Coating stainless steel plates with Ag/TiO2 for chlorpyrifos decontamination

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel Fattah, Wafa I.; Gobara, Mohammed M.; El-Hotaby, Walid; Mostafa, Sherif F. M.; Ali, Ghareib W.

2016-05-01

Spray coatings of either nanosilver (Ag), titanium (TiO2) or nanosilver titanium (Ag/TiO2) on stainless steel substrates prepared by sol-gel process were successfully achieved. The efficiency of the Ag/TiO2 coat onto 316 stainless steel surface towards cloropyrifos degradation as a chemical warfare agent (CWA) was proved. The crystalline structure and morphological characterization, as well as surface roughness measurements, were assessed. X-ray diffraction results proved the crystalline TiO2 anatase phase. The uniform distribution of Ag along with TiO2 nanoparticles was evidenced through transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy mapping. The hydrophilic nature of individual Ag, TiO2 and Ag/TiO2 coats was proved by contact angle measurements. The loading of Ag nanoparticles influenced positively the Ag/TiO2 coats surface roughness. The photocatalytic cloropyrifos degradation achieved about 50% within one-hour post UV treatment proving, therefore, the promising Ag/TiO2 continued decontamination efficiency. In conclusion, tuning the physical and morphological properties of TiO2 coated on stainless steel surface could be significantly enhanced by Ag nanoparticles incorporation. The developed Ag/TiO2 coat could be conveniently applied as CWA decontaminant.

Polyester fabric coated with Ag/ZnO composite film by magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuan, Xiaohong, E-mail: yxhong1981_2004@126.com [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China); Faculty of Clothing and Design, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350121, Fujian (China); Xu, Wenzheng, E-mail: xwz8199@126.com [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China); Huang, Fenglin, E-mail: windhuang325@163.com [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China); Chen, Dongsheng, E-mail: mjuchen@126.com [Faculty of Clothing and Design, Minjiang University, Fuzhou 350121, Fujian (China); Wei, Qufu, E-mail: qfwei@jiangnan.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, Jiangsu (China)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Ag/ZnO composite film was successfully deposited on polyester fabric by magnetron sputtering technique. • Ag film was easily oxidized into Ag{sub 2}O film in high vacuum oxygen environment. • The zinc film coated on the surface of Ag film before RF reactive sputtering could protect the silver film from oxidation. • Polyester fabric coated with Ag/ZnO composite film can obtained structural color. • The anti-ultraviolet and antistatic properties of polyester fabric coated with Ag/ZnO composite film all were good. - Abstract: Ag/ZnO composite film was successfully deposited on polyester fabric by using direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering and radio frequency (RF) magnetron reaction sputtering techniques with pure silver (Ag) and zinc (Zn) targets. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to examine the deposited film on the fabric. It was found that the zinc film coated on Ag film before RF reactive sputtering could protect the silver film from oxidation. Anti-ultraviolet property and antistatic property of the coated samples using different magnetron sputtering methods were also investigated. The experimental results showed that Ag film was oxidized into in Ag{sub 2}O film in high vacuum oxygen environment. The deposition of Zn film on the surface of the fabric coated with Ag film before RF reactive sputtering, could successfully obtained Ag/ZnO composite film, and also generated structural color on the polyester fabric.

Study on the nano-composite electroless coating of Ni-P/Ag

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Hongfang; Tian Fang; Li Dan; Guo Qiang

2009-01-01

The nano-composite coating of Ni-P/Ag was obtained by adding silver nanoparticles to the Ni-P electroless plating solutions. The properties of the coating were tested by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microsclerometer. Silver nanoparticles changed the properties of the composite coating. The Ni-P electroless coating contains 12.23 wt.% P while the composite coating of Ni-P/Ag contains 11.17 wt.% P and 0.24 wt.% Ag. The hardness of the composite coating is bigger than that of Ni-P alloy coating. Differential scanning calorimeter studies showed the amorphous to crystalline transition with precipitation of Ni 3 P and Ni around 335 deg. C

Antimicrobial activity of tantalum oxide coatings decorated with Ag nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cao, Huiliang, E-mail: hlc@mail.sic.ac.cn; Meng, Fanhao; Liu, Xuanyong, E-mail: xyliu@mail.sic.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2016-07-15

Silver plasma immersion ion implantation was used to decorate silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on tantalum oxide (TO) coatings. The coatings acted against bacterial cells (Staphylococcus epidermidis) in the dark by disrupting their integrity. The action was independent of silver release and likely driven by the electron storage capability of the Schottky barriers established at the interfaces between Ag NPs and the TO support. Moreover, no apparent side effect on the adhesion and differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells was detected when using Ag NPs-modified TO coatings. These results demonstrate that decoration of tantalum oxide using Ag NPs could be a promising procedure for improving the antibacterial properties for orthopedic and dental implants.

Effects of Bi Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Ag Coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxin Wang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this study we investigated the effects of Bi addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ag coating. Microstructural features were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The results indicate that the addition of Bi introduced nanometer-scale Ag-Bi solid solution particles and more internal defects to the initial Ag microstructures. The anisotropic elastic-plastic properties of the Ag nanocrystalline coating with and without Bi addition were examined with nanoindentation experiments in conjunction with the recently-developed inverse method. The results indicate that the as-deposited nanocrystalline Ag coating contained high mechanical anisotropy. With the addition of 1 atomic percent (at% Bi, the anisotropy within Ag-Bi coating was very small, and yield strength of the nanocrystalline Ag-Bi alloy in both longitudinal and transverse directions were improved by over 100% compared to that of Ag. On the other hand, the strain-hardening exponent of Ag-Bi was reduced to 0.055 from the original 0.16 of the Ag coating. Furthermore, the addition of Bi only slightly increased the electrical resistivity of the Ag-Bi coating in comparison to Ag. Results of our study indicate that Bi addition is a promising method for improving the mechanical and physical performances of Ag coating for electrical contacts.

Coating of hydroxyapatite doped Ag on commercially pure titanium surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, Jonas de Oliveira; Vercik, Luci Cristina de Oliveira; Rigo, Eliana Cristina da Silva

2012-01-01

This paper presents results of bioactive coating on commercially pure titanium surface (CpTi) doped with Ag ions. The coating consists of 3 steps, in step 1- surface chemical treatment of the samples with NaOH, step 2 - immersing the substrate in question in a sodium silicate solution (SS) to the nucleation and step 3 - reimmersion these substrates in synthetic solution that simulates the blood serum for precipitation and growth of apatite layer. After the coating step the AgNO 3 substrates were immersed in solutions with concentrations of 20 ppm and 100 ppm at 37 ° C for 48h. The substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). By the results verified the formation of an apatite layer with aspects of cells, on the surface of CpTi. The increase in Ag concentration causes an increase in Ag amount doped in apatite layer. With the results we concluded that it is possible to obtain an apatite layer on a metal surface as the CpTi doped with Ag ions

Ag-polytetrafluoroethylene composite coating on stainless steel as bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu, Yu. [Laboratory of Fuel Cells, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Hou, Ming; Shao, Zhigang; Yi, Baolian [Laboratory of Fuel Cells, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Xu, Hongfeng; Hou, Zhongjun; Ming, Pingwen [Sunrise Power Co., Ltd., Dalian 116025 (China)

2008-08-01

Forming a coating on metals by surface treatment is a good way to get high performance bipolar plate of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). In our research, Ag-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite film was electrodeposited with silver-gilt solution of nicotinic acid by a bi-pulse electroplating power supply on 316 L stainless steel bipolar plate of PEMFC. Surface topography, contact angle, interfacial conductivity and corrosion resistance of the bipolar plate samples were investigated. Results showed that the defects on the Ag-PTFE composite coating are greatly reduced compared with those on the pure Ag coating fabricated under the same condition; and the contact angle of the Ag-PTFE composite coating with water is 114 , which is much bigger than that of the pure Ag coating (73 ). In addition, the interfacial contact resistance of the composite coating stays as low as the pure Ag coating; and the bipolar plate sample with composite coating shows a close corrosion resistance to the pure Ag coating sample in potentiodynamic and potentiostatic tests. Coated 316 L stainless steel plate with Ag-PTFE composite coating exhibits well hydrophobic characteristic, less defects, high interfacial conductivity and good corrosion resistance, which shows a great potential of the application in PEMFC. (author)

Microstructure, optimum pigment content and low infrared emissivity of polyurethane/Ag composite coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Weigang; Xu, Guoyue; Ding, Ruya; Qiao, Jialiang; Duan, Kaige

2013-01-01

Polyurethane (PU)/Ag composite coatings with low infrared emissivity were successfully prepared by using PU and flaky Ag powders as adhesives and pigments, respectively. The infrared emissivity and microstructure of as-prepared products were systematically investigated by infrared emissometer and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Infrared emissivity measurement shows that the emissivity of the coatings approaches the lowest value of 0.082 at the wavelength of 8–14 µm when the Ag content is about 20 wt%. Microstructure observation shows that the coatings have similar one-dimensional photonic structural characteristics. According to the structural characteristics, a simulation method for optimum pigment content and the cause of low infrared emissivity of the coatings were successfully obtained and discussed by using the theories of one-dimensional photonic structure, respectively. The results indicate that the low infrared emissivity of PU/Ag composite coatings is derived from the similar one-dimensional photonic structure in the coatings, and the calculated optimum Ag content is in good agreement with the experimental value, which reveals that it is a practical simulation method for optimum pigment content of low infrared emissivity composite coatings

A Highly Active and Alcohol-Tolerant Cathode Electrocatalyst Containing Ag Nanoparticles Supported on Graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Rongzhong; Moton, Elizabeth; McClure, Joshua P.; Bowers, Zachary

2014-01-01

A highly active oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst was synthesized by supporting Ag nano-particles on graphene nano platelets (Ag/GNP) via ultrasound treatment. The Ag/GNP catalyzes the O 2 molecule through a 4-electron reduction to water in 0.1 M KOH electrolyte. The half-wave potential for the ORR on Ag/GNP is similar to a Pt black coated electrode (i.e -0.27 V at Ag/GNP, and -0.18 V at 40% Pt/C vs.SCE). The kinetic rate for the ORR on Ag/GNP is 3.16 × 10 −2 cm · s −1 at -0.4 V vs. SCE. The effect of alcohols and other impurities on the ORR catalytic activity for Ag/GNP was examined and found to be highly tolerant to methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol. The Ag/GNP catalyst is also tolerant to tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxides; i.e. functional groups related to the chemical structure of common alkaline electrolyte membranes

Investigation on surface, electrical and optical properties of ITO-Ag-ITO coated glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aslan Necdet; Sen, Tuba; Coruhlu Turgay; Senturk Kenan; Keskin Sinan; Seker Sedat; Dobrovolskiy Andrey

2015-01-01

The aim of this work was to study the optical and electrical properties of thick ITO-Ag-ITO multilayer coating onto glass. ITO-Ag-ITO coatings with thickness of ITO layers 110 nm, 185 nm and intermediate Ag layer thickness 40 nm were prepared by magnetron sputtering. The optical, electrical and atomic properties of the coating were examined by scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy

Electrochemical properties of Ti3+ doped Ag-Ti nanotube arrays coated with hydroxyapatite

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hangzhou; Shi, Xiaoguo; Tian, Ang; Wang, Li; Liu, Chuangwei

2018-04-01

Ag-Ti nanotube array was prepared by simple anodic oxidation method and uniform hydroxyapatite were electrochemically deposited on the nanotubes, and then characterized by SEM, XRD, XPS and EIS. In order to investigate the influence of Ti3+ on the electrochemical deposition of hydroxyapatite on the nanotubes, the Ag-Ti nanotube array self-doped with Ti3+ was prepared by one step reduction method. The experiment results revealed that the Ti3+ can promote the grow rate of hydroxyapatite coatings on nanotube surface. The hydroxyapatite coated Ag-Ti nanotube arrays with Ti3+ exhibit excellent stability and higher corrosion resistance. Moreover, the compact and dense hydroxyapatite coating can also prevent the Ag atom erosion from the Ag-Ti nanotube.

Ag-Cu nanoalloyed film as a high-performance cathode electrocatalytic material for zinc-air battery

OpenAIRE

Lei, Yimin; Chen, Fuyi; Jin, Yachao; Liu, Zongwen

2015-01-01

A novel Ag50Cu50 film electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The electrocatalyst actually is Ag-Cu alloyed nanoparticles embedded in amorphous Cu film, based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization. The rotating disk electrode (RDE) measurements provide evidence that the ORR proceed via a four-electron pathway on the electrocatalysts in alkaline solution. And it is much more efficient than pure Ag catalyst. ...

Tribological behavior and self-healing functionality of TiNbCN-Ag coatings in wide temperature range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bondarev, A.V., E-mail: abondarev88@gmail.com; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Ph.V.; Levashov, E.A.; Shtansky, D.V., E-mail: shtansky@shs.misis.ru

2017-02-28

Highlights: • TiNbCN–Ag coatings for wide temperature range tribological applications. • Alloying with Nb and Ag improve tribological properties and oxidation resistance. • Ag-rich TiNbCN coatings show friction coefficient below 0.45 in range of 25–700 °C. • Ag-doped coatings show active oxidation protection and self-healing functionality. - Abstract: Ag- and Nb-doped TiCN coatings with about 2 at.% of Nb and Ag contents varied between 4.0 and 15.1 at.% were designed as promising materials for tribological applications in a wide temperature range. We report on the structure, mechanical, and tribological properties of TiNbCN-Ag coatings fabricated by simultaneous co-sputtering of TiC{sub 0.5} + 10%Nb{sub 2}C and Ag targets in comparison with those of Ag-free coating. The tribological characteristics were evaluated during constant-temperature tests both at room temperature and 300 °C, as well as during dynamic temperature ramp tests in the range of 25–700 °C. The coating structure and elemental composition were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. The coating microstructures and elemental compositions inside wear tracks, as well as the wear products, were examined by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. We demonstrate that simultaneous alloying with Nb and Ag permits to overcome the main drawbacks of TiCN coatings such as their relatively high values of friction coefficient at elevated temperatures and low oxidation resistance. It is shown that a relatively high amount of Ag (15 at.%) is required to provide enhanced tribological behavior in a wide temperature range of 25–700 °C. In addition, the prepared Ag-doped coatings demonstrated active oxidation protection and self-healing functionality due to the segregation of Ag metallic particles in damage areas such as cracks, pin-holes, or oxidation sites.

Ultraviolet photosensors fabricated with Ag nanowires coated with ZnO nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Guan-Hung [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Hong, Franklin Chau-Nan, E-mail: hong@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); NCKU Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China)

2014-11-03

We have developed a simple low temperature process to coat zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) on Ag nanowires (NWs) with well-controlled morphology. Triethanolamine (TEA) was employed to react with zinc acetate (Zn(CH{sub 3}COO){sub 2}) forming ZnO NPs. TEA was also found to enhance the nucleation and binding of ZnO NPs on the Ag nanowire surfaces facilitating a complete coverage of Ag nanowire surfaces with ZnO NPs. The effects of the process parameters including reaction time and reaction temperature were studied. The surfaces of 60 nm diameter Ag NWs could be completely covered with ZnO NPs with the final diameters of Ag-NWs@ZnO (core–shell NWs) turning into the range from 100 nm to 450 nm. The Ag-NWs@ZnO was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray mapping analysis, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence spectra. Finally, ultraviolet (UV) photosensors were fabricated using Ag-NWs@ZnO. They were found to improve photosensitivity with greatly enhanced fast response by reducing the recovery time by 2 orders, in comparison with the UV-sensors using single-crystalline ZnO NWs. - Highlights: • Solution process to coat ZnO nanoparticles on Ag nanowires has been developed. • Ultraviolet photosensing of ZnO nanoparticles coated on the Ag nanowires was found. • High defect concentration of ZnO nanoparticles enhanced the photosensing properties.

Parameter optimization for Ag-coated TiO2 nanotube arrays as recyclable SERS substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yuyang; Yang, Lulu; Liao, Fan; Dang, Qian; Shao, Mingwang

2018-06-01

The Ag-coated titanium dioxide nanotube arrays (Ag-coated TNTs) are obtained via the deposition of Ag nanoparticles on the two-step anodized TNTs. The wall thickness of TNTs is modulated via finite difference time domain simulation to get the favorable electromagnetic field for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Ag-coated TNTs with optimal wall thickness of 20 nm were employed as the SERS substrates to detect 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, which show superior detection sensitivity and uniformity. In addition, due to the photocatalysis of TNTs, the SERS substrates could clean themselves and be repeatedly used by photo-degradation of target molecules under the ultra-violet irradiation. The Ag-coated TNTs are a kind of bifunctional SERS substrates which can produce high-quality SERS signals and reuse to reduce the cost.

Development of highly transparent Pd-coated Ag nanowire electrode for display and catalysis applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Canlier, Ali, E-mail: ali.canlier@agu.edu.tr [Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, Abdullah Gul University, P.O. Box 38080, Kayseri (Turkey); Ucak, Umit Volkan, E-mail: sirvolkan@gmail.com [Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, Abdullah Gul University, P.O. Box 38080, Kayseri (Turkey); Graduate School of Energy, Environment, Water, and Sustainability (EEWS), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), P.O. Box 305-701, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Usta, Hakan, E-mail: husta38@gmail.com [Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, Abdullah Gul University, P.O. Box 38080, Kayseri (Turkey); Cho, Changsoon, E-mail: cscho@kaist.ac.kr [Graduate School of Energy, Environment, Water, and Sustainability (EEWS), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), P.O. Box 305-701, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jung-Yong, E-mail: jungyong.lee@kaist.ac.kr [Graduate School of Energy, Environment, Water, and Sustainability (EEWS), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), P.O. Box 305-701, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Sen, Unal, E-mail: senunal@gmail.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Abdullah Gul University, P.O. Box 38080, Kayseri (Turkey); Citir, Murat, E-mail: muratcitir@gmail.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Abdullah Gul University, P.O. Box 38080, Kayseri (Turkey)

2015-09-30

Highlights: • Highly uniform thin-layer coating of Pd onto Ag nanowire surface was accomplished. • A transparent electrode of Pd-coated Ag nanowire was uniformly deposited on flexible substrate. • 95% of optical transmittance and 175 Ω/sq sheet resistance were obtained. • Extremely low haze of 1.9% and high oxidation stability proved an efficient transparent electrode. • This electrode can be used as Pd-catalyst for synthesis reactions and fuel cell electrode applications. - Abstract: Ag nanowire transparent electrode has excellent transmittance (90%) and sheet resistance (20 Ω/sq), yet there are slight drawbacks such as optical haze and chemical instability against aerial oxidation. Chemical stability of Ag nanowires needs to be improved in order for it to be suitable for electrode applications. In our recent article, we demonstrated that coating Ag nanowires with a thin layer of Au through galvanic exchange reactions enhances the chemical stability of Ag nanowire films highly and also helps to obtain lower haze. In this study, coating of a thin Pd layer has been applied successfully onto the surface of Ag nanowires. A mild Pd complex oxidant [Pd(en){sub 2}](NO{sub 3}){sub 2} was prepared in order to oxidize Ag atoms partially on the surface via galvanic displacement. The mild galvanic exchange allowed for a thin layer (1–2 nm) of Pd coating on the Ag nanowires with minimal truncation of the nanowire, where the average length and the diameter were 12.5 μm and 59 nm, respectively. The Pd-coated Ag nanowires were suspended in methanol and then electrostatically sprayed on flexible polycarbonate substrates. It has been revealed that average total transmittance remain around 95% within visible spectrum region (400–800 nm) whereas sheet resistance rises up to 175 Ω/sq. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time in the literature, Pd coating was employed on Ag nanowires in order to design transparent electrodes for high transparency and strong

Preparation of ZnO/Ag nanocomposite and coating on polymers for anti-infection biomaterial application.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, Babak

2014-01-24

ZnO/Ag nanocomposites coated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were prepared by chemical reduction method, for anti-infection biomaterial application. There is a growing interest in attempts in using biomolecular as the templates to grow inorganic nanocomposites in controlled morphology and structure. By optimizing the experiment conditions, we successfully fabricated high yield of ZnO/Ag nanocomposite with full coverage of high-density polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating. More importantly, ZnO/Ag nanocomposites were shown to significantly inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in solution. It was further shown that ZnO/Ag nanocomposites induced thiol depletion that caused death of S. aureus. The coatings were fully characterized using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Most importantly, compared to uncoated metals, the coatings on PVC promoted healthy antibacterial activity. Importantly, compared to ZnO-Ag -uncoated PVC, the ZnO/Ag nanocomposites coated was approximately triplet more effective in preventing bacteria attachment. The result of Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) indicates that, the ZnO/Ag nanocomposites are chemically stable in the temperature range from 50 to 900°C. This result, for the first time, demonstrates the potential of using ZnO/Ag nanocomposites as a coating material for numerous anti-bacterial applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Behavior of Ag nanoparticles in soil: Effects of particle surface coating, aging and sewage sludge amendment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitley, Annie R.; Levard, Clément; Oostveen, Emily; Bertsch, Paul M.; Matocha, Chris J.; Kammer, Frank von der; Unrine, Jason M.

2013-01-01

This study addressed the relative importance of particle coating, sewage sludge amendment, and aging on aggregation and dissolution of manufactured Ag nanoparticles (Ag MNPs) in soil pore water. Ag MNPs with citrate (CIT) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) coatings were incubated with soil or municipal sewage sludge which was then amended to soil (1% or 3% sludge (w/w)). Pore waters were extracted after 1 week and 2 and 6 months and analyzed for chemical speciation, aggregation state and dissolution. Ag MNP coating had profound effects on aggregation state and partitioning to pore water in the absence of sewage sludge, but pre-incubation with sewage sludge negated these effects. This suggests that Ag MNP coating does not need to be taken into account to understand fate of AgMNPs applied to soil through biosolids amendment. Aging of soil also had profound effects that depended on Ag MNP coating and sludge amendment. -- Highlights: •Silver nanoparticle coating affects fate in unamended soils. •Citrated coated silver nanoparticles could be found in pore water for up to six months. •Pre-incubation of silver nanoparticles in sewage sludge negated effects of surface coating. •Weathered or reprecipitated particles found in pore water for up to two months in sludge amended soils. •Particle surface coating, sewage sludge amendment and aging all have important impacts. -- Behavior of manufactured silver nanoparticles in soil depends on surface coating, contact with sewage sludge, and aging

Preparation and self-sterilizing properties of Ag@TiO2-styrene-acrylic complex coatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xiang-dong; Chen, Feng; Yang, Jin-tao; Yan, Xiao-hui; Zhong, Ming-qiang

2013-04-01

In this study, we report a simple and cost-effective method for self-sterilized complex coatings obtained by Ag@TiO2 particle incorporation into styrene-acrylic latex. The Ag@TiO2 particles were prepared via a coupling agent modification process. The composite latices characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study were highly homogeneous at the nanometric scale, and the Ag@TiO2 particles were well dispersed and exhibited an intimate contact between both the organic and inorganic components. The Ag@TiO2 nanoparticles significantly enhanced the absorption in the visible region and engendered a good heat-insulating effect of the complex coatings. Moreover, the Ag@TiO2 nanoparticle incorporation into this polymer matrix renders self-sterilized nanocomposite materials upon light excitation, which are tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The complex coatings display an impressive performance in the killing of all micro-organisms with a maximum for a Ag@TiO2 loading concentration of 2-5 wt.%. The weathering endurance of the complex coating was also measured. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tribological behavior and self-healing functionality of TiNbCN-Ag coatings in wide temperature range

Science.gov (United States)

Bondarev, A. V.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Ph. V.; Levashov, E. A.; Shtansky, D. V.

2017-02-01

Ag- and Nb-doped TiCN coatings with about 2 at.% of Nb and Ag contents varied between 4.0 and 15.1 at.% were designed as promising materials for tribological applications in a wide temperature range. We report on the structure, mechanical, and tribological properties of TiNbCN-Ag coatings fabricated by simultaneous co-sputtering of TiC0.5 + 10%Nb2C and Ag targets in comparison with those of Ag-free coating. The tribological characteristics were evaluated during constant-temperature tests both at room temperature and 300 °C, as well as during dynamic temperature ramp tests in the range of 25-700 °C. The coating structure and elemental composition were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. The coating microstructures and elemental compositions inside wear tracks, as well as the wear products, were examined by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. We demonstrate that simultaneous alloying with Nb and Ag permits to overcome the main drawbacks of TiCN coatings such as their relatively high values of friction coefficient at elevated temperatures and low oxidation resistance. It is shown that a relatively high amount of Ag (15 at.%) is required to provide enhanced tribological behavior in a wide temperature range of 25-700 °C. In addition, the prepared Ag-doped coatings demonstrated active oxidation protection and self-healing functionality due to the segregation of Ag metallic particles in damage areas such as cracks, pin-holes, or oxidation sites.

Preparation and self-sterilizing properties of Ag@TiO{sub 2}–styrene–acrylic complex coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Xiang-dong; Chen, Feng; Yang, Jin-tao, E-mail: yangjt@zjut.edu.cn; Yan, Xiao-hui; Zhong, Ming-qiang, E-mail: zhongmingqiang@hotmail.com

2013-04-01

In this study, we report a simple and cost-effective method for self-sterilized complex coatings obtained by Ag@TiO{sub 2} particle incorporation into styrene–acrylic latex. The Ag@TiO{sub 2} particles were prepared via a coupling agent modification process. The composite latices characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study were highly homogeneous at the nanometric scale, and the Ag@TiO{sub 2} particles were well dispersed and exhibited an intimate contact between both the organic and inorganic components. The Ag@TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles significantly enhanced the absorption in the visible region and engendered a good heat-insulating effect of the complex coatings. Moreover, the Ag@TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle incorporation into this polymer matrix renders self-sterilized nanocomposite materials upon light excitation, which are tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The complex coatings display an impressive performance in the killing of all micro-organisms with a maximum for a Ag@TiO{sub 2} loading concentration of 2–5 wt.%. The weathering endurance of the complex coating was also measured. - Highlights: ► We prepared Ag@TiO{sub 2}–styrene–acrylic complex latex in one pot. ► Good antibacterial performances of complex coatings were observed. ► The complex coating was resistant to weathering after 48 h. ► The complex coating exhibits good heat-insulating effect.

Tuning the shell thickness-dependent plasmonic absorption of Ag coated Au nanocubes: The effect of synthesis temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Jian, E-mail: jianzhusummer@163.com; Zhang, Fan; Chen, Bei-Bei; Li, Jian-Jun; Zhao, Jun-Wu, E-mail: nanoptzhao@163.com

2015-09-15

Graphical abstract: Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorbance of Au nanocubes, and the Ag coating-dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Highlights: • Au nanocubes with more uniform shape can be obtained at lower growth temperature. • Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorption intensity. • The Ag coating dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Abstract: The temperature dependent synthesis and plasmonic optical properties of Ag coated Au nanocubes have been investigated experimentally. It has been found that the Au nanocubes with more uniform morphology and higher yield could be obtained by decreasing the growth temperature. Because of the non-spherical symmetry of the particles shape and the plasmon coupling between Au–Ag interface and outer Ag surface, four absorption peaks at most have been observed. As the Ag coating thickness is increased, the absorbance intensity of these plasmon peaks gets intense greatly, and the absorption peak at longest wavelength blue shifts firstly and then red shifts. The non-monotonous plasmonic shift has been attributed to the competition between the increase of Ag composition and the enlargement of the particle size. What's more, the wavelength region of both blue shift and red shift could also be enhanced by decreasing the temperature.

Tuning the shell thickness-dependent plasmonic absorption of Ag coated Au nanocubes: The effect of synthesis temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Jian; Zhang, Fan; Chen, Bei-Bei; Li, Jian-Jun; Zhao, Jun-Wu

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorbance of Au nanocubes, and the Ag coating-dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Highlights: • Au nanocubes with more uniform shape can be obtained at lower growth temperature. • Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorption intensity. • The Ag coating dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Abstract: The temperature dependent synthesis and plasmonic optical properties of Ag coated Au nanocubes have been investigated experimentally. It has been found that the Au nanocubes with more uniform morphology and higher yield could be obtained by decreasing the growth temperature. Because of the non-spherical symmetry of the particles shape and the plasmon coupling between Au–Ag interface and outer Ag surface, four absorption peaks at most have been observed. As the Ag coating thickness is increased, the absorbance intensity of these plasmon peaks gets intense greatly, and the absorption peak at longest wavelength blue shifts firstly and then red shifts. The non-monotonous plasmonic shift has been attributed to the competition between the increase of Ag composition and the enlargement of the particle size. What's more, the wavelength region of both blue shift and red shift could also be enhanced by decreasing the temperature

Ag-Ti(C, N)-based coatings for biomedical applications: influence of silver content on the structural properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manninen, N K; Carvalho, S; Galindo, R Escobar; Benito, N; Palacio, C; Figueiredo, N M; Cavaleiro, A

2011-01-01

Ag-TiCN coatings were deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering and their structural and morphological properties were evaluated. Compositional analysis showed the existence of Ag-TiCN coatings with different Ag/Ti atomic ratios (ranging from 0 to 1.49). The structural and morphological properties are well correlated with the evolution of Ag/Ti atomic ratio. For the samples with low Ag/Ti atomic ratio (below 0.20) the coatings crystallize in a B1-NaCl crystal structure typical of TiC 0.3 N 0.7 . The increase in Ag/Ti atomic ratio promoted the formation of Ag crystalline phases as well as amorphous CN x phases detected in both x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy analysis. Simultaneously to the formation of Ag crystalline phases and amorphous carbon-based phases, a decrease in TiC 0.3 N 0.7 grain size was observed as well as the densification of coatings.

Improving the oxidation resistance and stability of Ag nanoparticles by coating with multilayered reduced graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yahui; Zhang, Huayu; Wu, Bowen; Guo, Zhuo

2017-12-01

A kind of coating nanostructure, Ag nanoparticles coated with multilayered reduced graphene oxide (RGO), is fabricated by employing a three-step reduction method in an orderly manner, which is significantly different from the conventional structures that are simply depositing or doping with Ag nanoparticles on RGO via chemical reduction. The as-prepared nanostructure is investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected-area electronic diffraction (SEAD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the obtained Ag/RGO nanostructure is observed to be a perfect coating structure with well dispersed Ag particles, which is responsible for the remarkable oxidation resistance. The results of XPS spectra indicate the content of metallic Ag is far greater than that of Ag oxides despite of prolonged exposure to the air, which fully demonstrate the excellent stability of thus coating nanostructure.

Effects of coating process on the characteristics of Ag-SnO2 contact materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, X.M.; Wu, S.L.; Chu, Paul K.; Chung, C.Y.; Zheng, J.; Li, S.L.

2006-01-01

Good wettability between the SnO 2 and silver matrix can improve the electrical contact performance of Ag-SnO 2 materials. In this work, Ag was deposited onto the surface of Ti-doped SnO 2 particles using chemical plating to enhance the wettability. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the Ag-coated SnO 2 particles. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), conductivity tests, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed on the Ag-SnO 2 materials. Our results reveal that the chemical plating process can enhance the wettability between the Ti-doped SnO 2 particles and Ag matrix, and the Ag-coated SnO 2 particles are uniformly distributed in the Ag matrix. Both the thermal and electrical conductivity of the Ag-SnO 2 materials are significantly improved

Silver (Ag) Transport Mechanisms in TRISO coated particles: A Critical Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

I J van Rooyen; J H Neethling; J A A Engelbrecht; P M van Rooyen; G Strydom

2012-10-01

Transport of 110mAg in the intact SiC layer of TRISO coated particles has been studied for approximately 30 years without arriving at a satisfactory explanation of the transport mechanism. In this paper the possible mechanisms postulated in previous experimental studies, both in-reactor and out-of reactor research environment studies are critically reviewed and of particular interest are relevance to very high temperature gas reactor operating and accident conditions. Among the factors thought to influence Ag transport are grain boundary stoichiometry, SiC grain size and shape, the presence of free silicon, nano-cracks, thermal decomposition, palladium attack, transmutation products, layer thinning and coated particle shape. Additionally new insight to nature and location of fission products has been gained via recent post irradiation electron microscopy examination of TRISO coated particles from the DOE’s fuel development program. The combined effect of critical review and new analyses indicates a direction for investigating possible the Ag transport mechanism including the confidence level with which these mechanisms may be experimentally verified.

Silver (Ag) transport mechanisms in TRISO coated particles: A critical review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rooyen, I.J. van, E-mail: isabella.vanrooyen@inl.gov [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-6188 (United States); Dunzik-Gougar, M.L. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Idaho State University, ID (United States); Rooyen, P.M. van [Philip M. van Rooyen Network Consultants, Midlands Estates (South Africa)

2014-05-01

Transport of {sup 110m}Ag in the intact SiC layer of TRISO coated particles has been studied for approximately 30 years without arriving at a satisfactory explanation of the transport mechanism. In this paper the possible mechanisms postulated in previous experimental studies, both in-reactor and out-of reactor research environment studies are critically reviewed and of particular interest are relevance to very high temperature gas reactor operating and accident conditions. Among the factors thought to influence Ag transport are grain boundary stoichiometry, SiC grain size and shape, the presence of free silicon, nano-cracks, thermal decomposition, palladium attack, transmutation products, layer thinning and coated particle shape. Additionally new insight to nature and location of fission products has been gained via recent post irradiation electron microscopy examination of TRISO coated particles from the DOE's fuel development program. The combined effect of critical review and new analyses indicates a direction for investigating possible the Ag transport mechanism including the confidence level with which these mechanisms may be experimentally verified.

Coating of hydroxyapatite doped Ag on commercially pure titanium surface; Recobrimento de hidroxiapatita dopada com Ag sobre superficie de titanio comercialmente puro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vieira, Jonas de Oliveira; Vercik, Luci Cristina de Oliveira; Rigo, Eliana Cristina da Silva, E-mail: jonasvieira@usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil)

2012-07-01

This paper presents results of bioactive coating on commercially pure titanium surface (CpTi) doped with Ag ions. The coating consists of 3 steps, in step 1- surface chemical treatment of the samples with NaOH, step 2 - immersing the substrate in question in a sodium silicate solution (SS) to the nucleation and step 3 - reimmersion these substrates in synthetic solution that simulates the blood serum for precipitation and growth of apatite layer. After the coating step the AgNO{sub 3} substrates were immersed in solutions with concentrations of 20 ppm and 100 ppm at 37 ° C for 48h. The substrates were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). By the results verified the formation of an apatite layer with aspects of cells, on the surface of CpTi. The increase in Ag concentration causes an increase in Ag amount doped in apatite layer. With the results we concluded that it is possible to obtain an apatite layer on a metal surface as the CpTi doped with Ag ions.

The confinement of phonon propagation in TiAlN/Ag multilayer coatings with anomalously low heat conductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kovalev, A. I.; Wainstein, D. L., E-mail: d-wainstein@sprg.ru [Surface Phenomena Researches Group, Radio Str., 23/9, Bld. 2, Off. 475, CNIICHERMET, 105005 Moscow (Russian Federation); Rashkovskiy, A. Yu. [Surface Phenomena Researches Group, Radio Str., 23/9, Bld. 2, Off. 475, CNIICHERMET, 105005 Moscow (Russian Federation); National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Leninskiy pr-t, 4, 119049 Moscow (Russian Federation); Gago, R. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Soldera, F. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Saarland University, 66123 Saarbruecken (Germany); Endrino, J. L. [School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing (SATM), Surface Engineering and Nanotechnology Institute, Cranfield University, College Road, Cranfield, MK43 0AL Bedfordshire (United Kingdom)

2016-05-30

TiAlN/Ag multilayer coatings with a different number of bilayers and thicknesses of individual layers were fabricated by DC magnetron co-sputtering. Thermal conductivity was measured in dependence of Ag layer thickness. It was found anomalous low thermal conductivity of silver comparing to TiAlN and Ag bulk standards and TiAlN/TiN multilayers. The physical nature of such thermal barrier properties of the multilayer coatings was explained on the basis of reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy. The analysis shows that nanostructuring of the coating decreases the density of states and velocity of acoustic phonons propagation. At the same time, multiphonon channels of heat propagation degenerate. These results demonstrate that metal-dielectric interfaces in TiAlN/Ag coatings are insurmountable obstacles for acoustic phonons propagation.

Anti-biofilm efficacy of low temperature processed AgCl–TiO2 nanocomposite coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naik, Kshipra; Kowshik, Meenal

2014-01-01

Biofilms are a major concern in the medical settings and food industries due to their high tolerance to antibiotics, biocides and mechanical stress. Currently, the development of novel methods to control biofilm formation is being actively pursued. In the present study, sol–gel coatings of AgCl–TiO 2 nanoparticles are presented as potential anti-biofilm agents, wherein TiO 2 acts as a good supporting matrix to prevent aggregation of silver and facilitates its controlled release. Low-temperature processed AgCl–TiO 2 nanocomposite coatings inhibit biofilm formation by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro biofilm assay experiments demonstrated that AgCl–TiO 2 nanocomposite coated surfaces, inhibited the development of biofilms over a period of 10 days as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The silver release kinetics exhibited an initial high release, followed by a slow and sustained release. The anti-biofilm efficacy of the coatings could be attributed to the release of silver, which prevents the initial bacterial adhesion required for biofilm formation. - Highlights: • Potential of AgCl–TiO 2 nanocomposite coating to inhibit biofilm formation is exhibited. • Initial rapid release followed by later slow and sustained release of silver obtained. • TiO 2 being porous and inorganic in nature acts as a good supporting matrix

Report: Discussion on the development of nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket and its antibacterial property and biocompatibility in orthodontic treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ronghe; Zhang, Weiwei; Bai, Xueyan; Song, Xiaotong; Wang, Chunyan; Gao, Xinxin; Tian, Xubiao; Liu, Fengzhen

2015-03-01

This paper aims to explore the antibacterial property of nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket for the common bacteria in oral cavity, and discuss its biocompatibility. Micro morphology in the surface of nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket was detected by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and surface roughness of ordinary mental bracket, nano TiO2 coating bracket and nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket were measured. First, antibacterial property of nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket on the common bacteria in oral cavity was studied by sticking membrane method. Secondly, bonding strength of nano TiO2 coating and nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket in groups were detected by scratching test. The result showed that, the synthetic nano Ag/TiO2 coating was nanogranular films with rigorous organizational structure, presenting as smooth and clean surface, and antibacterial rate of nano Ag/TiO2 coating for the common bacteria in oral cavity for 20 min was more than 79% in the dark. All the findings suggested that, nano Ag/TiO2 coating bracket not only has antibacterial effect but also has good biocompatibility, therefore, it can satisfy the clinical request of orthodontic treatment.

Ag-Cu nanoalloyed film as a high-performance cathode electrocatalytic material for zinc-air battery

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Yimin; Chen, Fuyi; Jin, Yachao; Liu, Zongwen

2015-04-01

A novel Ag50Cu50 film electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method. The electrocatalyst actually is Ag-Cu alloyed nanoparticles embedded in amorphous Cu film, based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization. The rotating disk electrode (RDE) measurements provide evidence that the ORR proceed via a four-electron pathway on the electrocatalysts in alkaline solution. And it is much more efficient than pure Ag catalyst. The catalytic layer has maximum power density of 67 mW cm-2 and an acceptable cell voltage at 0.863 V when current densities increased up to 100 mA cm-2 in the Ag50Cu50-based primary zinc-air battery. The resulting rechargeable zinc-air battery exhibits low charge-discharge voltage polarization of 1.1 V at 20 mAcm-2 and high durability over 100 cycles in natural air.

Monomer functionalized silica coated with Ag nanoparticles for enhanced SERS hotspots

Science.gov (United States)

Newmai, M. Boazbou; Verma, Manoj; Kumar, P. Senthil

2018-05-01

Mesoporous silica (SiO2) spheres are well-known for their excellent chromatographic properties such as the relatively high specific surface, large pore volume, uniform particle size, narrow pore size distribution with favorable pore connectivity; whereas the noble metal Ag nanoparticles have unique size/shape dependant surface plasmon resonance with wide ranging applications. Thus, the desire to synchronize both their properties for specific applications has naturally prompted research in the design and synthesis of core-shell type novel nanoAg@mesoSiO2 nanocomposites, which display potential utility in applications such as photothermal therapy, photocatalysis, molecular sensing, and photovoltaics. In the present work, SiO2 spheres were carefully functionalized with the monomer, N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), which cohesively controls the uniform mass transfer of Ag+ metal ions, thereby enabling its sequential reduction to zerovalent Ag (in the presence of slightly excess NaOH) by electron transfer from nucleophilic attack of the NVP vinyl group by the water molecules even under ambient conditions. Complete metal nanoshell coverage of the silica surface was obtained after multiple Ag deposition cycles, as systematically confirmed from the BET, TEM, optical and FTIR characterization. Our present Ag-coated silica spheres were directly utilized as viable SERS substrates with high sensitivity in contrast with other long chain polymer/surfactant coated silica spheres, owing to the presence of significant number of nanogaps enhanced SERS 'hotspots', which were methodically analyzed utilizing two example analytes, such as crystal violet (CV) and calendula officinalis (CaF).

Low-emissivity coating of amorphous diamond-like carbon/Ag-alloy multilayer on glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiba, Kiyoshi; Takahashi, Toshiyuki; Kageyama, Takashi; Oda, Hironori

2005-01-01

Transparent low-emissivity (low-e) coatings comprising dielectrics of amorphous diamond-like carbon (DLC) and Ag-alloy films are investigated. All films have been prepared by dc magnetron sputtering. An index of refraction of the DLC film deposited in a gas mixture of Ar/H 2 (4%) shows n = 1.80 + 0.047i at 500 nm wavelength. A multilayer stack of DLC (70 nm thick)/Ag 87.5 Cu 12.5 -alloy (10 nm)/DLC (140 nm)/Ag 87.5 Cu 12.5 -alloy (10 nm)/DLC (70 nm) has revealed clear interference spectra with spectra selectivity. This coating performs low emittance less than 0.1 for black body radiation at 297 K, exhibiting a transparent heat mirror property embedded in DLC films

Anti-biofilm efficacy of low temperature processed AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naik, Kshipra, E-mail: kshipra_naik21@yahoo.co.in; Kowshik, Meenal, E-mail: meenal@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in

2014-01-01

Biofilms are a major concern in the medical settings and food industries due to their high tolerance to antibiotics, biocides and mechanical stress. Currently, the development of novel methods to control biofilm formation is being actively pursued. In the present study, sol–gel coatings of AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles are presented as potential anti-biofilm agents, wherein TiO{sub 2} acts as a good supporting matrix to prevent aggregation of silver and facilitates its controlled release. Low-temperature processed AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coatings inhibit biofilm formation by Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro biofilm assay experiments demonstrated that AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coated surfaces, inhibited the development of biofilms over a period of 10 days as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The silver release kinetics exhibited an initial high release, followed by a slow and sustained release. The anti-biofilm efficacy of the coatings could be attributed to the release of silver, which prevents the initial bacterial adhesion required for biofilm formation. - Highlights: • Potential of AgCl–TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite coating to inhibit biofilm formation is exhibited. • Initial rapid release followed by later slow and sustained release of silver obtained. • TiO{sub 2} being porous and inorganic in nature acts as a good supporting matrix.

In vitro performance of Ag-incorporated hydroxyapatite and its adhesive porous coatings deposited by electrostatic spraying.

Science.gov (United States)

Gokcekaya, Ozkan; Webster, Thomas J; Ueda, Kyosuke; Narushima, Takayuki; Ergun, Celaletdin

2017-08-01

Bacterial infection of implanted materials is a significant complication that might require additional surgical operations for implant retrieval. As an antibacterial biomaterial, Ag-containing hydroxyapatite (HA) may be a solution to reduce the incidences of implant associated infections. In this study, pure, 0.2mol% and 0.3mol% Ag incorporated HA powders were synthesized via a precipitation method. Colloidal precursor dispersions prepared from these powders were used to deposit porous coatings onto titanium and stainless steel substrates via electrostatic spraying. The porous coating layers obtained with various deposition times and heat treatment conditions were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Scratch tests were conducted to assess the adhesion strength of the coating. Antibacterial activity of Ag-incorporated HA was tested towards Escherichia coli (E. coli) at various incubation times. Osteoblast adhesion on Ag-incorporated HA was evaluated to assess biocompatibility. Improvement in adhesion strength of the coating layer was observed after the heat treatment process due to mutual ionic diffusion at the interface. The Ag-incorporated HA killed all viable E. coli after 24h of incubation, whereas no antibacterial activity was detected with pure HA. In addition, in vitro cell culture tests demonstrated osteoblast adhesion similar to pure HA, which indicated good cytocompatibility. In summary, results of this study provided significant promise for the future study of Ag-incorporated HA for numerous medical applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A self-cleaning coating based on commercial grade polyacrylic latex modified by TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nosrati, Rahimeh; Olad, Ali; Nofouzi, Katayoon

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel nanocomposite coating based on polyacrylic was prepared. • Nanostructured TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A composite material was prepared. • Prepared nanocomposite used as additive for modification of polyacrylic latex. • Modified coatings show self-cleaning and antibacterial properties. • Modified coatings show better stability in water in versus of unmodified polymer. - Abstract: The commercial grade polyacrylic latex was modified in order to prepare a self-cleaning coating. TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite was prepared and used as additive in the matrix of polyacrylic latex to achieve a hydrophilic and photocatalytic coating. FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns and FESEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposites and coatings. The acrylic coatings, were prepared by using of TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A additive, had better UV and visible light absorption, hydrophilic, degradation of organic pollutants, stability in water and antimicrobial properties than pristine commercial grade polyacrylic latex coating. According to the results, the modified polyacrylic based coating containing 0.5 wt% of TiO 2 /Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite additive with TiO 2 to Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A ratio of 1:2 was the best coating considering most of useful properties such as small band gap and low water contact angle. The water contact angle for unmodified polyacrylic latex coating was 68° which was decreased to less than 10° in modified coating after 24 h LED lamp illumination

Silver-doped nanocomposite carbon coatings (Ag-DLC) for biomedical applications – Physiochemical and biological evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bociaga, Dorota, E-mail: dorota.bociaga1@gmail.com [Division of Biomedical Engineering and Functional Materials, Lodz University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, 1/15 Stefanowskiego St., 90-924 Lodz (Poland); Komorowski, Piotr [Division of Biophysics, Lodz University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, 1/15 Stefanowskiego St., 90-924 Lodz (Poland); BioNanoPark Laboratories of Lodz Regional Park of Science and Technology, Lodz (Poland); Batory, Damian [Division of Biomedical Engineering and Functional Materials, Lodz University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, 1/15 Stefanowskiego St., 90-924 Lodz (Poland); Szymanski, Witold [Division of Biophysics, Lodz University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, 1/15 Stefanowskiego St., 90-924 Lodz (Poland); Olejnik, Anna; Jastrzebski, Krzysztof [Division of Biomedical Engineering and Functional Materials, Lodz University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, 1/15 Stefanowskiego St., 90-924 Lodz (Poland); Jakubowski, Witold [Division of Biophysics, Lodz University of Technology, Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, 1/15 Stefanowskiego St., 90-924 Lodz (Poland)

2015-11-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The DLC coatings with interlayer improving adhesion were manufactured using the author's method in dual RF/MS PCVD system. • The Ag ions were incorporated into DLC matrix using ion beam implantation method. • The morphology, chemical structure and composition of coatings were examined. • Viability, cytotoxicity of human cells and the formation of bacterial biofilm on the samples surface were evaluated. • <5% of Ag in DLC coating is efficient to make it bactericidal and biocompatible. - Abstract: The formation of bacteria biofilm on the surface of medical products is a major clinical issue nowadays. Highly adaptive ability of bacteria to colonize the surface of biomaterials causes a lot of infections. This study evaluates samples of the AISI 316 LVM with special nanocomposite silver-doped (by means of ion implantation) diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating prepared by hybrid RF/MS PACVD (radio frequency/magnetron sputtering plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition) deposition technique in order to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of biomaterials and add new features such as antibacterial properties. The aim of the following work was to evaluate antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility of gradient a-C:H/Ti + Ag coatings in relation to the physiochemical properties of the surface and chemical composition of coating. For this purpose, samples were tested in live/dead test using two cell strains: human endothelial cells (Ea.hy926) and osteoblasts-like cells (Saos-2). For testing bactericidal activity of the coatings, an exponential growth phase of Escherichia coli strain DH5α was used as a model microorganism. Surface condition and its physicochemical properties were investigated using SEM, AFM and XPS. Examined coatings showed a uniformity of silver ions distribution in the amorphous DLC matrix, good biocompatibility in contact with mammalian cells and an increased level of bactericidal

Silver-doped nanocomposite carbon coatings (Ag-DLC) for biomedical applications – Physiochemical and biological evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bociaga, Dorota; Komorowski, Piotr; Batory, Damian; Szymanski, Witold; Olejnik, Anna; Jastrzebski, Krzysztof; Jakubowski, Witold

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The DLC coatings with interlayer improving adhesion were manufactured using the author's method in dual RF/MS PCVD system. • The Ag ions were incorporated into DLC matrix using ion beam implantation method. • The morphology, chemical structure and composition of coatings were examined. • Viability, cytotoxicity of human cells and the formation of bacterial biofilm on the samples surface were evaluated. • <5% of Ag in DLC coating is efficient to make it bactericidal and biocompatible. - Abstract: The formation of bacteria biofilm on the surface of medical products is a major clinical issue nowadays. Highly adaptive ability of bacteria to colonize the surface of biomaterials causes a lot of infections. This study evaluates samples of the AISI 316 LVM with special nanocomposite silver-doped (by means of ion implantation) diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating prepared by hybrid RF/MS PACVD (radio frequency/magnetron sputtering plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition) deposition technique in order to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of biomaterials and add new features such as antibacterial properties. The aim of the following work was to evaluate antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility of gradient a-C:H/Ti + Ag coatings in relation to the physiochemical properties of the surface and chemical composition of coating. For this purpose, samples were tested in live/dead test using two cell strains: human endothelial cells (Ea.hy926) and osteoblasts-like cells (Saos-2). For testing bactericidal activity of the coatings, an exponential growth phase of Escherichia coli strain DH5α was used as a model microorganism. Surface condition and its physicochemical properties were investigated using SEM, AFM and XPS. Examined coatings showed a uniformity of silver ions distribution in the amorphous DLC matrix, good biocompatibility in contact with mammalian cells and an increased level of bactericidal

Controlled Distribution and Clustering of Silver in Ag-DLC Nanocomposite Coatings Using a Hybrid Plasma Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Cloutier, M; Turgeon, S; Busby, Y; Tatoulian, M; Pireaux, J-J; Mantovani, D

2016-08-17

Incorporation of selected metallic elements into diamond-like carbon (DLC) has emerged as an innovative approach to add unique functional properties to DLC coatings, thus opening up a range of new potential applications in fields as diverse as sensors, tribology, and biomaterials. However, deposition by plasma techniques of metal-containing DLC coatings with well-defined structural properties and metal distribution is currently hindered by the limited understanding of their growth mechanisms. We report here a silver-incorporated diamond-like carbon coating (Ag-DLC) prepared in a hybrid plasma reactor which allowed independent control of the metal content and the carbon film structure and morphology. Morphological and chemical analyses of Ag-DLC films were performed by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The vertical distribution of silver from the surface toward the coating bulk was found to be highly inhomogeneous due to top surface segregation and clustering of silver nanoparticles. Two plasma parameters, the sputtered Ag flux and ion energy, were shown to influence the spatial distribution of silver particles. On the basis of these findings, a mechanism for Ag-DLC growth by plasma was proposed.

A self-cleaning coating based on commercial grade polyacrylic latex modified by TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Nosrati, Rahimeh; Olad, Ali; Nofouzi, Katayoon

2015-08-01

The commercial grade polyacrylic latex was modified in order to prepare a self-cleaning coating. TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite was prepared and used as additive in the matrix of polyacrylic latex to achieve a hydrophilic and photocatalytic coating. FTIR and UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns and FESEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposites and coatings. The acrylic coatings, were prepared by using of TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A additive, had better UV and visible light absorption, hydrophilic, degradation of organic pollutants, stability in water and antimicrobial properties than pristine commercial grade polyacrylic latex coating. According to the results, the modified polyacrylic based coating containing 0.5 wt% of TiO2/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite additive with TiO2 to Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A ratio of 1:2 was the best coating considering most of useful properties such as small band gap and low water contact angle. The water contact angle for unmodified polyacrylic latex coating was 68° which was decreased to less than 10° in modified coating after 24 h LED lamp illumination.

Core–shell-typed Ag-SiO2 nanoparticles as solar selective coating materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Tao; Jelle, Bjørn Petter; Gustavsen, Arild

2013-01-01

Silver (Ag) nanoparticles with typical diameter of about 50 nm have been prepared via a polyol process. The as-prepared Ag nanoparticles are well crystallized and exhibit a characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band centered at ∼423 nm. The SPR band shows a strong dependence on the sizes of Ag nanoparticles and the types of the dielectric medium. Core–shell-typed Ag-SiO 2 nanoparticles have also been prepared by depositing a thin layer (∼25 nm) of silica on Ag nanoparticles. The core–shell-typed Ag-SiO 2 nanoparticles show similar optical behaviors (absorption, transmission, and reflection) but enhanced stability compared to those of the Ag nanoparticles, indicating that the core–shell-typed Ag-SiO 2 nanoparticles may be used as solar selective coating materials for architectural window applications.

A high-performance mesoporous carbon supported nitrogen-doped carbon electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jingjing; Lu, Shiyao; Chen, Xu; Wang, Jianan; Zhang, Bo; Zhang, Xinyu; Xiao, Chunhui; Ding, Shujiang

2017-12-01

Investigating low-cost and highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) is of crucial importance for energy conversion and storage devices. Herein, we design and prepare mesoporous carbon supported nitrogen-doped carbon by pyrolysis of polyaniline coated on CMK-3. This electrocatalyst exhibits excellent performance towards ORR in alkaline media. The optimized nitrogen-doped mesoporous electrocatalyst show an onset potential (E onset) of 0.95 V (versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) and half-wave potential (E 1/2) of 0.83 V (versus RHE) in 0.1 M KOH. Furthermore, the as-prepared catalyst presents superior durability and methanol tolerance compared to commercial Pt/C indicating its potential applications in fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

Investigation of the influence on residual stresses of porosity in high temperature ZrO2 coatings on Ag tape for magnet technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arman, Yusuf; Aktas, Mehmet; Celik, Erdal; Mutlu, Ibrahim H.; Sayman, Onur

2007-01-01

The present paper reports on the effect on residual stresses of porosity in high temperature ZrO 2 coatings on Ag tape for magnet technologies. ZrO 2 coatings were fabricated on Ag tape substrate using a reel-to-reel sol-gel system. The microstructural evolution of high temperature ZrO 2 coatings was investigated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM observations revealed that ZrO 2 coatings with crack had some porosity and mosaic structure. Stress analysis was carried out on ZrO 2 coatings with porosity on Ag tape substrates under cryogenic conditions by using classical lamination theory (CLT) for elastic solution and finite element method (FEM) for elasto-plastic solution in the temperature range of 0 o C to -223 o C in liquid helium media. Because of the static equilibrium, tensile force is applied to the Ag substrate, by ZrO 2 coating. The stress component (σ x ) values change rapidly at coating-substrate interface owing to the different moduli of elasticity and thermal expansion coefficient. In spite of the thickness of Ag substrate, the stress components vary from tensile to compressive. In addition, along the thickness of ZrO 2 coating and Ag substrate system, the stress distribution changes linearly. FEM results demonstrate that the failure does not occur in ZrO 2 coating for all porosities due to its high yield strength

Preparation of Pt Ru/C electrocatalysts using gamma radiation for application as anode in direct methanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spinace, Estevam V.; Silva, Dionisio F. da; Cruz, Victor A. da; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Machado, Luci D.B.; Pino, Eddy S.; Linardi, Marcelo

2005-01-01

PtRu nanoparticles supported on carbon (PtRu/C electrocatalysts) were prepared submitting a water/2-propanol mixture containing the metal ions and the carbon support to gamma radiation. The water/2-propanol (v/v) and the total dose (kGy) were studied. The electrocatalysts were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The methanol electro-oxidation was studied by cyclic voltammetry using the thin porous coating. In the studied conditions, the electrocatalytic activity of the prepared electrocatalysts depend on the water/2-propanol ratio used in the reaction medium. (author)

Advanced surface characterization of silver nanocluster segregation in Ag-TiCN bioactive coatings by RBS, GDOES, and ARXPS.

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar Galindo, R; Manninen, N K; Palacio, C; Carvalho, S

2013-07-01

Surface modification by means of wear protective and antibacterial coatings represents, nowadays, a crucial challenge in the biomaterials field in order to enhance the lifetime of bio-devices. It is possible to tailor the properties of the material by using an appropriate combination of high wear resistance (e.g., nitride or carbide coatings) and biocide agents (e.g., noble metals as silver) to fulfill its final application. This behavior is controlled at last by the outmost surface of the coating. Therefore, the analytical characterization of these new materials requires high-resolution analytical techniques able to provide information about surface and depth composition down to the nanometric level. Among these techniques are Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES), and angle resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS). In this work, we present a comparative RBS-GDOES-ARXPS study of the surface characterization of Ag-TiCN coatings with Ag/Ti atomic ratios varying from 0 to 1.49, deposited at room temperature and 200 °C. RBS analysis allowed a precise quantification of the silver content along the coating with a non-uniform Ag depth distribution for the samples with higher Ag content. GDOES surface profiling revealed that the samples with higher Ag content as well as the samples deposited at 200 °C showed an ultrathin (1-10 nm) Ag-rich layer on the coating surface followed by a silver depletion zone (20-30 nm), being the thickness of both layers enhanced with Ag content and deposition temperature. ARXPS analysis confirmed these observations after applying general algorithm involving regularization in addition to singular value decomposition techniques to obtain the concentration depth profiles. Finally, ARXPS measurements were used to provide further information on the surface morphology of the samples obtaining an excellent agreement with SEM observations when a growth model of silver islands with

Evaluation of colloidal Ag and Ag-alloys as anode electrocatalysts for direct borohydride fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atwan, Mohammed H.; Northwood, Derek O. [Mechanical, Auto, and Materials Engineering, University of Windsor, Windsor, N9B 3P4 (Canada); Gyenge, Elod L. [Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Colombia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4 (Canada)

2007-10-15

In this study, colloidal silver and silver-alloys (Ag-Pt, Ag-Au, Ag-Ir, and Ag-Pd) prepared by the Boenneman technique were evaluated as anode catalysts for sodium borohydride oxidation using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), chronopotentiometry (CP) and rotating disk electrode (RDE) voltammetry. The CV results show that the colloidal Ag-alloys were electrochemically active towards borohydride oxidation with oxidation potentials ranging between -0.7 and 0.4 V vs. Hg/HgO (MOE). The most negative oxidation potential was recorded on Ag-Pt. CA results show that the steady state current density was highest on Ag-Pt, followed by Ag-Ir, Ag-Au, and Ag-Pd. The lowest overpotential was recorded on Ag-Ir for a current step change of 10mAcm{sup -2}. A significant temperature effect and a small rotation speed effect were found in the rotating disc voltammetry for all the investigated colloids. The highest peak current was recorded on Ag-Au, while the most negative peak potential was recorded on Ag-Ir. (author)

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu X

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Xingwang Liu,1 Ang Tian,2 Junhua You,3 Hangzhou Zhang,4 Lin Wu,5 Xizhuang Bai,1 Zeming Lei,1 Xiaoguo Shi,2 Xiangxin Xue,2 Hanning Wang4 1Department of Orthopedics, The People’s Hospital of China Medical University, 2Liaoning Provincial Universities Key Laboratory of Boron Resource Ecological Utilization Technology and Boron Materials, Northeastern University, 3School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, 4Department of Sports Medicine and Joint Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, 5Department of Prosthodontics, School of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China Purpose: To endow implants with both short- and long-term antibacterial activities without impairing their biocompatibility, novel Ti–Ag alloy substrates with different proportions of Ag (1, 2, and 4 wt% Ag were generated with nanotubular coverings (TiAg-NT. Methods: Unlike commercial pure Ti and titania nanotube, the TiAg-NT samples exhibited short-term antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and double staining with SYTO 9 and propidium iodide. A film applicator coating assay and a zone of inhibition assay were performed to investigate the long-term antibacterial activities of the samples. The cellular viability and cytotoxicity were evaluated through a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide double staining was used to assess the level of MG63 cell apoptosis on each sample. Results: All of the TiAg-NT samples, particularly the nanotube-coated Ti–Ag alloy with 2 wt% Ag (Ti2%Ag-NT, could effectively inhibit bacterial adhesion and kill the majority of adhered S. aureus on the first day of culture. Additionally, the excellent antibacterial abilities exhibited by the TiAg-NT samples were sustained for at least 30 days. Although Ti2%Ag-NT had less biocompatibility than titania nanotube, its

A self-cleaning coating based on commercial grade polyacrylic latex modified by TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nosrati, Rahimeh, E-mail: ra.nosrati@gmail.com [Polymer Composite Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Olad, Ali, E-mail: a.olad@yahoo.com [Polymer Composite Research Laboratory, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nofouzi, Katayoon, E-mail: nofouzi@tabrizu.ac.ir [Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-08-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel nanocomposite coating based on polyacrylic was prepared. • Nanostructured TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A composite material was prepared. • Prepared nanocomposite used as additive for modification of polyacrylic latex. • Modified coatings show self-cleaning and antibacterial properties. • Modified coatings show better stability in water in versus of unmodified polymer. - Abstract: The commercial grade polyacrylic latex was modified in order to prepare a self-cleaning coating. TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite was prepared and used as additive in the matrix of polyacrylic latex to achieve a hydrophilic and photocatalytic coating. FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns and FESEM were used to characterize the composition and structure of the nanocomposites and coatings. The acrylic coatings, were prepared by using of TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A additive, had better UV and visible light absorption, hydrophilic, degradation of organic pollutants, stability in water and antimicrobial properties than pristine commercial grade polyacrylic latex coating. According to the results, the modified polyacrylic based coating containing 0.5 wt% of TiO{sub 2}/Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A nanocomposite additive with TiO{sub 2} to Ag-exchanged-zeolite-A ratio of 1:2 was the best coating considering most of useful properties such as small band gap and low water contact angle. The water contact angle for unmodified polyacrylic latex coating was 68° which was decreased to less than 10° in modified coating after 24 h LED lamp illumination.

Structure, mechanical and tribological properties of self-toughening TiSiN/Ag multilayer coatings on Ti6Al4V prepared by arc ion plating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dang, Chaoqun [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China); Li, Jinlong, E-mail: lijinlong11@126.com [Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China); Wang, Yue; Chen, Jianmin [Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201 (China)

2016-11-15

Graphical abstract: Hardness and elastic modulus of TiSiN coating (C1) and TiSiN/Ag multilayer coatings with different thickness of individual Ag layers of 33.87 nm (C2), 30.01 nm (C3), 26.67 nm (C4), 22.22 nm (C5) and 10.67 nm (C6), together with SEM micrographs of indention morphologies after Vickers indentation tests. Display Omitted - Highlights: • TiSiN/Ag multilayer coatings design for microstructure was shown by cross-sectional SEM micrographs. • The TiSiN/Ag multilayer coatings showed a significantly improved toughness compared with the TiSiN coating. • The individual Ag layers as a self-lubricating. • TiSiN/Ag multilayer coating (individual Ag layers of 22.22 nm) exhibits high hardness, H/E and H{sup 3}/E{sup *2} values and excellent wear resistance. - Abstract: The TiSiN/Ag multilayer coatings deposited on Ti6Al4V alloy substrate using the multi-arc ion plating system. All multilayer coatings had a same total thickness of about 2.5 μm, and the TiSiN layer had a fixed thickness and the Ag layer had different thicknesses. Evidence concluded from X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microcopies, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that nanocrystallites and amorphous microstructure of nc-TiN and amorphous Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} for individual TiSiN layers, where amorphous Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} around nanocrystallites TiN boundaries, and ductile nanocrystallites silver clusters and metallic silver for individual Ag layers which can limit continuous growth of single (200) preferential orientation coarse columnar TiN crystal. In addition, the TiN grain size presented a decreasing trend with the decrease of the thickness of Ag layers. The TiSiN/Ag multilayer coatings showed a significantly improved toughness compared with the TiSiN coating. The individual Ag layers of nano-multilayer coatings, not only as a self-lubricating but also as a barrier which inhibited micro cracks propagation, the formation of threading defects throughout all coatings, cause

A Permselective CeOx Coating Improves the Stability of Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts

KAUST Repository

Obata, Keisuke

2017-12-05

Highly active NiFeOx electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) suffer gradual deactivation with time due to the loss of Fe species from the active sites into solution during catalysis. Here, we describe the anodic deposition of a CeOx layer that prevents the loss of such Fe species from the OER catalysts, achieving a highly stable performance. The CeOx layer does not affect the OER activity of the catalyst underneath but exhibits unique permselectivity, allowing the permeation of OH- and O2 through while preventing the diffusion of redox ions through the layer to function as a selective O2-evolving electrode. The use of such permselective protective layer provides a new strategy for improving the durability of electrocatalysts.

A Permselective CeOx Coating Improves the Stability of Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts

KAUST Repository

Obata, Keisuke; Takanabe, Kazuhiro

2017-01-01

Highly active NiFeOx electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) suffer gradual deactivation with time due to the loss of Fe species from the active sites into solution during catalysis. Here, we describe the anodic deposition of a CeOx layer that prevents the loss of such Fe species from the OER catalysts, achieving a highly stable performance. The CeOx layer does not affect the OER activity of the catalyst underneath but exhibits unique permselectivity, allowing the permeation of OH- and O2 through while preventing the diffusion of redox ions through the layer to function as a selective O2-evolving electrode. The use of such permselective protective layer provides a new strategy for improving the durability of electrocatalysts.

Hollow Au@Pd and Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reactions

KAUST Repository

Song, Hyon Min; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Sougrat, Rachid; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Khashab, Niveen M.

2012-01-01

that individual metals may not catalyze. Here, preparation of hollow Au@Pd and Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) and their use as electrocatalysts are reported. Galvanic displacement with Ag NPs is used to obtain hollow NPs, and higher reduction potential of Au

Study on the electrical and optical properties of Ag/Al-doped ZnO coatings deposited by electron beam evaporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahu, D.R.; Lin, S.-Y.; Huang, J.-L.

2007-01-01

A layer of silver was deposited onto the surface of glass substrates, coated with AZO (Al-doped ZnO), to form Ag/AZO film structures, using e-beam evaporation techniques. The electrical and optical properties of AZO, Ag and Ag/AZO film structures were studied. The deposition of Ag layer on the surface of AZO films resulted in lowering the effective electrical resistivity with a slight reduction of their optical transmittance. Ag (11 nm)/AZO (25 nm) film structure, with an accuracy of ±0.5 nm for the thickness shows a sheet resistance as low as 5.6 ± 0.5 Ω/sq and a transmittance of about 66 ± 2%. A coating consisting of AZO (25 nm)/Ag (11 nm)/AZO (25 nm) trilayer structure, exhibits a resistance of 7.7 ± 0.5 Ω/sq and a high transmittance of 85 ± 2%. The coatings have satisfactory properties of low resistance, high transmittance and highest figure of merit for application in optoelectronics devices including flat displays, thin films transistors and solar cells as transparent conductive electrodes

Thin silica shell coated Ag assembled nanostructures for expanding generality of SERS analytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myeong Geun Cha

Full Text Available Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS provides a unique non-destructive spectroscopic fingerprint for chemical detection. However, intrinsic differences in affinity of analyte molecules to metal surface hinder SERS as a universal quantitative detection tool for various analyte molecules simultaneously. This must be overcome while keeping close proximity of analyte molecules to the metal surface. Moreover, assembled metal nanoparticles (NPs structures might be beneficial for sensitive and reliable detection of chemicals than single NP structures. For this purpose, here we introduce thin silica-coated and assembled Ag NPs (SiO2@Ag@SiO2 NPs for simultaneous and quantitative detection of chemicals that have different intrinsic affinities to silver metal. These SiO2@Ag@SiO2 NPs could detect each SERS peak of aniline or 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP from the mixture with limits of detection (LOD of 93 ppm and 54 ppb, respectively. E-field distribution based on interparticle distance was simulated using discrete dipole approximation (DDA calculation to gain insight into enhanced scattering of these thin silica coated Ag NP assemblies. These NPs were successfully applied to detect aniline in river water and tap water. Results suggest that SiO2@Ag@SiO2 NP-based SERS detection systems can be used as a simple and universal detection tool for environment pollutants and food safety.

Electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol using PtRu/C, PtSn/C and PtSnRu/C electrocatalysts prepared by an alcohol-reduction process

Science.gov (United States)

Neto, Almir Oliveira; Dias, Ricardo R.; Tusi, Marcelo M.; Linardi, Marcelo; Spinacé, Estevam V.

PtRu/C, PtSn/C and PtSnRu/C electrocatalysts were prepared by the alcohol reduction process using ethylene glycol as the solvent and reduction agent and Vulcan Carbon XC72 as the support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical oxidation of methanol and ethanol were studied by chronoamperometry using a thin porous coating technique. The PtSn/C electrocatalyst prepared by this methodology showed superior performance compared to the PtRu/C and PtSnRu/C electrocatalysts for methanol and ethanol oxidation at room temperature.

TCNQ-induced in-situ electrochemical deposition for the synthesis of silver nanodendrites as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zhengyan; Li, Congling; Ni, Yangyang; Kong, Fantao; Zhang, Yongbo; Kong, Aiguo; Shan, Yongkui

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Silver nanodendrites with superior electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen peroxide detection were synthesized by electrodeposition method using organic semiconductor 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) as the inducer. - Highlights: • AgNDs were obtained by electrodepositing route under the induction of TCNQ. • The AgNDs-TCNQ/GCE showed superior activity comparable to Pt/C for ORR. • The AgNDs-TCNQ/GCE exhibited highly catalytic activity toward H_2O_2 detection. • A novel pathway for synthesizing bifunctional Ag-based electrocatalyst. - Abstract: Sliver (Ag) nanodendrites (AgNDs) directly growing on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) were obtained by an in-situ electrodepositing route under the induction of organic semiconductor 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ). The morphology of the Ag nanostructures can be controlled by the electrodepositing time, applied potentials, and the concentrations of Ag ions. The AgNDs/TCNQ/GCE obtained at the optimized conditions displays the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) onset potential of 0.98 V, which is the same as that over Pt/C-JM catalyst (0.98 V). It demonstrated that AgNDs possessed the highest electrocatalytic activity for ORR among the various Ag-based electrocatalysts reported in literature in alkaline electrolyte. At the same time, the performance of AgNDs/TCNQ/GCE toward hydrogen peroxide detection was investigated in a range of the concentration from 10 μM to 17 mM. It also showed the higher catalytic activity for hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction with the hydrogen peroxide detection limit reaching 0.47 μM level. The Tafel polarization curve, electrochemically active surface area, and the electrochemical impedance were measured to understand and explore the catalytic behavior of the prepared AgNDs/TCNQ/GCE. The enhanced performance of AgNDs for ORR and hydrogen peroxide detection can be ascribed to the special tree-like morphology with highly

Ag nanodots decorated SiO2 coated ZnO core-shell nanostructure with enhanced luminescence property as potential imaging agent

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Jagriti; Barick, K. C.; Hassan, P. A.; Bahadur, Dhirendra

2018-04-01

Ag decorated silica coated ZnO nanocomposite (Ag@SiO2@ZnO NCs) has been synthesized by soft chemical approach. The physico-chemical properties of Ag@SiO2@ZnO NCs are investigated by various sophisticated characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-visible absorption and photoluminescent spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction confirms the phase formation of ZnO and Ag in nanocomposite. TEM micrograph clearly shows that Ag nanodots are well decorated over silica coated ZnO NCs. The photoluminescent study reveals the enhancement in the photoluminance property when the Ag nanodots are decorated over silica coated ZnO nanocomposite due to an electromagnetic coupling between excitons and plasmons. Furthermore, the photoluminescent property is an important tool for bio-imaging application, reveal that NCs give green and red emission after excitation with 488 and 535 nm. Therefore, low cytotoxicity and excellent fluorescence stability in vitro makes it a more suitable material for both cellular imaging and therapy for biomedical applications.

Roll-to-roll slot-die coating of 400 mm wide, flexible, transparent Ag nanowire films for flexible touch screen panels.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dong-Ju; Shin, Hae-In; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Woong; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-28

We report fabrication of large area Ag nanowire (NW) film coated using a continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) slot die coater as a viable alternative to conventional ITO electrodes for cost-effective and large-area flexible touch screen panels (TSPs). By controlling the flow rate of shear-thinning Ag NW ink in the slot die, we fabricated Ag NW percolating network films with different sheet resistances (30-70 Ohm/square), optical transmittance values (89-90%), and haze (0.5-1%) percentages. Outer/inner bending, twisting, and rolling tests as well as dynamic fatigue tests demonstrated that the mechanical flexibility of the slot-die coated Ag NW films was superior to that of conventional ITO films. Using diamond-shape patterned Ag NW layer electrodes (50 Ohm/square, 90% optical transmittance), we fabricated 12-inch flexible film-film type and rigid glass-film-film type TSPs. Successful operation of flexible TSPs with Ag NW electrodes indicates that slot-die-coated large-area Ag NW films are promising low cost, high performance, and flexible transparent electrodes for cost-effective large-area flexible TSPs and can be substituted for ITO films, which have high sheet resistance and are brittle.

Roll-to-roll slot-die coating of 400 mm wide, flexible, transparent Ag nanowire films for flexible touch screen panels

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dong-Ju; Shin, Hae-In; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Woong; Kim, Han-Ki

2016-09-01

We report fabrication of large area Ag nanowire (NW) film coated using a continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) slot die coater as a viable alternative to conventional ITO electrodes for cost-effective and large-area flexible touch screen panels (TSPs). By controlling the flow rate of shear-thinning Ag NW ink in the slot die, we fabricated Ag NW percolating network films with different sheet resistances (30-70 Ohm/square), optical transmittance values (89-90%), and haze (0.5-1%) percentages. Outer/inner bending, twisting, and rolling tests as well as dynamic fatigue tests demonstrated that the mechanical flexibility of the slot-die coated Ag NW films was superior to that of conventional ITO films. Using diamond-shape patterned Ag NW layer electrodes (50 Ohm/square, 90% optical transmittance), we fabricated 12-inch flexible film-film type and rigid glass-film-film type TSPs. Successful operation of flexible TSPs with Ag NW electrodes indicates that slot-die-coated large-area Ag NW films are promising low cost, high performance, and flexible transparent electrodes for cost-effective large-area flexible TSPs and can be substituted for ITO films, which have high sheet resistance and are brittle.

Electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol using PtRu/C, PtSn/C and PtSnRu/C electrocatalysts prepared by an alcohol-reduction process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neto, Almir Oliveira; Dias, Ricardo R.; Tusi, Marcelo M.; Linardi, Marcelo; Spinace, Estevam V. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 2242, Cidade Universitaria, CEP 05508-900 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2007-03-30

PtRu/C, PtSn/C and PtSnRu/C electrocatalysts were prepared by the alcohol reduction process using ethylene glycol as the solvent and reduction agent and Vulcan Carbon XC72 as the support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical oxidation of methanol and ethanol were studied by chronoamperometry using a thin porous coating technique. The PtSn/C electrocatalyst prepared by this methodology showed superior performance compared to the PtRu/C and PtSnRu/C electrocatalysts for methanol and ethanol oxidation at room temperature. (author)

Preparation of PtRu/C anode electrocatalysts using gamma radiation for methanol electro-oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Dionisio Fortunato da

2006-01-01

Pt Ru/C (carbon-supported Pt Ru nanoparticles) anode electrocatalysts were prepared using radiolytic process (gamma radiation) and tested for methanol electro-oxidation. In this process, water/2-propanol and water/ethylene glycol solutions containing the metallic ions and the carbon support were submitted to gamma radiation under stirring. The water/alcohol ratio (v/v) and the total dose (kGy) were studied. A nominal Pt Ru atomic ratio of 50:50 were used in all experiments. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electro-oxidation of methanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry using the thin porous coating technique. The electrocatalysts prepared in water/2-propanol showed crystallite size in the range of 3-5 nm and Pt Ru atomic ratio of 50:50. The electrocatalysts prepared in water/ethylene glycol showed crystallite size (2-3 nm) smaller than the ones obtained in water/2-propanol, however, the Pt Ru atomic ratios obtained were approximately 80:20, showing that only part of ruthenium ions were reduced. For methanol oxidation the electrocatalytic activity depends on the water/2-propanol and water/ethylene glycol ratio used in the reaction medium. The electrocatalysts prepared in water/2-propanol showed inferior performance to the ones prepared in water/ethylene glycol, which showed similar or superior performances (amperes per gram of platinum) to the commercial electrocatalyst from E-TEK. (author)

Electrocatalysts for fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia C, M. A.; Fernandez V, S. M.; Vargas G, J. R.

2008-01-01

It was investigated the oxygen reduction reaction (fundamental reaction in fuel cells) on electrocatalysts of Pt, Co, Ni and their alloys CoNi, PtCo, PtNi, PtCoNi in H 2 SO 4 0.5 M and KOH 0.5 M as electrolyte. The electrocatalysts were synthesized using mechanical alloying processes and chemical vapor deposition. The electrocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. The evaluation was performed using electrocatalytic technique of rotating disk electrode and kinetic parameters were determined for each electro catalyst. We report the performance of all synthesized electrocatalysts in acid and alkaline means. (Author)

Selective and efficient reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide on oxide-derived nanostructured silver electrocatalysts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ma, Ming; Trześniewski, Bartek J.; Xie, Jie; Smith, Wilson A.

2016-01-01

In this work, the selective electrocatalytic reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide on oxide-derived silver electrocatalysts is presented. By a simple synthesis technique, the overall high faradaic efficiency for CO production on the oxide-derived Ag was shifted by more than 400 mV towards a

Preparation of SiC and Ag/SiC coatings on TRISO surrogate particles by Pulsed Laser Deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lustfeld, Martin; Reinecke, Anne-Maria; Lippman, Wolfgang; Hurtado, Antonio; Ruiz-Moreno, Ana

2014-01-01

Recently published research results suggest significant advantages of using nanocrystalline instead of coarse grained SiC for nuclear applications. In this work it was attempted to prepare nanocrystalline SiC coatings on TRISO surrogate kernels using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process. As a plasma-based physical vapor deposition process, PLD allows the synthesis of dense and stoichiometric coatings in the amorphous or nanocrystalline phase. Two different types of TRISO surrogate kernels were used with outer diameters of 500 pm and 800 μm, respectively: plain Al_2O_3 kernels and ZrO_2 kernels coated with TRISO-like buffer and pyrolytic carbon (PyC) layers. In a second step, the PLD process was used for the preparation of multilayer coatings consisting of a Ag layer buried with a SiC layer. The samples were analyzed regarding their morphology, microstructure, crystalline phase and chemical composition using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser scanning microscopy (LSM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy- dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The samples will be used in future work for out-of-pile investigations of both thermal stability and Ag retention capability of nanocrystalline SiC layers. X-ray diflraction measurements did not confirm nano crystallinity of the SiC coatings, but rather indicated that the coatings were mainly amorphous possibly with a little fraction of the nanocrystalline phase. Further analyses showed that some of the SiC coatings had an adequate stoichiometric composition and that Ag/SiC multilayer coatings were successfully produced by PLD. Coatings on TRISO- like buffer and PyC layers exhibited good adhesion to the substrate while coatings on Al_2O_3 kernels were susceptible to delamination. The results suggest that PLD is generally suitable for SiC coating of TRISO particles. However, further optimization of the process parameters such as the coating temperature is needed to obtain fine- grained non-columnar SiC layers that are

Influence of particle coating and matrix constituents on the cloud point extraction efficiency of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and application for monitoring the formation of Ag-NPs from Ag(+).

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Georg; Baumgartner, Tanja; Schuster, Michael

2014-01-07

For the quantification of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) in environmental samples using cloud point extraction (CPE) for selective enrichment, surface modification of the Ag-NPs and matrix effects can play a key role. In this work we validate CPE with respect to the influence of different coatings and naturally occurring matrix components. The Ag-NPs tested were functionalized with inorganic and organic compounds as well as with biomolecules. Commercially available NPs and NPs synthesized according to methods published in the literature were used. We found that CPE can extract almost all Ag-NPs tested with very good efficiencies (82-105%). Only Ag-NPs functionalized with BSA (bovine serum albumin), which is a protein with the function to keep colloids in solution, cannot be extracted. No or little effect of environmentally relevant salts, organic matter, and inorganic colloids on the CPE of AgNPs was found. Additionally we used CPE to observe the in situ formation of Ag-NPs produced by the reduction of Ag(+) with natural organic matter (NOM).

Antimicrobial and anticancer activity of AgNPs coated with Alphonsea sclerocarpa extract.

Science.gov (United States)

Doddapaneni, Suman Joshi D S; Amgoth, Chander; Kalle, Arunasree M; Suryadevara, Surya Narayana; Alapati, Krishna Satya

2018-03-01

The synthesis and characterization of an aggregate of AgNPs coated with plant extract (PE) from Alphonsea sclerocarpa and its significant antimicrobial activity and inhibition on K562 (blood cancer) cells have been appended in the article. Synthesis of aggregate [(AgNPs)-(PE)] has been followed by a facile eco-friendly approach without using any harmful chemicals. The morphology of an aggregate [(AgNPs)-(PE)] was confirmed by TEM and SEM microscopic characterizations. Properties like solid state, the presence of functional groups, and elemental composition have been characterized through the XRD, FTIR, and EDAX. The biocompatibility of synthesized aggregate of [(AgNPs)-(PE)] was confirmed by the MTT assay. An in vitro cell (HEK293)-based studies were performed for the biocompatibility tests and it is found that the aggregate [(AgNPs)-(PE)] is not harmful to normal/healthy cells. Even though A. sclerocarpa show the antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activity, it has been further enhanced with the developed aggregate of [(AgNPs)-(PE)]. Furthermore, it has been extended to examine the cellular inhibition on K562 cells and obtained > 75% cell inhibition for 24 h treated cells.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy substrate based on Ag-coated self-assembled polystyrene spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Mikac, Lara; Ivanda, Mile; Gotić, Marijan; Janicki, Vesna; Zorc, Hrvoje; Janči, Tibor; Vidaček, Sanja

2017-10-01

The silver (Ag) films were deposited on the monodispersed polystyrene spheres that were drop-coated on hydrophilic glass substrates in order to form a self-assembled 2D monolayer. Thus prepared Ag films over polystyrene nanospheres (AgFONs) were used to record the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of rhodamine 6G (R6G) and pyridine (λex = 514.5 nm). AgFONs were prepared by depositing 120, 180 and 240 nm thick Ag layer on the 1000 nm polystyrene spheres and 80, 120, 160 and 200 nm thick Ag layer on the 350 nm spheres as well as on their mixture (350 + 1000 nm). The silver was deposited by electron beam evaporation technique. The best enhancement of the Raman signal for both test molecules was obtained using 180 nm Ag film deposited on the 1000 nm spheres and using 80 nm Ag film deposited on the 350 nm polystyrene spheres. The lowest detectable concentrations of R6G and pyridine were 10-9 mol L-1 and 1.2 × 10-3 mol L-1, respectively. This study has shown that AgFONs could be regarded as good and reproducible SERS substrate for analytical detection of various organic molecules.

Properties of nano structured Ag-TiO{sub 2} composite coating on stainless steel using RF sputtering method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bakar, S. Abu; Jamuna-Thevi, K.; Abu, N.; Mohd Toff, M. R. [Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMREC), SIRIM Berhad, Lot 34, Jalan Hi- Tech 2/3, Kulim Hi-Tech Park, 09000 Kulim (Malaysia)

2012-07-02

RF Sputtering system is one of the Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) methods that have been widely used to produce hard coating. This technique is used to deposit thin layers of metallic substrates such as stainless steel (SS). From this process, a good adhesiveness and wear resistance coating can be produced for biomedical applications. In this study, RF sputtering method was used to deposit TiO{sub 2}-Ag composite coatings via various deposition parameters. The parameters are RF power of 350W, gas composition (Ar: O{sub 2}) 50:5 and deposition time at 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize surface area of coated samples. The formation of nanocrystalline thin film and the surface morphology were examined using SEM. The crystallite size of TiO{sub 2}-Ag composite coatings were estimated between 20-60 nm based on XRD analysis using Scherer equation and SEM evaluation. The Raman and XRD results suggested that the structure of the TiO{sub 2}-Ag consist of anatase and rutile phases. It also showed that the intensity of anatase peaks increased after samples undergone annealing process at 500 Degree-Sign C.

Physical and chemical characterization of Ag-doped Ti coatings produced by magnetron sputtering of modular targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitz, Tobias; Warmuth, Franziska; Werner, Ewald; Hertl, Cornelia; Groll, Jürgen; Gbureck, Uwe; Moseke, Claus

2014-01-01

Silver-doped Ti films were produced using a single magnetron sputtering source equipped with a titanium target containing implemented silver modules under variation of bias voltage and substrate temperature. The Ti(Ag) films were characterized regarding their morphology, contact angle, phase composition, silver content and distribution as well as the elution of Ag + ions into cell media. SEM and AFM pictures showed that substrate heating during film deposition supported the formation of even and dense surface layers with small roughness values, an effect that could even be enforced, when a substrate bias voltage was applied instead. The deposition of both Ti and Ag was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. ICP-MS and EDX showed a clear correlation between the applied sputtering parameters and the silver content of the coatings. Surface-sensitive XPS measurements revealed that higher substrate temperatures led to an accumulation of Ag in the near-surface region, while the application of a bias voltage had the opposite effect. Additional elution measurements using ICP-MS showed that the release kinetics depended on the amount of silver located at the film surface and hence could be tailored by variation of the sputter parameters. - Highlights: • Modular targets were used to deposit Ti(Ag) films. • Ag-content is adjustable by bias voltage, sputtering power and substrate temperature. • Coating parameters significantly change film morphology and roughness. • A critical parameter for Ag release is the fraction of silver on the film surface

Silver-doped nanocomposite carbon coatings (Ag-DLC) for biomedical applications - Physiochemical and biological evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Bociaga, Dorota; Komorowski, Piotr; Batory, Damian; Szymanski, Witold; Olejnik, Anna; Jastrzebski, Krzysztof; Jakubowski, Witold

2015-11-01

The formation of bacteria biofilm on the surface of medical products is a major clinical issue nowadays. Highly adaptive ability of bacteria to colonize the surface of biomaterials causes a lot of infections. This study evaluates samples of the AISI 316 LVM with special nanocomposite silver-doped (by means of ion implantation) diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating prepared by hybrid RF/MS PACVD (radio frequency/magnetron sputtering plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition) deposition technique in order to improve the physicochemical and biological properties of biomaterials and add new features such as antibacterial properties. The aim of the following work was to evaluate antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility of gradient a-C:H/Ti + Ag coatings in relation to the physiochemical properties of the surface and chemical composition of coating. For this purpose, samples were tested in live/dead test using two cell strains: human endothelial cells (Ea.hy926) and osteoblasts-like cells (Saos-2). For testing bactericidal activity of the coatings, an exponential growth phase of Escherichia coli strain DH5α was used as a model microorganism. Surface condition and its physicochemical properties were investigated using SEM, AFM and XPS. Examined coatings showed a uniformity of silver ions distribution in the amorphous DLC matrix, good biocompatibility in contact with mammalian cells and an increased level of bactericidal properties. What is more, considering very good mechanical parameters of these Ag including gradient a-C:H/Ti coatings, they constitute an excellent material for biomedical application in e.g. orthopedics or dentistry.

Study of deposition rae coating of Ag thin films by magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghanati, M.; Zendehnam, A.

2003-01-01

Exact knowledge about deposition rate and its distribution and variation of them with respect to coating parameters (Gas pressure, Distance, discharge current,..) is very vital. In this experimental research coating of Ag thin films by magnetron sputtering have been carried out over Ar pressure range of 10 -2 -10 -1 mbar, and discharge current up to 1000 m.A, and distance between glass substrates to silver target (Cathode) was changed from 5 to 15 cm. The obtained results have been investigated by help of computer curve fitting, and these studies show a very good agreement for the conditions used in this work

Progress in Solving the Elusive Ag Transport Mechanism in TRISO Coated Particles: What is new?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isabella Van Rooyen

2014-10-01

The TRISO particle for HTRs has been developed to an advanced state where the coating withstands internal gas pressures and retains fission products during irradiation and under postulated accidents. However, one exception is Ag that has been found to be released from high quality TRISO coated particles when irradiated and can also during high temperature accident heating tests. Although out- of- pile laboratory tests have never hither to been able to demonstrate a diffusion process of Ag in SiC, effective diffusion coefficients have been derived to successfully reproduce measured Ag-110m releases from irradiated HTR fuel elements, compacts and TRISO particles It was found that silver transport through SiC does not proceed via bulk volume diffusion. Presently grain boundary diffusion that may be irradiation enhanced either by neutron bombardment or by the presence of fission products such as Pd, are being investigated. Recent studies of irradiated AGR-1 TRISO fuel using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), transmission kukuchi diffraction (TKD) patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) have been used to further the understanding of Ag transport through TRISO particles. No silver was observed in SiC grains, but Ag was identified at triple-points and grain boundaries of the SiC layer in the TRISO particle. Cadmium was also found in some of the very same triple junctions, but this could be related to silver behavior as Ag-110m decays to Cd-110. Palladium was identified as the main constituent of micron-sized precipitates present at the SiC grain boundaries and in most SiC grain boundaries and the potential role of Pd in the transport of Ag will be discussed.

Characterization and electrocatalytic properties of sonochemical synthesized PdAg nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Godinez-Garcia, Andres, E-mail: agodinez@qro.cinvestav.mx [Depto. Materiales, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Libramiento norponiente 2000, Fracc. Real de Juriquilla, C.P. 76230 Santiago de Queretaro, Qro. (Mexico); Perez-Robles, Juan Francisco [Depto. Materiales, Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Libramiento norponiente 2000, Fracc. Real de Juriquilla, C.P. 76230 Santiago de Queretaro, Qro. (Mexico); Martinez-Tejada, Hader Vladimir [Grupo de Energia y Termodinamica, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellin, Antioquia C.P. 050031 (Colombia); Solorza-Feria, Omar [Depto. Quimica, CINVESTAV-IPN, Av. IPN 2508, A. P. 14-740, 07360 D.F. Mexico (Mexico)

2012-06-15

High intensity ultrasound was used in the synthesis of PdAg nanoparticles. PdAg nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Catalytic properties for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were determined by electrochemical techniques of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and thin-film rotating disk electrode (TF-RDE). Finally the electrocatalyst was tested as a cathode in a single polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Sonochemical synthesis (SS) decreased the overpotential required for the ORR and increased the double-layer capacitance (DLC) respect to the sodium borohydride reduction method due to a better distribution on vulcan carbon support. The electrocatalytic activity of the nanometric bimetallic electrocatalyst for the ORR in acid media showed a favorable multielectron charge transfer process (n = 4e{sup -}) to water formation. The performance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) prepared with dispersed PdAg/C as a cathode catalyst in a single PEMFC is lower in comparison to platinum. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sonochemical synthesized PdAg nanoparticles supported on carbon were produced. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The material showed catalytic properties for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ORR favored the pathway to water formation.

Development of HA/Ag-NPs Composite Coating from Green Process for Hip Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Lozoya-Rodríguez, Denisse A; de Lima, Renata; Fraceto, Leonardo F; Ledezma Pérez, Antonio; Bazaldua Domínguez, Mercedes; Gómez Batres, Roberto; Reyes Rojas, Armando; Orozco Carmona, Víctor

2017-08-08

In the present study, biological hydroxyapatite (HA) was obtained from bovine bones through a thermal process. A total of 0% and 1% of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) synthesized from Opuntia ficus (nopal) were added to the biological hydroxyapatite coatings using an atmospheric plasma spray (APS) on a Ti6Al4V substrate. Following this, its antimicrobial efficiency was evaluated against the following bacterial strains: Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . This was conducted according to the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) Z2801:2000 "Antimicrobial Product-Test for Antimicrobial Activity and Efficacy". Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were evenly distributed on the coating surface. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) shows that apatite deposition occurs on a daily basis, maintaining a Ca/P rate between 2.12 and 1.45. Biocompatibility properties were evaluated with osteoblast-like cells (MC3T3-E1) by single-cell gel electrophoresis assay and Tali image cytometry.

Facile preparation of Ag-Cu bifunctional electrocatalysts for zinc-air batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, Yachao; Chen, Fuyi

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Ag-Cu dendrites are observed for the first time to exhibit high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction. • Ag-Cu dendrites are directly synthesized through galvanic displacement on the current collector layer made of Ni foams. • A bifunctional air cathode is fabricated using Ag-Cu dendrites as a carbon-free, binder-free catalyst layer. • Both the primary and rechargeable zinc–air batteries fabricated by Ag-Cu catalysts exhibit excellent performance. - ABSTRACT: An inexpensive, facile galvanic displacement reaction for the direct growth of silver–copper (Ag-Cu) catalysts on nickel foams is developed for the first time. The resulting Ag-Cu catalysts exhibit dendritic morphologies. Ag and Cu atoms are in their metallic state while the presence of CuO and Cu 2 O are limited on the surface of catalyst. The catalysts demonstrate high catalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution, as evaluated by both linear scanning voltammetry and rotating disk electrode polarization measurements. The ORR catalysed by Ag-Cu catalyst in alkaline solution proceeds through a four-electron pathway. An air cathode is fabricated using Ag-Cu catalyst as a carbon-free, binder-free catalyst layer. Using this Ag-Cu catalyst based air cathode, both the primary and rechargeable zinc-air batteries show excellent battery performance. The specific capacity of the primary zinc-air battery is 572 mAh g −1 . Especially, the rechargeable zinc-air battery shows high round-trip efficiency, appealing stability at a long charge-discharge cycle period

The Effects of Gd-Free Impurity Phase on the Aging Behavior for the Microwave Surface Resistance of Ag-coated GdBa2Cu3O7-δ at Cryogenic Temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Sungho; Yang, Woo Il; Jung, Ho Sang; Oh, Won-Jae; Jang, Jiyeong; Lee, Jae-Hun; Kang, Kihyeok; Moon, Seung-Hyun; Yoo, Sang-Im; Lee, Sang Young

2018-05-01

High-T C GdBa2Cu3O7-δ (GdBCO) superconductor has been popular for making superconductive tapes that have much potential for various fields of large-scale applications. We investigated aging effects on the microwave surface resistance (R S) of Ag-coated GdBCO layer on Hastelloy substrate, so called GdBCO coated conductors (CCs), and Ag-coated GdBCO films on LaAlO3 (LAO) single-crystal substrates at cryogenic temperatures and compared them with each other. Unlike the R S of Ag-coated GdBCO films showing significant degradation in 4 weeks, no significant aging effects were found in our Ag-coated GdBCO CCs aged 85 weeks. The reactive co-evaporation deposition and reaction (RCE-DR) method was used for preparing the Ag-coated GdBCO CCs. Such durability of the Ag-coated GdBCO CCs in terms of the R S could be explained by existence of a protective impurity phase, i.e., Gd-free Ba-Cu-O phase as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy study combined with the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements. Although the scope of this study is limited to the Ag-coated GdBCO CCs prepared by using the RCE-DR method, our results suggest that a solution for preventing the aging effects on transport properties of other kinds of Ag-coated GdBCO CCs could be realized by means of an artificially-grown protective impurity layer.

Semiconductor-Electrocatalyst Interfaces: Theory, Experiment, and Applications in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Science.gov (United States)

Nellist, Michael R; Laskowski, Forrest A L; Lin, Fuding; Mills, Thomas J; Boettcher, Shannon W

2016-04-19

Light-absorbing semiconductor electrodes coated with electrocatalysts are key components of photoelectrochemical energy conversion and storage systems. Efforts to optimize these systems have been slowed by an inadequate understanding of the semiconductor-electrocatalyst (sem|cat) interface. The sem|cat interface is important because it separates and collects photoexcited charge carriers from the semiconductor. The photovoltage generated by the interface drives "uphill" photochemical reactions, such as water splitting to form hydrogen fuel. Here we describe efforts to understand the microscopic processes and materials parameters governing interfacial electron transfer between light-absorbing semiconductors, electrocatalysts, and solution. We highlight the properties of transition-metal oxyhydroxide electrocatalysts, such as Ni(Fe)OOH, because they are the fastest oxygen-evolution catalysts known in alkaline media and are (typically) permeable to electrolyte. We describe the physics that govern the charge-transfer kinetics for different interface types, and show how numerical simulations can explain the response of composite systems. Emphasis is placed on "limiting" behavior. Electrocatalysts that are permeable to electrolyte form "adaptive" junctions where the interface energetics change during operation as charge accumulates in the catalyst, but is screened locally by electrolyte ions. Electrocatalysts that are dense, and thus impermeable to electrolyte, form buried junctions where the interface physics are unchanged during operation. Experiments to directly measure the interface behavior and test the theory/simulations are challenging because conventional photoelectrochemical techniques do not measure the electrocatalyst potential during operation. We developed dual-working-electrode (DWE) photoelectrochemistry to address this limitation. A second electrode is attached to the catalyst layer to sense or control current/voltage independent from that of the

Progress in Solving the Elusive Ag Transport Mechanism in TRISO Coated Particles: “What is new?”

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rooyen, I.J. van; Petti, D.A.; Nabielek, H.; Neethling, J.H; Kania, M.J.

2014-01-01

The tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particle for a high temperature reactor (HTR) has been developed to an advanced state where the coating withstands internal gas pressures and retains nearly all fission products during irradiation and under postulated accidents. However, one exception is silver (Ag) that has been found to be released from high quality TRISO coated particles during irradiation and high temperature accident heating tests. Although out-of-pile laboratory tests have yet to elucidate the mechanism of transport of Ag through silicon carbide (SiC), effective diffusion coefficients have been derived to successfully reproduce measured "1"1"0"mAg- releases from irradiated HTR fuel elements, compacts and TRISO particles. It was found that Ag transport through SiC does not proceed via bulk volume diffusion. Presently grain boundary diffusion that may be irradiation enhanced either by neutron bombardment or by the presence of fission products such as palladium (Pd), are the two hypotheses that have been proposed. Recent studies of irradiated AGR-1 TRISO fuel using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) patterns, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) have been used to further the understanding of Ag transport through TRISO particles. No Ag was observed in SiC grains, but Ag was identified at triple-points and grain boundaries of the SiC layer in the TRISO particle. Cadmium (Cd) was also found in some of the very same triple junctions, but this could be related to silver behavior as "1"1"0"mAg decays to "1"1"0Cd or true Cd release as a fission product. Palladium was identified as the main constituent of micron-sized precipitates present at the SiC grain boundaries. The potential role of Pd in the transport of Ag will be discussed further. (author)

Structural and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures electrochemically synthesized on AZO/Ag/AZO-multilayer-film-coated polyethersulfone substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Dohyun; Yoo, Chanho; No, Youngsoo; Kim, Suyoun; Kim, Taewhan; Cho, Woonjo; Kim, Jinyoung

2012-01-01

ZnO nanostructures were formed on Al-doped ZnO (AZO)/Ag/AZO-multilayer-film-coated flexible polyethersulfone (PES) substrates at low temperature by using an electrochemical deposition method. The resistivity of the AZO/Ag/AZO multilayer films decreased with increasing thickness of the Ag film. X-ray diffraction patterns for the ZnO nanostructures showed that the crystal structure of the ZnO was hexagonal wurtzite and that the orientation was along the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the ZnO nanostructures grown at current densities of - 1.0 and - 1.5 mA/cm 2 were ZnO nanorods with diameters of 150 nm and ZnO nanoflowers with a planar dimension, respectively. Photoluminescence spectra showed that the band-edge emission peak of the ZnO nanostructures dominantly appeared in the ultraviolet region. These results showed that ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers with high quality were synthesized on AZO/Ag/AZO-multilayer-film-coated PES substrates.

SiO2 decoration dramatically enhanced the stability of PtRu electrocatalysts with undetectable deterioration in fuel cell performance

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xinxin; Xu, Zejun; Yang, Zehui; Xu, Sen; Zhang, Quan; Ling, Ying; Zhang, Yunfeng; Cai, Weiwei

2018-06-01

Prevention of Ru dissolution is essential for steady CO tolerance of anodic electrocatalysts in direct methanol fuel cells. Here, we demonstrate a facile way to stabilize Ru atoms by decorating commercial CB/PtRu with SiO2, which shows a six-fold higher stability and similar activity toward a methanol oxidation reaction leading to no discernible degradation in fuel cell performance compared to commercial CB/PtRu electrocatalysts. The higher stability and stable CO tolerance of SiO2-decorated electrocatalysts originate from the SiO2 coating, since Ru atoms are partially ionized during SiO2 decorating, resulting in difficulties in dissolution; while, in the case of commercial CB/PtRu, the dissolved Ru offers active sites for Pt coalescences and CO species resulting in the rapid decay of the electrochemical surface area and fuel cell performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study about the stabilization of Ru atoms by SiO2. The highest stability is obtained for a PtRu electrocatalyst with negligible effect on the electrochemical properties.

Effects of particle size and coating on nanoscale Ag and TiO₂ exposure in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Osborne, Olivia J; Johnston, Blair D; Moger, Julian; Balousha, Mohammed; Lead, Jamie R; Kudoh, Tetsuhiro; Tyler, Charles R

2013-12-01

Manufactured metal (oxide) nanoparticles are entering the aquatic environment with little understanding on their potential health impacts for exposed organisms. Adopting an integrative approach, we investigated effects of particle size and coating on biological responses for two of the most commonly used metal (oxide) nanoscale particles, silver (Ag) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) in zebrafish embryos. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (nominally, 4 nm, 10 nm, 30 nm and 134 nm) had little or no toxicity on the endpoints measured. Ag both in nano form (10 nm and 35 nm) and its larger counterpart (600-1600 nm) induced dose-dependent lethality and morphological defects, occurring predominantly during gastrula stage. Of the silver material tested 10 nm nanoparticles appeared to be the most toxic. Coating Ag nanoparticles with citrate or fulvic acid decreased toxicity significantly. In situ hybridisation analysis identified the yolk syncytial layer (YSL) as a target tissue for Ag-nano toxicity where there was a significant induction of the heavy metal stress response gene, metallothionein 2 (Mt2) at sub-lethal exposures. Coherent Anti-stroke Raman Scattering (CARS) microscopy provided no evidence for silver particles crossing the chorionic membrane in exposed embryos. Collectively, our data suggest that silver ions play a major role in the toxicity of Ag nanoparticles.

Electrocatalysts using porous polymers and method of preparation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Di-Jia; Yuan, Shengwen; Goenaga, Gabriel A.

2016-08-02

A method of producing an electrocatalyst article using porous polymers. The method creates a porous polymer designed to receive transition metal groups disposed at ligation sites and activating the transition metals to form an electrocatalyst which can be used in a fuel cell. Electrocatalysts prepared by this method are also provided. A fuel cell which includes the electrocatalyst is also provided.

Electrocatalysts using porous polymers and method of preparation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Di-Jia; Yuan, Shengwen; Goenaga, Gabriel A.

2015-04-21

A method of producing an electrocatalyst article using porous polymers. The method creates a porous polymer designed to receive transition metal groups disposed at ligation sites and activating the transition metals to form an electrocatalyst which can be used in a fuel cell. Electrocatalysts prepared by this method are also provided. A fuel cell which includes the electrocatalyst is also provided.

A permselective CeO{sub x} coating to improve the stability of oxygen evolution electrocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Obata, Keisuke; Takanabe, Kazuhiro [King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC) and Physical Sciences and Engineering Division PSE, Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)

2018-02-05

Highly active NiFeO{sub x} electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) suffer gradual deactivation with time owing to the loss of Fe species from the active sites into solution during catalysis. The anodic deposition of a CeO{sub x} layer prevents the loss of such Fe species from the OER catalysts, achieving a highly stable performance. The CeO{sub x} layer does not affect the OER activity of the catalyst underneath but exhibits unique permselectivity, allowing the permeation of OH{sup -} and O{sub 2} through while preventing the diffusion of redox ions through the layer to function as a selective O{sub 2}-evolving electrode. The use of such a permselective protective layer provides a new strategy for improving the durability of electrocatalysts. (copyright 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Modified Graphene as Electrocatalyst towards Oxygen Reduction Reaction for Fuel Cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qazzazie, D; Yurchenko, O; Beckert, M; Mülhaupt, R; Urban, G

2014-01-01

This paper reports modified graphene-based materials as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with outstanding electrocatalytic activity in alkaline conditions. Nitrogen-doped graphene samples are synthesized by a novel procedure. The defect density in the structure of the prepared materials is investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Further structural characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the successful nitrogen doping of graphene. The electrochemical characterization of graphene and nitrogen-doped graphene in 0.1 M KOH solution demonstrates the material's electrocatalytic activity towards ORR. For graphene an onset potential of – 0.175 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode is determined, while for nitrogen-doped graphene the determined onset potential is – 0.160 V. Thus, the electrocatalytic activity of nitrogen-doped graphene towards ORR is enhanced which can be ascribed to the effect of nitrogen doping

Modified Graphene as Electrocatalyst towards Oxygen Reduction Reaction for Fuel Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Qazzazie, D.; Beckert, M.; Mülhaupt, R.; Yurchenko, O.; Urban, G.

2014-11-01

This paper reports modified graphene-based materials as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with outstanding electrocatalytic activity in alkaline conditions. Nitrogen-doped graphene samples are synthesized by a novel procedure. The defect density in the structure of the prepared materials is investigated by Raman spectroscopy. Further structural characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the successful nitrogen doping of graphene. The electrochemical characterization of graphene and nitrogen-doped graphene in 0.1 M KOH solution demonstrates the material's electrocatalytic activity towards ORR. For graphene an onset potential of - 0.175 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode is determined, while for nitrogen-doped graphene the determined onset potential is - 0.160 V. Thus, the electrocatalytic activity of nitrogen-doped graphene towards ORR is enhanced which can be ascribed to the effect of nitrogen doping.

Enhancement in electrical conductivity of pastes containing submicron Ag-coated Cu filler with palmitic acid surface modification

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Eun Byeol; Lee, Jong-Hyun

2017-09-01

The fabrication and applied use of submicron Ag-coated Cu (Cu@Ag) particles as a filler material for epoxy-based conductive pastes having the advantages of a lower material cost and antioxidation behavior were studied. Submicron Cu@Ag particles were successfully prepared and surface-modified using palmitic acid. Diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy and thermogravimetric differential scanning calorimetry results indicated the formation of an organic layer by the chemical interaction between the Cu@Ag surface and palmitic acid and the survival of the organic layer after treatment at 160 °C for 3 h in air. The printed pastes containing both commercial micron Cu@Ag flakes and the fabricated submicron Cu@Ag particles showed a greatly reduced electrical resistivity (4.68 × 10-4 Ω cm) after surface modification compared to an initial value of 1.85 × 10-3 Ω cm when cured.

2D PdAg Alloy Nanodendrites for Enhanced Ethanol Electroxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Wenjing; Kang, Xiaolin; Xu, Cheng; Zhou, Junhua; Deng, Jun; Li, Yanguang; Cheng, Si

2018-03-01

The development of highly active and stable electrocatalysts for ethanol electroxidation is of decisive importance to the successful commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells. Despite great efforts invested over the past decade, their progress has been notably slower than expected. In this work, the facile solution synthesis of 2D PdAg alloy nanodendrites as a high-performance electrocatalyst is reported for ethanol electroxidation. The reaction is carried out via the coreduction of Pd and Ag precursors in aqueous solution with the presence of octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride as the structural directing agent. Final products feature small thickness (5-7 nm) and random in-plane branching with enlarged surface areas and abundant undercoordinated sites. They exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity (large specific current ≈2600 mA mgPd-1) and excellent operation stability (as revealed from both the cycling and chronoamperometric tests) for ethanol electroxidation. Control experiments show that the improvement comes from the combined electronic and structural effects. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation and characterization of PtRu/C, PtBi/C, PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts for direct electro-oxidation of ethanol in PEM fuels cells using the method of reduction by sodium borohydride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandalise, Michele

2010-01-01

Pt/C, PtBi/C, PtRu/C and PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts were prepared by a borohydride reduction methodology and tested for ethanol oxidation. This methodology consists in mix a solution with sodium hydroxide and sodium borohydride to a mixture containing water/isopropyl alcohol, metallic precursors and the Vulcan XC 72 carbon support. It was studied the addition method of borohydride (drop by drop addition or rapid addition). The obtained electrocatalysts were characterized by energy dispersive X ray spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry. The ethanol electro-oxidation was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry using the thin porous coating technique. The electrocatalysts were tested in real conditions of operation by unit cell tests. The stability of PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry using the ultra-thin porous coating technique and ring-disk electrode. The PtRuBi/C electro catalyst apparently presented a good performance for ethanol electro-oxidation but experimental evidences showed accentuated bismuth dissolution. (author)

Preparation and characterization of electrocatalysts based on palladium for electro-oxidation of alcohols in alkaline medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandalise, Michele

2012-01-01

In this study Pd/C, Au/C, PdAu/C, PdAuPt/C, PdAuBi/C and PdAuIr/C electrocatalysts were prepared by the sodium borohydride reduction method for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol. This methodology consists in mix an alkaline solution of sodium borohydride to a mixture containing water/isopropyl alcohol, metallic precursors and the Vulcan XC 72 carbon support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical oxidation of the alcohols was studied by chronoamperometry using a thin porous coating technique. The mechanism of ethanol electro-oxidation was studied by Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) in situ. The most effective electrocatalysts were tested in alkaline single cells directly fed with methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol. Preliminary studies showed that the most suitable atomic composition for preparing the ternary catalysts is 50:45:05. Electrochemical data in alkaline medium show that the electrocatalysts PdAuPt/C (50:45:05) showed the better activity for methanol electro oxidation, while PdAuIr/C was the most active for ethanol oxidation and PdAuBi/C (50:45:05) was the most effective for ethylene glycol oxidation in alkaline medium. These results show that the addition of gold in the composition of electrocatalysts increases their catalytic activities. The spectroelectrochemical FTIR in situ data permitted to conclude that C-C bond is not broken and the acetate is formed. (author)

Silver decorated LaMnO3 nanorod/graphene composite electrocatalysts as reversible metal-air battery electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jie; Liu, Qiunan; Shi, Lina; Shi, Ziwei; Huang, Hao

2017-04-01

Perovskite LaMnO3 nanorod/reduced graphene oxides (LMO-NR/RGO) decorated with Ag nanoparticles are studied as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte. LMO-NR/RGO composites are synthesized by using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as template via a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by heat treatment; overlaying of Ag nanoparticles is obtained through a traditional silver mirror reaction. Electron microscopy reveals that LMO-NR is embedded between the sheets of RGO, and the material is homogeneously overlaid with Ag nanoparticles. The unique composite morphology of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO not only enhances the electron transport property by increasing conductivity but also facilitates the diffusion of electrolytes and oxygen. As confirmed by electrochemical testing, Ag/LMO-NR/RGO exhibits very strong synergy with Ag nanoparticles, LMO-NR, and RGO, and the catalytic activities of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO during ORR and OER are significantly improved. With the novel catalyst, the homemade zinc-air battery can be reversibly charged and discharged and display a stable cycle performance, indicating the great potential of this composite as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

Plasma sprayed rutile titania-nanosilver antibacterial coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Jinjin [Key Lab of Inorganic Coating Materials, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zhao, Chengjian [National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, Department of ECLSS, China Astronaut Researching and Training Center, Beijing, 100094 (China); Zhou, Jingfang [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, SA, 5095 (Australia); Li, Chunxia [National Key Laboratory of Human Factors Engineering, Department of ECLSS, China Astronaut Researching and Training Center, Beijing, 100094 (China); Shao, Yiran; Shi, Chao [Key Lab of Inorganic Coating Materials, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China); Zhu, Yingchun, E-mail: yzhu@mail.sic.ac.cn [Key Lab of Inorganic Coating Materials, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)

2015-11-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2}/Ag feedstock powders containing 1–10,000 ppm silver nanoparticles were double sintered and deposited by plasma spray. • TiO{sub 2}/Ag coatings were composed of pure rutile phase and homogeneously-distributed metallic silver. • TiO{sub 2}/Ag coatings with more than 10 ppm silver nanoparticles exhibited strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. - Abstract: Rutile titania (TiO{sub 2}) coatings have superior mechanical properties and excellent stability that make them preferential candidates for various applications. In order to prevent infection arising from bacteria, significant efforts have been focused on antibacterial TiO{sub 2} coatings. In the study, titania-nanosilver (TiO{sub 2}/Ag) coatings with five different kinds of weight percentages of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by plasma spray. The feedstock powders, which had a composition of rutile TiO{sub 2} powders containing 1–10,000 ppm AgNPs, were double sintered and deposited on stainless steel substrates with optimized spraying parameters. X-Ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to analysize the phase composition and surface morphology of TiO{sub 2}/Ag powders and coatings. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were employed to examine the antibacterial activity of the as-prepared coatings by bacterial counting method. The results showed that silver existed homogeneously in the TiO{sub 2}/Ag coatings and no crystalline changed happened in the TiO{sub 2} structure. The reduction ratios on the TiO{sub 2}/Ag coatings with 10 ppm AgNPs were as high as 94.8% and 95.6% for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, and the TiO{sub 2}/Ag coatings with 100–1000 ppm AgNPs exhibited 100% bactericidal activity against E. coli and S. aureus, which indicated the TiO{sub 2}/Ag coatings with more than 10 ppm AgNPs had strong antibacterial activity. Moreover, the main factors influencing the

Plasma sprayed rutile titania-nanosilver antibacterial coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Jinjin; Zhao, Chengjian; Zhou, Jingfang; Li, Chunxia; Shao, Yiran; Shi, Chao; Zhu, Yingchun

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • TiO_2/Ag feedstock powders containing 1–10,000 ppm silver nanoparticles were double sintered and deposited by plasma spray. • TiO_2/Ag coatings were composed of pure rutile phase and homogeneously-distributed metallic silver. • TiO_2/Ag coatings with more than 10 ppm silver nanoparticles exhibited strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. - Abstract: Rutile titania (TiO_2) coatings have superior mechanical properties and excellent stability that make them preferential candidates for various applications. In order to prevent infection arising from bacteria, significant efforts have been focused on antibacterial TiO_2 coatings. In the study, titania-nanosilver (TiO_2/Ag) coatings with five different kinds of weight percentages of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared by plasma spray. The feedstock powders, which had a composition of rutile TiO_2 powders containing 1–10,000 ppm AgNPs, were double sintered and deposited on stainless steel substrates with optimized spraying parameters. X-Ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy were used to analysize the phase composition and surface morphology of TiO_2/Ag powders and coatings. Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were employed to examine the antibacterial activity of the as-prepared coatings by bacterial counting method. The results showed that silver existed homogeneously in the TiO_2/Ag coatings and no crystalline changed happened in the TiO_2 structure. The reduction ratios on the TiO_2/Ag coatings with 10 ppm AgNPs were as high as 94.8% and 95.6% for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, and the TiO_2/Ag coatings with 100–1000 ppm AgNPs exhibited 100% bactericidal activity against E. coli and S. aureus, which indicated the TiO_2/Ag coatings with more than 10 ppm AgNPs had strong antibacterial activity. Moreover, the main factors influencing the antibacterial properties of TiO_2/Ag coatings were discussed with

Ag-Coated Heterostructures of ZnO-TiO2/Delaminated Montmorillonite as Solar Photocatalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carolina Belver

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Heterostructures based on ZnO-TiO2/delaminated montmorillonite coated with Ag have been prepared by sol–gel and photoreduction procedures, varying the Ag and ZnO contents. They have been thoroughly characterized by XRD, WDXRF, UV–Vis, and XPS spectroscopies, and N2 adsorption, SEM, and TEM. In all cases, the montmorillonite was effectively delaminated with the formation of TiO2 anatase particles anchored on the clay layer’s surface, yielding porous materials with high surface areas. The structural and textural properties of the heterostructures synthesized were unaffected by the ZnO incorporated. The photoreduction led to solids with Ag nanoparticles decorating the surface. These materials were tested as photocatalysts for the degradation of several emerging contaminants with different nitrogen-bearing chemical structures under solar light. The catalysts yielded high rates of disappearance of the starting pollutants and showed quite stable performance upon successive applications.

Morphology and inhibition performance of Ag thin film as antimicrobial coating deposited by RF-PVD on 316 L stainless steel

Science.gov (United States)

Purniawan, A.; Khrisna, Y. S. A.; Rasyida, A.; Atmono, T. M.

2018-04-01

Foreign body related infection (FBRIs) is caused by forming biofilm of bacterial colony of medical equipment surfaces. In many cases, the FBRIs is still happened on the surface after medical sterilization process has been performed. In order to avoid the case, surface modification by antimicrobial coating was used. In this work, we present silver (Ag) thin film on 316 L stainless steel substrate surface was deposited using Radio Frequency Sputtering PVD (RF-PVD). The morphology of Ag thin film were characterized using SEM-EDX. Surface roughness of the thin film was measured by AFM. In addition, Kirby Bauer Test in Escherichia coli (E. coli) was conducted in order to evaluate the inhibition performance of the Ag thin film antimicrobial coating. Based on SEM and AFM results show that the particle size is increased from 523 nm to 708 nm and surface roughness from 9 to 20 nm for deposition time 10 minutes to 20 minutes, respectively. In addition, the inhibition layer of the coating is about 29 mm.

Preparation of PtRu/C and PtSn/C electrocatalysts using electron beam irradiation for direct and ethanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Dionisio Furtunato da

2009-01-01

PtRu/C and PtSn/C electrocatalysts were prepared using electron beam irradiation. The metal ions were dissolved in water/2-propanol and water/ethylene glycol solutions and the carbon support was added. The resulting mixtures were irradiated under stirring. The effect of water/ethylene glycol and water/2-propanol (v/v) ratio, Pt:Ru and Pt:Sn atomic ratios, the irradiation time and dose rate were studied. The obtained materials were characterized by Energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Moessbauer spectroscopy. The electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol were studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry using the thin porous coating technique. The electrocatalysts were also tested on the Direct Methanol and Ethanol Fuel Cells. PtRu/C electrocatalysts prepared in water/ethylene glycol showed Pt:Ru atomic ratios different from the nominal ones. The results suggested that part of the Ru(III) ions were not reduced. The obtained materials showed the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure of Pt and Pt alloys with crystallite sizes of 2-3 nm. PtRu/C electrocatalysts prepared in water/2-propanol showed Pt:Ru atomic ratios similar to the nominal ones. The obtained materials also showed the fcc structure of platinum and platinum alloys with crystallite sizes of 3-4 nm. PtSn/C electrocatalysts prepared in water/ethylene glycol and water/2-propanol showed Pt:Sn atomic ratios similar to the nominal ones. The obtained materials showed the platinum (fcc) phase with crystallite sizes in the range of 2 - 4 nm and a SnO 2 (cassiterite) phase. The obtained PtRu/C and PtSn/C electrocatalysts showed similar or superior performance for methanol and ethanol electro-oxidation compared to commercial PtRu/C (E-TEK) and PtSn/C (BASF) electrocatalysts. (author)

Pt catalysts on PANI coated WC/C nanocomposites for methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction in DMFC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaldagard, Maryam; Jahanshahi, Mohsen; Seghatoleslami, Naser

2014-01-01

Highlights: • In this work nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. • Pt particles (10.56 nm) were uniformly dispersed on the surface of PANI/WC/C support. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher MOR activity and CO tolerance than Pt/C. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher activity for ORR than Pt/C in RDE experiments. • Pt/PANI/WC/C showed good stability than that of Pt/C in the presence of methanol. - Abstract: In the present study a Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst was developed to increase the methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction activity and stability of commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst. WC/C was coated with protonated polyaniline (PANI) in situ during the polymerization of aniline. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results illustrate the presence of PANI in the composite. The conductivity of PANI coated – WC/C has been compared with the conductivity of the corresponding mixtures of WC/C and Vulcan XC-72. X-ray diffraction results showed that Pt particles were dispersed on the support with mean particle size of about 10.56 nm. Transition electron microscopy images showed that the nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. Based on the electrochemical properties characterized by cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping and rotating disk electrode measurements it was found that the as prepared Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst exhibited a comparable activity for methanol oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction with respect to the commercial one. A significant reduction in the potential of CO electro-oxidation peak from 0.75 V for Pt/C to 0.52 V for Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst indicates that an increase in the activity for CO electro-oxidation is achieved by replacing the carbon support by PANI coated WC/C. Chronoamerometry results also showed, in the presence of methanol the Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst still maintains a higher current density than Pt/WC/C and Pt/C

Pt catalysts on PANI coated WC/C nanocomposites for methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction in DMFC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yaldagard, Maryam, E-mail: m_yaldagard@yahoo.com [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, P.O. Box 91775-1111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jahanshahi, Mohsen, E-mail: mjahan@nit.um.ac.ir [Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Babol University of Technology (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Seghatoleslami, Naser, E-mail: Slami@um.ac.ir [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, P.O. Box 91775-1111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-10-30

Highlights: • In this work nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. • Pt particles (10.56 nm) were uniformly dispersed on the surface of PANI/WC/C support. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher MOR activity and CO tolerance than Pt/C. • The Pt/PANI/WC/C exhibited higher activity for ORR than Pt/C in RDE experiments. • Pt/PANI/WC/C showed good stability than that of Pt/C in the presence of methanol. - Abstract: In the present study a Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst was developed to increase the methanol electro-oxidation and oxygen electro-reduction activity and stability of commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst. WC/C was coated with protonated polyaniline (PANI) in situ during the polymerization of aniline. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) results illustrate the presence of PANI in the composite. The conductivity of PANI coated – WC/C has been compared with the conductivity of the corresponding mixtures of WC/C and Vulcan XC-72. X-ray diffraction results showed that Pt particles were dispersed on the support with mean particle size of about 10.56 nm. Transition electron microscopy images showed that the nanosized WC/C were successfully coated by PANI. Based on the electrochemical properties characterized by cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping and rotating disk electrode measurements it was found that the as prepared Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst exhibited a comparable activity for methanol oxidation reaction and oxygen reduction reaction with respect to the commercial one. A significant reduction in the potential of CO electro-oxidation peak from 0.75 V for Pt/C to 0.52 V for Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst indicates that an increase in the activity for CO electro-oxidation is achieved by replacing the carbon support by PANI coated WC/C. Chronoamerometry results also showed, in the presence of methanol the Pt/PANI/WC/C electrocatalyst still maintains a higher current density than Pt/WC/C and Pt/C.

The preparation and characterization of Bi-2212 film on Ag substrate by dip-coating method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Yang; Zhao Liang; Li Pei; Qu Timing; Huang Yong; Han Zhenghe

2006-01-01

In this paper we report on the processing parameters and resulting critical current densities of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O x thick films on Ag substrate. Bi-2212 tapes and wires are prepared by dip-coating method. It is found that parameters during partial melting (maximum process temperature T max and solidification temperature T s ) have strong influences on the transition temperature T c . The 0.5 mm diameter dip-coated wire can carry 4000 A/cm 2 critical current in 77 K, self field. Post-annealing on different temperatures and atmospheres are studied as well to obtain varied T c samples

Lignin-derived electrospun carbon nanofiber mats with supercritically deposited Ag nanoparticles for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, Chuilin; Kolla, Praveen; Zhao, Yong; Fong, Hao; Smirnova, Alevtina L.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Electrospun carbon nanofiber mats were prepared from a natural product of lignin. • The freestanding mats were flexible with BET specific surface area of ∼583 m 2 /g. • The mats were surface-deposited with Ag nanoparticles via the scCO 2 method. • Novel electrocatalytic systems of Ag/ECNFs exhibited high activities towards ORR. - Abstract: Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) (11, 15, and 25 wt.%) were deposited on the surface of the freestanding and mechanically flexible mats consisting of lignin-derived electrospun carbon nanofibers (ECNFs) by the supercritical CO 2 method followed by the thermal treated at 180 °C. The electrochemical activity of Ag/ECNFs electrocatalyst systems towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied in 0.1 M KOH aqueous solution using the rotating disk/rotating ring disk electrode (RDE/RRDE) technique. The SEM, TEM, and XRD results indicated that, the spherical AgNPs were uniformly distributed on the ECNF surface with sizes in the range of 2-10 nm. The electrocatalytic results revealed that, all of the Ag/ECNFs systems exhibited high activity in ORR and demonstrated close-to-theoretical four-electron pathway. In particular, the mass activity of 15 wt.% Ag/ECNFs system was the highest (119 mA mg −1 ), exceeding that of HiSPEC 4100™ commercial Pt/C catalyst (98 mA mg −1 ). This study suggested that the lignin-derived ECNF mats surface-deposited with AgNPs would be promising as cost-effective and highly efficient electrocatalyst for ORR in alkaline fuel cells

MoSx-coated NbS2 nanoflakes growth on glass carbon: an advanced electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Xiaofeng; Lin, Shi-Hsin; Yang, Xiulin; Li, Henan; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Li, Lain-Jong; Zhang, Wenjing; Shi, Yumeng

2018-01-01

Recent experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanoflakes are one of the most promising candidates for non-noblemetal electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, it is still demanding to optimize their conductivity and enrich active sites for the high efficient electrochemical performance. Herein, we report a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and thermal annealing two-step strategy to controllably synthesize hybrid electrocatalysts consisting of metallic NbS2 nanoflake backbones and highly catalytic active MoSx nanocrystalline shell on polished commercial glass carbon (GC). In addition, the amounts of MoSx in the hybrids can be easily adjusted, we first demonstrate that small amount of MoSx obviously promotes the HER activity of 2D NbS2 nanoflakes, which is in good consistence with the density functional theory (DFT) calculation results. Meanwhile, the optimized MoSx@NbS2/GC electrocatalyst displays a superior HER activity with an overpotential of -164 mV at -10 mA/cm2, a small Tafel slope of 43.2 mV/dec, and prominent electrochemical stability. This study provides a new path for enhancing the HER performance of 2D TMDC nanoflakes.

MoSx-coated NbS2 nanoflakes growth on glass carbon: an advanced electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Xiaofeng

2018-01-19

Recent experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) nanoflakes are one of the most promising candidates for non-noblemetal electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, it is still demanding to optimize their conductivity and enrich active sites for the high efficient electrochemical performance. Herein, we report a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and thermal annealing two-step strategy to controllably synthesize hybrid electrocatalysts consisting of metallic NbS2 nanoflake backbones and highly catalytic active MoSx nanocrystalline shell on polished commercial glass carbon (GC). In addition, the amounts of MoSx in the hybrids can be easily adjusted, we first demonstrate that small amount of MoSx obviously promotes the HER activity of 2D NbS2 nanoflakes, which is in good consistence with the density functional theory (DFT) calculation results. Meanwhile, the optimized MoSx@NbS2/GC electrocatalyst displays a superior HER activity with an overpotential of -164 mV at -10 mA/cm2, a small Tafel slope of 43.2 mV/dec, and prominent electrochemical stability. This study provides a new path for enhancing the HER performance of 2D TMDC nanoflakes.

Phase transformation and tribological properties of Ag-MoO3 contained NiCrAlY based composite coatings fabricated by laser cladding

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lingqian; Zhou, Jiansong; Xin, Benbin; Yu, Youjun; Ren, Shufang; Li, Zhen

2017-08-01

Ag-MoO3 contained NiCrAlY based composite coating was successfully prepared on GH4169 stainless steel substrate by high energy ball milling and laser cladding. The microstructure and phase transformation were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD). The tribological behavior and mechanism from room temperature to 800 °C were investigated. Results showed that MoO3 in the composite powders transformed to Mo2C reinforcement under the high energy density of laser, and a series of opposite transformation occurred during friction process. The coating showed the lowest friction coefficient and low wear rate at 600 °C and 800 °C due to the generation of Ag2MoO4 during tribo-chemical reactions and the formation of lubrication glaze on the worn surface. Ag made effective lubrication when the temperature rose up to 200 °C. The coating displayed a relatively high friction coefficient (about 0.51) at 400 °C, because though MoO3 (oxidation products of Mo2C) and Ag2MoO4 were detected on the worn surface, they could not realize effective lubrication at this temperature. Abrasive wear, adhesive wear and plastic deformation contributed to the increased friction and wear.

A selective electrocatalyst-based direct methanol fuel cell operated at high concentrations of methanol.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yan; Liu, Hui; Yang, Jun

2017-06-01

Owing to the serious crossover of methanol from the anode to the cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane, direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) usually use dilute methanol solutions as fuel. However, the use of high-concentration methanol is highly demanded to improve the energy density of a DMFC system. Instead of the conventional strategies (for example, improving the fuel-feed system, membrane development, modification of electrode, and water management), we demonstrate the use of selective electrocatalysts to run a DMFC at high concentrations of methanol. In particular, at an operating temperature of 80°C, the as-fabricated DMFC with core-shell-shell Au@Ag 2 S@Pt nanocomposites at the anode and core-shell Au@Pd nanoparticles at the cathode produces a maximum power density of 89.7 mW cm -2 at a methanol feed concentration of 10 M and maintains good performance at a methanol concentration of up to 15 M. The high selectivity of the electrocatalysts achieved through structural construction accounts for the successful operation of the DMFC at high concentrations of methanol.

Morphology Effect of Silver Nanostructures on the Performance of a P3HT:Graphene:AgNs-Based Active Layer Obtained via Dip Coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alí Gómez-Acosta

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We report the effect of the use of different silver nanostructures (AgNs layers deposited via dip coating onto a poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT and solution processable functionalized graphene (SPFGraphene composite film intended to be used as active layer in BHJ devices. SPFGraphene was added to P3HT in a ratio of 1.5 wt%. The best results were achieved when a layer of silver nano-pseudospheres (AgNPSs obtained after 10 immersion cycles was used as coating; in this case the highest light trapping and efficiency percent (η=0.23% were achieved. This means an increase of ~11.3% in comparison with the efficiency of the noncoated P3HT:SPFGraphene composite. Results also indicate that graphene was successfully functionalized in order to obtain appropriate dispersion in P3HT and that such conjugated polymer remained unaltered after the addition of SPFGraphene. Finally, it can be concluded that the electrical properties of the as-synthesized films are dependent on the shape and concentration of the AgNs deposited via dip coating.

Superheating of Ag nanowires studied by molecular dynamics simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Wenshi; Ling Guangkong; Hong Lin; Li Hong; Liang Minghe

2008-01-01

The melting process of Ag nanowires was studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at the atomic level. It is indicated that the Ag nanowires with Ni coating can be superheated depending on their radius and size. Also, in this paper the mechanism of superheating was analyzed and ascribed to the epitaxial Ag/Ni interface suppressing the nucleation and growth of melt. For the analysis, a thermodynamic model was constructed to describe the superheating mechanism of the Ni-coated Ag nanowires by considering the Ag/Ni interface free energy. We showed that the nucleation and growth of the Ag melt phase are both suppressed by the low energy Ag/Ni interfaces in Ni-coated Ag wires and the suppression of melt growth is crucial and plays a major role in the process of melting. The thermodynamic analysis gave a quantitative relation of superheating with the Ag wire radius and the contact angle of melting. The superheating decreased with Ag wire radius and also depended on the Ag/Ni interfacial condition. The results of the thermodynamic model were consistent with those of the MD simulations

In vitro assessment of stainless steel orthodontic brackets coated with titanium oxide mixed Ag for anti-adherent and antibacterial properties against Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fatani, Eman Jameel; Almutairi, Hamed H; Alharbi, Ali O; Alnakhli, Yasser Obaidallah; Divakar, Darshan Devang; Muzaheed; Alkheraif, Abdulaziz Abdullah; Khan, Aftab Ahmed

2017-11-01

Orthodontic brackets made from stainless steel were introduced in dentistry, though they have less ability in reducing enamel demineralization and are not successful in preventing microbial as well as biofilm growth. In this study, we evaluated the significant role of different brackets in reducing enamel demineralization indirectly. Results from different tests indicate the significant reduction in adhesion, biofilm formation and slow growth of tested bacterial species on brackets coated with Ag + TiO2 and found to be statistically significant lower than control. There was no loss in cell viability in all brackets indicating that the cells are biocompatible with different bracket materials. Scanning electron microscopy showed less bacteria attached with the surface coated with Ag + TiO2 indicated that bacteria were losing adherent nature on coated surface. In conclusion, TiO2+Ag coating on stainless steel brackets possessed anti-adherent properties and also have demonstrable antibacterial properties therefore helps in preventing dental caries and plaque accumulation indirectly. The cell compatibility of TiO2+Ag coated brackets is superior to the uncoated samples therefore can be used in orthodontics as it not only provide suitable antimicrobial activity and resistance to biofilm formation but also sustained the cell viability of human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cell lines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-component spin-coated Ag/CNT composite films based on a silver heterogeneous nucleation mechanism adhesion-enhanced by mechanical interlocking and chemical grafting

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Kang, Zhixin; Bessho, Takeshi

2017-03-01

In this paper, a new method for the synthesis of silver carbon nanotube (Ag/CNT) composite films as conductive connection units for flexible electronic devices is presented. This method is about a two-component solution process by spin coating with an after-treatment annealing process. In this method, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) act as the core of silver heterogeneous nucleation, which can be observed and analyzed by a field-emission scanning electron microscope. With the effects of mechanical interlocking, chemical grafting, and annealing, the interfacial adhesive strength between films and PET sheets was enhanced to 12 N cm-1. The tensile strength of the Ag/CNT composite films was observed to increase by 38% by adding 5 g l-1 MWCNTs. In the four-probe method, the resistivity of Ag/CNT-5 declined by 78.2% compared with pristine Ag films. The anti-fatigue performance of the Ag/CNT composite films was monitored by cyclic bending deformation and the results revealed that the growth rate of electrical resistance during the deformation was obviously retarded. As for industrial application, this method provides an efficient low-cost way to prepare Ag/CNT composite films and can be further applied to other coating systems.

Exclusive Hydrogen Generation by Electrocatalysts Coated with an Amorphous Chromium-Based Layer Achieving Efficient Overall Water Splitting

KAUST Repository

Qureshi, Muhammad

2017-08-08

Successful conversion of renewable energy to useful chemicals requires efficient devices that can electrocatalyze or photocatalyze redox reactions, e.g., overall water splitting. Excellent electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), such as Pt, can also cause other side-reactions, including the water-forming back-reaction from H2 and O2 products. A Cr-based amorphous layer coated on catalysts can work as a successful surface modifier that avoids the back-reaction, but its capabilities and limitations toward other species have not been studied. Herein, we investigated the Cr-based layer on Pt from perspectives of both electrocatalysis and photocatalysis using redox-active molecules/ions (O2, ferricyanide, IO3–, S2O82–, H2O2, and CO gas). Our systematic study revealed that utilization of the Cr-based layer realized an exclusive cathodic reaction only to HER, even in the presence of the aforementioned reactive species, suggesting that Cr-based layers work as membranes, as well as corrosion and poison inhibition layers. However, the Cr-based layer experienced self-oxidation and dissolved into the aqueous phase when a strong oxidizing agent or low pH was present. Presented herein are fundamental and critical aspects of the Cr-based modifier, which is essential for the successful and practical development of solar fuel production systems.

Exclusive Hydrogen Generation by Electrocatalysts Coated with an Amorphous Chromium-Based Layer Achieving Efficient Overall Water Splitting

KAUST Repository

Qureshi, Muhammad; Shinagawa, Tatsuya; Tsiapis, Nikolaos; Takanabe, Kazuhiro

2017-01-01

Successful conversion of renewable energy to useful chemicals requires efficient devices that can electrocatalyze or photocatalyze redox reactions, e.g., overall water splitting. Excellent electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), such as Pt, can also cause other side-reactions, including the water-forming back-reaction from H2 and O2 products. A Cr-based amorphous layer coated on catalysts can work as a successful surface modifier that avoids the back-reaction, but its capabilities and limitations toward other species have not been studied. Herein, we investigated the Cr-based layer on Pt from perspectives of both electrocatalysis and photocatalysis using redox-active molecules/ions (O2, ferricyanide, IO3–, S2O82–, H2O2, and CO gas). Our systematic study revealed that utilization of the Cr-based layer realized an exclusive cathodic reaction only to HER, even in the presence of the aforementioned reactive species, suggesting that Cr-based layers work as membranes, as well as corrosion and poison inhibition layers. However, the Cr-based layer experienced self-oxidation and dissolved into the aqueous phase when a strong oxidizing agent or low pH was present. Presented herein are fundamental and critical aspects of the Cr-based modifier, which is essential for the successful and practical development of solar fuel production systems.

Silver doped hydroxyapatite coatings by sacrificial anode deposition under magnetic field.

Science.gov (United States)

Swain, S; Rautray, T R

2017-09-13

Uniform distribution of silver (Ag) in the hydroxyapatite (HA) coated Ti surface has been a concern for which an attempt has been made to dope Ag in HA coating with and without magnetic field. Cathodic deposition technique was employed to coat Ag incorporated hydroxyapatite coating using a sacrificial silver anode method by using NdFeB bar magnets producing 12 Tesla magnetic field. While uniform deposition of Ag was observed in the coatings under magnetic field, dense coating was evident in the coating without magnetic field conditions. Uniformly distributed Ag incorporated HA in the present study has potential to fight microorganism while providing osseoconduction properties of the composite coating.

Electrocatalysts for fuel cells; Electrocatalizadores para celdas de combustible

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia C, M. A.; Fernandez V, S. M. [ININ, Depto. de Quimica, Apdo. Postal 18-1027, Col. Escandon, Mexico 11801, D. F. (Mexico); Vargas G, J. R. [IPN, Depto. de Ingenieria Metalurgica, Mexico 07300, D. F. (Mexico)

2008-07-01

It was investigated the oxygen reduction reaction (fundamental reaction in fuel cells) on electrocatalysts of Pt, Co, Ni and their alloys CoNi, PtCo, PtNi, PtCoNi in H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} 0.5 M and KOH 0.5 M as electrolyte. The electrocatalysts were synthesized using mechanical alloying processes and chemical vapor deposition. The electrocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. The evaluation was performed using electrocatalytic technique of rotating disk electrode and kinetic parameters were determined for each electro catalyst. We report the performance of all synthesized electrocatalysts in acid and alkaline means. (Author)

Pd/Ag coated fiber Bragg grating sensor for hydrogen monitoring in power transformers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, G M; Jiang, J; Li, C R; Song, H T; Luo, Y T; Wang, H B

2015-04-01

Compared with conventional DGA (dissolved gas analysis) method for on-line monitoring of power transformers, FBG (fiber Bragg grating) hydrogen sensor represents marked advantages over immunity to electromagnetic field, time-saving, and convenience to defect location. Thus, a novel FBG hydrogen sensor based on Pd/Ag (Palladium/Silver) along with polyimide composite film to measure dissolved hydrogen concentration in large power transformers is proposed in this article. With the help of Pd/Ag composite coating, the enhanced performance on mechanical strength and sensitivity is demonstrated, moreover, the response time and sensitivity influenced by oil temperature are solved by correction lines. Sensitivity measurement and temperature calibration of the specific hydrogen sensor have been done respectively in the lab. And experiment results show a high sensitivity of 0.055 pm/(μl/l) with instant response time about 0.4 h under the typical operating temperature of power transformers, which proves a potential utilization inside power transformers to monitor the health status by detecting the dissolved hydrogen concentration.

Facile synthesis of hollow dendritic Ag/Pt alloy nanoparticles for enhanced methanol oxidation efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Sui, Ning; Wang, Ke; Shan, Xinyao; Bai, Qiang; Wang, Lina; Xiao, Hailian; Liu, Manhong; Colvin, Vicki L; Yu, William W

2017-11-14

Hollow dendritic Ag/Pt alloy nanoparticles were synthesized by a double template method: Ag nanoparticles as the hard template to obtain hollow spheres by a galvanic replacement reaction between PtCl 6 2- and metallic Ag and surfactant micelles (Brij58) as the soft template to generate porous dendrites. The formation of a Ag/Pt alloy phase was confirmed by XRD and HRTEM. Elemental mapping and line scanning revealed the formation of the hollow architecture. We studied the effects of the Ag/Pt ratio, surfactant and reaction temperature on the morphology. In addition, we explored the formation process of hollow dendritic Ag/Pt nanoparticles by tracking the morphologies of the nanostructures formed at different stages. In order to improve the electrocatalytic property, we controlled the size of the nanoparticles and the thickness of the shell by adjusting the amount of the precursor. We found that these Ag/Pt alloy nanoparticles exhibited high activity (440 mA mg -1 ) and stability as an electrocatalyst for catalyzing methanol oxidation.

Facile and eco-friendly fabrication of AgNPs coated silk for antibacterial and antioxidant textiles using honeysuckle extract.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yuyang; Tang, Ren-Cheng

2018-01-01

Recently, there is a growing trend towards the functionalization of silk through nanotechnology for the prevention of fiber damage from microbial attack and the enhancement of hygienic aspects. Considering sustainable development and environmental protection, the eco-friendly fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-modified silk using natural extracts has currently become a hot research area. This study presents a facile strategy for the fabrication of colorful and multifunctional silk fabric using biogenic AgNPs prepared by honeysuckle extract as natural reductant and stabilizing agents. The influences of pH and reactant concentrations on the AgNPs synthesis were investigated. The color characteristics and functionalities of AgNPs treated silk were evaluated. The results revealed that the particle size of AgNPs decreased with increasing pH. The diameter of AgNPs decreased with increasing amount of honeysuckle extract and reducing amount of silver nitrate. The transmission electron microscopy image showed that the AgNPs were spherical in shape with a narrow size distribution. The treated silk showed excellent antibacterial activities against E. coli and S. aureus, and certain antioxidant activity. Both of the antibacterial and antioxidant activities were well maintained even after 30 washing cycles. This work provides a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to the fabrication of AgNPs coated silk for colorful and long-term multifunctional textiles using honeysuckle extract. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Solid-State Thin-Film Ag/AgCl Reference Electrode Coated with Graphene Oxide and Its Use in a pH Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tae Yong Kim

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, we describe a novel solid-state thin-film Ag/AgCl reference electrode (SSRE that was coated with a protective layer of graphene oxide (GO. This layer was prepared by drop casting a solution of GO on the Ag/AgCl thin film. The potential differences exhibited by the SSRE were less than 2 mV for 26 days. The cyclic voltammograms of the SSRE were almost similar to those of a commercial reference electrode, while the diffusion coefficient of Fe(CN63− as calculated from the cathodic peaks of the SSRE was 6.48 × 10−6 cm2/s. The SSRE was used in conjunction with a laboratory-made working electrode to determine its suitability for practical use. The average pH sensitivity of this combined sensor was 58.5 mV/pH in the acid-to-base direction; the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.99. In addition, an integrated pH sensor that included the SSRE was packaged in a secure digital (SD card and tested. The average sensitivity of the chip was 56.8 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99. In addition, a pH sensing test was also performed by using a laboratory-made potentiometer, which showed a sensitivity of 55.4 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99.

A solid-state thin-film Ag/AgCl reference electrode coated with graphene oxide and its use in a pH sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Yong; Hong, Sung A; Yang, Sung

2015-03-17

In this study, we describe a novel solid-state thin-film Ag/AgCl reference electrode (SSRE) that was coated with a protective layer of graphene oxide (GO). This layer was prepared by drop casting a solution of GO on the Ag/AgCl thin film. The potential differences exhibited by the SSRE were less than 2 mV for 26 days. The cyclic voltammograms of the SSRE were almost similar to those of a commercial reference electrode, while the diffusion coefficient of Fe(CN)63- as calculated from the cathodic peaks of the SSRE was 6.48 × 10-6 cm2/s. The SSRE was used in conjunction with a laboratory-made working electrode to determine its suitability for practical use. The average pH sensitivity of this combined sensor was 58.5 mV/pH in the acid-to-base direction; the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.99. In addition, an integrated pH sensor that included the SSRE was packaged in a secure digital (SD) card and tested. The average sensitivity of the chip was 56.8 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99. In addition, a pH sensing test was also performed by using a laboratory-made potentiometer, which showed a sensitivity of 55.4 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99.

Electrodeposition, characterization, and antibacterial activity of zinc/silver particle composite coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes-Vidal, Y.; Suarez-Rojas, R.; Ruiz, C.; Torres, J. [Center of Research and Technological Development in Electrochemistry (CIDETEQ), Parque Tecnológico Sanfandila, Pedro Escobedo, Querétaro, A.P.064, C.P.76703, Querétaro (Mexico); Ţălu, Ştefan [Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of AET, Discipline of Descriptive Geometry and Engineering Graphics, 103-105 B-dul Muncii St., Cluj-Napoca 400641 Cluj (Romania); Méndez, Alia [Centro de Química-ICUAP Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Ciudad Universitaria Puebla, 72530 Puebla (Mexico); Trejo, G., E-mail: gtrejo@cideteq.mx [Center of Research and Technological Development in Electrochemistry (CIDETEQ), Parque Tecnológico Sanfandila, Pedro Escobedo, Querétaro, A.P.064, C.P.76703, Querétaro (Mexico)

2015-07-01

Highlights: • Zn/AgPs composites coatings were formed for electrodeposition. • CTAB promotes occlusion of silver particles in the coating. • Zn/AgPs coatings present very good antibacterial activity. - Abstract: Composite coatings consisting of zinc and silver particles (Zn/AgPs) with antibacterial activity were prepared using an electrodeposition technique. The morphology, composition, and structure of the Zn/AgPs composite coatings were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The antibacterial properties of the coatings against the microorganisms Escherichia coli as a model Gram-negative bacterium and Staphylococcus aureus as a model Gram-positive bacterium were studied quantitatively and qualitatively. The results revealed that the dispersant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) assisted in the formation of a stable suspension of Ag particles in the electrolytic bath for 24 h. Likewise, a high concentration of CTAB in the electrolytic bath promoted an increase in the number of Ag particles occluded in the Zn/AgPs coatings. The Zn/AgPs coatings that were obtained were compact, smooth, and shiny materials. Antimicrobial tests performed on the Zn/AgPs coatings revealed that the inhibition of bacterial growth after 30 min of contact time was between 91% and 98% when the AgPs content ranged from 4.3 to 14.0 mg cm{sup −3}.

Electrocatalyst advances for hydrogen oxidation in phosphoric acid fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Stonehart, P.

1984-01-01

The important considerations that presently exist for achieving commercial acceptance of fuel cells are centered on cost (which translates to efficiency) and lifetime. This paper addresses the questions of electrocatalyst utilization within porous electrode structures and the preparation of low-cost noble metal electrocatalyst combinations with extreme dispersions of the metal. Now that electrocatalyst particles can be prepared with dimensions of 10 A, either singly or in alloy combinations, a very large percentage of the noble metal atoms in a crystallite are available for reaction. The cost savings for such electrocatalysts in the present commercially driven environment are considerable.

Thickness measurement of Sn-Ag hot dip coatings on Large Hadron Collider Superconducting strands by coulometry

CERN Document Server

Arnau-Izquierdo, G; Oberli, L R; Scheuerlein, C; Taborelli, M; 10.1149/1.1715094

2004-01-01

Amperostatic coulometry is applied for the thickness measurement of Sn-Ag hot dip coatings, which comprise an extended Sn-Cu interdiffusion layer. Complementary measurements, notably weight loss, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (DSIMS) have been performed in order to obtain a better interpretation of the coulometry results. Based on the experimental results presented in this article the three potential changes that are observed during coulometry measurements are ascribed to (1) the entire dissolution of pure Sn, (2) the formation of a CuCl salt layer and (3) the surface passivation. The measurement of the pure Sn mass is well reproducible despite of strong coating thickness variations that are detected by XRF. Several experimental problems, in particular a coating undercutting, hamper the determination of the Sn mass in the intermetallic Sn-Cu layer.

Influence of the surface properties on bactericidal and fungicidal activity of magnetron sputtered Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wojcieszak, D., E-mail: damian.wojcieszak@pwr.edu.pl [Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław (Poland); Mazur, M.; Kaczmarek, D. [Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław (Poland); Mazur, P. [Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Wrocław, Max Born 9, 50-204 Wrocław (Poland); Szponar, B. [Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla 12, 53–114 Wrocław (Poland); Domaradzki, J. [Faculty of Microsystem Electronics and Photonics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Janiszewskiego 11/17, 50-372 Wrocław (Poland); Kepinski, L. [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław (Poland)

2016-05-01

In this study the comparative investigations of structural, surface and bactericidal properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films have been carried out. Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag coatings were deposited on silicon and fused silica substrates by magnetron co-sputtering method using innovative multi-target apparatus. The physicochemical properties of prepared thin films were examined with the aid of X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. Moreover, the wettability of the surface was determined. It was found that both, Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were nanocrystalline. In the case of Ag–Ti film presence of AgTi{sub 3} and Ag phases was identified, while in the structure of Nb–Ag only silver occurred in a crystal form. In both cases the average size of crystallites was ca. 11 nm. Moreover, according to scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations the surface of Nb–Ag thin films was covered with Ag-agglomerates, while Ti–Ag surface was smooth and devoid of silver particles. Studies of biological activity of deposited coatings in contact with Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus hirae, Klebisiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were performed. It was found that prepared coatings were bactericidal and fungicidal even in a short term-contact, i.e. after 2 h. - Highlights: • Surface and biological properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were examined. • Ag content was related to sputtering yields and nucleation of Ti and Nb. • For Nb–Ag film the agglomeration of silver at the surface was observed. • Composition and surface topography had an impact on antimicrobial properties. • Fine-grained surface was important in Ag ions release process.

Influence of the surface properties on bactericidal and fungicidal activity of magnetron sputtered Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wojcieszak, D.; Mazur, M.; Kaczmarek, D.; Mazur, P.; Szponar, B.; Domaradzki, J.; Kepinski, L.

2016-01-01

In this study the comparative investigations of structural, surface and bactericidal properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films have been carried out. Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag coatings were deposited on silicon and fused silica substrates by magnetron co-sputtering method using innovative multi-target apparatus. The physicochemical properties of prepared thin films were examined with the aid of X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. Moreover, the wettability of the surface was determined. It was found that both, Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were nanocrystalline. In the case of Ag–Ti film presence of AgTi_3 and Ag phases was identified, while in the structure of Nb–Ag only silver occurred in a crystal form. In both cases the average size of crystallites was ca. 11 nm. Moreover, according to scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations the surface of Nb–Ag thin films was covered with Ag-agglomerates, while Ti–Ag surface was smooth and devoid of silver particles. Studies of biological activity of deposited coatings in contact with Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus hirae, Klebisiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were performed. It was found that prepared coatings were bactericidal and fungicidal even in a short term-contact, i.e. after 2 h. - Highlights: • Surface and biological properties of Ti–Ag and Nb–Ag thin films were examined. • Ag content was related to sputtering yields and nucleation of Ti and Nb. • For Nb–Ag film the agglomeration of silver at the surface was observed. • Composition and surface topography had an impact on antimicrobial properties. • Fine-grained surface was important in Ag ions release process.

Preparation of PtSnCu/C and PtSn/C electrocatalysts and activation by dealloying processes for ethanol electrooxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crisafulli, Rudy

2013-01-01

PtSnCu/C (with different Pt:Sn:Cu atomic ratios) and PtSn/C (50:50) electrocatalysts were prepared by borohydride (BR) and alcohol-reduction (AR) processes using H 2 PtCl 6 .6H 2 O, SnCl 2 .2H 2 O and CuCl 2 .2H 2 O as metal sources, NaBH 4 and ethylene glycol as reducing agents, 2-propanol and ethylene glycol/water as solvents and carbon black as support. In a further step, these electrocatalysts were activated by chemical (CD) and electrochemical (ED) dealloying processes through acid treatment and thin porous coating technique, respectively. These materials were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray, Xray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, line scan energy dispersive Xray and cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical studies for ethanol electro-oxidation were performed by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and in single Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell using Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA). The anodic effluents were analysed by gas chromatography. The X-ray diffractograms of the as-synthesized electrocatalysts showed the typical face-centered cubic structure (FCC) of platinum and its alloys. After dealloying, the X-ray diffractograms showed that the Pt FCC structure was preserved. The crystallite sizes of the assynthesized electrocatalysts were in the range of PtSnCu/C (50:40:10) AR/ED > PtSnCu/C (50:10:40) BR/CD. PtSn/C (50:50) BR/CD, PtSnCu/C (50:10:40) BR/CD, PtSnCu/C (50:40:10) AR/CD electrocatalysts and Pt/C BASF, PtSn/C (75:25) BASF commercial electrocatalysts were tested in single Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell. The results showed the following performance for ethanol electro-oxidation: PtSn/C (50:50) BR/CD > PtSnCu/C (50:40:10) AR/CD > PtSnCu/C > PtSn/C (75:25) BASF > PtSnCu/C (50:10:40) BR/CD > Pt/C BASF. (author)

[Three-dimensional vertically aligned CNTs coated by Ag nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman scattering].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao-Lei; Zhang, Jie; Fan, Tuo; Ren, Wen-Jie; Lai, Chun-Hong

2014-09-01

In order to make surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates contained more "hot spots" in a three-dimensional (3D) focal volume, and can be adsorbed more probe molecules and metal nanoparticles, to obtain stronger Raman spectral signal, a new structure based on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated by Ag nanoparticles for surface Raman enhancement is presented. The vertically aligned CNTs are synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). A silver film is first deposited on the vertically aligned CNTs by magnetron sputtering. The samples are then annealed at different temperature to cause the different size silver nanoparticles to coat on the surface and sidewalls of vertically aligned CNTs. The result of scanning electron microscopy(SEM) shows that Ag nanoparticles are attached onto the sidewalls and tips of the vertically aligned CNTs, as the annealing temperature is different , pitch size, morphology and space between the silver nanoparticles is vary. Rhodamine 6G is served as the probe analyte. Raman spectrum measurement indicates that: the higher the concentration of R6G, the stronger the Raman intensity, but R6G concentration increase with the enhanced Raman intensity varies nonlinearly; when annealing temperature is 450 °C, the average size of silver nanoparticles is about 100 to 120 nm, while annealing temperature is 400 °C, the average size is about 70 nm, and the Raman intensity of 450 °C is superior to the annealing temperature that of 400 °C and 350 °C.

Tuning the electrodeposition parameters of silver to yield micro/nano structures from room temperature protic ionic liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suryanto, Bryan H.R.; Gunawan, Christian A.; Lu Xunyu; Zhao Chuan

2012-01-01

Controlled electrodeposition of silver onto glassy carbon, gold and indium tin oxide-coated glass substrates has been achieved from three room temperature protic ionic liquids (PILs), ethylammonium nitrate, triethylammonium methylsulfonate, and bis(2-methoxyethyl)ammonium acetate. Cyclic voltammetric, chronoamperometric, together with microscopic and X-ray techniques reveal that micro/nanostructured Ag thin films of controlled morphology, size, density, and uniformity can be achieved by tuning the electrodeposition parameters such as potential, time, types of PILs, substrate materials, and ionic liquid viscosity by altering the water content. Chronoamperometric results provide direct evidence that electrodeposition of Ag in protic ionic liquids takes place through a progressive nucleation and diffusion-controlled 3D growth mechanism. The as prepared Ag micro/nanoparticles have been employed as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction and exhibit excellent catalytic activity. The study provides promise for using protic ionic liquids as alternative electrolytes to conventional aprotic ionic liquids for electrodeposition of metals and nanostructured electrocatalysts.

The effect of soil properties on the toxicity and bioaccumulation of Ag nanoparticles and Ag ions in Enchytraeus crypticus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Topuz, Emel; van Gestel, Cornelis A.M.

2017-01-01

Standard natural Lufa soils (2.2, 2.3 and 5 M) with different organic carbon contents (0.67–1.61%) and pHCaCl2 (5.5–7.3) were spiked with ionic Ag (AgNO3) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (AgNP-PVP) and citrate (AgNP-Cit) coated Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Enchytraeus crypticus were exposed for 21 days to

Preparation of Ag/SiO{sub 2} near-infrared absorbers using the combination of sputtering and spin-coating depositions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liau, Leo Chau-Kuang, E-mail: lckliau@saturn.yzu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li 320, Taiwan (China); Lai, Guo-Bin [Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Yuan Ze University, Chung-Li 320, Taiwan (China); Juang, Rei-Cheng; Chang, Bing-Hung [Green Energy and Environmental Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China); Yang, Thomas Chun-Kuang [Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China)

2015-03-02

This study presents the design and fabrication of near-infrared (NIR) absorbers constructed in multilayer structures using Ag and SiO{sub 2} materials. The absorbers, consisting of Ag and SiO{sub 2} films, were fabricated using sputtering and spin-coating approaches, respectively. The fabricated absorbing devices were evaluated using ultraviolet–visible-NIR spectra. Results revealed that the structure of the Ag/SiO{sub 2}/Ag films exhibited an NIR absorbing effect. The absorbing properties were substantially influenced by the fabrication parameters and the thickness of the multilayer films. Furthermore, the NIR absorbing performance improved significantly when the SiO{sub 2} layer was annealed at 300 °C before the deposition of the top Ag film. Additionally, the absorptance of the absorbers was affected by the thickness of the top Ag layer. The long-term stability of the multilayer absorber was tested and verified based on absorptance data analysis. The NIR absorbing performance can be further improved using the optimal device design of the film thickness and by fabricating additional Ag/SiO{sub 2} layers. - Highlights: • Ag/SiO{sub 2} near-infrared absorbers were designed and fabricated. • The absorbing performance was greatly influenced by the fabrication schemes. • The optimal fabrication process of the absorber was obtained. • The long-term stability of the absorber was verified.

Microfibrous silver-coated polymeric scaffolds with tunable mechanical properties

KAUST Repository

Kalakonda, Parvathalu.; Aldhahri, Musab A.; Abdel-wahab, Mohamed Shaaban; Tamayol, Ali; Moghaddam, K. Mollazadeh; Ben Rached, Fathia; Pain, Arnab; Khademhosseini, Ali; Memic, Adnan; Chaieb, Saharoui

2017-01-01

Electrospun scaffolds of poly(glycerol sebacate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PGS/PCL) have been used for engineered tissues due to their desirable thermal and mechanical properties as well as their tunable degradability. In this paper, we fabricated micro-fibrous scaffolds from a composite of PGS/PCL using a standard electrospinning method and coated them with silver (Ag). The low temperature coating method prevented substrate melting and the Ag coating decreases the pore size and increases the diameter of fibers which resulted in enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. We further compared the mechanical properties of the composite fibrous scaffolds with different thicknesses of Ag coated scaffolds. The composite fibrous scaffold with a 275 nm Ag coating showed higher tensile modulus (E) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) without any post-processing treatment. Lastly, potential controlled release of the Ag coating from the composite fibrous scaffolds could present interesting biomedical applications.

Microfibrous silver-coated polymeric scaffolds with tunable mechanical properties

KAUST Repository

Kalakonda, Parvathalu.

2017-07-07

Electrospun scaffolds of poly(glycerol sebacate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PGS/PCL) have been used for engineered tissues due to their desirable thermal and mechanical properties as well as their tunable degradability. In this paper, we fabricated micro-fibrous scaffolds from a composite of PGS/PCL using a standard electrospinning method and coated them with silver (Ag). The low temperature coating method prevented substrate melting and the Ag coating decreases the pore size and increases the diameter of fibers which resulted in enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. We further compared the mechanical properties of the composite fibrous scaffolds with different thicknesses of Ag coated scaffolds. The composite fibrous scaffold with a 275 nm Ag coating showed higher tensile modulus (E) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) without any post-processing treatment. Lastly, potential controlled release of the Ag coating from the composite fibrous scaffolds could present interesting biomedical applications.

Influence of culture media on the physical and chemical properties of Ag-TiCN coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, I.; Escobar Galindo, R.; Henriques, M.; Palacio, C.; Carvalho, S.

2014-08-01

The aim of this study was to verify the possible physical and chemical changes that may occur on the surface of Ag-TiCN coatings after exposure to the culture media used in microbiological and cytotoxic assays, respectively tryptic soy broth (TSB) and Dulbecco's modified eagle's medium (DMEM). After sample immersion for 24 h in the media, analyses were performed by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy discharge radiation (GDOES), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results of GDOES profile, RBS and XPS spectra, of samples immersed in TSB, demonstrated the formation of a thin layer of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen that could be due to the presence of proteins in TSB. After 24 h of immersion in DMEM, the results showed the formation of a thin layer of calcium phosphates on the surface, since the coatings displayed a highly oxidized surface in which calcium and phosphorus were detected. All these results suggested that the formation of a layer on the coating surface prevented the release of silver ions in concentrations that allow antibacterial activity.

A WLED based on LuAG:Ce3+ PiG coated red-emitting K2SiF6:Mn4+ phosphor by screen-printing

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Rui; Wu, Lingchao; Di, Xiaoxuan; Li, Pengzhi; Hu, Guangcai; Liang, Xiaojuan; Xiang, Weidong

2017-08-01

It is high-profile that the use of phosphor-in-glass (PiG) is extensive because of its excellent advantages in thermal resistance and lifetime aspects, and so on. Here, white light-emitting diodes (WLED) based on LuAG:Ce3+ PiG coated red-emitting K2SiF6:Mn4+ (KSF) phosphors by screen-printing are fabricated. Among all of these, the commercial LuAG phosphors and glass raw materials of TeO2-based glass, were weighted and milled in an agate thoroughly. Then, the mixture was melted and sintered at 850 K or so for 20 min in the ambient atmosphere through low temperature co-fired method, cold-forming LuAG PiG clump and cut into different LuAG PiG thicknesses. After that, the commercial red phosphor KSF was coated on LuAG PiG by screen-printing technique. Finally, high-performance WLEDs based on the TeO2-based glass were obtained, tested and characterized, which exhibit a highest color rendering index of 94.1, a lowest color temperature of 3744 K and a largest luminous efficiency of 101.02 lm·W-1. Most noticeably of all, the promising method has excellent developing potential for industrialization in high-power WLED.

Tribological behavior of dual-layer electroless-plated Ag–carbon nanotube coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyun-Dai; Penkov, Oleksiy V.; Kim, Dae-Eun

2013-01-01

The tribological behavior of electroless Ag-plated carbon nanotube (CNT) dual-layer coatings was assessed and compared to that of the pure CNT coating. The motivation was to protect the surface of CNT coatings from wear by depositing a thin, soft Ag coating. The methods used for coating CNTs and Ag were spin coating and electroless plating, respectively. These coating methods were selected based on their simplicity and cost effectiveness. Wear tests were conducted by sliding the coatings against a stainless steel ball under a 10–30 mN applied load. Results showed that the wear rate of the dual-layer coating was strongly dependent on the thickness of the Ag layer as well as the applied load. At a 10 mN load and an Ag thickness of 65 nm, the wear rate of the dual-layer coating was about 10 times less than that of the pure CNT coating. However, when the thickness of the Ag was decreased to 11.5 nm, the wear rate was significantly higher. Also, the steady-state friction coefficients of the CNT and the dual-layer Ag–CNT coatings were in the range of 0.65–0.73 for all loads. A model of the wear reduction mechanism of the dual-layer Ag–CNT coating was proposed. - Highlights: ► Dual-layer Ag–carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings were deposited on silicon wafer. ► Friction coefficient of the Ag–CNT coatings was about 0.65. ► Wear of Ag–CNT coatings depended on the thickness of Ag layer and the applied load. ► Wear rate of the Ag–CNT coating was 10-fold less than that of the pure CNT coating

Ultrathin MoS2-coated Ag@Si nanosphere arrays as an efficient and stable photocathode for solar-driven hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qingwei; Su, Shaoqiang; Hu, Die; Lin, Lin; Yan, Zhibo; Gao, Xingsen; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Jun-Ming

2018-01-30

Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has attracted a great deal of attention recently. Silicon (Si) is an ideal light absorber for solar energy conversion. However, the poor stability and inefficient surface catalysis of Si photocathodes for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have remained key challenges. Alternatively, MoS 2 has been reported to exhibit excellent catalysis performance if sufficient active sites for the HER are available. Here, ultrathin MoS 2 nanoflakes are directly synthesized to coat arrays of Ag-core Si-shell nanospheres (Ag@Si NSs) by using chemical vapor deposition. Due to the high surface area ratio and large curvature of these NSs, the as-grown MoS 2 nanoflakes can accommodate more active sites. In addition, the high-quality coating of MoS 2 nanoflakes on the Ag@Si NSs protects the photocathode from damage during the PEC reaction. An photocurrent density of 33.3 mA cm -2 at a voltage of -0.4 V is obtained versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. The as-prepared nanostructure as a hydrogen photocathode is evidenced to have high stability over 12 h PEC performance. This work opens up opportunities for composite photocathodes with high activity and stability using cheap and stable co-catalysts.

Ultra-thin MoS2 coated Ag@Si nanosphere arrays as efficient and stable photocathode for solar-driven hydrogen production.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qingwei; Su, Shaoqiang; Hu, Die; Lin, Lin; Yan, Zhibo; Gao, Xingsen; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Junming

2018-01-02

Solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has recently attracted much attention. Silicon (Si) is an ideal light absorber for solar energy conversion. However, the poor stability and inefficient surface catalysis of Si photocathode for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) have been remained as the key challenges. Alternatively, MoS2 has been reported to exhibit the excellent catalysis performance if sufficient active sites for the HER are available. Here, ultra-thin MoS2 nanoflakes are directly synthesized to coat on the arrays of Ag-core Si-shell nanospheres (Ag@Si NSs) using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Due to the high surface area ratio and large curvature of these NSs, the as-grown MoS2 nanoflakes can accommodate more active sites. Meanwhile, the high-quality coating of MoS2 nanoflakes on the Ag@Si NSs protects the photocathode from damage during the PEC reaction. A high efficiency with a photocurrent of 33.3 mA cm-2 at a voltage of -0.4 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode is obtained. The as-prepared nanostructure as hydrogen photocathode is evidenced to have high stability over 12 hour PEC performance. This work opens opportunities for composite photocathode with high activity and stability using cheap and stable co-catalysts. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Effect of addition of Ag nano powder on mechanical properties of epoxy/polyaminoamide adduct coatings filled with conducting polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samad, Ubair Abdus [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Center of excellence for research in engineering materials (CEREM), Advance Manufacturing Institute, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Khan, Rawaiz [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Alam, Mohammad Asif [Center of excellence for research in engineering materials (CEREM), Advance Manufacturing Institute, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Othman, Othman Y. [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); Deanship of Graduate Studies, The Saudi Electric University, P. O. Box 93499, Riyadh 11673 (Saudi Arabia); Al-Zahrani, Saeed M. [Center of excellence for research in engineering materials (CEREM), Advance Manufacturing Institute, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia); SABIC Polymer Research Center (SPRC) and department of chemical engineering, college of engineering, King Saud University, P. O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421 (Saudi Arabia)

2015-05-22

In this study the effect of Ag Nano powder on mechanical properties of epoxy coatings filled with optimized ratio of conducting polymers (Polyaniline and Polyppyrole) was evaluated. Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether epoxy resin (DGEBA) along with polyaminoamide adduct (ARADUR 3282-1 BD) is used as curing agent under optimized stoichiometry values. Curing is performed at room temperature with different percentages of Nano filler. Glass and steel panels were used as coating substrate. Bird applicator was used to coat the samples in order to obtain thin film with wet film thickness (WFT) of about 70-90 µm. The samples were kept in dust free environment for about 7 days at room temperature for complete curing. The coated steel panels were used to evaluate the mechanical properties of coating such as hardness, scratch and impact tests whereas coated glass panels were used for measuring pendulum hardness of the coatings. To check the dispersion and morphology of Nano filler in epoxy matrix scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used in addition Nano indentation was also performed to observe the effect of Nano filler on modulus of elasticity and hardness at Nano scale.

Effect of addition of Ag nano powder on mechanical properties of epoxy/polyaminoamide adduct coatings filled with conducting polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samad, Ubair Abdus; Khan, Rawaiz; Alam, Mohammad Asif; Al-Othman, Othman Y.; Al-Zahrani, Saeed M.

2015-01-01

In this study the effect of Ag Nano powder on mechanical properties of epoxy coatings filled with optimized ratio of conducting polymers (Polyaniline and Polyppyrole) was evaluated. Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether epoxy resin (DGEBA) along with polyaminoamide adduct (ARADUR 3282-1 BD) is used as curing agent under optimized stoichiometry values. Curing is performed at room temperature with different percentages of Nano filler. Glass and steel panels were used as coating substrate. Bird applicator was used to coat the samples in order to obtain thin film with wet film thickness (WFT) of about 70-90 µm. The samples were kept in dust free environment for about 7 days at room temperature for complete curing. The coated steel panels were used to evaluate the mechanical properties of coating such as hardness, scratch and impact tests whereas coated glass panels were used for measuring pendulum hardness of the coatings. To check the dispersion and morphology of Nano filler in epoxy matrix scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used in addition Nano indentation was also performed to observe the effect of Nano filler on modulus of elasticity and hardness at Nano scale

Effect of addition of Ag nano powder on mechanical properties of epoxy/polyaminoamide adduct coatings filled with conducting polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Samad, Ubair Abdus; Khan, Rawaiz; Alam, Mohammad Asif; Al-Othman, Othman Y.; Al-Zahrani, Saeed M.

2015-05-01

In this study the effect of Ag Nano powder on mechanical properties of epoxy coatings filled with optimized ratio of conducting polymers (Polyaniline and Polyppyrole) was evaluated. Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether epoxy resin (DGEBA) along with polyaminoamide adduct (ARADUR 3282-1 BD) is used as curing agent under optimized stoichiometry values. Curing is performed at room temperature with different percentages of Nano filler. Glass and steel panels were used as coating substrate. Bird applicator was used to coat the samples in order to obtain thin film with wet film thickness (WFT) of about 70-90 µm. The samples were kept in dust free environment for about 7 days at room temperature for complete curing. The coated steel panels were used to evaluate the mechanical properties of coating such as hardness, scratch and impact tests whereas coated glass panels were used for measuring pendulum hardness of the coatings. To check the dispersion and morphology of Nano filler in epoxy matrix scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used in addition Nano indentation was also performed to observe the effect of Nano filler on modulus of elasticity and hardness at Nano scale.

Silver decorated LaMnO_3 nanorod/graphene composite electrocatalysts as reversible metal-air battery electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Jie; Liu, Qiunan; Shi, Lina; Shi, Ziwei; Huang, Hao

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Silver decorated LaMnO_3 nanorod/reduced graphene oxide composite possess excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activity and good electrochemical stability in alkaline medium. - Highlights: • Silver decorated LaMnO_3 nanorod/graphene composite were synthesized for the first time. • The ORR and OER of composite in alkaline medium were evaluated. • This composite as an efficient bifunctional catalyst has a good cycle performance. - Abstract: Perovskite LaMnO_3 nanorod/reduced graphene oxides (LMO-NR/RGO) decorated with Ag nanoparticles are studied as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte. LMO-NR/RGO composites are synthesized by using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as template via a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by heat treatment; overlaying of Ag nanoparticles is obtained through a traditional silver mirror reaction. Electron microscopy reveals that LMO-NR is embedded between the sheets of RGO, and the material is homogeneously overlaid with Ag nanoparticles. The unique composite morphology of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO not only enhances the electron transport property by increasing conductivity but also facilitates the diffusion of electrolytes and oxygen. As confirmed by electrochemical testing, Ag/LMO-NR/RGO exhibits very strong synergy with Ag nanoparticles, LMO-NR, and RGO, and the catalytic activities of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO during ORR and OER are significantly improved. With the novel catalyst, the homemade zinc-air battery can be reversibly charged and discharged and display a stable cycle performance, indicating the great potential of this composite as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

Structure and tribological properties of MoCN-Ag coatings in the temperature range of 25–700 °C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shtansky, D.V., E-mail: shtansky@shs.misis.ru [National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Leninsky Prospect 4, Moscow (Russian Federation); Bondarev, A.V.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Ph.V. [National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Leninsky Prospect 4, Moscow (Russian Federation); Rojas, T.C.; Godinho, V.; Fernández, A. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla CSIC-US, Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla (Spain)

2013-05-15

The preparation of hard coatings with low friction coefficient over a wide temperature range is still a challenge for the tribological community. The development of new nanocomposite materials consisting of different metal-ceramic phases, each of which exhibiting self-lubricating characteristics at different temperatures, may help to solve this problem. We report on the structure and tribological properties of MoCN-Ag coatings deposited by magnetron co-sputtering of Mo and C (graphite) targets and simultaneous sputtering of an Ag target either in pure nitrogen or in a gaseous mixture of Ar + N{sub 2}. The structure and elemental composition of the coatings were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. The tribological properties of the coatings against an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ball were investigated first at discrete temperatures of 25, 500, and 700 °C, and then during continuous heating in the temperature range of 25–700 °C. The coating structure and their respective wear tracks were also examined to elucidate their phase transformations during heat treatments. The lowest friction coefficients (<0.4) were observed in the temperature ranges of 25–100 °C and 400–700 °C and can be explained by the presence of a free amorphous carbon phase, which served as a lubricant at low temperatures, and by a positive role of silver and two phases forming at elevated temperatures, molybdenum oxide and silver molybdate, which provided lubrication above 400 °C. In the temperature range between 100 and 400 °C, the friction coefficient was relatively high. This problem is to be addressed in future works.

Structure and tribological properties of MoCN-Ag coatings in the temperature range of 25–700 °C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shtansky, D.V.; Bondarev, A.V.; Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Ph.V.; Rojas, T.C.; Godinho, V.; Fernández, A.

2013-01-01

The preparation of hard coatings with low friction coefficient over a wide temperature range is still a challenge for the tribological community. The development of new nanocomposite materials consisting of different metal-ceramic phases, each of which exhibiting self-lubricating characteristics at different temperatures, may help to solve this problem. We report on the structure and tribological properties of MoCN-Ag coatings deposited by magnetron co-sputtering of Mo and C (graphite) targets and simultaneous sputtering of an Ag target either in pure nitrogen or in a gaseous mixture of Ar + N 2 . The structure and elemental composition of the coatings were studied by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy. The tribological properties of the coatings against an Al 2 O 3 ball were investigated first at discrete temperatures of 25, 500, and 700 °C, and then during continuous heating in the temperature range of 25–700 °C. The coating structure and their respective wear tracks were also examined to elucidate their phase transformations during heat treatments. The lowest friction coefficients (<0.4) were observed in the temperature ranges of 25–100 °C and 400–700 °C and can be explained by the presence of a free amorphous carbon phase, which served as a lubricant at low temperatures, and by a positive role of silver and two phases forming at elevated temperatures, molybdenum oxide and silver molybdate, which provided lubrication above 400 °C. In the temperature range between 100 and 400 °C, the friction coefficient was relatively high. This problem is to be addressed in future works.

One-pot synthesis of Ag-SiO2-Ag sandwich nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Chaorong; Mei Jie; Li Shuwen; Lu Nianpeng; Wang Lina; Chen Benyong; Dong Wenjun

2010-01-01

Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich nanostructures were prepared by a facile one-pot synthesis method. The Ag core, SiO 2 shell and Ag nanoparticle shell were all synthesized with polyvinylpyrrolidone, catalysed by ammonia, in the one-pot reaction. The polyvinylpyrrolidone, acting as a smart reducing agent, reduced the Ag + to Ag cores and Ag shells separately. Furthermore, the polyvinylpyrrolidone served as a protective agent to prevent the silver cores from aggregating. The SiO 2 shell and outer layer Ag nanoparticles were obtained when tetraethyl orthosilicate and ammonia were added to the silver core solution. Ammonia, acting as the catalyst, accelerated the hydrolysis of the tetraethyl orthosilicate to SiO 2 , which coated the silver cores. Furthermore, Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions were formed when aqueous ammonia was added to the solution, which increased the reduction capability. Then the polyvinylpyrrolidone reduced the Ag(NH 3 ) 2 + ions to small Ag nanoparticles on the surface of the Ag-SiO 2 and formed Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich structures with a standard deviation of less than 4%. This structure effectively prevented the Ag nanoparticles on the silica surface from aggregating. Furthermore, the Ag-SiO 2 -Ag sandwich structures showed good catalysis properties due to the large surface area/volume value and activity of surface atoms of Ag particles.

Efficient hydrogen production on MoNi4 electrocatalysts with fast water dissociation kinetics

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jian; Wang, Tao; Liu, Pan; Liao, Zhongquan; Liu, Shaohua; Zhuang, Xiaodong; Chen, Mingwei; Zschech, Ehrenfried; Feng, Xinliang

2017-05-01

Various platinum-free electrocatalysts have been explored for hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic solutions. However, in economical water-alkali electrolysers, sluggish water dissociation kinetics (Volmer step) on platinum-free electrocatalysts results in poor hydrogen-production activities. Here we report a MoNi4 electrocatalyst supported by MoO2 cuboids on nickel foam (MoNi4/MoO2@Ni), which is constructed by controlling the outward diffusion of nickel atoms on annealing precursor NiMoO4 cuboids on nickel foam. Experimental and theoretical results confirm that a rapid Tafel-step-decided hydrogen evolution proceeds on MoNi4 electrocatalyst. As a result, the MoNi4 electrocatalyst exhibits zero onset overpotential, an overpotential of 15 mV at 10 mA cm-2 and a low Tafel slope of 30 mV per decade in 1 M potassium hydroxide electrolyte, which are comparable to the results for platinum and superior to those for state-of-the-art platinum-free electrocatalysts. Benefiting from its scalable preparation and stability, the MoNi4 electrocatalyst is promising for practical water-alkali electrolysers.

Cytocompatibility and antibacterial properties of zirconia coatings with different silver contents on titanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Heng-Li; Chang, Yin-Yu; Chen, Ya-Chi; Lai, Chih-Ho; Chen, Michael Y.C.

2013-01-01

This study used a twin-gun magnetron sputtering system to deposit ZrO 2 -silver (Ag) coatings on biograde pure-titanium implant materials, and the Ag content in the deposited coatings was controlled by the magnetron power. The films were then annealed using rapid thermal annealing at 350 °C for 2 min to induce the nucleation and growth of nanoparticles on the film surface. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) were used for in vitro antibacterial analyses. The cytocompatibility, mRNA expression, and adhesive morphology of human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells on the coatings were also determined. The obtained results suggest that ZrO 2 -Ag composite coatings containing less than 10.6 at.% Ag show hydrophobicity, good viability and proliferation of HGF cells, and antibacterial effects on S. aureus and A. actinomycetemcomitans. Moreover, the antibacterial performance of ZrO 2 -Ag coatings is superior to that pure-titanium whilst maintaining biological compatibility. - Highlights: • The annealed ZrO 2 -Ag coatings showed a tetragonal-and-monoclinic structure. • Nanoparticles were well distributed in the annealed ZrO 2 -Ag composite coatings. • The ZrO 2 -Ag coated Ti showed hydrophobic feature. • The ZrO 2 -Ag showed good antibacterial performance. • The ZrO 2 -Ag showed good human gingival fibroblast cell viability

Mussel-inspired chitosan-polyurethane coatings for improving the antifouling and antibacterial properties of polyethersulfone membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rui; Song, Xin; Xiang, Tao; Liu, Qiang; Su, Baihai; Zhao, Weifeng; Zhao, Changsheng

2017-07-15

A straightforward mussel-inspired approach was proposed to construct chitosan-polyurethane coatings and load Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) to endow polyethersulfone (PES) membranes with dual-antibacterial and antifouling properties. The macromolecule O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) was directly reacted with catechol in the absence of carbodiimide chemistry to form the coating and load AgNPs via in situ reduction; while lysine (Lys) was used as a representative small molecule for comparison. Then, PEG-based polyurethane (PU) was used for constructing Lys-Ag-PU and CMC-Ag-PU composite coatings, which substantially improved the protein antifouling property of the membranes. Furthermore, the CMC-Ag-PU coating exhibited superior broad-spectrum antibacterial property towards E. coli and S. aureus than Lys-Ag-PU coating. Meanwhile, the CMC-Ag-PU coating showed sustained antifouling property against bacteria and could reload AgNPs to be regenerated as antibacterial and antifouling coating. This approach is believed to have potential to fabricate reusable antifouling and antibacterial coatings on materials surfaces for aquatic industries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modification of Ag shell on upconversion populating paths of NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+@Ag nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Jiao; Liu, Haipeng; Wu, Di; Dong, Biao; Sun, Liankun

2013-01-01

NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ @Ag core–shell nanocomposites were prepared. Due to the outer shell of Ag, some modifications were found on the upconversion (UC) processes of NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ core nanoparticles (NPs) caused by the co-interaction of surface effect, surface plasma absorption effect and local thermal effect under infrared radiation. Upon 980 nm excitation, the relative UC intensity of the green ( 2 H 11/2 , 4 S 3/2 – 4 I 15/2 ) to red ( 4 F 9/2 – 4 I 15/2 ) and the slope of power-dependence increased intensively, and three-photon population process for the green level appeared. -- Highlights: ► NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ ,Er 3+ @Ag core/shell nanocomposites were fabricated. ► The coating of Ag outer shell leads to the increase of the green UCL. ► Three-photon population process for the green level appeared after Ag coating.

Removal of Ag+ from water environment using a novel magnetic thiourea-chitosan imprinted Ag+

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Lulu; Luo, Chuannan; Lv, Zhen; Lu, Fuguang; Qiu, Huamin

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Coating modified chitosan on magnetic fluids, which were using Ag(I) as imprinted ions, is a new method to expand function of the chitosan. → The method can improve the surface area for adsorption of Ag + and reduce the required dosage for the adsorption of Ag(I). → The imprinted magnetic chitosan can be used effectively and selectively to remove Ag(I) ions from aqueous solutions. → It shows the facile, fast separation process of magnetic chitosan during the experiments. The absorbent has a good application prospect. - Abstract: A novel, thiourea-chitosan coating on the surface of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) (Ag-TCM) was successfully synthesized using Ag(I) as imprinted ions for adsorption and removal of Ag(I) ions from aqueous solutions. The thermal stability, chemical structure and magnetic property of the Ag-TCM were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to evaluate the adsorption conditions, selectivity and reusability. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity was 4.93 mmol/g, observed at pH 5 and temperature 30 o C. Equilibrium adsorption was achieved within 50 min. The kinetic data, obtained at the optimum pH 5, could be fitted with a pseudo-second order equation. Adsorption process could be well described by Langmuir adsorption isotherms and the maximum adsorption capacity calculated from Langmuir equation was 5.29 mmol/g. The selectivity coefficient of Ag(I) ions and other metal cations onto Ag-TCM indicated an overall preference for Ag(I) ions, which was much higher than non-imprinted thiourea-chitosan beads. Moreover, the sorbent was stable and easily recovered, the adsorption capacity was about 90% of the initial saturation adsorption capacity after being used five times.

Long-term aging of Ag/a-C:H:O nanocomposite coatings in air and in aqueous environment

Science.gov (United States)

Drábik, Martin; Pešička, Josef; Biederman, Hynek; Hegemann, Dirk

2015-04-01

Nanocomposite coatings of silver particles embedded in a plasma polymer matrix possess interesting properties depending on their microstructure. The film microstructure is affected among others also by the RF power supplied during the deposition, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. The optical properties are characterized by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy. An anomalous optical absorption peak from the Ag nanoparticles is observed and related to the microstructure of the nanocomposite films. Furthermore, a long-term aging of the coatings is studied in-depth in ambient air and in aqueous environments. It is shown that the studied films are not entirely stable. The deposition conditions and the microstructure of the films affect the processes taking place during their aging in both environments.

High-throughput synthesis of mixed-metal electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, Jingfu; Dettelbach, Kevan E.; Li, Tengfei; Salvatore, Danielle A.; Berlinguette, Curtis P.

2017-01-01

The utilization of CO 2 as a feedstock requires fundamental breakthroughs in catalyst design. The efficiencies and activities of pure metal electrodes towards the CO 2 reduction reaction are established, but the corresponding data on mixed-metal systems are not as well developed. In this study we show that the near-infrared driven decomposition (NIRDD) of solution-deposited films of metal salts and subsequent electrochemical reduction offers the unique opportunity to form an array of mixed-metal electrocatalyst coatings with excellent control of the metal stoichiometries. This synthetic method enabled us to develop an empirical structure-property correlation to help inform the development of optimized CO 2 catalyst compositions. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Nanostructured titanium–silver coatings with good antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility fabricated by one-step magnetron sputtering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Long [Research Institute of Surface Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China); Hang, Ruiqiang, E-mail: hangruiqiang@tyut.edu.cn [Research Institute of Surface Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China); Gao, Ang [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Zhang, Xiangyu; Huang, Xiaobo; Wang, Yueyue; Tang, Bin [Research Institute of Surface Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan (China); Zhao, Lingzhou, E-mail: zhaolingzhou1983@hotmail.com [State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Periodontology, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an (China); Chu, Paul K. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2015-11-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We fabricate Ti–Ag coatings with different Ag contents and surface morphologies. • The Ti–Ag coatings possess long-term antibacterial ability. • Increased Ag contents in the coatings leads to enhanced osteoblast functions. - Abstract: Bacterial infection and loosing are serious complications for biomedical implants in the orthopedic, dental, and other biomedical fields and the ideal implants should combine good antibacterial ability and bioactivity. In this study, nanostructured titanium–silver (Ti–Ag) coatings with different Ag contents (1.2 to 21.6 at%) are prepared on Ti substrates by magnetron sputtering. As the Ag concentration is increased, the coatings change from having dense columnar crystals to sparse ones and eventually no columnar structure. The Ti–Ag coatings can effectively kill Staphylococcus aureus during the first few days and remain moderately antibacterial after immersion for 75 days. Compared to pure Ti, the Ti–Ag coatings show good cytocompatibility as indicated by good osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, intracellular total protein synthesis, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. In addition, cell spreading, collagen secretion, and extracellular matrix mineralization are promoted on the coatings with the proper Ag contents due to the nanostructured morphological features. Our results indicate that favorable antibacterial activity and osseointegration ability can be simultaneously achieved by regulating the Ag contents in Ti–Ag coatings.

Preparation of PtRu/C anode electrocatalysts using gamma radiation for methanol electro-oxidation; Preparacao de eletrocatalisadores PtRu/C utilizando radiacao gama para aplicacao como anodo na oxidacao direta de metanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Dionisio Fortunato da

2006-07-01

Pt Ru/C (carbon-supported Pt Ru nanoparticles) anode electrocatalysts were prepared using radiolytic process (gamma radiation) and tested for methanol electro-oxidation. In this process, water/2-propanol and water/ethylene glycol solutions containing the metallic ions and the carbon support were submitted to gamma radiation under stirring. The water/alcohol ratio (v/v) and the total dose (kGy) were studied. A nominal Pt Ru atomic ratio of 50:50 were used in all experiments. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The electro-oxidation of methanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry using the thin porous coating technique. The electrocatalysts prepared in water/2-propanol showed crystallite size in the range of 3-5 nm and Pt Ru atomic ratio of 50:50. The electrocatalysts prepared in water/ethylene glycol showed crystallite size (2-3 nm) smaller than the ones obtained in water/2-propanol, however, the Pt Ru atomic ratios obtained were approximately 80:20, showing that only part of ruthenium ions were reduced. For methanol oxidation the electrocatalytic activity depends on the water/2-propanol and water/ethylene glycol ratio used in the reaction medium. The electrocatalysts prepared in water/2-propanol showed inferior performance to the ones prepared in water/ethylene glycol, which showed similar or superior performances (amperes per gram of platinum) to the commercial electrocatalyst from E-TEK. (author)

Development of antibacterial paper coated with sodium hyaluronate stabilized curcumin-Ag nanohybrid and chitosan via polyelectrolyte complexation for medical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Rao Kummara, Madhusudana; Kumar, Anuj; Soo, Han Sung

2017-11-01

Sodium hyaluronate (HA) stabilized curcumin-Ag (Cur-Ag) hybrid nanoparticles were prepared in the water-ethanol mixture under constant mechanical stirring condition. The obtained HA stabilized Cur-Ag hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction to confirm the formation and structural interactions. The obtained Cur-Ag hybrid nanoparticles showed spherical shape with their size range 5-12 nm that was increased with the increasing a amount of silver ions as confirmed by transmission electron microscopic analysis. Further, a fibrous cellulose filter paper was impregnated with these hybrid nanoparticles and chitosan (CS) as biopolymer via polyelectrolyte complexation. The morphological analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of hybrid nanoparticle system onto the cellulose fibers of the fibrous filter paper. As per disc diffusion method, the Cur-Ag hybrid nanoparticles impregnated CS-coated filter paper exhibited excellent antibacterial properties against gram-negative Escherichia coli (E.coli) bacteria compared to HA stabilized Cur only. Moreover, as prepared hybrid nanoparticles impregnated biocomposite system is eco-friendly with efficient antibacterial property and have good potential to be used in medical applications.

Review of low pressure plasma processing of proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrocatalysts

OpenAIRE

Brault , Pascal

2016-01-01

Review article; International audience; The present review is describing recent advances in plasma deposition and treatment of low temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells electrocatalysts. Interest of plasma processing for growth of platinum based, non-precious and metal free electrocatalysts is highlighted. Electrocatalysts properties are tentatively correlated to plasma parameters.

Stable and efficient nitrogen-containing-carbon based electrocatalysts for reactions in energy conversion systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Sicong; Teng, Zhenyuan; Wang, Chengyin; Wang, Guoxiu

2018-05-17

High activity and stability are crucial for practical electrocatalysts used for reactions in fuel cells, metal-air batteries and water electrolysis including ORR, HER, OER and oxidation reactions of formic acid and alcohols. N-C based electrocatalysts have shown promising prospects for catalyzing these reactions, however, there is no systematic review for strategies toward engineering active and stable N-C based electrocatalysts reported by far. Herein, a comprehensive comparison of recently reported N-C based electrocatalysts regarding both electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability is presented. In the first part of this review, relationships between electrocatalytic reactions and element selections for modifying N-C based materials are discussed. Afterwards, synthesis methods for N-C based electrocatalysts are summarized, and synthetic strategies for highly stable N-C based electrocatalysts are presented. Multiple tables containing data on crucial parameters for both electrocatalytic activity and stability are displayed in this review. Finally, constructing M-Nx moieties is proposed as the most promising engineering strategy for stable N-C based electrocatalysts. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Transparent, flexible surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on Ag-coated structured PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for in-situ detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo, Zewen; Zhu, Kai; Gu, Chuan; Wen, Yibing; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Transparent, flexible SERS substrates were prepared using techniques compatible with well-established silicon device technologies. • The SERS substrates exhibit high sensitivity and good reproducibility. • The high performance is related with the quasi-three-dimensional structure of the PET. • In-situ detection of analyte on irregular objects was achieved by this SERS substrate. - Abstract: Transparent, flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were fabricated by metalization of structured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets. The resultant Ag-coated structured PET SERS substrates were revealed to be highly sensitive with good reproducibility and stability, an enhancement factor of 3 × 10 6 was acquired, which can be attributed mainly to the presence of plentiful multiple-type hot spots within the quasi-three-dimensional surface of the structured PET obtained by oxygen plasma etching. In addition, detections of model molecules on fruit skin were also carried out, demonstrating the great potential of the Ag-coated structured PET in in-situ detection of analyte on irregular objects. Importantly, the technique used for the preparation of such substrate is completely compatible with well-established silicon device technologies, and large-area fabrication with low cost can be readily realized.

Transparent, flexible surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates based on Ag-coated structured PET (polyethylene terephthalate) for in-situ detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuo, Zewen, E-mail: zuozewen@mail.ahnu.edu.cn; Zhu, Kai; Gu, Chuan; Wen, Yibing; Cui, Guanglei; Qu, Jun

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Transparent, flexible SERS substrates were prepared using techniques compatible with well-established silicon device technologies. • The SERS substrates exhibit high sensitivity and good reproducibility. • The high performance is related with the quasi-three-dimensional structure of the PET. • In-situ detection of analyte on irregular objects was achieved by this SERS substrate. - Abstract: Transparent, flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were fabricated by metalization of structured polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheets. The resultant Ag-coated structured PET SERS substrates were revealed to be highly sensitive with good reproducibility and stability, an enhancement factor of 3 × 10{sup 6} was acquired, which can be attributed mainly to the presence of plentiful multiple-type hot spots within the quasi-three-dimensional surface of the structured PET obtained by oxygen plasma etching. In addition, detections of model molecules on fruit skin were also carried out, demonstrating the great potential of the Ag-coated structured PET in in-situ detection of analyte on irregular objects. Importantly, the technique used for the preparation of such substrate is completely compatible with well-established silicon device technologies, and large-area fabrication with low cost can be readily realized.

High-throughput synthesis of mixed-metal electrocatalysts for CO{sub 2} reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Jingfu; Dettelbach, Kevan E.; Li, Tengfei [Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Salvatore, Danielle A. [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Berlinguette, Curtis P. [Department of Chemistry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (Canada)

2017-05-22

The utilization of CO{sub 2} as a feedstock requires fundamental breakthroughs in catalyst design. The efficiencies and activities of pure metal electrodes towards the CO{sub 2} reduction reaction are established, but the corresponding data on mixed-metal systems are not as well developed. In this study we show that the near-infrared driven decomposition (NIRDD) of solution-deposited films of metal salts and subsequent electrochemical reduction offers the unique opportunity to form an array of mixed-metal electrocatalyst coatings with excellent control of the metal stoichiometries. This synthetic method enabled us to develop an empirical structure-property correlation to help inform the development of optimized CO{sub 2} catalyst compositions. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Hollow raspberry-like PdAg alloy nanospheres: High electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Cheng; Hu, Yongli; Liu, Mingrui; Zheng, Yixiong

2015-03-01

Palladium-silver (PdAg) alloy nanospheres with unique structure were prepared using a one-pot procedure based on the galvanic replacement reaction. Their electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation in alkaline media was evaluated. The morphology and crystal structure of the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical characterization techniques, including cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) measurements were used to analyze the electrochemical performance of the PdAg alloy nanospheres. The SEM and TEM images showed that the PdAg alloy nanospheres exhibit a hierarchical nanostructure with hollow interiors and porous walls. Compared to the commercial Pd/C catalyst, the as-prepared PdAg alloy nanospheres exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity and stability towards ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline media, showing its potential as a new non-Pt electro-catalyst for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs).

Highly open bowl-like PtAuAg nanocages as robust electrocatalysts towards ethylene glycol oxidation

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hui; Yan, Bo; Li, Shumin; Wang, Jin; Song, Pingping; Wang, Caiqin; Guo, Jun; Du, Yukou

2018-04-01

A novel combined seed mediated and galvanic replacement method has been demonstrated to synthesize a new class of trimetallic PtAuAg nanocatalysts with highly open bowl-like nanocage structure. The newly-generated PtAuAg nanocages catalysts exhibit superior electrocatalytic performances towards ethylene glycol oxidation with the mass activity of 6357.1 mA mg-1, 5.5 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C (1151.1 mA mg-1). This work demonstrates the first example of designing shape-controlled architectures of trimetallic bowl-like PtAuAg nanocages for liquid fuel electrooxidation.

Enhanced microwave absorption performance of lightweight absorber based on reduced graphene oxide and Ag-coated hollow glass spheres/epoxy composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Junpeng; Sun, Yu; Chen, Wei; Wang, Tao; Xu, Renxin; Wang, Jun

2015-01-01

Using a combination of Ag-coated hollow glass spheres (HGS@Ag) and a small quantity of graphene sheets within the epoxy matrix, we have prepared a novel lightweight high efficiency microwave absorption composite. Compared with pure HGS@Ag and graphene composite, the −10 dB absorption bandwidth and the minimum reflection loss of the novel composite are improved. Reflection loss exceeding −20 dB is obtained for composites in a wide frequency range and the minimum reflection loss reaches −46 dB while bandwidth less than −10 dB can reach up to 4.1 GHz when an appropriate absorber thickness between 2 and 3.5 mm is chosen. The enhanced microwave absorption performance of the novel composite is due to the enhanced dielectric response, enhanced conductivity, and the trap of electromagnetic radiation with increased propagation paths by multiple reflections

Non-platinum electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, K.; Zhang, L.; Shi, Z.; Hui, R.; Zhang, J. [National Research Council of Canada, Vancouver, BC (Canada). Inst. For Fuel Cell Innovation

2008-07-01

High cost, low reliability and durability are the main barriers preventing widespread commercialization of fuel cells. In particular, the platinum (Pt)-based electrocatalysts used in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, including direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are major contributors to the high cost of PEM fuel cells. The Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation at the National Research Council of Canada has developed several new non-Pt electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cell applications. This paper presented the research results on these catalysts, including transition metal macrocycles, chalcogenides, and Ir- or Pd-based alloys. It also described catalyst structure modes via theoretical density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Research activities on these electrocatalysts was summarized in terms of catalytic activity and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Typical catalysts such as cobalt(Co)-polypyrrole (PPy) and the chalcogenides show promising results in terms of catalytic activity and a 4-electron reaction mechanism. Efforts are underway to modify both catalyst structure and synthesis methods in order to further improve catalyst performance. 4 refs., 2 figs.

Silver decorated LaMnO{sub 3} nanorod/graphene composite electrocatalysts as reversible metal-air battery electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Jie [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science & Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004 (China); Hebei Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Department of Environment and Chemistry, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004 (China); Liu, Qiunan; Shi, Lina; Shi, Ziwei [Hebei Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry, Department of Environment and Chemistry, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004 (China); Huang, Hao, E-mail: huanghao@ysu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science & Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao, 066004 (China); Henan Huanghe Whirlwind Co. Ltd., Changge, 461500 (China)

2017-04-30

Graphical abstract: Silver decorated LaMnO{sub 3} nanorod/reduced graphene oxide composite possess excellent bifunctional electrocatalytic activity and good electrochemical stability in alkaline medium. - Highlights: • Silver decorated LaMnO{sub 3} nanorod/graphene composite were synthesized for the first time. • The ORR and OER of composite in alkaline medium were evaluated. • This composite as an efficient bifunctional catalyst has a good cycle performance. - Abstract: Perovskite LaMnO{sub 3} nanorod/reduced graphene oxides (LMO-NR/RGO) decorated with Ag nanoparticles are studied as a bifunctional catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolyte. LMO-NR/RGO composites are synthesized by using cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as template via a simple hydrothermal reaction followed by heat treatment; overlaying of Ag nanoparticles is obtained through a traditional silver mirror reaction. Electron microscopy reveals that LMO-NR is embedded between the sheets of RGO, and the material is homogeneously overlaid with Ag nanoparticles. The unique composite morphology of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO not only enhances the electron transport property by increasing conductivity but also facilitates the diffusion of electrolytes and oxygen. As confirmed by electrochemical testing, Ag/LMO-NR/RGO exhibits very strong synergy with Ag nanoparticles, LMO-NR, and RGO, and the catalytic activities of Ag/LMO-NR/RGO during ORR and OER are significantly improved. With the novel catalyst, the homemade zinc-air battery can be reversibly charged and discharged and display a stable cycle performance, indicating the great potential of this composite as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for metal-air batteries.

Experiment of enhancing critical current and reducing ac loss in pancake coil comprised of Ni-coated Bi-2223/Ag tape

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alamgir, A.K.M.; Gu, C.; Han, Z.

2006-01-01

An approach of realizing high performance HTS coil comprised of ferromagnetic material-coated BSCCO tape is proposed. The concept of influencing critical current and ac loss is based on the magnetic shielding effect resulting in redirection of self-field flux-lines. In the previous article, ac performance of Ni-coated tape was demonstrated where the Ni-coating was introduced at the edge-regime of the finished tape in order to redirect the perpendicular component of self-field lines. In order to investigate the shielding effect on ac performance in HTS coil, a two-turn pancake coil comprised of Ni-coated Bi-2223/Ag tape is demonstrated in the present article. About 6.4% of critical current was enhanced and 30% of transport current ac loss was reduced by means of 40 μm thick and 0.3 mm long (from the edge toward center of the tape) Ni-coating. This result suggests that additional ferromagnetic loss could be compensated well by the shielding effect of the partial Ni-coating. The degree of enhancement in critical current as well as ferromagnetic impact on ac losses depend on the volume and geometry of ferromagnetic coating introduced. Therefore, it is very important to control the parameter of ferromagnetic coating of the tape in order to balance the critical current and ac loss for optimum coil performance

Experiment of enhancing critical current and reducing ac loss in pancake coil comprised of Ni-coated Bi-2223/Ag tape

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alamgir, A.K.M. [Department of Physics, Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)]. E-mail: alam643@hotmail.com; Gu, C. [Department of Physics, Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Han, Z. [Department of Physics, Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2006-07-01

An approach of realizing high performance HTS coil comprised of ferromagnetic material-coated BSCCO tape is proposed. The concept of influencing critical current and ac loss is based on the magnetic shielding effect resulting in redirection of self-field flux-lines. In the previous article, ac performance of Ni-coated tape was demonstrated where the Ni-coating was introduced at the edge-regime of the finished tape in order to redirect the perpendicular component of self-field lines. In order to investigate the shielding effect on ac performance in HTS coil, a two-turn pancake coil comprised of Ni-coated Bi-2223/Ag tape is demonstrated in the present article. About 6.4% of critical current was enhanced and 30% of transport current ac loss was reduced by means of 40 {mu}m thick and 0.3 mm long (from the edge toward center of the tape) Ni-coating. This result suggests that additional ferromagnetic loss could be compensated well by the shielding effect of the partial Ni-coating. The degree of enhancement in critical current as well as ferromagnetic impact on ac losses depend on the volume and geometry of ferromagnetic coating introduced. Therefore, it is very important to control the parameter of ferromagnetic coating of the tape in order to balance the critical current and ac loss for optimum coil performance.

Substrates coated with silver nanoparticles as a neuronal regenerative material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alon N

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Noa Alon,1,3,* Yana Miroshnikov,2,3,* Nina Perkas,2,3 Ifat Nissan,2,3 Aharon Gedanken,2,3 Orit Shefi1,31Faculty of Engineering, 2Department of Chemistry, 3Bar-Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Much effort has been devoted to the design of effective biomaterials for nerve regeneration. Here, we report the novel use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs as regenerative agents to promote neuronal growth. We grew neuroblastoma cells on surfaces coated with AgNPs and studied the effect on the development of the neurites during the initiation and the elongation growth phases. We find that the AgNPs function as favorable anchoring sites, and the growth on the AgNP-coated substrates leads to a significantly enhanced neurite outgrowth. Cells grown on substrates coated with AgNPs have initiated three times more neurites than cells grown on uncoated substrates, and two times more than cells grown on substrates sputtered with a plain homogenous layer of silver. The growth of neurites on AgNPs in the elongation phase was enhanced as well. A comparison with substrates coated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs demonstrated a clear silver material-driven promoting effect, in addition to the nanotopography. The growth on substrates coated with AgNPs has led to a significantly higher number of initiating neurites when compared to substrates coated with AuNPs or ZnONPs. All nanoparticle-coated substrates affected and promoted the elongation of neurites, with a significant positive maximal effect for the AgNPs. Our results, combined with the well-known antibacterial effect of AgNPs, suggest the use of AgNPs as an attractive nanomaterial – with dual activity – for neuronal repair studies.Keywords: nerve regeneration, nanotopography, antibacterial material, neuroblastoma, gold nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles

Preparation and characterization of Pd{sub x}Ag{sub y}/C electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation reaction in alkaline media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Guanglan [Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Jiang Luhua [Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 (China); Jiang Qian [Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang Suli [Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 (China); Sun Gongquan, E-mail: gqsun@dicp.ac.cn [Direct Alcohol Fuel Cell Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 (China)

2011-09-01

Highlights: {center_dot} The effects of Pd or PdAg particle size and PdAg alloy degrees on the EOR activity are investigated. {center_dot} The Pd lattice constant of the PdAg increases with increasing the Ag content. {center_dot} The EOR activity of the PdAg/C presents a 'volcano' plot with increasing the Pd lattice constant. {center_dot} The optimal Pd/Ag atomic ratio locates between 2/1 and 3/1. {center_dot} The EOR activity of the PdAg/C increases with increasing the PdAg particle size from 3.4 to 5.2 nm. - Abstract: Carbon-supported bimetallic PdAg catalysts with Pd/Ag atomic ratios varying from 4/1 to 1/2 were prepared by an impregnation-reduction method. The impregnated black mixture was treated in H{sub 2}/N{sub 2} atmosphere at a temperature varying from 180 to 500 deg. C. The obtained Pd{sub x}Ag{sub y}/C catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). XRD results show that the lattice constant of Pd is dilated, suggesting the formation of PdAg alloy. The lattice constant of Pd for the Pd{sub x}Ag{sub y}/C-500 (reduced at 500 deg. C by H{sub 2}) increases linearly and the average metal particle size decreases slightly from 6.8 to 5.1 nm with increasing Ag fractions from 20% to 67% in the PdAg composition. For Pd{sub x}Ag{sub y}/C catalysts with a certain specific Pd/Ag atomic ratio, e.g., Pd{sub 2}Ag{sub 1}/C, the dilated lattice constant of Pd is independent of the reducing temperature, indicating the alloy degree for the Pd{sub 2}Ag{sub 1}/C-t catalysts is comparable. The average metal particle size for the Pd{sub 2}Ag{sub 1}/C-t catalysts increases from 3.4 to 5.2 nm with H{sub 2} reduction temperature increasing from 180 to 500 deg. C. The potentiodynamic measurements on ethanol electrooxidation reaction (EOR) show that the catalytic activities for the Pd{sub x}Ag{sub y}/C-t catalysts toward the EOR are improved by alloying Pd with Ag. At

Carbon-Coated Perovskite BaMnO3 Porous Nanorods with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Perporites for Oxygen Reduction and Oxygen Evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Yujiao; Tsou, Alvin; Fu, Yue; Wang, Jin; Tian, Jing-Hua; Yang, Ruizhi

2015-01-01

A thin carbon layer has been introduced to coat on the perovskite BaMnO 3 nanorods by a facile method, which exhibit significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity for both the ORR and OER with excellent stability. - Highlights: • A non-rare-earth element based perovskite BaMnO 3 nanorods as an active electrocatalyst for the ORR and OER have been prepared and investigated for the first time. • A thin carbon-coating layer with thickness of approximately 10 nm has been successfully introduced to enhance the electrical conductivity and the electrocatalytic activities of the bare perovskite for both ORR and OER. • The stabilities of bare BaMnO 3 nanorods for both ORR and OER have also been improved dramatically with the help of carbon coating, especially for the OER process. - Abstract: Highly efficient, low-cost catalysts, especially with bifunctional electrocatalytic capabilities for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are vital for the wide commercialization of fuel cells and metal-air batteries. In this study, BaMnO 3 - a non-rare-earth element based perovskite nanorods have been prepared and investigated for the first time, and a thin carbon-coating with a thickness of approximately 10 nm has been successfully introduced to enhance the electrical conductivity of the bare perovskite. Electrochemical tests reveal that bare BaMnO 3 nanorods exhibit very good catalytic activity. More interestingly, a remarkably enhanced ORR activity for the perovskite BaMnO 3 nanorods was observed after coating with a thin layer of carbon, which dominated with a direct four-electron pathway. Meanwhile, the OER process has also been enhanced extraordinarily with the carbon-coating, reaching a maximum of 14.8 mA cm −2 at 1.0 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), which is far superior to both the bare BaMnO 3 nanorods and commercial Pt/C (20 wt%) catalysts. Furthermore, the stabilities of bare BaMnO 3 nanorods for both ORR and OER have also been improved

Preparation and characterization of PT-rare earth/C electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santoro, Thais Aranha de Barros

2009-01-01

Pt-rare earth/C electrocatalysts (rare earth = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Lu) were prepared (20 wt.% and Pt-to-RE atomic ratio of 50:50) by an alcohol reduction process using H 2 PtCl 6 .6H 2 O (Aldrich) and rare earth (III) chlorides (Aldrich) as metal sources, ethylene glycol as solvent and reducing agent, and Vulcan XC72 as support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), X-Ray Diffractometry (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis showed that the Pt-Rare Earth atomic ratios obtained for all electrocatalysts were similar to those used in the preparations. In all diffractograms, it was observed a broad peak at about 25 degree which was associated to the Vulcan XC72 support material and four peaks at approximately 28=40 degree, 47 degree, 67 degree and 82 degree, which were associated to the (111), (200), (220), (311), and (222) planes, respectively, of the face-centered cubic (fcc) structure characteristic of platinum and platinum alloys. For the Pt-Rare Earth/C electrocatalysts, it was also observed peaks related to the rare earth oxides on the X ray diffractograms. PtLa/C electrocatalysts were prepared at different atomic ratio. Transmission electronic microscopy micrographs of electrocatalysts showed a reasonable distribution of the Pt particles on the carbon support with some agglomerations, which is in agreement with x-ray diffractometry result. The performance for CO, methanol and ethanol oxidation was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pt-Rare Earth/C electro catalyst, specially PtLa/C, were higher than that of the Pt/C electrocatalyst. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies for ethanol oxidation on Pt-Rare Earth/C electrocatalyst showed that acetaldehyde and acetic acid were the main products. The PtLa/C (30

Ag doped TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by hydrothermal method and coating of the nanoparticles on the ceramic pellets for photocatalytic study: Surface properties and photoactivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oguzhan Avciata

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this work, Ag doped nano TiO2 photocatalysts were synthesized in powder form by hydrothermal method at 180 ºC in 120 min using different reduction agents. The synthesized powders were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD, Energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS, Surface area measurements (BET, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM analyses. The effect of reduction agents on the morphological properties of Ag doped nano TiO2 has been studied. We have been observed that the use of different reduction agents affects the particle size and surface area. Ag doped nano TiO2 photocatalysts were coated to the ceramic pellets by dip coating technique for photocatalytic study. Photocatalytic properties of the synthesized powder were examined in a circulating aquarium filled with indigo blue (IB solution under UV irradiation. Periodical UV spectrophotometric analysis showed that indigo blue (IB has been degraded and its concentration has decreased under UV irradiation by time.

Rare earth metal oxides as BH4-tolerance cathode electrocatalysts for direct borohydride fuel cells

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

NI Xuemin; WANG Yadong; GUO Feng; YAO Pei; PAN Mu

2012-01-01

Rare earth metal oxides (REMO) as cathode electrocatalysts in direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) were investigated.The REMO electrocatalysts tested showed favorable activity to the oxygen electro-reduction reaction and strong tolerance to the attack of BH4- in alkaline electrolytes.The simple membraneless DBFCs using REMO as cathode electrocatalyst and using hydrogen storage alloy as anodic electrocatalyst exhibited an open circuit of about 1 V and peak power of above 60 mW/cm2.The DBFC using Sm2O3 as cathode electrocatalyst showed a relatively better performance.The maximal power density of 76.2 mW/cm2 was obtained at the cell voltage of 0.52 V.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Piszczek

2017-09-01

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

Calcium phosphate coating containing silver shows high antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity and inhibits bacterial adhesion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ando, Yoshiki, E-mail: andoy@jmmc.jp [Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501 (Japan); Research Department, Japan Medical Materials Corporation, Uemura Nissei Bldg.9F 3-3-31 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 532-0003 (Japan); Miyamoto, Hiroshi [Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501 (Japan); Noda, Iwao; Sakurai, Nobuko [Research Department, Japan Medical Materials Corporation, Uemura Nissei Bldg.9F 3-3-31 Miyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka 532-0003 (Japan); Akiyama, Tomonori [Division of Microbiology, Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501 (Japan); Yonekura, Yutaka; Shimazaki, Takafumi; Miyazaki, Masaki; Mawatari, Masaaki; Hotokebuchi, Takao [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, 5-1-1 Nabeshima, Saga 849-8501 (Japan)

2010-01-01

Surgical site infection is one of the serious complications of orthopedic implants. In order to reduce the incidence of implant-associated infections, we developed a novel coating technology of calcium phosphate (CP) containing silver (Ag), designated Ag-CP coating, using a thermal spraying technique. In this study, we evaluated the antibacterial efficacy and biological safety of this coating. In vitro antibacterial activity tests showed that the growths of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are completely suppressed on Ag-CP coating. In vitro bacterial adherence tests revealed that the number of adherent bacteria on the surface of this coating is significantly less (p < 0.02) than that on the surface of the CP coating. Moreover, the Ag-CP coating completely inhibits MRSA adhesion [<10 colony-forming units (CFU)] when 10{sup 2} CFU MRSA is inoculated. On the other hand, V79 Chinese hamster lung cells were found to grow on the Ag-CP coating as well as on the CP coating in a cytotoxicity test. These results indicate that the Ag-CP coating on the surface of orthopedic implants exhibits antibacterial activity and inhibits bacterial adhesion without cytotoxicity.

Antibacterial and microstructure properties of titanium surfaces modified with Ag-incorporated nanotube arrays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Guangzhong; Cheng, Li [State Key Laboratory of Porous Metal Materials, Northwest Institute for Nonferrous Metal Research (China); Yang, Hui-lin [Department of Orthopaedics, Wuxi People' s Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangsu Province (China); Zhao, Quan-ming, E-mail: abc8385@163.com [Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou (China)

2016-07-15

Although titanium (Ti) and its alloys have been widely used as implants in clinical settings, failures still occur mainly due to poor bioactivity and implant-associated infections. Here, we coated Ti implants with TiO{sub 2} nanotubes (TNTs) incorporated with the antibacterial agent Ag to produce Ag-TNTs, through anodization in AgNO{sub 3} and xenon light irradiation. We characterized surface morphology and composition of the coating with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. We investigated surface topography of the coatings by atomic force microscopy (AFM) operated in the tapping mode. The results indicate that Ag was successfully doped onto the TNTs, and that the nanoparticles were mainly distributed on the surface of TNTs. Finally, our antibacterial experiments reveal that Ag-TNTs on Ti implants exhibit excellent antibacterial activities, which promises to have significant clinical applications as implants. (author)

Influence of Support Material of PtSnNiGa/C Electrocatalysts for Ethanol Oxidation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deise M Santos

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Ethanol is a promising alternative source for fuel cells due to its low toxicity and high power density. However, the cleavage of the C-C bond, CO poisoning, and low electrocatalyst stability are still considered crucial issues. To overcome this limitation, binary, ternary and quaternary electrocatalysts have been investigated along with new carbon supports. This paper presents a physicochemical and electrochemical investigation of quaternary PtSnNiGa/C electrocatalysts supported on Vulcan XC72 and Printex-L6 carbons and also a carbon produced by natural gas pyrolysis in an Argon plasma torch (Black Plasma. The electrochemical characterization was performed through cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the presence of ethanol 1.0 mol L-1. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were also carried out for physicochemical characterization. The electrochemical results show that the quaternary electrocatalysts supported on Vulcan XC72 and Printex-L6 carbons display a high current normalized by Pt mass and are more stable than the electrocatalyst supported on Black Plasma. In addition, the quaternary electrocatalysts with reduced Pt loading display better electrocatalytic activity towards the EOR compared to high Pt loading electrocatalysts. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v9i3.949 

Coating independent cytotoxicity of citrate- and PEG-coated silver nanoparticles on a human hepatoma cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Bastos, Verónica; Ferreira-de-Oliveira, José M P; Carrola, Joana; Daniel-da-Silva, Ana L; Duarte, Iola F; Santos, Conceição; Oliveira, Helena

2017-01-01

The antibacterial potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) resulted in their increasing incorporation into consumer, industrial and biomedical products. Therefore, human and environmental exposure to AgNPs (either as an engineered product or a contaminant) supports the emergent research on the features conferring them different toxicity profiles. In this study, 30nm AgNPs coated with citrate or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) were used to assess the influence of coating on the effects produced on a human hepatoma cell line (HepG2), namely in terms of viability, apoptosis, apoptotic related genes, cell cycle and cyclins gene expression. Both types of coated AgNPs decreased cell proliferation and viability with a similar toxicity profile. At the concentrations used (11 and 5μg/mL corresponding to IC50 and ~IC10 levels, respectively) the amount of cells undergoing apoptosis was not significant and the apoptotic related genes BCL2 (anti-apoptotic gene) and BAX (pro-apoptotic gene) were both downregulated. Moreover, both AgNPs affected HepG2 cell cycle progression at the higher concentration (11μg/mL) by increasing the percentage of cells in S (synthesis phase) and G2 (Gap 2 phase) phases. Considering the cell-cycle related genes, the expression of cyclin B1 and cyclin E1 genes were decreased. Thus, this work has shown that citrate- and PEG-coated AgNPs impact on HepG2 apoptotic gene expression, cell cycle dynamics and cyclin regulation in a similar way. More research is needed to determine the properties that confer AgNPs at lower toxicity, since their use has proved helpful in several industrial and biomedical contexts. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

One-step polypyrrole coating of self-assembled silver nanoprisms for enhanced stability and Raman scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Dong-Won; Jeong, Sugyeong; Jang, Du-Jeon

2017-07-01

Self-assemblies of silver nanoprisms (AgPRs) having enhanced structural stability and optical properties have been facilely coated with polypyrrole (PPy) via the in situ polymerization of pyrrole monomers that also act as an assembling agent. The assemblies of AgPRs, whose edge lengths and thicknesses are typically 78 and 4 nm, respectively, have been surrounded by a PPy coating of 6 nm. AgPRs are assembled in a side-to-side orientation, and the degree of assembly has been controlled by varying the concentration of trisodium citrate dihydrate, which attaches selectively to the {111} facets of AgPRs. The morphology deformation time of PPy-coated AgPRs in 0.6 mM H2O2(aq) is seven times longer than that of PPy-free AgPRs, suggesting that PPy coating prevents the sharp tips of AgPRs from being truncated by oxidizing agents. The SERS effect of highly self-assembled and PPy-coated AgPRs becomes as high as 6.3 due to numerous hot spots generated between nanoprisms. Overall, our fabricated AgPRs assemblies with PPy coating have not only improved structural stability but also enhanced optical properties, extending the practical use of noble-metal nanoprisms for various optical applications.

Incorporation of silver and strontium in hydroxyapatite coating on titanium surface for enhanced antibacterial and biological properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geng, Zhen [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Wang, Renfeng [School of Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Zhuo, Xianglong, E-mail: doctorzhuo@139.com [Department of Spinal Surgery, Liuzhou Worker' s Hospital, Liuzhou 545001 (China); Li, Zhaoyang, E-mail: zyli@tju.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China); Huang, Yongcan [Orthopedics Research Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen 518036 (China); Ma, Lili; Cui, Zhenduo [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Zhu, Shengli [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China); Liang, Yanqin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Liu, Yunde; Bao, Huijing; Li, Xue; Huo, Qianyu; Liu, Zhili [School of Laboratory Medicine, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Yang, Xianjin, E-mail: xjyang@tju.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2017-02-01

Implant-related infection in primary total joint prostheses has attracted considerable research attention. As a measure to improve the antimicrobial properties of implant materials, silver (Ag) was incorporated into calcium phosphate (CaP) coatings on Titanium (Ti) via a hydrothermal method. Further, strontium (Sr) was added as a binary dopant to reduce the cytotoxicity of Ag in the coatings. Results showed that the CaP coatings were uniformly deposited on Ti with enhanced hydrophilicity and nanoscale surface roughness. Moreover, cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation were improved after the CaP coating deposition. The antibacterial properties of the coatings were distinctly improved by the incorporation of Ag, but the cell proliferation and differentiation were significantly decreased. Owing to the incorporation of Sr, the Ag-CaP coatings were able to effectively counteract the negative effects of Ag while maintaining good antibacterial properties. In summary, hydrothermally deposited CaP coatings doped with Ag and Sr exhibit excellent biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity. Thus, such co-doped CaP coatings have considerable potential for orthopaedic implant modification. - Highlights: • Ag- and Sr-substituted HA coating is deposited on titanium by hydrothermal method. • This coating shows a remarkable antibacterial activity and good biocompatibility. • The coating process is simple and suitable for large-scale fabrication. • The possible mechanism of Sr{sup 2+} is proposed.

Analysis of silver particles incorporated on TiO2 coatings for the photodecomposition of o-cresol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuo, Y.-L.; Chen, H.-W.; Ku, Y.

2007-01-01

Silver-modified TiO 2 (Ag-TiO 2 ) and pure TiO 2 coatings were prepared on sapphire substrates by dip-coating process for the photodecomposition of o-cresol. In order to investigate the behaviors of silver incorporated on TiO 2 surface coatings, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectra (DRS), and photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra were performed. Experimental results indicate that the silver on TiO 2 surface coatings were easily oxidized into silver oxide (Ag 2 O), because of the existence of Ag 2 O crystal phase in XRD spectrum and Ag 2+ -O and O 1s -Ag chemical bonding states in Ag 3d and O 1s narrow scans of XPS, respectively. PL spectra showed that as increasing the amount of silver incorporated, the PL intensity of Ag-TiO 2 coatings evidently decrease, which means that the Ag-TiO 2 coatings have higher efficiencies of charge carrier trapping, immigration and transferring, and subsequently promote the photodecomposition rate constants after the UV/TiO 2 process. An optimal composition of 0.50 wt.% Ag-TiO 2 coating for the photodecomposition of o-cresol correspond to a maximum photodecomposition rate constant (k value) of 0.01 min -1 as compared to that of the pure TiO 2 coatings (k = 0.0062 min -1 )

Modification of Ag shell on upconversion populating paths of NaYF{sub 4}:Yb{sup 3+},Er{sup 3+}@Ag nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Jiao [Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021 (China); Liu, Haipeng [Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The First Hospital of JiLin University, Jilin Province 130021 (China); Wu, Di [Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021 (China); Dong, Biao, E-mail: dongb@jlu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory on Integrated Optoelectronics, College of Electronic Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Sun, Liankun [Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin Province 130021 (China)

2013-01-15

NaYF{sub 4}:Yb{sup 3+},Er{sup 3+}@Ag core-shell nanocomposites were prepared. Due to the outer shell of Ag, some modifications were found on the upconversion (UC) processes of NaYF{sub 4}:Yb{sup 3+},Er{sup 3+} core nanoparticles (NPs) caused by the co-interaction of surface effect, surface plasma absorption effect and local thermal effect under infrared radiation. Upon 980 nm excitation, the relative UC intensity of the green ({sup 2}H{sub 11/2}, {sup 4}S{sub 3/2}-{sup 4}I{sub 15/2}) to red ({sup 4}F{sub 9/2}-{sup 4}I{sub 15/2}) and the slope of power-dependence increased intensively, and three-photon population process for the green level appeared. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NaYF{sub 4}:Yb{sup 3+},Er{sup 3+}@Ag core/shell nanocomposites were fabricated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The coating of Ag outer shell leads to the increase of the green UCL. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Three-photon population process for the green level appeared after Ag coating.

Palladium-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction in DEFC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moraes, L.P.R. de; Elsheikh, A.; Silva, E. L. da; Radtke, C.; Amico, S.C.; Malfatti, C.F.

2014-01-01

Direct ethanol fuel cells require the use of electrocatalysts to promote bond cleavage of the ethanol molecule in an efficient way. Currently, most electrocatalysts contain platinum, which enables improved catalytic activity and stability in acidic media. However platinum presents high cost and low availability. Based on that, novel catalysts have been developed, such as those based on palladium and its alloys, which have attained excellent results in the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. In this work, Pd, PdSn and PdNiSn catalysts supported on Vulcan XC72R carbon were synthesized via impregnation/reduction. The electrocatalysts were characterized by RBS, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The X-ray diffraction results showed the formation of an alloy and not the deposition of isolated elements. The synthesized catalysts displayed good catalytic activity, as observed by cyclic voltammetry, being the best electrochemical performance achieved by the ternary alloy. (author)

Toxicological Effects of Caco-2 Cells Following Short-Term and Long-Term Exposure to Ag Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ni Chen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Extensive utilization increases the exposure of humans to Ag nanoparticles (NPs via the oral pathway. To comprehensively address the action of Ag NPs to the gastrointestinal systems in real situations, i.e., the long-term low-dose exposure, we evaluated and compared the toxicity of three Ag NPs (20–30 nm with different surface coatings to the human intestine cell Caco-2 after 1-day and 21-day exposures, using various biological assays. In both the short- and long-term exposures, the variety of surface coating predominated the toxicity of Ag NPs in a descending order of citrate-coated Ag NP (Ag-CIT, bare Ag NP (Ag-B, and poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone-coated Ag NP (Ag-PVP. The short-term exposure induced cell growth inhibition and death. The cell viability loss appeared after cells were exposed to 0.7 μg/mL Ag-CIT, 0.9 μg/mL Ag-B or >1.0 μg/mL Ag-PVP for 24 h. The short-term and higher-dose exposure also induced reactive oxygen species (ROS generation, mitochondrial damage, cell membrane leakage, apoptosis, and inflammation (IL-8 level. The long-term exposure only inhibited the cell proliferation. After 21-day exposure to 0.4 μg/mL Ag-CIT, the cell viability dropped to less than 50%, while cells exposed to 0.5 μg/mL Ag-PVP remained normal as the control. Generally, 0.3 μg/mL is the non-toxic dose for the long-term exposure of Caco-2 cells to Ag NPs in this study. However, cells presented inflammation after exposure to Ag NPs with the non-toxic dose in the long-term exposure.

Preparation of the CNC/Ag/beeswax composites for enhancing antibacterial and water resistance properties of paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kai; Liang, Hunan; Nasrallah, Joseph; Chen, Lihui; Huang, Liulian; Ni, Yonghao

2016-05-20

An effective method of preparing composites containing inorganic (Ag) and organic (beeswax) particles was established in this study. Ag nanoparticles were first immobilized on the cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) during the reduction of AgNO3 in the presence of CNC, then mixed with beeswax by high speed stirring. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images indicated that Ag and beeswax particles were uniformly dispersed and stable in the network structure formed by CNC. Upon coating on a paper surface, a layer of beeswax film was evident based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The dynamic contact angle and antibacterial activity tests indicated that the contact angle of coated paper reached 113.06° and the growth inhibition of Escherichia coli increased to 99.96%, respectively, at a coating amount of 21.53 g/m(2). When applied onto paper surface by coating, the CNC/Ag/beeswax composites can impact paper with antibacterial property and improved water resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen: Unraveling the Secret to Stable Carbon-Supported Pt-Alloy Electrocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-01

release; distribution is unlimited. Nitrogen: unraveling the secret to stable carbon-supported Pt- alloy electrocatalysts The views, opinions and/or...Nitrogen: unraveling the secret to stable carbon-supported Pt-alloy electrocatalysts Report Title Nitrogen functionalities significantly improve...design and optimization of next generation high performance catalyst materials. Nitrogen: unraveling the secret to stable carbon-supported Pt-alloy

PREPARATION OF TITANIA SOL-GEL COATINGS CONTAINING SILVER IN VARIOUS FORMS AND MEASURING OF THEIR BACTERICIDAL EFFECTS AGAINST E. COLI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana Horkavcova

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The work describes titania coatings containing various forms of silver applied on a titanium substrate by a dip-coating sol-gel technique. Silver was added into the basic titania sol in form of colloid particles of Ag, crystals of AgNO3, particles of AgI, particles of Ag3PO4 and Ag3PO4 developed in situ (in the sol by reaction of AgNO3 with added calcium phosphate (brushite or monetite. Mechanically and chemically treated titanium substrates were dipped at a constant rate into individual types of sols. Subsequently, they were slowly fired. The fired coatings contained microcracks. All over the surface there were evenly distributed spherical nanoparticles of silver (Ag, AgNO3 or microcrystals of AgI and Ag3PO4. The prepared coatings were tested under static conditions for their bactericidal effects against gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli. The coated substrates were immersed into a suspension of E. coli in physiological solution for 24 and 4 hours. The basic titania coatings with no silver demonstrated no bactericidal properties. Very good bactericidal effect against E. coli in both types of bactericidal test showed the titania coatings with AgNO3, Ag3PO4 crystals and Ag3PO4 developed in situ.

Electrochemical characteristics of silver- and nickel-coated synthetic graphite prepared by a gas suspension spray coating method for the anode of lithium secondary batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Won Chang; Byun, Dongjin; Lee, Joong Kee; Cho, Byung won

2004-01-01

Four kinds of synthetic graphite coated with silver and nickel for the anodes of lithium secondary batteries were prepared by a gas suspension spray coating method. The electrode coated with silver showed higher charge-discharge capacities due to a Ag-Li alloy, but rate capability decreased at higher charge-discharge rate. This result can be explained by the formation of an artificial Ag oxidation film with higher impedance, this lowered the rate capability at high charge-discharge rate due to its low electrical conductivity. Rate capability is improved, however, by coating nickel and silver together on the surface of synthetic graphite. The nickel which is inactive with oxidation reaction plays an important role as a conducting agent which enhanced the conductivity of the electrode

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piispanen, Minna, E-mail: minna.piispanen@abo.fi [Abo Akademi University, Process Chemistry Centre, Piispankatu 8, 20500 Turku (Finland); Hupa, Leena, E-mail: leena.hupa@abo.fi [Abo Akademi University, Process Chemistry Centre, Piispankatu 8, 20500 Turku (Finland)

2011-11-15

This work compares the self-cleaning properties of experimental TiO{sub 2} and TiO{sub 2}-Ag coatings on float glass with a commercial self-cleaning glass. In the experimental surfaces, TiO{sub 2} coating was applied to float glass via the sol-gel route, while TiO{sub 2}-Ag coating was applied by the liquid flame spray method, which deposits TiO{sub 2}-Ag composite nanoparticles on the surface. The effect of the coatings on the surface wettability and the activation time for achieving hydrophilicity was studied through water contact angle as a function of exposure time to UV light. The surface morphology was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal optical microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the coatings was examined with methylene blue and stearic acid degradation tests. Finally, the soil attachment to the surfaces was tested with a sebum-based model soil. The sol-gel TiO{sub 2} coating became superhydrophilic within a few hours, while the activation time needed for the commercial titania coated glass was several days. The surface with the TiO{sub 2}-Ag nanoparticles did not show any marked changes in the water contact angle. The commercial titania coated and the sol-gel TiO{sub 2} surfaces showed self-cleaning properties and clearly lower attachment of soil than the uncoated and TiO{sub 2}-Ag coated surfaces. The difference in the interaction of the surfaces with the organic contaminants was assumed to depend mainly on differences in the thickness of the coatings.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piispanen, Minna; Hupa, Leena

2011-01-01

This work compares the self-cleaning properties of experimental TiO 2 and TiO 2 -Ag coatings on float glass with a commercial self-cleaning glass. In the experimental surfaces, TiO 2 coating was applied to float glass via the sol-gel route, while TiO 2 -Ag coating was applied by the liquid flame spray method, which deposits TiO 2 -Ag composite nanoparticles on the surface. The effect of the coatings on the surface wettability and the activation time for achieving hydrophilicity was studied through water contact angle as a function of exposure time to UV light. The surface morphology was investigated by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal optical microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the coatings was examined with methylene blue and stearic acid degradation tests. Finally, the soil attachment to the surfaces was tested with a sebum-based model soil. The sol-gel TiO 2 coating became superhydrophilic within a few hours, while the activation time needed for the commercial titania coated glass was several days. The surface with the TiO 2 -Ag nanoparticles did not show any marked changes in the water contact angle. The commercial titania coated and the sol-gel TiO 2 surfaces showed self-cleaning properties and clearly lower attachment of soil than the uncoated and TiO 2 -Ag coated surfaces. The difference in the interaction of the surfaces with the organic contaminants was assumed to depend mainly on differences in the thickness of the coatings.

Acute and Subacute Toxicity In Vivo of Thermal-Sprayed Silver Containing Hydroxyapatite Coating in Rat Tibia

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukamoto, Masatsugu; Miyamoto, Hiroshi; Ando, Yoshiki; Eto, Shuichi; Akiyama, Takayuki; Yonekura, Yutaka; Mawatari, Masaaki

2014-01-01

To reduce the incidence of implant-associated infection, we previously developed a novel coating technology using hydroxyapatite (HA) containing silver (Ag). This study examined in vivo acute and subacute toxicity associated with the Ag-HA coating in rat tibiae. Ten-week-old rats received implantation of HA-, 2% Ag-HA-, or 50% Ag-HA-coated titanium rods. Concentrations of silver in serum, brain, liver, kidneys, and spleen were measured in the acute phase (2–4 days after treatment) and subacute phase (4–12 weeks after treatment). Biochemical and histological examinations of those organs were also performed. Mean serum silver concentration peaked in the acute phase and then gradually decreased. Mean silver concentrations in all examined organs from the 2% Ag-HA coating groups showed no significant differences compared with the HA coating group. No significant differences in mean levels of glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine, or blood urea nitrogen were seen between the three groups and controls. Histological examinations of all organs revealed no abnormal pathologic findings. No acute or subacute toxicity was seen in vivo for 2% Ag-HA coating or HA coating. Ag-HA coatings on implants may represent biologically safe antibacterial biomaterials and may be of value for reducing surgical-site infections related to implantation. PMID:24779019

Highly acid-durable carbon coated Co3O4 nanoarrays as efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalysts

KAUST Repository

Yang, Xiulin; Li, Henan; Lu, Ang-Yu; Min, Shixiong; Idriss, Zacharie; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Huang, Kuo-Wei; Idriss, Hicham; Li, Lain-Jong

2016-01-01

Most oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are not stable in corrosive acids. Even the expensive RuO2 or IrO2, the most acid-resistant oxides, can be dissolved at an oxidative potential. Herein, we realize that the failures of OER catalysts are mostly caused by the weak interface between catalysts and the substrates. Hence, the study of the interface structure between catalysts and substrates is critical. In this work, we observe that the cheap OER catalysts Co3O4 can be more durable than the state-of-the-art RuO2 if the interface quality is good enough. The Co3O4 nanosheets deposited on carbon paper (Co3O4/CP) is prepared by electroplating of Co-species and followed by a two-step calcination process. The 1st step occurs in vacuum in order to maintain the surface integrity of the carbon paper and converts Co-species to Co(II)O. The 2nd step is a calcination in ambient conditions which enables the complete transformation of Co(II)O to Co3O4 without degrading the mechanical strength of the Co3O4-CP interface. Equally important, an in situ formation of a layer of amorphous carbon on top of Co3O4 further enhances the OER catalyst stability. Therefore, these key advances make the Co3O4 catalyst highly active toward the OER in 0.5 M H2SO4 with a small overpotential (370 mV), to reach 10 mA/cm2. The observed long lifetime for 86.8 h at a constant current density of 100 mA/cm2, is among the best of the reported in literature so far, even longer than the state-of-art RuO2 on CP. Overall, our study provides a new insight and methodology for the construction of a high-performance and high stability OER electrocatalysts in corrosive acidic environments.

Highly acid-durable carbon coated Co3O4 nanoarrays as efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalysts

KAUST Repository

Yang, Xiulin

2016-04-21

Most oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts are not stable in corrosive acids. Even the expensive RuO2 or IrO2, the most acid-resistant oxides, can be dissolved at an oxidative potential. Herein, we realize that the failures of OER catalysts are mostly caused by the weak interface between catalysts and the substrates. Hence, the study of the interface structure between catalysts and substrates is critical. In this work, we observe that the cheap OER catalysts Co3O4 can be more durable than the state-of-the-art RuO2 if the interface quality is good enough. The Co3O4 nanosheets deposited on carbon paper (Co3O4/CP) is prepared by electroplating of Co-species and followed by a two-step calcination process. The 1st step occurs in vacuum in order to maintain the surface integrity of the carbon paper and converts Co-species to Co(II)O. The 2nd step is a calcination in ambient conditions which enables the complete transformation of Co(II)O to Co3O4 without degrading the mechanical strength of the Co3O4-CP interface. Equally important, an in situ formation of a layer of amorphous carbon on top of Co3O4 further enhances the OER catalyst stability. Therefore, these key advances make the Co3O4 catalyst highly active toward the OER in 0.5 M H2SO4 with a small overpotential (370 mV), to reach 10 mA/cm2. The observed long lifetime for 86.8 h at a constant current density of 100 mA/cm2, is among the best of the reported in literature so far, even longer than the state-of-art RuO2 on CP. Overall, our study provides a new insight and methodology for the construction of a high-performance and high stability OER electrocatalysts in corrosive acidic environments.

Laser fabrication of Ag-HA nanocomposites on Ti6Al4V implant for enhancing bioactivity and antibacterial capability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xiangmei; Man, H.C., E-mail: mfhcman@polyu.edu.hk

2017-01-01

For titanium alloy implants, both surface bioactivity and antibacterial infection are the two critical factors in determining the success of clinical implantation of these metallic implants. In the present work, a novel nanocomposite layer of nano-silver-containing hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA) was prepared on the surface of biomedical Ti6Al4V by laser processing. Analysis using SEM, EDS and XRD shows the formation of an Ag-HA layer of about 200 μm fusion bonded to the substrate. Mineralization tests in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed that laser fabricated Ag-HA nanocomposite layer favors the deposition of apatite on the surface of the implants. Antibacterial tests confirmed that all Ag-HA nanocomposite layers can kill bacteria while a higher Ag content would lower the cytocompatibility of these coatings. Cell viability decreases when the Ag content reaches 5% in these coatings, due to the larger amount of Ag leached out, as confirmed by ion release evaluation. Our results reveal that laser fabricated Ag-HA nanocomposite coatings containing 2% Ag show both excellent cytocompatibility and antibacterial capability. - Highlights: • Silver-containing hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA) nanocomposite layer was fabricated on Ti6Al4V by laser technique. • Both bioactivity and antibacterial capability were significantly enhanced compared with bare Ti6Al4V. • Ag-HA nanocomposite coatings containing 2% Ag show both excellent cytocompatibility and antibacterial capability.

Influence of thickness and coatings morphology in the antimicrobial performance of zinc oxide coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carvalho, P. [Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimaraes (Portugal); Sampaio, P. [CBMA, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4700 Braga (Portugal); Azevedo, S. [Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimaraes (Portugal); Vaz, C. [CBMA, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4700 Braga (Portugal); Espinós, J.P. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla, CSIC-University of Sevilla, Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Teixeira, V., E-mail: vasco@fisica.uminho.pt [Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimaraes (Portugal); Carneiro, J.O., E-mail: carneiro@fisica.uminho.pt [Department of Physics, University of Minho, Campus de Azurém, 4800-058 Guimaraes (Portugal)

2014-07-01

In this research work, the production of undoped and silver (Ag) doped zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films for food-packaging applications were developed. The main goal was to determine the influence of coatings morphology and thickness on the antimicrobial performance of the produced samples. The ZnO based thin films were deposited on PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) substrates by means of DC reactive magnetron sputtering. The thin films were characterized by optical spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The antimicrobial performance of the undoped and Ag-doped ZnO thin films was also evaluated. The results attained have shown that all the deposited zinc oxide and Ag-doped ZnO coatings present columnar morphology with V-shaped columns. The increase of ZnO coatings thickness until 200 nm increases the active surface area of the columns. The thinner samples (50 and 100 nm) present a less pronounced antibacterial activity than the thickest ones (200–600 nm). Regarding Ag-doped ZnO thin films, it was verified that increasing the silver content decreases the growth rate of Escherichia coli and decreases the amount of bacteria cells present at the end of the experiment.

Synthesis and characterization of PdAg as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in acid medium; Sintesis y caracterizacion de PdAg como catalizador para la reaccion de reduccion de oxigeno en medio acido

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez-Casillas, D. C.; Vazquez-Huerta, G.; Solorza-Feria, O. [Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)]. E-mail: dcmartinez@cinvestav.mx

2009-09-15

This work presents the synthesis of the binary compound PdAg and the electrochemical characterization for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acid medium. The catalyst is obtained from the reduction of Pd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}·2H{sub 2}O and AgNO{sub 3} with NaBH{sub 4} in THF. The synthesized compound was physically characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), sweep electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) of powder. Electrochemical studies were conducted to determine the catalytic activity and intrinsic properties of the PdAg material for the ORR in acid medium using cyclic voltamperometry (CV), rotary disc electrode (RDE) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a solution of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} 0.5 M at 25 degrees Celsius. The electrochemical current-potential responses were compared to those of palladium and platinum. The kinetic results showed an increase in the performance of the bimetallic electrocatalyst containing Ag as compared to pure Pd, but less than that obtained with nanometric Pt. The Tafel slopes obtained are roughly120 mV dec-1, similar to that reported for Pt and Pd and for other Ru-based electrocatalysts. [Spanish] En este trabajo se presentan la sintesis del compuesto binario PdAg y su caracterizacion electroquimica para la reaccion de reduccion de oxigeno (RRO) en medio acido. El catalizador se obtuvo a partir de la reduccion de Pd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}·2H{sub 2}O y AgNO{sub 3} con NaBH{sub 4} en THF. El compuesto sintetizado se caracterizo fisicamente por microscopia electronica de transmision (MET), microscopia electronica de barrido (MEB) y difraccion de rayos X (DRX) de polvos. Se realizaron estudios electroquimicos para determinar la actividad catalitica y las propiedades intrinsecas del material de PdAg para la reaccion de reduccion de oxigeno (RRO) en medio acido, utilizando las tecnicas de voltamperometria ciclica (VC), electrodo disco rotatorio (EDR) y espectroscopia de impedancia electroquimica (EIE), en

Study on synthesis of ultrafine Cu–Ag core–shell powders with high electrical conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Yuhsien; Yang Chihhao; Chen Kuanting; Popuri, Srinivasa R.; Lee, Ching-Hwa; Tang, Bo-Shin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► This synthesis method is relatively facile, novel and eco-friendly. ► Toxic agents were not used for chelating agent, reductant or dispersant in our method. ► The reaction can under room temperature for energy saving purpose. ► Cu–Ag core–shell powders with homogeneous cover-silver layer. ► The resistivity of Cu–Ag core–shell powders has the same value as the pure silver. - Abstract: Cu–Ag composite powders with high electrical conductivity were synthesized by electroless plating of silver sulfate, copper powders with eco-friendly sodium citrate as reducing agent, dispersant and chelating agent in an aqueous system. The influences of sodium citrate/Ag ratio on Ag coatings of Cu powders were investigated. Ag was formed a dense coating on the surface of Cu powders at a molar ratio of sodium citrate/Ag = 0.07/1. SEM showed an uniformity of Ag coatings on Cu powders. SEM-EDX also revealed that Cu cores were covered by Ag shells on the whole. The surface composition analysis by XPS indicated that without Cu or Ag atoms in the surface were oxidized. The resistivity measurements of Cu–Ag paste shows that they have closer resistivity as the pure silver paste's after 250 °C for 30 min heat-treatment (2.55 × 10 −4 Ω cm) and 350 °C for 30 min heat-treatment (1.425 × 10 −4 Ω cm).

Suppressing propylene carbonate decomposition by coating graphite electrode foil with silver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, J.; Zhang, H.P.; Fu, L.J.; Zhang, T.; Wu, Y.P.; Takamura, T.; Wu, H.Q.; Holze, R.

2007-01-01

A method has been developed to suppress the decomposition of propylene carbonate (PC) by coating graphite electrode foil with a layer of silver. Results from electrochemical impedance measurements show that the Ag-coated graphite electrode presents lower charge transfer resistance and faster diffusion of lithium ions in comparison with the virginal one. Cyclic voltammograms and discharge-charge measurements suggest that the decomposition of propylene carbonate and co-intercalation of solvated lithium ions are prevented, and lithium ions can reversibly intercalate into and deintercalate from the Ag-coated graphite electrode. These results indicate that Ag-coating is a good way to improve the electrochemical performance of graphitic carbon in PC-based electrolyte solutions

Electrocatalysts with platinum, cobalt and nickel preparations by mechanical alloyed and CVD for the reaction of oxygen reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia C, M. A.

2008-01-01

In this research, the molecular oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated on electrocatalysts of Co, Ni, Pt and their alloys CoNi, PtCo, PtNi and PtCoNi by using H 2 SO 4 0.5 and KOH 0.5 M solutions as electrolytes. The electrocatalysts were synthesized by Mechanical Alloying (MA) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) processes. For MA, metallic powders were processed during 20 h of milling in a high energy SPEX 8000 mill. For CVD, a hot-wall reactor was utilized and Co, Ni and Pt acetilactetonates were used as precursors. Films were deposited at a total pressure of 1 torr and temperatures of 400-450 C. Electrocatalysts were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Electrocatalysts prepared by mechanical alloying showed a homogeneously dispersed agglomeration of particles with nano metric size. Electrocatalysts obtained by CVD showed, in some cases, non uniform films, with particles of nano metric size, as well. The electrocatalytic performance was evaluated by using the Rotating Disk Electrode technique (RDE). Electrocatalysts prepared by MA showed higher activity than those obtained by CVD. All electrocatalysts were evaluated in alkaline media. Only electrocatalysts containing Pt were evaluated in acid media, because those materials with Co, Ni and their alloys showed instability in acidic media. Most electrocatalysts followed a mechanism for the ORR producing a certain proportion of H 2 O 2 . All electrocatalysts, exhibited a fair or good electrocatalytic activity in comparison with other similar reported materials. It was found that MA and CVD are appropriate processes to prepare electrocatalysts for the ORR with particles of nano metric size and performing with an acceptable catalytic activity. PtCoNi 70-23-7% by MA and PtCoNi-CVD electrocatalysts showed the highest activity in alkaline media, while in acidic electrolyte PtCoNi 70

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Heng-Li; Chang, Yin-Yu; Chen, Hung-Jui; Chou, Yu-Kai; Lai, Chih-Ho; Chen, Michael Y. C.

2014-01-01

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

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Heng-Li [School of Dentistry, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan (China); Chang, Yin-Yu, E-mail: yinyu@mail2000.com.tw; Chen, Hung-Jui; Chou, Yu-Kai [Department of Mechanical and Computer-Aided Engineering, National Formosa University, Yunlin 632, Taiwan (China); Lai, Chih-Ho [School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan (China); Chen, Michael Y. C. [Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan (China)

2014-03-15

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

Preparation of the antithrombotic and antimicrobial coating through layer-by-layer self-assembly of nattokinase-nanosilver complex and polyethylenimine.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Xuetuan; Luo, Mingfang; Liu, Huizhou

2014-04-01

The bifunctional coating with antithrombotic and antimicrobial activity was developed using nattokinase (NK) and nanosilver (AgNPs). Firstly, the adsorption interactions between NK and AgNPs were confirmed, and the composite particles of NK-AgNPs were prepared by adsorption of NK with AgNPs. At 5FU/mL of NK concentration, the saturation adsorption capacity reached 24.35 FU/mg AgNPs with a high activity recovery of 97%, and adsorption by AgNPs also enhanced the heat stability and anticoagulant effect of NK. Based on the electrostatic force driven layer-by-layer self-assembly, the NK-AgNPs were further assembled with polyethylenimine (PEI) to form coating. UV-vis analysis showed that the self-assembly process was regular, and atom force microscopy analysis indicated that NK-AgNPs were uniformly embedded into the coating. The NK-AgNPs-PEI composite coating showed potent antithrombotic activity and antibacterial activity. This study developed a novel strategy to construct the bifunctional coating with antithrombotic and antimicrobial properties, and the coating material showed promising potential to be applied in the medical device. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of electrocatalysts based on palladium for electro-oxidation of alcohols in alkaline medium; Preparacao e caracterizacao de eletrocatalisadores a base de paladio para oxidacao eletroquimica de alcoois em meio alcalino

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandalise, Michele

2012-07-01

In this study Pd/C, Au/C, PdAu/C, PdAuPt/C, PdAuBi/C and PdAuIr/C electrocatalysts were prepared by the sodium borohydride reduction method for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol. This methodology consists in mix an alkaline solution of sodium borohydride to a mixture containing water/isopropyl alcohol, metallic precursors and the Vulcan XC 72 carbon support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cyclic voltammetry. The electrochemical oxidation of the alcohols was studied by chronoamperometry using a thin porous coating technique. The mechanism of ethanol electro-oxidation was studied by Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) in situ. The most effective electrocatalysts were tested in alkaline single cells directly fed with methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol. Preliminary studies showed that the most suitable atomic composition for preparing the ternary catalysts is 50:45:05. Electrochemical data in alkaline medium show that the electrocatalysts PdAuPt/C (50:45:05) showed the better activity for methanol electro oxidation, while PdAuIr/C was the most active for ethanol oxidation and PdAuBi/C (50:45:05) was the most effective for ethylene glycol oxidation in alkaline medium. These results show that the addition of gold in the composition of electrocatalysts increases their catalytic activities. The spectroelectrochemical FTIR in situ data permitted to conclude that C-C bond is not broken and the acetate is formed. (author)

A transparent conductive oxide electrode with highly enhanced flexibility achieved by controlled crystallinity by incorporating Ag nanoparticles on substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Triambulo, Ross E.; Cheong, Hahn-Gil [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Gun-Hwan [Advanced Thin Film Research Group, Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), Changwon (Korea, Republic of); Yi, In-Sook [R and D Center, InkTec Co., Ltd., Ansan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin-Woo, E-mail: jwpark09@yonsei.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-01-25

Highlights: • We developed a composite transparent electrode with Ag nanoparticles and indium-tin-oxide. • Transmittance of AgNPs was improved by formation of oxide layers by O{sub 2} plasma treatment. • Ag nanoparticles became crystalline seeds to grow strong ITO with a uniform growth orientation. • The hybrid electrode is highly more conductive and stable under bending than ITO. - Abstract: We report the synthesis of highly flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) on a polymer substrate whose surface was engineered by oxide-coated Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) smaller than 20 nm in diameter. Polyimide (PI) substrates were spin coated with Ag ion ink and were subsequently heat treated to form AgNP coatings. The Ag oxide was formed by O{sub 2} plasma treatment to reduce the light absorbance by AgNPs. ITO was dc magnetron sputter-deposited atop the AgNPs. The ITO on the AgNPs was crystalline grown primarily with (2 2 2) growth orientation. This contrasts to the typical microstructure of ITO grown on the polymer, which is that growing c-ITO nucleates are embedded in an amorphous ITO (a-ITO) matrix like a particulate composite. The surface roughness of ITO on AgNPs was as small as the ITO on PI without AgNPs. The crystalline nature of the ITO on the AgNP-coated polymer resulted in the decrease of electric resistivity (ρ) by 65% compared to that of ITO on the bare PI. Furthermore, an electric resistivity change (Δρ) of the ITO on the AgNPs was only 8% at a bending radius (r{sub b}) down to 4 mm, whereas the ITO on the non-coated polymer became almost insulating at an r{sub b} of 10 mm, owing to a drastic increase in the number of cracks. To validate the potential application in the displays, flexible organic light emitting diodes (f-OLEDs) were fabricated on the ITO on AgNPs and the performances was compared with the f-OLED on ITO on the bare PI.

A transparent conductive oxide electrode with highly enhanced flexibility achieved by controlled crystallinity by incorporating Ag nanoparticles on substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Triambulo, Ross E.; Cheong, Hahn-Gil; Lee, Gun-Hwan; Yi, In-Sook; Park, Jin-Woo

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We developed a composite transparent electrode with Ag nanoparticles and indium-tin-oxide. • Transmittance of AgNPs was improved by formation of oxide layers by O 2 plasma treatment. • Ag nanoparticles became crystalline seeds to grow strong ITO with a uniform growth orientation. • The hybrid electrode is highly more conductive and stable under bending than ITO. - Abstract: We report the synthesis of highly flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) on a polymer substrate whose surface was engineered by oxide-coated Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) smaller than 20 nm in diameter. Polyimide (PI) substrates were spin coated with Ag ion ink and were subsequently heat treated to form AgNP coatings. The Ag oxide was formed by O 2 plasma treatment to reduce the light absorbance by AgNPs. ITO was dc magnetron sputter-deposited atop the AgNPs. The ITO on the AgNPs was crystalline grown primarily with (2 2 2) growth orientation. This contrasts to the typical microstructure of ITO grown on the polymer, which is that growing c-ITO nucleates are embedded in an amorphous ITO (a-ITO) matrix like a particulate composite. The surface roughness of ITO on AgNPs was as small as the ITO on PI without AgNPs. The crystalline nature of the ITO on the AgNP-coated polymer resulted in the decrease of electric resistivity (ρ) by 65% compared to that of ITO on the bare PI. Furthermore, an electric resistivity change (Δρ) of the ITO on the AgNPs was only 8% at a bending radius (r b ) down to 4 mm, whereas the ITO on the non-coated polymer became almost insulating at an r b of 10 mm, owing to a drastic increase in the number of cracks. To validate the potential application in the displays, flexible organic light emitting diodes (f-OLEDs) were fabricated on the ITO on AgNPs and the performances was compared with the f-OLED on ITO on the bare PI

Mechanically stable antimicrobial chitosan-PVA-silver nanocomposite coatings deposited on titanium implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Sandeep K; Ferreira, J M F; Kannan, S

2015-05-05

Bionanocomposite coatings with antimicrobial activity comprising polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-capped silver nanoparticles embedded in chitosan (CS) matrix were developed by a green soft chemistry synthesis route. Colloidal sols of PVA-capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized by microwave irradiating an aqueous solution comprising silver nitrate and PVA. The bionanocomposites were prepared by adding an aqueous solution of chitosan to the synthesized PVA-capped AgNPs sols in appropriate ratios. Uniform bionanocomposite coatings with different contents of PVA-capped AgNPs were deposited onto titanium substrates by "spread casting" followed by solvent evaporation. Nanoindentation and antimicrobial activity tests performed on CS and bionanocomposites revealed that the incorporation of PVA-capped AgNPs enhanced the overall functional properties of the coatings, namely their mechanical stability and bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The coated specimens maintained their antimicrobial activity for 8h due to the slow sustained release of silver ions. The overall benefits for the relevant functional properties of the coatings were shown increase with increasing contents of PVA-capped AgNPs in the bionanocomposites. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nano-galvanic coupling for enhanced Ag+ release in ZrCN-Ag films : Antibacterial application

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calderon, S.; Ferreri, I.; Henriques, M.; De Hosson, J. T. M.; Cavaleiro, A.; Carvalho, S.

2016-01-01

The antibacterial properties of materials developed for medical devices with embedded silver nanoparticles are enhanced by controlling the release of silver ions. In this study, a simple experimental procedure for the augmentation of the silver ion release from ZrCN-Ag coatings is described. The

Electroless silver coating of rod-like glass particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Jee Hyun; Kim, Kyung Hwan; Choi, Hyung Wook; Lee, Sang Wha; Park, Sang Joon

2008-09-01

An electroless silver coating of rod-like glass particles was performed and silver glass composite powders were prepared to impart electrical conductivity to these non-conducting glass particles. The low density Ag-coated glass particles may be utilized for manufacturing conducting inorganic materials for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications and the techniques for controlling the uniform thickness of silver coating can be employed in preparation of biosensor materials. For the surface pretreatment, Sn sensitization was performed and the coating powders were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused ion beam microscopy (FIB), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) along with the surface resistant measurements. In particular, the use of FIB technique for determining directly the Ag-coating thickness was very effective on obtaining the optimum conditions for coating. The surface sensitization and initial silver loading for electroless silver coating could be found and the uniform and smooth silver-coated layer with thickness of 46 nm was prepared at 2 mol/l of Sn and 20% silver loading.

Silver oxide-containing hydroxyapatite coating supports osteoblast function and enhances implant anchorage strength in rat femur.

Science.gov (United States)

Eto, Shuichi; Miyamoto, Hiroshi; Shobuike, Takeo; Noda, Iwao; Akiyama, Takayuki; Tsukamoto, Masatsugu; Ueno, Masaya; Someya, Shinsuke; Kawano, Shunsuke; Sonohata, Motoki; Mawatari, Masaaki

2015-09-01

Antibacterial silver with hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA) is a promising coating material for imparting antibacterial properties to implants. We previously reported that 3% (w/w) silver with HA (3% Ag-HA) has both antibacterial activity and osteoconductivity. In this study, we investigated the effects of Ag-HA on the in vitro osteoblast function and the in vivo anchorage strength and osteoconductivity of implants. Production of the osteoblast marker alkaline phosphatase, but not cytotoxicity, was observed in cells of the osteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 cultured on the 3% Ag-HA-coated surface. These results were similar to those observed with silver-free HA coating. In contrast, a significant high level of cytotoxicity was observed when the cells were cultured on a 50% Ag-HA-coated surface. The anchorage strength of implants inserted into the femur of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats was enhanced by coating the implants with 3% Ag-HA. On the 3% Ag-HA-coated surface, both metaphyseal and diaphyseal areas were largely covered with new bone and had adequate osteoconductivity. These results suggest that 3% Ag-HA, like conventional HA, promotes osteogenesis by supporting osteoblast viability and function and thereby contributes to sufficient anchorage strength of implants. Application of 3% Ag-HA, which combines the osteoconductivity of HA and the antibacterial activity of silver, to prosthetic joints will help prevent postoperative infections. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Initial study of sediment antagonism and characteristics of silver nanoparticle-coated biliary stents in an experimental animal model.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Yigeng; Xia, Mingfeng; Zhang, Shuai; Fu, Zhen; Wen, Qingbin; Liu, Feng; Xu, Zongzhen; Li, Tao; Tian, Hu

2016-01-01

Plastic biliary stents used to relieve obstructive jaundice are frequently blocked by sediment, resulting in loss of drainage. We prepared stents coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and compared their ability to resist sedimentation with Teflon stents in a beagle model of obstructive jaundice. AgNP-coated Teflon biliary stents were prepared by chemical oxidation-reduction and evaluated in an obstructive jaundice model that was produced by ligation of common bile duct (CBD); animals were randomized to two equal groups for placement of AgNP-coated or Teflon control stents. Liver function and inflammatory index were found to be similar in the two groups, and the obstruction was relieved. Stents were removed 21 days after insertion and observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The AgNP coating was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA), and the composition of sediment was assayed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Electron microscopy revealed a black, closely adherent AgNP stent coating, with thicknesses of 1.5-6 µm. Sediment thickness and density were greater on Teflon than on AgNP-coated stents. EDXA confirmed the stability and integrity of the AgNP coating before and after in vivo animal experimentation. FTIR spectroscopy identified stent sediment components including bilirubin, cholesterol, bile acid, protein, calcium, and other substances. AgNP-coated biliary stents resisted sediment accumulation in this canine model of obstructive jaundice caused by ligation of the CBD.

Tribological properties of adaptive phosphate composite coatings with addition of silver and molybdenum disulfide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Cancan [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Chen, Lei, E-mail: chenlei@lzb.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou (China); Zhou, Jiansong, E-mail: jszhou@licp.cas.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou (China); Zhou, Huidi; Chen, Jianmin [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou (China)

2014-05-01

Highlights: • A new kind of adaptive coatings was fabricated using relatively simple spraying techniques. • The tribological properties of Ag/MoS{sub 2} phosphate composite coatings were investigated at the temperature from 20 °C to 700 °C. • The composition and wear mechanisms of Ag/MoS{sub 2} phosphate composite coatings were also discussed. • The Ag/MoS{sub 2} phosphate composite coatings have self-repairing capability in the rubbing process at 700 °C. - Abstract: Adaptive phosphate composite coatings with addition of solid lubricants of molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) and silver (Ag) using aluminum chromium phosphate as the binder were fabricated on high-temperature steel. The tribological properties of phosphate composite coatings were evaluated from room temperature (RT) to 700 °C. The phase composition and microstructure were investigated according to the characterization by power X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the composite coating with the Ag/MoS{sub 2} mass ratio of 2:1 exhibits the stable and low friction coefficients from RT to 700 °C and relative low wear rates at all testing temperatures. The tribo-chemical reaction between Ag and MoS{sub 2} occurred in the rubbing process to form silver molybdates compounds lubricating film. The temperature-adaptive tribological properties were attributed to the formation of lubricating films composed of lubricants silver, MoS{sub 2} and silver molybdates phases on the worn surfaces of the composites coatings in a wide-temperature range.

High performance platinum single atom electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jing; Jiao, Menggai; Lu, Lanlu; Barkholtz, Heather M.; Li, Yuping; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Luhua; Wu, Zhijian; Liu, Di-Jia; Zhuang, Lin; Ma, Chao; Zeng, Jie; Zhang, Bingsen; Su, Dangsheng; Song, Ping; Xing, Wei; Xu, Weilin; Wang, Ying; Jiang, Zheng; Sun, Gongquan

2017-07-01

For the large-scale sustainable implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in vehicles, high-performance electrocatalysts with low platinum consumption are desirable for use as cathode material during the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Here we report a carbon black-supported cost-effective, efficient and durable platinum single-atom electrocatalyst with carbon monoxide/methanol tolerance for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. The acidic single-cell with such a catalyst as cathode delivers high performance, with power density up to 680 mW cm-2 at 80 °C with a low platinum loading of 0.09 mgPt cm-2, corresponding to a platinum utilization of 0.13 gPt kW-1 in the fuel cell. Good fuel cell durability is also observed. Theoretical calculations reveal that the main effective sites on such platinum single-atom electrocatalysts are single-pyridinic-nitrogen-atom-anchored single-platinum-atom centres, which are tolerant to carbon monoxide/methanol, but highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction.

Nanostructured carbon-supported Pd electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation: synthesis and characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Gacutan, E. M.; Climaco, M. I.; Telan, G. J.; Malijan, F.; Hsu, H. Y.; Garcia, J.; Fulo, H.; Tongol, B. J.

2012-12-01

The need to lower the construction cost of fuel cells calls for the development of non-Pt based electrocatalysts. Among others, Pd has emerged as a promising alternative to Pt for fuel cell catalysis. This research aims to investigate the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured Pd-based catalysts dispersed on carbon support as anode materials in direct ethanol fuel cells. For the preparation of the first Pd-based electrocatalyst, palladium nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via oleylamine (OAm)-mediated synthesis and precursor method with a mean particle size of 3.63 ± 0.59 nm as revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Carbon black was used as a supporting matrix for the OAm-capped Pd NPs. Thermal annealing and acetic acid washing were used to remove the OAm capping agent. To evaluate the electrocatalytic activity of the prepared electrocatalyst towards ethanol oxidation, cyclic voltammetry (CV) studies were performed using 1.0 M ethanol in basic medium. The CV data revealed the highest peak current density of 11.05 mA cm-2 for the acetic acid-washed Pd/C electrocatalyst. Meanwhile, the fabrication of the second Pd-based electrocatalyst was done by functionalization of the carbon black support using 3:1 (v/v) H2SO4:HNO3. The metal oxide, NiO, was deposited using precipitation method while polyol method was used for the deposition of Pd NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the estimated particle size of the synthesized catalysts was at around 9.0-15.0 nm. CV results demonstrated a 36.7% increase in the catalytic activity of Pd-NiO/C (functionalized) catalyst towards ethanol oxidation compared to the non-functionalized catalyst.

Ag Transport Through Non-Irradiated and Irradiated SiC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szlufarska, Izabela [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Morgan, Dane [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Blanchard, James [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2016-01-11

Silicon carbide is the main barrier to diffusion of fission products in the current design of TRistuctural ISOtropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles, and Ag is one of the few fission products that have been shown to escape through this barrier. Because the SiC coating in TRISO is exposed to radiation throughout the lifetime of the fuel, understanding of how radiation changes the transport of the fission products is essential for the safety of the reactor. The goals of this project are: (i) to determine whether observed variation in integral release measurements of Ag through SiC can be explained by differences in grain size and grain boundary (GB) types among the samples; (2) to identify the effects of irradiation on diffusion of Ag through SiC; (3) to discover phenomena responsible for significant solubility of Ag in polycrystalline SiC. To address these goals, we combined experimental analysis of SiC diffusion couples with modeling studies of diffusion mechanisms through bulk and GBs of this material. Comparison between results obtained for pristine and irradiated samples brings in insights into the effects of radiation on Ag transport.

Ag Transport Through Non-Irradiated and Irradiated SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szlufarska, Izabela; Morgan, Dane; Blanchard, James

2016-01-01

Silicon carbide is the main barrier to diffusion of fission products in the current design of TRistuctural ISOtropic (TRISO) coated fuel particles, and Ag is one of the few fission products that have been shown to escape through this barrier. Because the SiC coating in TRISO is exposed to radiation throughout the lifetime of the fuel, understanding of how radiation changes the transport of the fission products is essential for the safety of the reactor. The goals of this project are: (i) to determine whether observed variation in integral release measurements of Ag through SiC can be explained by differences in grain size and grain boundary (GB) types among the samples; (2) to identify the effects of irradiation on diffusion of Ag through SiC; (3) to discover phenomena responsible for significant solubility of Ag in polycrystalline SiC. To address these goals, we combined experimental analysis of SiC diffusion couples with modeling studies of diffusion mechanisms through bulk and GBs of this material. Comparison between results obtained for pristine and irradiated samples brings in insights into the effects of radiation on Ag transport.

Toward highly stable electrocatalysts via nanoparticle pore confinement.

Science.gov (United States)

Galeano, Carolina; Meier, Josef C; Peinecke, Volker; Bongard, Hans; Katsounaros, Ioannis; Topalov, Angel A; Lu, Anhui; Mayrhofer, Karl J J; Schüth, Ferdi

2012-12-19

The durability of electrode materials is a limiting parameter for many electrochemical energy conversion systems. In particular, electrocatalysts for the essential oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) present some of the most challenging instability issues shortening their practical lifetime. Here, we report a mesostructured graphitic carbon support, Hollow Graphitic Spheres (HGS) with a specific surface area exceeding 1000 m(2) g(-1) and precisely controlled pore structure, that was specifically developed to overcome the long-term catalyst degradation, while still sustaining high activity. The synthetic pathway leads to platinum nanoparticles of approximately 3 to 4 nm size encapsulated in the HGS pore structure that are stable at 850 °C and, more importantly, during simulated accelerated electrochemical aging. Moreover, the high stability of the cathode electrocatalyst is also retained in a fully assembled polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Identical location scanning and scanning transmission electron microscopy (IL-SEM and IL-STEM) conclusively proved that during electrochemical cycling the encapsulation significantly suppresses detachment and agglomeration of Pt nanoparticles, two of the major degradation mechanisms in fuel cell catalysts of this particle size. Thus, beyond providing an improved electrocatalyst, this study describes the blueprint for targeted improvement of fuel cell catalysts by design of the carbon support.

Silver-Containing Hydroxyapatite Coating Reduces Biofilm Formation by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus In Vitro and In Vivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masaya Ueno

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Biofilm-producing bacteria are the principal causes of infections associated with orthopaedic implants. We previously reported that silver-containing hydroxyapatite (Ag-HA coatings exhibit high antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of Ag-HA coating of implant surfaces on biofilm formation. Titanium disks (14-mm diameter, 1-mm thickness, one surface of which was coated with HA or 0.5%–3.0% Ag-HA with a thermal spraying technique, were used. In vitro, the disks were inoculated with an MRSA suspension containing 4×105 CFU and incubated for 1-2 weeks. In vivo, MRSA-inoculated HA and 3% Ag-HA disks (8.8–10.0 × 108 CFU were implanted subcutaneously on the back of rats for 1–7 days. All disks were subsequently stained with a biofilm dye and observed under a fluorescence microscope, and biofilm coverage rates (BCRs were calculated. The BCRs on the Ag-HA coating were significantly lower than those on the HA coating at all time points in vitro (p<0.05. Similar results were observed in vivo (p<0.001 without argyria. Ag-HA coating reduced biofilm formation by MRSA in vitro and in vivo; therefore, Ag-HA coating might be effective for reducing implant-associated infections.

Highly dispersed TaOx nanoparticles prepared by electrodeposition as oxygen reduction electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Seo, Jeongsuk

2013-06-06

Based on the chemical stability of group IV and V elements in acidic solutions, TaOx nanoparticles prepared by electrodeposition in an ethanol-based Ta plating bath at room temperature were investigated as novel nonplatinum electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). Electrodeposition conditions of Ta complexes and subsequent various heat treatments for the deposited TaOx were examined for the best performance of the ORR. TaOx particles on carbon black (CB), electrodeposited at a constant potential of -0.5 V Ag/AgCl for 10 s and then heat-treated by pure H2 flow at 523 K for 1 h, showed excellent catalytic activity with an onset potential of 0.93 VRHE (for 2 μA cm-2) for the ORR. Surface characterizations of the catalysts were performed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The loading amounts of the electrodeposited material on the CB were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). All the physical results suggested that high dispersion of TaOx particles on the CB surface with 2-3 nm size was critical and key for high activity. The chemical identity and modified surface structure for the deposited TaOx catalysts before and after H 2 heat treatment were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The formation of more exposed active sites on the electrode surface and enhanced electroconductivity of the tantalum oxide promoted from the H 2 treatment greatly improved the ORR performance of the electrodeposited TaOx nanoparticles on CB. Finally, the highly retained ORR activity after an accelerated durability test in an acidic solution confirmed and proved the chemical stability of the oxide nanoparticles. The high utilization of the electrodeposited TaOx nanoparticles uniformly dispersed on CB for the ORR was comparable to that of commercial Pt/CB catalysts

Antibacterial effect of novel synthesized sulfated β-cyclodextrin crosslinked cotton fabric and its improved antibacterial activities with ZnO, TiO2 and Ag nanoparticles coating.

Science.gov (United States)

Selvam, S; Rajiv Gandhi, R; Suresh, J; Gowri, S; Ravikumar, S; Sundrarajan, M

2012-09-15

Sulfated β-cyclodextrin was synthesized from sulfonation of β-cyclodextrin and sulfated polymer was crosslinked with cotton fabric using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as crosslinker. ZnO, TiO(2) and Ag nanoparticles were prepared and characterized by XRD, UV, DLS, SEM and PSA. The prepared nanoparticles were coated on crosslinked cotton fabric. The crosslinking and nanoparticles coating effects of cotton fabrics were studied by FTIR and SEM analysis. The antibacterial test was done against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative Escherichia coli bacterium. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation method of Ni@Pt/C nanocatalyst affects the performance of direct borohydride-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell: Improved power density and increased catalytic oxidation of borohydride.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Mir Ghasem; Mahmoodi, Raana

2017-08-15

The Ni@Pt/C electrocatalysts were synthesized using two different methods: with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and without SDS. The metal loading in synthesized nanocatalysts was 20wt% and the molar ratio of Ni: Pt was 1:1. The structural characterizations of Ni@Pt/C electrocatalysts were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The electrocatalytic activity of Ni@Pt/C electrocatalysts toward BH 4 - oxidation in alkaline medium was studied by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronopotentiometry (CP), chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed that Ni@Pt/C electrocatalyst synthesized without SDS has superior catalytic activity toward borohydride oxidation (22016.92Ag Pt -1 ) in comparison with a catalyst prepared in the presence of SDS (17766.15Ag Pt -1 ) in NaBH 4 0.1M at 25°C. The Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) used in fuel cell set-up was fabricated with catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) technique. The effect of Ni@Pt/C catalysts prepared with two methods as anode catalyst on the performance of direct borohydride-hydrogen peroxide fuel cell was studied. The maximum power density was obtained using Ni@Pt/C catalyst synthesized without SDS at 60°C, 1M NaBH 4 and 2M H 2 O 2 (133.38mWcm -2 ). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pt-Ru nanoparticles supported on functionalized carbon as electrocatalysts for the methanol oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salgado, J.R.C.; Fernandes, J.C.S.; Botelho do Rego, A.M.; Ferraria, A.M.; Duarte, R.G.; Ferreira, M.G.S.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The functionalized carbon using acid solutions contains surface oxygenated groups. → Uniform dispersion of PtRu nanoparticles on the carbon surface was achieved. → Physical analysis showed the formation of PtRu alloy catalysts on functionalized carbon. → PtRu alloy catalysts on functionalized carbon enhanced the methanol oxidation rate. - Abstract: Platinum-ruthenium alloy electrocatalysts, for methanol oxidation reaction, were prepared on carbons thermally treated in helium atmosphere or chemically functionalized in H 2 O 2 , or in HNO 3 + H 2 SO 4 or in HNO 3 solutions. The functionalized carbon that is produced using acid solutions contains more surface oxygenated functional groups than carbon treated with H 2 O 2 solution or HeTT. The XRD/HR-TEM analysis have showed the existence of a higher alloying degree for Pt-Ru electrocatalysts supported on functionalized carbon, which present superior electrocatalytic performance, assessed by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, as compared to electrocatalysts on unfunctionalized carbon. It also was found that Pt-Ru alloy electrocatalysts on functionalized carbon improve the reaction rate compared to Pt-Ru on carbons treated with H 2 O 2 solution and thermally. A mechanism is discussed, where oxygenated groups generated from acid functionalization of carbon and adsorbed on Pt-Ru electrocatalysts are considered to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of the methanol oxidation reaction.

ETEM Studies of Electrodes and Electro-catalysts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jooss, Christian; Mildner, Stephanie; Beleggia, Marco

2016-01-01

Environmental TEM is an excellent tool for gaining insight into the atomic and electronic structure of electro-catalysts under operating conditions. Several electrochemical reactions such as oxidation/reduction processes of electrodes, heterogeneous gas phase catalysis of water splitting...

Investigation of effect of Ag(1), Cd(2) and Zn(2) on chemical nickel plating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lunyatskas, A.M.; Tarozajte, R.K.; Gyanutene, I.K.; Lyaukonis, Yu.Yu.

1978-01-01

Investigated is the effect of Ag(1), Cd(2) and Zn(2) on chemical nickel plating using hypophosphite aimed to get corresponding alloys from alkali solutions. The H 2 formed volume and potential of coating have been measured while nickel plating. It is possible to have plating of Ni-P-Ag, Ni-P-Zn, Ni-P-Cd, Ni-P-Zn-Cd content coatings in alkali solutions using hypophosphite Ni-P-Zh and Ni-P-Zn-Cd coatings have corrosion resistance and unporousness. Cd and Zn inclusion in Ni-P coating is supposed to have both chemical and electrochemical origin

Advancing semiconductor-electrocatalyst systems: application of surface transformation films and nanosphere lithography.

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkert, Katharina; Richter, Matthias H; Akay, Ömer; Giersig, Michael; Fountaine, Katherine T; Lewerenz, Hans-Joachim

2018-05-24

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells offer the possibility of carbon-neutral solar fuel production through artificial photosynthesis. The pursued design involves technologically advanced III-V semiconductor absorbers coupled via an interfacial film to an electrocatalyst layer. These systems have been prepared by in situ surface transformations in electrochemical environments. High activity nanostructured electrocatalysts are required for an efficiently operating cell, optimized in their optical and electrical properties. We demonstrate that shadow nanosphere lithography (SNL) is an auspicious tool to systematically create three-dimensional electrocatalyst nanostructures on the semiconductor photoelectrode through controlling their morphology and optical properties. First results are demonstrated by means of the photoelectrochemical production of hydrogen on p-type InP photocathodes where hitherto applied photoelectrodeposition and SNL-deposited Rh electrocatalysts are compared based on their J-V and spectroscopic behavior. We show that smaller polystyrene particle masks achieve higher defect nanostructures of rhodium on the photoelectrode which leads to a higher catalytic activity and larger short circuit currents. Structural analyses including HRSEM and the analysis of the photoelectrode surface composition by using photoelectron spectroscopy support and complement the photoelectrochemical observations. The optical performance is further compared to theoretical models of the nanostructured photoelectrodes on light scattering and propagation.

Combined use of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles and secondary enhanced nanoparticles for rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chongwen; Gu, Bing; Liu, Qiqi; Pang, Yuanfeng; Xiao, Rui; Wang, Shengqi

2018-01-01

Pathogenic bacteria have always been a significant threat to human health. The detection of pathogens needs to be rapid, accurate, and convenient. We present a sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensor based on the combination of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-Van MNPs) and Au@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) that can effectively capture and discriminate bacterial pathogens from solution. The high-performance Fe 3 O 4 @Ag MNPs were modified with vancomycin and used as bacteria capturer for magnetic separation and enrichment. The modified MNPS were found to exhibit strong affinity with a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. After separating and rinsing bacteria, Fe 3 O 4 @Ag-Van MNPs and Au@Ag NPs were synergistically used to construct a very large number of hot spots on bacteria cells, leading to ultrasensitive SERS detection. The dominant merits of our dual enhanced strategy included high bacterial-capture efficiency (>65%) within a wide pH range (pH 3.0-11.0), a short assay time (<30 min), and a low detection limit (5×10 2 cells/mL). Moreover, the spiked tests show that this method is still valid in milk and blood samples. Owing to these capabilities, the combined system enabled the sensitive and specific discrimination of different pathogens in complex solution, as verified by its detection of Gram-positive bacterium Escherichia coli , Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus , and methicillin-resistant S. aureus . This method has great potential for field applications in food safety, environmental monitoring, and infectious disease diagnosis.

Citrate-coated silver nanoparticles interactions with effluent organic matter: influence of capping agent and solution conditions

KAUST Repository

Gutierrez, Leonardo

2015-07-31

Fate and transport studies of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) discharged from urban wastewaters containing effluent organic matter (EfOM) into natural waters represent a key knowledge gap. In this study, EfOM interfacial interactions with AgNPs and their aggregation kinetics were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and time-resolved dynamic light scattering (TR-DLS), respectively. Two well-characterized EfOM isolates, i.e., wastewater humic (WW humic) and wastewater colloids (WW colloids, a complex mixture of polysaccharides-proteins-lipids), and a River humic isolate of different characteristics were selected. Citrate-coated AgNPs were selected as representative capped-AgNPs. Citrate-coated AgNPs showed a considerable stability in Na+ solutions. However, Ca2+ ions induced aggregation by cation bridging between carboxyl groups on citrate. Although the presence of River humic increased the stability of citrate-coated AgNPs in Na+ solutions due to electrosteric effects, they aggregated in WW humic-containing solutions, indicating the importance of humics characteristics during interactions. Ca2+ ions increased citrate-coated AgNPs aggregation rates in both humic solutions, suggesting cation bridging between carboxyl groups on their structures as a dominant interacting mechanism. Aggregation of citrate-coated AgNPs in WW colloids solutions was significantly faster than those in both humic solutions. Control experiments in urea solution indicated hydrogen bonding as the main interacting mechanism. During AFM experiments, citrate-coated AgNPs showed higher adhesion to WW humic than to River humic, evidencing a consistency between TR-DLS and AFM results. Ca2+ ions increased citrate-coated AgNPs adhesion to both humic isolates. Interestingly, strong WW colloids interactions with citrate caused AFM probe contamination (nanoparticles adsorption) even at low Na+ concentrations, indicating the impact of hydrogen bonding on adhesion. These results suggest the importance

Size-Controlled Dissolution of Organic-Coated Silver Nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Rui; Levard, Clément; Marinakos, Stella M.; Cheng, Yingwen; Liu, Jie; Michel, F. Marc; Brown, Jr., Gordon E.; Lowry, Gregory V. (Duke)

2012-04-02

The solubility of Ag NPs can affect their toxicity and persistence in the environment. We measured the solubility of organic-coated silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) having particle diameters ranging from 5 to 80 nm that were synthesized using various methods, and with different organic polymer coatings including poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and gum arabic. The size and morphology of Ag NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and synchrotron-based total X-ray scattering and pair distribution function (PDF) analysis were used to determine the local structure around Ag and evaluate changes in crystal lattice parameters and structure as a function of NP size. Ag NP solubility dispersed in 1 mM NaHCO{sub 3} at pH 8 was found to be well correlated with particle size based on the distribution of measured TEM sizes as predicted by the modified Kelvin equation. Solubility of Ag NPs was not affected by the synthesis method and coating as much as by their size. Based on the modified Kelvin equation, the surface tension of Ag NPs was found to be {approx}1 J/m{sup 2}, which is expected for bulk fcc (face centered cubic) silver. Analysis of XAFS, X-ray scattering, and PDFs confirm that the lattice parameter, {alpha}, of the fcc crystal structure of Ag NPs did not change with particle size for Ag NPs as small as 6 nm, indicating the absence of lattice strain. These results are consistent with the finding that Ag NP solubility can be estimated based on TEM-derived particle size using the modified Kelvin equation for particles in the size range of 5-40 nm in diameter.

Fabrication of Cu-Ag core-shell bimetallic superfine powders by eco-friendly reagents and structures characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jun; Zhang, Dongming; Zhao, Jie

2011-09-01

Superfine bimetallic Cu-Ag core-shell powders were synthesized by reduction of copper sulfate pentahydrate and silver nitrate with eco-friendly ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and cyclodextrins as a protective agent in an aqueous system. The influence of Ag/Cu ratio on coatings was investigated. Ag was homogeneously distributed on the surface of Cu particles at a mole ratio of Ag/Cu=1. FE-SEM showed an uniformity of Ag coatings on Cu particles. Antioxidation of Cu particles was improved by increasing Ag/Cu ratio. TEM-EDX and UV-vis spectra also revealed that Cu cores were covered by Ag nanoshells on the whole. The surface composition analysis by XPS indicated that only small parts of Cu atoms in the surface were oxidized. It was noted that the hindrance of cyclodextrins chemisorbed on particles plays an important role in forming high quality and good dispersity Cu-Ag (Cu@Ag) core-shell powders.

Nanostructured carbon-supported Pd electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation: synthesis and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gacutan, E M; Tongol, B J; Climaco, M I; Telan, G J; Malijan, F; Hsu, H Y; Garcia, J; Fulo, H

2012-01-01

The need to lower the construction cost of fuel cells calls for the development of non-Pt based electrocatalysts. Among others, Pd has emerged as a promising alternative to Pt for fuel cell catalysis. This research aims to investigate the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured Pd-based catalysts dispersed on carbon support as anode materials in direct ethanol fuel cells. For the preparation of the first Pd-based electrocatalyst, palladium nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized via oleylamine (OAm)-mediated synthesis and precursor method with a mean particle size of 3.63 ± 0.59 nm as revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Carbon black was used as a supporting matrix for the OAm-capped Pd NPs. Thermal annealing and acetic acid washing were used to remove the OAm capping agent. To evaluate the electrocatalytic activity of the prepared electrocatalyst towards ethanol oxidation, cyclic voltammetry (CV) studies were performed using 1.0 M ethanol in basic medium. The CV data revealed the highest peak current density of 11.05 mA cm −2 for the acetic acid-washed Pd/C electrocatalyst. Meanwhile, the fabrication of the second Pd-based electrocatalyst was done by functionalization of the carbon black support using 3:1 (v/v) H 2 SO 4 :HNO 3 . The metal oxide, NiO, was deposited using precipitation method while polyol method was used for the deposition of Pd NPs. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the estimated particle size of the synthesized catalysts was at around 9.0–15.0 nm. CV results demonstrated a 36.7% increase in the catalytic activity of Pd–NiO/C (functionalized) catalyst towards ethanol oxidation compared to the non-functionalized catalyst. (paper)

The preparation and antibacterial effects of dopa-cotton/AgNPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Hong; Shi Xue; Ma Hui; Lv Yihang; Zhang Linping; Mao Zhiping

2011-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been known to have powerful antibacterial activity. In this paper, in situ generation of AgNPs on the surface of dopamine modified cotton fabrics (dopa-cotton/AgNPs) in aqueous solution under room temperature is presented. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) were used to analyze the surface chemical composition and the morphology of the modified cotton fabrics, respectively. The results indicated that the surface of cotton fabrics was successfully coated with polydopamine and AgNPs. The cotton fabrics with AgNPs showed durable antibacterial activity.

Hollow Au@Pd and Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reactions

KAUST Repository

Song, Hyon Min

2012-09-27

Hybrid alloys among gold, palladium and platinum become a new category of catalysts primarily due to their enhanced catalytic effects. Enhancement means not only their effectiveness, but also their uniqueness as catalysts for the reactions that individual metals may not catalyze. Here, preparation of hollow Au@Pd and Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) and their use as electrocatalysts are reported. Galvanic displacement with Ag NPs is used to obtain hollow NPs, and higher reduction potential of Au compared to Ag, Pd, and Pt helps to produce hollow Au cores first, followed by Pd or Pt shell growth. Continuous and highly crystalline shell growth was observed in Au@Pd core-shell NPs, but the sporadic and porous-like structure was observed in Au@Pt core-shell NPs. Along with hollow core-shell NPs, hollow porous Pt and hollow Au NPs are also prepared from Ag seed NPs. Twin boundaries which are typically observed in large size (>20 nm) Au NPs were not observed in hollow Au NPs. This absence is believed to be due to the role of the hollows, which significantly reduce the strain energy of edges where the two lattice planes meet. In ethanol oxidation reactions in alkaline medium, hollow Au@Pd core-shell NPs show highest current density in forward scan. Hollow Au@Pt core-shell NPs maintain better catalytic activities than metallic Pt, which is thought to be due to the better crystallinity of Pt shells as well as the alloy effect of Au cores. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Seawater splitting for high-efficiency hydrogen evolution by alloyed PtNix electrocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jingjing

2017-08-01

Robust electrocatalyst is a prerequisite to realize high-efficiency hydrogen evolution by water splitting. Expensive platinum (Pt) is a preferred electrode catalyst for state-of-the-art hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). We present here a category of alloyed PtNix electrocatalysts by a facile green chemical reduction method, which are used to catalyze HER during seawater splitting. The catalytic performances are optimized by tuning stoichiometric Pt/Ni ratio, yielding a maximized catalytic behavior for PtNi5 electrode. The minimized onset potential is as low as -0.38 V and the corresponding Tafel slope is 119 mV dec-1. Moreover, the launched alloy electrodes have remarkable stability at -1.2 V over 12 h. The high efficiency as well as good durability demonstrates the PtNix electrocatalysts to be promising in practical applications.

Disentangling the effects of polymer coatings on silver nanoparticle agglomeration, dissolution, and toxicity to determine mechanisms of nanotoxicity

Science.gov (United States)

Zook, Justin M.; Halter, Melissa D.; Cleveland, Danielle; Long, Stephen E.

2012-10-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are frequently coated with a variety of polymers, which may affect various interdependent mechanisms of toxicity or antimicrobial action, including agglomeration and dissolution rates. Here, we systematically measure how citrate, dextran, 5 and 20 kDa poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) coatings affect AgNP agglomeration, dissolution, and toxicity. In addition, to disentangle the coatings' effects on agglomeration from their other effects, we produce multiple stable agglomerate sizes of several of the coated 23 nm AgNPs ranging from singly-dispersed to mean agglomerate sizes of several hundred nanometers. These dispersions allow us to independently study the effects of agglomeration and polymer coating on dissolution rate and hemolytic toxicity. We find that both hemolytic toxicity and dissolution rate are highest for the 5 kDa PEG coating, and toxicity and dissolution rate decrease significantly with increasing agglomerate size independent of coating. This correlation between toxicity and dissolution rate suggests that both polymer coating and agglomeration may affect hemolytic toxicity largely through their effects on dissolution. Because both the AgNP dissolution rate and hemolysis decrease only moderately compared to the large increases in agglomerate size, AgNPs' hemolytic toxicity may be caused by their large surface area and consequently high dissolution rate, rather than from other size-specific effects. At the silver concentrations used in this work, silver dissolved from AgNPs is expected to be primarily in the form of AgCl NPs, which are therefore more likely than Ag+ ions to be the primary drivers of hemolytic toxicity. In addition, all AgNPs we tested are much more toxic to horse red blood cells than sheep red blood cells, highlighting the complexity of toxic responses and the need to test toxicity in multiple biological systems.

Disentangling the effects of polymer coatings on silver nanoparticle agglomeration, dissolution, and toxicity to determine mechanisms of nanotoxicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zook, Justin M., E-mail: jzook@nist.gov; Halter, Melissa D.; Cleveland, Danielle; Long, Stephen E. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Material Measurement Laboratory (United States)

2012-10-15

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are frequently coated with a variety of polymers, which may affect various interdependent mechanisms of toxicity or antimicrobial action, including agglomeration and dissolution rates. Here, we systematically measure how citrate, dextran, 5 and 20 kDa poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) coatings affect AgNP agglomeration, dissolution, and toxicity. In addition, to disentangle the coatings' effects on agglomeration from their other effects, we produce multiple stable agglomerate sizes of several of the coated {approx}23 nm AgNPs ranging from singly-dispersed to mean agglomerate sizes of several hundred nanometers. These dispersions allow us to independently study the effects of agglomeration and polymer coating on dissolution rate and hemolytic toxicity. We find that both hemolytic toxicity and dissolution rate are highest for the 5 kDa PEG coating, and toxicity and dissolution rate decrease significantly with increasing agglomerate size independent of coating. This correlation between toxicity and dissolution rate suggests that both polymer coating and agglomeration may affect hemolytic toxicity largely through their effects on dissolution. Because both the AgNP dissolution rate and hemolysis decrease only moderately compared to the large increases in agglomerate size, AgNPs' hemolytic toxicity may be caused by their large surface area and consequently high dissolution rate, rather than from other size-specific effects. At the silver concentrations used in this work, silver dissolved from AgNPs is expected to be primarily in the form of AgCl NPs, which are therefore more likely than Ag{sup +} ions to be the primary drivers of hemolytic toxicity. In addition, all AgNPs we tested are much more toxic to horse red blood cells than sheep red blood cells, highlighting the complexity of toxic responses and the need to test toxicity in multiple biological systems.

Biotribological behavior of Ag-ZrCxN1-x coatings against UHMWPE for joint prostheses devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderon V, S; Sánchez-López, J C; Cavaleiro, A; Carvalho, S

2015-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the structural, mechanical and tribological properties of zirconium carbonitrides (ZrCxN1-x) coatings with embedded silver nanoparticles, produced with the intention of achieving a material with enhanced multi-functional properties, including mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, tribological performance and antibacterial behavior suitable for their use in joint prostheses. The coatings were deposited by direct current (DC) reactive magnetron sputtering onto 316 L stainless steel, changing the silver content from 0 to 20 at% by modifying the current density applied to the targets. Different nitrogen and acetylene gas fluxes were used as reactive gases. The coatings revealed different mixtures of crystalline ZrCxN1-x, silver nanoparticles and amorphous carbon phases. The hardness of the films was found to be mainly controlled by the ratio between the hard (ZrCxN1-x) and soft (Ag and amorphous carbon) phases in the films, fluctuating between 7.4 and 20.4 GPa. The coefficient of friction, measured against ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) in Hank's balanced salt solution with 10 gL(-1) albumin, is governed by the surface roughness and hardness. The UHMWPE wear rates were in the same order of magnitude (between 1.4 and 2.0 × 10(-6)mm(3)N(-1)m(-1)), justified by the effect of the protective layer of albumin formed during the tests. The small differences were due to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the surface, as well as to the silver content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent advances in platinum monolayer electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction: Scale-up synthesis, structure and activity of Pt shells on Pd cores

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sasaki, K., E-mail: ksasaki@bnl.go [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Wang, J.X. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Naohara, H. [Toyota Motor Corporation, Susono 410-1193 (Japan); Marinkovic, N. [University of Delaware, Department of Chemical Engineering, Newark, DE 19716 (United States); More, K. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Inada, H. [Hitachi High Technologies America, Pleasanton, CA 94588 (United States); Adzic, R.R., E-mail: adzic@bnl.go [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Upton, NY 11973 (United States)

2010-03-01

We have established a scale-up synthesis method to produce gram-quantities of Pt monolayer electrocatalysts. The core-shell structure of the Pt/Pd/C electrocatalyst has been verified using the HAADF-STEM Z-contrast images, STEM/EELS, and STEM/EDS line profile analysis. The atomic structure of this electrocatalyst and formation of a Pt monolayer on Pd nanoparticle surfaces were examined using in situ EXAFS. The Pt mass activity of the Pt/Pd/C electrocatalyst for ORR is considerably higher than that of commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts. The results with Pt monolayer electrocatalysts may significantly impact science of electrocatalysis and fuel-cell technology, as they have demonstrated an exceptionally effective way of using Pt that can resolve problems of other approaches, including electrocatalysts' inadequate activity and high Pt content.

Recent advances in platinum monolayer electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction: Scale-up synthesis, structure and activity of Pt shells on Pd cores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sasaki, K.; Wang, J.X.; Naohara, H.; Marinkovic, N.; More, K.; Inada, H.; Adzic, R.R.

2010-01-01

We have established a scale-up synthesis method to produce gram-quantities of Pt monolayer electrocatalysts. The core-shell structure of the Pt/Pd/C electrocatalyst has been verified using the HAADF-STEM Z-contrast images, STEM/EELS, and STEM/EDS line profile analysis. The atomic structure of this electrocatalyst and formation of a Pt monolayer on Pd nanoparticle surfaces were examined using in situ EXAFS. The Pt mass activity of the Pt/Pd/C electrocatalyst for ORR is considerably higher than that of commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts. The results with Pt monolayer electrocatalysts may significantly impact science of electrocatalysis and fuel-cell technology, as they have demonstrated an exceptionally effective way of using Pt that can resolve problems of other approaches, including electrocatalysts' inadequate activity and high Pt content.

Evaluation of Antibacterial Effects of Silver-Coated Stainless Steel Orthodontic Brackets.

Science.gov (United States)

Arash, Valiollah; Keikhaee, Fatemeh; Rabiee, Sayed Mahmood; Rajabnia, Ramazan; Khafri, Soraya; Tavanafar, Saeid

2016-01-01

White spots and enamel demineralization around orthodontic brackets are among the most important complications resulting from orthodontic treatments. Since the antibacterial properties of metals and metallic particles have been well documented, the aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial effect of stainless steel orthodontic brackets coated with silver (Ag) particles. In this study, 40 standard metal brackets were divided into two groups of 20 cases and 20 controls. The brackets in the case group were coated with Ag particles using an electroplating method. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to assess the adequacy of the coating process. In addition, antibacterial tests, i.e., disk diffusion and direct contact tests were performed at three, six, 24, and 48 hours, and 15 and 30 days using a Streptococcus mutans strain. The results were analyzed using Student's t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. Analyses via SEM and AFM confirmed that excellent coatings were obtained by using an electroplating method. The groups exhibited similar behavior when subjected to the disk diffusion test in the agar medium. However, the bacterial counts of the Ag-coated brackets were, in general, significantly lower (PBrackets coated with Ag, via an electroplating method, exhibited antibacterial properties when placed in direct contact with Streptococcus mutans. This antibacterial effect persisted for 30 days after contact with the bacteria.

METHOD OF PROTECTIVELY COATING URANIUM

Science.gov (United States)

Eubank, L.D.; Boller, E.R.

1959-02-01

A method is described for protectively coating uranium with zine comprising cleaning the U for coating by pickling in concentrated HNO/sub 3/, dipping the cleaned U into a bath of molten zinc between 430 to 600 C and containing less than 0 01% each of Fe and Pb, and withdrawing and cooling to solidify the coating. The zinccoated uranium may be given a; econd coating with another metal niore resistant to the corrosive influences particularly concerned. A coating of Pb containing small proportions of Ag or Sn, or Al containing small proportions of Si may be applied over the zinc coatings by dipping in molten baths of these metals.

Glycerol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium using Pd/C and PdSn/C electrocatalysts prepared by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Silva, Dionisio Fortunato da; Pino, Eddy Segura; Spinace, Estevan Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Linardi, Marcelo; Santos, Mauro Coelhos dos

2013-01-01

Carbon-supported metal nanoparticles were prepared for fuel cell applications by radiation-induced reduction of metal ions precursors. Pd/C and PdSn/C electrocatalysts (Pd:Sn atomic ratio 90:10), prepared by using electron beam irradiation, were tested for glycerol electro-oxidation in single alkaline direct glycerol fuel cell (ADGFC). EDX analysis showed that the Pd:Sn atomic ratio is very similar to the nominal one. X-ray diffractograms of PdSn/C electrocatalyst showed the presence of Pd (fcc) phase. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) indicated that Pd/C and PdSn/C electrocatalysts have good activity for glycerol electro-oxidation, at room temperature. Experiments with single ADGFC were carried out from 60 to 90 deg C, using Pd/C and PdSn/C electrocatalysts and glycerol 2.0 mol.L -1 , as fuel. The best performance was obtained at 85 deg C, for both electrocatalysts. The Pd/C and PdSn/C electrocatalysts showed similar performance (34 mW cm -2 ), at 85 deg C. (author)

Ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium using Pd/c and PdRh/C electrocatalysts prepared by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Dionisio Furtunato da; Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Pino, Eddy Segura; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Linardi, Marcelo

2013-01-01

In this study, carbon-supported Pd (Pd/C) and bimetallic PdRh (Pd:Rh 90:10 atomic ratio) (PdRh/C) electrocatalysts were prepared using electron beam irradiation. The morphology and composition of the obtained materials were characterized by Cyclic voltammetry (VC), Chronoamperometry (CA), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic activities of the electrocatalysts toward the ethanol electro-oxidation were evaluated in alkaline medium in a single alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC), in a range temperature of 50 to 85 deg C. The best performances were obtained at 85 deg C (25 mW.cm -2 ) and 75 deg C (38 mW.cm -2 ) for Pd/C and PdRh/C electrocatalysts, respectively. The XRD of the PdRh/C electrocatalyst showed the presence of Pd-rich (fcc) phase. CV and CA experiments showed that PdRh/C electrocatalyst demonstrated superior activity toward ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature, compared to Pd/C electrocatalyst. (author)

Electrochemical evaluation of electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications : a practical approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Atwan, M.H. [General Motors R and D Technical Center, Warren, MI (United States); Gyenge, E.L. [British Columbia Univ., Vancouver, BC (Canada). Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Northwood, D.O. [Windsor Univ., ON (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials Engineering

2010-07-01

Various electrochemical techniques were used to investigate supported nano-size electrocatalysts during the oxidation of a specific fuel for fuel cell applications. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) on static and dynamic rotating disc electrodes (RDE) and fuel cell station tests demonstrated that the most active catalyst showed the most negative oxidation peak potential. A Tafel equation indicated that a low anodic/cathodic overpotential was a clear indication of higher catalytic activity. The lower overpotential was achieved for a specific current load by ensuring a low Tafel slope and as high an exchange current density as possible. The RDE and fuel cell station tests showed that the best performance was recorded for electrocatalysts with the Tafel slope values and exchange current densities that gave rise to the lowest overpotential. The study demonstrated that RDE and CV can be used to reliably assess electrocatalysts prior to full fuel cell testing. 52 refs., 3 tabs., 6 figs.

Enhanced photocatalysts based on Ag-TiO2 and Ag-N-TiO2 nanoparticles for multifunctional leather surface coating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaidau Carmen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Ag deposition on TiO2 nanoparticles (Ag-TiO2 NPs and N-TiO2 nanoparticles (Ag-N-TiO2 NPs has been made by electrochemical methodology in view of improved antibacterial properties and enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. The particle size in powder and in dispersion showed similar values and good stability in aqueous medium which made them suitable for use in leather surface covering for new multifunctional properties development. The diffuse reflectance spectra of Ag-TiO2 NPs, Ag-N-TiO2 NPs and TiO2 NPs have been investigated and correlated with their photocatalytic performances under UV and visible light against different silver concentrations. The leather surfaces treated with Ag-N-TiO2 NPs showed advanced self-cleaning properties under visible light exposure through the hydrophilic mechanism of organic soil decomposition. Moreover the bacterial sensitivity and proven fungitoxic properties of Ag-N-TiO2 NPs leads to the possibility of designing new multifunctional additives to extend the advanced applications for more durable and useable materials.

Phosphine-functionalized graphene oxide, a high-performance electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Ensafi, Ali A.; Golbon Haghighi, Mohsen; Jafari-Asl, Mehdi

2018-01-01

Here, a new approach for the synthesis of phosphine-functionalized graphene oxide (GO-PPh2) was developed. Using a simple method, diphenylphosphine group was linked to the hydroxyl group of OH-functionalized graphene that existing at the graphene surface. The electrochemical activity of GO-PPh2 for electrochemical oxygen reduction was checked. The results demonstrated that the new carbon hybrid material has a powerful potential for electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Moreover, GO-PPh2 as an electrocatalyst for ORR exhibited tolerance for methanol or ethanol as a result of crossover effect. In comparison with commercial Pt/C and Pt/rGO electrocatalysts, results showed that GO-PPh2 has a much higher selectivity, better durability, and much better electrochemical stability towards the ORR. The proposed method based on GO-PPh2 introduce an efficient electrocatalyst for further application in fuel cells.

Investigation of Novel Electrocatalysts for Metal Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells - Ru:GDC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sudireddy, Bhaskar Reddy; Nielsen, Jimmi; Thydén, Karl Tor Sune

2015-01-01

Even though solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have a high potential with respect to efficiency and fuel flexibility they are not yet competitive in terms of cost and durability with conventional chemical energy conversion technologies. The potential cost reduction can be achieved through...... in tolerating the vibrations, transient loads, thermal and redox cycling [1-2]. The DTU MS-SOFC design based on ferritic stainless steel requires incorporation of electrocatalyst into the anode functional layer by infiltration methods [3]. Previously, the preferred electrocatalyst has been gadolinium doped...... and microstructure of the infiltrated electrocatalyst layer was characterized using high-resolution electron microscopy. The electrochemical characterization involved polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in the temperature range of 650-750ºC. The polarization curve for Ru...

Synthesis of Ag/CNT hybrid nanoparticles and fabrication of their Nylon-6 polymer nanocomposite fibers for antimicrobial applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangari, Vijaya K; Mohammad, Ghouse M; Jeelani, Shaik; Hundley, Angel; Vig, Komal; Singh, Shree Ram; Pillai, Shreekumar

2010-01-01

Ag-coated CNTs hybrid nanoparticles (Ag/CNTs) were prepared by ultrasonic irradiation of dimethylformamide (DMF) and silver (I) acetate precursors in the presence of CNTs. The morphology of Ag/CNTs was characterized using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The Nylon-6 powder and 1 wt% Ag/CNTs mixture was dispersed uniformly using a noncontact spinning technique. The dried mixture was melted in a single screw extrusion machine and then extruded through an orifice. Extruded filaments were later stretched and stabilized by sequentially passing them through a set of tension adjusters and a secondary heater. The Nylon-6/Ag/CNT hybrid polymer nanocomposite (HPNC) fibers, which were of ∼ 80 μm size, were tested for their tensile properties. The failure stress and modulus of the extruded HPNC fibers (doped with 1% Ag/CNTs) was about 72.19 % and 342.62% higher than the neat extruded Nylon-6 fiber, respectively. DSC results indicated an increase in the thermal stability and crystallization for HPNC fibers. The antibacterial activity of the Ag-coated CNTs, commercial Ag, neat Nylon-6 and plain CNTs were evaluated. Ag-coated CNTs at 25 μg demonstrated good antimicrobial activity against four common bacterial pathogens as tested by the Kirby-Bauer assay. The mean diameters of the zones of inhibition were 27.9 ± 6.72 mm, 19.4 ± 3.64 mm, 21.9 ± 4.33 mm, and 24.1 ± 4.14 mm, respectively, for Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. By comparison, those obtained using the broad spectrum antibiotic amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were 37.7 ± 2.13 mm, 28.6 ± 4.27 mm, 22.6 ± 1.27 mm, and 27.0 ± 1.41 mm, respectively, for the same strains. The zones of inhibition obtained for Nylon-6 Ag-coated CNT powder at 25 μg were also high, ranging from 15.2 to 25.3 mm in contrast to commercial silver or neat Nylon-6, which did not inhibit the bacterial strains tested. Further, the

Synthesis of Ag/CNT hybrid nanoparticles and fabrication of their Nylon-6 polymer nanocomposite fibers for antimicrobial applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rangari, Vijaya K; Mohammad, Ghouse M; Jeelani, Shaik [Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Advanced Materials, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088 (United States); Hundley, Angel; Vig, Komal; Singh, Shree Ram; Pillai, Shreekumar, E-mail: rangariv@tuskegee.edu [Center for NanoBiotechnology Research, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104 (United States)

2010-03-05

Ag-coated CNTs hybrid nanoparticles (Ag/CNTs) were prepared by ultrasonic irradiation of dimethylformamide (DMF) and silver (I) acetate precursors in the presence of CNTs. The morphology of Ag/CNTs was characterized using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The Nylon-6 powder and 1 wt% Ag/CNTs mixture was dispersed uniformly using a noncontact spinning technique. The dried mixture was melted in a single screw extrusion machine and then extruded through an orifice. Extruded filaments were later stretched and stabilized by sequentially passing them through a set of tension adjusters and a secondary heater. The Nylon-6/Ag/CNT hybrid polymer nanocomposite (HPNC) fibers, which were of {approx} 80 {mu}m size, were tested for their tensile properties. The failure stress and modulus of the extruded HPNC fibers (doped with 1% Ag/CNTs) was about 72.19 % and 342.62% higher than the neat extruded Nylon-6 fiber, respectively. DSC results indicated an increase in the thermal stability and crystallization for HPNC fibers. The antibacterial activity of the Ag-coated CNTs, commercial Ag, neat Nylon-6 and plain CNTs were evaluated. Ag-coated CNTs at 25 {mu}g demonstrated good antimicrobial activity against four common bacterial pathogens as tested by the Kirby-Bauer assay. The mean diameters of the zones of inhibition were 27.9 {+-} 6.72 mm, 19.4 {+-} 3.64 mm, 21.9 {+-} 4.33 mm, and 24.1 {+-} 4.14 mm, respectively, for Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. By comparison, those obtained using the broad spectrum antibiotic amoxicillin-clavulanic acid were 37.7 {+-} 2.13 mm, 28.6 {+-} 4.27 mm, 22.6 {+-} 1.27 mm, and 27.0 {+-} 1.41 mm, respectively, for the same strains. The zones of inhibition obtained for Nylon-6 Ag-coated CNT powder at 25 {mu}g were also high, ranging from 15.2 to 25.3 mm in contrast to commercial silver or neat Nylon-6, which did not inhibit the bacterial

A novel metal-to-metal bonding process through in-situ formation of Ag nanoparticles using Ag2O microparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirose, Akio; Tatsumi, Hiroaki; Takeda, Naoya; Akada, Yusuke; Ogura, Tomo; Ide, Eiichi; Morita, Toshiaki

2009-01-01

The metal-to-metal bonding has been successfully achieved via the bonding process using Ag metallo-organic nanoparticles at a bonding temperature of around 300-, which can be alternative to the current microsoldering in electronics assembly using high-temperature solders. However, further reduction of bonding temperature and/or bonding pressure is needed. In the present research, a novel bonding process through in-situ formation of Ag nanoparticles instead of the filler material of the Ag metallo-organic nanoparticles has been developed. The Ag nanoparticles can form by the reduction of Ag 2 O particles. In this study, the Ag 2 O particles were mixed with triethylene glycol as a reducing agent to form a paste for bonding. The Au coated cylindrical specimens were bonded using the paste. The Ag nanoparticles formed at around 130 to 160 through the reduction process of Ag2O particles with triethylene glycol. The Ag nanoparticles were immediately sintered each other due to a great surface energy per volume. A transmission electron microscope observation revealed that the sintered Ag metallurgically bonded to the Au substrate at around 160 and a dense Ag layer formed after further heating. The tensile strength of the joint bonded at 250 under a bonding pressure of 5MPa was around 60MPa

Impact of surface coating and environmental conditions on the fate and transport of silver nanoparticles in the aquatic environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellis, Laura-Jayne A.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia [School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Lead, Jamie R., E-mail: Jlead@mailbox.sc.edu [School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT (United Kingdom); Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk (CENR), Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208 (United States); Baalousha, Mohammed, E-mail: Mbaalous@mailbox.sc.edu [Center for Environmental Nanoscience and Risk (CENR), Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208 (United States)

2016-10-15

The role of surface coating (polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and citrate) and water chemistry on the fate and behavior of AgNPs in aquatic microcosms is reported in this study. The migration and transformation of the AgNPs was examined in low (ultrapure water-UPW) and high ionic strength (moderately hard water – MHW) preparations, and in the presence of modeled natural organic matter (NOM) of Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA). The migration and fate of the AgNPs in the microcosms was validated using a sedimentation-diffusion model and the aggregation behavior was monitored by UV–visible spectrometry (UV–vis). Dissolved and particulate Ag concentrations (% Ag) were analyzed by ultrafiltration methods. Imaging of the AgNPs was captured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results indicate that PVP-coated AgNPs (PVP-AgNPs) remained stable for 28 days with similarly distributed concentrations of the PVP-AgNPs throughout the columns in each of the water conditions after approximately 96 h (4 days). The sedimentation-diffusion model confirmed PVP-AgNP stability in each condition, by showing diffusion dominated transport by using the original unaltered AgNP sizes to fit the parameters. In comparison, citrate AgNPs were largely unstable in the more complex water preparations (MHW). In MHW, aggregation dominated behavior followed by sedimentation/dissolution controlled transport was observed. The addition of SRFA to MHW resulted in small stabilizing effects, to the citrate coated AgNPs, producing smaller sized AgNPs (TEM) and mixed sedimentation and diffusion migration compared the studies absent of SRFA. The results suggest that surface coating and solution chemistry has a major impact on AgNP stability, furthermore the corresponding modeling will support the experimental understanding of the overall fate of AgNPs in the environment. - Highlights: • Aquatic microcosms were used to study the transport and behavior of AgNPs • Experiments were conducted in low

Impact of surface coating and environmental conditions on the fate and transport of silver nanoparticles in the aquatic environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis, Laura-Jayne A.; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia; Lead, Jamie R.; Baalousha, Mohammed

2016-01-01

The role of surface coating (polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and citrate) and water chemistry on the fate and behavior of AgNPs in aquatic microcosms is reported in this study. The migration and transformation of the AgNPs was examined in low (ultrapure water-UPW) and high ionic strength (moderately hard water – MHW) preparations, and in the presence of modeled natural organic matter (NOM) of Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA). The migration and fate of the AgNPs in the microcosms was validated using a sedimentation-diffusion model and the aggregation behavior was monitored by UV–visible spectrometry (UV–vis). Dissolved and particulate Ag concentrations (% Ag) were analyzed by ultrafiltration methods. Imaging of the AgNPs was captured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results indicate that PVP-coated AgNPs (PVP-AgNPs) remained stable for 28 days with similarly distributed concentrations of the PVP-AgNPs throughout the columns in each of the water conditions after approximately 96 h (4 days). The sedimentation-diffusion model confirmed PVP-AgNP stability in each condition, by showing diffusion dominated transport by using the original unaltered AgNP sizes to fit the parameters. In comparison, citrate AgNPs were largely unstable in the more complex water preparations (MHW). In MHW, aggregation dominated behavior followed by sedimentation/dissolution controlled transport was observed. The addition of SRFA to MHW resulted in small stabilizing effects, to the citrate coated AgNPs, producing smaller sized AgNPs (TEM) and mixed sedimentation and diffusion migration compared the studies absent of SRFA. The results suggest that surface coating and solution chemistry has a major impact on AgNP stability, furthermore the corresponding modeling will support the experimental understanding of the overall fate of AgNPs in the environment. - Highlights: • Aquatic microcosms were used to study the transport and behavior of AgNPs • Experiments were conducted in low

Optical spectroscopy of arsenic- and silver-containing sol-gel coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, M.A.; Paje, S.E.; Llopis, J. [Departamento de Fisica de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid (Spain); Villegas, M.A.; Fernandez Navarro, J.M. [Departamento de Vidrios, Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio, Madrid (Spain)

1999-05-07

Sol-gel silica coatings doped with 1 mol% silver and/or 1 mol% arsenic oxide have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and optical absorption (OA) spectroscopy. The presence of Ag{sup +} ions in the silica host has been monitored by recording a luminescence peak located between 320 and 330 nm upon excitation with 228 nm light, whereas the formation of small particles of metallic silver has been assessed by recording the absorption band centred at about 405 nm. The luminescence peak has been related to the d{sup 10} 10 {r_reversible} d{sup 9} s parity-forbidden transitions in Ag{sup +}, which are partially allowed by odd-phonon assistance. On the other hand, the absorption peak at about 405 nm arises from the well known surface-plasmon resonance of silver particles. Coating densification under various atmospheres gives rise to significant effects on the PL and OA spectra. Results indicate that, after coating densification in air, most of the silver appears as Ag{sup +} ions, in contrast to coating densification under a 90% N{sub 2}-10% H{sub 2} atmosphere, which favours the formation of small particles of metallic silver. The presence of arsenic oxide in the silver coatings densified in air has been found to improve the stabilization of Ag{sup +} ions, so that partially prevents the formation of colloidal silver under reducing atmospheres. (author)

Gently reduced graphene oxide incorporated into cobalt oxalate rods as bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phihusut, Doungkamon; Ocon, Joey D.; Jeong, Beomgyun; Kim, Jin Won; Lee, Jae Kwang; Lee, Jaeyoung

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Abstract: Water-oxygen electrochemistry is at the heart of key renewable energy technologies (fuel cells, electrolyzers, and metal-air batteries) due to the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Although much effort has been devoted to the development of improved bifunctional electrocatalysts, an inexpensive, highly active oxygen electrocatalyst, however, remains to be a challenge. In this paper, we present a facile and robust method to create gently reduced graphene oxide incorporated into cobalt oxalate microstructures (CoC 2 O 4 /gRGO) and demonstrate its excellent and stable electrocatalytic activity in both OER and ORR, arising from the inherent properties of the components and their physicochemical interaction. Our synthesis technique also explores a single pot method to partially reduce graphene oxide and form CoC 2 O 4 structures while maintaining the solution processability of reduced graphene oxide. While the OER activity of CoC 2 O 4 /gRGO is exclusively due to CoC 2 O 4 , which transformed into OER-active Co species, the combination with gRGO significantly improves OER stability. On the other hand, CoC 2 O 4 /gRGO exhibits synergistic effect towards ORR, via a quasi-four-electron pathway, leading to a slightly higher ORR limiting current than Pt/C. Remarkably, gRGO offers dual functionality, contributing to ORR activity via the N-functional groups and also enhancing OER stability through the gRGO coating around CoC 2 O 4 structures. Our results suggest a new class of metal-carbon composite that has the potential to be alternative bifunctional catalysts for regenerative fuel cells and metal-air batteries

Au-MnO{sub 2}/MWNT and Au-ZnO/MWNT as oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Imran Jafri, Razack; Sujatha, N.; Ramaprabhu, S. [Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology Laboratory (AENL), Nano Functional Materials Technology Centre (NFMTC), Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai (India); Rajalakshmi, N. [Center for Fuel Cell Technology (ARCI), Madavakkam, Chennai (India)

2009-08-15

Bi-functional catalysts based on Au supported on oxide based nanomaterials for use in fuel cells were evaluated by electrochemical methods for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). Metal oxide coated multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) (MnO{sub 2}/MWNT and ZnO/MWNT) were prepared by reduction of potassium permanganate and oxidation of Zn powder on MWNT surface respectively. Au-MnO{sub 2}/MWNT and Au-ZnO/MWNT were prepared by chemical reduction of chloroauric acid on MnO{sub 2}/MWNT and ZnO/MWNT. The samples were characterized and linear sweep voltammetric studies were performed in N{sub 2} saturated, O{sub 2} saturated and methanol containing 1 M KOH solution and the results have been discussed. A single fuel cell was also constructed using Au-MnO{sub 2}/MWNT and Au-ZnO/MWNT as ORR electrocatalysts. A maximum power density of 45 mW/cm{sup 2} and 56 mW/cm{sup 2} was obtained with Au-MnO{sub 2}/MWNT and Au-ZnO/MWNT respectively. Additionally, the methanol tolerance of these electrocatalysts has been investigated and results have been discussed. (author)

Superhydrophobic conductive textiles with antibacterial property by coating fibers with silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue Chaohua; Chen Jia; Yin Wei; Jia Shuntian; Ma Jianzhong

2012-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were produced on cotton fibers by reduction of [Ag(NH 3 ) 2 ] + complex with glucose. Further modification of the fibers coated by Ag NPs with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane led to superhydrophobic cotton textiles. Scanning electron microscopy images of the textiles showed that the treated fibers were covered with uniform Ag NPs, which generate a dual-size roughness on the textiles favouring the formation of superhydrophobic surfaces, and the Ag NPs formed dense coating around the fibers rendering the intrinsic insulating cotton textiles conductive. Antibacterial test showed that the as-fabricated textiles had high antibacterial activity against the gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. These multifunctional textiles might find applications in biomedical electronic devices.

Platinum-TM (TM = Fe, Co) alloy nanoparticles dispersed nitrogen doped (reduced graphene oxide-multiwalled carbon nanotube) hybrid structure cathode electrocatalysts for high performance PEMFC applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinayan, B P; Ramaprabhu, S

2013-06-07

The efforts to push proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) for commercial applications are being undertaken globally. In PEMFC, the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) at the cathode can be improved by the alloying of platinum with 3d-transition metals (TM = Fe, Co, etc.) and with nitrogen doping, and in the present work we have combined both of these aspects. We describe a facile method for the synthesis of a nitrogen doped (reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)) hybrid structure (N-(G-MWNTs)) by the uniform coating of a nitrogen containing polymer over the surface of the hybrid structure (positively surface charged rGO-negatively surface charged MWNTs) followed by the pyrolysis of these (rGO-MWNTs) hybrid structure-polymer composites. The N-(G-MWNTs) hybrid structure is used as a catalyst support for the dispersion of platinum (Pt), platinum-iron (Pt3Fe) and platinum-cobalt (Pt3Co) alloy nanoparticles. The PEMFC performances of Pt-TM alloy nanoparticle dispersed N-(G-MWNTs) hybrid structure electrocatalysts are 5.0 times higher than that of commercial Pt-C electrocatalysts along with very good stability under acidic environment conditions. This work demonstrates a considerable improvement in performance compared to existing cathode electrocatalysts being used in PEMFC and can be extended to the synthesis of metal, metal oxides or metal alloy nanoparticle decorated nitrogen doped carbon nanostructures for various electrochemical energy applications.

Disentangling the effects of polymer coatings on silver nanoparticle agglomeration, dissolution, and toxicity to determine mechanisms of nanotoxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zook, Justin M.; Halter, Melissa D.; Cleveland, Danielle; Long, Stephen E.

2012-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are frequently coated with a variety of polymers, which may affect various interdependent mechanisms of toxicity or antimicrobial action, including agglomeration and dissolution rates. Here, we systematically measure how citrate, dextran, 5 and 20 kDa poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) coatings affect AgNP agglomeration, dissolution, and toxicity. In addition, to disentangle the coatings’ effects on agglomeration from their other effects, we produce multiple stable agglomerate sizes of several of the coated ∼23 nm AgNPs ranging from singly-dispersed to mean agglomerate sizes of several hundred nanometers. These dispersions allow us to independently study the effects of agglomeration and polymer coating on dissolution rate and hemolytic toxicity. We find that both hemolytic toxicity and dissolution rate are highest for the 5 kDa PEG coating, and toxicity and dissolution rate decrease significantly with increasing agglomerate size independent of coating. This correlation between toxicity and dissolution rate suggests that both polymer coating and agglomeration may affect hemolytic toxicity largely through their effects on dissolution. Because both the AgNP dissolution rate and hemolysis decrease only moderately compared to the large increases in agglomerate size, AgNPs’ hemolytic toxicity may be caused by their large surface area and consequently high dissolution rate, rather than from other size-specific effects. At the silver concentrations used in this work, silver dissolved from AgNPs is expected to be primarily in the form of AgCl NPs, which are therefore more likely than Ag + ions to be the primary drivers of hemolytic toxicity. In addition, all AgNPs we tested are much more toxic to horse red blood cells than sheep red blood cells, highlighting the complexity of toxic responses and the need to test toxicity in multiple biological systems.

Evaluation of Biofuel Cells with Hemoglobin as Cathodic Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Peroxide Reduction on Bare Indium-Tin-Oxide Electrodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuke Ayato

2013-12-01

Full Text Available A biofuel cell (BFC cathode has been developed based on direct electron transfer (DET of hemoglobin (Hb molecules with an indium-tin-oxide (ITO electrode and their electrocatalysis for reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2. In this study, the ITO-coated glass plates or porous glasses were prepared by using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD method and examined the electrochemical characteristics of the formed ITO in pH 7.4 of phosphate buffered saline (PBS solutions containing and not containing Hb. In half-cell measurements, the reduction current of H2O2 due to the electrocatalytic activity of Hb increased with decreasing electrode potential from around 0.1 V versus Ag|AgCl|KCl(satd. in the PBS solution. The practical open-circuit voltage (OCV on BFCs utilizing H2O2 reduction at the Hb-ITO cathode with a hydrogen (H2 oxidation anode at a platinum (Pt electrode was expected to be at least 0.74 V from the theoretical H2 oxidation potential of −0.64 V versus Ag|AgCl|KCl(satd. in pH 7.4. The assembled single cell using the ITO-coated glass plate showed the OCV of 0.72 V and the maximum power density of 3.1 µW cm−2. The maximum power per single cell was recorded at 21.5 µW by using the ITO-coated porous glass.

Ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium using Pd/c and PdRh/C electrocatalysts prepared by electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Dionisio Furtunato da; Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Pino, Eddy Segura; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Linardi, Marcelo, E-mail: dfsilva@ipen.br, E-mail: drinager@ig.com.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2013-07-01

In this study, carbon-supported Pd (Pd/C) and bimetallic PdRh (Pd:Rh 90:10 atomic ratio) (PdRh/C) electrocatalysts were prepared using electron beam irradiation. The morphology and composition of the obtained materials were characterized by Cyclic voltammetry (VC), Chronoamperometry (CA), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The catalytic activities of the electrocatalysts toward the ethanol electro-oxidation were evaluated in alkaline medium in a single alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC), in a range temperature of 50 to 85 deg C. The best performances were obtained at 85 deg C (25 mW.cm{sup -2}) and 75 deg C (38 mW.cm{sup -2}) for Pd/C and PdRh/C electrocatalysts, respectively. The XRD of the PdRh/C electrocatalyst showed the presence of Pd-rich (fcc) phase. CV and CA experiments showed that PdRh/C electrocatalyst demonstrated superior activity toward ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature, compared to Pd/C electrocatalyst. (author)

Iron Is the Active Site in Nickel/Iron Water Oxidation Electrocatalysts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryan M. Hunter

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Efficient catalysis of the oxygen-evolution half-reaction (OER is a pivotal requirement for the development of practical solar-driven water splitting devices. Heterogeneous OER electrocatalysts containing first-row transition metal oxides and hydroxides have attracted considerable recent interest, owing in part to the high abundance and low cost of starting materials. Among the best performing OER electrocatalysts are mixed Fe/Ni layered double hydroxides (LDH. A review of the available experimental data leads to the conclusion that iron is the active site for [NiFe]-LDH-catalyzed alkaline water oxidation.

Electrocatalysts for hydrogen energy

CERN Document Server

Losiewicz, Bozena

2015-01-01

This special topic volume deals with the development of novel solid state electrocatalysts of a high performance to enhance the rates of the hydrogen or oxygen evolution. It contains a description of various types of metals, alloys and composites which have been obtained using electrodeposition in aqueous solutions that has been identified to be a technologically feasible and economically superior technique for the production of the porous electrodes. The goal was to produce papers that would be useful to both the novice and the expert in hydrogen technologies. This volume is intended to be us

High-performance polyimide nanocomposites with core-shell AgNWs@BN for electronic packagings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Yongcun; Liu, Feng, E-mail: liufeng@nwpu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi' an Shaanxi 710072 (China)

2016-08-22

The increasing density of electronic devices underscores the need for efficient thermal management. Silver nanowires (AgNWs), as one-dimensional nanostructures, possess a high aspect ratio and intrinsic thermal conductivity. However, high electrical conductivity of AgNWs limits their application for electronic packaging. We synthesized boron nitride-coated silver nanowires (AgNWs@BN) using a flexible and fast method followed by incorporation into synthetic polyimide (PI) for enhanced thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of nanocomposites. The thinner boron nitride intermediate nanolayer on AgNWs not only alleviated the mismatch between AgNWs and PI but also enhanced their interfacial interaction. Hence, the maximum thermal conductivity of an AgNWs@BN/PI composite with a filler loading up to 20% volume was increased to 4.33 W/m K, which is an enhancement by nearly 23.3 times compared with that of the PI matrix. The relative permittivity and dielectric loss were about 9.89 and 0.015 at 1 MHz, respectively. Compared with AgNWs@SiO{sub 2}/PI and Ag@BN/PI composites, boron nitride-coated core-shell structures effectively increased the thermal conductivity and reduced the permittivity of nanocomposites. The relative mechanism was studied and discussed. This study enables the identification of appropriate modifier fillers for polymer matrix nanocomposites.

Experiment of enhancing critical current in Bi-2223/Ag tape by means of ferromagnetic shielding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alamgir, A.K.M. [Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)]. E-mail: alam643@hotmail.com; Gu, C. [Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Han, Z. [Applied Superconductivity Research Center, Department of Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2005-11-15

Critical current in multifilamentary Ag-sheath Bi-2223 tape is enhanced to some extent by means of thin and narrow coating of pure nickel. The concept of enhancing critical current is based on the magnetic shielding effect resulting in redirection of self-field flux lines. The Ni coating was introduced at the edge regime of the tape in order to redirect the perpendicular component of self-field lines which is severe at the edges. Critical current in a typical Ag-sheath Bi-2223 tape was enhanced up to {approx}11% by 50 {mu}m thick and 0.4 mm long Ni coating without any change of self-field loss. This fact reveals that additional ferromagnetic loss could be compensated by the shielding effect and increased critical current of the tape. The degree of enhancement in critical current as well as ferromagnetic impact on ac losses depend on the length and thickness of ferromagnetic coating introduced. Therefore, it is very important to control the geometry of ferromagnetic coating in order to balance the critical current and ac loss for optimum superconductor performance. Introduction of ferromagnetic coating and its effect on electromagnetic properties in multifilamentary Bi-2223/Ag tape will be reported in this article.

Experiment of enhancing critical current in Bi-2223/Ag tape by means of ferromagnetic shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alamgir, A.K.M.; Gu, C.; Han, Z.

2005-01-01

Critical current in multifilamentary Ag-sheath Bi-2223 tape is enhanced to some extent by means of thin and narrow coating of pure nickel. The concept of enhancing critical current is based on the magnetic shielding effect resulting in redirection of self-field flux lines. The Ni coating was introduced at the edge regime of the tape in order to redirect the perpendicular component of self-field lines which is severe at the edges. Critical current in a typical Ag-sheath Bi-2223 tape was enhanced up to ∼11% by 50 μm thick and 0.4 mm long Ni coating without any change of self-field loss. This fact reveals that additional ferromagnetic loss could be compensated by the shielding effect and increased critical current of the tape. The degree of enhancement in critical current as well as ferromagnetic impact on ac losses depend on the length and thickness of ferromagnetic coating introduced. Therefore, it is very important to control the geometry of ferromagnetic coating in order to balance the critical current and ac loss for optimum superconductor performance. Introduction of ferromagnetic coating and its effect on electromagnetic properties in multifilamentary Bi-2223/Ag tape will be reported in this article

In Vitro and In Vivo Effectiveness of an Innovative Silver-Copper Nanoparticle Coating of Catheters To Prevent Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Ballo, Myriam K. S.; Pulgarin, César; Hopf, Nancy; Berthet, Aurélie; Kiwi, John; Moreillon, Philippe; Bizzini, Alain

2016-01-01

In this study, silver/copper (Ag/Cu)-coated catheters were investigated for their efficacy in preventing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in vitro and in vivo. Ag and Cu were sputtered (67/33% atomic ratio) on polyurethane catheters by direct-current magnetron sputtering. In vitro, Ag/Cu-coated and uncoated catheters were immersed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or rat plasma and exposed to MRSA ATCC 43300 at 104 to 108 CFU/ml. In vivo, Ag/Cu-coated and uncoated catheters were placed in the jugular vein of rats. Directly after, MRSA (107 CFU/ml) was inoculated in the tail vein. Catheters were removed 48 h later and cultured. In vitro, Ag/Cu-coated catheters preincubated in PBS and exposed to 104 to 107 CFU/ml prevented the adherence of MRSA (0 to 12% colonization) compared to uncoated catheters (50 to 100% colonization; P < 0.005) and Ag/Cu-coated catheters retained their activity (0 to 20% colonization) when preincubated in rat plasma, whereas colonization of uncoated catheters increased (83 to 100%; P < 0.005). Ag/Cu-coating protection diminished with 108 CFU/ml in both PBS and plasma (50 to 100% colonization). In vivo, Ag/Cu-coated catheters reduced the incidence of catheter infection compared to uncoated catheters (57% versus 79%, respectively; P = 0.16) and bacteremia (31% versus 68%, respectively; P < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy of explanted catheters suggests that the suboptimal activity of Ag/Cu catheters in vivo was due to the formation of a dense fibrin sheath over their surface. Ag/Cu-coated catheters thus may be able to prevent MRSA infections. Their activity might be improved by limiting plasma protein adsorption on their surfaces. PMID:27353266

Palladium-cobalt particles as oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Adzic, Radoslav [East Setauket, NY; Huang, Tao [Manorville, NY

2009-12-15

The present invention relates to palladium-cobalt particles useful as oxygen-reducing electrocatalysts. The invention also relates to oxygen-reducing cathodes and fuel cells containing these palladium-cobalt particles. The invention additionally relates to methods for the production of electrical energy by using the palladium-cobalt particles of the invention.

Carbon nanotubes with silver nanoparticle decoration and conductive polymer coating for improving the electrical conductivity of polycarbonate composites

KAUST Repository

Patole, Archana S.

2015-01-01

We proposed a strategy to enhance the conductivity of polycarbonate by using three-phase hybrid metallic/non-metallic fillers. Ethylene diamine (EDA) functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-EDA) are first decorated with silver nanoparticles. These Ag/ MWCNT-EDA fillers are then coated with a conductive layer of ethylene glycol treated PEDOT: PSS (poly [3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene]: poly [styrenesulfonate]) (EP). In such an approach, the MWCNT backbone is covered by a highly conductive coating made of Ag nanoparticles surrounded by EP. To understand how Ag and EP form a highly conductive coating, the effect of different wt% of Ag nanoparticles on EP was studied. Ag nanoparticles around the size of 128 ± 28 nmeffectively lowered the volume resistivity of bulk EP, resulting in a highly conducting Ag/EP blend. We found that in the final Ag/MWCNT-EDA/EP assembly, the EP coating enhances the electrical conductivity in two ways: (1) it is an efficient dispersing agent that helps in achieving a uniform dispersion of the Ag/MWCNT-EDA and (2) it acts as a conductive bridge between particles (Ag and MWCNT-EDA), reducing the particle to particle resistivity. When inserted into polycarbonate, this three-phase blend successfully reduced the volume resistivity of the polymer by two orders of magnitude compared with previous approaches.

Effect of photocatalytic and hydrophobic coatings on brewery surface microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Priha, O; Laakso, J; Tapani, K; Levänen, E; Kolari, M; Mäntylä, T; Storgårds, E

2011-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether process hygiene in the beverage industry could be improved by applying new coating techniques to process surfaces. Photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) and hydrophobic coatings applied to stainless steel with or without added antimicrobial compounds were studied in laboratory attachment tests and in a 15-month process study. No clear reductions in numbers of attached microbes were obtained with photocatalytic coatings, except for coatings to which silver had been added. These TiO(2)+Ag coatings reduced microbial coverage in laboratory studies and in some process samples. Hydrophobic coatings reduced the area coverage of microorganisms in 4-h laboratory studies but did not affect colony counts in laboratory or process studies. The surfaces had changed from hydrophobic into hydrophilic during the process study. The coatings did not mechanically fully withstand process conditions; part of the hydrophobic coatings had peeled off, most of the precipitated Ag had dissolved, and some of the TiO(2) coatings were damaged. In conclusion, functional coatings have potential for reducing microbial loads on beverage industry surfaces, but these coatings need further development.

Safe and Effective Ag Nanoparticles Immobilized Antimicrobial NanoNonwovens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Song, Jie; Chen, Menglin; Regina, Viduthalai R.

2012-01-01

and possibility of introduction of secondary pollution. Here, we present a novel strategy to produce a safe and effective antimicrobial nanononwoven material by immobilizing AgNPs on a rigid polymer nanofibrous matrix through simple co-electrospinning of pre-prepaired AgNPs and polystyrene (PS). Distribution...... of the AgNPs on the surface of PS fibers was achieved by tuning fiber diameters during electrospinning. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis revealed that the AgNPs distributed at the fiber surface were still covered by a layer of polymer, which inhibited their antimicrobial activity. UV/ozone treatment...... was thus employed to degrade the polymer coating without loosening the AgNPs, resulting in an active antimicrobial nonwoven against Gram-positive Staphylococcus xylosus. The mechanism based on cellular uptake of silver ions via close contact to the surface of AgNPs is proposed. The novel nanononwoven...

Synthesis of Ag-coated polystyrene colloids by an improved surface seeding and shell growth technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Chungui; Wang Enbo; Kang Zhenhui; Mao Baodong; Zhang Chao; Lan Yang; Wang Chunlei; Song Yanli

2006-01-01

In this paper, an improved surface seeding and shell growth technique was developed to prepare Ag-polystyrene core shell composite. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) could act as the linker between Ag ions (Ag nanoparticles) and polystyrene (PS) colloids and the reducing agent in the formation of Ag nanoparticles. Due to the multi-functional characteristic of PEI, Ag seeds formed in-situ and were immobilized on the surface of PEI-modified PS colloids and no free Ag clusters coexist with the Ag 'seeding' PS colloids in the system. Then, the additional agents could be added into the resulting dispersions straightly to produce a thick Ag nanoshell. The Ag nanoshell with controllable thickness was formed on the surface of PS by the 'one-pot' surface seeding and shell growth method. The Ag-coverage increased gradually with the increasing of mass ratio of AgNO 3 /PS. The optical properties of the Ag-PS colloids could be tailored by changing the coverage of Ag. - Graphical abstract: An improved surface seeding and shell growth technique was developed to prepare Ag-polystyrene core shell composite. The optical properties of the Ag-PS colloids could be tailored by changing the coverage of Ag. Display Omitted

Investigating the effect of silver coating on the solubility, antibacterial properties, and cytocompatibility of glass microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Haas, L M; Smith, C M; Placek, L M; Hall, M M; Gong, Y; Mellott, N P; Wren, Anthony W

2015-10-01

Silver (Ag) coatings have been incorporated into many medical materials due to its ability to eradicate harmful microbes. In this study, glass microspheres (SiO2-Na2O-CaO-Al2O3) were synthesized and employed as substrates to investigate the effect Ag coating has on glass solubility and the subsequent biological effects. Initially, glasses were amorphous with a glass transition point (T(g)) of 605℃ and microspheres were spherical with a mean particle diameter of 120 µm (±27). The Ag coating was determined to be crystalline in nature and its presence was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ion release determined that Ag-coated (Ag-S) microspheres increased the Na(+) release rate but slightly reduced the Ca(2+) and Si(4+) release compared to an uncoated control (UC-S). Additionally, the Ag-S reduced the pH to just above neutral (7.3-8.5) compared to the UC-S (7.7-9.1). Antibacterial testing determined significant reductions in planktonic Escherichia coli (p = 0.000), Staphylococcus epidermidis (p = 0.000) and Staphylococcus aureus (p = 0.000) growth as a function of the presence of Ag and with respect to maturation (1, 7, and 30 days). Testing for toxicity levels using L929 Fibroblasts determined higher cell viability for the Ag-S at lower concentrations (5 µg/ml); in addition, no significant reduction in cell viability was observed with higher concentrations (15, 30 µg/ml). © The Author(s) 2015.

The effect of soil properties on the toxicity and bioaccumulation of Ag nanoparticles and Ag ions in Enchytraeus crypticus.

Science.gov (United States)

Topuz, Emel; van Gestel, Cornelis A M

2017-10-01

Standard natural Lufa soils (2.2, 2.3 and 5M) with different organic carbon contents (0.67-1.61%) and pH CaCl2 (5.5-7.3) were spiked with ionic Ag (AgNO 3 ) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (AgNP-PVP) and citrate (AgNP-Cit) coated Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Enchytraeus crypticus were exposed for 21 days to assess effects on survival and reproduction. Soil, pore water and animals were analyzed for Ag. AgNP-Cit had a strong increasing effect on soil pH, leading to high enchytraeid mortality at concentrations higher than 60-100mg Ag/kg dry soil which made it impossible to determine the influence of soil properties on its toxicity. LC50s were lower for AgNO 3 than for AgNP-PVP (92-112 and 335-425mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively) and were not affected by soil properties. AgNO 3 and AgNP-PVP had comparable reproductive toxicity with EC50s of 26.9-75.2 and 28.2-92.3mg Ag/kg dry soil, respectively; toxicity linearly increased with decreasing organic carbon content of the soils but did not show a clear effect of soil pH. Ag uptake in the enchytraeids was higher at higher organic carbon content, but could not explain differences in toxicity between soils. This study indicates that the bioavailability of both ionic and nanoparticulate Ag is mainly affected by soil organic carbon, with little effect of soil pH. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Investigation of silver impact on hydroxyapatite/lignin coatings electrodeposited on titanium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eraković, Sanja; Janković, Ana [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11 000 Belgrade (Serbia); Matić, Ivana Z.; Juranić, Zorica D. [Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Pasterova 14, 11 000 Belgrade (Serbia); Vukašinović-Sekulić, Maja [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11 000 Belgrade (Serbia); Stevanović, Tatjana [Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université Laval, 2425 rue de la Terrasse, Québec (Canada); Mišković-Stanković, Vesna, E-mail: vesna@tmf.bg.ac.rs [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11 000 Belgrade (Serbia)

2013-11-01

Silver doped hydroxyapatite (HAP) [Ca{sub 9.95}Ag{sub 0.05}(PO{sub 4}){sub 6}(OH){sub 2}] composite coatings with natural polymer organosolv lignin (Lig) were produced by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on titanium. Coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The corrosion stability of electrodeposited coatings was evaluated in vitro in Kokubo's simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 °C using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Antimicrobial properties are directly proportional to the rate of silver ions release from the coatings, determined from inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP-AES). The obtained results are in good agreement with viability of pathogenic bacteria strain Staphylococcus aureus TL in suspension, which had completely disappeared after 24 h. Composite Ag/HAP/Lig coatings were confirmed as non-toxic for healthy immunocompetent peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). - Highlights: • Biocompatibility and antimicrobial properties of Ag/HAP/Lig were investigated. • Ag ions embedded into HAP lattice are released from material upon immersion in SBF. • Strong antibactericidal effect against Staphylococcus aureus. • Non-toxic properties of nanocomposite confirmed against PBMC cells. • Promising result for the future developments of bioactive implant materials.

Raman Spectroscopy and Electrochemical Investigations of Pt Electrocatalyst Supported on Carbon Prepared through Plasma Pyrolysis of Natural Gas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tereza Cristina Santos Evangelista

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Physicochemical and electrochemical characterisations of Pt-based electrocatalysts supported on carbon (Vulcan carbon, C1, and carbon produced by plasma pyrolysis of natural gas, C2 toward ethanol electrooxidation were investigated. The Pt20/C180 and Pt20/C280 electrocatalysts were prepared by thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors at 350°C. The electrochemical and physicochemical characterisations of the electrocatalysts were performed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD, transmission electron microscope (TEM, Raman scattering, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry tests. The XRD results show that the Pt-based electrocatalysts present platinum metallic which is face-centered cubic structure. The results indicate that the Pt20/C180 electrocatalyst has a smaller particle size (10.1–6.9 nm compared with the Pt20/C280 electrocatalyst; however, the Pt20/C280 particle sizes are similar (12.8–10.4 nm and almost independent of the reflection planes, which suggests that the Pt crystallites grow with a radial shape. Raman results reveal that both Vulcan carbon and plasma carbon are graphite-like materials consisting mostly of sp2 carbon. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry data obtained in this study indicate that the deposition of Pt on plasma carbon increases its electrocatalytic activity toward ethanol oxidation reaction.

Fire-through Ag contact formation for crystalline Si solar cells using single-step inkjet printing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyun-Gang; Cho, Sung-Bin; Chung, Bo-Mook; Huh, Joo-Youl; Yoon, Sam S

2012-04-01

Inkjet-printed Ag metallization is a promising method of forming front-side contacts on Si solar cells due to its non-contact printing nature and fine grid resolution. However, conventional Ag inks are unable to punch through the SiN(x) anti-reflection coating (ARC) layer on emitter Si surfaces. In this study, a novel formulation of Ag ink is examined for the formation of fire-through contacts on a SiN(x)-coated Si substrate using the single-step printing of Ag ink, followed by rapid thermal annealing at 800 degrees C. In order to formulate Ag inks with fire-through contact formation capabilities, a liquid etching agent was first formulated by dissolving metal nitrates in an organic solvent and then mixing the resulting solution with a commercial Ag nanoparticle ink at various volume ratios. During the firing process, the dissolved metal nitrates decomposed into metal oxides and acted in a similar manner to the glass frit contained in Ag pastes for screen-printed Ag metallization. The newly formulated ink with a 1 wt% loading ratio of metal oxides to Ag formed finely distributed Ag crystallites on the Si substrate after firing at 800 degrees C for 1 min.

Ternary Pt/Rh/SnO2 electrocatalysts for oxidizing ethanol to CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Kowal, A; Li, M; Shao, M; Sasaki, K; Vukmirovic, M B; Zhang, J; Marinkovic, N S; Liu, P; Frenkel, A I; Adzic, R R

2009-04-01

Ethanol, with its high energy density, likely production from renewable sources and ease of storage and transportation, is almost the ideal combustible for fuel cells wherein its chemical energy can be converted directly into electrical energy. However, commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells has been impeded by ethanol's slow, inefficient oxidation even at the best electrocatalysts. We synthesized a ternary PtRhSnO(2)/C electrocatalyst by depositing platinum and rhodium atoms on carbon-supported tin dioxide nanoparticles that is capable of oxidizing ethanol with high efficiency and holds great promise for resolving the impediments to developing practical direct ethanol fuel cells. This electrocatalyst effectively splits the C-C bond in ethanol at room temperature in acid solutions, facilitating its oxidation at low potentials to CO(2), which has not been achieved with existing catalysts. Our experiments and density functional theory calculations indicate that the electrocatalyst's activity is due to the specific property of each of its constituents, induced by their interactions. These findings help explain the high activity of Pt-Ru for methanol oxidation and the lack of it for ethanol oxidation, and point to the way to accomplishing the C-C bond splitting in other catalytic processes.

MnO2/MCMB electrocatalyst for all solid-state alkaline zinc-air cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, G.Q.; Zhang, X.G.

2004-01-01

Nanostructured MnO 2 /mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) composite has been prepared successfully for use in zinc-air cell as electrocatalyst for oxygen reaction. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the MnO 2 nanorods were formed and covered on the surface of MCMB in bird's nest morphology. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicated that the MnO 2 has the hollandite structure with a composition approximating KMn 8 O 16 . By the cathodic polarization curve tests, the nanostructured material demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity as a kind of oxygen electrode electrocatalyst compared with electrolytic MnO 2 . An all solid-state zinc-air cell has been fabricated with this material as electrocatalyst for oxygen electrode and potassium salt of cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) as an alkaline polymer gel electrolyte. The cell has good discharge characteristics at room temperature

The cellular and Genomic response of rat dopaminergic neurons (N27) to coated nanosilver

Science.gov (United States)

This study examined if nanosilver (nanoAg) of different sizes and coatings were differentially toxic to oxidative stress-sensitive neurons. N27 rat dopaminergic neurons were exposed (0.5-5ppm) to a set of nanoAg of different sizes (10nm, 75nm) and coatings (PVP, citrate) and thei...

Covalent Organic Framework Electrocatalysts for Clean Energy Conversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Chun-Yu; Zhang, Detao; Zhao, Zhenghang; Xia, Zhenhai

2018-02-01

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are promising for catalysis, sensing, gas storage, adsorption, optoelectricity, etc. owning to the unprecedented combination of large surface area, high crystallinity, tunable pore size, and unique molecular architecture. Although COFs are in their initial research stage, progress has been made in the design and synthesis of COF-based electrocatalysis for the oxygen reduction reaction, oxygen evolution reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, and CO 2 reduction in energy conversion and fuel generation. Design principles are also established for some of the COF materials toward rational design and rapid screening of the best electrocatalysts for a specific application. Herein, the recent advances in the design and synthesis of COF-based catalysts for clean energy conversion and storage are presented. Future research directions and perspectives are also being discussed for the development of efficient COF-based electrocatalysts. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Photocatalytic TiO2 and Doped TiO2 Coatings to Improve the Hygiene of Surfaces Used in Food and Beverage Processing—A Study of the Physical and Chemical Resistance of the Coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parnia Navabpour

2014-07-01

Full Text Available TiO2 coatings deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering and spray coating methods, as well as Ag- and Mo-doped TiO2 coatings were investigated as self-cleaning surfaces for beverage processing. The mechanical resistance and retention of the photocatalytic properties of the coatings were investigated over a three-month period in three separate breweries. TiO2 coatings deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering showed better mechanical durability than the spray coated surfaces, whilst the spray-deposited coating showed enhanced retention of photocatalytic properties. The presence of Ag and Mo dopants improved the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 as well as the retention of these properties. The spray-coated TiO2 was the only coating which showed light-induced hydrophilicity, which was retained in the coatings surviving the process conditions.

Formation of Silver Nanoplates Layer on Amino Group Grafted Silica Coatings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurgis PILIPAVICIUS

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In this study the self-arrangement of Ag nanoplates on (3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES silanized silica coatings was investigated. Silica coatings were made by sol-gel method and silanized in two different ways. The first one includes silanization in acidic 2-propanol solution, the other one – in dry toluene. Coatings were silanized by using different amounts of APTES in case of silanization in 2-propanol. Silver nanoplates layer of functionalized silica coatings was obtained via self-assembly. Coatings were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM, water contact angle measurements (CA, FT-IR analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Research showed that dense Ag nanoplates arrangement occurs when there is a high amount of amino groups on the surface.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.22.2.8405

Effect of silver nanoparticle coatings on mycobacterial biofilm attachment and growth: Implications for ceramic water filters

Science.gov (United States)

Larimer, Curtis James

Silver is a natural, broad-spectrum antibacterial metal and its toxicity can be enhanced when surface area is maximized. As a result, silver nanoparticles (AgNP) have been investigated for use in novel water treatment technologies. The hypothesis of this work is that deposited AgNPs can enhance water treatment technologies by inhibiting growth of planktonic bacteria and biofilms. This was investigated by evaluating the antibacterial efficacy of AgNPs both in solution and as deposited on surfaces. AgNPs were found to be toxic to three species of environmental mycobacteria, M. smegmatis, M. avium, and M. marinum and the level of susceptibility varied widely, probably owing to the varying levels of silver that each species is exposed to in its natural environment. When cultured in a AgNP enriched environment M. smegmatis developed resistance to the toxic effects of both the nanoparticles and silver ions. The resistant mutant was as viable as the unmodified strain and was also resistant to antibiotic isoniazid. However, the strain was more susceptible to other toxic metal ions from ZnSO4 and CuSO4. AgNPs were deposited on silicon wafer substrates by vertical colloidal deposition (VCD). Manipulating deposition speed and also concentration of AgNPs in the depositing liquid led to a range of AgNP coatings with distinctive deposition lines perpendicular to the motion of the meniscus. Experimental results for areal coverage, which was measured from SEM images of AgNP coatings, were compared to Diao's theory of VCD but did not show agreement due to a stick-slip mechanism that is not accounted for by the theory. Durability of AgNP coatings is critical for antibacterial efficacy and to mitigate the risks of exposing the environment to nanomaterials and it was measured by exposing AgNP coatings to liquid flow in a flow cell. Durability was improved by modifying processing to include a heat treatment after deposition. Finally, the antibiofilm efficacy of deposited AgNPs was

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-07-01

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

Effect of Silver or Copper Nanoparticles-Dispersed Silane Coatings on Biofilm Formation in Cooling Water Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Akiko; Kanematsu, Hideyuki; Sano, Katsuhiko; Sakai, Yoshiyuki; Ishida, Kunimitsu; Beech, Iwona B.; Suzuki, Osamu; Tanaka, Toshihiro

2016-01-01

Biofouling often occurs in cooling water systems, resulting in the reduction of heat exchange efficiency and corrosion of the cooling pipes, which raises the running costs. Therefore, controlling biofouling is very important. To regulate biofouling, we focus on the formation of biofilm, which is the early step of biofouling. In this study, we investigated whether silver or copper nanoparticles-dispersed silane coatings inhibited biofilm formation in cooling systems. We developed a closed laboratory biofilm reactor as a model of a cooling pipe and used seawater as a model for cooling water. Silver or copper nanoparticles-dispersed silane coating (Ag coating and Cu coating) coupons were soaked in seawater, and the seawater was circulated in the laboratory biofilm reactor for several days to create biofilms. Three-dimensional images of the surface showed that sea-island-like structures were formed on silane coatings and low concentration Cu coating, whereas nothing was formed on high concentration Cu coatings and low concentration Ag coating. The sea-island-like structures were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy to estimate the components of the biofilm. We found that both the Cu coating and Ag coating were effective methods to inhibit biofilm formation in cooling pipes. PMID:28773758

Direct synthesis of antimicrobial coatings based on tailored bi-elemental nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giulio Benetti

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Ultrathin coatings based on bi-elemental nanoparticles (NPs are very promising to limit the surface-related spread of bacterial pathogens, particularly in nosocomial environments. However, tailoring the synthesis, composition, adhesion to substrate, and antimicrobial spectrum of the coating is an open challenge. Herein, we report on a radically new nanostructured coating, obtained by a one-step gas-phase deposition technique, and composed of bi-elemental Janus type Ag/Ti NPs. The NPs are characterized by a cluster-in-cluster mixing phase with metallic Ag nano-crystals embedded in amorphous TiO2 and present a promising antimicrobial activity including also multidrug resistant strains. We demonstrate the flexibility of the method to tune the embedded Ag nano-crystals dimension, the total relative composition of the coating, and the substrate type, opening the possibility of tailoring the dimension, composition, antimicrobial spectrum, and other physical/chemical properties of such multi-elemental systems. This work is expected to significantly spread the range of applications of NPs coatings, not only as an effective tool in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections but also in other technologically relevant fields like sensors or nano-/micro joining.

Direct synthesis of antimicrobial coatings based on tailored bi-elemental nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Benetti, Giulio; Cavaliere, Emanuele; Canteri, Adalberto; Landini, Giulia; Rossolini, Gian Maria; Pallecchi, Lucia; Chiodi, Mirco; Van Bael, Margriet J.; Winckelmans, Naomi; Bals, Sara; Gavioli, Luca

2017-03-01

Ultrathin coatings based on bi-elemental nanoparticles (NPs) are very promising to limit the surface-related spread of bacterial pathogens, particularly in nosocomial environments. However, tailoring the synthesis, composition, adhesion to substrate, and antimicrobial spectrum of the coating is an open challenge. Herein, we report on a radically new nanostructured coating, obtained by a one-step gas-phase deposition technique, and composed of bi-elemental Janus type Ag/Ti NPs. The NPs are characterized by a cluster-in-cluster mixing phase with metallic Ag nano-crystals embedded in amorphous TiO2 and present a promising antimicrobial activity including also multidrug resistant strains. We demonstrate the flexibility of the method to tune the embedded Ag nano-crystals dimension, the total relative composition of the coating, and the substrate type, opening the possibility of tailoring the dimension, composition, antimicrobial spectrum, and other physical/chemical properties of such multi-elemental systems. This work is expected to significantly spread the range of applications of NPs coatings, not only as an effective tool in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections but also in other technologically relevant fields like sensors or nano-/micro joining.

Electrochemical investigation of surface area effects on PVD Al-Ni as electrocatalyst for alkaline water electrolysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjartansdóttir, Cecilía Kristín; Caspersen, Michael; Egelund, Sune Daaskov

2014-01-01

, additional 40mV are gained. For the OER, smaller roughness values were observed with the same activity trend as for the HER. The electrocatalyst are however found not to be stable in the anodic environment during electrolysis. The corrosion mechanism of a skeletal nickel electrocatalyst during the OER...

Characterization and antimicrobial performance of nano silver coatings on leather materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Lkhagvajav

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, the characterization and the antimicrobial properties of nano silver (nAg coating on leather were investigated. For this purpose, turbidity, viscosity and pH of nAg solutions prepared by the sol-gel method were measured. The formation of films from these solutions was characterized according to temperature by Differential Thermal Analysis-Thermogravimetry (DTA-TG equipment. The surface morphology of treated leathers was observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. The antimicrobial performance of nAg coatings on leather materials to the test microorganisms as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillius niger was evaluated by the application of qualitative (Agar overlay method and quantitative (percentage of microbial reduction tests. According to qualitative test results it was found that 20 μg/cm2 and higher concentrations of nAg on the leather samples were effective against all microorganisms tested. Moreover, quantitative test results showed that leather samples treated with 20 μg/cm2 of nAg demonstrated the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli with 99.25% bacterium removal, whereas a 10 μg/cm2 concentration of nAg on leather was enough to exhibit the excellent percentage reduction against S. aureus of 99.91%. The results are promising for the use of colloidal nano silver solution on lining leather as antimicrobial coating.

Ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium using Pd/MWCNT and PdAuSn/MWCNT electrocatalysts prepared by electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Silva, Dionisio Furtunato da; Andrade e Silva, Leonardo Gondin de; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir, E-mail: drinager@ig.com.br, E-mail: dfsilva@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Santos, Mauro Coelho dos [Universidade Federal do ABC (LEMN/CCNH/UFABC), Santo Andre, SP (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Environmental problems and the world growing demand for energy has mobilized the scientific community in finding of clean and renewable energy sources. In this context, fuel cells appear as appropriate technology for generating electricity through alcohols electro-oxidation. Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT)-supported Pd and trimetallic PdAuSn (Pd:Au:Sn 50:10:40 atomic ratio) electrocatalysts were prepared using electron beam irradiation. The obtained materials were characterized by VC, Chronoamperometry, EDX, TEM and XRD. The catalytic activities of electrocatalysts toward ethanol electro-oxidation were evaluated in alkaline medium in a single alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) in a range temperature 60 to 90 deg C. The best performances were obtained at 85 deg C: 33 mW.cm{sup -2} and 31 mW.cm{sup -2} for Pd/ MWCNT and PdAuSn/MWCNT electrocatalysts, respectively. X-ray diffractograms of electrocatalysts showed the presence of Pd-rich (fcc) and Au-rich (fcc) phases. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry experiments showed that PdAuSn/MWCNT electrocatalyst demonstrated similar activity toward ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature, compared to electrocatalyst Pd/MWCNT. (author)

Ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium using Pd/MWCNT and PdAuSn/MWCNT electrocatalysts prepared by electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Silva, Dionisio Furtunato da; Andrade e Silva, Leonardo Gondin de; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Santos, Mauro Coelho dos

2015-01-01

Environmental problems and the world growing demand for energy has mobilized the scientific community in finding of clean and renewable energy sources. In this context, fuel cells appear as appropriate technology for generating electricity through alcohols electro-oxidation. Multi Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT)-supported Pd and trimetallic PdAuSn (Pd:Au:Sn 50:10:40 atomic ratio) electrocatalysts were prepared using electron beam irradiation. The obtained materials were characterized by VC, Chronoamperometry, EDX, TEM and XRD. The catalytic activities of electrocatalysts toward ethanol electro-oxidation were evaluated in alkaline medium in a single alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) in a range temperature 60 to 90 deg C. The best performances were obtained at 85 deg C: 33 mW.cm -2 and 31 mW.cm -2 for Pd/ MWCNT and PdAuSn/MWCNT electrocatalysts, respectively. X-ray diffractograms of electrocatalysts showed the presence of Pd-rich (fcc) and Au-rich (fcc) phases. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry experiments showed that PdAuSn/MWCNT electrocatalyst demonstrated similar activity toward ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature, compared to electrocatalyst Pd/MWCNT. (author)

Protective agent-free synthesis of Ni-Ag core-shell nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, D.-H. [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: chendh@mail.ncku.edu.tw; Wang, S.-R. [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

2006-12-10

Ni-Ag core-shell nanoparticles have been prepared by successive hydrazine reduction in ethylene glycol in the absence of protective agents. TEM analysis indicated the product was very fine and the thickness of Ag nanoshells could be controlled by the added silver nitrate concentration. The analyses of electron diffraction pattern and XRD revealed that both Ni cores and Ag shells had a fcc structure. The surface composition analysis by XPS indicated that Ni cores were fully covered by Ag nanoshells. Because of the absence of protective agent, the appropriate nickel concentration for the coating of Ag nanoshells should be less than 1.0 mM to avoid particle agglomeration. The product possessed the surface character of Ag and the magnetic property of Ni, and may have many potential applications in optical, magnetic, catalytic, biochemical, and biomedical fields.

Highly Sensitive and Stretchable Strain Sensor Based on Ag@CNTs.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qiang; Liu, Lihua; Zhao, Dong; Duan, Qianqian; Ji, Jianlong; Jian, Aoqun; Zhang, Wendong; Sang, Shengbo

2017-12-04

Due to the rapid development and superb performance of electronic skin, we propose a highly sensitive and stretchable temperature and strain sensor. Silver nanoparticles coated carbon nanowires (Ag@CNT) nanomaterials with different Ag concentrations were synthesized. After the morphology and components of the nanomaterials were demonstrated, the sensors composed of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and CNTs or Ag@CNTs were prepared via a simple template method. Then, the electronic properties and piezoresistive effects of the sensors were tested. Characterization results present excellent performance of the sensors for the highest gauge factor (GF) of the linear region between 0-17.3% of the sensor with Ag@CNTs1 was 137.6, the sensor with Ag@CNTs2 under the strain in the range of 0-54.8% exhibiting a perfect linearity and the GF of the sensor with Ag@CNTs2 was 14.9.

Microstructure and cytotoxicity evaluation of duplex-treated silver-containing antibacterial TiO2 coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Xiangyu; Wu, Haibo; Geng, Zhenhua; Huang, Xiaobo; Hang, Ruiqiang; Ma, Yong; Yao, Xiaohong; Tang, Bin

2014-01-01

Implant-related infection is one of the most common and serious complications associated with biomedical implantation. To prevent bacterial adhesion, a series of porous TiO 2 coatings with different concentrations of silver (designated as M0, M1, M2 and M3) were prepared on pure titanium substrates by a duplex-treatment technique combining magnetron sputtering with micro-arc oxidation. All coatings are porous with pore size less than 5 μm and the concentrations of silver in the M0, M1, M2 and M3 are 0, 0.95, 1.36 and 1.93 wt.%, respectively. Silver is found to be distributed throughout the thickness of the coatings by scanning electron microscopy. The release of silver from the TiO 2 coatings was confirmed by an inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The antibacterial effects of these coatings were tested against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using the mouse pre-osteoblast cells. The results indicate that the antibacterial activities of TiO 2 coatings are greatly improved due to the incorporation of silver. No cytotoxic effect is found for the M1 surfaces from the observation of pre-osteoblast cell by MTT assay and fluorescence microscopy. Although the M2 and M3 coatings appeared to be toxic for pre-osteoblast cells after 1 day in culture, the cell viability on M2 and M3 surfaces was greatly raised after culturing for 2 days. Our results suggested that the TiO 2 coatings incorporated with an optimum amount of silver can possess excellent antibacterial activities without cytotoxic effect, which has promising applications in biomedical devices. - Highlights: • Porous TiO 2 coatings with various concentration of Ag on titanium were prepared. • Ag element was distributed throughout the thickness of the coatings. • The antibacterial activities were greatly improved due to the incorporation of Ag. • The release amounts of Ag were initially high and gradually

Fabrication of Cu-Ag core-shell bimetallic superfine powders by eco-friendly reagents and structures characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Jun; Zhang Dongming; Zhao Jie

2011-01-01

Superfine bimetallic Cu-Ag core-shell powders were synthesized by reduction of copper sulfate pentahydrate and silver nitrate with eco-friendly ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and cyclodextrins as a protective agent in an aqueous system. The influence of Ag/Cu ratio on coatings was investigated. Ag was homogeneously distributed on the surface of Cu particles at a mole ratio of Ag/Cu=1. FE-SEM showed an uniformity of Ag coatings on Cu particles. Antioxidation of Cu particles was improved by increasing Ag/Cu ratio. TEM-EDX and UV-vis spectra also revealed that Cu cores were covered by Ag nanoshells on the whole. The surface composition analysis by XPS indicated that only small parts of Cu atoms in the surface were oxidized. It was noted that the hindrance of cyclodextrins chemisorbed on particles plays an important role in forming high quality and good dispersity Cu-Ag (Cu-Ag) core-shell powders. - Graphical abstract: Mechanism of fabricating Cu-Ag particles with good dispersibility using β-CDs as a protective agent was studied because of its special structure. Highlights: → Green supramolecular β-CD used as a protective agent and ascorbic acid(Vc) as a reducing agent to fabricate Cu-Ag powders. → Particles are monodisperse and the diameter is close to nanoscale(100-150 nm). → Resistance of Cu particles to oxidation was higher. → Formation mechanism explained.

Rational design of competitive electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in hydrogen fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Stolbov, Sergey; Alcántara Ortigoza, Marisol

2012-02-01

The large-scale application of one of the most promising clean and renewable sources of energy, hydrogen fuel cells, still awaits efficient and cost-effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) occurring on the cathode. We demonstrate that truly rational design renders electrocatalysts possessing both qualities. By unifying the knowledge on surface morphology, composition, electronic structure and reactivity, we solve that sandwich-like structures are an excellent choice for optimization. Their constituting species couple synergistically yielding reaction-environment stability, cost-effectiveness and tunable reactivity. This cooperative-action concept enabled us to predict two advantageous ORR electrocatalysts. Density functional theory calculations of the reaction free-energy diagrams confirm that these materials are more active toward ORR than the so far best Pt-based catalysts. Our designing concept advances also a general approach for engineering materials in heterogeneous catalysis.

Pt monolayer shell on hollow Pd core electrocatalysts: Scale up synthesis, structure, and activity for the oxygen reduction reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vukmirovic Miomir B.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We report on synthesis, characterization and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR kinetics of Pt monolayer shell on Pd(hollow, or Pd-Au(hollow core electrocatalysts. Comparison between the ORR catalytic activity of the electrocatalysts with hollow cores and those of Pt solid and Pt hollow nanoparticles has been obtained using the rotating disk electrode technique. Hollow nanoparticles were made using Ni or Cu nanoparticles as sacrificial templates. The Pt ORR specific and mass activities of the electrocatalysts with hollow cores were found considerably higher than those of the electrocatalysts with the solid cores. We attribute this enhanced Pt activity to the smooth surface morphology and hollow-induced lattice contraction, in addition to the mass-saving geometry of hollow particles.

Platinum monolayer electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction: effect of substrates, and long-term stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. ZHANG

2005-03-01

Full Text Available We describe a novel concept for a Ptmonolayer electrocatalyst and present the results of our electrochemical, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and scanning tunneling microscopy studies. The electrocatalysts were prepared by a new method for depositing Pt monolayers involving the galvanic displacement by Pt of an underpotentially deposited Cu monolayer on substrates of Au (111, Ir(111, Pd(111, Rh(111 and Ru(0001 single crylstals, and Pd nanoparticles. The kinetics of O2 reduction showed significant enhancement with Pt monolayers on Pd(111 and Pd nanoparticle surfaces in comparisonwith the reaction on Pt(111 and Pt nanoparticles, respectively. This increase in catalytic activity is attributed partly to the decreased formation of PtOH, as shown by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The results illustrate that placing a Pt monolayer on a suitable substrate of metal nanoparticles is an attractive way of designing better O2 reduction electrocatalysts with very low Pt contents.

From melamine sponge towards 3D sulfur-doping carbon nitride as metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jingjing; Li, Bin; Li, Songmei; Liu, Jianhua

2017-07-01

Development of new and efficient metal-free electrocatalysts for replacing Pt to improve the sluggish kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of great importance to emerging renewable energy technologies such as metal-air batteries and polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Herein, 3D sulfur-doping carbon nitride (S-CN) as a novel metal-free ORR electrocatalyst was synthesized by exploiting commercial melamine sponge as raw material. The sulfur atoms were doping on CN networks uniformly through numerous S-C bonds which can provide additional active sites. And it was found that the S-CN exhibited high catalytic activity for ORR in term of more positive onset potential, higher electron transfer number and higher cathodic density. This work provides a novel choice of metal-free ORR electrocatalysts and highlights the importance of sulfur-doping CN in metal-free ORR electrocatalysts.

The effect of a polyurethane coating incorporating both a thrombin inhibitor and nitric oxide on hemocompatibility in extracorporeal circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Major, Terry C.; Brisbois, Elizabeth J.; Jones, Anna M.; Zanetti, Margaux E.; Annich, Gail M.; Bartlett, Robert H.; Handa, Hitesh

2014-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) releasing (NORel) materials have been extensively investigated to create localized increases in NO concentration by the proton driven diazeniumdiolate-containing polymer coatings and demonstrated to improve extracorporeal circulation (ECC) hemocompatibility. In this work, the NORel polymeric coating composed of a diazeniumdiolated dibutylhexanediamine (DBHD-N2O2)-containing hydrophobic Elast-eon™ (E2As) polyurethane was combined with a direct thrombin inhibitor, argatroban (AG), and evaluated in a 4 h rabbit thrombogenicity model without systemic anticoagulation. In addition, the immobilizing of argatroban to E2As polymer was achieved by either a polyethylene glycol-containing (PEGDI) or hexane methylene (HMDI) diisocyanate linker. The combined polymer film was coated on the inner walls of ECC circuits to yield significantly reduced ECC thrombus formation compared to argatroban alone ECC control after 4 h blood exposure (0.6 ± 0.1 AG/HMDI/NORel vs 1.7 ± 0.2 cm2 AG/HMDI control). Platelet count (2.8 ± 0.3 AG/HMDI/NORel vs 1.9 ± 0.1 × 108/ml AG/HMDI control) and plasma fibrinogen levels were preserved after 4 h blood exposure with both the NORel/argatroban combination and the AG/HMDI control group compared to baseline. Platelet function as measured by aggregometry remained near normal in both the AG/HMDI/NORel (63 ± 5%) and AG/HMDI control (58 ± 7%) groups after 3 h compared to baseline (77 ± 1%). Platelet P-selectin mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) as measured by flow cytometry also remained near baseline levels after 4 h on ECC to ex vivo collagen stimulation (16 ± 3 AG/HMDI/NORel vs 11 ± 2 MFI baseline). These results suggest that the combined AG/HMDI/NORel polymer coating preserves platelets in blood exposure to ECCs to a better degree than AG/PEGDI/NORel, NORel alone or AG alone. These combined antithrombin, NO-mediated antiplatelet effects were shown to improve thromboresistance of the AG/HMDI/NORel polymer-coated ECCs and move

Initial study of sediment antagonism and characteristics of silver nanoparticle-coated biliary stents in an experimental animal model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian Y

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Yigeng Tian,1,* Mingfeng Xia,2,* Shuai Zhang,3 Zhen Fu,4 Qingbin Wen,2 Feng Liu,4 Zongzhen Xu,4 Tao Li,4 Hu Tian4 1Department of Physics, School of Physics and Technology, University of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Surgery, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of General Surgery, Sixth People’s Hospital of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of General Surgery, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: Plastic biliary stents used to relieve obstructive jaundice are frequently blocked by sediment, resulting in loss of drainage. We prepared stents coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs and compared their ability to resist sedimentation with Teflon stents in a beagle model of obstructive jaundice.Methods: AgNP-coated Teflon biliary stents were prepared by chemical oxidation–reduction and evaluated in an obstructive jaundice model that was produced by ligation of common bile duct (CBD; animals were randomized to two equal groups for placement of AgNP-coated or Teflon control stents. Liver function and inflammatory index were found to be similar in the two groups, and the obstruction was relieved. Stents were removed 21 days after insertion and observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The AgNP coating was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA, and the composition of sediment was assayed by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy.Results: Electron microscopy revealed a black, closely adherent AgNP stent coating, with thicknesses of 1.5–6 µm. Sediment thickness and density were greater on Teflon than on AgNP-coated stents. EDXA confirmed the stability and integrity of the AgNP coating before and after in vivo animal experimentation. FTIR

CaCu3Ti4O12: A Bifunctional Perovskite Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution and Reduction Reaction in Alkaline Medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kushwaha, H.S.; Halder, Aditi; Thomas, P.; Vaish, Rahul

2017-01-01

Highlights: •A cost effective double perovskite CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 have been synthesized using oxalate precursor method. •CCTO electrocatalyst exhibit enhanced bifunctional electrocatalytic activities. •CCTO electrocatalyst have lower overpotential and higher mass activity as compared to noble metal oxide and well-known perovskite catalysts. •Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigations of oxygen reactions on perovskite surfaces. -- Abstract: Perovskite oxides are prominent materials as the bifunctional electrocatalysts for both oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER) for the electrochemical energy conversion and storage using regenerative fuel cells and rechargeable metal-air batteries. In this work, a quadruple perovskite CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 has been synthesized oxalate precursor route. X-ray diffraction pattern shows phase purity of the synthesized electrocatalyst. The synthesized CCTO electrocatalyst have crystallite size of 26 nm. Electrochemical investigations reveal that CCTO exhibit efficient catalytic activity. More interestingly, an extremely high OER activity is observed for CCTO electrocatalysts which is found superior than similar class of perovskites. Additionally, CCTO shows efficient ORR activity with an onset potential of 0.83 V which is better than that of Pt/C catalyst (≈0.94 V). These results demonstrate the significant potential of CCTO perovskite as a bifunctional electrode material for alkaline fuel cells and metal-air batteries.

Biocompatible Silver-containing a-C:H and a-C coatings: AComparative Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endrino, Jose Luis; Allen, Matthew; Escobar Galindo, Ramon; Zhang, Hanshen; Anders, Andre; Albella, Jose Maria

2007-04-01

Hydrogenated diamond-like-carbon (a-C:H) and hydrogen-free amorphous carbon (a-C) coatings are known to be biocompatible and have good chemical inertness. For this reason, both of these materials are strong candidates to be used as a matrix that embeds metallic elements with antimicrobial effect. In this comparative study, we have incorporated silver into diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings by plasma based ion implantation and deposition (PBII&D) using methane (CH4) plasma and simultaneously depositing Ag from a pulsed cathodic arc source. In addition, we have grown amorphous carbon - silver composite coatings using a dual-cathode pulsed filtered cathodic-arc (FCA) source. The silver atomic content of the deposited samples was analyzed using glow discharge optical spectroscopy (GDOES). In both cases, the arc pulse frequency of the silver cathode was adjusted in order to obtain samples with approximately 5 at.% of Ag. Surface hardness of the deposited films was analyzed using the nanoindentation technique. Cell viability for both a-C:H/Ag and a-C:/Ag samples deposited on 24-well tissue culture plates has been evaluated.

Multi-functional TiO{sub 2}/Si/Ag(Cr)/TiN{sub x} coatings for low-emissivity and hydrophilic applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loka, Chadrasekhar; Park, Kyoung Ryeol; Lee, Kee-Sun, E-mail: kslee@kongju.ac.kr

2016-02-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Multi-functional thin films were deposited by RF and DC magnetron sputtering. • High visible transmittance (∼85.5% at 550 nm) was achieved with low-e value 0.067. • Different bandgap concept was used to improve the hydrophilic properties. • Transparent, superhydropbilic films with water contact angle ∼5° were achieved. - Abstract: Multi-functional (coatings with some additional functional properties such as high transparency, antireflection, hydrophilicity and antifogging) coatings are indispensable for the modern energy saving systems. In this regard, we deposited TiO{sub 2}/Si/Ag(Cr)/TiN{sub x} multilayer thin films on soda-lime glass by using RF and DC magnetron sputtering to achieve a multi-functional thin film stack with the combination low-emissivity (low-e) and hydrophilicity properties in addition to the high transparency. Primary deposition of Ag(Cr)/TiN{sub x} was tried for the low-e effect and successfully obtained a very low emissivity value of 0.067, and then Si and TiO{sub 2} films with different bandgap were subsequently deposited to provide the hydrophilic properties. X-ray diffraction results revealed the anatase phase formation of TiO{sub 2} after annealing the films at 673 K by using the rapid thermal annealing system. Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS) was carried out to determine the chemical composition and elemental depth distribution. The multilayer stack exhibited superhydrophilicity with a water contact angle of about 5° after irradiation by UV light. A Heterojunction film with wide and narrow bandgap semiconductor materials was effective to improve the hydrophilicity. The films exhibited a high visible transmittance (∼85.5%, at 550 nm) and low infrared transmittance (7%, at 2000 nm) including low-e and superhydrophilicity.

CuZn Alloy- Based Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction

KAUST Repository

Alazmi, Amira

2014-01-01

, especially when the electronic energy is derived from renewable energies, such as solar, wind, geo-thermal and tidal. To achieve this goal, the development of an efficient electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction is essential. In this thesis, studies on CuZn alloys

Size- and coating-dependent cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of silver nanoparticles evaluated using in vitro standard assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiaoqing; Li, Yan; Yan, Jian; Ingle, Taylor; Jones, Margie Yvonne; Mei, Nan; Boudreau, Mary D; Cunningham, Candice K; Abbas, Mazhar; Paredes, Angel M; Zhou, Tong; Moore, Martha M; Howard, Paul C; Chen, Tao

2016-11-01

The physicochemical characteristics of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) may greatly alter their toxicological potential. To explore the effects of size and coating on the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of AgNPs, six different types of AgNPs, having three different sizes and two different coatings, were investigated using the Ames test, mouse lymphoma assay (MLA) and in vitro micronucleus assay. The genotoxicities of silver acetate and silver nitrate were evaluated to compare the genotoxicity of nanosilver to that of ionic silver. The Ames test produced inconclusive results for all types of the silver materials due to the high toxicity of silver to the test bacteria and the lack of entry of the nanoparticles into the cells. Treatment of L5718Y cells with AgNPs and ionic silver resulted in concentration-dependent cytotoxicity, mutagenicity in the Tk gene and the induction of micronuclei from exposure to nearly every type of the silver materials. Treatment of TK6 cells with these silver materials also resulted in concentration-dependent cytotoxicity and significantly increased micronucleus frequency. With both the MLA and micronucleus assays, the smaller the AgNPs, the greater the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The coatings had less effect on the relative genotoxicity of AgNPs than the particle size. Loss of heterozygosity analysis of the induced Tk mutants indicated that the types of mutations induced by AgNPs were different from those of ionic silver. These results suggest that AgNPs induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in a size- and coating-dependent manner. Furthermore, while the MLA and in vitro micronucleus assay (in both types of cells) are useful to quantitatively measure the genotoxic potencies of AgNPs, the Ames test cannot.

Microstructure and cytotoxicity evaluation of duplex-treated silver-containing antibacterial TiO{sub 2} coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xiangyu; Wu, Haibo; Geng, Zhenhua; Huang, Xiaobo; Hang, Ruiqiang; Ma, Yong; Yao, Xiaohong; Tang, Bin, E-mail: tangbin6405@sina.com

2014-12-01

Implant-related infection is one of the most common and serious complications associated with biomedical implantation. To prevent bacterial adhesion, a series of porous TiO{sub 2} coatings with different concentrations of silver (designated as M0, M1, M2 and M3) were prepared on pure titanium substrates by a duplex-treatment technique combining magnetron sputtering with micro-arc oxidation. All coatings are porous with pore size less than 5 μm and the concentrations of silver in the M0, M1, M2 and M3 are 0, 0.95, 1.36 and 1.93 wt.%, respectively. Silver is found to be distributed throughout the thickness of the coatings by scanning electron microscopy. The release of silver from the TiO{sub 2} coatings was confirmed by an inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The antibacterial effects of these coatings were tested against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli), and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using the mouse pre-osteoblast cells. The results indicate that the antibacterial activities of TiO{sub 2} coatings are greatly improved due to the incorporation of silver. No cytotoxic effect is found for the M1 surfaces from the observation of pre-osteoblast cell by MTT assay and fluorescence microscopy. Although the M2 and M3 coatings appeared to be toxic for pre-osteoblast cells after 1 day in culture, the cell viability on M2 and M3 surfaces was greatly raised after culturing for 2 days. Our results suggested that the TiO{sub 2} coatings incorporated with an optimum amount of silver can possess excellent antibacterial activities without cytotoxic effect, which has promising applications in biomedical devices. - Highlights: • Porous TiO{sub 2} coatings with various concentration of Ag on titanium were prepared. • Ag element was distributed throughout the thickness of the coatings. • The antibacterial activities were greatly improved due to the incorporation of Ag. • The release amounts of Ag were

Two-Dimensional Material Molybdenum Disulfides as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Yang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Recently, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs, represented by MoS2, have been proven to be a fascinating new class of electrocatalysts in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER. The rich chemical activities, combined with several strategies to regulate its morphologies and electronic properties, make MoS2 very attractive for understanding the fundamentals of electrocatalysis. In this review, recent developments in using MoS2 as electrocatalysts for the HER with high activity are presented. The effects of edges on HER activities of MoS2 are briefly discussed. Then we demonstrate strategies to further enhance the catalytic performance of MoS2 by improving its conductivity or engineering its structure. Finally, the key challenges to the industrial application of MoS2 in electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution are also pointed out.

Synthesis and Characterization of Pt-Ag Alloy Nanocages with Enhanced Activity and Durability toward Oxygen Reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xuan; Roling, Luke T; Vara, Madeline; Elnabawy, Ahmed O; Zhao, Ming; Hood, Zachary D; Bao, Shixiong; Mavrikakis, Manos; Xia, Younan

2016-10-12

Engineering the elemental composition of metal nanocrystals offers an effective strategy for the development of catalysts or electrocatalysts with greatly enhanced activity. Herein, we report the synthesis of Pt-Ag alloy nanocages with an outer edge length of 18 nm and a wall thickness of about 3 nm. Such nanocages with a composition of Pt 19 Ag 81 could be readily prepared in one step through the galvanic replacement reaction between Ag nanocubes and a Pt(II) precursor. After 10 000 cycles of potential cycling in the range of 0.60-1.0 V as in an accelerated durability test, the composition of the nanocages changed to Pt 56 Ag 44 , together with a specific activity of 1.23 mA cm -2 toward oxygen reduction, which was 3.3 times that of a state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalyst (0.37 mA cm -2 ) prior to durability testing. Density functional theory calculations attributed the increased activity to the stabilization of the transition state for breaking the O-O bond in molecular oxygen. Even after 30 000 cycles of potential cycling, the mass activity of the nanocages only dropped from 0.64 to 0.33 A mg -1 Pt , which was still about two times that of the pristine Pt/C catalyst (0.19 A mg -1 Pt ).

Tuning of Ag-SPR band position in refractive index controlled ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Wintec

incorporated films were prepared from sols derived from a mixture of silicon tetraethoxide (STE), ... Ag-plasmon tuning; inorganic–organic hybrids; refractive index tailoring; coloured coat- .... and one small drop of this dispersion was deposited.

Ancient Chemistry "Pharaoh's Snakes" for Efficient Fe-/N-Doped Carbon Electrocatalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Guangyuan; Gao, Liangliang; Teng, Chao; Li, Yunan; Yang, Hequn; Shui, Jianglan; Lu, Xianyong; Zhu, Ying; Dai, Liming

2018-04-04

The method of fabricating nonprecious metal electrocatalysts with high activity and durability through a facile and eco-friendly procedure is of great significance to the development of low-cost fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Herein, we present that an ancient chemical reaction of "Pharaoh's snakes" can be a fast and convenient technique to prepare Fe-/N-doped carbon (Fe/N-C) nanosheet/nanotube electrocatalysts with sugar, soda, melamine, and iron nitrate as precursors. The resultant Fe/N-C catalyst has a hierarchically porous structure, a large surface area, and uniformly distributed active sites. The catalyst shows high electrocatalytic activities toward both the oxygen reduction reaction with a half-wave potential of 0.90 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode) better than that of Pt/C and the oxygen evolution reaction with an overpotential of 0.46 V at the current density of 10 mA cm -2 comparable to that of RuO 2 . The activity and stability of the catalyst are also evaluated in primary and rechargeable Zn-air batteries. In both conditions, three-dimensional Fe/N-C exhibited performances superior to Pt/C. Our work demonstrates a success of utilizing an ancient science to make a state-of-the-art electrocatalyst.

Influences of the coating on silver nanoparticle toxicity in a chronic test with Daphnia magna

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakka, Y.; Mackevica, Aiga; Skjolding, Lars Michael

2015-01-01

coated AgNP in a chronic Daphnia test. One type of AgNP was coated with citrate (cAgNP), the other AgNP were generally uncoated (pAgNP; p= pure), but sterically stabilized by an organic dispersant. Particles with a similar shape and diameter were chosen. The focus of the study was to relate observed......Sources for differences in silver nanoparticle toxicity at standardized conditions can be numerous. They range from particle properties and their actual concentrations to differences in uptake or depuration by the test organisms. In the present study we compared the toxicity of two differently...... differences in toxicity to characteristics of the AgNP, like size or surface potential, or to their corresponding behaviour during the test, like dissolution or uptake. The characteristics and the behaviour of the AgNP were investigated for changes in stability and especially the release of silver ions...

Inflammatory responses of a human keratinocyte cell line to 10 nm citrate- and PEG-coated silver nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bastos, V. [University of Aveiro, CESAM & Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytomics (Portugal); Brown, D.; Johnston, H. [Heriot-Watt University, School of Life Sciences (United Kingdom); Daniel-da-Silva, A. L.; Duarte, I. F. [University of Aveiro, Department of Chemistry, CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials (Portugal); Santos, C., E-mail: csantos@fc.up.pt; Oliveira, H. [University of Aveiro, CESAM & Laboratory of Biotechnology and Cytomics (Portugal)

2016-07-15

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are among the most commonly used engineered NPs and various commercially available products are designed to come in direct contact with the skin (wound dressings, textiles, creams, among others). Currently, there is limited understanding of the influence of coatings on the toxicity of AgNPs and in particular their ability to impact on AgNP’s mediated inflammatory responses. As AgNPs are often stabilized by different coatings, including citrate and polyethyleneglycol (PEG), in this study we investigate the influence of citrate (Cit10) or PEG (PEG10) coatings to 10 nm AgNP on skin, using human HaCaT keratinocytes. AgNPs cytotoxicity and inflammatory response (nuclear factor (NF)-κB induction and cytokine production) of HaCaT were assessed after in vitro exposure to 10 and 40 µg/mL after 4, 24, and 48 h. Results showed that although both types of coated AgNPs decreased cell proliferation and viability, Cit10 AgNPs were more toxic. NF-κB inhibition was observed for the highest concentration (40 µg/mL) of PEG10 AgNPs, and the putative link to early apoptotic pathways observed in these cells is discussed. No production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNFα was stimulated by AgNPs. Furthermore, Cit10 and PEG10 AgNPs decreased the release of MCP-1 by HaCaT cells after 48 h of exposure. As cytokines are vital for the immunologic regulation in the human body, and it is demonstrated that they may interfere with NPs, more research is needed to understand how different AgNPs affect the immune system.

Benchmarking heterogeneous electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

McCrory, Charles C L; Jung, Suho; Peters, Jonas C; Jaramillo, Thomas F

2013-11-13

Objective evaluation of the activity of electrocatalysts for water oxidation is of fundamental importance for the development of promising energy conversion technologies including integrated solar water-splitting devices, water electrolyzers, and Li-air batteries. However, current methods employed to evaluate oxygen-evolving catalysts are not standardized, making it difficult to compare the activity and stability of these materials. We report a protocol for evaluating the activity, stability, and Faradaic efficiency of electrodeposited oxygen-evolving electrocatalysts. In particular, we focus on methods for determining electrochemically active surface area and measuring electrocatalytic activity and stability under conditions relevant to an integrated solar water-splitting device. Our primary figure of merit is the overpotential required to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm(-2) per geometric area, approximately the current density expected for a 10% efficient solar-to-fuels conversion device. Utilizing the aforementioned surface area measurements, one can determine electrocatalyst turnover frequencies. The reported protocol was used to examine the oxygen-evolution activity of the following systems in acidic and alkaline solutions: CoO(x), CoPi, CoFeO(x), NiO(x), NiCeO(x), NiCoO(x), NiCuO(x), NiFeO(x), and NiLaO(x). The oxygen-evolving activity of an electrodeposited IrO(x) catalyst was also investigated for comparison. Two general observations are made from comparing the catalytic performance of the OER catalysts investigated: (1) in alkaline solution, every non-noble metal system achieved 10 mA cm(-2) current densities at similar operating overpotentials between 0.35 and 0.43 V, and (2) every system but IrO(x) was unstable under oxidative conditions in acidic solutions.

Ameliorative role of nano-ceria against amine coated Ag-NP induced toxicity in Labeo rohita

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Muhammad Saleem; Qureshi, Naureen Aziz; Jabeen, Farhat

2018-03-01

Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and its byproducts can spread pollution in aquatic habitat. Liver and gills are key target for toxicity. Oxidative stress, tissue alterations, and hemotoxicity are assumed to be associated with Ag-NPs in target animals. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nano-ceria) show antioxidant potential in scavenging the free radicals generated in Ag-NP-induced oxidative stress. We determined ameliorated role of nano-ceria against Ag-NP-induced toxicity in fresh water Labeo rohita (L. rohita). Four groups were used in study including control, nano-ceria, Ag-NPs, and Ag-NPs + nano-ceria. Ag-NPs (30 mg l-1) and nano-ceria (50 µg kg-1) were given through water and prepared feed, respectively. The samples were taken after 28 days. Results demonstrated that pre-treatment of nano-ceria recovered L. rohita from Ag-NP-induced toxicity and oxidative stress. Nano-ceria pre-treatment actively mimics the activity of GST, GSH, CAT, and SOD. Furthermore, Ag-NPs' treatment caused severe inflammation and necrosis in hepatic parenchyma which leaded to congestion of blood in hepatic tissues. Accumulation of a yellow pigment in hepatic tissue was also seen due to necrosis of affected cells. In nano-ceria pre-treatment, there was no congestion in hepatic tissue. Vacuolization of cells and necrosis in some area was recorded in nano-ceria pre-treated group, but the gill and hepatic tissue showed improvement against Ag-NP-induced damage. Nano-ceria pre-treatment also improved hematological parameters in Ag-NP-treated fish. This study concluded that Ag-NP-induced toxicity in treated fish and pre-treatment of nano-ceria show ameliorative role.

Comparison of diffusion coefficients and activation energies for AG diffusion in silicon carbide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Bong Goo; Yeo, Sung Hwan; Lee, Young Woo; Cho, Moon Sung

2015-01-01

The migration of silver (Ag) in silicon carbide (SiC) and 110mAg through SiC of irradiated tri-structural isotropic (TRISO) fuel has been studied for the past three to four decades. However, there is no satisfactory explanation for the transport mechanism of Ag in SiC. In this work, the diffusion coefficients of Ag measured and/or estimated in previous studies were reviewed, and then pre-exponential factors and activation energies from the previous experiments were evaluated using Arrhenius equation. The activation energy is 247.4 kJ·mol -1 from Ag paste experiments between two SiC layers produced using fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD), 125.3 kJ·mol -1 from integral release experiments (annealing of irradiated TRISO fuel), 121.8 kJ·mol -1 from fractional Ag release during irradiation of TRISO fuel in high flux reactor (HFR), and 274.8 kJ·mol -1 from Ag ion implantation experiments, respectively. The activation energy from ion implantation experiments is greater than that from Ag paste, fractional release and integral release, and the activation energy from Ag paste experiments is approximately two times greater than that from integral release experiments and fractional Ag release during the irradiation of TRISO fuel in HFR. The pre-exponential factors are also very different depending on the experimental methods and estimation. From a comparison of the pre-exponential factors and activation energies, it can be analogized that the diffusion mechanism of Ag using ion implantation experiment is different from other experiments, such as a Ag paste experiment, integral release experiments, and heating experiments after irradiating TRISO fuel in HFR. However, the results of this work do not support the long held assumption that Ag release from FBCVD-SiC, used for the coating layer in TRISO fuel, is dominated by grain boundary diffusion. In order to understand in detail the transport mechanism of Ag through the coating layer, FBCVD-SiC in TRISO fuel, a

PtRu/C and PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts prepared by two different methodologies of borohydride reduction process for ethanol electro-oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brandalise, Michele; Tusi, Marcelo Marques; Piasentin, Ricardo Marcelo; Correa, Olandir Vercino; Linardi, Marcelo; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir, E-mail: brandalise@usp.br, E-mail: mmtusi@usp.br, E-mail: rmpiasen@ipen.br, E-mail: ovcorrea@ipen.br, E-mail: mlinardi@ipen.br, E-mail: espinace@ipen.br, E-mail: aolivei@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2009-07-01

PtRu/C (50:50) and PtRuBi/C (50:40:10) electrocatalysts were prepared by borohydride reduction using H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6.6}H{sub 2}O, RuCl{sub 3.x}H{sub 2}O and Bi(NO{sub 3}){sub 3.5}H{sub 2}O as metals sources and Vulcan XC72 as support. The borohydride solution was added in two different ways: drop by drop and rapid addition of all the solution. The obtained electrocatalysts were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry at room temperature and on a single cell of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 100 deg C. PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts showed superior performance for ethanol electro-oxidation than PtRu/C electrocatalysts prepared in a similar way. However, PtRuBi/C electrocatalyst prepared by rapid addition of the borohydride solution showed superior performance for ethanol electro oxidation at room temperature, while PtRuBi/C electrocatalyst prepared by addition drop by drop of borohydride solution showed superior performance on DEFC at 100 deg C. (author)

PtRu/C and PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts prepared by two different methodologies of borohydride reduction process for ethanol electro-oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandalise, Michele; Tusi, Marcelo Marques; Piasentin, Ricardo Marcelo; Correa, Olandir Vercino; Linardi, Marcelo; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio; Oliveira Neto, Almir

2009-01-01

PtRu/C (50:50) and PtRuBi/C (50:40:10) electrocatalysts were prepared by borohydride reduction using H 2 PtCl 6.6 H 2 O, RuCl 3.x H 2 O and Bi(NO 3 ) 3.5 H 2 O as metals sources and Vulcan XC72 as support. The borohydride solution was added in two different ways: drop by drop and rapid addition of all the solution. The obtained electrocatalysts were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry at room temperature and on a single cell of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 100 deg C. PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts showed superior performance for ethanol electro-oxidation than PtRu/C electrocatalysts prepared in a similar way. However, PtRuBi/C electrocatalyst prepared by rapid addition of the borohydride solution showed superior performance for ethanol electro oxidation at room temperature, while PtRuBi/C electrocatalyst prepared by addition drop by drop of borohydride solution showed superior performance on DEFC at 100 deg C. (author)

Surface coating affects behavior of metallic nanoparticles in a biological environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darija Domazet Jurašin

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Silver (AgNPs and maghemite, i.e., superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs are promising candidates for new medical applications, which implies the need for strict information regarding their physicochemical characteristics and behavior in a biological environment. The currently developed AgNPs and SPIONs encompass a myriad of sizes and surface coatings, which affect NPs properties and may improve their biocompatibility. This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of surface coating on colloidal stability and behavior of AgNPs and SPIONs in modelled biological environments using dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering techniques, as well as transmission electron microscopy to visualize the behavior of the NP. Three dispersion media were investigated: ultrapure water (UW, biological cell culture medium without addition of protein (BM, and BM supplemented with common serum protein (BMP. The obtained results showed that different coating agents on AgNPs and SPIONs produced different stabilities in the same biological media. The combination of negative charge and high adsorption strength of coating agents proved to be important for achieving good stability of metallic NPs in electrolyte-rich fluids. Most importantly, the presence of proteins provided colloidal stabilization to metallic NPs in biological fluids regardless of their chemical composition, surface structure and surface charge. In addition, an assessment of AgNP and SPION behavior in real biological fluids, rat whole blood (WhBl and blood plasma (BlPl, revealed that the composition of a biological medium is crucial for the colloidal stability and type of metallic NP transformation. Our results highlight the importance of physicochemical characterization and stability evaluation of metallic NPs in a variety of biological systems including as many NP properties as possible.

Impact of surface coating and food-mimicking media on nanosilver-protein interaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burcza, Anna, E-mail: anna.burcza@mri.bund.de; Gräf, Volker; Walz, Elke; Greiner, Ralf [Max Rubner-Institute, Department of Food Technology and Bioprocess Engineering (Germany)

2015-11-15

The application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in food contact materials has recently become a subject of dispute due to the possible migration of silver in nanoform into foods and beverages. Therefore, the analysis of the interaction of AgNPs with food components, especially proteins, is of high importance in order to increase our knowledge of the behavior of nanoparticles in food matrices. AgPURE™ W10 (20 nm), an industrially applied nanomaterial, was compared with AgNPs of similar size frequently investigated for scientific purposes differing in the surface capping agent (spherical AgNP coated with either PVP or citrate). The interactions of the AgNPs with whey proteins (BSA, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin) at different pH values (4.2, 7 or 7.4) were investigated using surface plasmon resonance, SDS-PAGE, and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation. The data obtained by the three different methods correlated well. Besides the nature of the protein and the nanoparticle coating, the environment was shown to affect the interaction significantly. The strongest interaction was obtained with BSA and AgNPs in an acidic environment. Neutral and slightly alkaline conditions however, seemed to prevent the AgNP-protein interaction almost completely. Furthermore, the interaction of whey proteins with AgPURE™ W10 was found to be weaker compared to the interaction with the other two AgNPs under all conditions investigated.

Impact of surface coating and food-mimicking media on nanosilver-protein interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burcza, Anna; Gräf, Volker; Walz, Elke; Greiner, Ralf

2015-01-01

The application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in food contact materials has recently become a subject of dispute due to the possible migration of silver in nanoform into foods and beverages. Therefore, the analysis of the interaction of AgNPs with food components, especially proteins, is of high importance in order to increase our knowledge of the behavior of nanoparticles in food matrices. AgPURE™ W10 (20 nm), an industrially applied nanomaterial, was compared with AgNPs of similar size frequently investigated for scientific purposes differing in the surface capping agent (spherical AgNP coated with either PVP or citrate). The interactions of the AgNPs with whey proteins (BSA, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin) at different pH values (4.2, 7 or 7.4) were investigated using surface plasmon resonance, SDS-PAGE, and asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation. The data obtained by the three different methods correlated well. Besides the nature of the protein and the nanoparticle coating, the environment was shown to affect the interaction significantly. The strongest interaction was obtained with BSA and AgNPs in an acidic environment. Neutral and slightly alkaline conditions however, seemed to prevent the AgNP-protein interaction almost completely. Furthermore, the interaction of whey proteins with AgPURE™ W10 was found to be weaker compared to the interaction with the other two AgNPs under all conditions investigated

Thermal Stability of Silver Paste Sintering on Coated Copper and Aluminum Substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Chun; Chen, Chuantong; Suganuma, Katsuaki; Fu, Guicui

2018-01-01

The thermal stability of silver (Ag) paste sintering on coated copper (Cu) and aluminum (Al) substrates has been investigated. Instead of conventional zincating or nickel plating, magnetron sputtering was used to achieve coating with titanium (Ti) and Ag. Silicon (Si) chips were bonded to coated Cu and Al substrates using a mixture of submicron Ag flakes and particles under 250°C and 0.4 MPa for 30 min. The joints were then subject to aging testing at 250°C for duration of 200 h, 500 h, and 1000 h. Two types of joints exhibited satisfactory initial shear strength above 45 MPa. However, the shear strength of the joints on Al substrate decreased to 28 MPa after 1000 h of aging, while no shear strength decline was detected for the joints on Cu substrate. Fracture surface analysis revealed that the vulnerable points of the two types of joints were (1) the Ag layer and (2) the interface between the Ti layer and Cu substrate. Based on the results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and simulations, cracks in the Ag layer were identified as the cause of the shear strength degradation in the joints on Al substrate. The interface evolution of the joints on Cu substrate was ascribed to Cu migration and discontinuity points that initialized in the Ti layer. This study reveals that Al exhibited superior thermal stability with sintered Ag paste.

Cellular Energy Allocation to Assess the Impact of Nanomaterials on Soil Invertebrates (Enchytraeids: The Effect of Cu and Ag

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susana I. L. Gomes

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of several copper (Cu and silver (Ag nanomaterials were assessed using the cellular energy allocation (CEA, a methodology used to evaluate the energetic status and which relates with organisms’ overall condition and response to toxic stress. Enchytraeus crypticus (Oligochatea, was exposed to the reproduction effect concentrations EC20/50 of several Cu and Ag materials (CuNO3, Cu-Field, Cu-Nwires and Cu-NPs; AgNO3, Ag NM300K, Ag-NPs Non-coated and Ag-NPs PVP-coated for 7 days (0-3-7d. The parameters measured were the total energy reserves available (protein, carbohydrate and lipid budgets and the energy consumption (Ec integrated to obtain the CEA. Results showed that these parameters allowed a clear discrimination between Cu and Ag, but less clearly within each of the various materials. For Cu there was an increase in Ec and protein budget, while for Ag a decrease was observed. The results corroborate known mechanisms, e.g., with Cu causing an increase in metabolic rate whereas Ag induces mitochondrial damage. The various Cu forms seem to activate different mechanisms with size and shape (e.g., Cu-NPs versus Cu-Nwires, causing clearly different effects. For Ag, results are in line with a slower oxidation rate of Ag-NMs in comparison with Ag-salt and hence delayed effects.

Graphene oxide-Ag nanoparticles-pyramidal silicon hybrid system for homogeneous, long-term stable and sensitive SERS activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Jia [School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014 (China); Xu, Shicai [Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics, College of Physics and Electronic Information, Dezhou University, Dezhou 253023 (China); Liu, Xiaoyun; Li, Zhe; Hu, Litao; Li, Zhen; Chen, Peixi; Ma, Yong [School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014 (China); Jiang, Shouzhen, E-mail: jiang_sz@126.com [School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014 (China); Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Device, Jinan 250014 (China); Ning, Tingyin [School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014 (China); Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Device, Jinan 250014 (China)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • We directly grown AgNPs on substrate by annealing method in the quartz tube. Compare with spin-coating Ag nanoparticles solution method, we got more uniform distribution of AgNPs and the AgNPs better adsorption on the substrate. • We use a simple and lost-cost method to obtain the pyramidal silicon (PSi). The PSi possessing well-separated pyramid arrays can make contribution to the homogeneity and sensitivity of the substrate. • In our work, graphene oxide (GO) film is uniformly deposited on AgNPs and PSi by using a spin-coating method. The GO films endow the hybrid system a good stability and enhance the homogeneity and sensitivity of the substrate. - Abstract: In our work, few layers graphene oxide (GO) were directly synthesized on Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) by spin-coating method to fabricate a GO-AgNPs hybrid structure on a pyramidal silicon (PSi) substrate for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The GO-AgNPs-PSi substrate showed excellent Raman enhancement effect, the minimum detected concentration for Rhodamine 6G (R6G) can reach 10{sup −12} M, which is one order of magnitude lower than the AgNPs-PSi substrate and two order of magnitude lower than the GO-AgNPs-flat-Si substrate. The linear fit calibration curve with error bars is presented and the value of R{sup 2} of 612 and 773 cm{sup −1} can reach 0.986 and 0.980, respectively. The excellent linear response between the Raman intensity and R6G concentrations prove that the prepared GO-AgNPs-PSi substrates can serve as good SERS substrate for molecule detection. The maximum deviations of SERS intensities from 20 positions of the GO-AgNPs-PSi substrate are less than 8%, revealing the high homogeneity of the SERS substrate. The excellent homogeneity of the enhanced Raman signals can be attributed to well-separated pyramid arrays of PSi, the uniform morphology of AgNPs and multi-functions of GO layer. Besides, the uniform GO film can effectively protect AgNPs from oxidation and endow

Electrodeposition and Characterization of Mn-Cu-Zn Alloys for Corrosion Protection Coating

Science.gov (United States)

Tsurtsumia, Gigla; Gogoli, David; Koiava, Nana; Kakhniashvili, Izolda; Jokhadze, Nunu; Lezhava, Tinatin; Nioradze, Nikoloz; Tatishvili, Dimitri

2017-12-01

Mn-Cu-Zn alloys were electrodeposited from sulphate bath, containing citrate or EDTA and their mixtures as complexing ligands. The influence of bath composition and deposition parameters on alloys composition, cathodic current efficiency and structural and electrochemical properties were studied. At a higher current density (≥ 37.5 A dm-2) a uniform surface deposit of Mn-Cu-Zn was obtained. Optimal pH of electrolyte (0.3 mol/dm3Mn2+ + 0.6 mol/dm3 (NH4)2SO4 +0.1 mol/dm3Zn2++0.005 mol/dm3 Cu2++ 0.05mol/dm3Na3Cit + 0.15mol/dm3 EDTA; t=300C; τ=20 min) for silvery, nonporous coating of Mn-Cu-Zn alloy was within 6.5-7.5; coating composition: 71-83% Mn, 6-7.8% Cu, 11.5-20% Zn, current efficiency up to 40%. XRD patterns revealed BCT (body centred tetragonal) γ-Mn solid phase solution (lattice constants a=2.68 Å c=3.59 Å). Corrosion measurements of deposited alloys were performed in aerated 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion current density (icorr) of the electrodeposited alloys on carbon steel was 10 times lower than corrosion rate of pure zinc and manganese coatings. Triple alloy coatings corrosion potential (Ecorr = -1140 mV vs. Ag/AgCl) preserved negative potential value longer (more than three months) compared to carbon steel substrate (Ecorr = -670 mV vs. Ag/AgCl). Tafel polarization curves taken on Mn-Cu-Zn alloy coating in aerated 3.5% NaCl solution did not show a typical passivation behaviour which can be explained by formation oflow solubility of adherent corrosion products on the alloy surface. Corrosion test of Mn-Cu-Zn electrocoating in chlorine environment shows that it is the best cathodic protective coating for a steel product.

Characterization of AZO and Ag based films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miao, Dagang; Jiang, Shouxiang; Zhao, Hongmei; Shang, Songmin; Chen, Zhuoming

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Highly infrared reflective AZO and Ag based films were prepared. • Ag showed better crystallization on AZO film than on glass substrate. • Infrared reflection rate was inversely proportional to the film sheet resistance. • Film with infrared reflection of 97% in FIR region was acquired. - Abstract: Ag, AZO/Ag, Ag/AZO and AZO/Ag/AZO films were prepared on glass substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technology. The prepared films were systematically investigated by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), UV–visible spectrophotometer, a four-point probe system and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The results indicated that Ag inner layer starts forming a continuous film at the thickness of 10 nm and Ag layer presents superior crystallization on AZO substrate than that on glass substrate. The continuous Ag inner layer film provided the highest average visible transmittance of 85.4% (AZO/Ag/AZO). The lowest sheet resistance of 3.21 Ω/sq and the highest infrared reflection rate of 97% in FIR region can be obtained on AZO/Ag (15 nm)/AZO film. The high infrared reflection property of the AZO/Ag/AZO coating makes it a promising candidate for solar control films

Biomolecule-coated metal nanoparticles on titanium.

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Stephen L; Chatt, Amares; Zhang, Peng

2012-02-07

Immobilizations of nanoparticles and biomolecules on biocompatible substrates such as titanium are two promising approaches to bringing new functionalities to Ti-based biomaterials. Herein, we used a variety of X-ray spectroscopic techniques to study and better understand metal-thiolate interactions in biofunctionalized metal nanoparticle systems supported on Ti substrates. Using a facile one-step procedure, a series of Au nanoparticle samples with varied biomolecule coatings ((2-mercatopropionyl)glycine (MPG) and bovine serum albumin (BSA)) and biomolecule concentrations are prepared. Ag and Pd systems are also studied to observe change with varying metal composition. The structure and properties of these biomolecule-coated nanoparticles are investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and element-specific X-ray techniques, including extended X-ray absorption fine structure (Au L(3)-edge), X-ray absorption near-edge structure (Au L(3), Ag L(3), Pd L(3), and S K-edge), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (Au 4f, Ag 3d, Pd 3d, and S 2p core level). It was found that, by comparison of SEM and X-ray spectroscopy results, the coating of metal nanoparticles with varying model biomolecule systems can have a significant effect on both surface coverage and organization. This work offers a facile chemical method for bio- and nanofunctionalization of Ti substrates as well as provides a physical picture of the structure and bonding of biocoated metal nanoparticles, which may lead to useful applications in orthopedics and biomedicine.

Electrochemical depositions of fluorohydroxyapatite doped by Cu2+, Zn2+, Ag+ on stainless steel substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bir, F.; Khireddine, H.; Touati, A.; Sidane, D.; Yala, S.; Oudadesse, H.

2012-01-01

Fluoridated hydroxyapatite (FHA, Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2-x F x where 0 2+ , Cu 2+ , Ag + ) substituted fluoridated hydroxyapatite coatings (M-FHA) were deposited on the surface of medical grade 316L stainless steel samples by electrochemical deposition technique. The FHA coatings were co-substituted with antibacterial ions (Zn 2+ , Cu 2+ or Ag + ) by co-precipitation and ion-exchange methods. Characterization studies of coatings from X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) showed that the obtained layers are monophase crystals FHA and did not contain any discernible crystalline impurity. The particles of all samples are of nano size that gives thin layers. The surface morphology, microstructure and Ca/P atomic ratio of the FHA coatings can be regulated by varying electrolyte temperature. This later affects the porosity of the coating surface and the chemical compositions of the deposits. Quantitative elemental analysis indicates that the copper, zinc and silver ions are incorporated into the Fluorohydroxyapatite. The antimicrobial effects of doped fluorohydroxyapatite coatings against pathogen bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus were tested in liquid media. The results are promising and demonstrated that all doped FHA samples exhibit excellent antimicrobial activity “in vitro” against the microorganism, so the antimicrobial properties of the coatings developed are improved.

Preparation of ZnO nanorods on conductive PET-ITO-Ag fibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yiwen; Ji, Shuai; Chen, Yuanyu; Zhang, Hong; Gong, Yumei, E-mail: ymgong@dlpu.edu.cn; Guo, Jing, E-mail: guojing8161@163.com

2016-12-01

Highlights: • Polymeric PET fibers were conductive modified by ITO and the subsequent Ag coating. The conductive PET-ITO-Ag fiber has the surface resistivity as low as 0.23 mΩ cm. The PET-ITO-Ag fiber was used as a basal material to plant vertical ZnO nanorods. - Abstract: We studied the vertical ZnO nanorods grown on conductive conventional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers which are prepared by electroless silver depositing on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) coated PET fibers through an efficient and low-cost green approach. The PET fibers were firstly functionalized with a layer of ITO gel synthesized through a sol–gel process at rather low temperature, simply by immersing the fibers into ITO sol for several minutes followed by gelation at 120 °C. Once the ITO gel layer surface was activated by SnCl{sub 2}, a continuous, uniform, and compact layer of silver was carried out on the surface of the PET-ITO fibers through electroless plating operation at room temperature. The as-prepared PET-ITO-Ag fibers had good electrical conductivity, with surface resistivity as low as 0.23 mΩ cm. The overall procedure is simple, efficient, nontoxic, and controllable. The conductive PET-ITO-Ag fiber was used successfully as a flexible basal material to plant vertical ZnO nanorods through controlling the seeding and growth processes. The morphology of the PET-ITO, PET-ITO-Ag, and PET-ITO-Ag-ZnO fibers were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Undergone the whole process, although the tensile strength of the fiber decreased slightly, they may still exert their applications in flexible electronic such as photovoltaic and piezoelectric devices.

Preparation of ZnO nanorods on conductive PET-ITO-Ag fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yiwen; Ji, Shuai; Chen, Yuanyu; Zhang, Hong; Gong, Yumei; Guo, Jing

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Polymeric PET fibers were conductive modified by ITO and the subsequent Ag coating. The conductive PET-ITO-Ag fiber has the surface resistivity as low as 0.23 mΩ cm. The PET-ITO-Ag fiber was used as a basal material to plant vertical ZnO nanorods. - Abstract: We studied the vertical ZnO nanorods grown on conductive conventional polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers which are prepared by electroless silver depositing on tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) coated PET fibers through an efficient and low-cost green approach. The PET fibers were firstly functionalized with a layer of ITO gel synthesized through a sol–gel process at rather low temperature, simply by immersing the fibers into ITO sol for several minutes followed by gelation at 120 °C. Once the ITO gel layer surface was activated by SnCl 2 , a continuous, uniform, and compact layer of silver was carried out on the surface of the PET-ITO fibers through electroless plating operation at room temperature. The as-prepared PET-ITO-Ag fibers had good electrical conductivity, with surface resistivity as low as 0.23 mΩ cm. The overall procedure is simple, efficient, nontoxic, and controllable. The conductive PET-ITO-Ag fiber was used successfully as a flexible basal material to plant vertical ZnO nanorods through controlling the seeding and growth processes. The morphology of the PET-ITO, PET-ITO-Ag, and PET-ITO-Ag-ZnO fibers were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Undergone the whole process, although the tensile strength of the fiber decreased slightly, they may still exert their applications in flexible electronic such as photovoltaic and piezoelectric devices.

Combinatorial investigation of Pt-Ru-Sn alloys as an anode electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chu, Young Hwan [Department of New Energy.Resource Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Sangji University, 124, Sangjidae-gil, Wonju-si, Gangwon-Do 220-702 (Korea); Shul, Yong Gun [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 134, Shinchon-Dong, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-749 (Korea)

2010-10-15

Low-temperature direct alcohol fuel cells fed with different kinds of alcohol (methanol, ethanol and 2-propanol) have been investigated by employing ternary electrocatalysts (Pt-Ru-Sn) as anode catalysts. Combinatorial chemistry has been applied to screen the 66-PtRuSn-anode arrays at the same time to reduce cost, time, and effort when we select the optimum composition of electrocatalysts for DAFCs (Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells). PtRuSn (80:20:0) showed the lowest onset potential for methanol electro-oxidation, PtRuSn (50:0:50) for ethanol, and PtRuSn (20:70:10) for 2-propanol in CV results respectively, and single cell performance test indicated that Ru is more suitable for direct methanol fuel cell system, Sn for direct ethanol fuel cell system, and 2-propanol could be applied as fuel with low platinum composition anode electrocatalyst. The single cell performance results and electrochemical results (CV) were well matched with the combinatorial electrochemical results. As a result, we could verify the availability of combinatorial chemistry by comparing the results of each extreme electrocatalysts compositions as follows: PtRuSn (80:20:0) for methanol, PtRuSn (50:0:50) for ethanol and PtRuSn (20:70:10) for 2-propanol. (author)

Synthesis and characterization of Ag doped TiO{sub 2} heterojunction films and their photocatalytic performances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demirci, Selim, E-mail: selim.demirci@marmara.edu.tr [Marmara University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Kadiköy, 34722 Istanbul (Turkey); Dikici, Tuncay [Izmir Katip Celebi University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cigli, 35620 Izmir (Turkey); Yurddaskal, Metin [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 Izmir (Turkey); Center for Fabrication and Application of Electronic Materials, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 Izmir (Turkey); Gultekin, Serdar [Department of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 İzmir (Turkey); Experimental Science Applications and Research Center, Celal Bayar University, 45140 Manisa (Turkey); Toparli, Mustafa; Celik, Erdal [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 Izmir (Turkey); Department of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 İzmir (Turkey); Center for Fabrication and Application of Electronic Materials, Dokuz Eylul University, 35390 Izmir (Turkey)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Ag doped TiO{sub 2} films were successfully synthesized by sol–gel spin coating method. • Ag in TiO{sub 2} lattice enters in intermediate states to decrease TiO{sub 2} bandgap energy. • Ag dopants increase the photoactivity and superhydrophilicity. • The degradation kinetics of methylene blue was studied. • The 0.7 mol% of Ag was found to be the optimum concentration. - Abstract: In this study, undoped and silver (Ag) doped titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) films were successfully synthesized by sol-gel spin coating technique on the Si substrates. Photocatalytic activities of the TiO{sub 2} films with different Ag content were investigated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under UV light irradiation. The crystal phase structure, surface morphology, chemical and optical properties of Ag-doped TiO{sub 2} films were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis spectrophotometer, and FTIR spectrophotometer. The results showed that the Ag-doped TiO{sub 2} films calcined at 500 °C had the crystalline anatase phases and the surface morphologies with some cracks. Ag substitution into TiO{sub 2} matrix enhanced the photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} films under UV light irradiation as compared to the undoped TiO{sub 2} film. Furthermore, the results indicated that the 0.7% Ag doped TiO{sub 2} film exhibited a superior photocatalytic activity than that of undoped and other Ag-doped TiO{sub 2} films. This study demonstrated the potential of an application of Ag doped films to efficiently treat dissolved organic contaminants in water.

Improvement of corrosion resistance of transparent conductive multilayer coating consisting of silver layers and transparent metal oxide layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koike, Katsuhiko; Yamazaki, Fumiharu; Okamura, Tomoyuki; Fukuda, Shin

2007-01-01

An optical filter for plasma display panel (PDP) requires an electromagnetic shield with very high ability. The authors investigated a transparent conductive multilayer coating consisting of silver (Ag) layers and transparent metal oxide layers. The durability of the multilayer sputter coating, including the silver layer, is very sensitive to the surrounding atmosphere. For example, after an exposure test they found discolored points on the multilayer sputter coatings, possibly caused by migration of silver atoms in the silver layers. In their investigation, they modified the top surface of the multilayer sputter coatings with transition metals to improve the corrosion resistance of the multilayer coating. Specifically, they deposited transition metals 0.5-2 nm thick on the top surface of the multilayer coatings by sputtering. They chose indium tin oxide (ITO) as the transparent metal oxide. They applied the multilayer sputter coatings of seven layers to a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film substrate. A cross-sectional structure of the film with the multilayer coatings is PET film/ITO/Ag/ITO/Ag/ITO/Ag/ITO. They evaluated the corrosion resistance of the films by a salt-water immersion test. In the test, they immersed the film with multilayer coatings into salt water, and then evaluated the appearance, transmittance, and electrical resistance of the multilayer coatings. They investigated several transition metals as the modifying material, and found that titanium and tantalum drastically improved the resistance of the multilayer coatings to the salt-water exposure without a significant decline in transmittance. They also investigated the relation between elapsed time after deposition of the modifying materials and resistance to the salt water. Furthermore, they investigated the effects of a heat treatment and an oxide plasma treatment on resistance to the salt water

Ag/PEPC/NiPc/ZnO/Ag thin film capacitive and resistive humidity sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karimov, Kh. S.; Saleem, M.; Murtaza, Imran; Farooq, M.; Cheong, Kuan Yew; Noor, Ahmad Fauzi Mohd

2010-01-01

A thin film of blended poly-N-epoxypropylcarbazole (PEPC) (25 wt.%), nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) (50 wt.%) and ZnO nano-powder (25 wt.%) in benzene (5 wt.%) was spin-coated on a glass substrate with silver electrodes to produce a surface-type Ag/PEPC/NiPc/ZnO/Ag capacitive and resistive sensor. Sensors with two different PEPC/NiPc/ZnO film thicknesses (330 and 400 nm) were fabricated and compared. The effects of humidity on capacitance and resistance of the Ag/PEPC/NiPc/ZnO/Ag sensors were investigated at two frequencies of the applied voltage: 120 Hz and 1 kHz. It was observed that at 120 Hz under humidity of up to 95% RH the capacitance of the sensors increased by 540 times and resistance decreased by 450 times with respect to humidity conditions of 50% RH. It was found that the sensor with a thinner semiconducting film (330 nm) was more sensitive than the sensor with a thicker film (400 nm). The sensitivity was improved when the sensor was used at a lower frequency as compared with a high frequency. It is assumed that the humidity response of the sensors is associated with absorption of water vapors and doping of water molecules in the semiconductor blend layer. This had been proven by simulation of the capacitance-humidity relationship. (semiconductor devices)

Rapid synthesis of platinum-ruthenium bimetallic nanoparticles dispersed on carbon support as improved electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Zhulan; Li, Shumin; Xiong, Zhiping; Xu, Hui; Gao, Fei; Du, Yukou

2018-07-01

Bimetallic nanocatalysts with small particle size benefit from markedly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability during small molecule oxidation. Herein, we report a facile method to synthesize binary Pt-Ru nanoparticles dispersed on a carbon support at an optimum temperature. Because of its monodispersed nanostructure, synergistic effects were observed between Pt and Ru and the PtRu/C electrocatalysts showed remarkably enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards ethanol oxidation. The peak current density of the Pt 1 Ru 1 /C electrocatalyst is 3731 mA mg -1 , which is 9.3 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C (401 mA mg -1 ). Furthermore, the synthesized Pt 1 Ru 1 /C catalyst exhibited higher stability during ethanol oxidation in an alkaline medium and maintained a significantly higher current density after successive cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of 500 cycles than commercial Pt/C. Our work highlights the significance of the reaction temperature during electrocatalyst synthesis, leading to enhanced catalytic performance towards ethanol oxidation. The Pt 1 Ru 1 /C electrocatalyst has great potential for application in direct ethanol fuel cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Water-soluble multidentate polymers compactly coating Ag2S quantum dots with minimized hydrodynamic size and bright emission tunable from red to second near-infrared region.

Science.gov (United States)

Gui, Rijun; Wan, Ajun; Liu, Xifeng; Yuan, Wen; Jin, Hui

2014-05-21

Hydrodynamic size-minimized quantum dots (QDs) have outstanding physicochemical properties for applications in multicolor molecular and cellular imaging at the level of single molecules and nanoparticles. In this study, we have reported the aqueous synthesis of Ag2S QDs by using thiol-based multidentate polymers as capping reagents. By regulating the composition of the precursors (AgNO3 and sulfur-N2H4·H2O complex) and multidentate polymers (poly(acrylic acid)-graft-cysteamine-graft-ethylenediamine), as well as the reaction time, Ag2S QDs (2.6-3.7 nm) are prepared, displaying tunable photoluminescence (PL) emission from red to the second near-infrared region (687-1096 nm). The small hydrodynamic thickness (1.6-1.9 nm) of the multidentate polymers yields a highly compact coating for the QDs, which results in the bright fluorescent QDs with high PL quantum yields (QYs: 14.2-16.4%). Experimental results confirm that the QDs have high PL stability and ultralow cytotoxicity, as well as high PLQYs and small hydrodynamic sizes (4.5-5.6 nm) similar to fluorescent proteins (27-30 kDa), indicating the feasibility of highly effective PL imaging in cells and living animals.

Polyacrylonitrile nanofibers coated with silver nanoparticles using a modified coaxial electrospinning process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu DG

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Deng-Guang Yu,1 Jie Zhou,2 Nicholas P Chatterton,3 Ying Li,1 Jing Huang,2 Xia Wang11School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 2School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China; 3Faculty of Life Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, United KingdomBackground: The objective of this investigation was to develop a new class of antibacterial material in the form of nanofibers coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs using a modified coaxial electrospinning approach. Through manipulation of the distribution on the surface of nanofibers, the antibacterial effect of Ag can be improved substantially.Methods: Using polyacrylonitrile (PAN as the filament-forming polymer matrix, an electrospinnable PAN solution was prepared as the core fluid. A silver nitrate (AgNO3 solution was exploited as sheath fluid to carry out the modified coaxial electrospinning process under varied sheath-to-core flow rate ratios.Results: Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that the sheath AgNO3 solution can take a role in reducing the nanofibers' diameters significantly, a sheath-to-core flow rate ratio of 0.1 and 0.2 resulting in PAN nanofibers with diameters of 380 ± 110 nm and 230 ± 70 nm respectively. AgNPs are well distributed on the surface of PAN nanofibers. The antibacterial experiments demonstrated that these nanofibers show strong antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis Wb800, and Escherichia coli dh5α.Conclusion: Coaxial electrospinning with AgNO3 solution as sheath fluid not only facilitates the electrospinning process, providing nanofibers with reduced diameters, but also allows functionalization of the nanofibers through coating with functional ingredients, effectively ensuring that the active antibacterial component is on the surface of the material, which leads to

Sonochemical synthesis and characterization of Pt/CNT, Pt/TiO2, and Pt/CNT/TiO2 electrocatalysts for methanol electro-oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedolla-Valdez, Z.I.; Verde-Gómez, Y.; Valenzuela-Muñiz, A.M.; Gochi-Ponce, Y.; Oropeza-Guzmán, M.T.; Berhault, Gilles; Alonso-Núñez, G.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Pt/CNT/TiO 2 electrocatalyst was successfully prepared by the sonochemical method. • The electrocatalyst Pt/CNT/TiO 2 was synthesized without heat treatments, additives or surfactants. • The TiO 2 -Pt interaction improves the CO-tolerance of Pt/CNT/TiO 2 , as well as the electrocatalyst stability. • Low amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes increases the current density of Pt/CNT/TiO 2 significantly compared to Pt/TiO 2 . - Abstract: Pt electrocatalyst supported on composite formed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and titanium oxide (CNT/TiO 2 ) was successfully synthesized by a sonochemical method without heat treatments, surfactants or additives. This electrocatalyst could be used for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) applications. For comparison, Pt/CNT and Pt/TiO 2 electrocatalysts were prepared as reference samples. Structural properties and morphology of the synthesized materials were examined by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and their specific surface areas were determined by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method. The Pt and acid-treated CNT contents were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The electrochemical properties of the synthesized electrocatalysts were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry in a three-electrode cell at room temperature. The evaluation performed using electrochemical techniques suggests that TiO 2 promotes the CO-tolerance due to TiO 2 -Pt interaction. The CV tests demonstrated that 6 wt.% of acid-treated CNT increases significantly the current density when Pt selectively interacts with TiO 2 .

Characterization of NiFe oxyhydroxide electrocatalysts by integrated electronic structure calculations and spectroelectrochemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldsmith, Zachary K.; Harshan, Aparna K.; Gerken, James B.; Vörös, Márton; Galli, Giulia; Stahl, Shannon S.; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon

2017-03-06

NiFe oxyhydroxide materials are highly active electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), an important process for carbon-neutral energy storage. Recent spectroscopic and computational studies increasingly support iron as the site of catalytic activity but differ with respect to the relevant iron redox state. A combination of hybrid periodic density functional theory calculations and spectroelectrochemical experiments elucidate the electronic structure and redox thermodynamics of Ni-only and mixed NiFe oxyhydroxide thin-film electrocatalysts. The UV/visible light absorbance of the Ni-only catalyst depends on the applied potential as metal ions in the film are oxidized before the onset of OER activity. In contrast, absorbance changes are negligible in a 25% Fe-doped catalyst up to the onset of OER activity. First-principles calculations of proton-coupled redox potentials and magnetizations reveal that the Ni-only system features oxidation of Ni2+ to Ni3+, followed by oxidation to a mixed Ni3+/4+ state at a potential coincident with the onset of OER activity. Calculations on the 25% Fedoped system show the catalyst is redox inert before the onset of catalysis, which coincides with the formation of Fe4+ and mixed Ni oxidation states. The calculations indicate that introduction of Fe dopants changes the character of the conduction band minimum from Ni-oxide in the Ni-only to predominantly Fe-oxide in the NiFe electrocatalyst. These findings provide a unified experimental and theoretical description of the electrochemical and optical properties of Ni and NiFe oxyhydroxide electrocatalysts and serve as an important benchmark for computational characterization of mixedmetal oxidation states in heterogeneous catalysts.

Sol-gel preparation of Ag-silica nanocomposite with high electrical conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zhijun; Jiang, Yuwei; Xiao, Huisi; Jiang, Bofan; Zhang, Hao; Peng, Mingying; Dong, Guoping; Yu, Xiang; Yang, Jian

2018-04-01

Sol-gel derived noble-metal-silica nanocomposites are very useful in many applications. Due to relatively low price, higher conductivity, and higher chemical stability of silver (Ag) compared with copper (Cu), Ag-silica has gained much more research interest. However, it remains a significant challenge to realize high loading of Ag content in sol-gel Ag-silica composite with high structural controllability and nanoparticles' dispersity. Different from previous works by using multifunctional silicon alkoxide to anchor metal ions, here we report the synthesis of Ag-silica nanocomposite with high loading of Ag nanoparticles by employing acetonitrile bi-functionally as solvent and metal ions stabilizer. The electrical conductivity of the Ag-silica nanocomposite reached higher than 6800 S/cm. In addition, the Ag-silica nanocomposite could simultaneously possess high electrical conductivity and positive conductivity-temperature coefficient by properly controlling the loading content of Ag. Such behavior is potentially advantageous for high-temperature devices (like phosphoric acid fuel cells) and inhibiting the thermal-induced increase of devices' internal resistance. The strategy proposed here is also compatible with block-copolymer directed self-assembly of mesoporous material, spin-coating of film and electrospinning of nanofiber, making it more charming in various practical applications.

Inactivation of microbial infectiousness by silver nanoparticles-coated condom: a new approach to inhibit HIV- and HSV-transmitted infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Fayaz A

2012-09-01

Full Text Available A Mohammed Fayaz,1,* Zhujun Ao,1,3,* Morkattu Girilal,2 Liyu Chen,3,4 Xianzhong Xiao,4 PT Kalaichelvan,2 Xiaojian Yao1,31Laboratory of Molecular Human Retrovirology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 2CAS in Botany, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; 3Department of Microbiology, 4School of Basic Medical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China*Both authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Recent research suggests that today’s condoms are only 85% effective in preventing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. In response, there has been a push to develop more effective ways of decreasing the spread of the disease. The new nanotechnology-based condom holds the promise of being more potent than the first-generation products. The preliminary goal of this study was to develop a silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs-coated polyurethane condom (PUC and to investigate its antimicrobial potential including the inactivation of HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV infectiousness. The Ag-NPs-coated PUC was characterized by using ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive analysis of X-ray spectroscopy. Nanoparticles were stable on the PUC and not washed away by water. Morphology of the PUC was retained after coating. The NP binding is due to its interaction with the nitrogen atom of the PUC. No significant toxic effects was observed when human HeLa cells, 293T and C8166 T cells were contacted to Ag-NPs-coated PUC for three hours. Interestingly, our results demonstrated that the contact of the Ag-NPs-coated PUC with HIV-1 and HSV-1/2 was able to efficiently inactivate their infectiousness. In an attempt to elucidate the antiviral action of the Ag-NPs, we have demonstrated that the

High-Performance Pyrochlore-Type Yttrium Ruthenate Electrocatalyst for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in Acidic Media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jaemin [Department; Shih, Pei-Chieh [Department; Tsao, Kai-Chieh [Department; Pan, Yung-Tin [Department; Yin, Xi [Department; Sun, Cheng-Jun [X-ray; Yang, Hong [Department

2017-08-17

Development of acid-stable electrocatalysts with low overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a major challenge for the production of hydrogen directly from water. We report in this paper a pyrochlore yttrium ruthenate (Y2Ru2O7-δ) electrocatalyst that has significantly enhanced performance towards OER in acid media over the best-known catalysts, with an onset overpotential of 190 mV and high stability in 0.1-M perchloric acid solution. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) indicates Y2Ru2O7-δ electrocatalyst had a low valence state that favors the high OER activity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation shows this pyrochlore has lower band center energy for the overlap between Ru 4d and O 2p orbitals and therefore more stable Ru-O bond than RuO2, highlighting the effect of yttrium on the enhancement in stability. The Y2Ru2O7-δ pyrochlore is also free of expensive iridium metal, thus a cost-effective candidate for practical applications.

Electrodeposition of a Pt-PrO{sub 2-x} electrocatalyst on diamond electrodes for the oxidation of methanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Liang; Hu, Jingping; Foord, John S. [Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA (United Kingdom)

2012-09-15

The electrodeposition of Pt-PrO{sub 2-x} nanostructures on boron-doped diamond electrodes was explored by decorating platinum nanoparticles with praseodymium oxide, for application as an electrocatalyst in the electrooxidation of methanol in direct methanol fuel cells. A high loading of platinum with good stability was deposited by adopting a two-stage protocol, which involved a stepped potential route and a chronoamperometric approach. Praseodymium oxide was then coated on the platinum particles from solutions containing praseodymium nitrate and hydrogen peroxide. The porous microstructure of the resulting catalyst was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope, along with electrochemical measurement. The addition of praseodymium oxide to the Pt resulted in a higher catalytic activity profile for methanol oxidation along with an improved resistance to poisoning effects caused by incompletely oxidized carbonaceous species. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Preparation of silver-chitosan nanocomposites and coating on bandage for antibacterial wound dressing application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Susilowati, Endang, E-mail: endwati@yahoo.co.id; Ashadi [Chemistry Education Department, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta (Indonesia); Maryani [Medical Doctor Program, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, Indonesia Jl. Ir Sutami 36 A Surakarta Indonesia 53126 (Indonesia)

2016-02-08

Bandage is a medical device that is essential for wound dressing. To improve the performance of the bandage, it has been coated by silver-chitosan nanocomposites (Ag/Chit) with pad-dry-cure method. The nanocomposites were performed by chemical reduction method at room temperature using glucose as reducing agent, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) as accelerator reagent, silver nitrate (AgNO{sub 3}) as metal precursor and chitosan as stabilizing agent. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption band of silver nanoparticles was investigated using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The bandage coated Ag/Chit nanocomposites (B-Ag/Chit) were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, antibacterial activity of the bandage toward Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative (Escherichia coli) were also studied. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by the appearance of LSPR absorption peak at 412.2 – 423.2 nm. Coating of nanocomposite cause increasing rigidity of bandage and decreasing on crystallinity. The bandages of B-Ag/Chit demonstrated good activity against both Gram positive (S. aureus) and Gram negative (E.Coli). Thus the bandages have a potential to be used for antibacterial wound dressing application.

Preparation of supported electrocatalyst comprising multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Gang; Zelenay, Piotr

2013-08-27

A process for preparing a durable non-precious metal oxygen reduction electrocatalyst involves heat treatment of a ball-milled mixture of polyaniline and multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the presence of a Fe species. The catalyst is more durable than catalysts that use carbon black supports. Performance degradation was minimal or absent after 500 hours of operation at constant cell voltage of 0.40 V.

CuZn Alloy- Based Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction

KAUST Repository

Alazmi, Amira

2014-06-01

ABSTRACT CuZn Alloy- Based Electrocatalyst for CO2 Reduction Amira Alazmi Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the major greenhouse gases and its emission is a significant threat to global economy and sustainability. Efficient CO2 conversion leads to utilization of CO2 as a carbon feedstock, but activating the most stable carbon-based molecule, CO2, is a challenging task. Electrochemical conversion of CO2 is considered to be the beneficial approach to generate carbon-containing fuels directly from CO2, especially when the electronic energy is derived from renewable energies, such as solar, wind, geo-thermal and tidal. To achieve this goal, the development of an efficient electrocatalyst for CO2 reduction is essential. In this thesis, studies on CuZn alloys with heat treatments at different temperatures have been evaluated as electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction. It was found that the catalytic activity of these electrodes was strongly dependent on the thermal oxidation temperature before their use for electrochemical measurements. The polycrystalline CuZn electrode without thermal treatment shows the Faradaic efficiency for CO formation of only 30% at applied potential ~−1.0 V vs. RHE with current density of ~−2.55 mA cm−2. In contrast, the reduction of oxide-based CuZn alloy electrode exhibits 65% Faradaic efficiency for CO at lower applied potential about −1.0 V vs. RHE with current density of −2.55 mA cm−2. Furthermore, stable activity was achieved over several hours of the reduction reaction at the modified electrodes. Based on electrokinetic studies, this improvement could be attributed to further stabilization of the CO2•− on the oxide-based Cu-Zn alloy surface.

Nano-electrochemical deposition of fuel cells electrocatalysts

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mathe

2008-11-01

Full Text Available stream_source_info Mathe_2008.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 34594 Content-Encoding UTF-8 stream_name Mathe_2008.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 1 Nano-electrochemical deposition... of fuel cells electrocatalysts MK MATHE a,*, TS MKWIZU a,b, I CUKROWSKI b * ,aCSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, Energy and Processes, PO Box 395, Pretoria, 0001 bDepartment of Chemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 Email: kmathe...

Facile Preparation and Enhanced Capacitance of the Ag-PEDOT:PSS/Polyaniline Nanofiber Network for Supercapacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patil, Dipali S.; Pawar, Sachin A.; Kim, Jin Hyeok; Patil, Pramod S.; Shin, Jae Cheol

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Fig. shows the steps involved in the development of the AgNW-PEDOT:PSS/PANI electrode. The bright silver nanocubes were observed onto the PANI nanofibers. This means that during the electrodeposition of PANI, there is an electrostatic interaction between AgNWs and PANI; the AgNWs are segmented into the small nanocubes. These nanocubes are distributed equally all over the interconnected network of the PANI nanofibers. This provides a continuous path for the electrons during the charge/discharge process. - Highlights: • Ag-PEDOT:PSS/PANI hybrid nanostructure was prepared. • Dip coating and electrodeposition techniques are used for electrodes preparation. • Symmetric supercapacitor based on AgNW-PEDOT:PSS/PANI was developed. • The positive synergistic effect of AgNW, PEDOT:PSS and PANI was observed. - Abstract: This paper reports the synthesis of a silver − Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/Polyaniline(Ag-PEDOT:PSS/PANI)hybrid nanostructure using a simple dip coating technique followed by potentiodynamic electrodeposition to achieve an electrochemical supercapacitor with excellent electrochemical performance. In this sandwich type structure, the Ag nanostructure-blended PEDOT: PSS acts as a current collector, where electrons can be transferred easily through this network to the PANI nanofibers and vice versa. The AgNW-PEDOT:PSS/PANI showed a specific capacitance of 643 Fg −1 at 10 mVs −1 and an energy density of 86.19 Whkg −1 at 0.1 mA, indicating the positive synergistic effect of silver nanowires (AgNW), PEDOT:PSS and PANI. The Ag nanostructure incorporated PEDOT:PSS helps to improve the electronic conductivity and the electrochemical stability of the PANI electrodes. Promising electrochemical properties achieved from the measurement of symmetric device demonstrate the ideal capacitive behavior of our prepared electrodes.

Preparation of PtSnCu/C and PtSn/C electrocatalysts and activation by dealloying processes for ethanol electrooxidation; Preparacao de eletrocatalisadores PtSnCu/C e PtSn/C e ativacao por processos de dealloying para aplicacao na oxidacao eletroquuimica do etanol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crisafulli, Rudy

2013-06-01

PtSnCu/C (with different Pt:Sn:Cu atomic ratios) and PtSn/C (50:50) electrocatalysts were prepared by borohydride (BR) and alcohol-reduction (AR) processes using H{sub 2}PtCl{sub 6}.6H{sub 2}O, SnCl{sub 2}.2H{sub 2}O and CuCl{sub 2}.2H{sub 2}O as metal sources, NaBH{sub 4} and ethylene glycol as reducing agents, 2-propanol and ethylene glycol/water as solvents and carbon black as support. In a further step, these electrocatalysts were activated by chemical (CD) and electrochemical (ED) dealloying processes through acid treatment and thin porous coating technique, respectively. These materials were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray, Xray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, line scan energy dispersive Xray and cyclic voltammetry. Electrochemical studies for ethanol electro-oxidation were performed by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and in single Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell using Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA). The anodic effluents were analysed by gas chromatography. The X-ray diffractograms of the as-synthesized electrocatalysts showed the typical face-centered cubic structure (FCC) of platinum and its alloys. After dealloying, the X-ray diffractograms showed that the Pt FCC structure was preserved. The crystallite sizes of the assynthesized electrocatalysts were in the range of <=2 nm to 3 nm and after dealloying there were no significant variations in sizes. The energy dispersive Xray analysis of the as-synthesized electrocatalysts showed a Pt:Sn and Pt:Sn:Cu atomic ratios similar to the nominal values. After chemical and electrochemical dealloying of the electrocatalysts the ranged Pt:Sn and Pt:Sn:Cu atomic ratios showed that Cu and Sn atoms were removed. However, chemical dealloying process proved to be more efficient for removing Cu and electrochemical dealloying for removing Sn. The line scan energy dispersive X-ray analysis showed that acid and electrochemical treatments were efficient to dealloying Cu and/or Sn superficial atoms of

Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanostructures on noble-metal coated substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dikovska, A.Og. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chaussee, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria); Atanasova, G.B. [Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev str., bl. 11, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Avdeev, G.V. [Rostislaw Kaischew Institute of Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev str., bl. 11, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Nedyalkov, N.N. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tsarigradsko Chaussee, Sofia 1784 (Bulgaria)

2016-06-30

Highlights: • ZnO nanostructures were fabricated on Au–Ag alloy coated silicon substrates by applying pulsed laser deposition. • Morphology of the ZnO nanostructures was related to the Au–Ag alloy content in the catalyst layer. • Increasing the Ag content in Au–Ag catalyst layer changes the morphology of the ZnO nanostructures from nanorods to nanobelts. - Abstract: In this work, ZnO nanostructures were fabricated on noble-metal (Au, Ag and Au–Ag alloys) coated silicon substrates by applying pulsed laser deposition. The samples were prepared at a substrate temperature of 550 °C, an oxygen pressure of 5 Pa, and a laser fluence of 2 J cm{sup −2} – process parameters usually used for deposition of smooth and dense thin films. The metal layer's role is substantial for the preparation of nanostructures. Heating of the substrate changed the morphology of the metal layer and, subsequently, nanoparticles were formed. The use of different metal particles resulted in different morphologies and properties of the ZnO nanostructures synthesized. The morphology of the ZnO nanostructures was related to the Au–Ag alloy's content of the catalyst layer. It was found that the morphology of the ZnO nanostructures evolved from nanorods to nanobelts as the ratio of Au/Ag in the alloy catalyst was varied. The use of a small quantity of Ag in the Au–Ag catalyst (Au{sub 3}Ag) layer resulted predominantly in the deposition of ZnO nanorods. A higher Ag content in the catalyst alloy (AuAg{sub 2}) layer resulted in the growth of a dense structure of ZnO nanobelts.

Atomically Monodisperse Nickel Nanoclusters as Highly Active Electrocatalysts for Water Oxidation

KAUST Repository

Joya, Khurram

2016-04-08

Achieving water splitting at low overpotential with high oxygen evolution efficiency and stability is important for realizing solar to chemical energy conversion devices. Herein we report the synthesis, characterization and electrochemical evaluation of highly active nickel nanoclusters (Ni NCs) for water oxidation at low overpotential. These atomically precise and monodisperse Ni NCs are characterized by using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, single crystal X-ray diffraction and mass spectrometry. The molecular formulae of these Ni NCs are found to be Ni4(PET)8 and Ni6(PET)12 and are highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution without any pre-conditioning. Ni4(PET)8 are slightly better catalysts than Ni6(PET)12 and initiate the oxygen evolution at an amazingly low overpotential of ~1.51 V (vs RHE; η ≈ 280 mV). The peak oxygen evolution current density (J) of ~150 mA cm–2 at 2.0 V (vs. RHE) with a Tafel slope of 38 mV dec–1 is observed using Ni4(PET)8. These results are comparable to the state-of-the art RuO2 electrocatalyst, which is highly expensive and rare compared to Ni-based materials. Sustained oxygen generation for several hours with an applied current density of 20 mA cm–2 demonstrates the long-term stability and activity of these Ni NCs towards electrocatalytic water oxidation. This unique approach provides a facile method to prepare cost-effective, nanoscale and highly efficient electrocatalysts for water oxidation.

Highly ordered Pd nanowire arrays as effective electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation in direct alcohol fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, C.W. [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Wang, H. [Departement of Applied Chemistry, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan 523106 (China); Shen, P.K. [School of Physics and Engineering, Sun Yet-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275 (China); Jiang, S.P.

2007-12-03

Pd nanowire arrays (NWAs) with high electrochemically active surface area are successfully fabricated using anodized aluminum oxide electrodeposition. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the Pd NWAs for ethanol electrooxidation are not only significantly higher that of conventional Pd film electrodes, but also higher than that of well-established commercial PtRu/C electrocatalysts. The Pd NWAs show great potential as electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation in alkaline media in direct ethanol fuel cells. (Abstract Copyright [2007], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aligned carbon nanotube array functionalization for enhanced atomic layer deposition of platinum electrocatalysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dameron, Arrelaine A., E-mail: arrelaine.dameron@nrel.gov [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd Golden, Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Pylypenko, Svitlana; Bult, Justin B.; Neyerlin, K.C.; Engtrakul, Chaiwat; Bochert, Christopher; Leong, G. Jeremy; Frisco, Sarah L.; Simpson, Lin; Dinh, Huyen N.; Pivovar, Bryan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 1617 Cole Blvd Golden, Golden, CO 80401 (United States)

2012-04-15

Uniform metal deposition onto high surface area supports is a key challenge of developing successful efficient catalyst materials. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) circumvents permeation difficulties, but relies on gas-surface reactions to initiate growth. Our work demonstrates that modified surfaces within vertically aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays, from plasma and molecular precursor treatments, can lead to improved catalyst deposition. Gas phase functionalization influences the number of ALD nucleation sites and the onset of ALD growth and, in turn, affects the uniformity of the coating along the length of the CNTs within the aligned arrays. The induced chemical changes for each functionalization route are identified by X-ray photoelectron and Raman spectroscopies. The most effective functionalization routes increase the prevalence of oxygen moieties at defect sites on the carbon surfaces. The striking effects of the functionalization are demonstrated with ALD Pt growth as a function of surface treatment and ALD cycles examined by electron microscopy of the arrays and the individual CNTs. Finally, we demonstrate applicability of these materials as fuel cell electrocatalysts and show that surface functionalization affects their performance towards oxygen reduction reaction.

Shape-controlled synthesis of polypyrrole/Ag nanostructures in the presence of chitosan.

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Xiaomiao; Huang, Haiping; Xu, Lin; Zhu, Jun-Jie; Hou, Wenhua

2008-01-01

Polypyrrole (PPy)-coated Ag nanoparticles and nanowires were fabricated through the redox reaction between pyrrole monomer and silver nitrate in the presence of chitosan. The morphologies, compositions, and electrochemical activities of PPy/Ag composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Cyclic voltammetry. The synthetic route employed here is simple and inexpensive and can be extended to prepare other conducting polymer/inorganic nanocomposites.

Effect of Pt:Sn atomic ratio on the preparation of PtSn/C electrocatalysts using electron beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Dionisio F.; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Pino, Eddy S.; Linardi, Marcelo; Spinace, Estevam V., E-mail: dfsilva@ipen.b, E-mail: espinace@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2009-07-01

PtSn/C electrocatalysts were prepared with Pt:Sn atomic ratios of 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 in water/2-propanol using electron beam irradiation. The obtained materials were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The ethanol electro-oxidation was studied by chronoamperometry. The XRD diffractograms of the PtSn/C electrocatalysts showed typical face-centered cubic (fcc) structure of platinum and the presence of a SnO{sub 2} phase (cassiterite). The mean crystallite sizes of Pt fcc phase was in the range of 3.0-3.5 nm. The PtSn/C electrocatalysts were active for ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature and the material prepared with Pt:Sn atomic ratio of 1:1 showed the best activity. (author)

Effect of Pt:Sn atomic ratio on the preparation of PtSn/C electrocatalysts using electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Dionisio F.; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Pino, Eddy S.; Linardi, Marcelo; Spinace, Estevam V.

2009-01-01

PtSn/C electrocatalysts were prepared with Pt:Sn atomic ratios of 3:1, 1:1 and 1:3 in water/2-propanol using electron beam irradiation. The obtained materials were characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The ethanol electro-oxidation was studied by chronoamperometry. The XRD diffractograms of the PtSn/C electrocatalysts showed typical face-centered cubic (fcc) structure of platinum and the presence of a SnO 2 phase (cassiterite). The mean crystallite sizes of Pt fcc phase was in the range of 3.0-3.5 nm. The PtSn/C electrocatalysts were active for ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature and the material prepared with Pt:Sn atomic ratio of 1:1 showed the best activity. (author)

Size and Aging Effects on Antimicrobial Efficiency of Silver Nanoparticles Coated on Polyamide Fabrics Activated by Atmospheric DBD Plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Zille, Andrea; Fernandes, Margarida M; Francesko, Antonio; Tzanov, Tzanko; Fernandes, Marta; Oliveira, Fernando R; Almeida, Luís; Amorim, Teresa; Carneiro, Noémia; Esteves, Maria F; Souto, António P

2015-07-01

This work studies the surface characteristics, antimicrobial activity, and aging effect of plasma-pretreated polyamide 6,6 (PA66) fabrics coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), aiming to identify the optimum size of nanosilver exhibiting antibacterial properties suitable for the manufacture of hospital textiles. The release of bactericidal Ag(+) ions from a 10, 20, 40, 60, and 100 nm AgNPs-coated PA66 surface was a function of the particles' size, number, and aging. Plasma pretreatment promoted both ionic and covalent interactions between AgNPs and the formed oxygen species on the fibers, favoring the deposition of smaller-diameter AgNPs that consequently showed better immediate and durable antimicrobial effects against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. Surprisingly, after 30 days of aging, a comparable bacterial growth inhibition was achieved for all of the fibers treated with AgNPs silver. Overall, the results suggest that instead of reducing the size of the AgNPs, which is associated with higher toxicity, similar long-term effects can be achieved with larger NPs (40-60 nm), even in lower concentrations. Because the antimicrobial efficiency of AgNPs larger than 30 nm is mainly ruled by the release of Ag(+) over time and not by the size and number of the AgNPs, this parameter is crucial for the development of efficient antimicrobial coatings on plasma-treated surfaces and contributes to the safety and durability of clothing used in clinical settings.

Fracture toughness of esthetic dental coating systems by nanoindentation and FIB sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecnik, Christina Martina; Courty, Diana; Muff, Daniel; Spolenak, Ralph

2015-07-01

Improving the esthetics of Ti-based dental implants is the last challenge remaining in the optimization process. The optical issues were recently solved by the application of highly and selectively reflective coatings on Ti implants. This work focuses on the mechanical durability of these esthetic ceramic based coating systems (with and without adhesion layers). The coating systems (Ti-ZrO2, Ti-Al-ZrO2, Ti-Ti-Al-ZrO2, Ti-Ag-ZrO2, Ti-Ti-Ag-ZrO2, Ti-Bragg and Ti-TiO2-Bragg) were subjected to nanoindentation experiments and examined using scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam cross sectional analysis. Three coating systems contained adhesion layers (10nm of Ti or 60nm of TiO2 layers). The fracture toughness of selected samples was assessed applying two different models from literature, a classical for bulk materials and an energy-based model, which was further developed and adjusted. The ZrO2 based coating systems (total film thickness<200nm) followed a circumferential cracking behavior in contrast to Bragg coated samples (total film thickness around 1.5μm), which showed radial cracking emanating from the indent corners. For Ti-ZrO2 samples, a fracture toughness between 2.70 and 3.70MPam(1/2) was calculated using an energy-based model. The classical model was applied to Bragg coated samples and their fracture toughness ranged between 0.70 and 0.80MPam(1/2). Furthermore, coating systems containing an additional layer (Ti-Ti-Al-ZrO2, Ti-Ti-Ag-ZrO2 and Ti-TiO2-Bragg) showed an improved adhesion between the substrate and the coating. The addition of a Ti or TiO2 layer improved the adhesion between substrate and coating. The validity of the models for the assessment of the fracture toughness depended on the layer structure and fracture profile of the samples investigated here (classical model for thick coatings and energy-based model for thin coatings). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Palladium-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moraes, Leticia Poras Reis de; Amico, Sandro Campos; Malfatti, Celia de Fraga, E-mail: leticiamoraes@usp.br [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre (Brazil); Matos, Bruno R.; Santiago, Elisabete Inacio; Fonseca, Fabio Coral [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2016-07-01

Full text: Direct ethanol fuel cells require adequate electrocatalysts to promote the carbon carbon cleavage of ethanol molecule. Typical electrocatalysts are based on platinum, which have shown improved activity in acidic media. However, Pt-based catalysts have high cost and are easily deactivated by CO poisoning. Therefore, novel catalysts have been developed, and among then, palladium-based materials have shown promising results for the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. The present study reports on the performance of alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) by using carbon-supported Pd, PdSn, PdNi, and PdNiSn produced by impregnation-reduction of the metallic precursors. The effect of chemical functionalization by acid treatment of the carbon support (Vulcan) was investigated. The electrocatalysts were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-rays diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and ADEFC tests. TGA measurements of functionalized Vulcan evidenced the characteristic weight losses attributed to the presence of surface functional groups due to the acid treatment. A high degree of alloying between Pd and Sn was inferred from XRD data, whereas in both PdNi and PdNiSn, Ni occurs mostly segregated in the oxide form. TEM analyses indicated agglomeration of Pd and PdSn particles, whereas a more uniform particle distribution was observed for PdNi and PdNiSn samples. CV curves showed that the peak potential for the oxidation of ethanol shifts towards negative values for all samples supported on functionalized Vulcan indicating that ethanol oxidation is facilitated. Microstructural and electrochemical features were confirmed by ADEFC tests, which revealed that the highest open circuit voltage and maximum power density were achieved for PdNiSn electrocatalysts supported on functionalized Vulcan with uniform particle distribution and improved triple phase boundaries. (author)

Palladium-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moraes, Leticia Poras Reis de; Amico, Sandro Campos; Malfatti, Celia de Fraga; Matos, Bruno R.; Santiago, Elisabete Inacio; Fonseca, Fabio Coral

2016-01-01

Full text: Direct ethanol fuel cells require adequate electrocatalysts to promote the carbon carbon cleavage of ethanol molecule. Typical electrocatalysts are based on platinum, which have shown improved activity in acidic media. However, Pt-based catalysts have high cost and are easily deactivated by CO poisoning. Therefore, novel catalysts have been developed, and among then, palladium-based materials have shown promising results for the oxidation of ethanol in alkaline media. The present study reports on the performance of alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) by using carbon-supported Pd, PdSn, PdNi, and PdNiSn produced by impregnation-reduction of the metallic precursors. The effect of chemical functionalization by acid treatment of the carbon support (Vulcan) was investigated. The electrocatalysts were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-rays diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and ADEFC tests. TGA measurements of functionalized Vulcan evidenced the characteristic weight losses attributed to the presence of surface functional groups due to the acid treatment. A high degree of alloying between Pd and Sn was inferred from XRD data, whereas in both PdNi and PdNiSn, Ni occurs mostly segregated in the oxide form. TEM analyses indicated agglomeration of Pd and PdSn particles, whereas a more uniform particle distribution was observed for PdNi and PdNiSn samples. CV curves showed that the peak potential for the oxidation of ethanol shifts towards negative values for all samples supported on functionalized Vulcan indicating that ethanol oxidation is facilitated. Microstructural and electrochemical features were confirmed by ADEFC tests, which revealed that the highest open circuit voltage and maximum power density were achieved for PdNiSn electrocatalysts supported on functionalized Vulcan with uniform particle distribution and improved triple phase boundaries. (author)

Temperature-dependent transformation from whisker- to nanoparticle-strengthened composite interface in the Al2O3/Ag-based alloy system and mechanical properties of the joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yifeng; Cao, Jian; Wang, Zhijie; Chen, Zhe; Song, Xiaoguo; Feng, Jicai

2015-01-01

Al 4 B 2 O 9 -whisker-coated Al 2 O 3 ceramics were bonded by AgCu–4.5 wt.%Ti alloy in vacuum. The microstructure of the whisker-coated Al 2 O 3 joints was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. A continuous (Cu,Al) 3 Ti 3 O layer formed against the alloy at lower bonding temperatures, and a complex transition zone bordering the whiskers was observed, which consisted of Ag nanoparticles, titanium oxides, TiB 2 , (Cu,Al) 3 Ti 3 O nanoparticles and possible Ag 3 Al. As the bonding temperature increased, the Al 2 O 3 /AgCuTi interface was found to transform from whisker- to nanoparticle-strengthened composite region. Bend test results revealed that both the whiskers grown on Al 2 O 3 and the dispersive nanoscale products in the alloy played positive roles in improving the joint properties. The maximum bend strength of the whisker-coated Al 2 O 3 joints was 313 MPa at the bonding temperature of 820 °C. - Highlights: • Al 4 B 2 O 9 -whisker-coated Al 2 O 3 ceramics were bonded by AgCu–4.5 wt.%Ti alloy in vacuum. • Microstructures of whisker-coated Al 2 O 3 joints were investigated in detail. • Both whiskers and the dispersive nanoscale products can improve the joint properties. • The maximum bend strength of the whisker-coated Al 2 O 3 joints was 313 MPa.

Seed-mediated photodeposition route to Ag-decorated SiO2@TiO2 microspheres with ideal core-shell structure and enhanced photocatalytic activity

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jianqi; Guo, Xiaohua; Ge, Hongguang; Tian, Guanghui; Zhang, Qiang

2018-03-01

Ag-decorated SiO2@TiO2 microspheres (SiO2@TiO2-Ag) with ideal core-shell structure and enhanced photocatalytic activity were successfully fabricated by combining both coating anatase TiO2 on the surface of SiO2 spheres and subsequent depositing face-centered cubic Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on the coated TiO2 surface via novel sol-gel method and Ag-seed-mediated photodeposition (PD) route, respectively. The morphology, structure, composition and optical properties of the resulting composites were characterized in detail. The results reveal that the monodisperse SiO2 spheres of ∼260 nm were covered uniformly and perfectly by the TiO2 nanoparticle coating layer with the thickness of ca. 55 nm by the novel sol-gel method. Further, homogeneously and highly dispersed Ag NPs with an average size of 8 ± 1.5 nm were strongly anchored onto the TiO2 surface in SiO2@TiO2 core-shell spheres by the modified PD process (Ag-seed-mediated PD route), whereas polydispersed Ag aggregates and detached Ag NPs were irregularly deposited over the TiO2 surface in previous works, which is the inherent problem and has not been effectively solved for depositing noble metal NPs such as Au, Ag, Pt, Pd on TiO2 surface by conventional PD method. The formation mechanism of small and uniformly dispersed Ag NPs with narrow size distribution via the modified PD method is tentatively explained by both nucleation kinetics and growth kinetics. The key reason is that the pre-deposited seeds firmly tethered on SiO2@TiO2 spheres served as nucleation sites and anchoring points for the further nucleation and subsequent growth of Ag via photoreduction of Ag+.

Characteristics of NixFe1−xOy Electrocatalyst on Hematite as Photoanode for Solar Hydrogen Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Ping Yen