavailability and bioactivity of curcumin in food, dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical products.

Influence of Temperature on the Colloidal Stability of Polymer-Coated Gold Nanoparticles in Cell Culture Media.

PubMed

Zyuzin, Mikhail V; Honold, Tobias; Carregal-Romero, Susana; Kantner, Karsten; Karg, Matthias; Parak, Wolfgang J

2016-04-06

The temperature-dependence of the hydrodynamic diameter and colloidal stability of gold-polymer core-shell particles with temperature-sensitive (poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)) and temperature-insensitive shells (polyallylaminine hydrochloride/polystyrensulfonate, poly(isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride)-graft-dodecyl) are investigated in various aqueous media. The data demonstrate that for all nanoparticle agglomeration, i.e., increase in effective nanoparticle size, the presence of salts or proteins in the dispersion media has to be taken into account. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) coated nanoparticles show a reversible temperature-dependent increase in size above the volume phase transition of the polymer shell when they are dispersed in phosphate buffered saline or in media containing protein. In contrast, the nanoparticles coated with temperature-insensitive polymers show a time-dependent increase in size in phosphate buffered saline or in medium containing protein. This is due to time-dependent agglomeration, which is particularly strong in phosphate buffered saline, and induces a time-dependent, irreversible increase in the hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles. This demonstrates that one has to distinguish between temperature- and time-induced agglomerations. Since the size of nanoparticles regulates their uptake by cells, temperature-dependent uptake of thermosensitive and non-thermosensitive nanoparticles by cells lines is compared. No temperature-specific difference between both types of nanoparticles could be observed. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

One stone, two birds: silica nanospheres significantly increase photocatalytic activity and colloidal stability of photocatalysts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasamani, Kowsalya D.; Foley, Jonathan J., IV; Sun, Yugang

2018-03-01

Silver-doped silver chloride [AgCl(Ag)] nanoparticles represent a unique class of visible-light-driven photocatalysts, in which the silver dopants introduce electron-abundant mid-gap energy levels to lower the bandgap of AgCl. However, free-standing AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles, particularly those with small sizes and large surface areas, exhibit low colloidal stability and low compositional stability upon exposure to light irradiation, leading to easy aggregation and conversion to metallic silver and thus a loss of photocatalytic activity. These problems could be eliminated by attaching the small AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles to the surfaces of spherical dielectric silica particles with submicrometer sizes. The high optical transparency in the visible spectral region (400-800 nm), colloidal stability, and chemical/electronic inertness displayed by the silica spheres make them ideal for supporting photocatalysts and significantly improving their stability. The spherical morphology of the dielectric silica particles can support light scattering resonances to generate significantly enhanced electric fields near the silica particle surfaces, on which the optical absorption cross-section of the AgCl(Ag) nanoparticles is dramatically increased to promote their photocatalytic activity. The hybrid silica/AgCl(Ag) structures exhibit superior photocatalytic activity and stability, suitable for supporting photocatalysis sustainably; for instance, their efficiency in the photocatalytic decomposition of methylene blue decreases by only ˜9% even after ten cycles of operation.

Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Silica Nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Anthony Lamar

Polymer nanocomposites are a class of materials containing nanoparticles with a large interfacial surface area. Only a small quantity of nanoparticles are needed to provide superior multifunctional properties; such as mechanical, thermal, electrical, and moisture absorption properties in polymers. Nanoparticles tend to agglomerate, so special techniques are required for homogeneous distribution. Nanosilica is now readily available as colloidal sols, for example; Nanopox RTM F400 (supplied by Evonik Nanoresins AG, Germany). The nanoparticles are first synthesized from aqueous sodium silicate solution, and then undergo a surface modification process with organosilane and matrix exchange. F400 contains 40%wt silica nanoparticles colloidally dispersed in a DGEBA epoxy resin. The mean particle diameter is about 20 nm with a narrow distribution range of about 5 to 35 nm. The objectives of this study are to develop a reproducible processing method for nanosilica enhanced resin systems used in the manufacturing of fiber reinforced composites that will be characterized for mechanical and thermal properties. Research has concluded that shows improvements in the properties of the matrix material when processed in loading variations of 0 to 25%wt silica nanoparticles. The loadings were also used to manufacture fiberglass reinforced nanocomposite laminates and also tested for mechanical and thermal properties.

Biosynthesis of nanoparticles of metals and metalloids by basidiomycetes. Preparation of gold nanoparticles by using purified fungal phenol oxidases.

PubMed

Vetchinkina, Elena P; Loshchinina, Ekaterina A; Vodolazov, Ilya R; Kursky, Viktor F; Dykman, Lev A; Nikitina, Valentina E

2017-02-01

The work shows the ability of cultured Basidiomycetes of different taxonomic groups-Lentinus edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Grifola frondosa-to recover gold, silver, selenium, and silicon, to elemental state with nanoparticles formation. It examines the effect of these metal and metalloid compounds on the parameters of growth and accumulation of biomass; the optimal cultivation conditions and concentrations of the studied ion-containing compounds for recovery of nanoparticles have been identified. Using the techniques of transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, X-ray fluorescence and X-ray phase analysis, the degrees of oxidation of the bioreduced elements, the ζ-potential of colloidal solutions uniformity, size, shape, and location of the nanoparticles in the culture fluid, as well as on the surface and the inside of filamentous hyphae have been determined. The study has found the part played by homogeneous chromatographically pure fungal phenol-oxidizing enzymes (laccases, tyrosinases, and Mn-peroxidases) in the recovery mechanism with formation of electrostatically stabilized colloidal solutions. A hypothetical mechanism of gold(III) reduction from HAuCl 4 to gold(0) by phenol oxidases with gold nanoparticles formation of different shapes and sizes has been introduced.

Preparation and characterization of biocompatible silver nanoparticles using pomegranate peel extract.

PubMed

Nasiriboroumand, Majid; Montazer, Majid; Barani, Hossein

2018-02-01

The potential application of any nanoparticles, including silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), strongly depends on their stability against aggregation. In the current study, an aqueous extract of pomegranate peel was used as a stabilizer during synthesis of AgNPs. Nanoparticles have been prepared by the chemical reduction method from an aqueous solution of silver nitrate in the presence of sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. The AgNPs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta-potential measurements, UV-Vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antibacterial efficiency of AgNPs against Escherichia coli was investigated. The size, polydispersity index, FWHM, and colloidal stability of nanoparticles in dispersion depends on the extract concentrations. In the presence of pomegranate peel extract, the nanoparticles suspension shows colloidal stability at least for a week. Our studies show that synthesized AgNPs with the above described procedure were stable at pH = 3-12 and in the temperature range of 25-85 °C. Additionally, AgNPs exhibit antibacterial properties, especially at the lowest amount of extract to silver ratio (K Extract/Ag ). Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Highly Sensitive Nonenzymatic Glucose Biosensor Based on the Regulatory Effect of Glucose on Electrochemical Behaviors of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles on MoS₂†.

PubMed

Anderson, Kash; Poulter, Benjamin; Dudgeon, John; Li, Shu-En; Ma, Xiang

2017-08-05

A novel and highly sensitive nonenzymatic glucose biosensor was developed by nucleating colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on MoS₂. The facile fabrication method, high reproducibility (97.5%) and stability indicates a promising capability for large-scale manufacturing. Additionally, the excellent sensitivity (9044.6 μA mM -1 cm -2 ), low detection limit (0.03 μM), appropriate linear range of 0.1-1000 μM, and high selectivity suggests that this biosensor has a great potential to be applied for noninvasive glucose detection in human body fluids, such as sweat and saliva.

Photoelastic colloidal gel for a high-sensitivity strain sensor.

PubMed

Pan, Hui; Chen, Zhixin; Zhu, Shenmin; Jiang, Chun; Zhang, Di

2018-04-27

Nanoparticles, having the ability to self-assemble into an ordered structure in their suspensions, analogous to liquid crystals, have attracted extensive attention. Herein, we report a new type of colloidal gel with an ordered crystal structure assembled from 1D and 2D nanoparticles. The material has high elasticity and, more interestingly, it shows significant photoelasticity. Its refractive index can be tuned under external stress and exhibits an ultra-wide dynamic range (Δn) of the order of 10 -2 . Due to the large Δn, the material shows an extremely high strain sensibility of 720 nm/ε, an order of magnitude higher than the reported ones.

Suppression of suprathermal ions from a colloidal microjet target containing SnO2 nanoparticles by using double laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Kaku, Masanori; Katto, Masahito; Kubodera, Shoichi

2007-10-01

We have demonstrated suppression of suprathermal ions from a colloidal microjet target plasma containing tin-dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles irradiated by double laser pulses. We observed a significant decrease of the tin and oxygen ion signals in the charged-state-separated energy spectra when double laser pulses were irradiated. The peak energy of the singly ionized tin ions decreased from 9to3keV when a preplasma was produced. The decrease in the ion energy, considered as debris suppression, is attributed to the interaction between an expanding low-density preplasma and a main laser pulse.

Photoelastic colloidal gel for a high-sensitivity strain sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Hui; Chen, Zhixin; Zhu, Shenmin; Jiang, Chun; Zhang, Di

2018-04-01

Nanoparticles, having the ability to self-assemble into an ordered structure in their suspensions, analogous to liquid crystals, have attracted extensive attention. Herein, we report a new type of colloidal gel with an ordered crystal structure assembled from 1D and 2D nanoparticles. The material has high elasticity and, more interestingly, it shows significant photoelasticity. Its refractive index can be tuned under external stress and exhibits an ultra-wide dynamic range (Δn) of the order of 10-2. Due to the large Δn, the material shows an extremely high strain sensibility of 720 nm/ɛ, an order of magnitude higher than the reported ones.

Durable antibacterial and cross-linking cotton with colloidal silver nanoparticles and butane tetracarboxylic acid without yellowing.

PubMed

Montazer, Majid; Alimohammadi, Farbod; Shamei, Ali; Rahimi, Mohammad Karim

2012-01-01

Colloidal nano silver was applied on the surface of cotton fabric and stabilized using 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA). The two properties of antimicrobial activity and resistance against creasing were imparted to the samples of fabric as a result of the treatment with silver nano colloid and BTCA. The antimicrobial property of samples was evaluated using two pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as outstanding barometers in this field. The durability of applied nanoparticles, color variation, wettability and wrinkle recovery angle of the treated samples were investigated employing related credible standards. The presence of nano silver particles on the surface of treated cotton fabric was proved using EDS spectrum as well as the SEM images. Furthermore, the creation of cross-links was confirmed by the means of both ATR-FTIR and Raman spectra. In conclusion, it was observed that BTCA plays a prominent role in stabilizing silver nanoparticle. Besides, Wettability and winkle recovery angle of finished samples decreased and increased, respectively. In addition, it is noteworthy that no obvious color variation was observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasensitive quantum dot fluorescence quenching assay for selective detection of mercury ions in drinking water.

PubMed

Ke, Jun; Li, Xinyong; Zhao, Qidong; Hou, Yang; Chen, Junhong

2014-07-09

Mercury is one of the most acutely toxic substances at trace level to human health and living thing. Developing a rapid, cheap and water soluble metal sensor for detecting mercury ions at ppb level remains a challenge. Herein, a metal sensor consisting of MPA coated Mn doped ZnSe/ZnS colloidal nanoparticles was utilized to ultrasensitively and selectively detect Hg(2+) ions with a low detection limit (0.1 nM) over a dynamic range from 0 to 20 nM. According to strong interaction between thiol(s) and mercury ions, mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) was used as a highly unique acceptor for mercury ions in the as-obtained ultrasensitive sensor. In the presence of mercury ions, colloidal nanoparticles rapidly agglomerated due to changes of surface chemical properties, which results in severe quenching of fluorescent intensity. Meanwhile, we find that the original ligands are separated from the surface of colloidal nanoparticles involving strongly chelation between mercury ion and thiol(s) proved by controlled IR analysis. The result shows that the QD-based metal ions sensor possesses satisfactory precision, high sensitivity and selectivity, and could be applied for the quantification analysis of real samples.

Ultrasensitive Quantum Dot Fluorescence quenching Assay for Selective Detection of Mercury Ions in Drinking Water

PubMed Central

Ke, Jun; Li, Xinyong; Zhao, Qidong; Hou, Yang; Chen, Junhong

2014-01-01

Mercury is one of the most acutely toxic substances at trace level to human health and living thing. Developing a rapid, cheap and water soluble metal sensor for detecting mercury ions at ppb level remains a challenge. Herein, a metal sensor consisting of MPA coated Mn doped ZnSe/ZnS colloidal nanoparticles was utilized to ultrasensitively and selectively detect Hg2+ ions with a low detection limit (0.1 nM) over a dynamic range from 0 to 20 nM. According to strong interaction between thiol(s) and mercury ions, mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) was used as a highly unique acceptor for mercury ions in the as-obtained ultrasensitive sensor. In the presence of mercury ions, colloidal nanoparticles rapidly agglomerated due to changes of surface chemical properties, which results in severe quenching of fluorescent intensity. Meanwhile, we find that the original ligands are separated from the surface of colloidal nanoparticles involving strongly chelation between mercury ion and thiol(s) proved by controlled IR analysis. The result shows that the QD-based metal ions sensor possesses satisfactory precision, high sensitivity and selectivity, and could be applied for the quantification analysis of real samples. PMID:25005836

Optical Degradation of Colloidal Eu-Complex Embedded in Silica Glass Film Using Reprecipitation and Sol-Gel Methods.

PubMed

Fukuda, Takeshi; Kurabayashi, Tomokazu; Yamaki, Tatsuki

2016-04-01

A reprecipitation method has been investigated for fabricating colloidal nanoparticles using Eu-complex. Herein, we investigated optical degradation characteristics of (1,10-phenanthroline)tris [4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thienyl)-1,3-butanedionato]europium(III) colloidal nanoparticles, which were embedded into a silica glass film fabricated by a conventional sol-gel process. At first, we tried several types of good solvents for the reprecipitation method, and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is found to be a suitable solvent for realizing the small diameter and the high long-term stability against the ultraviolet irradiation even though the boing point of DMSO is higher than that of water used as a poor solvent. By optimizing the good solvent and the concentration of Eu-complex, the relative photoluminescence intensity of 0.96 was achieved even though the ultraviolet light was continuously irradiated for 90 min. In addition, the average diameter of 106 nm was achieved when DMSO was used as a good solvent, resulting in the high transmittance at a visible wavelength region. Therefore, we can achieve the transparent emissive thin film with a center wavelength of 612 nm, and the optical degradation was drastically reduced by forming nanoparticles.

Templated electrokinetic directed chemical assembly for the fabrication of close-packed plasmonic metamolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thrift, W. J.; Darvishzadeh-Varcheie, M.; Capolino, F.; Ragan, R.

2017-08-01

Colloidal self-assembly combined with templated surfaces holds the promise of fabricating large area devices in a low cost facile manner. This directed assembly approach improves the complexity of assemblies that can be achieved with self-assembly while maintaining advantages of molecular scale control. In this work, electrokinetic driving forces, i.e., electrohydrodynamic flow, are paired with chemical crosslinking between colloidal particles to form close-packed plasmonic metamolecules. This method addresses challenges of obtaining uniformity in nanostructure geometry and nanometer scale gap spacings in structures. Electrohydrodynamic flows yield robust driving forces between the template and nanoparticles as well as between nanoparticles on the surface promoting the assembly of close-packed metamolecules. Here, electron beam lithography defined Au pillars are used as seed structures that generate electrohydrodynamic flows. Chemical crosslinking between Au surfaces enables molecular control over gap spacings between nanoparticles and Au pillars. An as-fabricated structure is analyzed via full wave electromagnetic simulations and shown to produce large magnetic field enhancements on the order of 3.5 at optical frequencies. This novel method for directed self-assembly demonstrates the synergy between colloidal driving forces and chemical crosslinking for the fabrication of plasmonic metamolecules with unique electromagnetic properties.

An adaptive extended finite element method for the analysis of agglomeration of colloidal particles in a flowing fluid

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

Choi, Young Joon; Jorshari, Razzi Movassaghi; Djilali, Ned

2015-03-10

Direct numerical simulations of the flow-nanoparticle interaction in a colloidal suspension are presented using an extended finite element method (XFEM) in which the dynamics of the nanoparticles is solved in a fully-coupled manner with the flow. The method is capable of accurately describing solid-fluid interfaces without the need of boundary-fitted meshes to investigate the dynamics of particles in complex flows. In order to accurately compute the high interparticle shear stresses and pressures while minimizing computing costs, an adaptive meshing technique is incorporated with the fluid-structure interaction algorithm. The particle-particle interaction at the microscopic level is modeled using the Lennard-Jones (LJ)more » potential and the corresponding potential parameters are determined by a scaling procedure. The study is relevant to the preparation of inks used in the fabrication of catalyst layers for fuel cells. In this paper, we are particularly interested in investigating agglomeration of the nanoparticles under external shear flow in a sliding bi-periodic Lees-Edwards frame. The results indicate that the external shear has a crucial impact on the structure formation of colloidal particles in a suspension.« less

Avoiding drying-artifacts in transmission electron microscopy: Characterizing the size and colloidal state of nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Michen, Benjamin; Geers, Christoph; Vanhecke, Dimitri; Endes, Carola; Rothen-Rutishauser, Barbara; Balog, Sandor; Petri-Fink, Alke

2015-01-01

Standard transmission electron microscopy nanoparticle sample preparation generally requires the complete removal of the suspending liquid. Drying often introduces artifacts, which can obscure the state of the dispersion prior to drying and preclude automated image analysis typically used to obtain number-weighted particle size distribution. Here we present a straightforward protocol for prevention of the onset of drying artifacts, thereby allowing the preservation of in-situ colloidal features of nanoparticles during TEM sample preparation. This is achieved by adding a suitable macromolecular agent to the suspension. Both research- and economically-relevant particles with high polydispersity and/or shape anisotropy are easily characterized following our approach (http://bsa.bionanomaterials.ch), which allows for rapid and quantitative classification in terms of dimensionality and size: features that are major targets of European Union recommendations and legislation. PMID:25965905

Optical, structural and nonlinear optical properties of laser ablation synthesized Ag nanoparticles and photopolymer nanocomposites based on them

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulina, Natalia A.; Pavlovetc, Ilia M.; Baranov, Mikhail A.; Denisyuk, Igor Yu.

2017-03-01

In this work Ag nanoparticles (NPs) stable colloid solution were prepared by laser ablation of chemically pure silver rod in liquid monomer isodecyl acrylate (IDA). Sizes of obtained nanoparticles were determined by scanning electron microscope and vary from 27 to 120 nm. Nanocomposites films were prepared from obtained stable colloid solution of AgNPs by photocuring. For aliphatic polymer IDA long molecules cross-linking Diurethane dimethacrylate, 1,6-Hexandiol diacrylate and Tetra (ethylene glycol) diacrylate were used. Prepared nanomaterials exhibit strong third-order nonlinear optical responses, which was estimated by using z-scan technique. The third-order nonlinear optical coefficients of the studied nanocomposites were found to be up to Reχ(3)=1.31×10-5 (esu) and Imχ(3)=7.64×10-5 (esu).

The self-assembly of particles with isotropic interactions: Using DNA coated colloids to create designer nanomaterials

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

Thompson, R. B.; Dion, S.; Konigslow, K. von

Self-consistent field theory equations are presented that are suitable for use as a coarse-grained model for DNA coated colloids, polymer-grafted nanoparticles and other systems with approximately isotropic interactions. The equations are generalized for arbitrary numbers of chemically distinct colloids. The advantages and limitations of such a coarse-grained approach for DNA coated colloids are discussed, as are similarities with block copolymer self-assembly. In particular, preliminary results for three species self-assembly are presented that parallel results from a two dimensional ABC triblock copolymer phase. The possibility of incorporating crystallization, dynamics, inverse statistical mechanics and multiscale modelling techniques are discussed.

Gold nanoparticle assemblies of controllable size obtained by hydroxylamine reduction at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tódor, István Sz.; Szabó, László; Marişca, Oana T.; Chiş, Vasile; Leopold, Nicolae

2014-12-01

Colloidal nanoparticle assemblies (NPAs) were obtained in a one-step procedure, by reduction of HAuCl4 by hydroxylamine hydrochloride, at room temperature, without the use of any additional nucleating agent. By changing the order of the reactants, NPAs with mean size of 20 and 120 nm were obtained. Because of their size and irregular popcorn like shape, the larger size NPAs show absorption in the NIR spectral region. The building blocks of the resulted nanoassemblies are spherical nanoparticles with diameters of 4-8 and 10-30 nm, respectively. Moreover, by stabilizing the colloid with bovine serum albumin at different time moments after synthesis, NPAs of controlled size between 20 and 120 nm, could be obtained. The NPAs were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, TEM and SEM electron microscopies. In addition, the possibility of using the here proposed NPAs as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was assessed and found to provide a higher enhancement compared to conventional citrate-reduced nanoparticles.

SERS-Active Nanoinjector for Intracellular Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitol, Elina; Orynbayeva, Zulfiya; Bouchard, Michael; Azizkhan-Clifford, Jane; Friedman, Gary; Gogotsi, Yury

2009-03-01

We developed a multifunctional nanopipette which allows simultaneous cell injection and intacellular surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) analysis. SERS spectra contain the characteristic frequencies of molecular bond vibrations. This is a unique method for studying cell biochemistry and physiology on a single organelle level. Unlike the fluorescence spectroscopy, it does not require any specific staining. The principle of SERS is based on very large electromagnetic field enhancement localized around a nano-rough metallic surface. Gold colloids are widely used SERS substrates. Previously, the colloidal nanoparticles were introduced into a cell by the mechanism of endocytosis. The disadvantage of this method is the uncontrollable aggregation and distribution of gold nanoparticles inside a cell which causes a significant uncertainty in the origin of the acquired data. At the same time, the nanoparticle uptake is irreversible. We present a SERS-active nanoinjector, coated with gold nanoparticles, which enables selective signal acquisition from any point-of-interest inside a cell. The nanoinjector provides a highly localized SERS signal with sub-nanometer resolution in real time.

Synthesis and characterization of magnetic opal/Fe3O4 colloidal crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmona-Carmona, A. J.; Palomino-Ovando, M. A.; Hernández-Cristobal, Orlando; Sánchez-Mora, E.; Toledo-Solano, M.

2017-03-01

We report an experimental study of colloidal crystals based on SiO2 artificial opals, infiltrated with 1.34(M1), 2.03(M2) and 24.4(M3) wt% Fe3O4 nanoparticles, using the co-assembly method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Vibration sample magnetometer (VSM) were used to study the structural, magnetic and optical properties of the samples. At 300 K all the samples exhibit superparamagnetic behavior due to the magnetic coupling of Fe3O4 nanoparticles infiltrated into opal. However, for higher concentration of nanoparticles this strong coupling distorts the opal network. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Kubelka-Munk theory were applied to determine that the energy band gap of the opal-magnetite composites can be adjusted by varying the concentration of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. This values are between the energy band gap of SiO2 and Fe3O4.

Formation of 2D and 3D superlattices of silver nanoparticles inside an emulsion droplet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain Shaik, Aabid; Srinivasa Reddy, D.

2017-03-01

This work is aimed at the formation of 2D and 3D superlattices (SL) of silver nanoparticles inside an emulsion droplet. The monodisperse nanoparticles required for SL formation were prepared by a digestive ripening technique. Digestive ripening is a post processing technique where polydisperse colloids are refluxed with excess surface-active ligands to prepare a monodisperse colloid. More uniform silver nanoparticles (~3.6  ±  0.5 nm) were formed by slow evaporation of organosols on a carbon-coated copper grid. The best 3D silver superlattices have been formed using an oil in water (o/w) emulsion method by aging the monodisperse particles in a confined environment like o/w emulsion at different temperatures ranging from 5 °C-4 °C. The kinetics of the formation of superlattices inside an emulsion droplet were investigated by controlling various parameters. The kinetics were found to be dependent on the emulsion aging period (30 d) and storage temperature of the emulsion (-4 °C).

A colloidal singularity reveals the crucial role of colloidal stability for nanomaterials in-vitro toxicity testing: nZVI-microalgae colloidal system as a case study.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Soledad; Llaneza, Veronica; Pulido-Reyes, Gerardo; Fernández-Piñas, Francisca; Bonzongo, Jean Claude; Leganes, Francisco; Rosal, Roberto; García-Calvo, Eloy; Rodea-Palomares, Ismael

2014-01-01

Aggregation raises attention in Nanotoxicology due to its methodological implications. Aggregation is a physical symptom of a more general physicochemical condition of colloidal particles, namely, colloidal stability. Colloidal stability is a global indicator of the tendency of a system to reduce its net surface energy, which may be achieved by homo-aggregation or hetero-aggregation, including location at bio-interfaces. However, the role of colloidal stability as a driver of ENM bioactivity has received little consideration thus far. In the present work, which focuses on the toxicity of nanoscaled Fe° nanoparticles (nZVI) towards a model microalga, we demonstrate that colloidal stability is a fundamental driver of ENM bioactivity, comprehensively accounting for otherwise inexplicable differential biological effects. The present work throws light on basic aspects of Nanotoxicology, and reveals a key factor which may reconcile contradictory results on the influence of aggregation in bioactivity of ENMs.

A Colloidal Singularity Reveals the Crucial Role of Colloidal Stability for Nanomaterials In-Vitro Toxicity Testing: nZVI-Microalgae Colloidal System as a Case Study

PubMed Central

Fernández-Piñas, Francisca; Bonzongo, Jean Claude; Leganes, Francisco; Rosal, Roberto; García-Calvo, Eloy; Rodea-Palomares, Ismael

2014-01-01

Aggregation raises attention in Nanotoxicology due to its methodological implications. Aggregation is a physical symptom of a more general physicochemical condition of colloidal particles, namely, colloidal stability. Colloidal stability is a global indicator of the tendency of a system to reduce its net surface energy, which may be achieved by homo-aggregation or hetero-aggregation, including location at bio-interfaces. However, the role of colloidal stability as a driver of ENM bioactivity has received little consideration thus far. In the present work, which focuses on the toxicity of nanoscaled Fe° nanoparticles (nZVI) towards a model microalga, we demonstrate that colloidal stability is a fundamental driver of ENM bioactivity, comprehensively accounting for otherwise inexplicable differential biological effects. The present work throws light on basic aspects of Nanotoxicology, and reveals a key factor which may reconcile contradictory results on the influence of aggregation in bioactivity of ENMs. PMID:25340509

Biogeochemical Factors Influencing the Transport and Fate of Colloids and Colloid-Associated Contaminants in the Vadose Zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, S. A.

2016-12-01

The vadose zone exhibits large spatial and temporal variability in many physical, chemical, and biological factors that strongly influence the transport and fate of colloids (e.g., microbes, nanoparticles, clays, and dissolved organic matter) and colloid-associated contaminants (e.g., heavy metals, radionuclides, pesticides, and antibiotics). This presentation highlights our research activities to better understand and predict the influence of specific biogeochemical processes on colloid and colloid-facilitated transport. Results demonstrate the sensitivity of colloid transport, retention, release, and clogging to transients in solution chemistry (e.g., ionic strength, pH, cation and anion type, and surfactants), water velocity and saturation, and preferential flow. Mathematical modeling at interface-, pore-, and continuum-scales is shown to be a critical tool to quantify the relative importance and coupling of these biogeochemical factors on colloid and contaminant transport and fate, which otherwise might be experimentally intractable. Existing gaps in knowledge and model limitations are identified.

Biomimetic synthesis of raspberry-like hybrid polymer-silica core-shell nanoparticles by templating colloidal particles with hairy polyamine shell.

PubMed

Pi, Mengwei; Yang, Tingting; Yuan, Jianjun; Fujii, Syuji; Kakigi, Yuichi; Nakamura, Yoshinobu; Cheng, Shiyuan

2010-07-01

The nanoparticles composed of polystyrene core and poly[2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDEA) hairy shell were used as colloidal templates for in situ silica mineralization, allowing the well-controlled synthesis of hybrid silica core-shell nanoparticles with raspberry-like morphology and hollow silica nanoparticles by subsequent calcination. Silica deposition was performed by simply stirring a mixture of the polymeric core-shell particles in isopropanol, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) and water at 25 degrees C for 2.5h. No experimental evidence was found for nontemplated silica formation, which indicated that silica deposition occurred exclusively in the PDEA shell and formed PDEA-silica hybrid shell. The resulting hybrid silica core-shell particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry, aqueous electrophoresis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. TEM studies indicated that the hybrid particles have well-defined core-shell structure with raspberry morphology after silica deposition. We found that the surface nanostructure of hybrid nanoparticles and the composition distribution of PDEA-silica hybrid shell could be well controlled by adjusting the silicification conditions. These new hybrid core-shell nanoparticles and hollow silica nanoparticles would have potential applications for high-performance coatings, encapsulation and delivery of active organic molecules. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Alterations in nanoparticle protein corona by biological surfactants: impact of bile salts on β-lactoglobulin-coated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Winuprasith, Thunnalin; Chantarak, Sirinya; Suphantharika, Manop; He, Lili; McClements, David Julian

2014-07-15

The impact of biological surfactants (bile salts) on the protein (β-lactoglobulin) corona surrounding gold nanoparticles (200 nm) was studied using a variety of analytical techniques at pH 7: dynamic light scattering (DLS); particle electrophoresis (ζ-potential); UV-visible (UV) spectroscopy; transmission electron microscopy (TEM); and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The bile salts adsorbed to the protein-coated nanoparticle surfaces and altered their interfacial composition, charge, and structure. SERS spectra of protein-coated nanoparticles after bile salt addition contained bands from both protein and bile salts, indicating that the protein was not fully displaced by the bile salts. UV, DLS and TEM techniques also indicated that the protein coating was not fully displaced from the nanoparticle surfaces. The impact of bile salts could be described by an orogenic mechanism: mixed interfaces were formed that consisted of islands of aggregated proteins surrounded by a sea of bile salts. This knowledge is useful for understanding the interactions of bile salts with protein-coated colloidal particles, which may be important for controlling the fate of colloidal delivery systems in the human gastrointestinal tract, or the gastrointestinal fate of ingested inorganic nanoparticles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fluorinated colloidal gold immunolabels for imaging select proteins in parallel with lipids using high-resolution secondary ion mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Wilson, Robert L.; Frisz, Jessica F.; Hanafin, William P.; Carpenter, Kevin J.; Hutcheon, Ian D.; Weber, Peter K.; Kraft, Mary L.

2014-01-01

The local abundance of specific lipid species near a membrane protein is hypothesized to influence the protein’s activity. The ability to simultaneously image the distributions of specific protein and lipid species in the cell membrane would facilitate testing these hypotheses. Recent advances in imaging the distribution of cell membrane lipids with mass spectrometry have created the desire for membrane protein probes that can be simultaneously imaged with isotope labeled lipids. Such probes would enable conclusive tests of whether specific proteins co-localize with particular lipid species. Here, we describe the development of fluorine-functionalized colloidal gold immunolabels that facilitate the detection and imaging of specific proteins in parallel with lipids in the plasma membrane using high-resolution SIMS performed with a NanoSIMS. First, we developed a method to functionalize colloidal gold nanoparticles with a partially fluorinated mixed monolayer that permitted NanoSIMS detection and rendered the functionalized nanoparticles dispersible in aqueous buffer. Then, to allow for selective protein labeling, we attached the fluorinated colloidal gold nanoparticles to the nonbinding portion of antibodies. By combining these functionalized immunolabels with metabolic incorporation of stable isotopes, we demonstrate that influenza hemagglutinin and cellular lipids can be imaged in parallel using NanoSIMS. These labels enable a general approach to simultaneously imaging specific proteins and lipids with high sensitivity and lateral resolution, which may be used to evaluate predictions of protein co-localization with specific lipid species. PMID:22284327

An evaluation of acute toxicity of colloidal silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Maneewattanapinyo, Pattwat; Banlunara, Wijit; Thammacharoen, Chuchaat; Ekgasit, Sanong; Kaewamatawong, Theerayuth

2011-11-01

Tests for acute oral toxicity, eye irritation, corrosion and dermal toxicity of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were conducted in laboratory animals following OECD guidelines. Oral administration of AgNPs at a limited dose of 5,000 mg/kg produced neither mortality nor acute toxic signs throughout the observation period. Percentage of body weight gain of the mice showed no significant difference between control and treatment groups. In the hematological analysis, there was no significant difference between mice treated with AgNPs and controls. Blood chemistry analysis also showed no differences in any of the parameter examined. There was neither any gross lesion nor histopathological change observed in various organs. The results indicated that the LD(50) of colloidal AgNPs is greater than 5,000 mg/kg body weight. In acute eye irritation and corrosion study, no mortality and toxic signs were observed when various doses of colloidal AgNPs were instilled in guinea pig eyes during 72 hr observation period. However, the instillation of AgNPs at 5,000 ppm produced transient eye irritation during early 24 hr observation time. No any gross abnormality was noted in the skins of the guinea pigs exposed to various doses of colloidal AgNPs. In addition, no significant AgNPs exposure relating to dermal tissue changes was observed microscopically. In summary, these findings of all toxicity tests in this study suggest that colloidal AgNPs could be relatively safe when administered to oral, eye and skin of the animal models for short periods of time.

Improvement of kinetics, yield, and colloidal stability of biogenic gold nanoparticles using living cells of Euglena gracilis microalga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahoumane, Si Amar; Yéprémian, Claude; Djédiat, Chakib; Couté, Alain; Fiévet, Fernand; Coradin, Thibaud; Brayner, Roberta

2016-03-01

Recent years have witnessed a boom in the biosynthesis of a large variety of nanomaterials using different biological resources among which algae-based entities have been gaining much more attention within the community of material scientists worldwide. In our previously published findings, we explored some factors that governed the biofabrication of gold nanoparticles using living cultures of microalgae, such as the utilized microalgal genera, the phylum they belong to, and the impact of tetrachloroauric acid concentrations on the ability of these strains to perform the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles once in contact with these cations. As a follow-up, we present in this paper an improvement of the features of bioproduced gold colloids using living cells of Euglena gracilis microalga when this species is grown under either mixotrophic or autotrophic conditions, i.e., exposed to light and grown in an organic carbon-enriched culture medium versus under autotrophic conditions. As an outcome to this alteration, the growth rate of this photosynthetic microorganism is multiplied 7-8 times when grown under mixotrophic conditions compared to autotrophic ones. Therefore, the yield, the kinetics, and the colloidal stability of the biosynthesized gold nanoparticles are dramatically enhanced. Moreover, the shape and the size of the as-produced nano-objects via this biological method are affected. In addition to round-shaped gold nanoparticles, particular shapes, such as triangles and hexagons, appear. These findings add up to the amassed knowledge toward the design of photobioreactors for the scalable and sustainable production of interesting nanomaterials.

Fabrication of Si/ZnS radial nanowire heterojunction arrays for white light emitting devices on Si substrates.

PubMed

Katiyar, Ajit K; Sinha, Arun Kumar; Manna, Santanu; Ray, Samit K

2014-09-10

Well-separated Si/ZnS radial nanowire heterojunction-based light-emitting devices have been fabricated on large-area substrates by depositing n-ZnS film on p-type nanoporous Si nanowire templates. Vertically oriented porous Si nanowires on p-Si substrates have been grown by metal-assisted chemical etching catalyzed using Au nanoparticles. Isolated Si nanowires with needle-shaped arrays have been made by KOH treatment before ZnS deposition. Electrically driven efficient white light emission from radial heterojunction arrays has been achieved under a low forward bias condition. The observed white light emission is attributed to blue and green emission from the defect-related radiative transition of ZnS and Si/ZnS interface, respectively, while the red arises from the porous surface of the Si nanowire core. The observed white light emission from the Si/ZnS nanowire heterojunction could open up the new possibility to integrate Si-based optical sources on a large scale.

Photosensitization of InP/ZnS quantum dots for anti-cancer and anti-microbial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadeau, Jay; Chibli, Hicham; Carlini, Lina

2012-03-01

Cadmium-free quantum dots (QDs), such as those made from InP, show similar optical properties to those containing toxic heavy metals and thus provide a promising alternative for imaging and therapeutics. The band gap of InP is similar to that of CdTe, so photosensitization of InP QDs with porphyrins or other dyes should lead to generation of reactive oxygen species, useful for targeted destruction of malignant cells or pathogenic bacteria. Here we show the results of measurements of singlet oxygen and superoxide generation from InP QDs with single and double ZnS shells compared with CdTe and CdSe/ZnS. Reactive oxygen species are measured using colorimetric or fluorescent reporter assays and spin-trap electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. We find that the size of the InP QDs and the thickness of the ZnS shell both strongly influence ROS generation. These results suggest future approaches to the design of therapeutic nanoparticles.

Synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles through a novel green method using Mirabillis jalapa for antibacterial, nonlinear optical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pugazhendhi, S.; Palanisamy, P. K.; Jayavel, R.

2018-05-01

Green synthesis techniques are developing as more simplistic and eco-friendly approach for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles compared to chemical reduction methods. Herein we report Synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles using Mirabillis jalapa seed extract as a reducing and capping agent. The as-prepared silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy (UV-vis) to confirm the formation of silver nanoparticles by its characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak observed at 420 nm. The Powder X-ray diffraction (P-XRD) revealed the structure and crystalline nature of synthesized silver nanoparticles, The Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopic (FT-IR) revealed the presence of the biomolecules in the extract that acted as reducing as well stabilizing agent. The high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) images divulged that the synthesized silver nanoparticles were spherical in shape and poly dispersed. The energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDX) profile revealed the elements present in the as-synthesized colloidal silver nanoparticles and its percentages. The Zeta potential measured for silver nanoparticles evidenced that the prepared silver nanoparticles owned high stability in room temperature itself. The as-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in colloidal form were showed good antimicrobial effects and it's were found to exhibit third order optical nonlinearity as studied by Z-scan technique using 532 nm Nd:YAG (SHG) CW laser beam (COHERENT-Compass 215 M-50 diode pumped) output as source. The negative nonlinearity observed was well utilized for the study of optical limiting behavior of the silver nanoparticles.

The Effects of Toxic Particles in Human Lung Cells - Research Area 8. Life Sciences

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-05

Characterization of Metal Nanoparticles 2.1. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoparticles We generated and tested a silver colloid solution with a mean... silver and gold nanoparticle -induced effects; and 6) Assess metal levels in whale skin biopsies in the Gulf of Mexico. The first five aims focused...We found that silver , gold and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were relatively non-toxic. Only silver 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 4. TITLE AND

Optical force stamping lithography

PubMed Central

Nedev, Spas; Urban, Alexander S.; Lutich, Andrey A.; Feldmann, Jochen

2013-01-01

Here we introduce a new paradigm of far-field optical lithography, optical force stamping lithography. The approach employs optical forces exerted by a spatially modulated light field on colloidal nanoparticles to rapidly stamp large arbitrary patterns comprised of single nanoparticles onto a substrate with a single-nanoparticle positioning accuracy well beyond the diffraction limit. Because the process is all-optical, the stamping pattern can be changed almost instantly and there is no constraint on the type of nanoparticle or substrates used. PMID:21992538

Synthesis of curcumin-functionalized gold nanoparticles and cytotoxicity studies in human prostate cancer cell line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nambiar, Shruti; Osei, Ernest; Fleck, Andre; Darko, Johnson; Mutsaers, Anthony J.; Wettig, Shawn

2018-03-01

Gold nanoparticles synthesized using plant extracts with medicinal properties have gained traction in recent years, especially for their use in various biomedical applications. Colloidal stability of these nanoparticles in different environments is critical to retain the expected therapeutic/diagnostic efficacy and toxicological outcome. Any change in the colloidal stability leads to dramatic changes in the physico-chemical properties of the nanoparticles such as size and surface charge, which in turn may alter the biological activity of the particles. Such changes are imminent in physiologically-relevant environment wherein interactions with different biomolecules, such as serum proteins, may modify the overall properties of the nanoparticles. In this regard, we synthesized 15 nm sized gold nanoparticles using curcumin, a plant extract from turmeric root, to evaluate cytotoxicity, uptake, and localization in human prostate cancer cells using cell-culture medium supplemented with or without fetal bovine serum (FBS). The results indicate a dramatic difference in the cytotoxicity and uptake between cells treated with curcumin-functionalized gold nanoparticles (cur-AuNPs) in cell-culture medium with and without serum. The addition of FBS to the medium not only increased the stability of the nanoparticles but also enhanced the biocompatibility (i.e. minimal cytotoxicity for a wide range of cur-AuNP concentrations). We conclude that the presence of serum proteins significantly impact the therapeutic potential of cur-AuNPs.

Synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahadory, Mozhgan

Improved methods were developed for the synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles. Laboratory experiments were designed for introducing of nanotechnology into the undergraduate curriculum. An optimal set of conditions for the synthesis of clear yellow colloidal silver was investigated. Silver nanoparticles were obtained by borohydride reduction of silver nitrate, a method which produces particles with average size of 12+/-2 nm, determined by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The plasmon absorbance is at 397 nm and the peak width at half maximum (PWHM) is 70-75 nm. The relationship between aggregation and optical properties was determined along with a method to protect the particles using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). A laboratory experiment was designed in which students synthesize yellow colloidal silver, estimate particle size using visible spectroscopy, and study aggregation effects. The synthesis of the less stable copper nanoparticles is more difficult because copper nanopaticles are easily oxidized. Four methods were used for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles, including chemical reduction with sodium borohydride, sodium borohydride with potassium iodide, isopropyl alcohol with cetyltrimethylammonium bormide (CTAB) and reducing sugars. The latter method was also the basis for an undergraduate laboratory experiment. For each reaction, the dependence of stability of the copper nanoparticles on reagent concentrations, additives, relative amounts of reactants, and temperature is explored. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), TEM and UV-Visible Spectroscopy were used to characterize the copper nanoparticles. A laboratory experiment to produce copper nanoparticles from household chemicals was developed.

Combined plasma gas-phase synthesis and colloidal processing of InP/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals.

PubMed

Gresback, Ryan; Hue, Ryan; Gladfelter, Wayne L; Kortshagen, Uwe R

2011-01-12

Indium phosphide nanocrystals (InP NCs) with diameters ranging from 2 to 5 nm were synthesized with a scalable, flow-through, nonthermal plasma process at a rate ranging from 10 to 40 mg/h. The NC size is controlled through the plasma operating parameters, with the residence time of the gas in the plasma region strongly influencing the NC size. The NC size distribution is narrow with the standard deviation being less than 20% of the mean NC size. Zinc sulfide (ZnS) shells were grown around the plasma-synthesized InP NCs in a liquid phase reaction. Photoluminescence with quantum yields as high as 15% were observed for the InP/ZnS core-shell NCs.

Combined plasma gas-phase synthesis and colloidal processing of InP/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Indium phosphide nanocrystals (InP NCs) with diameters ranging from 2 to 5 nm were synthesized with a scalable, flow-through, nonthermal plasma process at a rate ranging from 10 to 40 mg/h. The NC size is controlled through the plasma operating parameters, with the residence time of the gas in the plasma region strongly influencing the NC size. The NC size distribution is narrow with the standard deviation being less than 20% of the mean NC size. Zinc sulfide (ZnS) shells were grown around the plasma-synthesized InP NCs in a liquid phase reaction. Photoluminescence with quantum yields as high as 15% were observed for the InP/ZnS core-shell NCs. PMID:21711589

Combined plasma gas-phase synthesis and colloidal processing of InP/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresback, Ryan; Hue, Ryan; Gladfelter, Wayne L.; Kortshagen, Uwe R.

2011-12-01

Indium phosphide nanocrystals (InP NCs) with diameters ranging from 2 to 5 nm were synthesized with a scalable, flow-through, nonthermal plasma process at a rate ranging from 10 to 40 mg/h. The NC size is controlled through the plasma operating parameters, with the residence time of the gas in the plasma region strongly influencing the NC size. The NC size distribution is narrow with the standard deviation being less than 20% of the mean NC size. Zinc sulfide (ZnS) shells were grown around the plasma-synthesized InP NCs in a liquid phase reaction. Photoluminescence with quantum yields as high as 15% were observed for the InP/ZnS core-shell NCs.

Colloidal behavior of aluminum oxide nanoparticles as affected by pH and natural organic matter.

PubMed

Ghosh, Saikat; Mashayekhi, Hamid; Pan, Bo; Bhowmik, Prasanta; Xing, Baoshan

2008-11-04

The colloidal behavior of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated as a function of pH and in the presence of two structurally different humic acids (HAs), Aldrich HA (AHA) and the seventh HA fraction extracted from Amherst peat soil (HA7). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to determine the colloidal behavior of the NPs. Influence of pH and HAs on the surface charges of the NPs was determined. zeta-Potential data clearly showed that the surface charge of the NPs decreased with increasing pH and reached the point of zero charge (ZPC) at pH 7.9. Surface charge of the NPs also decreased with the addition of HAs. The NPs tend to aggregate as the pH of the suspension approaches ZPC, where van der Waals attraction forces dominate over electrostatic repulsion. However, the NP colloidal suspension was stable in the pHs far from ZPC. Colloidal stability was strongly enhanced in the presence of HAs at the pH of ZPC or above it, but in acidic conditions NPs showed strong aggregation in the presence of HAs. AFM imaging revealed the presence of long-chain fractions in HA7, which entangled with the NPs to form large aggregates. The association of HA with the NP surface can be assumed to follow a two-step process, possibly the polar fractions of the HA7 sorbed on the NP surface followed by entanglement with the long-chain fractions. Thus, our study demonstrated that the hydrophobic nature of the HA molecules strongly influenced the aggregation of colloidal NPs, possibly through their conformational behavior in a particular solution condition. Therefore, various organic matter samples will result in different colloidal behavior of NPs, subsequently their environmental fate and transport.

Preparation and characterization compatible pellets for immobilization of colloidal sulphur nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adlim, M.; Zarlaida, F.; Khaldun, I.; Dewi, R.; Jamilah, M.

2018-03-01

Mercury pollution in atmosphere is dominated by mercury vapour release from coal burning and gold-amalgam separation in gold mining. The initial steps in formulating a compatible mercury absorbent for mercury stabilization was fabrication of pellet supported colloidal sulphur. Sulphur is used to stabilize mercury vapour by formation of metacinnabar that has much lower toxicity. The sulphur reactivity toward mercury vapour can be enhanced by using colloidal sulphur nanoparticles immobilized on compatible pellets. Clay pellets would have heat resistance but in fact, they were less stable in aqueous solution although their stability increased with inclusion of rice husk ash and sawdust or pineapple leaf fibre in the composite. Pellets made of rice husk ash and polyvinyl acetate were stable in water at least for 24 hours. Sulphur from thiosulfate precursor that immobilized onto surface of pellet using chitosan as the stabilizer and the binding agent gave lower sulphur content compared to sulphur from other precursors (sulphur powder and sulphur-CS2). Sulphur from thiosulfate precursor was in form of colloid, has nanosize, and disperse particles on the surface of rice husk ash pellets. Sulphur immobilization methods affect on sulphur particles exposure on the pellet surface.

Adsorption kinetics of alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane-water interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Sultana; Ioannidis, Marios A.; Henneke, Dale

2011-12-01

The pendant drop technique was used to characterize the adsorption behavior of n-dodecane-1-thiol and n-hexane-1-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane-water interface. The adsorption process was studied by analyzing the dynamic interfacial tension versus nanoparticle concentration, both at early times and at later stages (i.e., immediately after the interface between the fluids is made and once equilibrium has been established). A series of gold colloids were made using nanoparticles ranging in size from 1.60 to 2.85 nm dissolved in hexane for the interfacial tension analysis. Following free diffusion of nanoparticles from the bulk hexane phase, adsorption leads to ordering and rearrangement of the nanoparticles at the interface and formation of a dense monolayer. With increasing interfacial coverage, the diffusion-controlled adsorption for the nanoparticles at the interface was found to change to an interaction-controlled assembly and the presence of an adsorption barrier was experimentally verified. At the same bulk concentration, different sizes of n-dodecane-1-thiol nanoparticles showed different absorption behavior at the interface, in agreement with the findings of Kutuzov et al. (Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:6351-6358, 2007). The experiments additionally demonstrated the important role played by the capping agent. At the same concentration, gold nanoparticles stabilized by n-hexane-1-thiol exhibited greater surface activity than gold nanoparticles of the same size stabilized by n-dodecane-1-thiol. These findings contribute to the design of useful supra-colloidal structures by the self-assembly of alkane-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at liquid-liquid interfaces.

Au nanoparticles films used in biological sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosales Pérez, M.; Delgado Macuil, R.; Rojas López, M.; Gayou, V. L.; Sánchez Ramírez, J. F.

2009-05-01

Lactobacillus para paracasei are used commonly as functional food and probiotic substances. In this work Au nanoparticles self-assembled films were used for Lactobacillus para paracasei determination at five different concentrations. Functionalized substrates were immersed in a colloidal solution for one and a half hour at room temperature and dried at room temperature during four hours. After that, drops of Lactobacillus para paracasei in aqueous solution were put into the Au nanoparticles film and let dry at room temperature for another two hours. Infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance sampling mode was used to observe generation peaks due to substrate silanization, enhancement of Si-O band intensity due to the Au colloids added to silanized substrate and also to observe the enhancement of Lactobacillus para paracasei infrared intensity of the characteristic frequencies at 1650, 1534 and 1450 cm-1 due to surface enhancement infrared absorption.

Femtosecond laser generated gold nanoparticles and their plasmonic properties

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

Das, Rupali, E-mail: phz148121@iitd.ac.in; Navas, M. P.; Soni, R. K.

The pulsed laser ablation in liquid medium is now commonly used to generate stable colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) in absence of any chemical additives or stabilizer with diverse applications. In this paper, we report generation of gold NPs (Au NPs) by ultra-short laser pulses. Femtosecond (fs) laser radiation (λ = 800 nm) has been used to ablate a gold target in pure de-ionized water to produce gold colloids with smallsize distribution. The average size of the particles can be further controlled by subjecting to laser-induced post-irradiation providing a versatile physical method of size-selected gold nanoparticles. The optical extinction and morphological dimensions weremore » investigated with UV-Vis spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy measurements, respectively. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is employed to calculate localized surface plasmon (LSPR) wavelength and the near-field generated by Au NPs and their hybrids.« less

Increasing surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy effect of RNA and DNA components by changing the pH of silver colloidal suspensions.

PubMed

Primera-Pedrozo, Oliva M; Rodríguez, Gabriela Del Mar; Castellanos, Jorge; Felix-Rivera, Hilsamar; Resto, Oscar; Hernández-Rivera, Samuel P

2012-02-15

This work focused on establishing the parameters for enhancing the Raman signals of DNA and RNA constituents: nitrogenous bases, nucleosides and nucleotides, using metallic nanoparticles as surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates. Silver nanospheres were synthesized using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent and sodium citrate as a capping agent. The prepared nanoparticles had a surface plasmon band at ∼384nm and an average size of 12±3nm. The nanoparticles' surface charge was manipulated by changing the pH of the Ag colloidal suspensions in the range of 1-13. Low concentrations as 0.7μM were detected under the experimental conditions. The optimum pH values were: 7 for adenine, 9 for AMP, 5 for adenosine, 7 for dAMP and 11 for deoxyadenosine. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Periodic assembly of nanoparticle arrays in disclinations of cholesteric liquid crystals.

PubMed

Li, Yunfeng; Prince, Elisabeth; Cho, Sangho; Salari, Alinaghi; Mosaddeghian Golestani, Youssef; Lavrentovich, Oleg D; Kumacheva, Eugenia

2017-02-28

An important goal of the modern soft matter science is to discover new self-assembly modalities to precisely control the placement of small particles in space. Spatial inhomogeneity of liquid crystals offers the capability to organize colloids in certain regions such as the cores of the topological defects. Here we report two self-assembly modes of nanoparticles in linear defects-disclinations in a lyotropic colloidal cholesteric liquid crystal: a continuous helicoidal thread and a periodic array of discrete beads. The beads form one-dimensional arrays with a periodicity that matches half a pitch of the cholesteric phase. The periodic assembly is governed by the anisotropic surface tension and elasticity at the interface of beads with the liquid crystal. This mode of self-assembly of nanoparticles in disclinations expands our ability to use topological defects in liquid crystals as templates for the organization of nanocolloids.

Porous Au-Ag Nanospheres with High-Density and Highly Accessible Hotspots for SERS Analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Kai; Bai, Yaocai; Zhang, Lei; Yang, Zhongbo; Fan, Qikui; Zheng, Haoquan; Yin, Yadong; Gao, Chuanbo

2016-06-08

Colloidal plasmonic metal nanoparticles have enabled surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for a variety of analytical applications. While great efforts have been made to create hotspots for amplifying Raman signals, it remains a great challenge to ensure their high density and accessibility for improved sensitivity of the analysis. Here we report a dealloying process for the fabrication of porous Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles containing abundant inherent hotspots, which were encased in ultrathin hollow silica shells so that the need of conventional organic capping ligands for stabilization is eliminated, producing colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles with clean surface and thus high accessibility of the hotspots. As a result, these novel nanostructures show excellent SERS activity with an enhancement factor of ∼1.3 × 10(7) on a single particle basis (off-resonant condition), promising high applicability in many SERS-based analytical and biomedical applications.

Phoretic Self-Propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, Jeffrey L.; Posner, Jonathan D.

2017-01-01

It is well-known that micro- and nanoparticles can move by phoretic effects in response to externally imposed gradients of scalar quantities such as chemical concentration or electric potential. A class of active colloids can propel themselves through aqueous media by generating local gradients of concentration and electrical potential via surface reactions. Phoretic active colloids can be controlled using external stimuli and can mimic collective behaviors exhibited by many biological swimmers. Low-Reynolds number physicochemical hydrodynamics imposes unique challenges and constraints that must be understood for the practical potential of active colloids to be realized. Here, we review the rich physics underlying the operation of phoretic active colloids, describe their interactions and collective behaviors, and discuss promising directions for future research.

Energy transport velocity in bidispersed magnetic colloids.

PubMed

Bhatt, Hem; Patel, Rajesh; Mehta, R V

2012-07-01

Study of energy transport velocity of light is an effective background for slow, fast, and diffuse light and exhibits the photonic property of the material. We report a theoretical analysis of magnetic field dependent resonant behavior in forward-backward anisotropy factor, light diffusion constant, and energy transport velocity for bidispersed magnetic colloids. A bidispersed magnetic colloid is composed of micrometer size magnetic spheres dispersed in a magnetic nanofluid consisting of magnetic nanoparticles in a nonmagnetic liquid carrier. Magnetic Mie resonances and reduction in energy transport velocity accounts for the possible delay (longer dwell time) by field dependent resonant light transport. This resonant behavior of light in bidispersed magnetic colloids suggests a novel magnetophotonic material.

Colloidal polymers with controlled sequence and branching constructed from magnetic field assembled nanoparticles.

PubMed

Bannwarth, Markus B; Utech, Stefanie; Ebert, Sandro; Weitz, David A; Crespy, Daniel; Landfester, Katharina

2015-03-24

The assembly of nanoparticles into polymer-like architectures is challenging and usually requires highly defined colloidal building blocks. Here, we show that the broad size-distribution of a simple dispersion of magnetic nanocolloids can be exploited to obtain various polymer-like architectures. The particles are assembled under an external magnetic field and permanently linked by thermal sintering. The remarkable variety of polymer-analogue architectures that arises from this simple process ranges from statistical and block copolymer-like sequencing to branched chains and networks. This library of architectures can be realized by controlling the sequencing of the particles and the junction points via a size-dependent self-assembly of the single building blocks.

Introduction of biotin or folic acid into polypyrrole magnetite core-shell nanoparticles

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

Nan, Alexandrina; Turcu, Rodica; Liebscher, Jürgen

2013-11-13

In order to contribute to the trend in contemporary research to develop magnetic core shell nanoparticles with better properties (reduced toxicity, high colloidal and chemical stability, wide scope of application) in straightforward and reproducible methods new core shell magnetic nanoparticles were developed based on polypyrrole shells functionalized with biotin and folic acid. Magnetite nanoparticles stabilized by sebacic acid were used as magnetic cores. The morphology of magnetite was determined by transmission electron microscopy TEM, while the chemical structure investigated by FT-IR.

Interaction of colloidal nanoparticles with their local environment: the (ionic) nanoenvironment around nanoparticles is different from bulk and determines the physico-chemical properties of the nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Pfeiffer, Christian; Rehbock, Christoph; Hühn, Dominik; Carrillo-Carrion, Carolina; de Aberasturi, Dorleta Jimenez; Merk, Vivian; Barcikowski, Stephan; Parak, Wolfgang J.

2014-01-01

The physico-chemical properties of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) are influenced by their local environment, as, in turn, the local environment influences the physico-chemical properties of the NPs. In other words, the local environment around NPs has a profound impact on the NPs, and it is different from bulk due to interaction with the NP surface. So far, this important effect has not been addressed in a comprehensive way in the literature. The vicinity of NPs can be sensitively influenced by local ions and ligands, with effects already occurring at extremely low concentrations. NPs in the Hückel regime are more sensitive to fluctuations in the ionic environment, because of a larger Debye length. The local ion concentration hereby affects the colloidal stability of the NPs, as it is different from bulk owing to Debye Hückel screening caused by the charge of the NPs. This can have subtle effects, now caused by the environment to the performance of the NP, such as for example a buffering effect caused by surface reaction on ultrapure ligand-free nanogold, a size quenching effect in the presence of specific ions and a significant impact on fluorophore-labelled NPs acting as ion sensors. Thus, the aim of this review is to clarify and give an unifying view of the complex interplay between the NP's surface with their nanoenvironment. PMID:24759541

Kinetic analyses and performance of a colloidal magnetic nanoparticle based immunoassay dedicated to allergy diagnosis.

PubMed

Teste, Bruno; Kanoufi, Frédéric; Descroix, Stéphanie; Poncet, Pascal; Georgelin, Thomas; Siaugue, Jean-Michel; Petr, Jan; Varenne, Anne; Hennion, Marie-Claire

2011-07-01

In this paper, we demonstrate the possibility to use magnetic nanoparticles as immunosupports for allergy diagnosis. Most immunoassays used for immunosupports and clinical diagnosis are based on a heterogeneous solid-phase system and suffer from mass-transfer limitation. The nanoparticles' colloidal behavior and magnetic properties bring the advantages of homogeneous immunoassay, i.e., species diffusion, and of heterogeneous immunoassay, i.e., easy separation of the immunocomplex and free forms, as well as analyte preconcentration. We thus developed a colloidal, non-competitive, indirect immunoassay using magnetic core-shell nanoparticles (MCSNP) as immunosupports. The feasibility of such an immunoassay was first demonstrated with a model antibody and described by comparing the immunocapture kinetics using macro (standard microtiter plate), micro (microparticles) and nanosupports (MCSNP). The influence of the nanosupport properties (surface chemistry, antigen density) and of the medium (ionic strength, counter ion nature) on the immunocapture efficiency and specificity was then investigated. The performances of this original MCSNP-based immunoassay were compared with a gold standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a microtiter plate. The capture rate of target IgG was accelerated 200-fold and a tenfold lower limit of detection was achieved. Finally, the MCSNP-based immunoassay was successfully applied to the detection of specific IgE from milk-allergic patient's sera with a lower LOD and a good agreement (CV < 6%) with the microtiter plate, confirming the great potential of this analytical platform in the field of immunodiagnosis.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using tannins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja, Pandian Bothi; Rahim, Afidah Abdul; Qureshi, Ahmad Kaleem; Awang, Khalijah

2014-09-01

Colloidal silver nanoparticles were prepared by rapid green synthesis using different tannin sources as reducing agent viz. chestnut (CN), mangrove (MG) and quebracho (QB). The aqueous silver ions when exposed to CN, MG and QB tannins were reduced which resulted in formation of silver nanoparticles. The resultant silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-Visible, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of nanoparticles synthesis was also derived using FT-IR analysis. Spectroscopy analysis revealed that the synthesized nanoparticles were within 30 to 75 nm in size, while XRD results showed that nanoparticles formed were crystalline with face centered cubic geometry.

Rapid green synthesis of spherical gold nanoparticles using Mangifera indica leaf

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philip, Daizy

2010-11-01

This paper reports the rapid biological synthesis of spherical gold nanoparticles at room temperature using fresh/dry leaf extract of Mangifera indica. This is a simple, cost-effective, stable for long time and reproducible aqueous synthesis method to obtain a self-assembly of nearly monodispersed Au nanoparticles of size ˜20 nm and 17 nm. The nanoparticles were obtained within 2 min of addition of the extract to the solution of HAuCl 4·3H 2O and the colloid is found to be stable for more than 5 months. Smaller and more uniformly distributed particles could be obtained with dried leaf extract. The nanoparticles obtained are characterized by UV-vis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Crystalline nature of the nanoparticles in the fcc structure is confirmed by the peaks in the XRD pattern corresponding to (1 1 1), (2 0 0), (2 2 0), (3 1 1) and (2 2 2) planes, bright circular spots in the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and clear lattice fringes in the high-resolution TEM image. The possible biomolecules responsible for efficient stabilization are suggested by studying the FTIR spectrum of the sample. This environmentally benign method provides much faster synthesis and colloidal stability comparable to those of chemical reduction.

Modulating the physicochemical and structural properties of gold-functionalized protein nanotubes through thiol surface modification.

PubMed

Carreño-Fuentes, Liliana; Plascencia-Villa, Germán; Palomares, Laura A; Moya, Sergio E; Ramírez, Octavio T

2014-12-16

Biomolecules are advantageous scaffolds for the synthesis and ordering of metallic nanoparticles. Rotavirus VP6 nanotubes possess intrinsic affinity to metal ions, a property that has been exploited to synthesize gold nanoparticles over them. The resulting nanobiomaterials have unique properties useful for novel applications. However, the formed nanobiomaterials lack of colloidal stability and flocculate, limiting their functionality. Here we demonstrate that it is possible to synthesize thiol-protected gold nanoparticles over VP6 nanotubes, which resulted in soluble nanobiomaterials. With this strategy, it was possible to modulate the size, colloidal stability, and surface plasmon resonance of the synthesized nanoparticles by controlling the content of the thiolated ligands. Two types of water-soluble ligands were tested, a small linear ligand, sodium 3-mercapto-1-propanesulfonate (MPS), and a bulky ligand, 5-mercaptopentyl β-D-glucopyranoside (GlcC5SH). The synthesized nanobiomaterials had a higher stability in suspension, as determined by Z-potential measurements. To the extent of our knowledge, this is the first time that a rational strategy is developed to modulate the particular properties of metal nanoparticles in situ synthesized over a protein bioscaffold through thiol coating, achieving a high spatial and structural organization of nanoparticles in a single integrative hybrid structure.

Monodisperse colloidal gallium nanoparticles: synthesis, low temperature crystallization, surface plasmon resonance and Li-ion storage.

PubMed

Yarema, Maksym; Wörle, Michael; Rossell, Marta D; Erni, Rolf; Caputo, Riccarda; Protesescu, Loredana; Kravchyk, Kostiantyn V; Dirin, Dmitry N; Lienau, Karla; von Rohr, Fabian; Schilling, Andreas; Nachtegaal, Maarten; Kovalenko, Maksym V

2014-09-03

We report a facile colloidal synthesis of gallium (Ga) nanoparticles with the mean size tunable in the range of 12-46 nm and with excellent size distribution as small as 7-8%. When stored under ambient conditions, Ga nanoparticles remain stable for months due to the formation of native and passivating Ga-oxide layer (2-3 nm). The mechanism of Ga nanoparticles formation is elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and with molecular dynamics simulations. Size-dependent crystallization and melting of Ga nanoparticles in the temperature range of 98-298 K are studied with X-ray powder diffraction, specific heat measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results point to delta (δ)-Ga polymorph as a single low-temperature phase, while phase transition is characterized by the large hysteresis and by the large undercooling of crystallization and melting points down to 140-145 and 240-250 K, respectively. We have observed size-tunable plasmon resonance in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions. We also report stable operation of Ga nanoparticles as anode material for Li-ion batteries with storage capacities of 600 mAh g(-1), 50% higher than those achieved for bulk Ga under identical testing conditions.

Monodisperse Colloidal Gallium Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Low Temperature Crystallization, Surface Plasmon Resonance and Li-Ion Storage

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We report a facile colloidal synthesis of gallium (Ga) nanoparticles with the mean size tunable in the range of 12–46 nm and with excellent size distribution as small as 7–8%. When stored under ambient conditions, Ga nanoparticles remain stable for months due to the formation of native and passivating Ga-oxide layer (2–3 nm). The mechanism of Ga nanoparticles formation is elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and with molecular dynamics simulations. Size-dependent crystallization and melting of Ga nanoparticles in the temperature range of 98–298 K are studied with X-ray powder diffraction, specific heat measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results point to delta (δ)-Ga polymorph as a single low-temperature phase, while phase transition is characterized by the large hysteresis and by the large undercooling of crystallization and melting points down to 140–145 and 240–250 K, respectively. We have observed size-tunable plasmon resonance in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions. We also report stable operation of Ga nanoparticles as anode material for Li-ion batteries with storage capacities of 600 mAh g–1, 50% higher than those achieved for bulk Ga under identical testing conditions. PMID:25133552

Nanoparticle Superlattice Engineering with DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirkin, Chad

2012-02-01

Recent developments in strategies for assembling nanomaterials have allowed us to draw a direct analogy between the assembly of solid state atomic lattices and the construction of nanoparticle superlattices. Herein, we present a set of six design rules for using DNA as a programmable linker to deliberately stabilize nine distinct colloidal crystal structures, with lattice parameters that are tailorable over the 25-150 nm size regime. These rules are analogous to those put forth by Pauling decades ago to explain the relative stability of lattices composed of atoms and small molecules. It is ideal to use DNA as a nanoscale bond to connect nanoparticles to achieve colloidal superlattice structures in this system, since its programmable nature allows for facile control over nanoparticle bond length and strength, and nanoparticle bond selectivity. This assembly method affords simultaneous and independent control over nanoparticle structure, crystallographic symmetry, and lattice parameters with nanometer scale precision. Further, we have developed a phase diagram that predicts the design parameters necessary to achieve a lattice with a given symmetry and lattice parameters a priori. The rules developed in this work present a major advance towards true materials by design, as they effectively separate the identity of a particle core (and thereby its physical properties) from the variables that control its assembly.

DNA-controlled assembly of a NaTl lattice structure from gold nanoparticles and protein nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigler, Petr; Lytton-Jean, Abigail K. R.; Anderson, Daniel G.; Finn, M. G.; Park, Sung Yong

2010-11-01

The formation of diamond structures from tailorable building blocks is an important goal in colloidal crystallization because the non-compact diamond lattice is an essential component of photonic crystals for the visible-light range. However, designing nanoparticle systems that self-assemble into non-compact structures has proved difficult. Although several methods have been proposed, single-component nanoparticle assembly of a diamond structure has not been reported. Binary systems, in which at least one component is arranged in a diamond lattice, provide alternatives, but control of interparticle interactions is critical to this approach. DNA has been used for this purpose in a number of systems. Here we show the creation of a non-compact lattice by DNA-programmed crystallization using surface-modified Qβ phage capsid particles and gold nanoparticles, engineered to have similar effective radii. When combined with the proper connecting oligonucleotides, these components form NaTl-type colloidal crystalline structures containing interpenetrating organic and inorganic diamond lattices, as determined by small-angle X-ray scattering. DNA control of assembly is therefore shown to be compatible with particles possessing very different properties, as long as they are amenable to surface modification.

Magnesium Nanoparticle Plasmonics.

PubMed

Biggins, John S; Yazdi, Sadegh; Ringe, Emilie

2018-06-13

Nanoparticles of some metals (Cu/Ag/Au) sustain oscillations of their electron cloud called localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). These resonances can occur at optical frequencies and be driven by light, generating enhanced electric fields and spectacular photon scattering. However, current plasmonic metals are rare, expensive, and have a limited resonant frequency range. Recently, much attention has been focused on earth-abundant Al, but Al nanoparticles cannot resonate in the IR. The earth-abundant Mg nanoparticles reported here surmount this limitation. A colloidal synthesis forms hexagonal nanoplates, reflecting Mg's simple hexagonal lattice. The NPs form a thin self-limiting oxide layer that renders them stable suspended in 2-propanol solution for months and dry in air for at least two week. They sustain LSPRs observable in the far-field by optical scattering spectroscopy. Electron energy loss spectroscopy experiments and simulations reveal multiple size-dependent resonances with energies across the UV, visible, and IR. The symmetry of the modes and their interaction with the underlying substrate are studied using numerical methods. Colloidally synthesized Mg thus offers a route to inexpensive, stable nanoparticles with novel shapes and resonances spanning the entire UV-vis-NIR spectrum, making them a flexible addition to the nanoplasmonics toolbox.

Influence of the pH value of a colloidal gold solution on the absorption spectra of an LSPR-assisted sensor

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

Zhu, Jin; Li, Wenbin; Zhu, Mao

2014-03-15

The localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) of gold particles assembled on a crystal plate are a powerful tool for biological sensors. Here, we prepare gold colloids in different pH solutions. We monitor the effects of the particle radius and particle coverage on the absorption spectra of AT-cut (r-face dihedral angle of about 3°) crystal plates supporting gold nanoparticles. The surface morphologies were monitored on silicon dioxide substrates using ultraviolet and visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results showed that the gold particle coverage decreases with increasing pH value of the gold colloid solution. This phenomenon demonstrates thatmore » self-assembled gold surfaces were formed via the electrostatic adsorption of gold particles on the positively charged, ionized amino groups on the crystal plates in the acidic solution. The spectrum of gold nanoparticles with different coverage degree on the crystal plates showed that the LSPR properties are highly dependent on pH.« less

Production of antibody labeled gold nanoparticles for influenza virus H5N1 diagnosis kit development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Van Dong; Hoang, Ha; Hoang Phan, Trong; Conrad, Udo; Chu, Hoang Ha

2012-12-01

Preparation of colloidal gold conjugated antibodies specific for influenza A/H5N1 and its use in developing a virus A/H5N1 rapid diagnostic kit is presented. Colloidal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared through citrate reduction. Single chain antibodies specific to H5N1 (scFv7 and scFv24) were produced using pTI2 + vector and E. coli strain HB2151. These antibodies were purified by affinity chromatography technique employing HiTrap Chelating HP columns pre-charged with Ni2 + . The method for preparation of antibody-colloidal gold conjugate was based on electrostatic force binding antibody with colloidal gold. The effect of factors such as pH and concentration of antibody has been quantitatively analyzed using spectroscopic methods after adding 1 wt% NaCl which induced AuNP aggregation. The morphological study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the average size of the spherical AuNPs was 23 nm with uniform sizes. The spectroscopic properties of colloidal AuNPs showed the typical surface plasmon resonance band at 523 nm in UV-visible spectrum. The optimal pH of conjugated colloidal gold was found between 8.0 and 10.0. The activity of synthesized antibody labeled AuNPs for detection of H5N1 flu virus was checked by dot blot immunological method. The results confirmed the ability in detection of the A/H5N1 virus of the prepared antibody labeled gold particles and opened up the possibility of using them in manufacturing rapid detection kit for this virus.

Synthesis and photoluminescent and nonlinear optical properties of manganese doped ZnS nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazerdeylami, Somayeh; Saievar-Iranizad, Esmaiel; Dehghani, Zahra; Molaei, Mehdi

2011-01-01

In this work we synthesized ZnS:Mn 2+ nanoparticles by chemical method using PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) as a capping agent in aqueous solution. The structure and optical properties of the resultant product were characterized using UV-vis optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence (PL) and z-scan techniques. UV-vis spectra for all samples showed an excitonic peak at around 292 nm, indicating that concentration of Mn 2+ ions does not alter the band gap of nanoparticles. XRD patterns showed that the ZnS:Mn 2+ nanoparticles have zinc blende structure with the average crystalline sizes of about 2 nm. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of ZnS:Mn 2+ exhibited an orange-red emission at 594 nm due to the 4T 1- 6A 1 transition in Mn 2+. The PL intensity increased with increase in the Mn 2+ ion concentration. The second-order nonlinear optical properties of nanoparticles were studied using a continuous-wave (CW) He-Ne laser by z-scan technique. The nonlinear refractive indices of nanoparticles were in the order of 10 -8 cm 2/W with negative sign and the nonlinear absorption indices of these nanoparticles were obtained to be about 10 -3 cm/W with positive sign.

Silver nanocrystallites: Facile biofabrication using Shewanella oneidensis, and an evaluation of their comparative toxicity on Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria

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

Suresh, Anil K; Wang, Wei; Pelletier, Dale A

Microorganisms have long been known to develop resistance to metal ions either by sequestering metals inside the cell or by effluxing them into the extracellular media. Here we report the biosynthesis of extracellular silver based single nanocrystallites of well-defined composition and homogeneous morphology utilizing the -proteobacterium, Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1, upon incubation with an aqueous solution of silver nitrate. Further characterization of these particles revealed that the crystals consist of small, reasonably monodispersed spheres in the size range 2 11 nm (with an average of 4 1.5 nm). The bactericidal effect of these biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (biogenic-Ag) are comparedmore » to similar chemically synthesized nanoparticles (colloidal silver [colloidal-Ag] and oleate capped silver [oleate-Ag]). The determination of the bactericidal effect of these different silver nanoparticles was assessed using both Gram-negative (E. coli) and Gram-positive (B. subtilis) bacteria and based on the diameter of the inhibition zone in disc diffusion tests, minimum inhibitory concentrations, Live/Dead staining assays, and atomic force microscopy. From a toxicity perspective, a clear synthesis procedure, and a surface coat- and strain-dependent inhibition were observed for silver nanoparticles. Biogenic-Ag was found to be of higher toxicity when compared to colloidal-Ag for both E. coli and B. subtilis. E. coli was found to be more resistant to either of these nanoparticles than B. subtilis. In contrast, Oleate-Ag was not toxic to either of the bacteria. These findings have important implications for the potential uses of Ag nanomaterials and for their fate in biological and environmental systems.« less

Uptake route and resulting toxicity of silver nanoparticles in Eisenia fetida earthworm exposed through Standard OECD Tests.

PubMed

Garcia-Velasco, Nerea; Gandariasbeitia, Maite; Irizar, Amaia; Soto, Manuel

2016-10-01

Despite the increasing interest in silver nanoparticles toxicity still few works dealt with the hazards of nanosized Ag in soils (either dissolved in pore water or coupled to colloids) although disposal of biosolids in landfills has been reported as the major source of silver nanoparticles in terrestrial environments. Presently, Eisenia fetida was used to assess the toxicity of 5 nm sized PVP-PEI coated silver nanoparticles in soil through the implementation of different exposure media Standard Toxicity Tests (Paper Contact and Artificial Soil -OECD-207- and Reproduction -OECD-222- Tests) together with cellular biomarkers measured in extruded coelomocytes. In order to decipher the mode of action of silver nanoparticles in soil and the uptake routes in earthworms, special attention was given to the Ag accumulation and distribution in tissues. High Ag accumulation rates, weight loss, and mortality due to the disruption of the tegument could be the result of a dermal absorption of Ag ions released from silver nanoparticles (Paper Contact Test). However, autometallography showed metals mainly localized in the digestive tract after Artificial Soil Test, suggesting that Ag uptake occurred mostly through soil ingestion. That is, silver nanoparticles attached to soil colloids seemed to be internalized in earthworms after ingestion of soil and transferred to the digestive gut epithelium where at high doses they have triggered severe effects at different levels of biological complexity.

Interactions between amino-phosphonates pesticides and titanium dioxide nanoparticle in water: consequences on their mobility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ilina, Svetlana; Baran, Nicole; Slomberg, Danielle; Devau, Nicolas; Pariat, Anne; Sani-Kast, Nicole; Scheringer, Martin; Labille, Jérôme; Ollivier, patrick

2017-04-01

Water quality is increasingly monitored worldwide, where various levels of nitrate and pesticide and/or metabolite contamination have been confirmed. Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] is probably the most widely used herbicide in the world. AMPA [aminomethylphosphonic acid] is its main degradation product. Although glyphosate mobility in the environment is supposed to be limited because of its high adsorption capacity in soils several studies show that glyphosate may reach both surface and ground-waters either by transport in dissolved form, or particle bonded onto soil colloids. At the same time, in recent years, rapid development of new technologies has resulted in a significant increase in the production and uses of products containing nanoparticles, notably dioxide titanium nanoparticles. This enthusiasm for nanotechnology is however accompanied by awareness about the potential release and impact of the nanoparticles in the environment. The aim of the study is to increase the knowledge on pesticide and nanoparticles interactions that may be present as contaminant cocktail in waters. Thanks to lab-experiments conducted with glyphosate or AMPA and rutile or anatase under different water chemistry conditions (pH, ionic strength, presence and concentrations of mono- and bivalent cations), we were able to describe the colloidal stability of nanoparticles that control their mobility and to characterize the sorption of pesticide on these nanoparticles and their transformation.

Application of asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) to the quantitative characterization of natural colloids and synthetic nanoparticles.

PubMed

Bouby, M; Geckeis, H; Geyer, F W

2008-12-01

A straightforward quantification method is presented for the application of asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) to the characterization of colloid-borne metal ions and nanoparticles. Reproducibility of the size calibration and recovery of elements are examined. Channel flow fluctuations are observed notably after initiation of the fractionation procedure. Their impact on quantification is considered by using (103)Rh as internal reference. Intensity ratios measured for various elements and Rh are calculated for each data point. These ratios turned out to be independent of the metal concentration and total sample solution flow introduced into the nebulizer within a range of 0.4-1.2 mL min(-1). The method is applied to study the interaction of Eu, U(VI) and Th with a mixture of humic acid and clay colloids and to the characterization of synthetic nanoparticles, namely CdSe/ZnS-MAA (mercaptoacetic acid) core/shell-coated quantum dots (QDs). Information is given not only on inorganic element composition but also on the effective hydrodynamic size under relevant conditions. Detection limits (DLs) are estimated for Ca, Al, Fe, the lanthanide Ce and the natural actinides Th and U in colloid-containing groundwater. For standard crossflow nebulizer, estimated values are 7 x 10(3), 20, 3 x 10(2), 0.1, 0.1 and 7 x 10(-2) microg L(-1), respectively. DLs for Zn and Cd in QD characterization are 28 and 11 microg L(-1), respectively.

Effects of chitosan molecular weight on the physical and dissolution characteristics of amorphous curcumin-chitosan nanoparticle complex.

PubMed

Yu, Hong; Nguyen, Minh-Hiep; Hadinoto, Kunn

2018-01-01

To investigate the effects of varying molecular weight (MW) of chitosan (CHI) used in the complexation with curcumin (CUR) on the physical and dissolution characteristics of the amorphous CUR-CHI nanoparticle complex produced. Amorphous CUR-CHI nanoparticle complex (or CUR nanoplex in short) recently emerged as a promising bioavailability enhancement strategy of CUR attributed to its fast dissolution, supersaturation generation capability, and simple preparation. Existing CUR nanoplex prepared using low MW CHI, however, exhibited poor colloidal stability during storage. Herein we hypothesized that the colloidal stability could be improved by using CHI of higher MW. The effects of this approach on the nanoplex's other characteristics were simultaneously investigated. The CUR nanoplex was prepared by electrostatically driven self-assembled complexation between CUR and oppositely charged CHI of three different MWs (i.e. low, medium, and high). Besides colloidal stability, the effects of MW variation were investigated for the nanoplex's (1) other physical characteristics (i.e. size, zeta potential, CUR payload, amorphous state stability), (2) preparation efficiency (i.e. CUR utilization rate, yield), and (3) dissolutions under sink condition and supersaturation generation. CUR nanoplex prepared using CHI of high MW exhibited improved colloidal stability, larger size, superior morphology, and prolonged supersaturation generation. On the other hand, the effects of MW variation on the payload, amorphous state stability, preparation efficiency, and dissolution under sink condition were found to be insignificant. Varying MW of CHI used was an effective means to improve certain aspects of the CUR nanoplex characteristics with minimal adverse effects on the others.

Synthesis of colloidal silver iron oxide nanoparticles--study of their optical and magnetic behavior.

PubMed

Kumar, Anil; Singhal, Aditi

2009-07-22

Silver iron oxide nanoparticles of fairly small size (average diameter approximately 1 nm) with narrow size distribution have been synthesized by the interaction of colloidal beta- Fe2O3 and silver nanoparticles. The surface morphology and size of these particles have been analyzed by using atomic force microscopy (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their structural analysis has been carried out by employing x-ray diffraction (XRD), selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), optical and infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques. The ageing of these particles exhibits the formation of self-assembly, possibly involving weak supramolecular interactions between Ag(I)O4 and Fe(III)O4 species. These particles display the onset of absorption in the near-infrared region and have higher absorption coefficient in the visible range compared to that of its precursors. Magnetic measurements reveal an interesting transition in their magnetic behavior from diamagnetic to superparamagnetic. The magnetic moment of these particles attains a limiting value of about 0.19 emu cm(-2), which is more than two times higher than that of colloidal beta- Fe2O3. With enhanced optical and magnetic properties, this system is suggested to have possible applications in optoelectronic and magnetic devices.

How Low Can You Go? Low Densities of Poly(ethylene glycol) Surfactants Attract Stealth Proteins.

PubMed

Seneca, Senne; Simon, Johanna; Weber, Claudia; Ghazaryan, Arthur; Ethirajan, Anitha; Mailaender, Volker; Morsbach, Svenja; Landfester, Katharina

2018-06-25

It is now well-established that the surface chemistry and "stealth" surface functionalities such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains of nanocarriers play an important role to decrease unspecific protein adsorption of opsonizing proteins, to increase the enrichment of specific stealth proteins, and to prolong the circulation times of the nanocarriers. At the same time, PEG chains are used to provide colloidal stability for the nanoparticles. However, it is not clear how the chain length and density influence the unspecific and specific protein adsorption keeping at the same time the stability of the nanoparticles in a biological environment. Therefore, this study aims at characterizing the protein adsorption patterns depending on PEG chain length and density to define limits for the amount of PEG needed for a stealth effect by selective protein adsorption as well as colloidal stability during cell experiments. PEG chains are introduced using the PEGylated Lutensol AT surfactants, which allow easy modification of the nanoparticle surface. These findings indicate that a specific enrichment of stealth proteins already occurs at low PEG concentrations; for the decrease of unspecific protein adsorption and finally the colloidal stability a full surface coverage is advised. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Encapsulation, protection, and delivery of bioactive proteins and peptides using nanoparticle and microparticle systems: A review.

PubMed

McClements, David Julian

2018-03-01

There are many examples of bioactive proteins and peptides that would benefit from oral delivery through functional foods, supplements, or medical foods, including hormones, enzymes, antimicrobials, vaccines, and ACE inhibitors. However, many of these bioactive proteins are highly susceptible to denaturation, aggregation or hydrolysis within commercial products or inside the human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Moreover, many bioactive proteins have poor absorption characteristics within the GIT. Colloidal systems, which contain nanoparticles or microparticles, can be designed to encapsulate, retain, protect, and deliver bioactive proteins. For instance, a bioactive protein may have to remain encapsulated and stable during storage and passage through the mouth and stomach, but then be released within the small intestine where it can be absorbed. This article reviews the application of food-grade colloidal systems for oral delivery of bioactive proteins, including microemulsions, emulsions, nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, multiple emulsions, liposomes, and microgels. It also provides a critical assessment of the characteristics of colloidal particles that impact the effectiveness of protein delivery systems, such as particle composition, size, permeability, interfacial properties, and stability. This information should be useful for the rational design of medical foods, functional foods, and supplements for effective oral delivery of bioactive proteins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Colloidal Confinement of Polyphosphate on Gold Nanoparticles Robustly Activates the Contact Pathway of Blood Coagulation.

PubMed

Szymusiak, Magdalena; Donovan, Alexander J; Smith, Stephanie A; Ransom, Ross; Shen, Hao; Kalkowski, Joseph; Morrissey, James H; Liu, Ying

2016-01-20

Platelet-sized polyphosphate (polyP) was functionalized on the surface of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) via a facile conjugation scheme entailing EDAC (N-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride)-catalyzed phosphoramidation of the terminal phosphate of polyP to cystamine. Subsequent reduction of the disulfide moiety allowed for anchoring to the colloidal surface. The ability of the synthesized polyP-GNPs to initiate the contact pathway of clotting in human pooled normal plasma (PNP) was then assayed by quantifying changes in viscous, mechanical, and optical properties upon coagulation. It is revealed that the polyP-GNPs are markedly superior contact activators compared to molecularly dissolved, platelet-sized polyP (of equivalent polymer chain length). Moreover, the particles' capacity to mobilize Factor XII (FXII) and its coactivating proteins appear to be identical to very-long-chain polyP typically found in bacteria. These data imply that nanolocalization of anionic procoagulants on colloidal surfaces, achieved through covalent anchoring, may yield a robust contact surface with the ability to sufficiently cluster active clotting factors together above their threshold concentrations to cease bleeding. The polyP-GNPs therefore serve as a promising foundation in the development of a nanoparticle hemostat to treat a range of hemorrhagic scenarios.

Bimetallic Nanoparticles as Efficient Catalysts: Facile and Green Microwave Synthesis

PubMed Central

Blosi, Magda; Ortelli, Simona; Costa, Anna Luisa; Dondi, Michele; Lolli, Alice; Andreoli, Sara; Benito, Patricia; Albonetti, Stefania

2016-01-01

This work deals with the development of a green and versatile synthesis of stable mono- and bi-metallic colloids by means of microwave heating and exploiting ecofriendly reagents: water as the solvent, glucose as a mild and non-toxic reducer and polyvinylpirrolidone (PVP) as the chelating agent. Particle size-control, total reaction yield and long-term stability of colloids were achieved with this method of preparation. All of the materials were tested as effective catalysts in the reduction of p-nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4 as the probe reaction. A synergistic positive effect of the bimetallic phase was assessed for Au/Cu and Pd/Au alloy nanoparticles, the latter showing the highest catalytic performance. Moreover, monoand bi-metallic colloids were used to prepare TiO2- and CeO2-supported catalysts for the liquid phase oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfufural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The use of Au/Cu and Au/Pd bimetallic catalysts led to an increase in FDCA selectivity. Finally, preformed Pd/Cu nanoparticles were incorporated into the structure of MCM-41-silica. The resulting Pd/Cu MCM-41 catalysts were tested in the hydrodechlorination of CF3OCFClCF2Cl to CF3OCF=CF2. The effect of Cu on the hydrogenating properties of Pd was demonstrated. PMID:28773672

Colloidal metal oxide nanoparticle systems: the new promising way to prevent antibiotic resistance during treatment of local infectious processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasenkov, Y.; Frolov, G.; Pogorelsky, I.; Latuta, N.; Gusev, A.; Kuznetsov, D.; Leont'ev, V.

2015-11-01

New bactericidal containing nanoparticles colloids for application in dentistry, maxillofacial surgery, urology, obstetrics, gynaecology, ENT, proctology have been developed. The various water colloidal nanodispersive systems of metals and oxides have been obtained by means of electric impulse - condensation (electroerosion) method. These systems are based pure elements and alloys of argentum (Ag), titanium dioxide (TiO2), iron oxide (Fe2O3), tantalum oxide (TaO), vanadium oxide (VO2), cobalt oxide (CoO), tantalum dioxide TaO2, zinc oxide (ZnO), copper oxide (CuO) and mixed suspensions of titanium, aluminium and molybdenum oxides. The research has been made on culture of dentobacterial plaque and mixed culture issued from gingival spaces. The composition of culture was identified with S.aureus, S.epidermidis and nonfermentable kinds of E.coli. The observation period lasted more than nineteen days. All solutions showed highly prolonged bactericidal activity in dilutions from the whole solution 1-20 mg/L. The bactericidal activity of powder specimen of silica containing Ag and Fe2O3 nanoparticles used as dental filling material and disintegrates of composite materials (produced by “StomaDent” CJSC) have been studied. Tested materials have long (up to 19 days and more) bactericidal activity.

Development of a test method for protective gloves against nanoparticles in conditions simulating occupational use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolez, Patricia; Vinches, Ludwig; Wilkinson, Kevin; Plamondon, Philippe; Vu-Khanh, Toan

2011-07-01

Nanoparticle manufacture and use are in full expansion. The associated risks of occupational exposure raise large concerns due to their potential toxicity. Even if they stand as a last resort in the traditional occupational Health & Safety (H&S) risk management strategy, personal protective equipment (PPE) against nanoparticles are an absolute need in the context of precautionary principle advocated by H&S organizations worldwide. However no standard test method is currently available for evaluating the efficiency of PPE against nanoparticles, in particular in the case of gloves. A project is thus underway to develop a test method for measuring nanoparticle penetration through protective gloves in conditions simulating glove-nanoparticle occupational interaction. The test setup includes an exposure and a sampling chamber separated by a circular glove sample. A system of cylinders is used to deform the sample while it is exposed to nanoparticles. The whole system is enclosed in a glove box to ensure the operator safety during assembly, dismounting and clean-up operations as well as during the tests. Appropriate nanoparticle detection techniques were also identified. Results are reported here for commercial 15nm TiO2 nanoparticles - powder and colloidal solutions in 1,2-propanediol, ethylene glycol and water - and four types of protective gloves: disposable nitrile and latex as well as unsupported neoprene and butyl rubber gloves. They show that mechanical deformations and contact with colloidal solution liquid carriers may affect glove materials. Preliminary results obtained with TiO2 powder indicate a possible penetration of nanoparticles through gloves following mechanical deformations.

Spectral properties of nanocomposites based on fluorine-containing polymer and gold nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barmina, E. V.; Mel’nik, N. N.; Rakov, I. I.; Ivanov, V. E.; Simakin, A. V.; Gudkov, S. V.; Shafeev, G. A.

2018-04-01

The optical properties of nanocomposites of gold nanoparticles and fluorine-containing polymer have been studied. Gold nanoparticles were obtained by laser ablation of gold or terbium targets in organic solvents. The thus formed colloidal solutions were used to prepare nanocomposites of gold nanoparticles in polymer matrices of transparent and colorless fluorine-containing polymer. The polymer matrix is found to promote aggregation of nanoparticles of metal under study into elongated chains. In turn, metal nanoparticles influence on the polymer matrix. Gold nanoparticles amplify the Raman signal of the polymer matrix. In addition, the Raman spectra of nanocomposites indicate aggregation of disordered carbon around the nanoparticles obtained by laser ablation in organic solvents.

Tapping the potential of trioctylphosphine (TOP) in the realization of highly luminescent blue-emitting colloidal indium phosphide (InP) quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Akanksha; Chawla, Parul; Jain, Shefali; Sharma, Shailesh Narain

2017-06-01

In this work, extremely small blue emitting colloidal InP-based quantum dots (size 2-5 nm) have been synthesized using trioctylphosphine (TOP) as a source of phosphorus. The method reported here is unconventional, quite rapid ( 90 min), more viable, less expensive and relatively greener as compared to other conventional methods that employ tristrimethylsilyylphosphine(P(SiMe3)3) which is scarce, expensive, flammable, highly toxic and even banned in a few countries. Highly luminescent InP QDs having bluish-green emission (λ 490 nm) can be synthesized using this method without resorting to any post-synthesis etching to tune the emission to the blue region. Besides being the source of phosphorus and the particle size regulating agent, the efficacy of TOP is further realized during synthesis via its reduction of indium salt, which aids in the formation of indium metal and then subsequently in the development of InP QDs. The PL intensity of as-synthesized InP QDs is further enhanced by growing a shell of wide band gap material, i.e. ZnS resulting in a concurrent increment in quantum yield from 25% to 38% respectively.

Polymeric membranes: surface modification for minimizing (bio)colloidal fouling.

PubMed

Kochkodan, Victor; Johnson, Daniel J; Hilal, Nidal

2014-04-01

This paper presents an overview on recent developments in surface modification of polymer membranes for reduction of their fouling with biocolloids and organic colloids in pressure driven membrane processes. First, colloidal interactions such as London-van der Waals, electrical, hydration, hydrophobic, steric forces and membrane surface properties such as hydrophilicity, charge and surface roughness, which affect membrane fouling, have been discussed and the main goals of the membrane surface modification for fouling reduction have been outlined. Thereafter the recent studies on reduction of (bio)colloidal of polymer membranes using ultraviolet/redox initiated surface grafting, physical coating/adsorption of a protective layer on the membrane surface, chemical reactions or surface modification of polymer membranes with nanoparticles as well as using of advanced atomic force microscopy to characterize (bio)colloidal fouling have been critically summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tangential Flow Filtration of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles: A "Green" Laboratory Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dorney, Kevin M.; Baker, Joshua D.; Edwards, Michelle L.; Kanel, Sushil R.; O'Malley, Matthew; Pavel Sizemore, Ioana E.

2014-01-01

Numerous nanoparticle (NP) fabrication methodologies employ "bottom-up" syntheses, which may result in heterogeneous mixtures of NPs or may require toxic capping agents to reduce NP polydispersity. Tangential flow filtration (TFF) is an alternative "green" technique for the purification, concentration, and size-selection of…

Nanoparticle Solutions for Printed Electronics

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-19

the printed semiconductor materials and their nanoparticle and colloidal precursors. Without this basic knowledge, further development and the...titania, silica ) were investigated in the production of complementary inks for complex devices. These were either obtained commercially in...layers were also deposited on borosilicate glass and silicon wafers. In the photovoltaic program, hybrid inorganic-organic semiconductor combinations

Tangeretin-loaded protein nanoparticles fabricated from zein/β-lactoglobulin: preparation, characterization, and functional performance.

PubMed

Chen, Jingjing; Zheng, Jinkai; McClements, David Julian; Xiao, Hang

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to design a colloidal delivery system to encapsulate poor water-soluble bioactive flavonoid tangeretin so that it could be utilized in various food products as functional ingredient. Tangeretin-loaded protein nanoparticles were produced by mixing an organic phase containing zein and tangeretin with an aqueous phase containing β-lactoglobulin and then converted into powder by freeze-drying. This powder formed a colloidal suspension when dispersed in water that is relatively stable to particle aggregation and sedimentation. The influence of temperature, ionic strength, and pH on the stability of the protein nanoparticles was tested. Extensive particle aggregation occurred at high ionic strength (>100mM) and intermediate pH (4.5-5.5) due to reduced electrostatic repulsion. Extensive aggregation also occurred at temperatures exceeding 60 °C, which was presumably due to increased hydrophobic attraction. Overall, this study shows that protein-based nanoparticles can be used to encapsulate bioactive tangeretin so that it can be readily dispersed in compatible food products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-functionality Redefined with Colloidal Carotene Carbon Nanoparticles for Synchronized Chemical Imaging, Enriched Cellular Uptake and Therapy.

PubMed

Misra, Santosh K; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Chang, Huei-Huei; Tiwari, Saumya; Gryka, Mark; Bhargava, Rohit; Pan, Dipanjan

2016-07-11

Typically, multiplexing high nanoparticle uptake, imaging, and therapy requires careful integration of three different functions of a multiscale molecular-particle assembly. Here, we present a simpler approach to multiplexing by utilizing one component of the system for multiple functions. Specifically, we successfully synthesized and characterized colloidal carotene carbon nanoparticle (C(3)-NP), in which a single functional molecule served a threefold purpose. First, the presence of carotene moieties promoted the passage of the particle through the cell membrane and into the cells. Second, the ligand acted as a potent detrimental moiety for cancer cells and, finally, the ligands produced optical contrast for robust microscopic detection in complex cellular environments. In comparative tests, C(3)-NP were found to provide effective intracellular delivery that enables both robust detection at cellular and tissue level and presents significant therapeutic potential without altering the mechanism of intracellular action of β-carotene. Surface coating of C(3) with phospholipid was used to generate C(3)-Lipocoat nanoparticles with further improved function and biocompatibility, paving the path to eventual in vivo studies.

Multi-functionality Redefined with Colloidal Carotene Carbon Nanoparticles for Synchronized Chemical Imaging, Enriched Cellular Uptake and Therapy

PubMed Central

Misra, Santosh K.; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Chang, Huei-Huei; Tiwari, Saumya; Gryka, Mark; Bhargava, Rohit; Pan, Dipanjan

2016-01-01

Typically, multiplexing high nanoparticle uptake, imaging, and therapy requires careful integration of three different functions of a multiscale molecular-particle assembly. Here, we present a simpler approach to multiplexing by utilizing one component of the system for multiple functions. Specifically, we successfully synthesized and characterized colloidal carotene carbon nanoparticle (C3-NP), in which a single functional molecule served a threefold purpose. First, the presence of carotene moieties promoted the passage of the particle through the cell membrane and into the cells. Second, the ligand acted as a potent detrimental moiety for cancer cells and, finally, the ligands produced optical contrast for robust microscopic detection in complex cellular environments. In comparative tests, C3-NP were found to provide effective intracellular delivery that enables both robust detection at cellular and tissue level and presents significant therapeutic potential without altering the mechanism of intracellular action of β-carotene. Surface coating of C3 with phospholipid was used to generate C3-Lipocoat nanoparticles with further improved function and biocompatibility, paving the path to eventual in vivo studies. PMID:27405011

Multi-functionality Redefined with Colloidal Carotene Carbon Nanoparticles for Synchronized Chemical Imaging, Enriched Cellular Uptake and Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misra, Santosh K.; Mukherjee, Prabuddha; Chang, Huei-Huei; Tiwari, Saumya; Gryka, Mark; Bhargava, Rohit; Pan, Dipanjan

2016-07-01

Typically, multiplexing high nanoparticle uptake, imaging, and therapy requires careful integration of three different functions of a multiscale molecular-particle assembly. Here, we present a simpler approach to multiplexing by utilizing one component of the system for multiple functions. Specifically, we successfully synthesized and characterized colloidal carotene carbon nanoparticle (C3-NP), in which a single functional molecule served a threefold purpose. First, the presence of carotene moieties promoted the passage of the particle through the cell membrane and into the cells. Second, the ligand acted as a potent detrimental moiety for cancer cells and, finally, the ligands produced optical contrast for robust microscopic detection in complex cellular environments. In comparative tests, C3-NP were found to provide effective intracellular delivery that enables both robust detection at cellular and tissue level and presents significant therapeutic potential without altering the mechanism of intracellular action of β-carotene. Surface coating of C3 with phospholipid was used to generate C3-Lipocoat nanoparticles with further improved function and biocompatibility, paving the path to eventual in vivo studies.

Use of Gold Nanoparticle Fertilizer Enhances the Ginsenoside Contents and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Red Ginseng.

PubMed

Kang, Hee; Hwang, Yun-Gu; Lee, Taek-Guen; Jin, Cheng-Ri; Cho, Chi Heung; Jeong, Hee-Yeong; Kim, Dae-Ok

2016-10-28

Red ginseng, a steamed and sun-dried ginseng, is a popular health-promoting food in Korea and other Asian countries. We introduced nanofertilizer technology using gold nanoparticles in an effort to develop red ginseng with an elevated level of ginsenosides, the main active compounds of ginseng. Shoots of 6-year-old ginseng plants were fertilized three times with colloidal gold nanoparticle sprays. Red ginseng extract was prepared from the main roots. The concentrations of gold and ginsenosides were measured following gold nanoparticle treatment. To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects, mouse peritoneal macrophages of male BALB/c mouse were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide plus interferon-γ in the presence of extracts from red ginseng with or without gold nanoparticle treatment. The content of ginsenosides, such as Rg1, Re, Rf, and Rb1, increased in ginseng treated with gold nanofertilizer whereas the steaming process increased only the levels of Rd and Rg3. The levels of nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and interleukin-6, but not tumor necrosis factor-α, were more suppressed in macrophages treated with extract from gold nanoparticle-treated red ginseng. Our results show that the use of a colloidal gold nanoparticle fertilizer improved the synthesis of ginsenosides in ginseng and enhanced the anti-inflammatory effects of red ginseng. Further research is required to elucidate the causal factors for the gold-induced change in ginsenoside synthesis and to determine the in vivo effect of gold nanoparticle-treated ginseng.

DNA-programmable nanoparticle crystallization.

PubMed

Park, Sung Yong; Lytton-Jean, Abigail K R; Lee, Byeongdu; Weigand, Steven; Schatz, George C; Mirkin, Chad A

2008-01-31

It was first shown more than ten years ago that DNA oligonucleotides can be attached to gold nanoparticles rationally to direct the formation of larger assemblies. Since then, oligonucleotide-functionalized nanoparticles have been developed into powerful diagnostic tools for nucleic acids and proteins, and into intracellular probes and gene regulators. In contrast, the conceptually simple yet powerful idea that functionalized nanoparticles might serve as basic building blocks that can be rationally assembled through programmable base-pairing interactions into highly ordered macroscopic materials remains poorly developed. So far, the approach has mainly resulted in polymerization, with modest control over the placement of, the periodicity in, and the distance between particles within the assembled material. That is, most of the materials obtained thus far are best classified as amorphous polymers, although a few examples of colloidal crystal formation exist. Here, we demonstrate that DNA can be used to control the crystallization of nanoparticle-oligonucleotide conjugates to the extent that different DNA sequences guide the assembly of the same type of inorganic nanoparticle into different crystalline states. We show that the choice of DNA sequences attached to the nanoparticle building blocks, the DNA linking molecules and the absence or presence of a non-bonding single-base flexor can be adjusted so that gold nanoparticles assemble into micrometre-sized face-centred-cubic or body-centred-cubic crystal structures. Our findings thus clearly demonstrate that synthetically programmable colloidal crystallization is possible, and that a single-component system can be directed to form different structures.

Colloidal Synthesis of Te-Doped Bi Nanoparticles: Low-Temperature Charge Transport and Thermoelectric Properties.

PubMed

Gu, Da Hwi; Jo, Seungki; Jeong, Hyewon; Ban, Hyeong Woo; Park, Sung Hoon; Heo, Seung Hwae; Kim, Fredrick; Jang, Jeong In; Lee, Ji Eun; Son, Jae Sung

2017-06-07

Electronically doped nanoparticles formed by incorporation of impurities have been of great interest because of their controllable electrical properties. However, the development of a strategy for n-type or p-type doping on sub-10 nm-sized nanoparticles under the quantum confinement regime is very challenging using conventional processes, owing to the difficulty in synthesis. Herein, we report the colloidal chemical synthesis of sub-10 nm-sized tellurium (Te)-doped Bismuth (Bi) nanoparticles with precisely controlled Te content from 0 to 5% and systematically investigate their low-temperature charge transport and thermoelectric properties. Microstructural characterization of nanoparticles demonstrates that Te ions are successfully incorporated into Bi nanoparticles rather than remaining on the nanoparticle surfaces. Low-temperature Hall measurement results of the hot-pressed Te-doped Bi-nanostructured materials, with grain sizes ranging from 30 to 60 nm, show that the charge transport properties are governed by the doping content and the related impurity and nanoscale grain boundary scatterings. Furthermore, the low-temperature thermoelectric properties reveal that the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient expectedly change with the Te content, whereas the thermal conductivity is significantly reduced by Te doping because of phonon scattering at the sites arising from impurities and nanoscale grain boundaries. Accordingly, the 1% Te-doped Bi sample exhibits a higher figure-of-merit ZT by ∼10% than that of the undoped sample. The synthetic strategy demonstrated in this study offers the possibility of electronic doping of various quantum-confined nanoparticles for diverse applications.