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Sample records for doped carbon nanoparticles

  1. Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage in Facile Synthesized Co@N-Doped Carbon Nanoparticle Composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lina; Qu, Xiaosheng; Zheng, Dong; Tang, Haolin; Liu, Dan; Qu, Deyang; Xie, ZhiZhong; Li, Junsheng; Qu, Deyu

    2017-11-29

    A Co@nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticle composite was synthesized via a facile molecular self-assembling procedure. The material was used as the host for the electrochemical storage of hydrogen. The hydrogen storage capacity of the material was over 300 mAh g -1 at a rate of 100 mAg -1 . It also exhibited superior stability for storage of hydrogen, high rate capability, and good cyclic life. Hybridizing metallic cobalt nanoparticle with nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon is found to be a good approach for the electrochemical storage of hydrogen.

  2. Do SiO 2 and carbon-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles melt? Insights from QM/MD simulations and ramifications regarding carbon nanotube growth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Page, Alister J.; Chandrakumar, K. R. S.; Irle, Stephan; Morokuma, Keiji

    2011-05-01

    Quantum chemical molecular dynamics (QM/MD) simulations of pristine and carbon-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles have been performed between 1000 and 3000 K. At temperatures above 1600 K, pristine nanoparticle SiO 2 decomposes rapidly, primarily forming SiO. Similarly, carbon-doped nanoparticle SiO 2 decomposes at temperatures above 2000 K, primarily forming SiO and CO. Analysis of the physical states of these pristine and carbon-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles indicate that they remain in the solid phase throughout decomposition. This process is therefore one of sublimation, as the liquid phase is never entered. Ramifications of these observations with respect to presently debated mechanisms of carbon nanotube growth on SiO 2 nanoparticles will be discussed.

  3. Structural and luminescence properties of europium(III)-doped zirconium carbonates and silica-supported Eu3+-doped zirconium carbonate nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sivestrini, S.; Riello, P.; Freris, I.; Cristofori, D.; Enrichi, F.; Benedetti, A.

    2010-01-01

    The synthesis, morphology and luminescence properties of europium(III)-doped zirconium carbonates prepared as bulk materials and as silica-supported nanoparticles with differing calcination treatments are reported. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses have, respectively, been used to study the morphology and to quantify the atomic amount of europium present in the optically active phases of the variously prepared nanomaterials. Rietveld analysis was used to quantify the constituting phases and to determinate the europium content. Silica particles with an approximate size of 30 nm were coated with 2 nm carbonate nanoparticles, prepared in situ on the surface of the silica core. Luminescence measurements revealed the role of different preparation methods and of europium-doping quantities on the optical properties observed.

  4. Nitrogen Doped Ordered Mesoporous Carbon as Support of PtRu Nanoparticles for Methanol Electro-Oxidation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Sebastián

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The low oxidation kinetics of alcohols and the need for expensive platinum group metals are still some of the main drawbacks for the commercialization of energy efficient direct alcohol fuel cells. In this work, we investigate the influence of nitrogen doping of ordered mesoporous carbon (CMK as support on the electrochemical activity of PtRu nanoparticles. Nitrogen doping procedures involve the utilization of pyrrole as both nitrogen and carbon precursor by means of a templating method using mesoporous silica. This method allows obtaining carbon supports with up to 14 wt. % nitrogen, with an effective introduction of pyridinic, pyrrolic and quaternary nitrogen. PtRu nanoparticles were deposited by sodium formate reduction method. The presence of nitrogen mainly influences the Pt:Ru atomic ratio at the near surface, passing from 50:50 on the bare (un-doped CMK to 70:30 for the N-doped CMK catalyst. The electroactivity towards the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR was evaluated in acid and alkaline electrolytes. The presence of nitrogen in the support favors a faster oxidation of methanol due to the enrichment of Pt at the near surface together with an increase of the intrinsic activity of PtRu nanoparticles.

  5. Carbon doped ZnO: Synthesis, characterization and interpretation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mishra, D.K.; Mohapatra, J.; Sharma, M.K.; Chattarjee, R.; Singh, S.K.; Varma, Shikha; Behera, S.N.; Nayak, Sanjeev K.; Entel, P.

    2013-01-01

    A novel thermal plasma in-flight technique has been adopted to synthesize nanocrystalline ZnO and carbon doped nanocrystalline ZnO matrix. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies on these samples show the average particle sizes to be around 32 nm for ZnO and for carbon doped ZnO. An enhancement of saturation magnetization in nanosized carbon doped ZnO matrix by a factor of 3.8 has been found in comparison to ZnO nanoparticles at room temperature. Raman measurement clearly indicates the presence of Zn–C complexes surrounded by ZnO matrix in carbon doped ZnO. This indicates that the ferromagnetic signature in carbon doped ZnO arises from the creation of defects or the development of oxy-carbon clusters, in the carbon doped ZnO system. Theoretical studies based on density functional theory also support the experimental analyses. - Highlights: ► Synthesis of nanocrystalline ZnO and carbon doped ZnO matrix by inflight thermal plasma reactor. ► Enhancement of ferromagnetism in nanosized carbon doped ZnO in comparison to ZnO nanoparticles. ► Raman measurement indicates the presence of Zn–C complexes surrounded by ZnO matrix. ► Ferromagnetic signature in carbon doped ZnO arises from the development of oxy-carbon clusters. ► DFT supports experimental evidence of ferromagnetism in C doped ZnO nanoparticles.

  6. Well-dispersed NiO nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube for methanol electrocatalytic oxidation in alkaline media

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Pengcheng; Zhou, Yingke, E-mail: zhouyk888@hotmail.com; Hu, Min; Chen, Jian

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube supporting ultrafine NiO nanoparticles with high dispersity are facile synthesized. • The nitrogen doping, calcination temperature and NiO loading present great effects on the catalyst morphology, structure and electrochemical performance. • NiO-NCNT-3x-400 demonstrates remarkable catalytic activity and stability for the methanol electrolytic oxidation reaction. - Abstract: Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube supporting NiO nanoparticles were synthesized by a chemical precipitation process coupled with subsequent calcination. The morphology and structure of the composites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the electrochemical performance was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometric technique. The effects of nitrogen doping, calcination temperature and content of NiO nanoparticles on the electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation were systematically studied. The results show that the uniformly dispersed ultrafine NiO nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube are obtained after calcination at 400 °C. The optimized composite catalysts present high electrocatalytic activity, fast charge-transfer process, excellent accessibility and stability for methanol oxidation reaction, which are promising for application in the alkaline direct methanol fuel cells.

  7. Controllable fabrication of Pt nanocatalyst supported on N-doped carbon containing nickel nanoparticles for ethanol oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jianguo; Dai, Tangming; Cao, Yuechao; Qu, Yuning; Li, Yao; Li, Juan; Zhao, Yongnan; Gao, Haiyan

    2018-08-15

    In this paper, platinum nanoparticles were deposited on a carbon carrier with the partly graphitized carbon and the highly dispersive carbon-coated nickel particles. An efficient electron transfer structure can be fabricated by controlling the contents of the deposited platinum. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy images of Pt 2 /Ni@C N-doped sample prove the electron transfer channel from Pt (1 1 1) crystal planes to graphite (1 0 0) or Ni (1 1 1) crystal planes due to these linked together crystal planes. The Pt 3 /Ni@C N-doped with low Pt contents cannot form the electron transfer structure and the Pt 1 /Ni@C N-doped with high Pt contents show an obvious aggregation of Pt nanoparticles. The electrochemical tests of all the catalysts show that the Pt 2 /Ni@C N-doped sample presents the highest catalytic activity, the strongest CO tolerance and the best catalytic stability. The high performance is attributed to the efficient electronic transport structure of the Pt 2 /Ni@C N-doped sample and the synergistic effect between Pt and Ni nanoparticles. This paper provides a promising method for enhancing the conductivity of electrode material. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Efficient photocatalytic activity with carbon-doped SiO2 nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Dongen

    2013-01-01

    Photocatalysis provides a \\'green\\' approach to completely eliminate various kinds of contaminants that are fatal for current environmental and energy issues. Semiconductors are one of the most frequently used photocatalysts as they can absorb light over a wide spectral range. However, it is also well known that naked SiO2 is not an efficient photocatalyst due to its relatively large band gap, which could only absorb shortwave ultraviolet light. In this report, nanoscale particles of carbon-doped silicon dioxide (C-doped SiO2) for use in photocatalysis were successfully prepared by a facile one-pot thermal process using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as the source of both silicon and carbon. These particles were subsequently characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, standard and high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The C-doped SiO2 displayed outstanding photocatalytic properties, as evidenced by its catalysis of Rhodamine B degradation under near-UV irradiation. We propose that carbon doping of the SiO2 lattice creates new energy states between the bottom of the conduction band and the top of the valence band, which narrows the band gap of the material. As a result, the C-doped SiO2 nanoparticles exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities in a neutral environment. The novel synthesis reported herein for this material is both energy efficient and environmentally friendly and as such shows promise as a technique for low-cost, readily scalable industrial production. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  9. Ultrafine Sn nanoparticles embedded in shell of N-doped hollow carbon spheres as high rate anode for lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dou, Peng; Cao, Zhenzhen; Wang, Chao; Zheng, Jiao [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Xu, Xinhua, E-mail: xhxutju@gmail.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2017-05-15

    Highlights: • Dynamic covalent bond in polymeric nanoparticles is used to induce hollow Sn{sup 4+}-MOPs. • Ultrafine Sn nanoparticles uniformly embedded in shell of N-doped hollow carbon spheres is successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of the Sn{sup 4+}-MOPs precursor. • The composite exhibits superior cycle stability and rate capacity. - Abstract: A novel reversible interaction in polymeric nanoparticles is used to induce hollow Sn{sup 4+}-MOPs. Then ultrafine Sn nanoparticles uniformly embedded in shell of N-doped hollow carbon spheres is successfully synthesized by pyrolysis of the Sn{sup 4+}-MOPs precursor. In this architecture, the N-doped carbon shells can effectively avoid the direct exposure of embedded Sn nanoparticles to the electrolyte and efficiently accommodate the volume change of Sn nanoparticles. Furthermore, the hollow structure of carbon sphere can prevent Sn nanoparticles aggregation over repeated cycling and shorten the diffusion path of both electrons and ions. As a consequence, this N-doped hollow Sn/C anode delivers a reversible capacity of 606 mA h g{sup −1} at a current density of 0.2 A g{sup −1} after 250 cycles and a reversible capacity of 221 mA h g{sup −1} even at a much higher current density of 10 A g{sup −1}, which are much better than those of pure Sn nanoparticles. The desirable cyclic stability and rate capability were attributed to the unique architecture that provided fast pathway for electron transport and simultaneously solved the major issues of Sn-based anodes, such as pulverization, aggregation and loss of electrical contact.

  10. Concise N-doped Carbon Nanosheets/Vanadium Nitride Nanoparticles Materials via Intercalative Polymerization for Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Yongtao; Liu, Ying; Tang, Zhenghua; Wang, Zhe; Kong, Lingbin; Kang, Long; Liu, Zhen; Ran, Fen

    2018-02-13

    N-doped carbon nanosheets/vanadium nitride nanoparticles (N-CNS/VNNPs) are synthesized via a novel method combining surface-initiated in-situ intercalative polymerization and thermal-treatment process in NH 3 /N 2 atmosphere. The pH value of the synthesis system plays a critical role in constructing the structure and enhancing electrochemical performance for N-CNS/VNNPs, which are characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, and XPS, and measured by electrochemical station, respectively. The results show that N-CNS/VNNPs materials consist of 2D N-doped carbon nanosheets and 0D VN nanoparticles. With the pH value decreasing from 2 to 0, the sizes of both carbon nanosheets and VN nanoparticles decreased to smaller in nanoscale. The maximum specific capacitance of 280 F g -1 at the current density of 1 A g -1 for N-CNS/VNNPs is achieved in three-electrode configuration. The asymmetric energy device of Ni(OH) 2 ||N-CNS/VNNPs offers a specific capacitance of 89.6 F g -1 and retention of 60% at 2.7 A g -1 after 5000 cycles. The maximum energy density of Ni(OH) 2 ||N-CNS/VNNPs asymmetric energy device is as high as 29.5 Wh kg -1 .

  11. An efficient polymeric micromotor doped with Pt nanoparticle@carbon nanotubes for complex bio-media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yana; Wu, Jie; Xie, Yuzhe; Ju, Huangxian

    2015-04-14

    A highly efficient polymeric tubular micromotor doped with Pt nanoparticle@carbon nanotubes is fabricated by template-assisted electrochemical growth. The micromotors preserve good navigation in multi-media and surface modification, along with simple synthesis, easy functionalization and good biocompatibility, displaying great promise in biological applications.

  12. Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Encapsulated Nickel/Cobalt Nanoparticle Catalysts for Olefin Migration of Allylarenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kramer, Søren; Mielby, Jerrik Jørgen; Buss, Kasper Spanggård

    2017-01-01

    Olefin migration of allylarenes is typically performed with precious metal-based homogeneous catalysts. In contrast, very limited progress has been made using cheap, earth-abundant base metals as heterogeneous catalysts for these transformations - in spite of the obvious economic and environmental...... advantages. Herein, we report on the use of an easily prepared heterogeneous catalyst material for the migration of olefins, in particular allylarenes. The catalyst material consists of nickel/cobalt alloy nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon shells. The encapsulated nanoparticles are stable...

  13. Polymer-mediated synthesis of a nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles for enhanced electrocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Kim, Gil-Pyo; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Lee, Minzae; Lee, Yoon Jae; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Bae, Seongjun; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Song, Hyeon Dong; Song, In Kyu; 2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" data-affiliation=" (World Class University (WCU) Program of Chemical Convergence for Energy & Environment C2E2, School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University (SNU), Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of))" >Yi, Jongheop

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles on N-doped carbon aerogel were synthesized for ORR. • Poly(ethyleneimine) was used as nitrogen source and as nucleation sites for Pt. • Precise discussion were conducted to clarify the effect of poly(ethyleneimine). • High Pt dispersion and N-doping results in superior electrocatalytic activity. - Abstract: A simple chemical process for the direct synthesis of a nitrogen (N)-doped carbon aerogel (NCA) with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles via a poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI)-assisted strategy is described. A resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) gel was treated with water soluble cationic PEI, which mainly functions as an anchoring site for metal ions. The functionalized PEI chains on the surface of the RF gel resulted in the unique formation of chemical complexes, with PtCl 6 2− anchored to the RF gel, and subsequent homogeneous metal nanoparticle growth. The abundant amino groups containing PEI grafted to the RF gel also allowed the nitrogen atoms to be incorporated into the carbon framework, which can directly be converted into a NCA. The spherical Pt nanoparticles in the resulting material (Pt/NCA) were highly dispersed on the surface of the NCA without any evidenced of agglomeration, even after a thermal annealing at 900 °C. Compared with a Pt/CA synthesized by a conventional reduction method, the Pt/NCA showed enhanced electrochemical performance with a high electrochemically active surface area (191.1 cm 2 g −1 ) and electrocatalytic activity (V onset = 0.95 V vs. RHE) with respect to oxygen reduction. The superior electrocatalytic activities of the Pt/NCA can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles and the N-doped carbon supports that were prepared using the PEI-assisted strategy. The findings reported herein suggest that the use of PEI can be effectively extended to broad applications that require the homogeneous deposition of metal nanoparticles.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2018-05-01

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

  15. Atomistic nucleation sites of Pt nanoparticles on N-doped carbon nanotubes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Chia-Liang; Pao, Chih-Wen; Tsai, Huang-Ming; Chiou, Jau-Wern; Ray, Sekhar C; Wang, Houng-Wei; Hayashi, Michitoshi; Chen, Li-Chyong; Lin, Hong-Ji; Lee, Jyh-Fu; Chang, Li; Tsai, Min-Hsiung; Chen, Kuei-Hsien; Pong, Way-Faung

    2013-08-07

    The atomistic nucleation sites of Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) on N-doped carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs) were investigated using C and N K-edge and Pt L3-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES)/extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Transmission electron microscopy and XANES/EXAFS results revealed that the self-organized Pt NPs on N-CNTs are uniformly distributed because of the relatively high binding energies of the adsorbed Pt atoms at the imperfect sites. During the atomistic nucleation process of Pt NPs on N-CNTs, stable Pt-C and Pt-N bonds are presumably formed, and charge transfer occurs at the surface/interface of the N-CNTs. The findings in this study were consistent with density functional theory calculations performed using cluster models for the undoped, substitutional-N-doped and pyridine-like-N-doped CNTs.

  16. MoP nanoparticles supported on indium-doped porous carbon. Outstanding catalysts for highly efficient CO{sub 2} electroreduction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sun, Xiaofu; Lu, Lu; Yang, Dexin; Chen, Chunjun; Han, Buxing [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Zhu, Qinggong; Wu, Congyi [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface and Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)

    2018-02-23

    Electrochemical reduction of CO{sub 2} into value-added product is an interesting area. MoP nanoparticles supported on porous carbon were synthesized using metal-organic frameworks as the carbon precursor, and initial work on CO{sub 2} electroreduction using the MoP-based catalyst were carried out. It was discovered that MoP nanoparticles supported on In-doped porous carbon had outstanding performance for CO{sub 2} reduction to formic acid. The Faradaic efficiency and current density could reach 96.5 % and 43.8 mA cm{sup -2}, respectively, when using ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate as the supporting electrolyte. The current density is higher than those reported up to date with very high Faradaic efficiency. The MoP nanoparticles and the doped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} cooperated very well in catalyzing the CO{sub 2} electroreduction. (copyright 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  17. Ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulating CoRu bimetallic nanoparticles for enhanced electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, You; Li, Yinghao; Yin, Shuli; Yu, Hongjie; Xue, Hairong; Li, Xiaonian; Wang, Hongjing; Wang, Liang

    2018-06-01

    Design of highly active and cost-effective electrocatalysts is very important for the generation of hydrogen by electrochemical water-splitting. Herein, we report the fabrication of ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulating CoRu bimetallic nanoparticles (CoRu@NCs) and demonstrate their promising feasibility for efficiently catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) over a wide pH range. The resultant CoRu@NC nanohybrids possess an alloy–carbon core–shell structure with encapsulated low-ruthenium-content CoRu bimetallic alloy nanoparticles (10–30 nm) as the core and ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon layers (2–6 layers) as the shell. Remarkably, the optimized catalyst (CoRu@NC-2 sample) with a Ru content as low as 2.04 wt% shows superior catalytic activity and excellent durability for HER in acidic, neutral, and alkaline conditions. This work offers a new method for the design and synthesis of non-platium-based electrocatalysts for HER in all-pH.

  18. Pt and PtRu nanoparticles supported on N-doped carbons as electrocatalysts for methanol electro oxidation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pereira, Viviane Santos; Silva, Julio Cesar Martins; Oliveira Neto, Almir; Spinace, Estevam Vitorio, E-mail: viviane_sp_saopaulo@yahoo.com.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2016-07-01

    Full text: Methanol is a liquid transportation fuel that can be produced from fossil or renewable resources. Fuel cells employing methanol directly as fuel (Direct Methanol Fuel Cell - DMFC) are very attractive as power source for portable, mobile and stationary applications [1]. PtRu/C electrocatalyst has been considered the best electrocatalyst for methanol electro-oxidation, however, its performance is strongly dependent on the method of preparation and on the characteristics of the carbon support. N-doped carbons with different N contents (1, 2 and 5 wt%) were prepared by thermal treatment of carbon with urea at 800 deg C. Pt and PtRu nanoparticles were supported on N-doped carbons by coreduction of Pt(IV) and Ru(III) ions using an alcohol-reduction process [2]. The obtained materials were characterized by Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy and Cyclic Voltammetry. Pt and PtRu nanoparticles supported on N-doped carbons showed superior performance for methanol electro-oxidation when compared to the materials supported on non-modified carbon and to Pt/C and PtRu/C commercial electrocatalysts. Pt/C and PtRu/C prepared with the carbon modified with 2.5 wt% of N content showed the best activities. (author) [1] Y. Zhou, K. Neyerlin, T.S. Olson, S. Pylypenko, J. Bult, H.N. Dinh, T. Gennett, Z. Shao and R. O'Hayre, Energy Environ. Sci. 3, 1437 (2010); [2] E.V. Spinace, A.Oliveira Neto, T.R.R. Vasconcellos, M. Linardi, J. Power Sources 137, 17 (2004)

  19. MOF-Derived ZnO Nanoparticles Covered by N-Doped Carbon Layers and Hybridized on Carbon Nanotubes for Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hui; Wang, Yunsong; Zhao, Wenqi; Zou, Mingchu; Chen, Yijun; Yang, Liusi; Xu, Lu; Wu, Huaisheng; Cao, Anyuan

    2017-11-01

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have many promising applications in energy and environmental areas such as gas separation, catalysis, supercapacitors, and batteries; the key toward those applications is controlled pyrolysis which can tailor the porous structure, improve electrical conductivity, and expose metal ions in MOFs. Here, we present a systematic study on the structural evolution of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks hybridized on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) during the carbonization process. We show that a number of typical products can be obtained, depending on the annealing time, including (1) CNTs wrapped by relatively thick carbon layers, (2) CNTs grafted by ZnO nanoparticles which are covered by thin nitrogen-doped carbon layers, and (3) CNTs grafted by aggregated ZnO nanoparticles. We also investigated the electrochemical properties of those hybrid structures as freestanding membrane electrodes for lithium ion batteries, and the second one (CNT-supported ZnO covered by N-doped carbon) shows the best performance with a high specific capacity (850 mA h/g at a current density of 100 mA/g) and excellent cycling stability. Our results indicate that tailoring and optimizing the MOF-CNT hybrid structure is essential for developing high-performance energy storage systems.

  20. Co@Co3O4 nanoparticle embedded nitrogen-doped carbon architectures as efficient bicatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Chunling; Zhang, Li; Xu, Guancheng; Sun, Zhipeng; Zhao, Aihua; Jia, Dianzeng

    2018-01-01

    The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) play crucial roles in efficient energy conversion and storage solutions. Here, Co@Co3O4 nanoparticle embedded nitrogen-doped carbon architectures (denoted as Co@Co3O4/NCs) are prepared via a simple two-step and in situ approach by carbonization and subsequent oxidation of Co-MOF containing high contents of carbon and nitrogen. When evaluated as electrocatalyst towards both ORR and OER in a KOH electrolyte solution, the as-fabricated Co@Co3O4/NC-2 exhibits similar ORR catalytic activity to the commercial Pt/C catalyst, but superior stability and good methanol tolerance. Furthermore, the as-fabricated catalysts also show promising catalytic activity for OER. The effective catalytic activities originate from the synergistic effects between well wrapped Co@Co3O4 nanoparticles and nitrogen doped carbon structures.

  1. Coating dental implant abutment screws with diamondlike carbon doped with diamond nanoparticles: the effect on maintaining torque after mechanical cycling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lepesqueur, Laura Soares; de Figueiredo, Viviane Maria Gonçalves; Ferreira, Leandro Lameirão; Sobrinho, Argemiro Soares da Silva; Massi, Marcos; Bottino, Marco Antônio; Nogueira Junior, Lafayette

    2015-01-01

    To determine the effect of maintaining torque after mechanical cycling of abutment screws that are coated with diamondlike carbon and coated with diamondlike carbon doped with diamond nanoparticles, with external and internal hex connections. Sixty implants were divided into six groups according to the type of connection (external or internal hex) and the type of abutment screw (uncoated, coated with diamondlike carbon, and coated with diamondlike carbon doped with diamond nanoparticles). The implants were inserted into polyurethane resin and crowns of nickel chrome were cemented on the implants. The crowns had a hole for access to the screw. The initial torque and the torque after mechanical cycling were measured. The torque values maintained (in percentages) were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and the Tukey test, with a significance level of 5%. The largest torque value was maintained in uncoated screws with external hex connections, a finding that was statistically significant (P = .0001). No statistically significant differences were seen between the groups with and without coating in maintaining torque for screws with internal hex connections (P = .5476). After mechanical cycling, the diamondlike carbon with and without diamond doping on the abutment screws showed no improvement in maintaining torque in external and internal hex connections.

  2. Liquid Phase Plasma Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Doped Activated Carbon Resulting in Nanocomposite for Supercapacitor Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Heon; Lee, Won-June; Park, Young-Kwon; Ki, Seo Jin; Kim, Byung-Joo; Jung, Sang-Chul

    2018-03-25

    Iron oxide nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped activated carbon powder were synthesized using an innovative plasma-in-liquid method, called the liquid phase plasma (LPP) method. Nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) was prepared by a primary LPP reaction using an ammonium chloride reactant solution, and an iron oxide/NC composite (IONCC) was prepared by a secondary LPP reaction using an iron chloride reactant solution. The nitrogen component at 3.77 at. % formed uniformly over the activated carbon (AC) surface after a 1 h LPP reaction. Iron oxide nanoparticles, 40~100 nm in size, were impregnated homogeneously over the NC surface after the LPP reaction, and were identified as Fe₃O₄ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. NC and IONCCs exhibited pseudo-capacitive characteristics, and their specific capacitance and cycling stability were superior to those of bare AC. The nitrogen content on the NC surface increased the compatibility and charge transfer rate, and the composites containing iron oxide exhibited a lower equivalent series resistance.

  3. Analysis of YBCO high temperature superconductor doped with silver nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes using Williamson-Hall and size-strain plot

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadras, Sedigheh; Davoudiniya, Masoumeh

    2018-05-01

    This paper sets out to investigate and compare the effects of Ag nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) doping on the mechanical properties of Y1Ba2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) high temperature superconductor. For this purpose, the pure and doped YBCO samples were synthesized by sol-gel method. The microstructural analysis of the samples is performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystalline size, lattice strain and stress of the pure and doped YBCO samples were estimated by modified forms of Williamson-Hall analysis (W-H), namely, uniform deformation model (UDM), uniform deformation stress model (UDSM) and the size-strain plot method (SSP). These results show that the crystalline size, lattice strain and stress of the YBCO samples declined by Ag nanoparticles and CNTs doping.

  4. Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Spheres with Embedded Co Nanoparticles as Active Non-Noble-Metal Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruohao Xing

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Transition metal (Fe, Co, Ni complexes on carbon nanomaterials are promising candidates as electrocatalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR. In this paper, nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres with embedded Co nanoparticles were successfully prepared via a controllable synthesis strategy. The morphology characterization shows that the hollow carbon spheres possess an average diameter of ~150 nm with a narrow size distribution and a shell thickness of ~14.5 nm. The content of N doping ranges from 2.1 to 6.6 at.% depending on the calcination temperature from 900 to 1050 °C. Compared with commercial Pt/C, the Co-containing nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres prepared at 900 °C (CoNHCS-900 as an ORR electrocatalyst shows a half-wave potential shift of only ∆E1/2 = 55 mV, but a superior stability of about 90.2% maintenance after 20,000 s in the O2-saturated 0.1 M KOH at a rotating speed of 1600 rpm. This could be ascribed to the synergistic effects of N-containing moieties, Co-Nx species, and Co nanoparticles, which significantly increase the density of active sites and promote the charge transfer during the ORR process.

  5. Toward deep blue nano hope diamonds: heavily boron-doped diamond nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyer, Steffen; Janssen, Wiebke; Turner, Stuart; Lu, Ying-Gang; Yeap, Weng Siang; Verbeeck, Jo; Haenen, Ken; Krueger, Anke

    2014-06-24

    The production of boron-doped diamond nanoparticles enables the application of this material for a broad range of fields, such as electrochemistry, thermal management, and fundamental superconductivity research. Here we present the production of highly boron-doped diamond nanoparticles using boron-doped CVD diamond films as a starting material. In a multistep milling process followed by purification and surface oxidation we obtained diamond nanoparticles of 10-60 nm with a boron content of approximately 2.3 × 10(21) cm(-3). Aberration-corrected HRTEM reveals the presence of defects within individual diamond grains, as well as a very thin nondiamond carbon layer at the particle surface. The boron K-edge electron energy-loss near-edge fine structure demonstrates that the B atoms are tetrahedrally embedded into the diamond lattice. The boron-doped diamond nanoparticles have been used to nucleate growth of a boron-doped diamond film by CVD that does not contain an insulating seeding layer.

  6. In situ growth of SnO2 nanoparticles in heteroatoms doped cross-linked carbon frameworks for lithium ion batteries anodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Xiangyang; Xi, Lihua; Chen, Feng; Bai, Tao; Wang, Biao; Yang, Juan

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A facile hydrothermal method is proposed to prepare cross-linked NSG/CNTs@SnO 2 . • The graphene/CNTs anchored with untrasmall SnO 2 nanoparticles can be obtained. • The N, S are successfully incorporated into the carbon matrix. • The NSG/CNTs@SnO 2 presents enhanced cycling stability and good high-rate capacity. - Abstract: SnO 2 -based nanostructures have attracted considerable interest as a promising high-capacity anode materials for lithium ion batteries. We present herein a facile one step hydrothermal approach for in situ growth of SnO 2 nanoparticles in heteroatoms doped cross-linked carbon framework (NSG/CNTs@SnO 2 ). Thiourea is employed as a single source of nitrogen and sulfur in the cross-linked carbon framework (NSG/CNTs). Characterization shows that the SnO 2 nanoparticles with an average size of 6–10 nm are uniformly anchored on NSG/CNTs matrix. When evaluated for the electrochemical properties in lithium ion batteries, the obtained NSG/CNTs@SnO 2 composite with ultrasmall SnO 2 particle size (6–10 nm) delivers a high reversible capacity of 999 mAh g −1 at 200 mA g −1 after 120 cycles and excellent rate performance. Such outstanding electrochemical performance of the peculiar cross-linked NSG/CNTs@SnO 2 composite can be primarily attributed to the synergistic effect of the ultrasmall anchored SnO 2 nanoparticles and the dual-doped NSG/CNTs matrix. The uniformly distributed SnO 2 nanoparticles can deliver large capacity and the robust dual-doped NSG/CNTs matrix can guarantee the good structural integrity and high electrical conductivity during cycling. Besides, the porous structure can provide free space for the volume expansion of SnO 2 and accommodate the strain formed during repeated lithiation/delithiation processes.

  7. Ultrafine Cobalt Sulfide Nanoparticles Encapsulated Hierarchical N-doped Carbon Nanotubes for High-performance Lithium Storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Xiaoyan; Fu, Nianqing; Zou, Jizhao; Zeng, Xierong; Chen, Yuming; Zhou, Limin; Lu, Wei; Huang, Haitao

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Ultrafine cobalt sulfide nanoparticles encapsulated in hierarchical N-doped carbon nanotubes show exceptional lithium ion storage as anodes. - Abstract: Nanostructured cobalt sulfide based materials with rational design are attractive for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. In this work, we report a multistep method to synthesize ultrafine cobalt sulfide nanoparticles encapsulated in hierarchical N-doped carbon nanotubes (CoS x @HNCNTs). Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) nanotubes are obtained from the reaction between electrospun polyacrylonitrile/cobalt acetate and 2-methylimidazole, followed by the dissolution of template. Next, a combined calcination and sulfidation process is employed to convert the ZIF-67 nanotubes to CoS x @HNCNTs. Benefited from the compositional and structural features, the as-prepared nanostructured hybrid materials deliver superior lithium storage properties with high capacity of 1200 mAh g −1 at 0.25 A g −1 . More importantly, a remarkable capacity of 1086 mAh g −1 can be maintained after 100 cycles at the current density of 0.5 A g −1 . Even at a high rate of 5 A g −1 , a reversible capacity of 592 mAh g −1 after 1600 cycles can still be achieved.

  8. Enhancement in visible light-responsive photocatalytic activity by embedding Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles on multi-walled carbon nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahmad, M., E-mail: mzkhm73@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800 (Pakistan); State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Ahmed, E., E-mail: profejaz@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800 (Pakistan); Hong, Z.L.; Jiao, X.L. [State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Abbas, T. [Institute of Industrial Control System, Rawalpindi (Pakistan); Khalid, N.R. [Department of Physics, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800 (Pakistan); State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

    2013-11-15

    Copper doped ZnO nanoparticles embedded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were successfully synthesized using a facile, nontoxic sol method. The resulting visible light-responsive Cu-doped ZnO/CNTs composites were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area analyzer. Optical properties of Cu-doped ZnO/CNTs nanocomposites, studied using UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), which exhibited extended light absorption in visible light region and possessed better charge separation capability, respectively as compared to Cu-doped ZnO, pure ZnO and ZnO/CNTs composite. The photocatalytic activity was tested by degradation of methyl orange (MO) dye under visible light irradiation. The results demonstrated that Cu-doped ZnO/CNTs nanocomposites effectively bleached out MO, showing an impressive photocatalytic enhancement over ZnO, commercial ZnO, Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles and ZnO/CNTs nanocomposites. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) of textile wastewater was also measured before and after the photocatalysis experiment under sunlight to evaluate the mineralization of wastewater. The significant decrease in COD of the treated effluent revealed a complete destruction of the organic molecules along with color removal. This dramatically enhanced photoactivity of nanocomposite photocatalysts was attributed to greater adsorptivity of dyes, extended light absorption and increased charge separation efficiency due to excellent electrical properties of carbon nanotubes and the large surface area.

  9. High Methanol Oxidation Activity of Well-Dispersed Pt Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes Using Nitrogen Doping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fang Wei-Chuan

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Pt nanoparticles (NPs with the average size of 3.14 nm well dispersed on N-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs without any pretreatment have been demonstrated. Structural properties show the characteristic N bonding within CNTs, which provide the good support for uniform distribution of Pt NPs. In electrochemical characteristics, N-doped CNTs covered with Pt NPs show superior current density due to the fact that the so-called N incorporation could give rise to the formation of preferential sites within CNTs accompanied by the low interfacial energy for immobilizing Pt NPs. Therefore, the substantially enhanced methanol oxidation activity performed by N-incorporation technique is highly promising in energy-generation applications.

  10. Palladium on Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous Carbon: A Bifunctional Catalyst for Formate-Based, Carbon-Neutral Hydrogen Storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fanan; Xu, Jinming; Shao, Xianzhao; Su, Xiong; Huang, Yanqiang; Zhang, Tao

    2016-02-08

    The lack of safe, efficient, and economical hydrogen storage technologies is a hindrance to the realization of the hydrogen economy. Reported herein is a reversible formate-based carbon-neutral hydrogen storage system that is established over a novel catalyst comprising palladium nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon. The support was fabricated by a hard template method and nitridated under a flow of ammonia. Detailed analyses demonstrate that this bicarbonate/formate redox equilibrium is promoted by the cooperative role of the doped nitrogen functionalities and the well-dispersed, electron-enriched palladium nanoparticles. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. MIL-100 derived nitrogen-embodied carbon shells embedded with iron nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Chengyu; Kong, Aiguo; Wang, Yuan; Bu, Xianhui; Feng, Pingyun

    2015-06-01

    The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as templates and precursors to synthesize new carbon materials with controllable morphology and pre-selected heteroatom doping holds promise for applications as efficient non-precious metal catalysts. Here, we report a facile pyrolysis pathway to convert MIL-100 into nitrogen-doped carbon shells encapsulating Fe nanoparticles in a comparative study involving multiple selected nitrogen sources. The hierarchical porous architecture, embedded Fe nanoparticles, and nitrogen decoration endow this composite with a superior oxygen reduction activity. Furthermore, the excellent durability and high methanol tolerance even outperform the commercial Pt-C catalyst.The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as templates and precursors to synthesize new carbon materials with controllable morphology and pre-selected heteroatom doping holds promise for applications as efficient non-precious metal catalysts. Here, we report a facile pyrolysis pathway to convert MIL-100 into nitrogen-doped carbon shells encapsulating Fe nanoparticles in a comparative study involving multiple selected nitrogen sources. The hierarchical porous architecture, embedded Fe nanoparticles, and nitrogen decoration endow this composite with a superior oxygen reduction activity. Furthermore, the excellent durability and high methanol tolerance even outperform the commercial Pt-C catalyst. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Material synthesis and elemental analysis, electrochemistry measurements, and additional figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr02346g

  12. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Min-Hua; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Lin, Feng-Huei; Tanaka, Junzo

    2014-10-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of ‘personalized medicine’ with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca2+ with Fe3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu3+ and Fe3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu3+ and Fe3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu3+ and Fe3+, and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications.

  13. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Min-Hua; Lin, Feng-Huei; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Tanaka, Junzo; Hanagata, Nobutaka

    2014-01-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of ‘personalized medicine’ with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu 3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca 2+ with Fe 3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ , and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications. (paper)

  14. Photoluminescence and doping mechanism of theranostic Eu3+/Fe3+ dual-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Min-Hua; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Lin, Feng-Huei; Tanaka, Junzo

    2014-10-01

    Theranostic nanoparticles currently have been regarded as an emerging concept of 'personalized medicine' with diagnostic and therapeutic dual-functions. Eu 3+ doped hydroxyapatite (HAp) has been regarded as a promising fluorescent probe for in vivo imaging applications. Additionally, substitution of Ca 2+ with Fe 3+ in HAp crystal may endow the capability of producing heat upon exposure to a magnetic field. Here we report a preliminary study of doping mechanism and photoluminescence of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doped HAp nanoparticles (Eu/Fe:HAp). HAp with varied concentration of Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ doping are presented as Eu(10 mol%):HAp, Eu(7 mol%)-Fe(3 mol%):HAp, Eu(5 mol%)-Fe(5 mol%):HAp, Eu(3 mol%)-Fe(7 mol%):HAp, and Fe(10 mol%):HAp in the study. The results showed that the HAp particles, in nano-size with rod-like morphology, were successfully doped with Eu 3+ and Fe 3+ , and the particles can be well suspended in cell culture medium. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that particles have prominent emissions at 536 nm, 590 nm, 615 nm, 650 nm and 695 nm upon excitation at a wavelength of 397 nm. Moreover, these Eu/Fe:HAp nanoparticles belonged to B-type carbonated HAp, which has been considered an effective biodegradable and biocompatible drug/gene carrier in biological applications.

  15. Synthesis of Nitrogen-doped Carbon Nanotubes with Layered ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    NICO

    Nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNx) were synthesized by the catalytic chemical vapour deposition ... dispersed metal nanoparticles over oxide matrices can be obtained ..... 18 S.Y. Kim, J. Lee, C.W. Na, J. Park, K. Seo and B. Kim, Chem.

  16. Investigation of the properties of carbon-base nanostructures doped YBa_2Cu_3O_7_−_δ high temperature superconductor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dadras, Sedigheh; Ghavamipour, Mahshid

    2016-01-01

    In this research, we have investigated the effects of three samples of carbon-base nanostructures (carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and silicon carbide nanoparticles) doping on the properties of Y_1Ba_2Cu_3O_7_−_δ (YBCO) high temperature superconductor. The pure and doped YBCO samples were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized by resistivity versus temperature (ρ–T), current versus voltage (I–V), through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. The results confirmed that for all the samples, the orthorhombic phase of YBCO compound is formed. We found that the pinning energy and critical current density of samples increase by adding carbon nanostructures to YBCO compound. Also critical temperature is improved by adding carbon nanotubes to YBCO compound, while it does not change much for carbon and silicon carbide nanoparticles doped compounds. Furthermore, the samples were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy in 300 K and the band gap of the samples was determined. We found that the carbon nanotubes doping decreases YBCO band gap in normal state from 1.90 eV to 1.68 eV, while carbon and SiC nanoparticles doping increases it to 2.20 and 3.37 eV respectively.

  17. Preparation and Electrochemical Properties of Silver Doped Hollow Carbon Nanofibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LI Fu

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Silver doped PAN-based hollow carbon nanofibers were prepared combining co-electrospinning with in situ reduction technique subsequently heat treatment to improve the electrochemical performances of carbon based supercapacitor electrodes. The morphology, structure and electrochemical performances of the resulted nanofiber were studied. The results show that the silver nanoparticles can be doped on the surface of hollow carbon nanofibers and the addition of silver favors the improvement of the electrochemical performances, exhibiting the enhanced reversibility of electrode reaction and the capacitance and the reduced charge transfer impedance.

  18. Co9S8 nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon networks with improved lithium storage properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mujtaba, Jawayria; Sun, Hongyu; Huang, Guoyong

    2016-01-01

    We report the designed synthesis of unique Co9S8 nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon networks (Co9S8@NMCN nanocomposites). Uniform zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 was first synthesized and then transformed into Co9S8@NMCN nanocomposites by thermal annealing with sulfu...

  19. Preparation and characterization of carbon and nitrogen Co-doped TiO/sub 2/ with enhanced visible light activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, D.; Fang, B.; Zhang, K.; Hu, C.

    2012-01-01

    To make full use of solar light in photocatalysis reactions, carbon and nitrogen co-doped Titanium dioxide nanoparticles were prepared through a facile process. Subsequently the structure and properties of the doped nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectra (PL), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. In addition, the photo-catalytic activity of the samples was evaluated by photo-catalytic degradation of methyl orange aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. Results revealed that the calcined temperatures affected the structure and photo-catalytic activity of the nanoparticles and the N, C-co-doped TiO/sub 2/ (400 deg. C) nanoparticles exhibited the highest photo-catalytic activity, which could be attributed to the synergistic effect of co-doped carbon and nitrogen atoms. (author)

  20. Activated polyaniline-based carbon nanoparticles for high performance supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Jin; Zhu, Tingting; Xing, Wei; Li, Zhaohui; Shen, Honglong; Zhuo, Shuping

    2015-01-01

    Polyaniline (PANI) nanoparticles have been prepared by disperse polymerization of aniline in the presence of poly(4-styrenesulfonate). The PANI nanoparticles are further subjected to pyrolysis treatment and chemical-activation to prepare the activated nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles (APCNs). The porosity, structure and nitrogen-doped surface chemistry are analyzed by a varies of means, such as scanning electron microscopy, transition electron microscopy, N 2 sorption, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The capacitive performance of the APCNs materials are test in 6 M KOH electrolyte. Benefitting from the abundant micropores with short length, large specific surface area, hierarchical porosity and heteroatom-doped polar pore surface, the APCNs materials exhibit v exhibit very high specific capacitance up to 341 F g −1 , remarkable power capability and excellent long-term cyclic stability (96.6% after 10 000 cycles). At 40 A g −1 , APCN-2 carbon shows a capacitance of 164 F g −1 , responding to a high energy and power densities of 5.7 Wh kg −1 and 10 000 W kg −1

  1. Iron-Doped Carbon Aerogels: Novel Porous Substrates for Direct Growth of Carbon Nanotubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steiner, S. A.; Baumann, T. F.; Kong, J.; Satcher, J. H.; Dresselhaus, M. S.

    2007-02-20

    We present the synthesis and characterization of Fe-doped carbon aerogels (CAs) and demonstrate the ability to grow carbon nanotubes directly on monoliths of these materials to afford novel carbon aerogel-carbon nanotube composites. Preparation of the Fe-doped CAs begins with the sol-gel polymerization of the potassium salt of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid with formaldehyde, affording K{sup +}-doped gels that can then be converted to Fe{sup 2+}- or Fe{sup 3+}-doped gels through an ion exchange process, dried with supercritical CO{sub 2} and subsequently carbonized under an inert atmosphere. Analysis of the Fe-doped CAs by TEM, XRD and XPS revealed that the doped iron species are reduced during carbonization to form metallic iron and iron carbide nanoparticles. The sizes and chemical composition of the reduced Fe species were related to pyrolysis temperature as well as the type of iron salt used in the ion exchange process. Raman spectroscopy and XRD analysis further reveal that, despite the presence of the Fe species, the CA framework is not significantly graphitized during pyrolysis. The Fe-doped CAs were subsequently placed in a thermal CVD reactor and exposed to a mixture of CH{sub 4} (1000 sccm), H{sub 2} (500 sccm), and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} (20 sccm) at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 C for 10 minutes, resulting in direct growth of carbon nanotubes on the aerogel monoliths. Carbon nanotubes grown by this method appear to be multiwalled ({approx}25 nm in diameter and up to 4 mm long) and grow through a tip-growth mechanism that pushes catalytic iron particles out of the aerogel framework. The highest yield of CNTs were grown on Fe-doped CAs pyrolyzed at 800 C treated at CVD temperatures of 700 C.

  2. Iron-Doped Carbon Aerogels: Novel Porous Substrates for Direct Growth of Carbon Nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steiner, S A; Baumann, T F; Kong, J; Satcher, J H; Dresselhaus, M S

    2007-02-15

    We present the synthesis and characterization of Fe-doped carbon aerogels (CAs) and demonstrate the ability to grow carbon nanotubes directly on monoliths of these materials to afford novel carbon aerogel-carbon nanotube composites. Preparation of the Fe-doped CAs begins with the sol-gel polymerization of the potassium salt of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid with formaldehyde, affording K{sup +}-doped gels that can then be converted to Fe{sup 2+}- or Fe{sup 3+}-doped gels through an ion exchange process, dried with supercritical CO{sub 2} and subsequently carbonized under an inert atmosphere. Analysis of the Fe-doped CAs by TEM, XRD and XPS revealed that the doped iron species are reduced during carbonization to form metallic iron and iron carbide nanoparticles. The sizes and chemical composition of the reduced Fe species were related to pyrolysis temperature as well as the type of iron salt used in the ion exchange process. Raman spectroscopy and XRD analysis further reveal that, despite the presence of the Fe species, the CA framework is not significantly graphitized during pyrolysis. The Fe-doped CAs were subsequently placed in a thermal CVD reactor and exposed to a mixture of CH{sub 4} (1000 sccm), H{sub 2} (500 sccm), and C{sub 2}H{sub 4} (20 sccm) at temperatures ranging from 600 to 800 C for 10 minutes, resulting in direct growth of carbon nanotubes on the aerogel monoliths. Carbon nanotubes grown by this method appear to be multiwalled ({approx}25 nm in diameter and up to 4 mm long) and grow through a tip-growth mechanism that pushes catalytic iron particles out of the aerogel framework. The highest yield of CNTs were grown on Fe-doped CAs pyrolyzed at 800 C treated at CVD temperatures of 700 C.

  3. Fluorescent chemosensor for pyridine based on N-doped carbon dots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campos, B B; Abellán, C; Zougagh, M; Jimenez-Jimenez, J; Rodríguez-Castellón, E; Esteves da Silva, J C G; Ríos, A; Algarra, M

    2015-11-15

    Fluorescent carbon dots (CDs) and its nitrogen doped (N-CDs) nanoparticles have been synthesized from lactose as precursor using a bottom-up hydrothermal methodology. The synthesized nanoparticles have been characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, Raman, TEM, DLS, XPS, and steady-state and life-time fluorescence. The synthesized carbon nanoparticles, CDs and N-CDs, have a size at about 7.7±2.4 and 50±15nm, respectively, and quantum yields of 8% (CDs) and 11% (N-CDs). These techniques demonstrated the effectiveness of the synthesis procedure and the functionalization of the CDs surface with amine and amide groups in the presence of NH3 in aqueous media. The effect of excitation wavelength and pH on the luminescent properties was studied. Under the optimal conditions, the nitrogen doped nanoparticles can be used as pyridine sensor in aqueous media because they show an enhancement of its fluorescence with a good linear relationship. The analytical method is simple, reproducible and very sensitive for pyridine determination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Solid-State Thin-Film Supercapacitors with Ultrafast Charge/Discharge Based on N-Doped-Carbon-Tubes/Au-Nanoparticles-Doped-MnO2 Nanocomposites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Qiying; Wang, Shang; Sun, Hongyu; Luo, Jun; Xiao, Jian; Xiao, JunWu; Xiao, Fei; Wang, Shuai

    2016-01-13

    Although carbonaceous materials possess long cycle stability and high power density, their low-energy density greatly limits their applications. On the contrary, metal oxides are promising pseudocapacitive electrode materials for supercapacitors due to their high-energy density. Nevertheless, poor electrical conductivity of metal oxides constitutes a primary challenge that significantly limits their energy storage capacity. Here, an advanced integrated electrode for high-performance pseudocapacitors has been designed by growing N-doped-carbon-tubes/Au-nanoparticles-doped-MnO2 (NCTs/ANPDM) nanocomposite on carbon fabric. The excellent electrical conductivity and well-ordered tunnels of NCTs together with Au nanoparticles of the electrode cause low internal resistance, good ionic contact, and thus enhance redox reactions for high specific capacitance of pure MnO2 in aqueous electrolyte, even at high scan rates. A prototype solid-state thin-film symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) device based on NCTs/ANPDM exhibits large energy density (51 Wh/kg) and superior cycling performance (93% after 5000 cycles). In addition, the asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device assembled from NCTs/ANPDM and Fe2O3 nanorods demonstrates ultrafast charge/discharge (10 V/s), which is among the best reported for solid-state thin-film supercapacitors with both electrodes made of metal oxide electroactive materials. Moreover, its superior charge/discharge behavior is comparable to electrical double layer type supercapacitors. The ASC device also shows superior cycling performance (97% after 5000 cycles). The NCTs/ANPDM nanomaterial demonstrates great potential as a power source for energy storage devices.

  5. N-Doped Carbon Xerogels as Pt Support for the Electro-Reduction of Oxygen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cinthia Alegre

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Durability and limited catalytic activity are key impediments to the commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Carbon materials employed as catalyst support can be doped with different heteroatoms, like nitrogen, to improve both catalytic activity and durability. Carbon xerogels are nanoporous carbons that can be easily synthesized in order to obtain N-doped materials. In the present work, we introduced melamine as a carbon xerogel precursor together with resorcinol for an effective in-situ N doping (3–4 wt % N. Pt nanoparticles were supported on nitrogen-doped carbon xerogels and their activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR was evaluated in acid media along with their stability. Results provide new evidences of the type of N groups aiding the activity of Pt for the ORR and of a remarkable stability for N-doped carbon-supported Pt catalysts, providing appropriate physico-chemical features.

  6. Synthesis and characterization of Gd-doped magnetite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Honghu; Malik, Vikash; Mallapragada, Surya; Akinc, Mufit

    2017-01-01

    Synthesis of magnetite nanoparticles has attracted increasing interest due to their importance in biomedical and technological applications. Tunable magnetic properties of magnetite nanoparticles to meet specific requirements will greatly expand the spectrum of applications. Tremendous efforts have been devoted to studying and controlling the size, shape and magnetic properties of magnetite nanoparticles. Here we investigate gadolinium (Gd) doping to influence the growth process as well as magnetic properties of magnetite nanocrystals via a simple co-precipitation method under mild conditions in aqueous media. Gd doping was found to affect the growth process leading to synthesis of controllable particle sizes under the conditions tested (0–10 at% Gd"3"+). Typically, undoped and 5 at% Gd-doped magnetite nanoparticles were found to have crystal sizes of about 18 and 44 nm, respectively, supported by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Our results showed that Gd-doped nanoparticles retained the magnetite crystal structure, with Gd"3"+ randomly incorporated in the crystal lattice, probably in the octahedral sites. The composition of 5 at% Gd-doped magnetite was Fe_(_3_−_x_)Gd_xO_4 (x=0.085±0.002), as determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. 5 at% Gd-doped nanoparticles exhibited ferrimagnetic properties with small coercivity (~65 Oe) and slightly decreased magnetization at 260 K in contrast to the undoped, superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles. Templation by the bacterial biomineralization protein Mms6 did not appear to affect the growth of the Gd-doped magnetite particles synthesized by this method. - Highlights: • Gd-doped magnetite nanoparticles are synthesized via aqueous co-precipitation method under mild conditions. • Gd doping affects growth of magnetite nanoparticles leading to tunable particle size. • Gd-doped magnetite nanoparticles exhibit ferrimagnetic properties.

  7. Nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulated NiFe nanoparticles: A highly durable oxygen evolution catalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Lei; Luo, Langli; Feng, Zhenxing; Engelhard, Mark; Xie, Xiaohong; Han, Binghong; Sun, Junming; Zhang, Jianghao; Yin, Geping; Wang, Chongmin; Wang, Yong; Shao, Yuyan

    2017-09-01

    Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a crucial role in various energy conversion devices such as water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries. Precious metal catalysts such as Ir, Ru and their oxides are usually used for enhanced reaction kinetics but are limited by their scarce resource. The challenges associated with alternative non–precious metal catalysts such as transition metal oxides and (oxy)hydroxides etc. are their low electronic conductivity and poor durability. Here, we report OER catalysts of NiFe nanoparticles encapsulated by nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shells derived from bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) precursors. The optimal OER catalyst shows excellent activity (360 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm–2GEO) and durability (no obvious degradation after 20 000 cycles). The electron-donation from Fe and tuned electronic structure of metal cores by Ni are revealed to be primary contributors to the enhanced OER activity. We further demonstrated that the structure and morphology of encapsulating carbon shells, which are the key factors influencing the durability, are facilely controlled by chemical state of precursors. Severe metal particle growth probably caused by oxidation of carbon shells and encapsulated nanoparticles is believed to the main mechanism for activity degradation in these catalysts.

  8. Carbon nanoparticle doped micro-patternable nano-composites for wearable sensing applications (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khosla, Ajit

    2017-04-01

    This talk focuses on preparation, characterization and micropatterning of electrically conducting KETJENBLACK carbon black nanoparticle (80 nm-diameter) doped Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by employing extrusion mixing. Previously, we had reported fabrication of various micropatternable nanocomposites for wearable sensing applications vis solvent assisted ultrasonic mixing technique[1-16] . Extrusion mixing has an advantage as no organic solvents are used and homogenous dispersion of carbon nanoparticles is observed, which is confirmed by SEM analysis. The developed nanocomposite can be micropatterened using standard microfabrication techniques. It is also observed that percolation threshold occurs at 0.51 wt% of carbon nanoparticles in polymer matrix. Examples of developed nano-composites for wearable sensing applications for precision medicine will also be discussed. References: 1.http://summit.sfu.ca/item/12017 A. Khosla. Micropatternable multifunctional nanocomposite polymers for flexible soft MEMS applications. Diss. Applied Science: School of Engineering Science, 2011. 2. A. Khosla ; B. L. Gray; Fabrication of multiwalled carbon nanotube polydimethylsiloxne nanocomposite polymer flexible microelectrodes for microfluidics and MEMS. Proc. SPIE 7642, Electroactive Polymer Actuators and Devices (EAPAD) 2010, 76421V (April 09, 2010); doi:10.1117/12.847292. 3. Ang Li ; Ajit Khosla ; Connie Drewbrook ; Bonnie L. Gray; Fabrication and testing of thermally responsive hydrogel-based actuators using polymer heater elements for flexible microvalves. Proc. SPIE 7929, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems IX, 79290G (February 14, 2011); doi:10.1117/12.873197. 4. Khosla, A. and Gray, B. L. (2010), Preparation, Micro-Patterning and Electrical Characterization of Functionalized Carbon-Nanotube Polydimethylsiloxane Nanocomposite Polymer. Macromol. Symp., 297: 210-218. doi:10.1002/masy.200900165 5. A. Khosla ; D. Hilbich ; C. Drewbrook ; D. Chung ; B. L. Gray; Large

  9. Investigation of the properties of carbon-base nanostructures doped YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−δ} high temperature superconductor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dadras, Sedigheh, E-mail: dadras@alzahra.ac.ir; Ghavamipour, Mahshid

    2016-03-01

    In this research, we have investigated the effects of three samples of carbon-base nanostructures (carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and silicon carbide nanoparticles) doping on the properties of Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−δ} (YBCO) high temperature superconductor. The pure and doped YBCO samples were synthesized by sol–gel method and characterized by resistivity versus temperature (ρ–T), current versus voltage (I–V), through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. The results confirmed that for all the samples, the orthorhombic phase of YBCO compound is formed. We found that the pinning energy and critical current density of samples increase by adding carbon nanostructures to YBCO compound. Also critical temperature is improved by adding carbon nanotubes to YBCO compound, while it does not change much for carbon and silicon carbide nanoparticles doped compounds. Furthermore, the samples were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy in 300 K and the band gap of the samples was determined. We found that the carbon nanotubes doping decreases YBCO band gap in normal state from 1.90 eV to 1.68 eV, while carbon and SiC nanoparticles doping increases it to 2.20 and 3.37 eV respectively.

  10. Transmission electron microscopy of carbon-coated and iron-doped titania nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Anjum, Dalaver H.

    2016-08-02

    We present a study on the properties of iron (Fe)-doped and carbon (C)-coated titania (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) which has been compiled by using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These TiO2 NPs were prepared by using the flame synthesis method. This method allows the simultaneous C coating and Fe doping of TiO2 NPs. XRD investigations revealed that the phase of the prepared NPs was anatase TiO2. Conventional TEM analysis showed that the average size of the TiO2 NPs was about 65 nm and that the NPs were uniformly coated with the element C. Furthermore, from the x-ray energy dispersive spectrometry analysis, it was found that about 8 at.% Fe was present in the synthesized samples. High-resolution TEM (HRTEM) revealed the graphitized carbon structure of the layer surrounding the prepared TiO2 NPs. HRTEM analysis further revealed that the NPs possessed the crystalline structure of anatase titania. Energy-filtered TEM (EFTEM) analysis showed the C coating and Fe doping of the NPs. The ratio of L3 and L2 peaks for the Ti-L23 and Fe-L23 edges present in the core loss electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) revealed a +4 oxidation state for the Ti and a +3 oxidation state for the Fe. These EELS results were further confirmed with XPS analysis. The electronic properties of the samples were investigated by applying Kramers-Kronig analysis to the low-loss EELS spectra acquired from the prepared NPs. The presented results showed that the band gap energy of the TiO2 NPs decreased from an original value of 3.2 eV to about 2.2 eV, which is quite close to the ideal band gap energy of 1.65 eV for photocatalysis semiconductors. The observed decrease in band gap energy of the TiO2 NPs was attributed to the presence of Fe atoms at the lattice sites of the anatase TiO2 lattice. In short, C-coated and Fe-doped TiO2 NPs were synthesized with a rather cost-effective and comparatively easily scalable method. The

  11. Selective Semihydrogenation of Alkynes Catalyzed by Pd Nanoparticles Immobilized on Heteroatom-Doped Hierarchical Porous Carbon Derived from Bamboo Shoots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Guijie; Duan, Yanan; Zhang, Shaochun; Fei, Benhua; Chen, Xiufang; Yang, Yong

    2017-09-11

    Highly dispersed palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) immobilized on heteroatom-doped hierarchical porous carbon supports (N,O-carbon) with large specific surface areas are synthesized by a wet chemical reduction method. The N,O-carbon derived from naturally abundant bamboo shoots is fabricated by a tandem hydrothermal-carbonization process without assistance of any templates, chemical activation reagents, or exogenous N or O sources in a simple and ecofriendly manner. The prepared Pd/N,O-carbon catalyst shows extremely high activity and excellent chemoselectivity for semihydrogenation of a broad range of alkynes to versatile and valuable alkenes under ambient conditions. The catalyst can be readily recovered for successive reuse with negligible loss in activity and selectivity, and is also applicable for practical gram-scale reactions. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Synthesis of ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon nanocages as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Yueming; Xu, Chaofa; Chen, Guangxu; Liu, Zhaohui; Ma, Ming; Xie, Qingji; Zheng, Nanfeng; Yao, Shouzhuo

    2013-03-01

    Synthesis of nitrogen-doped carbons with large surface area, high conductivity, and suitable pore size distribution is highly desirable for high-performance supercapacitor applications. Here, we report a novel protocol for template synthesis of ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitic carbon nanocages (CNCs) derived from polyaniline (PANI) and their excellent capacitive properties. The synthesis of CNCs involves one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of Mn3O4@PANI core-shell nanoparticles, carbonization to produce carbon coated MnO nanoparticles, and then removal of the MnO cores by acidic treatment. The CNCs prepared at an optimum carbonization temperature of 800 °C (CNCs-800) have regular frameworks, moderate graphitization, high specific surface area, good mesoporosity, and appropriate N doping. The CNCs-800 show high specific capacitance (248 F g(-1) at 1.0 A g(-1)), excellent rate capability (88% and 76% capacitance retention at 10 and 100 A g(-1), respectively), and outstanding cycling stability (~95% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles) in 6 M KOH aqueous solution. The CNCs-800 can also exhibit great pseudocapacitance in 0.5 M H2SO4 aqueous solution besides the large electrochemical double-layer capacitance. The excellent capacitance performance coupled with the facile synthesis of ultrathin nitrogen-doped graphitic CNCs indicates their great application potential in supercapacitors.

  13. Electrochemical sensing property of Mn doped V2O5 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suresh, R.; Giribabu, K.; Manigandan, R.; Narayanan, V.; Vijayalakshmi, L.; Stephen, A.

    2012-01-01

    In this study, pure V 2 O 5 and Mn doped V 2 O 5 nanoparticles were synthesized by thermal decomposition method. The FT-IR spectrum of Mn doped V 2 O 5 shows the bands at 822 and 1027 cm -1 which essentiaIIy of crystalline V 2 O 5 . Further, the bands observed in Mn doped V 2 O 5 are all shifted to lower wave number than the V 2 O 5 . The optical property of the nanocomposite was studied using UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The XRD data also revealed that the Mn doped V 2 O 5 obtained had an orthorhombic structure. The diffraction peaks in Mn doped V 2 O 5 nanoparticles are similar to that of V 2 O 5 . There was no indication of any other impurities in the sample. However, all the peaks of V 2 O 5 are slightly shifted to tower 2θ values. The FE-SEM image of V 2 O 5 shows that the particles adopt ellipse-like particles with different sizes due to aggregation. The synthesized nanoparticles were used to modify glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and the modified electrode was used to detect uric acid (UA) by voltammetric techniques. The effects of Mn on the optical, morphological and electrochemical detecting property of V 2 O 5 have also been studied. (author)

  14. Synthesis of Nickel-Encapsulated Carbon Nanocapsules and Cup-Stacked-Type Carbon Nanotubes via Nickel-Doped Fullerene Nanowhiskers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tokushi Kizuka

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Nickel- (Ni doped C60 nanowhiskers (NWs were synthesized by a liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation method using a C60-saturated toluene solution and isopropanol with Ni nitrate hexahydrate Ni(NO32·6H2O. By varying the heating temperature of Ni-doped C60 NWs, two types of one-dimensional carbon nanostructures were produced. By heating the NWs at 973 and 1173 K, carbon nanocapsules (CNCs that encapsulated Ni nanoparticles were produced. The Ni-encapsulated CNCs joined one dimensionally to form chain structures. Upon heating the NWs to 1373 K, cup-stacked-type carbon nanotubes were synthesized.

  15. N-Doped Carbon Nanofibrous Network Derived from Bacterial Cellulose for the Loading of Pt Nanoparticles for Methanol Oxidation Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Fanshu; Huang, Yang; Fan, Mengmeng; Chen, Chuntao; Qian, Jieshu; Hao, Qingli; Yang, Jiazhi; Sun, Dongping

    2018-02-06

    The large-scale, low-cost preparation of Pt-based catalysts with high activity and durability for the methanol oxidation reaction is still challenging. The key to achieving this aim is finding suitable supporting materials. In this paper, N-doped carbon nanofibrous networks are prepared by annealing a gel containing two inexpensive and ecofriendly precursors, that is, bacterial cellulose and urea, for the loading of Pt nanoparticles. An undoped analogue is also prepared for comparison. Meanwhile, the effect of the annealing temperature on the performance of the catalysts is evaluated. The results show that the N doping and higher annealing temperature can improve the electron conductivity of the catalyst and provide more active sites for the loading of ultrafine Pt nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution. The best catalyst exhibits a remarkably high electrocatalytic activity (627 mA mg -1 ), excellent poison tolerance, and high durability. This work demonstrates an ideal Pt supporting material for the methanol oxidation reaction. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Flexible nanohybrid microelectrode based on carbon fiber wrapped by gold nanoparticles decorated nitrogen doped carbon nanotube arrays: In situ electrochemical detection in live cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yan; Xiao, Jian; Sun, Yimin; Wang, Lu; Dong, Xulin; Ren, Jinghua; He, Wenshan; Xiao, Fei

    2018-02-15

    The rapidly growing demand for in situ real-time monitoring of chemical information in vitro and in vivo has attracted tremendous research efforts into the design and construction of high-performance biosensor devices. Herein, we develop a new type of flexible nanohybrid microelectrode based on carbon fiber wrapped by gold nanoparticles decorated nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays, and explore its practical application in in situ electrochemical detection of cancer biomarker H 2 O 2 secreted from live cancer cells. Our results demonstrate that carbon fiber material with microscale size and fascinating mechanical properties can be used as a robust and flexible microelectrode substrate in the electrochemical biosensor system. And the highly ordered nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube arrays that grown on carbon fiber possess high surface area-to-volume ratio and abundant active sites, which facilitate the loading of high-density and uniformly dispersed gold nanoparticles on it. Benefited from the unique microstructure and excellent electrocatalytic properties of different components in the nanohybrid fiber microelectrode, an effective electrochemical sensing platform based on it has been built up for the sensitive and selective detection of H 2 O 2 , the detection limit is calculated to be 50nM when the signal-to-noise ratio is 3:1, and the linear dynamic range is up to 4.3mM, with a high sensitivity of 142µAcm -2 mM -1 . These good sensing performances, coupled with its intrinsic mechanical flexibility and biocompatibility, allow for its use in in situ real-time tracking H 2 O 2 secreted from breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MBA-MD-231, and evaluating the sensitivity of different cancer cells to chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments, which hold great promise for clinic application in cancer diagnose and management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Temperature evolution in silver nanoparticle doped PETN composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kameswari, D. P. S. L.; Kiran, P. Prem

    2018-04-01

    Optical absorption and the associated spatio-temporal evolution of temperature silver nanoparticles doped energetic material composite is presented. Silver nanoparticles of radii 10 - 150 nm are doped in Penta Erythrtol Tetra Nitrate (PETN), a secondary energetic material to form the composite materials. Of all the composites the ones doped with 35 nm sized nanoparticles have shown maximum absorption at excitation wavelength of 532 nm. The spatio-temporal evolution of temperature within these composites up on excitation with ns laser pulses of energy density 0.5 J/cm2 is studied. The role of particle sizes on the temperature of composites is studied and a maximum temperature of 2200 K at the nanoparticle interface is observed for 35 nm doped PETN composite.

  18. Highly dispersed Pt-Ni nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes for application in direct methanol fuel cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Shujuan; Ma, Yanwen; Tao, Haisheng; Jian, Guoqiang; Wang, Xizhang; Fan, Yining; Zhu, Jianmin; Hu, Zheng

    2010-06-01

    Binary Pt-Ni alloyed nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) have been facilely constructed without pre-modification by making use of the active sites in NCNTs due to the N-participation. So-obtained binary Pt-Ni alloyed nanoparticles have been highly dispersed on the outer surface of the support with the size of about 3-4 nm. The electrochemical properties of the catalysts for methanol oxidation have been systematically evaluated. Binary Pt-Ni alloyed composites with molar ratio (Pt:Ni) of 3:2 and 3:1 present enhanced electrocatalytic activities and improved tolerance to CO poisoning as well as the similar stability, in comparison with the commercial Pt/C catalyst and the monometallic Pt/NCNTs catalysts. These results imply that so-constructed nanocomposite catalysts have the potential for applications in direct methanol fuel cells.

  19. Facile Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotubes as High-Performance Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haipeng Li

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available ZnO/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (ZnO/NCNT composite, prepared though a simple one-step sol-gel synthetic technique, has been explored for the first time as an anode material. The as-prepared ZnO/NCNT nanocomposite preserves a good dispersity and homogeneity of the ZnO nanoparticles (~6 nm which deposited on the surface of NCNT. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM reveals the formation of ZnO nanoparticles with an average size of 6 nm homogeneously deposited on the surface of NCNT. ZnO/NCNT composite, when evaluated as an anode for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs, exhibits remarkably enhanced cycling ability and rate capability compared with the ZnO/CNT counterpart. A relatively large reversible capacity of 1013 mAh·g−1 is manifested at the second cycle and a capacity of 664 mAh·g−1 is retained after 100 cycles. Furthermore, the ZnO/NCNT system displays a reversible capacity of 308 mAh·g−1 even at a high current density of 1600 mA·g−1. These electrochemical performance enhancements are ascribed to the reinforced accumulative effects of the well-dispersed ZnO nanoparticles and doping nitrogen atoms, which can not only suppress the volumetric expansion of ZnO nanoparticles during the cycling performance but also provide a highly conductive NCNT network for ZnO anode.

  20. Structural and Biological Assessment of Zinc Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Liana Popa

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the current research work was to study the physicochemical and biological properties of synthesized zinc doped hydroxyapatite (ZnHAp nanoparticles with Zn concentrations xZn=0 (HAp, xZn=0.07 (7ZnHAp, and xZn=0.1 (10ZnHAp for potential use in biological applications. The morphology, size, compositions, and incorporation of zinc into hydroxyapatite were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman scattering, and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS. In addition, the cytotoxicity of ZnHAp nanoparticles was tested on both E. coli bacteria and human hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2. The results showed that ZnHAp nanoparticles (HAp, 7ZnHAp, and 10ZnHAp have slightly elongated morphologies with average diameters between 25 nm and 18 nm. On the other hand, a uniform and homogeneous distribution of the constituent elements (calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and oxygen in the ZnHAp powder was noticed. Besides, FTIR and Raman analyses confirmed the proper hydroxyapatite structure of the synthesized ZnHAp nanoparticles with the signature of phosphate, carbonate, and hydroxyl groups. Moreover, it can be concluded that Zn doping at the tested concentrations is not inducing a specific prokaryote or eukaryote toxicity in HAp compounds.

  1. Nanoparticles doped film sensing based on terahertz metamaterials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Weimin; Fan, Fei; Chang, Shengjiang; Hou, Jiaqing; Chen, Meng; Wang, Xianghui; Bai, Jinjun

    2017-12-01

    A nanoparticles concentration sensor based on doped film and terahertz (THz) metamaterial has been proposed. By coating the nanoparticles doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film on the surface of THz metamaterial, the effects of nanoparticle concentration on the metamaterial resonances are investigated through experiments and numerical simulations. Results show that resonant frequency of the metamaterial linearly decreases with the increment of doping concentration. Furthermore, numerical simulations illustrate that the redshift of resonance results from the changes of refractive index of the doped film. The concentration sensitivity of this sensor is 3.12 GHz/0.1%, and the refractive index sensitivity reaches 53.33 GHz/RIU. This work provides a non-contact, nondestructive and sensitive method for the detection of nanoparticles concentration and brings out a new application on THz film metamaterial sensing.

  2. Sonochemical synthesis and photocatalytic property of zinc oxide nanoparticles doped with magnesium(II)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Xianyong; Liu, Zhaoyue; Zhu, Ying; Jiang, Lei

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by sonochemical strategy. → Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles present good photocatalytic properties. → The change of band gap contributes to their high efficiency in photocatalyst. -- Abstract: Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by sonochemical method. The products were characterized by scan electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). SEM images revealed that ZnO doped with Mg(II) nanoparticles and ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the same strategy all had spherical topography. XRD patterns showed that the doped nanoparticles had the same crystals structures as the pure ZnO nanoparticles. The Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles had larger lattice volume than the un-doped nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) not only demonstrated the moral ratio of Mg and Zn element on the surface of nanoparticles, but their valence in nanoparticles as well. The Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles presented good properties in photocatalyst compared with pure ZnO nanoparticles.

  3. 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.

  4. Synthesis of MnO nano-particle@Flourine doped carbon and its application in hybrid supercapacitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qu, Deyu; Feng, Xiaoke [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei (China); Wei, Xi [School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei (China); Guo, Liping [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei (China); Cai, Haopeng, E-mail: cai_haopeng@whut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei (China); Tang, Haolin [School of Materials Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei (China); Xie, Zhizhong, E-mail: zhizhong_xie@163.com [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, Hubei (China)

    2017-08-15

    Highlights: • A Fluorine doped carbon encapsulated MnO nanoparticle material was fabricated through a self-assembly method. • Nafion ionomers was used as the fluorine and carbon precursor. • A lithium ion supercapacitor was assemblied by using MnO@FC and porous carbon. • A stable energy density as well as superior cycling stability were demonstrated in this hybrid system. - Abstract: A flourine doped carbon materials encapsulated MnO nano-particle was synthesized through a self-assembly method. The MnO nano-crystal covered with a thin layer of graphite were achieved. This hybrid MnO/carbon materials were employed as negative electrode in a new lithium ion hybrid supercapacitor, while the electrochemical double-layer porous carbon served as positive electrode. The electrochemical performances of this hybrid device were investigated and exhibited relative high capacity upto 40 mAh g{sup −1} in an applied current of 200 mAh g{sup −1}, good rate performance as well as superior cycling stability.

  5. Magnetic behavior of Co–Mn co-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Hengda; Liu, Xinzhong; Zheng, Zhigong

    2014-01-01

    Here, we report on systematic studies of the magnetic properties of Co and Mn co-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by a sol–gel technique. The effect of the concentration of the doping ions on the magnetic properties of Co and Mn co-doped ZnO nanoparticles is presented. X-ray diffraction characterizations (XRD) of co-doped ZnO nanoparticles are all wurtzite structure. The Zn 0.96 Co 0.02 Mn 0.02 O nanoparticles and Zn 0.94 Co 0.02 Mn 0.04 O nanoparticles display ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer figures show that with the concentration of the Mn ions increased, the saturation magnetic moment (M s ) increased, and the magnetic is probably due to the co-doping of the Mn ions. Our results demonstrate that the Mn ions doping concentration play an important role in the ferromagnetic properties of Co–Mn co-doped ZnO nanoparticles at room temperature. - Highlights: • The effect of the doping ions on the magnetic properties is presented. • The magnetic is probably due to the co-doping of the Mn ions. • The Mn ions concentration play an important role in the ferromagnetic properties

  6. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Layek, Samar, E-mail: samarlayek@gmail.com; Verma, H.C.

    2016-01-01

    Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles of the series Ni{sub 1−x}Mn{sub x}O (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) are successfully synthesized using a low temperature hydrothermal method. Samples up to 6% Mn-doping are single phase in nature as observed from powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data shows that all the single phase samples crystallize in the NaCl like fcc structure with space group Fm-3m. Unit cell volume decreases with increasing Mn-doping. Pure NiO nanoparticles show weak ferromagnetism, may be due to nanosize nature. Introduction of Mn within NiO lattice improves the magnetic properties significantly. Room temperature ferromagnetism is found in all the doped samples whereas the magnetization is highest for 2% Mn-doping and then decreases with further doping. The ZFC and FC branches in the temperature dependent magnetization separate well above 350 K indicating transition temperature well above room temperature for 2% Mn-doped NiO Nanoparticle. The ferromagnetic Curie temperature is found to be 653 K for the same sample as measured by temperature dependent magnetization study using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in high vacuum. - Highlights: • Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles are prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. • Unit cell volume decreases with increasing doping concentration. • Mn-doping leads to room temperature ferromagnetism in NiO nanoparticles. • Magnetization is highest for 2% Mn-doping. • Above 2%, magnetization decreases with increasing doping.

  7. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Layek, Samar; Verma, H.C.

    2016-01-01

    Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles of the series Ni_1_−_xMn_xO (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) are successfully synthesized using a low temperature hydrothermal method. Samples up to 6% Mn-doping are single phase in nature as observed from powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data shows that all the single phase samples crystallize in the NaCl like fcc structure with space group Fm-3m. Unit cell volume decreases with increasing Mn-doping. Pure NiO nanoparticles show weak ferromagnetism, may be due to nanosize nature. Introduction of Mn within NiO lattice improves the magnetic properties significantly. Room temperature ferromagnetism is found in all the doped samples whereas the magnetization is highest for 2% Mn-doping and then decreases with further doping. The ZFC and FC branches in the temperature dependent magnetization separate well above 350 K indicating transition temperature well above room temperature for 2% Mn-doped NiO Nanoparticle. The ferromagnetic Curie temperature is found to be 653 K for the same sample as measured by temperature dependent magnetization study using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in high vacuum. - Highlights: • Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles are prepared by a simple hydrothermal method. • Unit cell volume decreases with increasing doping concentration. • Mn-doping leads to room temperature ferromagnetism in NiO nanoparticles. • Magnetization is highest for 2% Mn-doping. • Above 2%, magnetization decreases with increasing doping.

  8. Mesoporous N-doped carbons prepared with thermally removable nanoparticle templates: an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Wenhan; Li, Ligui; Liu, Xiaojun; Wang, Nan; Liu, Ji; Zhou, Weijia; Tang, Zhenghua; Chen, Shaowei

    2015-04-29

    Thermally removable nanoparticle templates were used for the fabrication of self-supported N-doped mesoporous carbons with a trace amount of Fe (Fe-N/C). Experimentally Fe-N/C was prepared by pyrolysis of poly(2-fluoroaniline) (P2FANI) containing a number of FeO(OH) nanorods that were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal synthesis and homogeneously distributed within the polymer matrix. The FeO(OH) nanocrystals acted as rigid templates to prevent the collapse of P2FANI during the carbonization process, where a mesoporous skeleton was formed with a medium surface area of about 400 m(2)/g. Subsequent thermal treatments at elevated temperatures led to the decomposition and evaporation of the FeO(OH) nanocrystals and the formation of mesoporous carbons with the surface area markedly enhanced to 934.8 m(2)/g. Electrochemical measurements revealed that the resulting mesoporous carbons exhibited apparent electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR), and the one prepared at 800 °C (Fe-N/C-800) was the best among the series, with a more positive onset potential (+0.98 V vs RHE), higher diffusion-limited current, higher selectivity (number of electron transfer n > 3.95 at +0.75 V vs RHE), much higher stability, and stronger tolerance against methanol crossover than commercial Pt/C catalysts in a 0.1 M KOH solution. The remarkable ORR performance was attributed to the high surface area and sufficient exposure of electrocatalytically active sites that arose primarily from N-doped carbons with minor contributions from Fe-containing species.

  9. Ru-decorated Pt nanoparticles on N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes by atomic layer deposition for direct methanol fuel cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansson, Anne-Charlotte Elisabeth Birgitta; Yang, R.B.; Haugshøj, K.B.

    2013-01-01

    We present atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a new method for the preparation of highly dispersed Ru-decorated Pt nanoparticles for use as catalyst in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The nanoparticles were deposited onto N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at 250 °C using trimethyl......(methylcyclopentadienyl)platinum MeCpPtMe3, bis(ethylcyclopentadienyl)ruthenium Ru(EtCp)2 and O2 as the precursors. Catalysts with 5, 10 and 20 ALD Ru cycles grown onto the CNT-supported ALD Pt nanoparticles (150 cycles) were prepared and tested towards the electro-oxidation of CO and methanol, using cyclic voltammetry...... and chronoamperometry in a three-electrode electrochemical set-up. The catalyst decorated with 5 ALD Ru cycles was of highest activity in both reactions, followed by the ones with 10 and 20 ALD Ru cycles. It is demonstrated that ALD is a promising technique in the field of catalysis as highly dispersed nanoparticles...

  10. Nitrogen-Doped Ordered Mesoporous Carbon Supported Bimetallic PtCo Nanoparticles for Upgrading of Biophenolics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Guang-Hui; Cao, Zhengwen; Gu, Dong; Pfänder, Norbert; Swertz, Ann-Christin; Spliethoff, Bernd; Bongard, Hans-Josef; Weidenthaler, Claudia; Schmidt, Wolfgang; Rinaldi, Roberto; Schüth, Ferdi

    2016-07-25

    Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is an attractive route for the upgrading of bio-oils produced from lignocellulose. Current catalysts require harsh conditions to effect HDO, decreasing the process efficiency in terms of energy and carbon balance. Herein we report a novel and facile method for synthesizing bimetallic PtCo nanoparticle catalysts (ca. 1.5 nm) highly dispersed in the framework of nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon (NOMC) for this reaction. We demonstrate that NOMC with either 2D hexagonal (p6m) or 3D cubic (Im3‾ m) structure can be easily synthesized by simply adjusting the polymerization temperature. We also demonstrate that PtCo/NOMC (metal loading: Pt 9.90 wt %; Co 3.31 wt %) is a highly effective catalyst for HDO of phenolic compounds and "real-world" biomass-derived phenolic streams. In the presence of PtCo/NOMC, full deoxygenation of phenolic compounds and a biomass-derived phenolic stream is achieved under conditions of low severity. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. In-depth nanocrystallization enhanced Li-ions batteries performance with nitrogen-doped carbon coated Fe3O4 yolk-shell nanocapsules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Qianhui; Zhao, Rongfang; Liu, Wenjie; Zhang, Xiue; Shen, Xiao; Li, Wenlong; Diao, Guowang; Chen, Ming

    2017-03-01

    In this paper nitrogen-doped carbon-encapsulation Fe3O4 yolk-shell magnetic nanocapsules (Fe3O4@C-N nanocapsules) have been successfully constructed though a facile hydrothermal method and subsequent annealing process. Fe3O4 nanoparticles are completely enclosed in nitrogen-doped carbon shells with void space between the nanoparticle and the shell. The yolk-shell structure allows Fe3O4 nanoparticles to expand freely without breaking the outer carbon shell during the lithiation/delithiation processes. The volume expansion of Fe3O4 results in the in-depth nanocrystallization. Fortunately, the new generated small nanoparticles can increase the capability with the cycle increase due to the unique confinement effect and excellent electronic conductivity of the nitrogen-doped carbon shells. Hence, after 150 cycles, the discharge capacity of Fe3O4@C-N-700 nanocapsules still remained 832 mA h g-1 at 500 mA g-1, which corresponds to 116.7% of the lowest capacity (713 mA h g-1) at the 16th cycle. We believe that the yolk-shell structure is conducive to enhance the capacity of easy pulverization metal oxidation during the charge/discharge processes.

  12. Self-assembly of nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles: a new ratiometric UV-vis optical sensor for the highly sensitive and selective detection of Hg(2+) in aqueous solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruan, Yudi; Wu, Lie; Jiang, Xiue

    2016-05-23

    Water-soluble nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles (N-CNPs) prepared by the one-step hydrothermal treatment of uric acid were found to show ratiometric changes in their UV-vis spectra due to Hg(2+)-mediated self-assembly. For the first time, such a property was developed into a UV-vis optical sensor for detecting Hg(2+) in aqueous solutions with high sensitively and selectively (detection limit = 1.4 nM). More importantly, this novel sensor exhibits a higher linear sensitivity over a wider concentration range compared with the fluorescence sensor based on the same N-CNPs. This work opens an exciting new avenue to explore the use of carbon nanoparticles in constructing UV-vis optical sensors for the detection of metal ions and the use of carbon nanoparticles as a new building block to self-assemble into superlattices.

  13. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Jaspal; Vashihth, A.; Gill, Pritampal Singh; Verma, N. K.

    2015-01-01

    Zn 1-x Mg x O (x = 0, 0,10) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms that the synthesized nanoparticles possess wurtzite phase having hexagonal structure. Morphological analysis was carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) which depicts the spherical morphology of ZnO nanoparticles. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) showed the presence of Mg in ZnO nanoparticles. Electron spin resonance (ESR) signal was found to be decreasing with increasing of Mg-doping concentration. The room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in undoped and Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The increase of Mg-doping concentration resulted in decrease of saturation magnetization value which could be attributed to decrease of oxygen vacancies present in host nanoparticles

  14. Rapid synthesis of Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: Optical and electrochemical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Romeiro, Fernanda C.; Marinho, Juliane Z.; Lemos, Samantha C.S. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Moura, Ana P. de [LIEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-900 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Freire, Poliana G. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Silva, Luis F. da; Longo, Elson [LIEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-900 Araraquara, SP (Brazil); Munoz, Rodrigo A.A. [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil); Lima, Renata C., E-mail: rclima@iqufu.ufu.br [Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG (Brazil)

    2015-10-15

    We report for the first time a rapid preparation of Zn{sub 1−2x}Co{sub x}Ni{sub x}O nanoparticles via a versatile and environmentally friendly route, microwave-assisted hydrothermal (MAH) method. The Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles present an effect on photoluminescence and electrochemical properties, exhibiting excellent electrocatalytic performance compared to undoped ZnO sample. Photoluminescence spectroscopy measurements indicated the reduction of the green–orange–red visible emission region after adding Co and Ni ions, revealing the formation of alternative pathways for the generated recombination. The presence of these metallic ions into ZnO creates different defects, contributing to a local structural disorder, as revealed by Raman spectra. Electrochemical experiments revealed that the electrocatalytic oxidation of dopamine on ZnO attached to multi-walled carbon nanotubes improved significantly in the Co, Ni co-doped ZnO samples when compared to pure ZnO. - Graphical abstract: Rapid synthesis of Co, Ni co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: optical and electrochemical properties. Co, Ni co-doped ZnO hexagonal nanoparticles with optical and electrocatalytic properties were successfully prepared for the first time using a microwave hydrothermal method at mild conditions. - Highlights: • Co{sup 2+} and Ni{sup 2+} into ZnO lattice obtained a mild and environmentally friendly process. • The heating method strongly influences in the growth and shape of the particles. • Short-range defects generated by the ions insertion affects the photoluminescence. • Doped ZnO nanoparticles improve the electrocatalytic properties of pure oxide.

  15. Retracted-Enhanced X-Ray Absorption Property of Gold-Doped Single Wall Carbon Nanotube

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alimin Alimin

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Enhanced X-ray absorption property of single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT through gold (Au doping (Au@SWCNT has been studied. Mass attenuation coefficient of SWCNT increased 5.2-fold after Au doping treatment. The use of ethanol in the liquid phase adsorption could produce Au nanoparticles as confirmed by the X-ray Diffraction (XRD patterns. The possibility of gold nanoparticles encapsulated in the internal tube space of SWCNT was observed by transmission electron microscope technique. A significant decrease of nitrogen uptakes and upshifts of Radial Breathing Mode (RBM of Au@SWCNT specimen suggest that the nanoparticles might be encapsulated in the internal tube spaces of the nanotube. In addition, a decrease intensity of XRD pattern of Au@SWCNT at around 2θ ≈ 2.6° supports the suggestion that Au nanoparticles are really encapsulated into SWCNT.

  16. Fabrication of folic acid sensor based on the Cu doped SnO2 nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavanya, N; Radhakrishnan, S; Sudhan, N; Sekar, C; Leonardi, S G; Neri, G; Cannilla, C

    2014-01-01

    A novel folic acid biosensor has been fabricated using Cu doped SnO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by a simple microwave irradiation method. Powder XRD and TEM studies confirmed that both the pure and Cu doped SnO 2 (Cu: 0, 10, 20wt%) crystallized in tetragonal rutile-type structure with spherical morphology. The average crystallite size of pure SnO 2 was estimated to be around 16 nm. Upon doping, the crystallite sizes decreased to 9 nm and 5 nm for 10 and 20wt% Cu doped SnO 2 respectively. XPS studies confirmed the electronic state of Sn and Cu to be 4+ and 2+ respectively. Cu (20wt%) doped SnO 2 NPs are proved to be a good sensing element for the determination of folic acid (FA). Cu-SnO 2 NPs (20wt%) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) exhibited the lowest detection limit of 0.024 nM over a wide folic acid concentration range of 1.0 × 10 −10 to 6.7 × 10 −5 M at physiological pH of 7.0. The fabricated sensor is highly selective towards the determination of FA even in the presence of a 100 fold excess of common interferent ascorbic acid. The sensor proved to be useful for the estimation of FA content in pharmaceutical sample with satisfactory recovery. (paper)

  17. PtRu nanoparticles dispersed on nitrogen-doped carbon nanohorns as an efficient electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Linwei; Gao, Ang; Liu, Yan; Wang, Yuan; Ma, Jiantai

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel anode catalyst is synthesized using N-doped carbon nanohorns as support. • PtRu/NCNHs exhibits an excellent activity for MOR relative to PtRu/C catalysts. • The enhancement is due to the electronic interaction between NCNHs and PtRu NPs. - Abstract: A novel anode catalyst (PtRu/NCNHs) assembled with nitrogen-doped carbon nanohorns (NCNHs) and PtRu nanoparticles (1.9 nm) exhibits an obvious enhancement in the tolerance to carbonaceous intermediates and the electocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in comparison to a commercial PtRu/C-JM catalyst and a home-made PtRu/Vulcan catalyst. The MOR mass activity of PtRu/NCNHs (850 mA mg −1 PtRu ) is 2.5 times as high as that of PtRu/C-JM (341 mA mg −1 PtRu ). The MOR specific activity of PtRu/NCNHs is 1.8 times as high as that of PtRu/Vulcan having similar Pt/Ru atomic ratios, specific electrochemical surface areas and particle sizes of PtRu NPs. The electronic interaction between PtRu NPs and NCNHs is responsible for the enhancement in the MOR activity of PtRu/NCNHs

  18. In situ preparation of cobalt nanoparticles decorated in N-doped carbon nanofibers as excellent electromagnetic wave absorbers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Huihui; Li, Yajing; Yuan, Mengwei; Sun, Genban; Li, Huifeng; Ma, Shulan; Liao, Qingliang; Zhang, Yue

    2018-06-11

    The electrospinning and annealing methods is applied to prepare cobalt nanoparticles decorated in N-doped carbon nanofibers (Co/N-C NFs) with solid and macroporous structures. In detail, the nanocomposites are synthesized by carbonization of as-electrospun polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/cobalt acetylacetonate nanofibers in an argon atmosphere. The solid Co/N-C NFs has lengths up to dozens of microns with the average diameter of ca. 500 nm and possess abundant cobalt nanoparticles on both the surface and within the fibers, and the cobalt nanoparticles size is about 20 nm. The macroporous Co/N-C NFs possess a hierarchical pore structure, and there are macropores (500 nm) and mesopores (2-50 nm) existed in this material. The saturation magnetization (Ms) and coercivity (Hc) of the solid Co/N-C NFs are 28.4 emu g-1 and 661 Oe, respectively. And those of the macroporous Co/N-C NFs are 23.3 emu g-1 and 580 Oe, respectively. The solid Co/N-C NFs exhibits excellent electromagnetic wave absorbability, a minimum reflection loss (RL) value of -25.7 dB is achieved with a matching thickness of 2 mm for solid Co/N-C NFs when the filler loading is 5 wt%, and the effective bandwidth (BW) (RL≤-10 dB) is 4.3 GHz. Moreover, the effective microwave absorption can be achieved in the whole range of 1-18 GHz by adjusting the thickness of the sample layer and content of the dopant sample.

  19. Thermal conductivity improvement in carbon nanoparticle doped PAO oil: An experimental study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaikh, S.; Lafdi, K.; Ponnappan, R.

    2007-03-01

    The present work involves a study on the thermal conductivity of nanoparticle-oil suspensions for three types of nanoparticles, namely, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), exfoliated graphite (EXG), and heat treated nanofibers (HTT) with PAO oil as the base fluid. To accomplish the above task, an experimental analysis is performed using a modern light flash technique (LFA 447) for measuring the thermal conductivity of the three types of nanofluids, for different loading of nanoparticles. The experimental results show a similar trend as observed in literature for nanofluids with a maximum enhancement of approximately 161% obtained for the CNT-PAO oil suspension. The overall percent enhancements for different volume fractions of the nanoparticles are highest for the CNT-based nanofluid, followed by the EXG and the HTT. The findings from this study for the three different types of carbon nanoparticles can have great potential in the field of thermal management.

  20. Engineering iodine-doped carbon dots as dual-modal probes for fluorescence and X-ray CT imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Miaomiao; Ju, Huixiang; Zhang, Li; Sun, Mingzhong; Zhou, Zhongwei; Dai, Zhenyu; Zhang, Lirong; Gong, Aihua; Wu, Chaoyao; Du, Fengyi

    2015-01-01

    X-ray computed tomography (CT) is the most commonly used imaging technique for noninvasive diagnosis of disease. In order to improve tissue specificity and prevent adverse effects, we report the design and synthesis of iodine-doped carbon dots (I-doped CDs) as efficient CT contrast agents and fluorescence probe by a facile bottom-up hydrothermal carbonization process. The as-prepared I-doped CDs are monodispersed spherical nanoparticles (a diameter of ~2.7 nm) with favorable dispersibility and colloidal stability in water. The aqueous solution of I-doped CDs showed wavelength-dependent excitation and stable photoluminescence similar to traditional carbon quantum dots. Importantly, I-doped CDs displayed superior X-ray attenuation properties in vitro and excellent biocompatibility. After intravenous injection, I-doped CDs were distributed throughout the body and excreted by renal clearance. These findings validated that I-doped CDs with high X-ray attenuation potency and favorable photoluminescence show great promise for biomedical research and disease diagnosis.

  1. Ion-doping as a strategy to modulate hydroxyapatite nanoparticle internalization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Z.; Espanol, M.; Guillem-Marti, J.; Kempf, D.; Diez-Escudero, A.; Ginebra, M.-P.

    2016-01-01

    Although it is widely acknowledged that ionic substitutions on bulk hydroxyapatite substrates have a strong impact on their biological performance, little is known of their effect on nanoparticles (NPs) especially when used for gene transfection or drug delivery. The fact that NPs would be internalized poses many questions but also opens up many new possibilities. The objective of the present work is to synthesize and assess the effect of a series of hydroxyapatite-like (HA) NPs doped with various ions on cell behavior, i.e. carbonate, magnesium and co-addition. We synthesized NPs under similar conditions to allow comparison of results and different aspects in addition to assessing the effect of the doping ion(s) were investigated: (1) the effect of performing the cell culture study on citrate-dispersed NPs and on agglomerated NPs, (2) the effect of adding/excluding 10% of foetal bovine serum (FBS) in the cell culture media and (3) the type of cell, i.e. MG-63 versus rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs). The results clearly demonstrated that Mg-doping had a major effect on MG-63 cells with high cytotoxicity but not to rMSCs. This was a very important finding because it proved that doping could be a tool to modify NP internalization. The results also suggest that NP surface charge had a large impact on MG-63 cells and prevents their internalization if it is too negative--this effect was less critical for rMSCs.Although it is widely acknowledged that ionic substitutions on bulk hydroxyapatite substrates have a strong impact on their biological performance, little is known of their effect on nanoparticles (NPs) especially when used for gene transfection or drug delivery. The fact that NPs would be internalized poses many questions but also opens up many new possibilities. The objective of the present work is to synthesize and assess the effect of a series of hydroxyapatite-like (HA) NPs doped with various ions on cell behavior, i.e. carbonate, magnesium and co

  2. Nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shell encapsulated NiFe nanoparticles: A highly durable oxygen evolution catalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Du, Lei; Luo, Langli; Feng, Zhenxing; Engelhard, Mark; Xie, Xiaohong; Han, Binghong; Sun, Junming; Zhang, Jianghao; Yin, Geping; Wang, Chongmin; Wang, Yong; Shao, Yuyan

    2017-09-01

    Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) plays a crucial role in various energy conversion devices such as water electrolyzers and metal–air batteries. Precious metal catalysts such as Ir, Ru and their oxides are usually used for enhancing reaction kinetics but are limited by their scarce resource. The challenges associated with alternative non–precious metal catalysts such as transition metal oxides and (oxy)hydroxides etc. are their low electronic conductivity and durability. Herein, we report a highly active (360 mV overpotential at 10 mA cm–2GEO) and durable (no degradation after 20000 cycles) OER catalyst derived from bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) precursors. This catalyst consists of NiFe nanoparticles encapsulated by nitrogen–doped graphitized carbon shells. The electron-donation/deviation from Fe and tuned electronic structure of metal cores by Ni are revealed to be primary contributors to the enhanced OER activity, whereas N concentration contributes negligibly. We further demonstrated that the structure and morphology of encapsulating carbon shells, which are the key factors influencing the durability, are facilely controlled by the chemical state of precursors.

  3. Fabrication of Nitrogen-Doped Mesoporous-Carbon-Coated Palladium Nanoparticles: An Intriguing Electrocatalyst for Methanol and Formic Acid Oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Chaiti; Dutta, Soumen; Sahoo, Ramkrishna; Roy, Anindita; Negishi, Yuichi; Pal, Tarasankar

    2016-05-20

    Inspired by the attractive catalytic properties of palladium and the inert nature of carbon supports in catalysis, a concise and simple methodology for in situ nitrogen-doped mesoporous-carbon-supported palladium nanoparticles (Pd/N-C) has been developed by carbonizing a palladium dimethylglyoximate complex. The as-synthesized Pd/N-C has been exfoliated as a fuel cell catalyst by studying the electro-oxidation of methanol and formic acid. The material synthesized at 400 °C,namely, Pd/N-C-400,exhibitssuperior mass activity and stability among catalysts synthesized under different carbonization temperaturesbetween300 and 500 °C. The unique 1D porous structure in Pd/N-C-400 helps better electron transport at the electrode surface, which eventually leads to about five times better catalytic activity and about two times higher stability than that of commercial Pd/C. Thus, our designed sacrificial metal-organic templatedirected pathway becomes a promising technique for Pd/N-C synthesis with superior catalytic performances. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Electrochemical Behavior of TiO2 Nanoparticle Doped WO3 Thin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suvarna R. Bathe

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoparticle TiO2 doped WO3 thin films by pulsed spray pyrolysis technique have been studied on fluorine tin doped (FTO and glass substrate. XRD shows amorphous nature for undoped and anatase phase of TiO2 having (101 plane for nanoparticle TiO2 doped WO3 thin film. SEM shows microfibrous reticulated porous network for WO3 with 600 nm fiber diameter and nanocrystalline having size 40 nm for TiO2 nanoparticle doped WO3 thin film. TiO2 nanoparticle doped WO3 thin film shows ~95% reversibility due to may be attributed to nanocrystalline nature of the film, which helpful for charge insertion and deinsertion process. The diffusion coefficient for TiO2 nanoparticle doped WO3 film is less than undoped WO3.

  5. Synthesis and Characterization Carbon Nanotubes Doped Carbon Aerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yuelong; Yan, Meifang; Liu, Zhenfa

    2017-12-01

    Polycondensation of phloroglucinol, resorcinol and formaldehyde with carbon nanotube (CNT) as the additives, using sodium carbonate as the catalyst, leads to the formation of CNT - doped carbon aerogels. The structure of carbon aerogels (CAs) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The specific surface area, pore size distribution and pore volume were measured by surface area analyzer. The results show that when the optimum doping dosage is 5%, the specific surface area of CNT - doped carbon aerogel is up to 665 m2 g-1 and exhibit plentiful mesoporous.

  6. Solid phase extraction of magnetic carbon doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Jing; Li, Jia-yuan; Qiao, Jun-qin; Lian, Hong-zhen; Chen, Hong-yuan

    2014-01-17

    Carbon decorated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4/C) are promising magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbents in environmental and biological analysis. Fe3O4/C based MSPE method shows advantages of easy operation, rapidness, high sensitivity, and environmental friendliness. In this paper, the MSPE mechanism of Fe3O4/C nanoparticles has been comprehensively investigated, for the first time, through the following three efforts: (1) the comparison of extraction efficiency for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) between the Fe3O4/C sorbents and activated carbon; (2) the chromatographic retention behaviors of hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds on Fe3O4/C nanoparticles as stationary phase; (3) related MSPE experiments for several typical compounds such as pyrene, naphthalene, benzene, phenol, resorcinol, anisole and thioanisole. It can be concluded that there are hybrid hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding interaction or dipole-dipole attraction between Fe3O4/C sorbents and analytes. It is the existence of carbon and oxygen-containing functional groups coated on the surface of Fe3O4/C nanoparticles that is responsible for the effective extraction process. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Magnetic properties of sol-gel synthesized C-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dung, Nguyen Duc, E-mail: dung.nguyenduc@hust.edu.vn [Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST), Hanoi University of Science and Technology, No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Son, Cao Thai; Loc, Pham Vu; Cuong, Nguyen Huu; Kien, Pham The; Huy, Pham Thanh [Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST), Hanoi University of Science and Technology, No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Ha, Ngo Ngoc [International Training Institute for Materials Science (ITIMS), Hanoi University of Science and Technology, No.1 Dai Co Viet, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

    2016-05-25

    ZnO doping with Carbon (C-doped ZnO) materials were prepared by sol-gel technique following with a heat treatment process. Single phase of Wurtzite crystal structure of ZnO was concluded via x-ray diffraction (XRD) with a large amount of excess C tracking by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. Two types of ZnO crystals (twinning particles) with different grain sizes and shapes were identified via scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The first type has a smaller grain size of about 20 nm and hexagonal shape. And the second type has a larger grain size of about 80–120 nm and round shape. C substitutions of both Zn and O sites to form C–O and C–Zn bonds were conclusively confirmed via x-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS). Experimental evidences for the co-existence of different ferromagnetic phases in the materials are reported and discussed. Two Curie points at high temperatures (>500 °C) are presented. A metamagnetic transition was observed at magnetic field H = 19.2 kOe which was related to the co-existence of ferromagnetic phases. These involve in the formation of twinning C-doped ZnO nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Formation of sol-gel prepared single phase wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles. • Two morphological C-doped ZnO nanoparticles of different grain sizes. • The room temperature ferromagnetism. • An abnormal metamagnetic transition at magnetic field H = 19.2 kOe. • Two different Curie points (T{sub C}) at 500–600 °C.

  8. Preparation of antimony-doped nanoparticles by hydrothermal method

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    JIANG Ming-xi; YANG Tian-zu; GU Ying-ying; DU Zuo-juan; LIU Jian-ling

    2005-01-01

    Antimony-doped tin oxide(ATO) nanoparticles were prepared by the mild hydrothermal method at 200 ℃ using sodium stannate, antimony oxide, sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid as the starting materials. The doped powders were examined by differential thermal analysis(DTA), X-ray diffractometry(XRD) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The doping levels of antimony were determined by volumetric method and iodimetry.The results show that antimony is incorporated into the crystal lattice of tin oxide and the doping levels of antimony in the resulting powders are 2.4%, 4.3 % and 5.1 % (molar fraction). The mean particle size of ATO nanoparticles is in the range of 25 - 30 nm. The effects of antimony doping level on the crystalline size and crystallinity were also discussed.

  9. Transport properties for carbon chain sandwiched between heteroatom-doped carbon nanotubes with different doping sites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Wenjiang; Deng, Xiaoqing; Cai, Shaohong

    2016-01-01

    The First-principles calculation is used to investigate the transport properties of a carbon chain connected with N-and/or B-doped caped carbon nanotube acting as electrodes. The I-V curves of the carbon chain are affected by the N/B doping sites, and rectifying behavior can be obtained distinctly when the carbon chain is just connected onto two doping atom sites (N- chain-B), and a weak rectification occurs when N (B) doping at other sites. Interestingly, the spin-filtering effects exist in the junction when it is doped at other sites, undoped system, or N-terminal carbon chains. However, no this behavior is found in N-chain-B and B-chain-B systems. The analysis on the transmission spectra, PDOS, LDOS, spin density, and the electron transmission pathways give an insight into the observed results for the system.

  10. Transport properties for carbon chain sandwiched between heteroatom-doped carbon nanotubes with different doping sites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Wenjiang [Big Data and Information Engineering College of Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025 (China); Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang 550025 (China); Deng, Xiaoqing, E-mail: xq-deng@163.com, E-mail: caish@mail.gufe.edu.cn [School of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Cai, Shaohong, E-mail: xq-deng@163.com, E-mail: caish@mail.gufe.edu.cn [Guizhou University of Finance and Economics, Guiyang 550025 (China)

    2016-07-15

    The First-principles calculation is used to investigate the transport properties of a carbon chain connected with N-and/or B-doped caped carbon nanotube acting as electrodes. The I-V curves of the carbon chain are affected by the N/B doping sites, and rectifying behavior can be obtained distinctly when the carbon chain is just connected onto two doping atom sites (N- chain-B), and a weak rectification occurs when N (B) doping at other sites. Interestingly, the spin-filtering effects exist in the junction when it is doped at other sites, undoped system, or N-terminal carbon chains. However, no this behavior is found in N-chain-B and B-chain-B systems. The analysis on the transmission spectra, PDOS, LDOS, spin density, and the electron transmission pathways give an insight into the observed results for the system.

  11. Modification of Ammonia Decomposition Activity of Ruthenium Nanoparticles by N-Doping of CNT Supports

    OpenAIRE

    Bell, Tamsin; Zhan, G; Wu, Kejun; Torrente Murciano, Laura

    2017-01-01

    The use of ammonia as a hydrogen vector has the potential to unlock the hydrogen economy. In this context, this paper presents novel insights into improving the ammonia decomposition activity of ruthenium nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes (CNT) by nitrogen doping. Our results can be applied to develop more active systems capable of delivering hydrogen on demand, with a view to move towards the low temperature target of less than 150 °C. Herein we demonstrate that nitrogen doping of ...

  12. Preparation and characterization of Ce-doped HfO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gálvez-Barboza, S.; González, L.A.; Puente-Urbina, B.A.; Saucedo-Salazar, E.M.; García-Cerda, L.A.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Ce-doped HfO 2 nanoparticles were prepared by a modified solgel method. • Ce-doped HfO 2 nanoparticles have a semispherical shape with sizes between 6 and 11.5 nm. • The samples doped with 10% in weight of Ce directly crystallized in a cubic structure. • A quick, straightforward and effective route for the preparation of Ce-doped nanoparticles. - Abstract: A modified solgel method to synthesize Ce-doped HfO 2 nanoparticles was carried out using a precursor material prepared with cerium nitrate, hafnium chloride, citric acid and ethylene glycol. The obtained precursor material was calcined at 500 and 700 °C for 2 h in air. The influence of the concentration of Ce and the calcination temperature was studied to observe the structural and morphological changes of the obtained materials. For the characterization, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman scattering (RS) were employed. The XRD patterns shown that the Ce-doped HfO 2 undergoes a structural transformation from monoclinic to cubic phase, which is significantly dependent on the Ce content and calcination temperature. TEM images have also confirmed the existence of semispherical nanoparticles with sizes between 6 and 11.5 nm

  13. Advances in highly doped upconversion nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Shihui; Zhou, Jiajia; Zheng, Kezhi; Bednarkiewicz, Artur; Liu, Xiaogang; Jin, Dayong

    2018-06-20

    Lanthanide-doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are capable of converting near-infra-red excitation into visible and ultraviolet emission. Their unique optical properties have advanced a broad range of applications, such as fluorescent microscopy, deep-tissue bioimaging, nanomedicine, optogenetics, security labelling and volumetric display. However, the constraint of concentration quenching on upconversion luminescence has hampered the nanoscience community to develop bright UCNPs with a large number of dopants. This review surveys recent advances in developing highly doped UCNPs, highlights the strategies that bypass the concentration quenching effect, and discusses new optical properties as well as emerging applications enabled by these nanoparticles.

  14. Effect of Cr doping on structural and magnetic properties of ZnS nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Virpal,; Singh, Jasvir; Sharma, Sandeep; Singh, Ravi Chand

    2016-01-01

    The structural, optical and magnetic properties of pure and Cr doped ZnS nanoparticles were studied at room temperature. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the absence of any mixed phase and the cubic structure of ZnS in pure and Cr doped ZnS nanoparticles. Fourier transfer infrared spectra confirmed the Zn-S stretching bond at 664 cm"−"1 of ZnS in all prepared nanoparticles. The UV-Visible absorption spectra showed blue shift which became even more pronounced in Cr doped ZnS nanoparticles. However, at relatively higher Cr concentrations a slower red shift was shown by the doped nanoparticles. This phenomenon is attributed to sp-d exchange interaction that becomes prevalent at higher doping concentrations. Further, magnetic hysteresis measurements showed that Cr doped ZnS nanoparticles exhibited ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature.

  15. Photocatalytic degradation of Reactive Black 5 and Malachite Green with ZnO and lanthanum doped nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaneva, N; Bojinova, A; Papazova, K

    2016-01-01

    Here we report the preparation of ZnO particles with different concentrations of La 3 + doping (0, 0.5 and 1 wt%) via sol-gel method. The nanoparticles are synthesized directly from Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 .2H 2 O in the presence of 1-propanol and triethylamine at 80°C. The conditions are optimized to obtain particles of uniform size, easy to isolate and purify. The nanoparticles are characterized by SEM, XRD and UV-Vis analysis. The photocatalytic properties of pure and La-doped ZnO are studied in the photobleaching of Malachite Green (MG) and Reactive Black 5 (RB5) dyes in aqueous solutions upon UV illumination. It is observed that the rate constant increases with the La loading up to 1 wt%. The doping helps to achieve complete mineralization of MG within a short irradiation time. 1 wt% La-doped ZnO nanoparticles show highest photocatalytic activity. The La 3+ doped ZnO particles degrade faster RB5 than MG. The reason is weaker N=N bond in comparison with the C-C bond between the central carbon atom and N,N-dimethylaminobenzyl in MG. The as-prepared ZnO particles can find practical application in photocatalytic purification of textile wastewaters. (paper)

  16. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Layek, Samar; Verma, H. C.

    2016-01-01

    Mn-doped NiO nanoparticles of the series Ni1-xMnxO (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) are successfully synthesized using a low temperature hydrothermal method. Samples up to 6% Mn-doping are single phase in nature as observed from powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data shows that all the single phase samples crystallize in the NaCl like fcc structure with space group Fm-3m. Unit cell volume decreases with increasing Mn-doping. Pure NiO nanoparticles show weak ferromagnetism, may be due to nanosize nature. Introduction of Mn within NiO lattice improves the magnetic properties significantly. Room temperature ferromagnetism is found in all the doped samples whereas the magnetization is highest for 2% Mn-doping and then decreases with further doping. The ZFC and FC branches in the temperature dependent magnetization separate well above 350 K indicating transition temperature well above room temperature for 2% Mn-doped NiO Nanoparticle. The ferromagnetic Curie temperature is found to be 653 K for the same sample as measured by temperature dependent magnetization study using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) in high vacuum.

  17. Electrochemical sensing behaviour of Ni doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suresh, R.; Giribabu, K.; Manigandan, R.; Narayanan, V., E-mail: vnnara@yahoo.co.in [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025 (India); Vijayalakshmi, L. [Annai Veilankanni' s College for Women (Arts and Science), Saidapet, Chennai 600015 (India); Stephen, A. [Department of Nuclear Physics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai 600 025 (India)

    2014-01-28

    Ni doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were synthesized by simple hydrothermal method. The prepared nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, DRS-UV-Visible spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The XRD confirms the phase purity of the synthesized Ni doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. The optical property of Ni doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were studied by DRS UV-Visible analysis. The electrochemical sensing property of pure and Ni doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were examined using uric acid as an analyte. The obtained results indicated that the Ni doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity towards uric acid.

  18. PtRu nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen doped carbon with highly stable CO tolerance and durability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ling, Ying; Yang, Zehui; Yang, Jun; Zhang, Yunfeng; Zhang, Quan; Yu, Xinxin; Cai, Weiwei

    2018-02-01

    As is well known, the lower durability and sluggish methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) of PtRu alloy electrocatalyst blocks the commercialization of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Here, we design a new PtRu electrocatalyst, with highly stable CO tolerance and durability, in which the PtRu nanoparticles are embedded in nitrogen doped carbon layers derived from carbonization of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone). The newly fabricated electrocatalyst exhibits no loss in electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and MOR activity after potential cycling from 0.6-1.0 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, while commercial CB/PtRu retains only 50% of its initial ECSA. Meanwhile, due to the same protective layers, the Ru dissolution is decelerated, resulting in stable CO tolerance. Methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) testing indicates that the activity of newly fabricated electrocatalyst is two times higher than that of commercial CB/PtRu, and the fuel cell performance of the embedded PtRu electrocatalyst was comparable to that of commercial CB/PtRu. The embedded PtRu electrocatalyst is applicable in real DMFC operation. This study offers important and useful information for the design and fabrication of durable and CO tolerant electrocatalysts.

  19. Microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jiang, Chenhui; Ouattara, Lassana; Ingrosso, Chiara

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents a method for characterizing microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers. The method is based on on-wafer measurements at the frequencies from 0.5GHz to 20GHz. The on-wafer measurement method makes it possible to characterize electromagnetic (EM) property...... of small volume samples. The epoxy based SU8 polymer and SU8 doped with gold nanoparticles are chosen as the samples under test. Two types of microwave test devices are designed for exciting the samples through electrical coupling and magnetic coupling, respectively. Measurement results demonstrate...... that the nanocomposites absorb a certain amount of microwave energy due to gold nanoparticles. Higher nanoparticle concentration results in more significant absorption effect....

  20. Microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, C.; Ouattara, L.; Ingrosso, C.; Curri, M. L.; Krozer, V.; Boisen, A.; Jakobsen, M. H.; Johansen, T. K.

    2011-03-01

    This paper presents a method for characterizing microwave absorption properties of gold nanoparticle doped polymers. The method is based on on-wafer measurements at the frequencies from 0.5 GHz to 20 GHz. The on-wafer measurement method makes it possible to characterize electromagnetic (EM) property of small volume samples. The epoxy based SU8 polymer and SU8 doped with gold nanoparticles are chosen as the samples under test. Two types of microwave test devices are designed for exciting the samples through electrical coupling and magnetic coupling, respectively. Measurement results demonstrate that the nanocomposites absorb a certain amount of microwave energy due to gold nanoparticles. Higher nanoparticle concentration results in more significant absorption effect.

  1. The crystallization and physical properties of Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, K.J. [Institute of Microelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Fang, T.H. [Institute of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering, National Formosa University, Yunlin 632, Taiwan (China); Hung, F.Y. [Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: fyhung@mail.mse.ncku.edu.tw; Ji, L.W. [Institute of Mechanical and Electromechanical Engineering, National Formosa University, Yunlin 632, Taiwan (China); Chang, S.J.; Young, S.J. [Institute of Microelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Hsiao, Y.J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

    2008-07-15

    Un-doped Al (0-9 at.%) nanoparticles and doped ZnO powders were prepared by the sol-gel method. The nanoparticles were heated at 700-800 deg. C for 1 h in air and then analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectra and photoluminescence (PL). The results of un-doped (ZnO) and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles were also compared to investigate the structural characteristics and physical properties. XRD patterns of AZO powders were similar to those of ZnO powders, indicating that micro-Al ions were substituted for Zn atoms and there were no variations in the structure of the ZnO nanoparticles. From the XRD and SEM data, the grain size of the AZO nanoparticles increased from 34.41 to 40.14 nm when the annealing temperature was increased. The Raman intensity of the AZO nanoparticles (Al = 5 at.%) increased when the annealing temperature was increased. Increasing the degree of crystalline not only reduced the residual stress, but also improved the physical properties of the nanoparticles.

  2. The crystallization and physical properties of Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, K.J.; Fang, T.H.; Hung, F.Y.; Ji, L.W.; Chang, S.J.; Young, S.J.; Hsiao, Y.J.

    2008-01-01

    Un-doped Al (0-9 at.%) nanoparticles and doped ZnO powders were prepared by the sol-gel method. The nanoparticles were heated at 700-800 deg. C for 1 h in air and then analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectra and photoluminescence (PL). The results of un-doped (ZnO) and Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles were also compared to investigate the structural characteristics and physical properties. XRD patterns of AZO powders were similar to those of ZnO powders, indicating that micro-Al ions were substituted for Zn atoms and there were no variations in the structure of the ZnO nanoparticles. From the XRD and SEM data, the grain size of the AZO nanoparticles increased from 34.41 to 40.14 nm when the annealing temperature was increased. The Raman intensity of the AZO nanoparticles (Al = 5 at.%) increased when the annealing temperature was increased. Increasing the degree of crystalline not only reduced the residual stress, but also improved the physical properties of the nanoparticles

  3. A bio-inspired N-doped porous carbon electrocatalyst with hierarchical superstructure for efficient oxygen reduction reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Yue-E.; Yan, Jiajie; Ouyang, Yue; Lu, Hengyi; Lai, Feili; Wu, Yue; Liu, Tianxi

    2018-06-01

    The bio-inspired hierarchical "grape cluster" superstructure provides an effective integration of one-dimensional carbon nanofibers (CNF) with isolated carbonaceous nanoparticles into three-dimensional (3D) conductive frameworks for efficient electron and mass transfer. Herein, a 3D N-doped porous carbon electrocatalyst consisting of carbon nanofibers with grape-like N-doped hollow carbon particles (CNF@NC) has been prepared through a simple electrospinning strategy combined with in-situ growth and carbonization processes. Such a bio-inspired hierarchically organized conductive network largely facilitates both the mass diffusion and electron transfer during the oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). Therefore, the metal-free CNF@NC catalyst demonstrates superior catalytic activity with an absolute four-electron transfer mechanism, strong methanol tolerance and good long-term stability towards ORR in alkaline media.

  4. Nanoparticle fractionation using an aligned carbon nanotube array

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lim Xiaodai [NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS), Centre for Life Sciences (CeLS), 05-01, 28 Medical Drive, 117456 (Singapore); Xu Hairuo; Chin, Wee Shong [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543 (Singapore); Nicole Chew, Yi Hui; Phua, Yi Hui [Dunman High School, 10 Tanjong Rhu Road, 436895 (Singapore); Sie, Edbert Jarvis; Sum, Tze Chien [Division of Physics and Applied Physics, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 637371 (Singapore); Chia, Guo Hao; Sow, Chorng-Haur, E-mail: chmcws@nus.edu.sg, E-mail: physowch@nus.edu.sg [Department of Physics, Blk S12, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, 2 Science Drive 3, 117542 (Singapore)

    2010-07-23

    A technique utilizing the capillary assisted sieving capability of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to achieve fractionation of nanoparticles of small size distribution is presented. By dipping aligned CNT arrays into a solution comprising different sized quantum dots (QDs), size-selective gradient decoration of QDs onto CNTs is achieved. The fractionating capability of CNTs is also demonstrated for poly-dispersed manganese doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles and QDs of varying sizes and chemical compositions, which we attribute to the size-selective sieving effect of CNTs. By controlling the terminating point for the flow of QDs across the CNT array, a QD size specific CNT/QD hybrid structure is achieved.

  5. Magnetic solid phase extraction of brominated flame retardants and pentachlorophenol from environmental waters with carbon doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jing; Li, Jia-yuan; Qiao, Jun-qin; Cui, Shi-hai; Lian, Hong-zhen; Chen, Hong-yuan

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Magnetic Fe 3 O 4 /C nanospheres were used in MSPE of BFRs and PCP from water samples. • The method shows merits of simpleness, reliableness and environmental friendliness. • The bonding between Fe 3 O 4 and coated organic carbon has been demonstrated in Fe 3 O 4 /C. • The straight influences of synthesis conditions of Fe 3 O 4 /C on MSPE were investigated. • The extraction characteristics of Fe 3 O 4 /C nanoparticles were further elucidated. - Abstract: Carbon doped Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 /C) prepared by a facile hydrothermal reaction of glucose with iron resource have been applied as magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbent, for the first time, to extract trace brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) from environmental waters. Various MSPE parameters were optimized including amount of Fe 3 O 4 /C nanoparticles, pH of sample solution, enrichment factor of analytes and reusability of Fe 3 O 4 /C sorbent. The reliability of the MSPE method was evaluated by the recoveries of BFRs and PCP in spiked water samples. Good recoveries (80.0–110.0%) were achieved with the relative standard deviations range from 0.3% to 6.8%. In this paper, the extraction characteristics of Fe 3 O 4 /C sorbent were further elucidated. It is found that the adsorption process of Fe 3 O 4 /C to analytes predominates the MSPE efficiency. There is hybrid hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding or dipole–dipole attraction between Fe 3 O 4 /C and analytes. Notably, the chemical components of carbon layer on the surface of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry, and in consequence the covalent bonds between Fe 3 O 4 and the coated carbon have been observed. In addition, the straight influence of synthesis condition of Fe 3 O 4 /C nanoparticles including glucose concentration and hydrothermal reaction time on extraction performance for

  6. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Layek, Samar; Verma, H C

    2013-03-01

    The pure and Fe-doped CuO nanoparticles of the series Cu(1-x)Fe(x)O (x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) were successfully prepared by a simple low temperature sol-gel method using metal nitrates and citric acid. Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data showed that all the samples were single phase crystallized in monoclinic structure of space group C2/c with average crystallite size of about 25 nm and unit cell volume decreases with increasing iron doping concentration. TEM micrograph showed nearly spherical shaped agglomerated particles of 4% Fe-doped CuO with average diameter 26 nm. Pure CuO showed weak ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature with coercive field of 67 Oe. The ferromagnetic properties were greatly enhanced with Fe-doping in the CuO matrix. All the doped samples showed ferromagnetism at room temperature with a noticeable coercive field. Saturation magnetization increases with increasing Fe-doping, becomes highest for 4% doping then decreases for further doping which confirms that the ferromagnetism in these nanoparticles are intrinsic and are not resulting from any impurity phases. The ZFC and FC branches of the temperature dependent magnetization (measured in the range of 10-350 K by SQUID magnetometer) look like typical ferromagnetic nanoparticles and indicates that the ferromagnetic Curie temperature is above 350 K.

  7. Survival of Verwey transition in gadolinium-doped ultrasmall magnetite nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, Sunmog; Choi, Hyunkyung; Kim, Chul Sung; Lee, Gyeong Tae; Seo, Jeong Hyun; Cha, Hyung Joon; Park, Jeong Chan

    2017-09-28

    We have demonstrated that the Verwey transition, which is highly sensitive to impurities, survives in anisotropic Gd-doped magnetite nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the nanoparticles are uniformly distributed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and EDS mapping analysis confirm Gd-doping on the nanoparticles. The Verwey transition of the Gd-doped magnetite nanoparticles is robust and the temperature dependence of the magnetic moment (zero field cooling and field cooling) shows the same behaviour as that of the Verwey transition in bulk magnetite, at a lower transition temperature (∼110 K). In addition, irregularly shaped nanoparticles do not show the Verwey transition whereas square-shaped nanoparticles show the transition. Mössbauer spectral analysis shows that the slope of the magnetic hyperfine field and the electric quadrupole splitting change at the same temperature, meaning that the Verwey transition occurs at ∼110 K. These results would provide new insights into understanding the Verwey transition in nano-sized materials.

  8. Structural, magnetic and electronic structure properties of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Shalendra; Song, T.K.; Gautam, Sanjeev; Chae, K.H.; Kim, S.S.; Jang, K.W.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • XRD and HR-TEM results show the single phase nature of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. • XMCD and dc magnetization results indicate the RT-FM in Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. • Co L 3,2 NEXAFS spectra infer that Co ions are in 2+ valence state. • O K edge NEXAFS spectra show that O vacancy increases with Co doping in ZnO. - Abstract: We reported structural, magnetic and electronic structure studies of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles. Doping of Co ions in ZnO host matrix has been studied and confirmed using various methods; such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersed X-ray (EDX), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, magnetic hysteresis loop measurements and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). From the XRD and HR-TEM results, it is observed that Co doped ZnO nanoparticles have single phase nature with wurtzite structure and exclude the possibility of secondary phase formation. FE-SEM and TEM micrographs show that pure and Co doped nanoparticles are nearly spherical in shape. O K edge NEXAFS spectra indicate that O vacancies increase with Co doping. The Co L 3,2 edge NEXAFS spectra revealed that Co ions are in 2+ valence state. DC magnetization hysteresis loops and XMCD results clearly showed the intrinsic origin of temperature ferromagnetism in Co doped ZnO nanoparticles

  9. Preparation and characterization of Ce-doped HfO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gálvez-Barboza, S. [Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Departamento de Materiales Avanzados, Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo #140, C.P. 25294 Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico); Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Industria Metalúrgica # 1062 Parque Industrial, C.P. 25900 Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila (Mexico); González, L.A. [Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Industria Metalúrgica # 1062 Parque Industrial, C.P. 25900 Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila (Mexico); Puente-Urbina, B.A.; Saucedo-Salazar, E.M. [Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Departamento de Materiales Avanzados, Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo #140, C.P. 25294 Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico); García-Cerda, L.A., E-mail: luis.garcia@ciqa.edu.mx [Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Departamento de Materiales Avanzados, Blvd. Enrique Reyna Hermosillo #140, C.P. 25294 Saltillo, Coahuila (Mexico)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • Ce-doped HfO{sub 2} nanoparticles were prepared by a modified solgel method. • Ce-doped HfO{sub 2} nanoparticles have a semispherical shape with sizes between 6 and 11.5 nm. • The samples doped with 10% in weight of Ce directly crystallized in a cubic structure. • A quick, straightforward and effective route for the preparation of Ce-doped nanoparticles. - Abstract: A modified solgel method to synthesize Ce-doped HfO{sub 2} nanoparticles was carried out using a precursor material prepared with cerium nitrate, hafnium chloride, citric acid and ethylene glycol. The obtained precursor material was calcined at 500 and 700 °C for 2 h in air. The influence of the concentration of Ce and the calcination temperature was studied to observe the structural and morphological changes of the obtained materials. For the characterization, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman scattering (RS) were employed. The XRD patterns shown that the Ce-doped HfO{sub 2} undergoes a structural transformation from monoclinic to cubic phase, which is significantly dependent on the Ce content and calcination temperature. TEM images have also confirmed the existence of semispherical nanoparticles with sizes between 6 and 11.5 nm.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2015-01-01

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

  11. Preparation and Characterization of Rare Earth Doped Fluoride Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Timothy A. DeVol

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper reviews the synthesis, structure and applications of metal fluoride nanoparticles, with particular focus on rare earth (RE doped fluoride nanoparticles obtained by our research group. Nanoparticles were produced by precipitation methods using the ligand ammonium di-n-octadecyldithiophosphate (ADDP that allows the growth of shells around a core particle while simultaneously avoiding particle aggregation. Nanoparticles were characterized on their structure, morphology, and luminescent properties. We discuss the synthesis, properties, and application of heavy metal fluorides; specifically LaF3:RE and PbF2, and group IIA fluorides. Particular attention is given to the synthesis of core/shell nanoparticles, including selectively RE-doped LaF3/LaF3, and CaF2/CaF2 core/(multi-shell nanoparticles, and the CaF2-LaF3 system.

  12. Structural, optical and ferromagnetic properties of Cr doped TiO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choudhury, Biswajit; Choudhury, Amarjyoti

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Doping of Cr 3+ distorts the lattice of TiO 2 , generate oxygen vacancies and create d-band states in the mid band gap of TiO 2 . Incorporation of Cr 3+ also imparts magnetism in non-magnetic TiO 2 by undergoing coupling with the neighboring oxygen vacancies. -- Highlights: • Incorporation of Cr 3+ increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies in TiO 2 nanoparticles. • Doped TiO 2 nanoparticles contain absorption peaks corresponding to d–d transition of Cr 3+ into TiO 2 . • Pure and doped TiO 2 nanoparticles contain emission peaks related to oxygen vacancies. • Pure TiO 2 shows diamagnetism while Cr doped TiO 2 shows ferromagnetism. • The ferromagnetism is due to the interaction of Cr 3+ ions via oxygen vacancies. -- Abstract: Cr doped TiO 2 nanoparticles are prepared with three different concentrations of chromium, 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.5 mol% respectively. Doping decreases the crystallinity and increases the width of the X-ray diffraction peak. The Raman active E g peak of TiO 2 nanoparticles become asymmetric and shifted to higher energy on doping of 4.5% chromium. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra reveal the presence of Cr 3+ in the host TiO 2 matrix. The absorption spectra of Cr doped TiO 2 nanoparticles contain absorption peaks corresponding to d–d transition of Cr 3+ in octahedral coordination. Most of the visible emission peaks are due to the electrons trapped in the oxygen vacancy centers. Undoped TiO 2 nanoparticles show diamagnetism at room temperature while all chromium doped samples show ferromagnetism. The magnetization of the doped samples increases at 1.5% and 3.0% and decreases at 4.5%. The ferromagnetism arises owing to the interaction of the neighboring Cr 3+ ions via oxygen vacancies. The decrease of magnetization at the highest doping is possibly due to the antiferromagnetic interactions of Cr 3+ pairs or due to Cr 3+ -O 2− -Cr 3+ superexchange interaction in the lattice

  13. ZnO doped SnO2 nanoparticles heterojunction photo-catalyst for environmental remediation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lamba, Randeep; Umar, Ahmad; Mehta, S.K.; Kansal, Sushil Kumar

    2015-01-01

    ZnO doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by facile and simple hydrothermal technique and used as an effective photocatalyst for the photocatalytic degradation of harmful and toxic organic dye. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized in detail using different techniques for morphological, structural and optical properties. The characterization results revealed that the synthesized nanoparticles possess both crystal phases of tetragonal rutile phase of pure SnO 2 and wurtzite hexagonal phase of ZnO. In addition, the nanoparticles were synthesized in very high quantity with good crystallinity. The photocatalytic activity of prepared nanoparticles was evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. Detailed photocatalytic experiments based on the effects of irradiation time, catalyst dose and pH were performed and presented in this paper. The detailed photocatalytic experiments revealed that the synthesized ZnO doped SnO 2 nanoparticles heterojunction photocatalyst exhibit best photocatalytic performance when the catalyst dose was 0.25 g/L and pH = 10. ZnO doped SnO 2 nanoparticles heterojunction photocatalyst was also compared with commercially available TiO 2 (PC-50), TiO 2 (PC-500) and SnO 2 and interestingly ZnO doped SnO 2 nanoparticles exhibited superior photocatalytic performance. The presented work demonstrates that the prepared ZnO doped SnO 2 nanoparticles are promising material for the photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and toxic chemicals. - Highlights: • Synthesis of well-crystalline ZnO-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles. • Excellent morphological, crystalline and photoluminescent properties. • Efficient environmental remediation using ZnO-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles.

  14. Soft-to-hard templating to well-dispersed N-doped mesoporous carbon nanospheres via one-pot carbon/silica source copolymerization

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Qinglu Kong; Lingxia Zhang; Min Wang; Mengli Li; Heliang Yao; Jianlin Shi

    2016-01-01

    Here we report a new approach referred as "softto-hard templating" strategy via the copolymerization of carbon source (dopamine) and silica source (tetraethyl orthosilicate) for the synthesis of well dispersed N-doped mesoporous carbon nanospheres (MCNs),which exhibit high performance for electrochemical supercapacitor.This method overcomes the shortcoming of uncontrolled dispersity and complicated procedures of soft-or hard-tem-plating methods,respectively.Moreover,the synthesized MCNs feature enriched heteroatom N-doping and easy functionalization by noble-metal nanoparticles during the one-pot synthesis.All the above characters make the asprepared MCNs a promising platform in a variety of applications.To demonstrate the applicability of the synthesized nitrogen-doped MCNs,this material has been employed as an electrode for high-performance electrochemical supercapacitor,which shows a capacitance of 223 and 140 F/g at current densities of 0.5 and 10 A/g in 1 mol/L KOH electrolyte,respectively.

  15. doped ZnS nanoparticles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Mn2+-doped ZnS nanoparticles were prepared by chemical arrested precipitation method. The samples were heated at 300, 500, 700 and 900°C. The average particle size was determined from the X-ray line broadening. Samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR and UV. The composition was verified by EDAX spectrum.

  16. Temperature-dependent structure of Tb-doped magnetite nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rice, Katherine P.; Russek, Stephen E., E-mail: stephen.russek@nist.gov; Shaw, Justin M.; Usselman, Robert J.; Evarts, Eric R.; Silva, Thomas J.; Nembach, Hans T. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States); Geiss, Roy H. [Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523 (United States); Arenholz, Elke [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Advanced Light Source, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States); Idzerda, Yves U. [Department of Physics, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59717 (United States)

    2015-02-09

    High quality 5 nm cubic Tb-doped magnetite nanoparticles have been synthesized by a wet-chemical method to investigate tailoring of magnetic properties for imaging and biomedical applications. We show that the Tb is incorporated into the octahedral 3+ sites. High-angle annular dark-field microscopy shows that the dopant is well-distributed throughout the particle, and x-ray diffraction measurements show a small lattice parameter shift with the inclusion of a rare-earth dopant. Magnetization and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism data indicate that the Tb spins are unpolarized and weakly coupled to the iron spin lattice at room temperature, and begin to polarize and couple to the iron oxide lattice at temperatures below 50 K. Broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements show no increase in magnetic damping at room temperature for Tb-doped nanoparticles relative to undoped nanoparticles, further confirming weak coupling between Fe and Tb spins at room temperature. The Gilbert damping constant, α, is remarkably low for the Tb-doped nanoparticles, with α = 0.024 ± 0.003. These nanoparticles, which have a large fixed moment, a large fluctuating moment and optically active rare-earth elements, are potential high-relaxivity T1 and T2 MRI agents with integrated optical signatures.

  17. Temperature-dependent structure of Tb-doped magnetite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rice, Katherine P.; Russek, Stephen E.; Shaw, Justin M.; Usselman, Robert J.; Evarts, Eric R.; Silva, Thomas J.; Nembach, Hans T.; Geiss, Roy H.; Arenholz, Elke; Idzerda, Yves U.

    2015-01-01

    High quality 5 nm cubic Tb-doped magnetite nanoparticles have been synthesized by a wet-chemical method to investigate tailoring of magnetic properties for imaging and biomedical applications. We show that the Tb is incorporated into the octahedral 3+ sites. High-angle annular dark-field microscopy shows that the dopant is well-distributed throughout the particle, and x-ray diffraction measurements show a small lattice parameter shift with the inclusion of a rare-earth dopant. Magnetization and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism data indicate that the Tb spins are unpolarized and weakly coupled to the iron spin lattice at room temperature, and begin to polarize and couple to the iron oxide lattice at temperatures below 50 K. Broadband ferromagnetic resonance measurements show no increase in magnetic damping at room temperature for Tb-doped nanoparticles relative to undoped nanoparticles, further confirming weak coupling between Fe and Tb spins at room temperature. The Gilbert damping constant, α, is remarkably low for the Tb-doped nanoparticles, with α = 0.024 ± 0.003. These nanoparticles, which have a large fixed moment, a large fluctuating moment and optically active rare-earth elements, are potential high-relaxivity T1 and T2 MRI agents with integrated optical signatures

  18. Ni0 encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanotubes for catalytic reduction of highly toxic hexavalent chromium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Yunjin; Zhang, Jie; Chen, Hao; Yu, Maojing; Gao, Mengxue; Hu, Yi; Wang, Shaobin

    2018-05-01

    N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulating Ni0 nanoparticles (Ni@N-C) were fabricated via thermal reduction of dicyandiamide and NiCl2·6H2O, and used to remove CrVI in polluted water. The resultant products present an excellent catalytic activity for CrVI reduction using formic acid under relatively mild conditions. The CrVI reduction efficiency of Ni@N-C was significantly affected by the preparation conditions including the mass of nickel salt and synthesis temperatures. The impacts of several reaction parameters, such as initial concentrations of CrVI and formic acid, solution pH and temperatures, as well as inorganic anions in solution on CrVI reduction efficiency were also evaluated in view of scalable industrial applications. Owing to the synergistic effects amongst tubes-coated Ni0, doped nitrogen, oxygen containing groups, and the configuration of carbon nanotubes, Ni@N-C catalysts exhibit excellent catalytic activity and recyclable capability for CrVI reduction. Carbon shell can efficiently protect inner Ni0 core and N species from corrosion and subsequent leaching, while Ni0 endows the Ni@N-C catalysts with ferromagnetism, so that the composites can be easily separated via a permanent magnet. This study opens up an avenue for design of N-doped carbon nanotubes encapsulating Ni0 nanoparticles with high CrVI removal efficiency and magnetic recyclability as low-cost catalysts for industrial applications.

  19. Electronic structure, magnetic and structural properties of Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Shalendra; Vats, Prashant; Gautam, S.; Gupta, V.P.; Verma, K.D.; Chae, K.H.; Hashim, Mohd; Choi, H.K.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • XRD, and HR-TEM results show the single phase nature of Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles. • dc magnetization results indicate the RT-FM in Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles. • Ni L 3,2 edge NEXAFS spectra infer that Ni ions are in +2 valence state. • O K edge NEXAFS spectra show that O vacancy increases with Ni doping in ZnO. - Abstract: We report structural, magnetic and electronic structural properties of Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by auto-combustion method. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, and dc magnetization measurements. The XRD and HR-TEM results indicate that Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles have single phase nature with wurtzite lattice and exclude the presence of secondary phase. NEXAFS measurements performed at Ni L 3,2 -edges indicates that Ni ions are in +2 valence state and exclude the presence of Ni metal clusters. O K-edge NEXAFS spectra indicate an increase in oxygen vacancies with Ni-doping, while Zn L 3,2 -edge show the absence of Zn-vacancies. The magnetization measurements performed at room temperature shows that pure and Ni doped ZnO exhibits ferromagnetic behavior

  20. Magnetic and resonance properties of ferrihydrite nanoparticles doped with cobalt

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolyar, S. V.; Yaroslavtsev, R. N.; Iskhakov, R. S.; Bayukov, O. A.; Balaev, D. A.; Dubrovskii, A. A.; Krasikov, A. A.; Ladygina, V. P.; Vorotynov, A. M.; Volochaev, M. N.

    2017-03-01

    Powders of undoped ferrihydrite nanoparticles and ferrihydrite nanoparticles doped with cobalt in the ratio of 5: 1 have been prepared by hydrolysis of 3 d-metal salts. It has been shown using Mössbauer spectroscopy that cobalt is uniformly distributed over characteristic crystal-chemical positions of iron ions. The blocking temperatures of ferrihydrite nanoparticles have been determined. The nanoparticle sizes, magnetizations, surface anisotropy constants, and bulk anisotropy constants have been estimated. The doping of ferrihydrite nanoparticles with cobalt leads to a significant increase in the anisotropy constant of a nanoparticle and to the formation of surface rotational anisotropy with the surface anisotropy constant K u = 1.6 × 10-3 erg/cm2.

  1. Tunable and selective hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol and cyclopentanone over Pt supported on biomass-derived porous heteroatom doped carbon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiuyun; Zhang, Bo; Fei, Benhua; Chen, Xiufang; Zhang, Junyi; Mu, Xindong

    2017-09-21

    The search for and exploitation of efficient catalytic systems for selective conversion of furfural into various high value-added chemicals remains a huge challenge for green synthesis in the chemical industry. Here, novel Pt nanoparticles supported on bamboo shoot-derived porous heteroatom doped carbon materials were designed as highly active catalysts for controlled hydrogenation of furfural in aqueous media. The porous heteroatom doped carbon supported Pt catalysts were endowed with a large surface area with a hierarchical porous structure, a high content of nitrogen and oxygen functionalities, a high dispersion of the Pt nanoparticles, good water dispersibility and reaction stability. Benefiting from these features, the novel Pt catalysts displayed a high activity and controlled tunable selectivity for furfural hydrogenation to produce furfuryl alcohol and cyclopentanone in water. The product selectivity could be easily modulated by controlling the carbonization temperature of the porous heteroatom doped carbon support and the reaction conditions (temperature and H 2 pressure). Under mild conditions (100 °C, 1 MPa H 2 ), furfuryl alcohol was obtained in water with complete conversion of the furfural and an impressive furfuryl alcohol selectivity of >99% in the presence of Pt/NC-BS-500. A higher reaction temperature, in water, favored rearrangement of the furfural (FFA) with Pt/NC-BS-800 as the catalyst, which resulted in a high cyclopentanone yield of >76% at 150 °C and 3 MPa H 2 . The surface properties and pore structure of the heteroatom doped carbon support, adjusted using the carbonization temperature, might determine the interactions between the Pt nanoparticles, carbon support and catalytic reactants in water, which in turn could have led to a good selectivity control. The effect of different reaction temperatures and reaction times on the product selectivity was also explored. Combined with exploration of the distribution of the reaction products, a

  2. Synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite-doped silver nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrade, Flavio Augusto Cavadas da Silva; Rollo, Joao Manuel Domingos de Almeida; Rigo, Eliana Cristina da Silva; Vercik, Andres; Vercik, Luci Cristina de Oliveira; Valencia, German Ayala; Ferreira, Leticcia Gaviao

    2012-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite-doped silver nanoparticles was obtained by immersing the powder in increasing dilutions of a solution containing AGNPS which were synthesized in different times and were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction (XRD)studies demonstrate no change in the major phase of HA. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed morphological characteristics of powders after doping and the presence of silver was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis.The antibacterial effect of the doped powders was evaluated using strain of Staphylococcus aureus by disc-diffusion test. The zone of inhibition was found to vary with the amount of silver nanoparticle in the doped powder even for low concentrations of AgNPs. These results indicate that the method of immersion hydroxyapatite in solutions containing AgNPs is promising to obtain bioactive materials with low cytotoxicity and antibacterial effects. (author)

  3. Synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles containing Fe, Si, and V using multiple diffusion flames and catalytic oxidation capability of carbon-coated nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Ismail, Mohamed; Memon, Nasir K.; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Chung, Suk-Ho

    2016-01-01

    Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles containing iron, silicon, and vanadium are synthesized using multiple diffusion flames. The growth of carbon-coated (C–TiO2), carbon-coated with iron oxide (Fe/C–TiO2), silica-coated (Si–TiO2), and vanadium-doped (V–TiO2) TiO2 nanoparticles is demonstrated using a single-step process. Hydrogen, oxygen, and argon are utilized to establish the flame, with titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor for TiO2. For the growth of Fe/C–TiO2 nanoparticles, TTIP is mixed with xylene and ferrocene. While for the growth of Si–TiO2 and V–TiO2, TTIP is mixed with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and vanadium (V) oxytriisopropoxide, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles are characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with energy-filtered TEM for elemental mapping (of Si, C, O, and Ti), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption BET surface area analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Anatase is the dominant phase for the C–TiO2, Fe/C–TiO2, and Si–TiO2 nanoparticles, whereas rutile is the dominant phase for the V–TiO2 nanoparticles. For C–TiO2 and Fe/C–TiO2, the nanoparticles are coated with about 3-5-nm thickness of carbon. The iron-based TiO2 nanoparticles significantly improve the catalytic oxidation of carbon, where complete oxidation of carbon occurs at a temperature of 470 °C (with iron) compared to 610 °C (without iron). Enhanced catalytic oxidation properties are also observed for model soot particles, Printex-U, when mixed with Fe/C-TiO2. With regards to Si–TiO2 nanoparticles, a uniform coating of 3 to 8 nm of silicon dioxide is observed around the TiO2 particles. This coating mainly occurs due to variance in the chemical reaction rates of the precursors. Finally, with regards to V–TiO2, vanadium is doped within the TiO2 nanoparticles as visualized by HRTEM and XPS further confirms the formation of

  4. Synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles containing Fe, Si, and V using multiple diffusion flames and catalytic oxidation capability of carbon-coated nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Ismail, Mohamed

    2016-01-19

    Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles containing iron, silicon, and vanadium are synthesized using multiple diffusion flames. The growth of carbon-coated (C–TiO2), carbon-coated with iron oxide (Fe/C–TiO2), silica-coated (Si–TiO2), and vanadium-doped (V–TiO2) TiO2 nanoparticles is demonstrated using a single-step process. Hydrogen, oxygen, and argon are utilized to establish the flame, with titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor for TiO2. For the growth of Fe/C–TiO2 nanoparticles, TTIP is mixed with xylene and ferrocene. While for the growth of Si–TiO2 and V–TiO2, TTIP is mixed with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and vanadium (V) oxytriisopropoxide, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles are characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with energy-filtered TEM for elemental mapping (of Si, C, O, and Ti), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption BET surface area analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Anatase is the dominant phase for the C–TiO2, Fe/C–TiO2, and Si–TiO2 nanoparticles, whereas rutile is the dominant phase for the V–TiO2 nanoparticles. For C–TiO2 and Fe/C–TiO2, the nanoparticles are coated with about 3-5-nm thickness of carbon. The iron-based TiO2 nanoparticles significantly improve the catalytic oxidation of carbon, where complete oxidation of carbon occurs at a temperature of 470 °C (with iron) compared to 610 °C (without iron). Enhanced catalytic oxidation properties are also observed for model soot particles, Printex-U, when mixed with Fe/C-TiO2. With regards to Si–TiO2 nanoparticles, a uniform coating of 3 to 8 nm of silicon dioxide is observed around the TiO2 particles. This coating mainly occurs due to variance in the chemical reaction rates of the precursors. Finally, with regards to V–TiO2, vanadium is doped within the TiO2 nanoparticles as visualized by HRTEM and XPS further confirms the formation of

  5. Nitrogen-doped hierarchical lamellar porous carbon synthesized from the fish scale as support material for platinum nanoparticle electrocatalyst toward the oxygen reduction reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Haijing; Cao, Yinliang; Wang, Feng; Huang, Yaqin

    2014-01-22

    Novel hierarchical lamellar porous carbon (HLPC) with high BET specific surface area of 2730 m(2) g(-1) and doped by nitrogen atoms has been synthesized from the fish scale without any post-synthesis treatment, and applied to support the platinum (Pt) nanoparticle (NP) catalysts (Pt/HLPC). The Pt NPs could be highly dispersed on the porous surface of HLPC with a narrow size distribution centered at ca. 2.0 nm. The results of the electrochemical analysis reveal that the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of Pt/HLPC is larger than the Pt NP electrocatalyst supported on the carbon black (Pt/Vulcan XC-72). Compared with the Pt/Vulcan XC-72, the Pt/HLPC exhibits larger current density, lower overpotential, and enhanced catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) through the direct four-electron pathway. The improved catalytic activity is mainly attributed to the high BET specific surface area, hierarchical porous structures and the nitrogen-doped surface property of HLPC, indicating the superiority of HLPC as a promising support material for the ORR electrocatalysts.

  6. Mass fabrication of homogeneously Yb-doped silica nanoparticles and their spectroscopic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong Liangming; Sekiya, Edson H; Saito, Kazuya

    2009-01-01

    A large number of homogeneously Yb-doped silica nanoparticles were continually fabricated in a vapor synthesis route, in which the Yb doping level can be well controlled by varying either the heating temperature or the carrier gas flow rate of the Yb precursor. The sizes, shapes, and morphologies of the nanoparticles were examined, and no crystallites and no Yb 2 O 3 clusters were observed in the nanoparticles. These nanoparticles exhibit a clear Yb 3+ -derived absorption at around 973-975 nm and a dependence of the emission intensity and decay time on the doping level, much different from that of sintered pellets.

  7. Heavy metal ion adsorption behavior in nitrogen-doped magnetic carbon nanoparticles: Isotherms and kinetic study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, Keun-Young; Hong, Jin-Yong; Jang, Jyongsik

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Research highlights: → The monodisperse and multigram-scale N-MCNPs are fabricated by carbonization of polypyrrole as a carbon precursor. → The synthesized N-MCNPs provide an enhanced adsorption uptake for various heavy metal ions. → The N-MCNPs can be applied to the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetics. → The iron-impregnated N-MCNPs are reused up to 5 times with no loss of removal efficiency. - Abstract: To clarify the heavy metal adsorption mechanism of nitrogen-doped magnetic carbon nanoparticles (N-MCNPs), adsorption capacity was investigated from the adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics points of view. The obtained results showed that the equilibrium adsorption behavior of Cr 3+ ion onto the N-MCNPs can be applied to the Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetics. It indicated that the fabricated N-MCNPs had the homogenous surface for adsorption and all adsorption sites had equal adsorption energies. Furthermore, the adsorption onto N-MCNPs taken place through a chemical process involving the valence forces. According to the thermodynamics, the adsorption process is spontaneous and endothermic in nature which means that the adsorption capacity increases with increasing temperature due to the enhanced mobility of adsorbate molecules. The effects of the solution pH and the species of heavy metal ion on the adsorption uptake were also studied. The synthesized N-MCNPs exhibited an enhanced adsorption capacity for the heavy metal ions due to the high surface area and large amount of nitrogen contents.

  8. Structural and optical properties of pure and copper doped zinc oxide nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajjad, Muhammad; Ullah, Inam; Khan, M. I.; Khan, Jamshid; Khan, M. Yaqoob; Qureshi, Muhammad Tauseef

    2018-06-01

    Pure and copper-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method where hydrazine is used as reducing agent and aqueous extract of Euphorbia milii plant as capping agent. Main objectives of the reported work are to investigate the effect of copper doping on crystal structure of ZnO nanoparticles; to study the effect of copper doping on optical band gap of ZnO nanoparticles and photoluminescence (PL) study of pure and copper-doped ZnO nanoparticles. To achieve the aforementioned objectives, XRD and SEM tests were performed for the identification and confirmation of crystal structure and morphology of the prepared samples. From XRD data the average grain size for pure ZnO was observed to be 24.62 nm which was first decreased to 18.95 nm for 5 wt% Cu-doped sample and then it was found to increase up to 37.80 nm as the Cu doping was increased to 7 wt%. Optical band gap of pure and Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles was calculated from diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) spectra and was found to decrease from 3.13 eV to 2.94 eV as the amount of Cu increases up to 7 wt%. In photoluminescence study, PL technique was used and enhanced visible spectrum was observed. For further characterization FT-IR and EDX tests were also carried out.

  9. Electrochemical mechanism of eugenol at a Cu doped gold nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode and its analytical application in food samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Xiaoyun; Ni, Yongnian; Kokot, Serge

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A simple one-step electrodeposition method was used to fabricate a Cu doped gold nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode. An electrochemical reaction mechanism for o-methoxy phenols was suggested. In addition, the above Cu@AuNPs/GCE was successfully employed for the analysis of eugenol in food samples. - Highlights: • One-step construction of the Cu@AuNPs/GCE electrode. • The modified electrode showed high sensitivity for the analysis of eugenol. • Electrochemical mechanism of eugenol by use of Cu@AuNPs/GCE was inferred. • The novel method was successfully employed for analysis of eugenol in food samples. - Abstract: A simple one-step electrodeposition method was used to construct a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), which has been modified with Cu doped gold nanoparticles (GNPs), i.e. a Cu@AuNPs/GCE. This electrode was characterized with the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The eugenol was electrocatalytically oxidized at the Cu@AuNPs/GCE. At this electrode, in comparison with the behavior at the GCE alone, the corresponding oxidation peak current was enhanced and the shift of the oxidation potentials to lower values was observed. Electrochemical behavior of eugenol at the Cu@AuNPs/GCE was investigated with the use of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique, and additionally, in order to confirm the electrochemical reaction mechanism for o-methoxy phenols, CVs for catechol, guaiacol and vanillin were investigated consecutively. Based on this work, an electrochemical reaction mechanism for o-methoxy phenols was suggested, and in addition, the above Cu@AuNPs/GCE was successfully employed for the analysis of eugenol in food samples

  10. Er3+-Al2O3 nanoparticles doping of borosilicate glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Massera, Jonathan; Petit, Laeticia; Hupa, Leena; Hupa, Mikko; Koponen, Joona; Glorieux, Benoit

    2015-01-01

    Novel borosilicate glasses were developed by adding in the glass batch Er 3+ -Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles synthetized by using a soft chemical method. A similar nanoparticle doping with modified chemical vapour deposition (MCVD) process was developed to increase the efficiency of the amplifying silica fibre in comparison to using MCVD and solution doping. It was shown that with the melt quench technique, a Er 3+ -Al 2 O 3 nanoparticle doping neither leads to an increase in the Er 3+ luminescence properties nor allows one to control the rare-earth chemical environment in a borosilicate glass. The site of Er 3+ in the Er 3+ -Al 2 O 3 nanoparticle containing glass seems to be similar as in glasses with the same composition prepared using standard raw materials. We suspect the Er 3+ ions to diffuse from the nanoparticles into the glass matrix. There was no clear evidence of the presence of Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles in the glasses after melting. (author)

  11. Superparamagnetic behavior of Fe-doped SnO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hachisu, M.; Onuma, K.; Kondo, T.; Miike, K.; Miyasaka, T.; Mori, K.; Ichiyanagi, Y.

    2014-01-01

    SnO 2 is an n-type semiconductor with a wide band gap of 3.62 eV, and SnO 2 nanoparticles doped with magnetic ions are expected to realized new diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs). Realizing ferromagnetism at room temperature is important for spintronics device applications, and it is interesting that the magnetic properties of these DMS systems can be varied significantly by modifying the preparation methods or conditions. In this study, the magnetic properties of Fe-doped (3% and 5%) SnO 2 nanoparticles, prepared using our novel chemical preparation method and encapsulated in amorphous SiO 2 , were investigated. The particle size (1.8–16.9 nm) and crystal phase were controlled by the annealing temperature. X-ray diffraction confirmed a rutile SnO 2 single-phase structure for samples annealed at 1073–1373 K, and the composition was confirmed using X-ray fluorescence analysis. SQUID magnetometer measurements revealed superparamagnetic behavior of the 5%-Fe-doped sample at room temperature, although SnO 2 is known to be diamagnetic. Magnetization curves at 5 K indicated that the 3%-Fe-doped has a larger magnetization than that of the 5%-Fe-doped sample. We conclude that the magnetization of the 5%-Fe-doped sample decreased at 5 K due to the superexchange interaction between the antiferromagnetic coupling in the nanoparticle system

  12. Superparamagnetic behavior of Fe-doped SnO2 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hachisu, M.; Onuma, K.; Kondo, T.; Miike, K.; Miyasaka, T.; Mori, K.; Ichiyanagi, Y.

    2014-02-01

    SnO2 is an n-type semiconductor with a wide band gap of 3.62 eV, and SnO2 nanoparticles doped with magnetic ions are expected to realized new diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs). Realizing ferromagnetism at room temperature is important for spintronics device applications, and it is interesting that the magnetic properties of these DMS systems can be varied significantly by modifying the preparation methods or conditions. In this study, the magnetic properties of Fe-doped (3% and 5%) SnO2 nanoparticles, prepared using our novel chemical preparation method and encapsulated in amorphous SiO2, were investigated. The particle size (1.8-16.9 nm) and crystal phase were controlled by the annealing temperature. X-ray diffraction confirmed a rutile SnO2 single-phase structure for samples annealed at 1073-1373 K, and the composition was confirmed using X-ray fluorescence analysis. SQUID magnetometer measurements revealed superparamagnetic behavior of the 5%-Fe-doped sample at room temperature, although SnO2 is known to be diamagnetic. Magnetization curves at 5 K indicated that the 3%-Fe-doped has a larger magnetization than that of the 5%-Fe-doped sample. We conclude that the magnetization of the 5%-Fe-doped sample decreased at 5 K due to the superexchange interaction between the antiferromagnetic coupling in the nanoparticle system.

  13. Photocatalytic Properties of Tin Oxide and Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. C. M. Brokken-Zijp

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available For the first time it is shown that N-doped SnO2 nanoparticles photocatalyze directly the polymerization of the C=C bonds of (methacrylates under visible light illumination. These radical polymerizations also occur when these particles are doped with Sb and when the surfaces of these particles are grafted with methacrylate (MPS groups. During irradiation with visible or UV light the position and/or intensity of the plasmon band absorption of these nanoparticles are always changed, suggesting that the polymerization starts by the transfer of an electron from the conduction band of the particle to the (methacrylate C=C bond. By using illumination wavelengths with a very narrow band width we determined the influence of the incident wavelength of light, the Sb- and N-doping, and the methacrylate (MPS surface grafting on the quantum efficiencies for the initiating radical formation (Φ and on the polymer and particle network formation. The results are explained by describing the effects of Sb-doping, N-doping, and/or methacrylate surface grafting on the band gaps, energy level distributions, and surface group reactivities of these nanoparticles. N-doped (MPS grafted SnO2 (Sb ≥ 0% nanoparticles are new attractive photocatalysts under visible as well as UV illumination.

  14. S/N dual-doped carbon nanosheets decorated with Co x O y nanoparticles as high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, XiaoFei; Zhu, Yong; Zhu, Sheng; Fan, JinChen; Xu, QunJie; Min, YuLin

    2018-03-01

    In this work, we have successfully synthesized the S/N dual-doped carbon nanosheets which are strongly coupled with Co x O y nanoparticles (SNCC) by calcinating cobalt/dithizone complex precursor following KOH activation. The SNCC as anode shows the wonderful charge capacity of 1200 mAh g-1 after 400th cycles at 1000 mA g-1 for Li-ion storage. The superior electrochemical properties illustrate that the SNCC can be a candidate for high-performance anode material of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of the facile preparation method and excellent performance. Significantly, we also discuss the mechanism for the SNCC from the strong synergistic effect perspective.

  15. Recent Development of Nanomaterial-Doped Conductive Polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asyraf, Mohammad; Anwar, Mahmood; Sheng, Law Ming; Danquah, Michael K.

    2017-12-01

    Conductive polymers (CPs) have received significant research attention in material engineering for applications in microelectronics, micro-scale sensors, electromagnetic shielding, and micro actuators. Numerous research efforts have been focused on enhancing the conductivity of CPs by doping. Various conductive materials, such as metal nanoparticles and carbon-based nanoparticles, and structures, such as silver nanoparticles and graphene nanosheets, have been converted into polypyrrole and polypyrrole compounds as the precursors to developing hybrids, conjugates, or crystal nodes within the matrix to enhance the various structural properties, particularly the electrical conductivity. This article reviews nanomaterial doping of conductive polymers alongside technological advancements in the development and application of nanomaterial-doped polymeric systems. Emphasis is given to conductive nanomaterials such as nano-silver particles and carbon-based nanoparticles, graphene nano-sheets, fullerene, and carbon nanotubes (CNT) as dopants for polypyrrole-based CPs. The nature of induced electrical properties including electromagnetic absorption, electrical capacitance, and conductivities of polypyrrole systems is also discussed. The prospects and challenges associated with the development and application of CPs are also presented.

  16. A novel disposable electrochemical sensor for determination of carbamazepine based on Fe doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles modified screen-printed carbon electrode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lavanya, N. [Department of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, TN (India); Department of Electronic Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Engineering, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy); Sekar, C., E-mail: Sekar2025@gmail.com [Department of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630003, TN (India); Ficarra, S.; Tellone, E. [Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy); Bonavita, A.; Leonardi, S.G.; Neri, G. [Department of Electronic Engineering, Chemistry and Materials Engineering, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy)

    2016-05-01

    An effective strategy to fabricate a novel disposable screen printing carbon electrode modified by iron doped tin dioxide nanoparticles for carbamazepine (CBZ) detection has been developed. Fe–SnO{sub 2} (Fe = 0 to 5 wt.%) NPs were synthesized by a simple microwave irradiation method and assessed for their structural and morphological changes due to Fe doping into SnO{sub 2} matrix by X-ray diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical behaviour of carbamazepine at the Fe–SnO{sub 2} modified screen printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry. Electron transfer coefficient α (0.63) and electron transfer rate constant k{sub s} (0.69 s{sup −1}) values of the 5 wt.% Fe–SnO{sub 2} modified SPCE indicate that the diffusion controlled process takes place on the electrode surface. The fabricated sensor displayed a good electrooxidation response towards the detection of CBZ at a lower oxidation potential of 0.8 V in phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.0. Under the optimal conditions, the sensor showed fast and sensitive current response to CBZ over a wide linear range of 0.5–100 μM with a low detection limit of 92 nM. Furthermore, the practical application of the modified electrode has been investigated by the determination of CBZ in pharmaceutical products using standard addition method. - Highlights: • A novel mediator-free disposable screen printed carbon electrode has been fabricated based on Fe- SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles for determination of carbamazepine • The Fe-SnO{sub 2}/SPCE showed wide linear range (0.5–100 μM), low detection limit (92 nM), high sensitivity, good stability and reproducibility. • The carbamazepine sensor was successfully applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical products with satisfactory recoveries.

  17. Engineering iodine-doped carbon dots as dual-modal probes for fluorescence and X-ray CT imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang M

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Miaomiao Zhang,1,* Huixiang Ju,2,* Li Zhang,1,* Mingzhong Sun,2 Zhongwei Zhou,2 Zhenyu Dai,3 Lirong Zhang,1 Aihua Gong,1 Chaoyao Wu,1 Fengyi Du1 1School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Yancheng Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Yancheng, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China; 3Radiology Department, Affiliated Yancheng Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Yancheng, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: X-ray computed tomography (CT is the most commonly used imaging technique for noninvasive diagnosis of disease. In order to improve tissue specificity and prevent adverse effects, we report the design and synthesis of iodine-doped carbon dots (I-doped CDs as efficient CT contrast agents and fluorescence probe by a facile bottom-up hydrothermal carbonization process. The as-prepared I-doped CDs are monodispersed spherical nanoparticles (a diameter of ~2.7 nm with favorable dispersibility and colloidal stability in water. The aqueous solution of I-doped CDs showed wavelength-dependent excitation and stable photoluminescence similar to traditional carbon quantum dots. Importantly, I-doped CDs displayed superior X-ray attenuation properties in vitro and excellent biocompatibility. After intravenous injection, I-doped CDs were distributed throughout the body and excreted by renal clearance. These findings validated that I-doped CDs with high X-ray attenuation potency and favorable photoluminescence show great promise for biomedical research and disease diagnosis. Keywords: carbon dots, contrast agents, iodine-doped, CT imaging

  18. Low Temperature Synthesis and Properties of Gadolinium-Doped Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Machado, M. F. S.; Moraes, L. P. R.; Monteiro, N. K.

    2017-01-01

    Gadolinium-doped cerium oxide (GDC) is an attractive ceramic material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) both as the electrolyte and in composite electrodes operating at low and intermediate temperatures. GDC exhibits high oxygen ion conductivity at a wide range of temperatures and displays a high...... resistance to carbon deposition when hydrocarbons are used as fuels. However, an inconvenience of ceria-based oxides is the high sintering temperature needed to obtain a fully dense ceramic body. In this study, a green chemistry route for the synthesis of 10 mol% GDC nanoparticles is proposed. The aqueous...

  19. Structural, optical, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of Co doped CuS diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sreelekha, N.; Subramanyam, K.; Amaranatha Reddy, D.; Murali, G.; Ramu, S.; Rahul Varma, K.; Vijayalakshmi, R.P.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Cu_1_−_xCo_xS nanoparticles were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method. • Structural, band gap, magnetization and photocatalysis studies were carried out. • All the doped samples exhibited intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism. • Effect of magnetic properties on photocatalytic activity was analyzed. • CuS:Co nanoparticles may find applications in photocatalytic and spintronic devices. - Abstract: Pristine and Co doped covellite CuS nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by facile chemical co-precipitation method with Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) as a stabilizing agent. EDAX measurements confirmed the presence of Co in the CuS host lattice. Hexagonal crystal structure of pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were authenticated by XRD patterns. TEM images indicated that sphere-shape of nanoparticles through a size ranging from 5 to 8 nm. The optical absorption edge moved to higher energies with increase in Co concentration as indicated by UV–vis spectroscopy. Magnetic measurements revealed that bare CuS sample show sign of diamagnetic character where as in Co doped nanoparticles augmentation of room temperature ferromagnetism was observed with increasing doping precursor concentrations. Photocatalytic performance of the pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were assessed by evaluating the degradation rate of rhodamine B solution under sun light irradiation. The 5% Co doped CuS nanoparticles provide evidence for high-quality photocatalytic activity.

  20. Structural, optical, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of Co doped CuS diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sreelekha, N.; Subramanyam, K. [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India); Department of Physics, Raghu Engineering College, Visakhapatnam, Andrapradesh 531162 (India); Amaranatha Reddy, D. [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University, Busan 609735 (Korea, Republic of); Murali, G. [Department of BIN Fusion Technology & Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk (Korea, Republic of); Ramu, S. [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India); Rahul Varma, K. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley (United States); Vijayalakshmi, R.P., E-mail: vijayaraguru@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India)

    2016-08-15

    Highlights: • Cu{sub 1−x}Co{sub x}S nanoparticles were synthesized via chemical co-precipitation method. • Structural, band gap, magnetization and photocatalysis studies were carried out. • All the doped samples exhibited intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism. • Effect of magnetic properties on photocatalytic activity was analyzed. • CuS:Co nanoparticles may find applications in photocatalytic and spintronic devices. - Abstract: Pristine and Co doped covellite CuS nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by facile chemical co-precipitation method with Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) as a stabilizing agent. EDAX measurements confirmed the presence of Co in the CuS host lattice. Hexagonal crystal structure of pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were authenticated by XRD patterns. TEM images indicated that sphere-shape of nanoparticles through a size ranging from 5 to 8 nm. The optical absorption edge moved to higher energies with increase in Co concentration as indicated by UV–vis spectroscopy. Magnetic measurements revealed that bare CuS sample show sign of diamagnetic character where as in Co doped nanoparticles augmentation of room temperature ferromagnetism was observed with increasing doping precursor concentrations. Photocatalytic performance of the pure and Co doped CuS nanoparticles were assessed by evaluating the degradation rate of rhodamine B solution under sun light irradiation. The 5% Co doped CuS nanoparticles provide evidence for high-quality photocatalytic activity.

  1. Highly Al-doped TiO2 nanoparticles produced by Ball Mill Method: structural and electronic characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, Desireé M. de los; Navas, Javier; Sánchez-Coronilla, Antonio; Alcántara, Rodrigo; Fernández-Lorenzo, Concha; Martín-Calleja, Joaquín

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Highly Al-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized using a Ball Mill Method. • Al doping delayed anatase to rutile phase transformation. • Al doping allow controlling the structural and electronic properties of nanoparticles. - Abstract: This study presents an easy method for synthesizing highly doped TiO 2 nanoparticles. The Ball Mill method was used to synthesize pure and Al-doped titanium dioxide, with an atomic percentage up to 15.7 at.% Al/(Al + Ti). The samples were annealed at 773 K, 973 K and 1173 K, and characterized using ICP-AES, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR, TG, STEM, XPS, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The effect of doping and the calcination temperature on the structure and properties of the nanoparticles were studied. The results show high levels of internal doping due to the substitution of Ti 4+ ions by Al 3+ in the TiO 2 lattice. Furthermore, anatase to rutile transformation occurs at higher temperatures when the percentage of doping increases. Therefore, Al doping allows us to control the structural and electronic properties of the nanoparticle synthesized. So, it is possible to obtain nanoparticles with anatase as predominant phase in a higher range of temperature

  2. Mn doped GaN nanoparticles synthesized by rapid thermal treatment in ammonia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Šimek, P.; Sedmidubský, D.; Huber, Š.; Klímová, K.; Maryško, M.; Mikulics, M.; Sofer, Z.

    2015-01-01

    We present a novel route for the synthesis of manganese doped GaN nanoparticles. Nanoparticles in the form of hexagonal discs were synthesized by rapid thermal treatment of manganese doped ammonium hexafluorogallate in ammonium atmosphere. The morphology of GaN:Mn nanoparticles was investigated using scanning electron microscopy. A concentration over 0.7 wt.% of Mn was observed by X-ray fluorescence and electron microprobe. Structural and electronic properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and micro-photoluminescence with excitation wavelength of 325 nm and 532 nm. The magnetic properties between 4.5 K and 300 K were investigated by a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. GaN:Mn nanoparticles show a purely paramagnetic behavior which can be interpreted in terms of Mn 2+ ions exhibiting an antiferromagnetic interaction. - Highlights: • A new method for the synthesis of Mn doped GaN nanoparticles. • GaN:Mn nanoparticles form hexagonal discs. • None ferromagnetic ordering observed in GaN:Mn nanoparticles. • The concentration of Mn in GaN:Mn nanoparticles reach up to 0.8 wt.%

  3. Gd doping induced weak ferromagnetic ordering in ZnS nanoparticles synthesized by low temperature co-precipitation technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaur, Palvinder [Department of Physics, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, 147002 (India); Kumar, Sanjeev, E-mail: sanjeev04101977@gmail.com [Applied Science Department, PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh, 160012 (India); Chen, Chi-Liang, E-mail: chen.cl@nsrrc.org.tw [National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), Hsinchu, 30076, Taiwan (China); Yang, Kai-Siang [National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), Hsinchu, 30076, Taiwan (China); Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Wei, Da-Hua [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Dong, Chung-Li [Department of Physics, Tamkang University, Tamsui, Taiwan (China); Srivastava, C. [Materials Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012 (India); Rao, S.M. [Department of Physics, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, 147002 (India); Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan (China)

    2017-01-15

    Zn{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}S nanoparticles with Gd concentration x = 0.00, 0.02 and 0.04 were synthesized by the chemical co-precipitation technique using thioglycerol as capping agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were employed to characterize the as synthesized Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles. XRD and TEM studies show the formation of cubic ZnS nanoparticles with an average size in the range 5–10 nm. The doping did not alter the phase of the ZnS. The PL spectra of doped ZnS nanoparticles showed the presence of sulphur vacancies in the lattice. XANES of Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles depicts spectral changes may arise from charge transfer between host Zn and dopant Gd ions. A VSM study shows that the weak ferromagnetic behaviour increases with increase in Gd doping ZnS nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles synthesized using co-precipitation technique. • PL studies depict sulphur and zinc vacancies in Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles. • XANES studies depict the charge transfer between host Zn and dopant Gd ions. • Room temperature weak ferromagnetism is observed in Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles.

  4. Gd doping induced weak ferromagnetic ordering in ZnS nanoparticles synthesized by low temperature co-precipitation technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaur, Palvinder; Kumar, Sanjeev; Chen, Chi-Liang; Yang, Kai-Siang; Wei, Da-Hua; Dong, Chung-Li; Srivastava, C.; Rao, S.M.

    2017-01-01

    Zn_1_−_xGd_xS nanoparticles with Gd concentration x = 0.00, 0.02 and 0.04 were synthesized by the chemical co-precipitation technique using thioglycerol as capping agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) were employed to characterize the as synthesized Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles. XRD and TEM studies show the formation of cubic ZnS nanoparticles with an average size in the range 5–10 nm. The doping did not alter the phase of the ZnS. The PL spectra of doped ZnS nanoparticles showed the presence of sulphur vacancies in the lattice. XANES of Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles depicts spectral changes may arise from charge transfer between host Zn and dopant Gd ions. A VSM study shows that the weak ferromagnetic behaviour increases with increase in Gd doping ZnS nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles synthesized using co-precipitation technique. • PL studies depict sulphur and zinc vacancies in Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles. • XANES studies depict the charge transfer between host Zn and dopant Gd ions. • Room temperature weak ferromagnetism is observed in Gd doped ZnS nanoparticles.

  5. Effect of nano-carbon particle doping on the flux pinning properties of MgB2 superconductor

    OpenAIRE

    Soltanian, S.; Horvat, J.; Wang, X. L.; Munroe, P.; Dou, S. X.

    2003-01-01

    Polycrystalline MgB2-xCx samples with x=0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 nano-particle carbon powder were prepared using an in-situ reaction method under well controlled conditions to limit the extent of C substitution. The phases, lattice parameters, microstructures, superconductivity and flux pinning were characterized by XRD, TEM, and magnetic measurements. It was found that both the a-axis lattice parameter and the Tc decreased monotonically with increasing doping level. For the sample doped with...

  6. Synthesis of Antimony Doped Amorphous Carbon Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuyama, H.; Takashima, M.; Akasaka, H.; Ohtake, N.

    2013-06-01

    We report the effects of antimony (Sb) doping on the electrical and optical properties of amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films grown on silicon and copper substrates by magnetron sputtering deposition. For film deposition, the mixture targets fabricated from carbon and antimony powders was used. The atomic concentration of carbon, hydrogen, and antimony, in the film deposited from the 1.0 mol% Sb containing target were 81, 17, 2 at.%, respectively. These elements were homogeneously distributed in the film. On the structural effect, the average continuous sp2 carbon bonding networks decreased with Sb concentration increasing, and defects in the films were increased with the Sb incorporation because atomic radius of Sb atoms is twice larger size than that of carbon. The optical gap and the electrical resistivity were carried out before and after the Sb doping. The results show that optical gap dropped from 3.15 to 3.04 eV corresponding to non-doping to Sb-doping conditions, respectively. The electrical resistivity reduced from 10.5 to 1.0 MΩm by the Sb doping. These results suggest the doping level was newly formed in the forbidden band.

  7. Synthesis of Antimony Doped Amorphous Carbon Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okuyama, H; Takashima, M; Akasaka, H; Ohtake, N

    2013-01-01

    We report the effects of antimony (Sb) doping on the electrical and optical properties of amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films grown on silicon and copper substrates by magnetron sputtering deposition. For film deposition, the mixture targets fabricated from carbon and antimony powders was used. The atomic concentration of carbon, hydrogen, and antimony, in the film deposited from the 1.0 mol% Sb containing target were 81, 17, 2 at.%, respectively. These elements were homogeneously distributed in the film. On the structural effect, the average continuous sp 2 carbon bonding networks decreased with Sb concentration increasing, and defects in the films were increased with the Sb incorporation because atomic radius of Sb atoms is twice larger size than that of carbon. The optical gap and the electrical resistivity were carried out before and after the Sb doping. The results show that optical gap dropped from 3.15 to 3.04 eV corresponding to non-doping to Sb-doping conditions, respectively. The electrical resistivity reduced from 10.5 to 1.0 MΩm by the Sb doping. These results suggest the doping level was newly formed in the forbidden band.

  8. Nitrogen-doped carbon aerogels for electrical energy storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Patrick; Montalvo, Elizabeth; Baumann, Theodore F.; Biener, Juergen; Merrill, Matthew; Reed, Eric W.; Worsley, Marcus A.

    2017-10-03

    Disclosed here is a method for making a nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel, comprising: preparing a reaction mixture comprising formaldehyde, at least one nitrogen-containing resorcinol analog, at least one catalyst, and at least one solvent; curing the reaction mixture to produce a wet gel; drying the wet gel to produce a dry gel; and thermally annealing the dry gel to produce the nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel. Also disclosed is a nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel obtained according to the method and a supercapacitor comprising the nitrogen-doped carbon aerogel.

  9. Low-temperature CO oxidation over Cu/Pt co-doped ZrO2 nanoparticles synthesized by solution combustion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singhania, Amit; Gupta, Shipra Mital

    2017-01-01

    Zirconia (ZrO 2 ) nanoparticles co-doped with Cu and Pt were applied as catalysts for carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation. These materials were prepared through solution combustion in order to obtain highly active and stable catalytic nanomaterials. This method allows Pt 2+ and Cu 2+ ions to dissolve into the ZrO 2 lattice and thus creates oxygen vacancies due to lattice distortion and charge imbalance. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) results showed Cu/Pt co-doped ZrO 2 nanoparticles with a size of ca. 10 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra confirmed cubic structure and larger oxygen vacancies. The nanoparticles showed excellent activity for CO oxidation. The temperature T 50 (the temperature at which 50% of CO are converted) was lowered by 175 °C in comparison to bare ZrO 2 . Further, they exhibited very high stability for CO reaction (time-on-stream ≈ 70 h). This is due to combined effect of smaller particle size, large oxygen vacancies, high specific surface area and better thermal stability of the Cu/Pt co-doped ZrO 2 nanoparticles. The apparent activation energy for CO oxidation is found to be 45.6 kJ·mol -1 . The CO conversion decreases with increase in gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) and initial CO concentration.

  10. Superparamagnetic behavior of Fe-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hachisu, M.; Onuma, K.; Kondo, T.; Miike, K.; Miyasaka, T.; Mori, K.; Ichiyanagi, Y. [Department of Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, 79-5 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501 (Japan)

    2014-02-20

    SnO{sub 2} is an n-type semiconductor with a wide band gap of 3.62 eV, and SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles doped with magnetic ions are expected to realized new diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs). Realizing ferromagnetism at room temperature is important for spintronics device applications, and it is interesting that the magnetic properties of these DMS systems can be varied significantly by modifying the preparation methods or conditions. In this study, the magnetic properties of Fe-doped (3% and 5%) SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles, prepared using our novel chemical preparation method and encapsulated in amorphous SiO{sub 2}, were investigated. The particle size (1.8–16.9 nm) and crystal phase were controlled by the annealing temperature. X-ray diffraction confirmed a rutile SnO{sub 2} single-phase structure for samples annealed at 1073–1373 K, and the composition was confirmed using X-ray fluorescence analysis. SQUID magnetometer measurements revealed superparamagnetic behavior of the 5%-Fe-doped sample at room temperature, although SnO{sub 2} is known to be diamagnetic. Magnetization curves at 5 K indicated that the 3%-Fe-doped has a larger magnetization than that of the 5%-Fe-doped sample. We conclude that the magnetization of the 5%-Fe-doped sample decreased at 5 K due to the superexchange interaction between the antiferromagnetic coupling in the nanoparticle system.

  11. Synthesis of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles containing Fe, Si, and V using multiple diffusion flames and catalytic oxidation capability of carbon-coated nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ismail, Mohamed A. [King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Clean Combustion Research Center (Saudi Arabia); Memon, Nasir K., E-mail: nmemon@qf.org.qa [HBKU, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) (Qatar); Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Anjum, Dalaver H. [KAUST, Imaging and Characterization Lab (Saudi Arabia); Chung, Suk Ho [King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Clean Combustion Research Center (Saudi Arabia)

    2016-01-15

    Titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanoparticles containing iron, silicon, and vanadium are synthesized using multiple diffusion flames. The growth of carbon-coated (C–TiO{sub 2}), carbon-coated with iron oxide (Fe/C–TiO{sub 2}), silica-coated (Si–TiO{sub 2}), and vanadium-doped (V–TiO{sub 2}) TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles is demonstrated using a single-step process. Hydrogen, oxygen, and argon are utilized to establish the flame, with titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as the precursor for TiO{sub 2}. For the growth of Fe/C–TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, TTIP is mixed with xylene and ferrocene. While for the growth of Si–TiO{sub 2} and V–TiO{sub 2}, TTIP is mixed with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and vanadium (V) oxytriisopropoxide, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles are characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) with energy-filtered TEM for elemental mapping (of Si, C, O, and Ti), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption BET surface area analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. Anatase is the dominant phase for the C–TiO{sub 2}, Fe/C–TiO{sub 2}, and Si–TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, whereas rutile is the dominant phase for the V–TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. For C–TiO{sub 2} and Fe/C–TiO{sub 2}, the nanoparticles are coated with about 3-5-nm thickness of carbon. The iron-based TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles significantly improve the catalytic oxidation of carbon, where complete oxidation of carbon occurs at a temperature of 470 °C (with iron) compared to 610 °C (without iron). Enhanced catalytic oxidation properties are also observed for model soot particles, Printex-U, when mixed with Fe/C-TiO{sub 2}. With regards to Si–TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, a uniform coating of 3 to 8 nm of silicon dioxide is observed around the TiO{sub 2} particles. This coating mainly occurs due to variance in the chemical reaction rates of the precursors. Finally, with regards

  12. Investigation on structural, surface morphological and dielectric properties of Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sagadevan, Suresh [Department of Physics, AMET University, Chennai (India); Podder, Jiban, E-mail: sureshsagadevan@gmail.com [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan (Canada)

    2016-03-15

    Zinc doped Tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method. The average crystallite size of pure and Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles was calculated from the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. The FT-IR spectrum indicated the strong presence of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The morphology and the particle size were studied using the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The particle size of the Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles was also analyzed, using the Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) experiment. The optical properties were studied by the UV-Visible absorption spectrum. The dielectric properties of Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were studied at different frequencies and temperatures. The ac conductivity of Zn-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles was also studied. (author)

  13. Homogeneously Dispersed Co9S8 Anchored on Nitrogen and Sulfur Co-Doped Carbon Derived from Soybean as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts and Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Zhen; Xiao, Guozheng; Shi, Minhao; Zhu, Ying

    2018-05-16

    Developing low-cost and highly active multifunctional electrocatalysts to replace noble metal catalysts is crucial for the commercialization of future clean energy technology. Herein, homogeneous Co 9 S 8 nanoparticles anchored on nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous carbon nanomaterials (CoS@NSCs) are fabricated by pyrolysis of natural soybean treated with cobalt nitrate. The unique porous structures of the soybean are utilized to provide space for the oxidation and complexation reactions for cobalt compounds, thus leading to in situ generation of homogenously dispersed cobalt sulfide nanoparticles that anchored on the N,S co-doped carbon framework. Because of the coupling effect of cobalt sulfide and doping heteroatoms, CoS@NSC-800 not only displays excellent electrocatalytic performances with low overpotential and high current density toward both oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction comparable to the commercial Pt/C catalyst and IrO 2 catalyst, but also might be a promising candidate for high-performance supercapacitors. The method for the preparation of the multifunctional hybrids is simple but effective for the formation of uniformly distributed metal sulfide nanoparticles anchored on carbon materials, therefore providing a new perspective for the design and synthesis of multifunctional electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion and storage at a large scale.

  14. Facile synthesis of antimony-doped tin oxide nanoparticles by a polymer-pyrolysis method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Yuan-Qing; Wang, Jian-Lei; Fu, Shao-Yun; Mei, Shi-Gang; Zhang, Jian-Min; Yong, Kang

    2010-01-01

    In this article, antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles was synthesized by a facile polymer-pyrolysis method. The pyrolysis behaviors of the polymer precursors prepared via in situ polymerization of metal salts and acrylic acid were analyzed by simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). The structural and morphological characteristics of the products were studied by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results reveal that the ATO nanoparticles calcined at 600 o C show good crystallinity with the cassiterite structure and cubic-spherical like morphology. The average particle size of ATO decreases from 200 to 15 nm as the Sb doping content increases from 5 mol% to 15 mol%. Electrical resistivity measurement shows that the resistivity for the 10-13 mol% Sb-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles is reduced by more than three orders compared with the pure SnO 2 nanoparticles. In addition, due to its versatility this polymer-pyrolysis method can be extended to facile synthesis of other doped n-type semiconductor, such as In, Ga, Al doped ZnO, Sn doped In 2 O 3 .

  15. Theory of phonon properties in doped and undoped CuO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bahoosh, S.G. [Institute of Physics, Martin-Luther-University, D-06099 Halle (Germany); Apostolov, A.T. [University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy Faculty of Hydrotechnics, Department of Physics, 1, Hristo Smirnenski Blvd., 1046 Sofia (Bulgaria); Apostolova, I.N. [University of Forestry, Faculty of Forest Industry, 10, Kl. Ohridsky Blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Wesselinowa, J.M., E-mail: julia@phys.uni-sofia.bg [University of Sofia, Department of Physics, 5 J. Bouchier Blvd., 1164 Sofia (Bulgaria)

    2012-07-02

    We have studied the phonon properties of CuO nanoparticles and have shown the importance of the anharmonic spin–phonon interaction. The Raman peaks of CuO nanoparticles shift to lower frequency and become broader as the particle size decreases in comparison with those of bulk CuO crystals owing to size effects. By doping with different ions, in dependence of their radius compared to the host ionic radius the phonon energies ω could be reduced or enhanced. The phonon damping is always enhanced through the ion doping effects. -- Highlights: ► The phonon properties of CuO nanoparticles are studied using a miscroscopic model. ► The phonon energy decreases whereas the damping increases with decreasing of particle size. ► It is shown the importance of the anharmonic spin–phonon interaction. ► By doping with RE-ions the phonon energy is reduced, whereas with TM-ions it is enhanced. ► The phonon damping is always enhanced through the ion doping effects.

  16. Optical bistability and multistability in polaritonic materials doped with nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Zhiping; Yu, Benli

    2014-01-01

    We investigate the optical bistability and multistability in polaritonic materials doped with nanoparticles inside an optical ring cavity. It is found that the optical bistability and multistability can be easily controlled by adjusting the corresponding parameters of the system properly. The effect of the dipole–dipole interaction has also been included in the formulation, which leads to interesting phenomena. Our scheme opens up the possibility of controling the optical bistability and multistability in polaritonic materials doped with nanoparticles. (letter)

  17. Metal-doped semiconductor nanoparticles and methods of synthesis thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Zhifeng (Inventor); Chen, Gang (Inventor); Poudel, Bed (Inventor); Kumar, Shankar (Inventor); Wang, Wenzhong (Inventor); Dresselhaus, Mildred (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    The present invention generally relates to binary or higher order semiconductor nanoparticles doped with a metallic element, and thermoelectric compositions incorporating such nanoparticles. In one aspect, the present invention provides a thermoelectric composition comprising a plurality of nanoparticles each of which includes an alloy matrix formed of a Group IV element and Group VI element and a metallic dopant distributed within the matrix.

  18. Effect of iron doping concentration on magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Prashant K.; Dutta, Ranu K.; Pandey, Avinash C.; Layek, Samar; Verma, H.C.

    2009-01-01

    The ZnO:Fe nanoparticles of mean size 3-10 nm were synthesized at room temperature by simple co-precipitation method. The crystallite structure, morphology and size estimation were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The wurtzite structure of ZnO gradually degrades with the increasing Fe doping concentration. The magnetic behavior of the nanoparticles of ZnO with varying Fe doping concentration was investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Initially these nanoparticles showed strong ferromagnetic behavior, however at higher doping percentage of Fe, the ferromagnetic behavior was suppressed and paramagnetic nature was observed. The enhanced antiferromagnetic interaction between neighboring Fe-Fe ions suppressed the ferromagnetism at higher doping concentrations of Fe. Room-temperature Moessbauer spectroscopy investigation showed Fe 3+ nature of the iron atom in ZnO matrix.

  19. Plasmonic properties and enhanced fluorescence of gold and dye-doped silica nanoparticle aggregates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Nathaniel Scott

    The development of metal-enhanced fluorescence has prompted a great interest in augmenting the photophysical properties of fluorescent molecules with noble metal nanostructures. Our research efforts, outlined in this dissertation, focus on augmenting properties of fluorophores by conjugation with gold nanostructures. The project goals are split into two separate efforts; the enhancement in brightness of fluorophores and long distance non-radiative energy transfer between fluorophores. We believe that interacting dye-doped silica nanoparticles with gold nanoparticles can facilitate both of these phenomena. Our primary research interest is focused on optimizing brightness, as this goal should open a path to studying the second goal of non-radiative energy transfer. The two major challenges to this are constructing suitable nanomaterials and functionalizing them to promote plasmonically active complexes. The synthesis of dye-doped layered silica nanoparticles allows for control over the discrete location of the dye and a substrate that can be surface functionalized. Controlling the exact location of the dye is important to create a silica spacer, which promotes productive interactions with metal nanostructures. Furthermore, the synthesis of silica nanoparticles allows for various fluorophores to be studied in similar environments (removing solvent and other chemo-sensitive issues). Functionalizing the surface of silica nanoparticles allows control over the degree of silica and gold nanoparticle aggregation in solution. Heteroaggregation in solution is useful for producing well-aggregated clusters of many gold around a single silica nanoparticle. The dye-doped surface functionalized silica nanoparticles can than be mixed efficiently with gold nanomaterials. Aggregating multiple gold nanospheres around a single dye-doped silica nanoparticle can dramatically increase the fluorescent brightness of the sample via metal-enhanced fluorescence due to increase plasmonic

  20. Enhanced magnetodielectric and multiferroic properties of Er-doped bismuth ferrite nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mukherjee, A.; Banerjee, M. [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur 713209 (India); Basu, S., E-mail: soumen.basu@phy.nitdgp.ac.in [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur 713209 (India); Mukadam, M.D.; Yusuf, S.M. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085 (India); Pal, M. [CSIR-Central Glass & Ceramic Research Institute, Kolkata 700032 (India)

    2015-07-15

    An enhancement in multiferroic properties has been achieved for chemically prepared BFO nanoparticles by doping with erbium (Er). XRD along with electron microscopy study reveals the phase purity and nanocrystalline nature of BFO. Enhancement of both the magnetic moment and resistivity is observed by virtue of Er doping. The observed enhanced magnetic moment is considered to be associated with smaller crystallite whereas increase of resistivity may be attributed to a decrease of oxygen vacancies. Doping also display an improvement of leakage behaviour and dielectric constant in nanocrystalline BFO, reflected in well-developed P-E loop. In addition, large enhancement in magnetodielectric coefficient is observed because of Er doping. Therefore, the results provide interesting approaches to improve the multiferroic properties of BFO, which has great implication towards its applications. - Highlights: • Synthesis of pure Er-doped BFO nanoparticles by chemical route. • Large increase in magnetic moment and resistivity due to Er doping. • Er doping produce well developed P-E loop and enhance polarization. • Drastic increase in dielectric constant as well as magnetodielectric coefficient observes because of Er doping.

  1. Magnetic solid phase extraction of brominated flame retardants and pentachlorophenol from environmental waters with carbon doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Jing [State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093 (China); Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023 (China); Li, Jia-yuan; Qiao, Jun-qin [State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093 (China); Cui, Shi-hai [Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Biomedical Functional Materials, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, 1 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023 (China); Lian, Hong-zhen, E-mail: hzlian@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093 (China); Chen, Hong-yuan [State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Center of Materials Analysis, Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing 210093 (China)

    2014-12-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C nanospheres were used in MSPE of BFRs and PCP from water samples. • The method shows merits of simpleness, reliableness and environmental friendliness. • The bonding between Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and coated organic carbon has been demonstrated in Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C. • The straight influences of synthesis conditions of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C on MSPE were investigated. • The extraction characteristics of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C nanoparticles were further elucidated. - Abstract: Carbon doped Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C) prepared by a facile hydrothermal reaction of glucose with iron resource have been applied as magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbent, for the first time, to extract trace brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) from environmental waters. Various MSPE parameters were optimized including amount of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C nanoparticles, pH of sample solution, enrichment factor of analytes and reusability of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C sorbent. The reliability of the MSPE method was evaluated by the recoveries of BFRs and PCP in spiked water samples. Good recoveries (80.0–110.0%) were achieved with the relative standard deviations range from 0.3% to 6.8%. In this paper, the extraction characteristics of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C sorbent were further elucidated. It is found that the adsorption process of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C to analytes predominates the MSPE efficiency. There is hybrid hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding or dipole–dipole attraction between Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/C and analytes. Notably, the chemical components of carbon layer on the surface of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were identified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry, and in consequence the covalent bonds between Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and the coated carbon have been observed. In addition, the straight influence of synthesis condition of Fe

  2. N-doped graphene-carbon nanotube hybrid networks attaching with gold nanoparticles for glucose non-enzymatic sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Hun; Nguyen, Dang Mao; Lee, Min Sang; Kim, Hong Gun; Ko, Sang Cheol; Kwac, Lee Ku

    2018-09-01

    Herein, we successfully developed a novel three dimensional (3D) opened networks based on nitrogen doped graphene‑carbon nanotubes attaching with gold nanoparticles (N-GR-CNTs/AuNPs) to apply for non-enzymatic glucose determination. It was demonstrated that the N-GR-CNTs/AuNPs modified electrode exhibited good behavior for glucose detection with a long linear range of 2 μM to 19.6 mM, high sensitivity of 0.9824 μA·mM -1 ·cm -2 , low detection limit of 500 nM, and negligible interference effect. The high performance of the N-GR-CNTs/AuNPs based sensor was assumed due to the outstanding catalytic activity of AuNPs well dispersing on N-GR-CNTs networks, which exhibited as a perfect supporting scaffold due to the enhanced electrical conductivity and large surface area. The obtained results indicated that the N-GR-CNTs/AuNPs hybrid is highly promising for sensitive and selective detection of glucose in sensor application. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Sulfonsuccinate (AOT Capped Pure and Mn-Doped CdS Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Venkatesan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available CdS nanoparticles and thin films are well known for their excellent semiconducting properties. When transition metal ions are doped into the CdS, it exhibits magnetic properties in addition to semiconducting properties and they are termed as dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs. In this paper, we discuss the preparation of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl sulfonsuccinate (AOT capped CdS nanoparticles and thin films doped with magnetic impurity Mn. Sodium bis(2-ethulexyl sulfonsuccinate (AOT, capping agent promotes the uniform formation of nanoparticles. Optical characterizations are made using the UV-Vis spectrometer, PL, and FTIR. XRD shows the hexagonal structure of the CdS. SEM images and EDS measurements were made for the thin films. EPR shows the clear hyperfine lines corresponding to Mn2+ ion in the CdS nanoparticles.

  4. Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanoparticles for Oxygen Reduction Prepared via a Crushing Method Involving a High Shear Mixer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Shi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The disposal of agricultural wastes such as fresh banana peels (BPs is an environmental issue. In this work, fresh BPs were successfully transformed into nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles (N-CNPs by using a high shear mixer facilitated crushing method (HSM-FCM followed by carbonization under Ar atmosphere. Ammonia-activated N-CNPs (N-CNPs-NH3 were prepared via subsequent ammonia activation treatments at a high temperature. The as-prepared N-CNPs and N-CNPs-NH3 materials both exhibited high surface areas (above 700 m2/g and mean particle size of 50 nm. N-CNPs-NH3 showed a relatively higher content of pyridinic and graphitic N compared to N-CNPs. In alkaline media, N-CNPs-NH3 showed superior performances as an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR catalyst (E0 = −0.033 V, J = 2.4 mA/cm2 compared to N-CNPs (E0 = 0.07 V, J = 1.8 mA/cm2. In addition, N-CNPs-NH3 showed greater oxygen reduction stability and superior methanol crossover avoidance than a conventional Pt/C catalyst. This study provides a novel, simple, and scalable approach to valorize biomass wastes by synthesizing highly efficient electrochemical ORR catalysts.

  5. Highly Al-doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles produced by Ball Mill Method: structural and electronic characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santos, Desireé M. de los, E-mail: desire.delossantos@uca.es; Navas, Javier, E-mail: javier.navas@uca.es; Sánchez-Coronilla, Antonio; Alcántara, Rodrigo; Fernández-Lorenzo, Concha; Martín-Calleja, Joaquín

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Highly Al-doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized using a Ball Mill Method. • Al doping delayed anatase to rutile phase transformation. • Al doping allow controlling the structural and electronic properties of nanoparticles. - Abstract: This study presents an easy method for synthesizing highly doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The Ball Mill method was used to synthesize pure and Al-doped titanium dioxide, with an atomic percentage up to 15.7 at.% Al/(Al + Ti). The samples were annealed at 773 K, 973 K and 1173 K, and characterized using ICP-AES, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR, TG, STEM, XPS, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The effect of doping and the calcination temperature on the structure and properties of the nanoparticles were studied. The results show high levels of internal doping due to the substitution of Ti{sup 4+} ions by Al{sup 3+} in the TiO{sub 2} lattice. Furthermore, anatase to rutile transformation occurs at higher temperatures when the percentage of doping increases. Therefore, Al doping allows us to control the structural and electronic properties of the nanoparticle synthesized. So, it is possible to obtain nanoparticles with anatase as predominant phase in a higher range of temperature.

  6. Photocatalytic degradation of the Paracetamol drug using Lanthanum doped ZnO nanoparticles and their in-vitro cytotoxicity assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shakir, Mohammad; Faraz, Mohd; Sherwani, Mohd Asif; Al-Resayes, Saud I.

    2016-01-01

    The doping of semiconductor by rare earth metals nanoparticles is an effective way for increasing photocatalytic activity. Zinc oxide and Lanthanum doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by modifying the gel-combustion method. It was found that La can greatly enhance the cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles towards various cell lines and Paracetamol drug. These nanoparticles were characterized by various spectroscopic and other techniques which clearly revealed the presence of lanthanum ions. The absorption edge shifts towards the visible region after doping with La ions. This shift shows that the doping of La ions is favorable for absorbing the visible light. The comparative photocatalytic and cytotoxicity activity revealed that La doped ZnO nanoparticles remarkably enhanced activities as compared to the ZnO nanoparticles. The outcome of these studies offers valuable for planning La doped ZnO nanoparticles having cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activities helpful for the formulation of anticancer product and waste water remediation.

  7. Photocatalytic degradation of the Paracetamol drug using Lanthanum doped ZnO nanoparticles and their in-vitro cytotoxicity assay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shakir, Mohammad, E-mail: shakir078@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Faraz, Mohd [Department of Chemistry, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Sherwani, Mohd Asif [Interdisciplinary Biotechnology Unit, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh 202002 (India); Al-Resayes, Saud I. [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia)

    2016-08-15

    The doping of semiconductor by rare earth metals nanoparticles is an effective way for increasing photocatalytic activity. Zinc oxide and Lanthanum doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by modifying the gel-combustion method. It was found that La can greatly enhance the cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles towards various cell lines and Paracetamol drug. These nanoparticles were characterized by various spectroscopic and other techniques which clearly revealed the presence of lanthanum ions. The absorption edge shifts towards the visible region after doping with La ions. This shift shows that the doping of La ions is favorable for absorbing the visible light. The comparative photocatalytic and cytotoxicity activity revealed that La doped ZnO nanoparticles remarkably enhanced activities as compared to the ZnO nanoparticles. The outcome of these studies offers valuable for planning La doped ZnO nanoparticles having cytotoxicity and photocatalytic activities helpful for the formulation of anticancer product and waste water remediation.

  8. Structural, optical, photoluminescence and photocatalytic assessment of Sr-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pradeev Raj, K.; Sadaiyandi, K.; Kennedy, A.; Thamizselvi, R.

    2016-01-01

    ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and Strontium doped ZnO nanoparticles (2–6 mol %) (SZ-NPs) were synthesized via Co-precipitation method. Synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Elemental dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV–visible, and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Photocatalytic studies for Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in aqueous solution under UV–Vis radiation. XRD analysis confirms that all the samples have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The average crystallite size of the nanoparticles was in the range of 29–51 nm. From the Williamson –Hall (W-H) plot, a positive slope is inferred for pure and SZ-NPs, confirming the presence of tensile strain. SEM images reveal the synthesized NPs are in nanometer range with various shapes are observed. The presence of strontium (Sr) in the host lattice was confirmed by EDS spectroscopy. The optical analysis shows the absorption decreases on doping and shifts slightly towards the longer wavelength region. The band gap energy (Eg) decreases (3.32–3.03 eV) with the increase of Sr dopant concentration. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum reveals the UV emission is strong near the band-edge region (NBE) (392 nm) and intrinsic defects resulted in series of Vis emissions around 400–560 nm. Kinetic studies on RhB dye indicates the degradation rate has increased with dopant concentration. The improved photocatalytic activity is observed due to the efficient charge separation, improved visible light absorption, inhibition of the electron-hole pair's recombination and better adsorptive of RhB dye molecule on the surface of SZ-NPs. Moreover, the reduction in the total organic carbon (TOC) results reveals the improved photocatalytic activity of strontium doped ZnO NPs. - Highlights: • Effective synthesis of ZnO and Sr−ZnO nanoparticles by co-precipitation method. • Samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, UV–Vis and PL technique. • Higher optical absorption and

  9. Structural, optical, photoluminescence and photocatalytic assessment of Sr-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pradeev Raj, K., E-mail: pradeevraj@gmail.com [Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 641 046, Tamilnadu (India); Department of Physics, CSI College of Engineering, Ooty, The Nilgiris, 643 215, Tamil Nadu (India); Sadaiyandi, K. [Department of Physics, Alagappa Government Arts College, Karaikudi, Sivagangai, 630 003, Tamil Nadu (India); Kennedy, A. [Department of Physics, CSI College of Engineering, Ooty, The Nilgiris, 643 215, Tamil Nadu (India); Thamizselvi, R. [Department of Chemistry, L.R.G. Govt Arts College for Women, Tirupur, 641604, Tamil Nadu (India)

    2016-11-01

    ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and Strontium doped ZnO nanoparticles (2–6 mol %) (SZ-NPs) were synthesized via Co-precipitation method. Synthesized samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Elemental dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), UV–visible, and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Photocatalytic studies for Rhodamine B (RhB) dye in aqueous solution under UV–Vis radiation. XRD analysis confirms that all the samples have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The average crystallite size of the nanoparticles was in the range of 29–51 nm. From the Williamson –Hall (W-H) plot, a positive slope is inferred for pure and SZ-NPs, confirming the presence of tensile strain. SEM images reveal the synthesized NPs are in nanometer range with various shapes are observed. The presence of strontium (Sr) in the host lattice was confirmed by EDS spectroscopy. The optical analysis shows the absorption decreases on doping and shifts slightly towards the longer wavelength region. The band gap energy (Eg) decreases (3.32–3.03 eV) with the increase of Sr dopant concentration. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum reveals the UV emission is strong near the band-edge region (NBE) (392 nm) and intrinsic defects resulted in series of Vis emissions around 400–560 nm. Kinetic studies on RhB dye indicates the degradation rate has increased with dopant concentration. The improved photocatalytic activity is observed due to the efficient charge separation, improved visible light absorption, inhibition of the electron-hole pair's recombination and better adsorptive of RhB dye molecule on the surface of SZ-NPs. Moreover, the reduction in the total organic carbon (TOC) results reveals the improved photocatalytic activity of strontium doped ZnO NPs. - Highlights: • Effective synthesis of ZnO and Sr−ZnO nanoparticles by co-precipitation method. • Samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, UV–Vis and PL technique. • Higher optical absorption

  10. Imaging carbon nanoparticles and related cytotoxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, C; Porter, A E; Welland, M; Muller, K; Skepper, J N; Koziol, K; Midgley, P

    2009-01-01

    Carbon-based nanoparticles have attracted significant attention due to their unique physical, chemical, and electrical properties. Numerous studies have been published on carbon nanoparticle toxicity; however, the results remain contradictory. An ideal approach is to combine a cell viability assay with nanometer scale imaging to elucidate the detailed physiological and structural effects of cellular exposure to nanoparticles. We have developed and applied a combination of advanced microscopy techniques to image carbon nanoparticles within cells. Specifically, we have used EFTEM, HAADF-STEM, and tomography and confocal microscopy to generate 3-D images enabling determination of nanoparticle spatial distribution in a cell. With these techniques, we can differentiate between the carbon nanoparticles and the cell in both stained and unstained sections. We found carbon nanoparticles (C 60 , single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT), and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT)) within the cytoplasm, lysosomes, and nucleus of human monocyte-derived macrophage cells (HMM). C 60 aggregated along the plasma and nuclear membrane while MWNTs and SWNTs were seen penetrating the plasma and nuclear membranes. Both the Neutral Red (NR) assay and ultra-structural analysis showed an increase in cell death after exposure to MWNTs and SWNTs. SWNTs were more toxic than MWNTs. For both MWNTs and SWNTs, we correlated uptake of the nanoparticles with a significant increase in necrosis. In conclusion, high resolution imaging studies provide us with significant insight into the localised interactions between carbon nanoparticles and cells. Viability assays alone only provide a broad toxicological picture of nanoparticle effects on cells whereas the high resolution images associate the spatial distributions of the nanoparticles within the cell with increased incidence of necrosis. This combined approach will enable us to probe the mechanisms of particle uptake and subsequent chemical changes within

  11. Highly-crystalline ultrathin gadolinium doped and carbon-coated Li4Ti5O12 nanosheets for enhanced lithium storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, G. B.; Yang, L. W.; Wei, X. L.; Ding, J. W.; Zhong, J. X.; Chu, P. K.

    2015-11-01

    Highly-crystalline gadolinium doped and carbon-coated ultrathin Li4Ti5O12 (LTO) nanosheets (denoted as LTO-Gd-C) as an anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) are synthesized on large scale by controlling the amount of carbon precursor in the topotactic transformation of layered ultrathin Li1.81H0.19Ti2O5·xH2O (H-LTO) nanosheets at 700 °C. The characterizations of structure and morphology reveal that the gadolinium doped and carbon-coated ultrathin LTO nanosheets have high crystallinity with a thickness of about 10 nm. Gadolinium doping allows the spinel LTO products to be stabilized, thereby preserving the precursor's sheet morphology and single crystal structure. Carbon encapsulation serves dual functions by restraining crystal growth of the LTO primary nanoparticles in the LTO-Gd-C nanosheets and decreasing the external electron transport resistance. Owing to the synergistic effects rendered by ultrathin nanosheets with high crystallinity, gadolinium doping and carbon coating, the developed ultrathin LTO nanosheets possess excellent specific capacity, cycling performance, and rate capability compared with reference materials, when evaluated as an anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). The simple and effective strategy encompassing nanoscale morphological engineering, surface modification, and doping improves the performance of LTO-based anode materials for high energy density and high power LIBs applied in large scale energy storage.

  12. Structural and luminescent properties of Fe3+ doped PVA capped CdTe nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravindranadh K.

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available During recent decades, magnetic and semiconductor nanoparticles have attracted significant attention of scientists in various fields of engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. Fe3+ doped PVA capped CdTe nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, optical, EPR and PL techniques to collect the information about the crystal structure, coordination/local site symmetry of doped Fe3+ ions in the host lattice and the luminescent properties of prepared sample. Powder XRD data revealed that the crystal structure belongs to a cubic system and its lattice cell parameters were evaluated. The average crystallite size was estimated to be 8 nm. The morphology of prepared samples was analyzed by using SEM and TEM investigations. Functional groups of the prepared sample were observed in FT-IR spectra. Optical absorption and EPR studies have shown that on doping, Fe3+ ions enter the host lattice in octahedral site symmetry. PL studies of Fe3+ doped PVA capped CdTe nanoparticles revealed UV and blue emission bands. CIE chromaticity coordinates were also calculated from the emission spectrum of Fe3+ doped PVA capped CdTe nanoparticles.

  13. Tailoring luminescence properties of TiO2 nanoparticles by Mn doping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choudhury, B.; Choudhury, A.

    2013-01-01

    TiO 2 nanoparticles are doped with three different concentrations of Mn, 2%, 4% and 6% respectively. Absorption edge of TiO 2 is shifted from UV to visible region on amplification of Mn content. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra, excited at 320 nm, exhibit band edge and visible emission peaks associated with self trapped excitons, oxygen defects, etc. Doping of Mn increases the width and decreases the intensity of the UV emission peak. Potential fluctuations of impurities increase the width and auger type non-radiative recombination decreases the intensity of the UV emission peak. The intensity ratio of the UV to defect emission band decreases on doping, indicating degradation of structural quality. Excitation of pure and doped nanoparticles at 390 nm results in Mn 2+ emission peaks at 525 nm and 585 nm respectively. Photoluminescence excitation spectra also indicate the presence of Mn 2+ in the crystalline environment of TiO 2 . The oxygen defects and Mn related impurities act as efficient trap centers and increases the lifetime of the charge carriers. -- Highlights: ► Doping of Mn increases the d-spacing of TiO 2 nanoparticles. ► Characteristic d–d electronic transition of Mn 2+ is observed in the absorption spectra. ► Doping of Mn quenches the UV and visible emission peaks of TiO 2 . ► Photoexcitation at 390 nm generates emission peaks of Mn 2+

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roy, Anirban; Maitra, Saikat; Ghosh, Sobhan; Chakrabarti, Sampa

    2016-01-01

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

  15. Er –Al2O3 nanoparticles doping of borosilicate glass

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    for determining the optical properties.2 While in homoge- ... of RE-doped single crystals (higher absorption/emission ... nanoparticles doping on the thermal, optical, structural ... The density of the bulk glass materials was measured.

  16. Remarkable activity of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres encapsulated Cu on synthesis of dimethyl carbonate: Role of effective nitrogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Haixia; Zhao, Jinxian; Shi, Ruina; Hao, Panpan; Liu, Shusen; Li, Zhong; Ren, Jun

    2018-04-01

    A critical aspect in the improvement of the catalytic performance of Cu-based catalysts for the synthesis of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is the development of an appropriate support. In this work, nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres (NHCSs), with 240 nm average diameter, 17 nm shell thickness, uniform mesoporous structure and a specific surface area of 611 m2 g-1, were prepared via a two-step Stӧber method. By varying the quantity of nitrogen-containing phenols used in the preparation it has been possible to control the nitrogen content and, consequently, the sphericity of the NHCSs. It was found that perfect spheres were obtained for nitrogen contents below 5.4 wt.%. The catalysts (Cu@NHCSs) were prepared by the hydrothermal impregnation method. The catalytic activity towards DMC synthesis was notably enhanced due to the immobilization effect on Cu particles and the enhanced electron transfer effect exercised by the effective nitrogen species, including pyridinic-N and graphitic-N. When the average size of the copper nanoparticles was 7.4 nm and the nitrogen content was 4.0 wt.%, the values of space-time yield of DMC and of turnover frequency (TOF) reached 1528 mg/(g h) and 11.0 h-1, respectively. The TOF value of Cu@NHCSs was 6 times higher than non-doped Cu@Carbon (2.1 h-1). The present work introduces the potential application of nitrogen-doped carbon materials and presents a novel procedure for the preparation of catalysts for DMC synthesis.

  17. Thermal decomposition study of Mn doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malek, Tasmira J.; Chaki, S. H.; Tailor, J. P.; Deshpande, M. P.

    2016-05-01

    Fe3O4 is an excellent magnetic material among iron oxides. It has a cubic inverse spinel structure exhibiting distinguished electric and magnetic properties. In this paper the authors report the synthesis of Mn doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles by wet chemical reduction technique at ambient temperature and its thermal characterization. Ferric chloride hexa-hydrate (FeCl3•6H2O), manganese chloride tetra-hydrate (MnCl2•4H2O) and sodium boro-hydrate (NaBH4) were used for synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles at ambient temperature. The elemental composition of the as-synthesized Mn doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles were determined by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX) technique. Thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were carried out on the Mn doped Fe3O4 nanoparticles in the temperature range of ambient to 1124 K. The thermo-curves revealed that the particles decompose by four steps. The kinetic parameters were evaluated using non-mechanistic equations for the thermal decomposition.

  18. Doping induced magnetism in Co-ZnS nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sambasivam, S.; Paul Joseph, D.; Lin, J.G.; Venkateswaran, C.

    2009-01-01

    Zn 1-x Co x S nanoparticles with x=0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 were synthesized by the co-precipitation method using thiophenol as capping agent. The effect of Co doping on the structural, optical and magnetic properties are investigated. The X-ray diffraction patterns show single phase with cubic structure and the images of Transmission Electron Microscopy indicate an average particle size of 39 nm. Significant blue shift in the optical absorbing band edge was observed with increasing Co doping. In the Co doped samples, room-temperature (RT) magnetic hysteresis is observed and the magnetization reduces with increasing Co content. However, these samples show paramagnetic resonance instead of ferromagnetic resonance at both 300 and 80 K, suggesting that the origin of RT magnetization in these Zn 1-x Co x S nanoparticles involves with the frustration of antiferromagnetic interactions. - Graphical abstract: Figure shows the magnetization data of Zn 1-x Co x S (0.1≤x≤0.3) nanoparticles annealed at 573 K/2 h in vacuum and measured at 300 K. This interesting feature of systematic reduction in magnetization may be due to introduction of antiferromagnetic ordering with increasing 'Co' concentration which may be due to competition between the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic ordering within the sample. One could also observe the exchange bias effect which is an interface interaction observed in a ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic mixture. The exchange bias field (loop shift) towards negative field was around 63 Oe for the Zn 1-x Co x S (0.1≤x≤0.3) nanoparticles.

  19. Facile synthesis of Sm-doped BiFeO{sub 3} nanoparticles for enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Zijun; Chen, Da, E-mail: dchen_80@hotmail.com; Wang, Sen; Zhang, Ning; Qin, Laishun, E-mail: qinlaishun@cjlu.edu.cn; Huang, Yuexiang

    2017-06-15

    Highlights: • Effective Sm doping into BiFeO{sub 3} nanoparticles was obtained by a facile sol-gel route. • Band gap of Sm-doped BiFeO{sub 3} nanoparticles was regulated by the dopant concentration. • Sm-doped BiFeO{sub 3} nanoparticles exhibited superior photocatalytic activities. • The possible photocatalytic mechanism of Sm-doped BiFeO{sub 3} nanospheres was discussed. - Abstract: In this work, the effect of Sm doping on the structural and photocatalytic properties of BiFeO{sub 3} (BFO) was investigated. A series of Sm doped BFO nanoparticles containing different Sm dopant contents (Bi{sub (1−x)}Sm{sub x}FeO{sub 3}, x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10) were synthesized via a simple sol-gel route. It was revealed that Sm{sup 3+} ions were successfully doped into BFO nanoparticles, and the band gap value was gradually decreased when increasing Sm dopant concentration. The photocatalytic activity of Sm-doped BFO photocatalyst was significantly affected by the Sm doping content. Compared to pure BFO, the Sm-doped BFO samples exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity. The improved photocatalytic activity of Sm-doped BFO could be attributed to the enhanced visible light absorption and the efficient separation of photogenerated electrons and holes derived from Sm dopant trapping level in the Sm-doped BFO samples. In addition, the possible photocatalytic mechanism of Sm-doped BFO photocatalyst was also proposed.

  20. Understanding the doping effects on the structural and electrical properties of ultrathin carbon nanotube networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Ying; Shimada, Satoru; Azumi, Reiko; Saito, Takeshi

    2015-01-01

    Similar to other semiconductor technology, doping of carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film is of great significance for performance improvement or modification. However, it still remains a challenge to seek a stable and effective dopant. In this paper, we unitize several spectroscopic techniques and electrical characterizations under various conditions to investigate the effects of typical dopants and related methods. Nitric acid (HNO 3 ) solution, I 2 vapor, and CuI nanoparticles are used to modify a series of ultrathin CNT networks. Although efficient charge transfer is achieved initially after doping, HNO 3 is not applicable because it suffers from severe reliability problems in structural and electrical properties, and it also causes a number of undesired structural defects. I 2 vapor doping at 150 °C can form some stable C-I bonding structures, resulting in relatively more stable but less efficient electrical performances. CuI nanoparticles seem to be an ideal dopant. Photonic curing enables the manipulation of CuI, which not only results in the construction of novel CNT-CuI hybrid structures but also encourages the deepest level of charge transfer doping. The excellent reliability as well as processing feasibility identify the bright perspective of CNT-CuI hybrid film for practical applications

  1. Understanding the doping effects on the structural and electrical properties of ultrathin carbon nanotube networks

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Ying, E-mail: y-shuu@aist.go.jp; Shimada, Satoru; Azumi, Reiko [Electronics and Photonics Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, 305-8565 Tsukuba (Japan); Saito, Takeshi [Nanomaterials Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-1-1 Higashi, 305-8565 Tsukuba (Japan)

    2015-12-07

    Similar to other semiconductor technology, doping of carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film is of great significance for performance improvement or modification. However, it still remains a challenge to seek a stable and effective dopant. In this paper, we unitize several spectroscopic techniques and electrical characterizations under various conditions to investigate the effects of typical dopants and related methods. Nitric acid (HNO{sub 3}) solution, I{sub 2} vapor, and CuI nanoparticles are used to modify a series of ultrathin CNT networks. Although efficient charge transfer is achieved initially after doping, HNO{sub 3} is not applicable because it suffers from severe reliability problems in structural and electrical properties, and it also causes a number of undesired structural defects. I{sub 2} vapor doping at 150 °C can form some stable C-I bonding structures, resulting in relatively more stable but less efficient electrical performances. CuI nanoparticles seem to be an ideal dopant. Photonic curing enables the manipulation of CuI, which not only results in the construction of novel CNT-CuI hybrid structures but also encourages the deepest level of charge transfer doping. The excellent reliability as well as processing feasibility identify the bright perspective of CNT-CuI hybrid film for practical applications.

  2. Effect of Graphite Doped TiO_2 Nanoparticles on Smoke Degradation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roshasnorlyza Hazan; Mohamad Shahrizal Md Zain; Natrah Syafiqah Rosli

    2016-01-01

    Secondhand smoke affects in the same way as regular smoker. The best solution is to purify the air efficiently and effectively. In this study, we were successfully doped TiO_2 nanoparticle with graphite to accelerate the degradation of cigarette smoke. The graphite doped and undoped TiO_2 nanoparticles were prepared from synthetic rutile using alkaline fusion method and their photo catalytic activity were investigated under visible light irradiation. The photo catalytic activity of the TiO_2 nanoparticles was analyzed in terms of their particle size analysis, crystallization and optical band gap. TiO_2 nanoparticle act as photo catalyzer by utilization of light energy to excite electron-hole pairs in smoke degradation processes. With the aided from graphite in TiO_2 nanoparticles, the smoke degradation was accelerate up to 44.4 %. In this case, graphite helps to reduce optical band gap of TiO_2 nanoparticle, thus increasing excitation of electron from valence band to conduction band. (author)

  3. Investigations of white light emitting europium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashtaputre, S S; Nojima, A; Marathe, S K; Matsumura, D; Ohta, T; Tiwari, R; Dey, G K; Kulkarni, S K

    2008-01-01

    Europium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized using a chemical route. The amount of doped europium was varied which shows the changes in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity. The post synthesis annealing effect on the properties of ZnO nanoparticles has also been investigated. In general, PL is broad and a white light is emitted which originates from ZnO and the intra-4f transitions of Eu 3+ ions. The x-ray diffraction patterns do not show any Eu-related peaks for as-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles as well as for annealed samples. X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that europium ions are present on the surface of the core of ZnO and inside the shell of zinc hydroxide [Zn(OH 2 )] after annealing

  4. Photocatalytic degradation of phenol by iodine doped tin oxide nanoparticles under UV and sunlight irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Al-Hamdi, Abdullah M.; Sillanpää, Mika [Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Sammonkatu 12, 50130 Mikkeli (Finland); Dutta, Joydeep, E-mail: dutta@squ.edu.om [Chair in Nanotechnology, Water Research Center, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 17, 123 Al-Khoudh (Oman)

    2015-01-05

    Highlights: • A sol–gel method used to synthesize tin oxide nanoparticles. • Nanoparticles of tin oxide doped with different iodine concentrations. • Degradation studies carried up with UV–vis, TOC, HPLC and GC instruments. • 1% iodine doped tin dioxide showed maximum photodegradation efficiency. - Abstract: Iodine doped tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}:I) nanoparticles were prepared by sol–gel synthesis and their photocatalytic activities with phenol as a test contaminant were studied. In the presence of the catalysts, phenol degradation under direct sunlight was comparable to what was achieved under laboratory conditions. Photocatalytic oxidation reactions were studied by varying the catalyst loading, light intensity, illumination time, pH of the reactant and phenol concentration. Upon UV irradiation in the presence of SnO{sub 2}:I nanoparticles, phenol degrades very rapidly within 30 min, forming carboxylic acid which turns the solution acidic. Phenol degradation rate with 1% iodine doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles is at least an order of magnitude higher compared to the degradation achieved through undoped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles under similar illumination conditions.

  5. Photocatalytic degradation of phenol by iodine doped tin oxide nanoparticles under UV and sunlight irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Hamdi, Abdullah M.; Sillanpää, Mika; Dutta, Joydeep

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A sol–gel method used to synthesize tin oxide nanoparticles. • Nanoparticles of tin oxide doped with different iodine concentrations. • Degradation studies carried up with UV–vis, TOC, HPLC and GC instruments. • 1% iodine doped tin dioxide showed maximum photodegradation efficiency. - Abstract: Iodine doped tin oxide (SnO 2 :I) nanoparticles were prepared by sol–gel synthesis and their photocatalytic activities with phenol as a test contaminant were studied. In the presence of the catalysts, phenol degradation under direct sunlight was comparable to what was achieved under laboratory conditions. Photocatalytic oxidation reactions were studied by varying the catalyst loading, light intensity, illumination time, pH of the reactant and phenol concentration. Upon UV irradiation in the presence of SnO 2 :I nanoparticles, phenol degrades very rapidly within 30 min, forming carboxylic acid which turns the solution acidic. Phenol degradation rate with 1% iodine doped SnO 2 nanoparticles is at least an order of magnitude higher compared to the degradation achieved through undoped SnO 2 nanoparticles under similar illumination conditions

  6. Carbon nanoparticle stabilised liquid|liquid micro-interfaces for electrochemically driven ion-transfer processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MacDonald, Stuart M.; Fletcher, Paul D.I.; Cui Zhenggang; Opallo, Marcin; Chen Jingyuan; Marken, Frank

    2007-01-01

    Stabilised liquid|liquid interfaces between an organic 4-(3-phenylpropyl)-pyridine (PPP) phase and an aqueous electrolyte phase are obtained in the presence of suitable nanoparticles. The use of nanoparticulate stabilisers (ca. 30 nm diameter laponite or 9-18 nm diameter carbon) in 'Pickering' emulsion systems allows stable organic microdroplets to be formed and these are readily deposited onto conventional tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) electrodes. In contrast to the electrically insulating laponite nanoparticles, conducting carbon nanoparticles are shown to effectively catalyse the simultaneous electron transfer and ion transfer process at triple phase boundary junctions. Anion transfer processes between the aqueous and organic phase are driven electrochemically at the extensive triple phase junction carbon nanoparticle|4-(3-phenylpropyl)-pyridine|aqueous electrolyte. The organic phase consists of a redox active reagent 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphinato manganese(III) (MnTPP + ), 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphinato iron(III) (FeTPP + ), or proto-porphyrinato-IX iron(III) (hemin) dissolved in 4-(3-phenylpropyl)-pyridine (PPP). The composition of the aqueous electrolyte phase determines the reversible potential for the Nernstian anion transfer process. The methodology is shown to be versatile and, in future, could be applied more generally in liquid|liquid electroanalysis

  7. Electrospun N-Doped Porous Carbon Nanofibers Incorporated with NiO Nanoparticles as Free-Standing Film Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors and CO2 Capture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qi; Guo, Jiangna; Xu, Dan; Guo, Jianqiang; Ou, Xu; Hu, Yin; Qi, Haojun; Yan, Feng

    2018-04-01

    Carbon nanofibers (CNF) with a 1D porous structure offer promising support to encapsulate transition-metal oxides in energy storage/conversion relying on their high specific surface area and pore volume. Here, the preparation of NiO nanoparticle-dispersed electrospun N-doped porous CNF (NiO/PCNF) and as free-standing film electrode for high-performance electrochemical supercapacitors is reported. Polyacrylonitrile and nickel acetylacetone are selected as precursors of CNF and Ni sources, respectively. Dicyandiamide not only improves the specific surface area and pore volume, but also increases the N-doping level of PCNF. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between NiO nanoparticles (NPs) and PCNF, the prepared free-standing NiO/PCNF electrodes show a high specific capacitance of 850 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 in 6 m KOH aqueous solution, good rate capability, as well as excellent long-term cycling stability. Moreover, NiO NPs dispersed in PCNF and large specific surface area provide many electroactive sites, leading to high CO 2 uptake, and high-efficiency CO 2 electroreduction. The synthesis strategy in this study provides a new insight into the design and fabrication of promising multifunctional materials for high-performance supercapacitors and CO 2 electroreduction. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Flexible, lightweight and paper-like supercapacitors assembled from nitrogen-doped multi-dimensional carbon materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cao, Xianyi; Duus, Jens Øllgaard; Chi, Qijin

    2017-01-01

    hydrophilicity. In this work, a facile approach is developed to prepare nitrogen-doped carbon based flexible and free-standing paper electrodes {N3CPs) built from three types of representative carbon materials in different dimensions {OD: carbon black nanoparticles (CBNPs); 10: carbon nanotubes {CNTs); 20: GRSs......Flexible supercapacitors have shown great potential to fulfill the increasing demand on wearable, miniature, lightweight, thin and highly efficient power supply systems for advanced portable electronics. Owing to its superior supercapacitive performances as well as high chemical stability...... and excellent mechanical flexibility, graphene {GR} based flexible supercapacitors have received much research attention in recent years. However, GR-based supercapacitors often suffer from GR restacking leading to capacitance attenuation. Therefore, some macromolecules, polymers and zero...

  9. Hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped carbon membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Hong

    2017-08-03

    The present invention is a structure, method of making and method of use for a novel macroscopic hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped, nano-porous carbon membrane (HNDCMs) with asymmetric and hierarchical pore architecture that can be produced on a large-scale approach. The unique HNDCM holds great promise as components in separation and advanced carbon devices because they could offer unconventional fluidic transport phenomena on the nanoscale. Overall, the invention set forth herein covers a hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped carbon membranes and methods of making and using such a membranes.

  10. Carbon-encapsulated nickel-iron nanoparticles supported on nickel foam as a catalyst electrode for urea electrolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Mao-Sung; Jao, Chi-Yu; Chuang, Farn-Yih; Chen, Fang-Yi

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Electrochemical process can purify the urea-rich wastewater, producing hydrogen gas. • Carbon-encapsulated nickel iron nanoparticles (CE-NiFe) are prepared by pyrolysis. • An ultra-thin layer of CE-NiFe nanoparticles is attached to the 3D Ni foam. • CE-NiFe nanoparticles escalate both the urea electrolysis and hydrogen evolution. - Abstract: A cyanide-bridged bimetallic coordination polymer, nickel hexacyanoferrate, could be pyrolyzed to form carbon-encapsulated nickel-iron (CE-NiFe) nanoparticles. The formation of nitrogen-doped spherical carbon shell with ordered mesoporous structure prevented the structural damage of catalyst cores and allowed the migration and diffusion of electrolyte into the hollow carbon spheres. An ultra-thin layer of CE-NiFe nanoparticles could be tightly attached to the three-dimensional macroporous nickel foam (NF) by electrophoretic deposition. The CE-NiFe nanoparticles could lower the onset potential and increase the current density in anodic urea electrolysis and cathodic hydrogen production as compared with bare NF. Macroporous NF substrate was very useful for the urea electrolysis and hydrogen production, which allowed for fast transport of electron, electrolyte, and gas products. The superior electrocatalytic ability of CE-NiFe/NF electrode in urea oxidation and water reduction made it favorable for versatile applications such as water treatment, hydrogen generation, and fuel cells.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2018-05-01

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

  12. Size-mediated cytotoxicity of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide, pure and zinc-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles in human hepatoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Devanand Venkatasubbu, G.; Ramasamy, S.; Avadhani, G. S.; Palanikumar, L.; Kumar, J.

    2012-01-01

    Nanoparticles are highly used in biological applications including nanomedicine. In this present study, the interaction of HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC) with hydroxyapatite (HAp), zinc-doped hydroxyapatite, and titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles were investigated. Hydroxyapatite, zinc-doped hydroxyapatite and titanium dioxide nanoparticles were prepared by wet precipitation method. They were subjected to isochronal annealing at different temperatures. Particle morphology and size distribution were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. The nanoparticles were co-cultured with HepG2 cells. MTT assay was employed to evaluate the proliferation of tumor cells. The DNA damaging effect of HAp, Zn-doped HAp, and TiO 2 nanoparticles in human hepatoma cells (HepG2) were evaluated using DNA fragmentation studies. The results showed that in HepG2 cells, the anti-tumor activity strongly depend on the size of nanoparticles in HCC cells. Cell cycle arrest analysis for HAp, zinc-doped HAp, and TiO 2 nanoparticles revealed the influence of HAp, zinc-doped HAp, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. The results imply that the novel nano nature effect plays an important role in the biomedicinal application of nanoparticles.

  13. Synthesis of Nd3+doped TiO2 nanoparticles and Its Optical Behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ezhil Arasi S.

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Pure and Rare earth ion doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized by Sol-gel method. The synthesized TiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence emission spectra. From the UV-visible measurement, the absorption edge of Nd3+-TiO2 was shifted to a higher wavelength side with decreasing band gap. Photoluminescence emission studies reveal the energy transfer mechanism of Nd3+ doped TiO2 nanoparticles explain.

  14. The cellular magnetic response and biocompatibility of biogenic zinc- and cobalt-doped magnetite nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moise, Sandhya; Céspedes, Eva; Soukup, Dalibor; Byrne, James M.; El Haj, Alicia J.; Telling, Neil D.

    2017-01-01

    The magnetic moment and anisotropy of magnetite nanoparticles can be optimised by doping with transition metal cations, enabling their properties to be tuned for different biomedical applications. In this study, we assessed the suitability of bacterially synthesized zinc- and cobalt-doped magnetite nanoparticles for biomedical applications. To do this we measured cellular viability and activity in primary human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and human osteosarcoma-derived cells. Using AC susceptibility we studied doping induced changes in the magnetic response of the nanoparticles both as stable aqueous suspensions and when associated with cells. Our findings show that the magnetic response of the particles was altered after cellular interaction with a reduction in their mobility. In particular, the strongest AC susceptibility signal measured in vitro was from cells containing high-moment zinc-doped particles, whilst no signal was observed in cells containing the high-anisotropy cobalt-doped particles. For both particle types we found that the moderate dopant levels required for optimum magnetic properties did not alter their cytotoxicity or affect osteogenic differentiation of the stem cells. Thus, despite the known cytotoxicity of cobalt and zinc ions, these results suggest that iron oxide nanoparticles can be doped to sufficiently tailor their magnetic properties without compromising cellular biocompatibility.

  15. Dielectric and magnetic properties of (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rajwali, Khan; Fang Ming-Hu

    2015-01-01

    Polycrystalline samples of (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were prepared using a co-precipitation method. The influence of (Zn, Co) co-doping on electrical, dielectric, and magnetic properties was studied. All of the (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO 2 powder samples have the same tetragonal structure of SnO 2 . A decrease in the dielectric constant was observed with the increase of Co doping concentration. It was found that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss values decrease, while AC electrical conductivity increases with doping concentration and frequency. Magnetization measurements revealed that the Co doping SnO 2 samples exhibits room temperature ferromagnetism. Our results illustrate that (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles have an excellent dielectric, magnetic properties, and high electrical conductivity than those reported previously, indicating that these (Zn, Co) co-doped SnO 2 materials can be used in the field of the ultrahigh dielectric material, high frequency device, and spintronics. (paper)

  16. XRD analysis of undoped and Fe doped TiO2 nanoparticles by Williamson Hall method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bharti, Bandna; Barman, P. B.; Kumar, Rajesh

    2015-01-01

    Undoped and Fe doped titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method at room temperature. The synthesized samples were annealed at 500°C. For structural analysis, the prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystallite size of TiO 2 and Fe doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were calculated by Scherer’s formula, and was found to be 15 nm and 11 nm, respectively. Reduction in crystallite size of TiO 2 with Fe doping was observed. The anatase phase of Fe-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles was also confirmed by X-ray diffraction. By using Williamson-Hall method, lattice strain and crystallite size were also calculated. Williamson–Hall plot indicates the presence of compressive strain for TiO 2 and tensile strain for Fe-TiO 2 nanoparticles annealed at 500°C

  17. Preparation and optical properties of Eu3+-doped tin oxide nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Guofeng; Yang, Yiping; Mu, Qiuying; Wang, Yude

    2010-01-01

    Eu 3+ -doped SnO 2 nanoparticles with high surface area were generated within the template of the cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB) micelle assembly by surfactant-mediated method from the hydrous tin chloride (SnCl 4 .5H 2 O) and europium chloride (EuCl 3 .6H 2 O). The as-synthesized product was amorphous and transformed into crystalline calcined at 500 o C for 2 h. DSC-TGA, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to examine the morphology and microstructure of the final products. The results showed that the Eu 3+ -doped SnO 2 nanoparticles with diameter of 3-7 nm were obtained. The influences of the molar ratios of Eu 3+ and CTAB on the room temperature photoluminescence (RTPL) properties of Eu 3+ -doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were investigated. The results showed that the contents of Eu 3+ and CTAB had a great influence on the crystallite sizes and RTPL properties of Eu 3+ :SnO 2 nanoparticles. The maximum of the RTPL intensity can be observed at the molar ratio 5.0% Eu 3+ and 10.0% CTAB.

  18. Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of Sm3+-doped CaWO4 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiao Qi; Zhou Qitao; Li Ming

    2010-01-01

    The Sm 3+ -doped CaWO 4 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Sm 3+ -doped CaWO 4 nanoparticles doped with different Sm 3+ concentrations under 405 nm excitation have been investigated. The PL spectra showed four strong emission peaks at 460, 571, 609, and 653 nm. The first emission peak at 460 nm could be due to a structural defect of the lattice, an oxygen-deficient WO 3 complex. The other three emissions at 571, 609, and 653 nm were due to the f-f forbidden transitions of the 4f electrons of Sm 3+ , corresponding to 4 G 5/2 → 6 H 5/2 (571 nm), 6 H 7/2 (609 nm), and 6 H 9/2 (653 nm), respectively. In addition, the optimum Sm 3+ concentration in CaWO 4 nanoparticles for optical emission was determined to be 1.0%. The Sm 3+4 G 5/2 → 6 H 7/2 (609 nm) emission intensity of Sm 3+ -doped CaWO 4 nanoparticles significantly increased with the increase of Sm 3+ concentration, and showed a maximum when Sm 3+ doping content was 1.0%. If Sm 3+ concentration continued to increase, namely more than 1.0%, the Sm 3+4 G 5/2 → 6 H 7/2 emission intensity would decrease. The present materials might be a promising phosphor for white-light LED applications.

  19. Preparation of nitrogen-doped carbon tubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Hoon Taek; Zelenay, Piotr

    2015-12-22

    A method for synthesizing nitrogen-doped carbon tubes involves preparing a solution of cyanamide and a suitable transition metal-containing salt in a solvent, evaporating the solvent to form a solid, and pyrolyzing the solid under an inert atmosphere under conditions suitable for the production of nitrogen-doped carbon tubes from the solid. Pyrolyzing for a shorter period of time followed by rapid cooling resulted in a tubes with a narrower average diameter.

  20. Combined sonochemical/CVD method for preparation of nanostructured carbon-doped TiO{sub 2} thin film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rasoulnezhad, Hossein [Semiconductor Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC), Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kavei, Ghassem, E-mail: kaveighassem@gmail.com [Semiconductor Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC), Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ahmadi, Kamran [Semiconductor Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC), Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rahimipour, Mohammad Reza [Ceramic Department, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC), Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2017-06-30

    Highlights: • Combination of sonochemical and CVD methods for preparation of nanostructured carbon-doped TiO{sub 2} thin film on glass substrate, for the first time. • High transparency, monodispersity and homogeneity of the prepared thin films. • Preparation of the carbon-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films with nanorod and nanosphere morphologies. - Abstract: The present work reports the successful synthesis of the nanostructured carbon-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films on glass substrate by combination of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and ultrasonic methods, for the first time. In this method the ultrasound waves act as nebulizer for converting of sonochemically prepared TiO{sub 2} sol to the mist particles. These mist particles were thermally decomposed in subsequent CVD chamber at 320 °C to produce the carbon-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films. The obtained thin films were characterized by means of X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The results show that the prepared thin films have anatase crystal structure and nanorod morphology, which calcination of them at 800 °C results in the conversion of nanorods to nanoparticles. In addition, the prepared samples have high transparency, monodispersity and homogeneity. The presence of the carbon element in the structure of the thin films causes the narrowing of the band-gap energy of TiO{sub 2} to about 2.8 eV, which results in the improvement of visible light absorption capabilities of the thin film.

  1. Structural, Optical, and Electronic Characterization of Fe-Doped Alumina Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heiba, Zein K.; Mohamed, Mohamed Bakr; Wahba, Adel Maher; Imam, N. G.

    2018-01-01

    The effects of iron doping on the structural, optical, and electronic properties of doped alumina have been studied. Single-phase iron-doped alumina Al2- x Fe x O3 ( x = 0.00 to 0.30) nanoparticles were synthesized via citrate-precursor method. Formation of single-phase hexagonal corundum structure with no other separate phases was demonstrated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The effects of iron doping on the α-Al2O3 structural parameters, viz. atomic coordinates, lattice parameters, crystallite size, and microstrain, were estimated from XRD data by applying the Rietveld profile fitting method. Transmission electron microscopy further confirmed the nanosize nature of the prepared samples with size ranging from 12 nm to 83 nm. The electronic band structure was investigated using density functional theory calculations to explain the decrease in the energy gap of Al2- x Fe x O3 as the amount of Fe was increased. The colored emission peaks in the visible region (blue, red, violet) of the electromagnetic spectrum obtained for the Fe-doped α-Al2O3 nanoparticles suggest their potential application as ceramic nanopigments.

  2. Synthesis and characterization of Mn2+-doped ZnS nanoparticles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Keywords. Nanoparticles; nanocomposite; Mn2+-doped ZnS; annealing; X-ray diffrac- tion; FTIR; ultra violet. ... is an important wide band gap semiconductor, has attracted much attention owing to its wide applications ... semiconductor nanoparticles ZnS : Mn2+ is used as phosphors and also in thin film electroluminescent ...

  3. Phosphate-Doped Carbon Black as Pt Catalyst Support: Co-catalytic Functionality for Dimethyl Ether and Methanol Electro-oxidation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yin, Min; Huang, Yunjie; Li, Qingfeng

    2014-01-01

    ). The supported Pt catalysts show significant improvement in catalytic activity towards the direct oxidation of methanol and DME, attributable to the enhanced adsorption and dehydrogenation of methanol and DME, as well as the presence of activated OH species in the catalysts. The latter is demonstrated......Niobium-phosphate-doped (NbP-doped) carbon blacks were prepared as the composite catalyst support for Pt nanoparticles. Functionalities of the composite include intrinsic proton conductivity, surface acidity, and interfacial synergistic interactions with methanol and dimethyl ether (DME...... to facilitate the removal of CO intermediates formed during the oxidation reactions....

  4. Novel Co3O4 Nanoparticles/Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Composites with Extraordinary Catalytic Activity for Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaobing; Chen, Juan; Chen, Yuqing; Feng, Pingjing; Lai, Huixian; Li, Jintang; Luo, Xuetao

    2018-03-01

    Herein, Co3O4 nanoparticles/nitrogen-doped carbon (Co3O4/NPC) composites with different structures were prepared via a facile method. Structure control was achieved by the rational morphology design of ZIF-67 precursors, which were then pyrolyzed in air to obtain Co3O4/NPC composites. When applied as catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the M-Co3O4/NPC composites derived from the flower-like ZIF-67 showed superior catalytic activities than those derived from the rhombic dodecahedron and hollow spherical ZIF-67. The former M-Co3O4/NPC composite displayed a small over-potential of 0.3 V, low onset potential of 1.41 V, small Tafel slope of 83 mV dec-1, and a desirable stability. (94.7% OER activity was retained after 10 h.) The excellent performance of the flower-like M-Co3O4/NPC composite in the OER was attributed to its favorable structure. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  5. Comparison between nano-diamond and carbon nanotube doping effects on critical current density and flux pinning in MgB2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, C H; Yang, Y; Munroe, P; Zhao, Y

    2007-01-01

    Doping effects of nano-diamond and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on critical current density of bulk MgB 2 have been studied. CNTs are found prone to be doped into the MgB 2 lattice whereas nano-diamond tends to form second-phase inclusions in the MgB 2 matrix, leading to a more significant improvement of J c (H) by doping by nano-diamond than by CNTs in MgB 2 . TEM reveals tightly packed MgB 2 nanograins (50-100 nm) with a dense distribution of diamond nanoparticles (10-20 nm) inside MgB 2 grains in nano-diamond-doped samples. Such a unique microstructure leads to a flux pinning behaviour different from that in CNTs-doped MgB 2

  6. Preparation and characterization of carbon/SiC nanowire/Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite multilayer coating for carbon/carbon composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leilei, Zhang; Hejun, Li; Kezhi, Li; Shouyang, Zhang; Qiangang, Fu; Yulei, Zhang; Jinhua, Lu; Wei, Li

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • CSH coatings were prepared by combination of magnetron sputter ion plating, CVD and UECD. • Na + and CO 3 2− were developed to co-substitute hydroxyapatite. • SiC nanowires were introduced into Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite. • CSH coatings showed excellent cell activity and cell proliferation behavior. - Abstract: A carbon/SiC nanowire/Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite multilayer coating (CSH coating) was prepared on carbon/carbon composites using a combination method of magnetron sputter ion plating, chemical vapor deposition and ultrasound-assisted electrochemical deposition procedure. The morphology, microstructure and chemical composition of the coating were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the CSH coating was consisted of three components: carbon layer, SiC nanowires and Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite. The carbon layer provided a dense and uniform surface structure for the growth of SiC nanowires. The SiC nanowires exhibited a porous structure, favoring the infiltration of Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite crystals. The Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite could infiltrate into the pores of SiC nanowires and finally cover the SiC nanowires entirely with a needle shape. The osteoblast-like MG63 cells were employed to assess the in vitro biocompatibility of the CSH coating. The MG63 cells favorably spread and grew well across the CSH coating surface with plenty of filopods and microvilli, exhibiting excellent cell activity. Moreover, the CSH coating elicited higher cell proliferation as compared to bare carbon/carbon composites. In conclusion, the CSH offers great potential as a coating material for future medical application in hard tissue replacement

  7. Preparation and characterization of carbon/SiC nanowire/Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite multilayer coating for carbon/carbon composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leilei, Zhang, E-mail: zhangleilei1121@aliyun.com; Hejun, Li; Kezhi, Li; Shouyang, Zhang; Qiangang, Fu; Yulei, Zhang; Jinhua, Lu; Wei, Li

    2014-09-15

    Highlights: • CSH coatings were prepared by combination of magnetron sputter ion plating, CVD and UECD. • Na{sup +} and CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} were developed to co-substitute hydroxyapatite. • SiC nanowires were introduced into Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite. • CSH coatings showed excellent cell activity and cell proliferation behavior. - Abstract: A carbon/SiC nanowire/Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite multilayer coating (CSH coating) was prepared on carbon/carbon composites using a combination method of magnetron sputter ion plating, chemical vapor deposition and ultrasound-assisted electrochemical deposition procedure. The morphology, microstructure and chemical composition of the coating were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the CSH coating was consisted of three components: carbon layer, SiC nanowires and Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite. The carbon layer provided a dense and uniform surface structure for the growth of SiC nanowires. The SiC nanowires exhibited a porous structure, favoring the infiltration of Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite crystals. The Na-doped carbonated hydroxyapatite could infiltrate into the pores of SiC nanowires and finally cover the SiC nanowires entirely with a needle shape. The osteoblast-like MG63 cells were employed to assess the in vitro biocompatibility of the CSH coating. The MG63 cells favorably spread and grew well across the CSH coating surface with plenty of filopods and microvilli, exhibiting excellent cell activity. Moreover, the CSH coating elicited higher cell proliferation as compared to bare carbon/carbon composites. In conclusion, the CSH offers great potential as a coating material for future medical application in hard tissue replacement.

  8. Cytotoxicity and physicochemical characterization of iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Fahdawi, Mohamed Qasim; Rasedee, Abdullah; Al-Qubaisi, Mothanna Sadiq; Alhassan, Fatah H; Rosli, Rozita; El Zowalaty, Mohamed Ezzat; Naadja, Seïf-Eddine; Webster, Thomas J; Taufiq-Yap, Yun Hin

    2015-01-01

    Iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles with both Lewis and Brønsted acidic sites were prepared by a hydrothermal impregnation method followed by calcination at 650°C for 5 hours, and their cytotoxicity properties against cancer cell lines were determined. The characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brauner–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurements, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, zeta size potential, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The cytotoxicity of iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays against three human cancer cell lines (breast cancer MDA-MB231 cells, colon carcinoma HT29 cells, and hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells) and two normal human cell lines (normal hepatocyte Chang cells and normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells [HUVECs]). The results suggest for the first time that iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles are cytotoxic to MDA-MB231 and HepG2 cancer cells but have less toxicity to HT29 and normal cells at concentrations from 7.8 μg/mL to 500 μg/mL. The morphology of the treated cells was also studied, and the results supported those from the cytotoxicity study in that the nanoparticle-treated HepG2 and MDA-MB231 cells had more dramatic changes in cell morphology than the HT29 cells. In this manner, this study provides the first evidence that iron–manganese-doped sulfated zirconia nanoparticles should be further studied for a wide range of cancer applications without detrimental effects on healthy cell functions. PMID:26425082

  9. Structural and magnetic properties of single-crystalline Co-doped barium titanate nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Hongxue; Cao Baobao; O'Connor, Charles J.

    2010-01-01

    Undoped and Co-doped BaTiO 3 nanoparticles were synthesized by a one-step sol-precipitation method. For all the samples, X-ray diffraction showed characteristic diffraction lines for BaTiO 3 without the indication of secondary phases. High-resolution transition electron microscopy images showed that BaTiO 3 nanoparticles exhibit the nature of single-crystal. Magnetometry revealed that all the Co-doped BaTiO 3 samples show paramagnetic behaviors and Co ions in BaTiO 3 are present as isolated paramagnetic centers. This is contrasted to several reported cases of ferromagnetism in Co-doped BaTiO 3 .

  10. Photothermal therapy of cancer cells using magnetic carbon nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vardarajan, V.; Gu, L.; Kanneganti, A.; Mohanty, S. K.; Koymen, A. R.

    2011-03-01

    Photothermal therapy offers a solution for the destruction of cancer cells without significant collateral damage to otherwise healthy cells. Several attempts are underway in using carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) and nanotubes due to their excellent absorption properties in the near-infrared spectrum of biological window. However, minimizing the required number of injected nanoparticles, to ensure minimal cytotoxicity, is a major challenge. We report on the introduction of magnetic carbon nanoparticles (MCNPs) onto cancer cells, localizing them in a desired region by applying an external magnetic field and irradiating them with a near-infrared laser beam. The MCNPs were prepared in Benzene, using an electric plasma discharge, generated in the cavitation field of an ultrasonic horn. The CNPs were made ferromagnetic by use of Fe-electrodes to dope the CNPs, as confirmed by magnetometry. Transmission electron microscopy measurements showed the size distribution of these MCNPs to be in the range of 5-10 nm. For photothermal irradiation, a tunable continuous wave Ti: Sapphire laser beam was weakly focused on to the cell monolayer under an inverted fluorescence microscope. The response of different cell types to photothermal irradiation was investigated. Cell death in the presence of both MCNPs and laser beam was confirmed by morphological changes and propidium iodide fluorescence inclusion assay. The results of our study suggest that MCNP based photothermal therapy is a promising approach to remotely guide photothermal therapy.

  11. Hydrogen adsorption in doped porous carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    L Balan; L Duclaux; S Los

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: Hydrogen is a clean fuel that will be used in automotive transport when the problem of storage will be solved. The difficulties of H 2 storage (available space, security and performance, etc...) require a material that can store 5 weight % of hydrogen. Research is focused on new materials that can assume the constraints imposed by the automotive applications. Among these materials, the nano-structured carbons (nano-fibers and single walled carbon nano-tubes) were claimed to be promising by numerous authors [1-3]. The more promising carbon materials for hydrogen adsorption are those having micropores (i. e. single walled carbon nano-tubes and activated carbon), for which the energy of sorption of hydrogen molecules is theoretically higher [7-8]. Presently, the best performance of hydrogen adsorption was found in super-activated microporous carbons sorbing 5 weight % at 77 K, and almost 0.5 % at room temperature and 6 MPa [9]. Up to now, the performance of these materials can still be improved as the known mechanism of sorption in these carbon materials: physi-sorption controlled by Van der Waals attractive forces through London interaction is efficient at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) where the interaction between adsorbent and adsorbate becomes stronger. One way to improve the attractive interaction between adsorbent and molecule is to increase the forces due to the interaction of electrical field and induced dipole of the molecule. This can be theoretically tailored in carbon materials through the electron charge transfer by electron donors who can provide an increase in the electrical field at the surface of the adsorbent. Then, the doping of carbon substrates, appearing to be a promising method to increase the energy of adsorption has been proposed in recent papers as a solution to obtain good hydrogen adsorption properties at appropriate temperatures close to room temperatures [10-12]. Thus, we have studied the adsorption

  12. Hydrogen adsorption in doped porous carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balan, L.; Duchaux, L.; Los, S.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: Hydrogen is a clean fuel that will be used in automotive transport when the problem of storage will be solved. The difficulties of H 2 storage (available space, security and performance, etc...) require a material that can store 5 weight % of hydrogen. Research is focused on new materials that can assume the constraints imposed by the automotive applications. Among these materials, the nano-structured carbons (nano-fibers and single walled carbon nano-tubes) were claimed to be promising by numerous authors [1-3]. The more promising carbon materials for hydrogen adsorption are those having micropores (i. e. single walled carbon nano-tubes and activated carbon), for which the energy of sorption of hydrogen molecules is theoretically higher [7- 8]. Presently, the best performance of hydrogen adsorption was found in super-activated micro-porous carbons sorbing 5 weight % at 77 K, and almost 0.5 % at room temperature and 6 MPa [9]. Up to now, the performance of these materials can still be improved as the known mechanism of sorption in these carbon materials: physisorption controlled by Van der Waals attractive forces through London interaction is efficient at cryogenic temperatures (77 K) where the interaction between adsorbent and adsorbate becomes stronger. One way to improve the attractive interaction between adsorbent and molecule is to increase the forces due to the interaction of electrical field and induced dipole of the molecule. This can be theoretically tailored in carbon materials through the electron charge transfer by electron donors who can provide an increase in the electrical field al the surface of the adsorbent. Then, the doping of carbon substrates, appearing to be a promising method to increase the energy of adsorption has been proposed in recent papers as a solution to obtain good hydrogen adsorption properties at appropriate temperatures close to room temperatures [10-12]. Thus, we have studied the adsorption

  13. Engineering Hydrophobic Organosilica Nanoparticle-Doped Nanofibers for Enhanced and Fouling Resistant Membrane Distillation

    KAUST Repository

    Hammami, Mohamed Amen; Croissant, Jonas G.; Francis, Lijo; Alsaiari, Shahad K.; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Ghaffour, NorEddine; Khashab, Niveen M.

    2016-01-01

    Engineering and scaling-up new materials for better water desalination are imperative to find alternative fresh water sources to meet future demands. Herein, the fabrication of hydrophobic poly(ether imide) composite nanofiber membranes doped with novel ethylene-pentafluorophenylene-based periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles is reported for enhanced and fouling resistant membrane distillation. Novel organosilica nanoparticles were homogeneously incorporated into electrospun nanofiber membranes depicting a proportional increase of hydrophobicity to the particle contents. Direct contact membrane distillation experiments on the organosilica-doped membrane with only 5% doping showed an increase of flux of 140% compared to commercial membranes. The high porosity of organosilica nanoparticles was further utilized to load the eugenol antimicrobial agent which produced a dramatic enhancement of the antibiofouling properties of the membrane of 70% after 24 h.

  14. Engineering Hydrophobic Organosilica Nanoparticle-Doped Nanofibers for Enhanced and Fouling Resistant Membrane Distillation

    KAUST Repository

    Hammami, Mohamed Amen

    2016-12-15

    Engineering and scaling-up new materials for better water desalination are imperative to find alternative fresh water sources to meet future demands. Herein, the fabrication of hydrophobic poly(ether imide) composite nanofiber membranes doped with novel ethylene-pentafluorophenylene-based periodic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles is reported for enhanced and fouling resistant membrane distillation. Novel organosilica nanoparticles were homogeneously incorporated into electrospun nanofiber membranes depicting a proportional increase of hydrophobicity to the particle contents. Direct contact membrane distillation experiments on the organosilica-doped membrane with only 5% doping showed an increase of flux of 140% compared to commercial membranes. The high porosity of organosilica nanoparticles was further utilized to load the eugenol antimicrobial agent which produced a dramatic enhancement of the antibiofouling properties of the membrane of 70% after 24 h.

  15. Magnetic anomalies in Fe-doped NiO nanoparticle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pradeep, R.; Gandhi, A. C.; Tejabhiram, Y.; Mathar Sahib, I. K. Md; Shimura, Y.; Karmakar, L.; Das, D.; Wu, Sheng Yun; Hayakawa, Y.

    2017-09-01

    Undoped and iron-doped NiO nanoparticle were synthesized by standard hydrothermal method. A detailed study is carried out on the effect of dopant concentration on morphology, structural, resonance and magnetic properties of NiO nanoparticle by varying the Fe concentration from 0.01 to 0.10 M. The synchrotron-x-ray diffraction confirmed that no secondary phase was observed other than NiO. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies revealed that, Fe was primarily in the trivalent state, replacing the Ni2+ ion inside the octahedral crystal site of NiO. The Electron paramagnetic studies revealed the ferromagnetic cluster formation at high doping concentration (5 and 10%). The ZFC-FC curves displayed an average blocking temperature around 180 K due to particle size distribution. The anomalous behaviour of spontaneous exchange bias (H SEB) and magnetic remanence (M r) for all Fe-doped samples observed at 5 K showed an increase (0.1316-0.1384 emu g-1) in the moment of frozen spin (M p) as the dopant concentration increased. The role of frozen spin moment in spontaneous exchange bias behaviour was discussed.

  16. Cobalt doped CuMnOx catalysts for the preferential oxidation of carbon monoxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dey, Subhashish; Dhal, Ganesh Chandra; Mohan, Devendra; Prasad, Ram; Gupta, Rajeev Nayan

    2018-05-01

    Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas, recognized as a silent killer for the 21st century. It is produced from the partial oxidation of carbon containing compounds. The catalytic oxidation of CO receives a huge attention due to its applications in different fields. In the present work, hopcalite (CuMnOx) catalysts were synthesized using a co-precipitation method for CO oxidation purposes. Also, it was doped with the cobalt by varying concentration from 1 to 5wt%. It was observed that the addition of cobalt into the CuMnOx catalyst (by the deposition-precipitation method) improved the catalytic performance for the low-temperature CO oxidation. CuMnOx catalyst doped with 3wt% of cobalt exhibited most active performance and showed the highest activity than other cobalt concentrations. Different analytical tools (i.e. XRD, FTIR, BET, XPS and SEM-EDX) were used to characterize the as-synthesized catalysts. It was expected that the introduction of cobalt will introduce new active sites into the CuMnOx catalyst that are associated with the cobalt nano-particles. The order of calcination strategies based on the activity for cobalt doped CuMnOx catalysts was observed as: Reactive calcinations (RC) > flowing air > stagnant air. Therefore, RC (4.5% CO in air) route can be recommended for the synthesis of highly active catalysts. The catalytic activity of doped CuMnOx catalysts toward CO oxidation shows a correlation among average oxidation number of Mn and the position and the nature of the doped cobalt cation.

  17. Structure and photoluminescence of boron and nitrogen co-doped carbon nanorods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, B.B. [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, 69 Hongguang Rd, Lijiatuo, Banan District, Chongqing 400054 (China); Gao, B. [College of Computer Science, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044 (China); Chongqing Municipal Education Examinations Authority, Chongqing 401147 (China); Zhong, X.X., E-mail: xxzhong@sjtu.edu.cn [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Shao, R.W.; Zheng, K. [Institute of Microstructure and Properties of Advanced Materials, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China)

    2016-07-15

    Graphical abstract: Boron- and nitrogen- doped carbon nanorods. - Highlights: • The co-doping of nitrogen and boron in carbon nanorods. • The doping mechanism of nitrogen and boron in carbon nanorods by plasma. • Photoluminescence properties of nitrogen- and boron-doped carbon nanorods. - Abstract: Boron and nitrogen doped carbon nanorods (BNCNRs) were synthesized by plasma-enhanced hot filament chemical vapor deposition, where methane, nitrogen and hydrogen were used as the reaction gases and boron carbide was the boron source. The results of scanning electron microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate that boron and nitrogen can be used as co-dopants in amorphous carbon nanorods. Combined with the characterization results, the doping mechanism was studied. The mechanism is used to explain the formation of different carbon materials by different methods. The photoluminescence (PL) properties of BNCNRs were studied. The PL results show that the BNCNRs generate strong green PL bands and weak blue PL bands, and the PL intensity lowered due to the doping of boron. The outcomes advance our knowledge on the synthesis and optical properties of carbon-based nanomaterials and contribute to the development of optoelectronic nanodevices based on nano-carbon mateirals.

  18. Spectral features and antibacterial properties of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samavati, Alireza; Nur, Hadi; Othaman, Z; Ismail, A F; Mustafa, M K

    2016-01-01

    Zn 1−x Cu x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) nanoparticles are synthesized via the sol-gel technique using gelatin and nitrate precursors. The impact of copper concentration on the structural, optical, and antibacterial properties of these nanoparticles is demonstrated. Powder x-ray diffraction investigations have illustrated the organized Cu doping into ZnO nanoparticles up to Cu concentration of 5% ( x = 0.05). However, the peak corresponding to CuO for x = 0.01 is not distinguishable. The images of field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrate the existence of a nearly spherical shape with a size in the range of 30–52 nm. Doping Cu creates the Cu–O–Zn on the surface and results in a decrease in the crystallite size. Photoluminescence and absorption spectra display that doping Cu causes an increment in the energy band gap. The antibacterial activities of the nanoparticles are examined against Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria) cultures using optical density at 600 nm and a comparison of the size of inhibition zone diameter. It is found that both pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles indicate appropriate antibacterial activity which rises with Cu doping. (paper)

  19. Lignocellulose-derived porous phosphorus-doped carbon as advanced electrode for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Jianan; Qing, Yan; Wu, ChuTian; Zeng, Yinxiang; Wu, Yiqiang; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

    2017-05-01

    Engineering porous heteroatom-doped carbon nanomaterials with remarkable capacitive performance is highly attractive. Herein, a simple and smart method has been developed to synthesize phosphorus (P) doped carbon with hierarchical porous structure derived from lignocellulose. Hierarchically porous P doped carbon is readily obtained by the pyrolysis of lignocellulose immersed in ZnCl2/NaH2PO4 aqueous solution, and exhibits excellent capacitive properties. The as-obtained P doped porous carbon delivers a significant capacitance of 133 F g-1 (146 mF cm-2) at a high current density of 10 A g-1 with outstanding rate performance. Furthermore, the P doped carbon electrode yields a long-term cycling durability with more than 97.9% capacitance retention after 10000 cycles as well. A symmetric supercapacitor with a maximum energy density of 4.7 Wh kg-1 is also demonstrated based on these P doped carbon electrodes.

  20. Preparation and thermoelectric properties of sulfur doped Ag2Te nanoparticles via solvothermal methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wenwen; Zhao, Weiyun; Lu, Ziyang; Zhu, Jixin; Fan, Shufen; Ma, Jan; Hng, Huey Hoon; Yan, Qingyu

    2012-07-07

    In this work, n-type Ag(2)Te nanoparticles are prepared by a solvothermal approach with uniform and controllable sizes, e.g. 5-15 nm. The usage of dodecanethiol during the synthesis effectively introduces sulfur doping into the sample, which optimizes the charge carrier concentration of the nanoparticles to >1 × 10(20) cm(-3). This allows us to achieve the desired electrical resistivities of nanoparticles with effective sulphur doping show a maximum ZT value of ~0.62 at 550 K.

  1. Synthesis of Ce-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles and their acetone gas sensing properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lian, Xiaoxue, E-mail: lianxiaoxues@163.com; Li, Yan; Tong, Xiaoqiang; Zou, Yunling; Liu, Xiulin; An, Dongmin; Wang, Qiong

    2017-06-15

    Highlights: • The Ce-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were fabricated via a simple hydrothermal method. • Ce ions were successfully doped into the SnO{sub 2} lattice, and 5 wt% SnO{sub 2}:Ce had a higher specific surface area. • The Ce-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles exhibited the highest response values and a well selectivity to acetone. - Abstract: Hydrothermal method was generally used to synthesis nanoparticles, which was used to fabricate pure and Ce-doped (3 wt%, 5 wt%, 7 wt%) SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles in this experiment. The as-prepared products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). The results clearly indicated that the nanoparticles were composed of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles and Ce ions were successfully doped into the SnO{sub 2} lattice, and 5 wt% SnO{sub 2}:Ce has a higher specific surface area (173.53 m{sup 2}/g). Importantly, SnO{sub 2}:Ce sensor had obviously improved performance compared to pure SnO{sub 2} and exhibited the highest response values (50.5 for 50 ppm) and a well selectivity to acetone at 270 °C. It could detect acetone gas in a wide concentration range with very high response, good long-term stability and repeatability of response. The possible sensing mechanism was discussed in this paper.

  2. Photodegradation of Eosin Y Using Silver-Doped Magnetic Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alzahrani, Eman

    2015-01-01

    The purification of industrial wastewater from dyes is becoming increasingly important since they are toxic or carcinogenic to human beings. Nanomaterials have been receiving significant attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties compared with their larger-size counterparts. The aim of the present investigation was to fabricate magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) using a coprecipitation method, followed by coating with silver (Ag) in order to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the MNPs by loading metal onto them. The fabricated magnetic nanoparticles coated with Ag were characterised using different instruments such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The average size of the magnetic nanoparticles had a mean diameter of about 48 nm, and the average particle size changed to 55 nm after doping. The fabricated Ag-doped magnetic nanoparticles were used for the degradation of eosin Y under UV-lamp irradiation. The experimental results revealed that the use of fabricated magnetic nanoparticles coated with Ag can be considered as reliable methods for the removal of eosin Y since the slope of evaluation of pseudo-first-order rate constant from the slope of the plot between ln⁡(C o /C) and the irradiation time was found to be linear. Ag-Fe3O4 nanoparticles would be considered an efficient photocatalyst to degrade textile dyes avoiding the tedious filtration step.

  3. Photodegradation of Eosin Y Using Silver-Doped Magnetic Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eman Alzahrani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The purification of industrial wastewater from dyes is becoming increasingly important since they are toxic or carcinogenic to human beings. Nanomaterials have been receiving significant attention due to their unique physical and chemical properties compared with their larger-size counterparts. The aim of the present investigation was to fabricate magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs using a coprecipitation method, followed by coating with silver (Ag in order to enhance the photocatalytic activity of the MNPs by loading metal onto them. The fabricated magnetic nanoparticles coated with Ag were characterised using different instruments such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD analysis. The average size of the magnetic nanoparticles had a mean diameter of about 48 nm, and the average particle size changed to 55 nm after doping. The fabricated Ag-doped magnetic nanoparticles were used for the degradation of eosin Y under UV-lamp irradiation. The experimental results revealed that the use of fabricated magnetic nanoparticles coated with Ag can be considered as reliable methods for the removal of eosin Y since the slope of evaluation of pseudo-first-order rate constant from the slope of the plot between ln⁡(Co/C and the irradiation time was found to be linear. Ag-Fe3O4 nanoparticles would be considered an efficient photocatalyst to degrade textile dyes avoiding the tedious filtration step.

  4. PtNi alloy nanoparticles supported on carbon-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays for photo-assisted methanol oxidation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Huichao; Xiao, Peng; Zhou, Ming; Liu, Feila; Yu, Shujuan; Qiao, Lei; Zhang, Yunhuai

    2013-01-01

    To develop anode catalysts for photo-assisted direct methanol fuel cell (PDMFC), carbon-doped TiO 2 nanotube arrays-supported PtNi alloy nanoparticles with different Pt/Ni atomic ratio (PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs) prepared by pulsed electrodeposition method are evaluated as catalysts for photo-assisted methanol oxidation. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry results show that the PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs prepared at t onPt :t onNi : = 10:7 (t on is the current-on time) with a Pt:Ni atomic ratio of 6.1:5.7 presents the highest catalytic activity for methanol oxidation both in the dark and under illumination. In addition, according to the results obtained from the CO stripping voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests, it was found that the light play an accelerative role in the oxidation of methanol on PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs under illumination. The effect of illumination which enhancing the catalytic activity of PtNi/C-TiO 2 NTs are attributed to (1) methanol and the intermediates be oxidized directly on C-TiO 2 NTs for the light-induced catalytic effect; (2) more abundant oxygen-donating species be produced on C-TiO 2 NTs in the presence of light; (3) less CO ads adsorbing on catalysts due to the presence of stronger metal–support interactions between PtNi alloy nanoparticles and C-TiO 2 NTs under illumination

  5. Sub-ambient carbon dioxide adsorption properties of nitrogen doped graphene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tamilarasan, P.; Ramaprabhu, Sundara, E-mail: ramp@iitm.ac.in [Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology Laboratory (AENL), Nano Functional Materials Technology Centre (NFMTC), Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036 (India)

    2015-04-14

    Carbon dioxide adsorption on carbon surface can be enhanced by doping the surface with heterogeneous atoms, which can increase local surface affinity. This study presents the carbon dioxide adsorption properties of nitrogen doped graphene at low pressures (<100 kPa). Graphene was exposed to nitrogen plasma, which dopes nitrogen atoms into carbon hexagonal lattice, mainly in pyridinic and pyrrolic forms. It is found that nitrogen doping significantly improves the CO{sub 2} adsorption capacity at all temperatures, due to the enrichment of local Lewis basic sites. In general, isotherm and thermodynamic parameters suggest that doped nitrogen sites have nearly same adsorption energy of surface defects and residual functional groups. The isosteric heat of adsorption remains in physisorption range, which falls with surface coverage, suggesting the distribution of magnitude of adsorption energy. The absolute values of isosteric heat and entropy of adsorption are slightly increased upon nitrogen doping.

  6. Magnetic and optical properties of manganese doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel technique

    KAUST Repository

    Omri, Karim; El Ghoul, Jaber; Lemine, O. M.; Bououdina, M.; Zhang, Bei; El Mir, Lassaad

    2013-01-01

    Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles with different doping concentration (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 at.%) were prepared by sol-gel method using supercritical drying conditions of ethyl alcohol. The structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties of the as-prepared nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV measurements and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The structural properties showed that the undoped and Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibit hexagonal wurtzite structure. From the optical studies, the transmittance in UV region was decreased with the increase of Mn concentration. For Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles the optical band gap varies between 3.34 eV and 3.22 eV. It was found that the doping Mn 2+ ions have a significant influence on the optical properties. The magnetic characterization of the samples with 1% and 5% Mn concentrations reveal diamagnetic behavior for the first one and the presence of both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic behavior for the second. The room ferromagnetic component is due to the presence of the secondary phase ZnOMn3 which is confirmed by XRD study. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Magnetic and optical properties of manganese doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel technique

    KAUST Repository

    Omri, Karim

    2013-08-01

    Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles with different doping concentration (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 at.%) were prepared by sol-gel method using supercritical drying conditions of ethyl alcohol. The structural, morphological, optical and magnetic properties of the as-prepared nanoparticles were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV measurements and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The structural properties showed that the undoped and Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles exhibit hexagonal wurtzite structure. From the optical studies, the transmittance in UV region was decreased with the increase of Mn concentration. For Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles the optical band gap varies between 3.34 eV and 3.22 eV. It was found that the doping Mn 2+ ions have a significant influence on the optical properties. The magnetic characterization of the samples with 1% and 5% Mn concentrations reveal diamagnetic behavior for the first one and the presence of both paramagnetic and ferromagnetic behavior for the second. The room ferromagnetic component is due to the presence of the secondary phase ZnOMn3 which is confirmed by XRD study. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Nanoparticle-doped Polymer Foils for Use in Solar Control Glazing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, G. B.; Deller, C. A.; Swift, P. D.; Gentle, A.; Garrett, P. D.; Fisher, W. K.

    2002-04-01

    Since nanoparticles can provide spectrally selective absorption without scattering they can be used to dope polymers for use in windows, to provide a clear view while strongly attenuating both solar heat gain and UV, at lower cost than alternative technologies. The underlying physics and how it influences the choice and concentration of nanoparticle materials is outlined. Spectral data, visible and solar transmittance, and solar heat gain coefficient are measured for clear polymers and some laminated glass, in which the polymer layer is doped with conducting oxide nanoparticles. Simple models are shown to apply making general optical design straightforward. Use with clear glass and tinted glass is considered and performance shown to match existing solar control alternatives. A potential for widespread adoption in buildings and cars is clearly demonstrated, and scopes for further improvements are identified, so that ultimately both cost and performance are superior.

  9. Synthesis of Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles with biocompatible capping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharda; Jayanthi, K.; Chawla, Santa

    2010-01-01

    Free standing nanoparticles of ZnO doped with transition metal ion Mn have been prepared by solid state reaction method at 500 deg. C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed high quality monophasic wurtzite hexagonal structure with particle size of 50 nm and no signature of dopant as separate phase. Incorporation of Mn has been confirmed with EDS. Bio-inorganic interface was created by capping the nanoparticles with heteromultifunctional organic stabilizer mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA). The surface morphological studies by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed formation of spherical particles and the nanoballs grow in size uniformly with MSA capping. MSA capping has been confirmed with thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and FTIR. Photoluminescence (PL) studies show that the ZnO:Mn 2+ particles are excitable by blue light and emits in orange and red. Occurrence of room temperature ferromagnetism in Mn doped ZnO makes such biocompatible luminescent magnetic nanoparticles very promising material.

  10. Nanoparticle-doped Polymer Foils for Use in Solar Control Glazing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, G.B.; Deller, C.A.; Swift, P.D.; Gentle, A.; Garrett, P.D.; Fisher, W.K.

    2002-01-01

    Since nanoparticles can provide spectrally selective absorption without scattering they can be used to dope polymers for use in windows, to provide a clear view while strongly attenuating both solar heat gain and UV, at lower cost than alternative technologies. The underlying physics and how it influences the choice and concentration of nanoparticle materials is outlined. Spectral data, visible and solar transmittance, and solar heat gain coefficient are measured for clear polymers and some laminated glass, in which the polymer layer is doped with conducting oxide nanoparticles. Simple models are shown to apply making general optical design straightforward. Use with clear glass and tinted glass is considered and performance shown to match existing solar control alternatives. A potential for widespread adoption in buildings and cars is clearly demonstrated, and scopes for further improvements are identified, so that ultimately both cost and performance are superior

  11. Phase transition and magnetic properties of Mg-doped hexagonal close-packed Ni nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Jinghai; Feng Bo; Liu Yang; Zhang Yongjun; Yang Lili; Wang Yaxin; Wei Maobin; Lang Jihui; Wang Dandan; Liu Xiaoyan

    2008-01-01

    Mg-doped Ni nanoparticles with the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) and face-centered cubic (fcc) structure have been synthesized by sol-gel method sintered at different temperatures in argon atmosphere. The sintering temperature played an important role in the control of the crystalline phase and the particle size. The pure hcp Mg-doped Ni nanoparticles with average particle size of 6.0 nm were obtained at 320 deg. C. The results indicated that the transition from the hcp to the fcc phase occurred in the temperature range between 320 deg. C and 450 deg. C. Moreover, the VSM results showed that the hcp Mg-doped Ni nanoparticles had unique ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic behavior. The unsaturation even at 5000 Oe is one of the superparamagnetic characteristics due to the small particle size. From the ZFC and FC curves, the blocking temperature T B of the hcp sample (6.0 nm) was estimated to be 10 K. The blocking temperature was related to the size of the magnetic particles and the magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant. By theoretical calculation, the deduced particle size was 6.59 nm for hcp Mg-doped Ni nanoparticles which was in agreement with the results of XRD and TEM

  12. Structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of Gd-doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles with reduced particle size

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lotey, Gurmeet Singh; Verma, N. K.

    2012-01-01

    Pure and Gd-doped BiFeO 3 nanoparticles have been synthesized by sol–gel method. The significant effects of size and Gd-doping on structural, electrical, and magnetic properties have been investigated. X-ray diffraction study reveals that the pure BiFeO 3 nanoparticles possess rhombohedral structure, but with 10% Gd-doping complete structural transformation from rhombohedral to orthorhombic has been observed. The particle size of pure and Gd-doped BiFeO 3 nanoparticles, calculated using Transmission electron microscopy, has been found to be in the range 25–15 nm. Pure and Gd-doped BiFeO 3 nanoparticles show ferromagnetic character, and the magnetization increases with decrease in particle size and increase in doping concentration. Scanning electron microscopy study reveals that grain size decreases with increase in Gd concentration. Well-saturated polarization versus electric field loop is observed for the doped samples. Leakage current density decreases by four orders by doping Gd in BiFeO 3 . The incorporation of Gd in BiFeO 3 enhances spin as well as electric polarization at room temperature. The possible origin of enhancement in these properties has been explained on the basis of dopant and its concentration, phase purity, small particle, and grain size.

  13. Synthesis, characterization and optical properties of gelatin doped with silver nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoud, K. H.; Abbo, M.

    2013-12-01

    In this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical reduction of silver salt (AgNO3) solution. Formation of nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-visible spectrometry. The surface plasmon resonance peak is located at 430 nm. Doping of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with gelatin biopolymer was studied. The silver content in the polymer matrix was in the range of 0.4-1 wt%. The formation of nanoparticles disappeared for silver content higher than 1 wt%. The morphology and interaction of gelatin doped with Ag NPs was examined by transmission electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The content of Ag NPs has a pronounced effect on optical and structural properties of gelatin. Optical parameters such as refractive index, complex dielectric constant were calculated. The dispersion of the refractive index was discussed in terms of the single - oscillator Wemple-DiDomenico model. Color properties of the prepared samples were discussed in the framework of CIE L*u*v* color space.

  14. Effect of silver doping on the elastic properties of CdS nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dey, P. C.; Das, R.

    2018-05-01

    CdS and Ag doped CdS (CdS/Ag) nanoparticles have been prepared via chemical method from a Cadmium acetate precursor and Thiourea. The synthesized CdS and CdS/Ag nanoparticles have been characterized by the X-ray Diffraction and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope. Here, these nanoparticles have been synthesized at room temperature and all the characterization have also been done at room temperature only. The XRD results reveal that the products are crystalline with cubic zinc blende structure. HRTEM images show that the prepared nanoparticles are nearly spherical in shape. Williamson-Hall method and Size-Strain Plot (SSP) have been used to study the individual contribution of crystalline sizes and lattice strain on the peak broadening of the CdS and CdS/Ag nanoparticles. The different modified model of Williamson-Hall method such as, uniform deformation model, uniform stress deformation model and uniform energy density deformation model and SSP method have been used to calculate the different physical parameter such as lattice strain, stress and energy density for all diffraction peaks of the XRD, corresponding to the CdS and silver doped CdS (CdS/Ag). The obtained results reveal that the average particle size of the prepared CdS and CdS/Ag nanoparticles estimated from the HRTEM images, Williamson-Hall analysis and SSP method are highly correlated with each other. Further, all these result confirms that doping of Ag significantly affects the elastic properties of CdS.

  15. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-derived N-doped porous carbon coated olive-shaped FeOx nanoparticles for lithium storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gan, Qingmeng; Zhao, Kuangmin; He, Zhen; Liu, Suqin; Li, Aikui

    2018-04-01

    We propose a new strategy to uniformly coat zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) on iron oxides containing no Zn to obtain an α-Fe2O3@ZIF-8 composite. After carbonization, the α-Fe2O3@ZIF-8 transforms into iron oxides@N-doped porous carbon (FeOx@NC). The uniform N-doped porous carbon layer gives rise to a superior electrical conductivity, highly-increased specific BET surface area (179.2 m2 g-1), and abundant mesopores for the FeOx@NC composite. When served as the LIB anode, the FeOx@NC shows a high reversible capacity (of 1064 mA h g-1 at 200 mA g-1), excellent rate performance (of 198.1 mA h g-1 at 10000 mA g-1) as well as brilliant long-term cyclability (with a capacity retention of 93.3% after 800 cycles), which are much better than those of the FeOx@C and pristine FeOx anodes. Specifically, the Li-ion intercalation pseudocapacitive behavior of the FeOx@NC anode is improved by this N-doped porous carbon coating, which is beneficial for rapid Li-ion insertion/extraction processes. The excellent electrochemical performance of FeOx@NC should be ascribed to the increased electrolyte penetration areas, improved electrical conductivity, boosted lithium storage kinetics, and shortened Li-ion transport length.

  16. Highly efficient green light harvesting from Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles: Structural and optical studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, Sarla, E-mail: mail2sarlasharma@gmail.com [Department of Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302055 (India); Vyas, Rishi [Department of Physics, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur 302017 (India); Sharma, Neha [Department of Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302055 (India); Singh, Vidyadhar [Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate University, Okinawa 9040495 (Japan); Singh, Arvind [Department of Physics, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400 019 (India); Kataria, Vanjula; Gupta, Bipin Kumar [National Physical Laboratory (CSIR), New Delhi 110012 (India); Vijay, Y.K. [Department of Physics, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302055 (India)

    2013-03-05

    Graphical abstract: Demonstration of highly efficient green light emission harvesting from Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via facile wet chemical route with an average particle size ∼15 nm. The resulted nanoparticles exhibit intense green emission peaking at 530 nm upon 325 nm excitation. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity of visible emission depends upon the doping concentration of Mg. The PL intensity was found maximum up to 4% doping of Mg and beyond it exhibits a decrees in emission. The obtained highly luminescent green emission of ZnO nanoparticle would be an ultimate choice for next generation optoelectronics device materials. Highlights: ► Zn{sub 1−x}Mg{sub x}O nanoparticles were prepared by mechanochemical processing. ► High blue emission intensity was observed contrary to previous reports. ► Blue emission is suggested to be originating from the high density of defects. ► Defect density in as-milled condition is very high resulting in high emission. ► Mg promoted non-radiative recombination and lowered intensities. -- Abstract: Highly efficient green light emission was observed from Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized via facile wet chemical route with an average particle size ∼15 nm. The XRD analysis confirmed the growth of wurtzite phase of ZnO nanoparticles. Moreover, the optical properties of these nanoparticles were investigated by different spectroscopic techniques. The resulted nanoparticles exhibit intense green emission peaking at 530 nm (2.34 eV) upon 325 nm (3.81 eV) excitation. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity of visible emission depends upon the doping concentration of Mg. The PL intensity was found maximum up to 4% doping of Mg, and beyond it exhibits a decrees in emission. Furthermore, by varying the band gap from 3.50 to 3.61 eV, the PL spectra showed a near band edge (NBE) emission at wavelength around 370 nm (3.35 eV) and a broad deep level emission in the visible region. The obtained highly

  17. Auto-combustion synthesis and characterization of Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agrawal, Shraddha, E-mail: shraddhaa32@gmail.com; Parveen, Azra; Naqvi, A. H. [Centre of Excellence in Materials Science (Nanomaterials), Department of Applied Physics, Z.H. College of Engg.& Technology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202002 (India)

    2015-06-24

    The synthesis of pure and Mg doped Copper aluminumoxide CuAlO{sub 2}nanoparticles, a promising p-type TCO (transparent conducting oxide) have been done bysol gel auto combustion method using NaOH as a fuel, calcinated at 600°C. The structural properties were examined by XRD and SEM techniques. The optical absorption spectra of CuAlO{sub 2} sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The crystallite size was determined by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The electrical behavior of pure and Mg doped CuAlO{sub 2} has been studied over a wide range of frequencies by using complex impedance spectroscopy.The variation of a.c. conductivity has been studied as function of frequency and temperature. The data taken together conclude that doping causes decreases in the ac conductivity of the nanoparticles as compared with the pure nanoparticles. Mg doping affects the optical properties and band gap.

  18. Fabrication and Photostability of Rhodamine-6G Gold Nanoparticle Doped Polymer Optical Fiber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebastian, Suneetha; Ajina, C; Vallabhan, C. P. G; Nampoori, V. P. N.; Radhakrishnan, P.; Kailasnath, M.

    2013-01-01

    We report on fabrication of a rhodamine-6G-gold-nanoparticle doped polymer optical fiber. The gold nanoparticle is synthesized directly into the monomer solution of the polymer using laser ablation synthesis in liquid. The size of the particle is found from the transmission electron microscopy. Rhodamine-6G is then mixed with the nanoparticle-monomer solution and optical characterization of the solution is investigated. It is found that there is a pronounced quenching of fluorescence of rhodamine 6G due to fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The monomer solution containing rhodamine 6G and gold nanoparticles is now made into a cylindrical rod and drawn into a polymer optical fiber. Further, the photostability is calculated with respect to the pure dye doped polymer optical fiber

  19. Facile synthesis of ferromagnetic Ni doped CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles with enhanced anticancer activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abbas, Fazal; Jan, Tariq [Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology, Department of Physics, International Islamic University Islamabad (Pakistan); Iqbal, Javed, E-mail: javed.saggu@iiu.edu.pk [Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology, Department of Physics, International Islamic University Islamabad (Pakistan); Ahmad, Ishaq [Experimental Physics Labs, National Center for Physics, Islamabad (Pakistan); Naqvi, M. Sajjad H. [Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi (Pakistan); Malik, Maaza [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences/Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape Province (South Africa)

    2015-12-01

    Highlights: • The synthesized undoped and Ni doped CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles exhibited RTFM. • Oxygen vacancies and magnetic ions both were believed to be responsible for RTFM. • The prepared nanoparticles exhibited selective cytotoxicity. • Ni doping enhanced the anticancer activity of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • Differential ROS generation was observed to control their cytotoxicity. - Abstract: Ni{sub x}Ce{sub 1−x}O{sub 2} (where x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07) nanoparticles were synthesized by soft chemical method and were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). XRD and Raman results indicated the formation of single phase cubic fluorite structure for the synthesized nanoparticles. Ni dopant induced excessive structural changes such as decrease in crystallite size as well as lattice constants and enhancement in oxygen vacancies in CeO{sub 2} crystal structure. These structural variations significantly influenced the optical and magnetic properties of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles. The synthesized Ni{sub x}Ce{sub 1−x}O{sub 2} nanoparticles exhibited room temperature ferromagnetic behavior. Ni doping induced effects on the cytotoxicity of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles were examined against HEK-293 healthy cell line and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cancer cell line. The prepared Ni{sub x}Ce{sub 1−x}O{sub 2} nanoparticles demonstrated differential cytotoxicity. Furthermore, anticancer activity of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles observed to be significantly enhanced with Ni doping which was found to be strongly correlated with the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. The prepared ferromagnetic Ni{sub x}Ce{sub 1−x}O{sub 2} nanoparticles with differential cytotoxic nature may be potential for future targeted cancer therapy.

  20. Preparation of manganese doped cadmium sulfide nanoparticles in zincblende phase and their magnetic properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakaya, Masafumi; Tanaka, Itaru; Muramatsu, Atsushi

    2012-12-01

    In this study, the random dope of Mn into CdS nanoparticles in zincblende phase has been carried out under the mild reaction condition. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV-Vis spectrometer, PL spectrometer, and SQUID. EDX showed that the compositions of Mn doped CdS nanoparticles were readily controlled. TEM showed the particle sizes were not significantly affected by the compositions, retaining to be ca. 3 nm with a narrow size distribution. UV-Vis and PL spectra of the resulting nanoparticles showed the intra-Mn level may be affected by the quantum size effect. SQUID measurement showed that the resulting nanoparticles showed diamagnetism, paramagnetism and superparamagnetism dependent on Mn content.

  1. Synthesis and characterization of erbium-doped SiO2 nanoparticles fabricated by using reverse micelle and sol-gel processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Hoyyul; Bae, Dongsik

    2012-01-01

    Erbium-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles have been synthesized using a reverse micelle technique combined with metal-alkoxide hydrolysis and condensation. The sizes and the morphologies of the erbium-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles could be changed by varying the molar ratio of water to surfactant. The sizes and the morphologies of the erbium-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles were examined by using a transmission electron microscope. The average size of synthesized erbium-doped SiO 2 nanoparticles was approximately 20 - 25 nm and that of the erbium particles was 3 - 5 nm. The effects of the synthesis parameters, such as the molar ratio of water to surfactant, are discussed.

  2. Metal-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes and production thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dillon, Anne C.; Heben, Michael J.; Gennett, Thomas; Parilla, Philip A.

    2007-01-09

    Metal-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes and production thereof. The metal-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes may be produced according to one embodiment of the invention by combining single-walled carbon nanotube precursor material and metal in a solution, and mixing the solution to incorporate at least a portion of the metal with the single-walled carbon nanotube precursor material. Other embodiments may comprise sputter deposition, evaporation, and other mixing techniques.

  3. Micro structural and magnetic characterization of Gd doped SnO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adhikari, R.; Das, A.K.; Karmakar, D.; Chandrasekhar Rao, T.V.; Ghatak, J.

    2008-01-01

    Gd doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were prepared by a chemical co-precipitation method. The prepared samples were calcined at 600 deg C. The annealed samples were characterized using XRD, TEM and SQUID magnetometry. The structural characterizations showed formation of particles in the nanometer regime. The M(T) and M(H) studies indicated an antiferromagnetic (AFM) interaction in 3 and 6% (at. wt.) Gd doped SnO 2 nanoparticles. The M(H) plot of both samples indicate a super paramagnetic (SPM) behavior at 7K as against the perfect AFM nature at 300K. The samples exhibit an insulating DMS nature, but we do not observe any ferromagnetism as was observed for other Gd doped systems like GaN and ZnO. (author)

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deshpande, M. P., E-mail: vishwadeshpande@yahoo.co.in; Patel, Kamakshi, E-mail: kamphysics@gmail.com; Gujarati, Vivek P.; Chaki, S. H. [Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University, VallabhVidyanagr-388120,Anand, Gujarat, India. (India)

    2016-05-06

    ZnS nanoparticles co-doped with different concentration (5,10,15%) of Mn were synthesized using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent under microwave irradiation. We confirmed doping of Mn in the host ZnS by EDAX whereas powder X-ray diffractogram showed the cubic zinc blende structure of all these samples. TEM images did showed agglomeration of particles and SAED pattern obtained indicated polycrystalline nature. From SAED pattern we calculated lattice parameter of the samples which have close resemblance from that obtained from XRD pattern. The band gap values of pure and doped ZnS nanoparticles were calculated from UV-Visible absorption spectra. ZnS itself is a luminescence material but when we dope it with transition metal ion such as Mn, Co, and Cu they exhibits strong and intense luminescence in the particular region. The photoluminescence spectra of pure ZnS nanoparticles showed an emission at 421 and 485nm which is blue emission which was originated from the defect sites of ZnS itself and also sulfur deficiency and when doped with Mn{sup 2+} an extra peak with high intensity was observed at 530nm which is nearly yellow-orange emission which isrelated to the presence of Mn in the host lattice.

  5. Aluminum doping tunes band gap energy level as well as oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhtar, Mohd Javed; Alhadlaq, Hisham A.; Alshamsan, Aws; Majeed Khan, M. A.; Ahamed, Maqusood

    2015-09-01

    We investigated whether Aluminum (Al) doping tunes band gap energy level as well as selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Pure and Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by a simple sol-gel method. Characterization study confirmed the formation of single phase of AlxZn1-xO nanocrystals with the size range of 33-55 nm. Al-doping increased the band gap energy of ZnO nanoparticles (from 3.51 eV for pure to 3.87 eV for Al-doped ZnO). Al-doping also enhanced the cytotoxicity and oxidative stress response of ZnO nanoparticles in MCF-7 cells. The IC50 for undoped ZnO nanoparticles was 44 μg/ml while for the Al-doped ZnO counterparts was 31 μg/ml. Up-regulation of apoptotic genes (e.g. p53, bax/bcl2 ratio, caspase-3 & caspase-9) along with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential suggested that Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through mitochondrial pathway. Importantly, Al-doping did not change the benign nature of ZnO nanoparticles towards normal cells suggesting that Al-doping improves the selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles toward MCF-7 cells without affecting the normal cells. Our results indicated a novel approach through which the inherent selective cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against cancer cells can be further improved.

  6. Synthesis, structural and paramagnetic properties of SnO{sub 2} doped NiO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Islam, I., E-mail: ishtihadahislam@gmail.com; Dwivedi, Sonam; Dar, Hilal A.; Dar, M. A.; Varshney, Dinesh, E-mail: vdinesh33@rediffmail.com [School of Physics, Vigyan Bhawan, Devi Ahilya University, Khandwa Road Campus, Indore 452001 (India)

    2016-05-06

    In this work, Sn doped NiO nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation route to explore the impact of doping on lattice structure, dielectric constant and magnetization. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed cubic (Fd-3m) structure of Sn doped NiO. Average crystallite size decreases from 78.2 nm (Ni{sub 0.95}Sn{sub 0.05}O) to 64.23 nm (Ni{sub 0.8}Sn{sub 0.2}O). Scanning electron microscopy images confirm that nanocrystals have agglomerated spherical morphology. The Raman spectrum exhibits a strong, broad peak at 410 cm{sup -1} and is attributed to the Ni-O stretching mode and doped samples show a blue shift. The dielectric constants at about 1 Hz are measured to be about 1.795, 1.030, 0.442, and 0.302 × 10{sup 3} Ni{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}O (x = 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2), respectively. The dielectric constant in nanoparticles of doped Ni{sub 1-x}Sn{sub x}O is three orders of magnitude higher as compared to pure NiO ceramics. The nature of magnetization - applied field (M-H) infers paramagnetic behaviour for Sn doped NiO nanoparticles.

  7. Hafnium-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with ionizing radiation for lung cancer treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Min-Hua; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Huang, Jian-Yuan; Li, Keng-Yuan; Lin, Chun-Pin; Lin, Feng-Huei

    2016-06-01

    Recently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one of the new clinical options by generating cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells. However, the optical approach of PDT is limited by tissue penetration depth of visible light. In this study, we propose that a ROS-enhanced nanoparticle, hafnium-doped hydroxyapatite (Hf:HAp), which is a material to yield large quantities of ROS inside the cells when the nanoparticles are bombarded with high penetrating power of ionizing radiation. Hf:HAp nanoparticles are generated by wet chemical precipitation with total doping concentration of 15mol% Hf(4+) relative to Ca(2+) in HAp host material. The results show that the HAp particles could be successfully doped with Hf ions, resulted in the formation of nano-sized rod-like shape and with pH-dependent solubility. The impact of ionizing radiation on Hf:HAp nanoparticles is assessed by using in-vitro and in-vivo model using A549 cell line. The 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) results reveal that after being exposed to gamma rays, Hf:HAp could significantly lead to the formation of ROS in cells. Both cell viability (WST-1) and cytotoxicity (LDH) assay show the consistent results that A549 lung cancer cell lines are damaged with changes in the cells' ROS level. The in-vivo studies further demonstrate that the tumor growth is inhibited owing to the cells apoptosis when Hf:HAp nanoparticles are bombarded with ionizing radiation. This finding offer a new therapeutic method of interacting with ionizing radiation and demonstrate the potential of Hf:HAp nanoparticles in tumor treatment, such as being used in a palliative treatment after lung surgical procedure. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one of the new clinical options by generating cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) to kill cancer cells. Unfortunately, the approach of PDT is usually limited to the treatment of systemic disease and deeper tumor, due to the limited tissue penetration depth of visible

  8. Enhanced Supercapacitor Performance Using Electropolymerization of Self-Doped Polyaniline on Carbon Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Po-Hsin Wang

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we electrochemically deposited self-doped polyanilines (SPANI on the surface of carbon-nanoparticle (CNP film, enhancing the superficial faradic reactions in supercapacitors and thus improving their performance. SPANI was electrodeposited on the CNP-film employing electropolymerization of aniline (AN and o-aminobenzene sulfonic acid (SAN comonomers in solution. Here, SAN acts in dual roles of a self-doped monomer while it also provides an acidic environment which is suitable for electropolymerization. The performance of SPANI−CNP-based supercapacitors significantly depends upon the mole ratio of AN/SAN. Supercapacitor performance was investigated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV, galvanostatic charge and discharge (GCD, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. The optimal performance of SPANI−CNP-based supercapacitor exists at AN/SAN ratio of 1.0, having the specific capacitance of 273.3 Fg−1 at the charging current density of 0.5 Ag−1.

  9. Photoluminescence enhancement of dye-doped nanoparticles by surface plasmon resonance effects of gold colloidal nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, Viet Ha; Nghiem, Thi Ha Lien; Tran, Hong Nhung; Fort, Emmanuel

    2011-01-01

    Due to the energy transfer from surface plasmons, the fluorescence of fluorophores near metallic nanostructures can be enhanced. This effect has been intensively studied recently for biosensor applications. This work reports on the luminescence enhancement of 100 nm Cy3 dye-doped polystyrene nanoparticles by energy transfer from surface plasmons of gold colloidal nanoparticles with sizes of 20 and 100 nm. Optimal luminescence enhancement of the fluorophores has been observed in the mixture with 20 nm gold nanoparticles. This can be attributed to the resonance energy transfer from gold nanoparticles to the fluorophore beads. The interaction between the fluorophores and gold particles is attributed to far-field interaction

  10. Flux pinning and inhomogeneity in magnetic nanoparticle doped MgB2/Fe wires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novosel, Nikolina; Pajić, Damir; Mustapić, Mislav; Babić, Emil; Shcherbakov, Andrey; Horvat, Joseph; Skoko, Željko; Zadro, Krešo

    2010-06-01

    The effects of magnetic nanoparticle doping on superconductivity of MgB2/Fe wires have been investigated. Fe2B and SiO2-coated Fe2B particles with average diameters 80 and 150 nm, respectively, were used as dopands. MgB2 wires with different nanoparticle contents (0, 3, 7.5, 12 wt.%) were sintered at temperature 750°C. The magnetoresistivity and critical current density Jc of wires were measured in the temperature range 2-40 K in magnetic field B doped wires decreases quite rapidly with doping level (~ 0.5 K per wt.%). This results in the reduction of the irreversibility fields Birr(T) and critical current densities Jc(B,T) in doped samples (both at low (5 K) and high temperatures (20 K)). Common scaling of Jc(B,T) curves for doped and undoped wires indicates that the main mechanism of flux pinning is the same in both types of samples. Rather curved Kramer's plots for Jc of doped wires imply considerable inhomogeneity.

  11. Effect of silver nanoparticles on the dielectric properties of holmium doped silica glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rejikumar, P.R.; Jyothy, P.V.; Mathew, Siby; Thomas, Vinoy; Unnikrishnan, N.V.

    2010-01-01

    The effect of silver nanoparticle co-doping on the dielectric properties of holmium doped silica glasses was studied. Silver nanoparticles of size between 20 and 22 nm were produced by the sol-gel technique. One of the samples showed an icosahedral morphology of the nanocrystal formed, along with spherical morphology. It was found that the tuning of the dielectric constant values could be accomplished by co-doping. The sample, with 1 wt% of Ho, had low dielectric constant values within the range 100 Hz-3 MHz due to the formation of quasi-molecular structures of holmium. This effect was evaded to some extent with silver co-doping as a result of the interdispersion of holmium complexes. Also it was found that the co-doping produced a higher dielectric loss which was calculated from the tan δ-log f graph. The Cole-Cole parameters and the Jonscher power law parameters were also calculated and are presented.

  12. Preparation and characterization of zinc and copper co-doped WO3 nanoparticles: Application in photocatalysis and photobiology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Sanaz; Sohrabi, Maryam; Golikand, Ahmad Nozad; Fakhri, Ali

    2016-08-01

    In this study, pure, Zn, Cu, Zn,Cu co-doped WO3 nanoparticles samples were prepared by precipitation and co-precipitation methods. These nanoparticles were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The synthesized pure, Zn, Cu, Zn,Cu co-doped WO3 nanoparticles have smart optical properties and average sizes with 3.2, 3.12, 3.08 and 2.97eV of band-gap, 18.1, 23.2, 25.7 and 30.2nm, respectively. Photocatalytic activity of four nanoparticles was studying towards degradation of gentamicin antibiotic under ultraviolet and visible light irradiation. The result showed that Zn,Cu co-doped WO3 possessed high photocatalytic activity. The photocatalytic activity of WO3 nanoparticles could be remarkably increased by doping the Zn and Cu impurity. This can be attributed to the fact that the red shift of absorption edge and the trapping effect of the mono and co-doped WO3 nanoparticles. The research result presents a general and effective way to prepare different photocatalysts with enhanced visible and UV light-driven photocatalytic performance. Antibacterial activity of four different WO3 nanoparticles against Escherichia coli bacterium has been assessed by the agar disc method under light irradiation and dark medium. It is concluded from the present findings that WO3 nanoparticles can be used as an efficient antibacterial agent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of Er3+ doped CaF2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhi Guanglin; Song Jinghong; Mei Bingchu; Zhou Weibing

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Er 3+ :CaF 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method with particle size of 8-36 nm. → Increasing dopant concentration increases lattice constants and decreases grain size. → Annealing treatment has a remarkable effect on luminescence properties. → Luminescence intensity decrease with the increasing of the dopant concentration. - Abstract: Er 3+ doped CaF 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation method. Effect of the dopant concentrations on the structure and optical properties of the CaF 2 nanoparticles was investigated. The X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis was used to characterize the structure and morphology of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles with different dopant concentration exhibited a sphere-like morphology with diameters of about 8-36 nm. The incorporation of Er 3+ ions into CaF 2 resulted in the decrease in grain size and deterioration of crystallinity, but enlarged the lattice constants of CaF 2 . Additional annealing treatment at 400 deg. C to the prepared CaF 2 removed the NO 3 - and OH - groups adsorbed on the particles' surfaces, and improved the optical properties of the nanoparticles. The fluorescence intensity, with a maximum at approximately 0.4 mol%, decreased with the increase in doping concentration because of concentration quenching.

  14. Inhibition of Neuroblastoma cancer cells viability by ferromagnetic Mn doped CeO_2 monodisperse nanoparticles mediated through reactive oxygen species

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abbas, Fazal; Jan, Tariq; Iqbal, Javed; Haider Naqvi, M. Sajjad; Ahmad, Ishaq

    2016-01-01

    Here we report the Mn doping induced effects on structural, Raman, optical, magnetic and anticancer properties of CeO_2 nanoparticles prepared via soft chemical route. Structural and microstructural results infer that the synthesized nanoparticles have single phase cubic fluorite structure of CeO_2 and that Mn doping results in enhancement of the structural defects. Scanning electron microscopy results reveal the formation of monodisperse nanoparticles having average particle size ranging from 30 to 41 nm. The optical absorbance spectroscopy analysis discloses the band gap energy tailoring of CeO_2 nanoparticles via Mn doping. Room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) has been found in both as-prepared and Mn doped CeO_2 nanoparticles. This RTFM of the synthesized nanoparticles have been attributed to the Mn ions and surface defects such as oxygen vacancies. Finally, the influence of Mn dopant on the cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation levels of CeO_2 nanoparticles in the presence of healthy and cancerous cells have been studied. It has been observed that the differential cytotoxicity of the synthesized nanoparticles is strongly correlated with level of ROS generation. - Highlights: • Mn doped CeO_2 nanoparticles with cubic fluorite structure were synthesized. • Mn dopant significantly tailored the band gap of CeO_2 nanoparticles. • The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited room temperature ferromagnetic behavior. • The cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles was reported for the first time. • The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited differential cytotoxicity.

  15. Silver-doped manganese dioxide and trioxide nanoparticles inhibit both gram positive and gram negative pathogenic bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunkalekar, R K; Prabhu, M S; Naik, M M; Salker, A V

    2014-01-01

    Palladium, ruthenium and silver-doped MnO2 and silver doped Mn2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized by simple co-precipitation technique. SEM-TEM analysis revealed the nano-size of these synthesized samples. XPS data illustrates that Mn is present in 4+ and 3+ oxidation states in MnO2 and Mn2O3 respectively. Thermal analysis gave significant evidence for the phase changes with increasing temperature. Antibacterial activity of these synthesized nanoparticles on three Gram positive bacterial cultures (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Streptococcus epidermis ATCC 12228, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633) and three Gram negative cultures (Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, Salmonella abony NCTC 6017 and Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 1003) was investigated using a disc diffusion method and live/dead assay. Only Ag-doped MnO2 and Ag-doped Mn2O3 nanoparticles showed antibacterial property against all six-test bacteria but Ag-doped MnO2 was found to be more effective than Ag-doped Mn2O3. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Structural and optical characterization of Eu3+ doped beta-Ga2O3 nanoparticles using a liquid-phase precursor method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Moung-O; Kang, Bongkyun; Yoon, Daeho

    2013-08-01

    Eu3+ doped beta-Ga2O3 and non-doped beta-Ga2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized at 800 degrees C using a liquid-phase precursor (LPP) method, with different annealing times and Eu3+ ion concentrations. Eu3+ doped beta-Ga2O3 nanoparticles showed broad XRD peaks, revealing a second phase compared with the non-doped beta-Ga2O3 nanoparticles. The cathode luminescence (CL) spectra of beta-Ga2O3 and Eu3+ doped beta-Ga2O3 nanoparticles showed a broad band emission (300-500 nm) of imperfection and two component emissions. The luminescence quenching properties of Eu3+ dopant ion concentration appeared gradually beyond 5 mol% in our investigation.

  17. Novel strontium-doped bioactive glass nanoparticles enhance proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strobel, L. A. [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg Medical Center, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery (Germany); Hild, N.; Mohn, D.; Stark, W. J. [ETH Zurich, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering (Switzerland); Hoppe, A. [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomaterials (Germany); Gbureck, U. [University of Wuerzburg, Department for Functional Materials in Medicine and Dentistry (Germany); Horch, R. E.; Kneser, U. [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg Medical Center, Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery (Germany); Boccaccini, A. R., E-mail: aldo.boccaccini@ww.uni-erlangen.de [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Biomaterials (Germany)

    2013-07-15

    The present study investigates a new family of bioactive glass nanoparticles with and without Sr-doping focusing on the influence of the nanoparticles on human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) in vitro. The bioactive glass nanoparticles were fabricated by flame spray synthesis and a particle diameter of 30-35 nm was achieved. Glass nanoparticles were undoped (BG 13-93-0Sr) or doped with 5 wt% strontium (Sr) (BG 13-93-5Sr) and used at concentrations of 10 and 100 {mu}g/cm Superscript-Two (particles per culture plate area), respectively. Cells were cultured for 14 days after which the samples were analysed regarding metabolic activity and expression of various bone-specific genes. Cell growth and morphology indicated the high cytocompatibility of the nanoparticulate bioactive glass. The presence of the nanoparticles enhanced cell growth compared to the plain polystyrene control group. At a concentration of 100 {mu}g/cm Superscript-Two , Sr-doped particles led to significantly enhanced gene expression of osteocalcin, collagen type 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Thus, Sr-doped nanoparticles showing a dose-dependent increase of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs are a promising biomaterial for bone regeneration purposes.

  18. Novel strontium-doped bioactive glass nanoparticles enhance proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strobel, L. A.; Hild, N.; Mohn, D.; Stark, W. J.; Hoppe, A.; Gbureck, U.; Horch, R. E.; Kneser, U.; Boccaccini, A. R.

    2013-01-01

    The present study investigates a new family of bioactive glass nanoparticles with and without Sr-doping focusing on the influence of the nanoparticles on human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) in vitro. The bioactive glass nanoparticles were fabricated by flame spray synthesis and a particle diameter of 30–35 nm was achieved. Glass nanoparticles were undoped (BG 13-93-0Sr) or doped with 5 wt% strontium (Sr) (BG 13-93-5Sr) and used at concentrations of 10 and 100 μg/cm² (particles per culture plate area), respectively. Cells were cultured for 14 days after which the samples were analysed regarding metabolic activity and expression of various bone-specific genes. Cell growth and morphology indicated the high cytocompatibility of the nanoparticulate bioactive glass. The presence of the nanoparticles enhanced cell growth compared to the plain polystyrene control group. At a concentration of 100 μg/cm², Sr-doped particles led to significantly enhanced gene expression of osteocalcin, collagen type 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Thus, Sr-doped nanoparticles showing a dose-dependent increase of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs are a promising biomaterial for bone regeneration purposes

  19. Novel strontium-doped bioactive glass nanoparticles enhance proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow stromal cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strobel, L. A.; Hild, N.; Mohn, D.; Stark, W. J.; Hoppe, A.; Gbureck, U.; Horch, R. E.; Kneser, U.; Boccaccini, A. R.

    2013-07-01

    The present study investigates a new family of bioactive glass nanoparticles with and without Sr-doping focusing on the influence of the nanoparticles on human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) in vitro. The bioactive glass nanoparticles were fabricated by flame spray synthesis and a particle diameter of 30-35 nm was achieved. Glass nanoparticles were undoped (BG 13-93-0Sr) or doped with 5 wt% strontium (Sr) (BG 13-93-5Sr) and used at concentrations of 10 and 100 μg/cm² (particles per culture plate area), respectively. Cells were cultured for 14 days after which the samples were analysed regarding metabolic activity and expression of various bone-specific genes. Cell growth and morphology indicated the high cytocompatibility of the nanoparticulate bioactive glass. The presence of the nanoparticles enhanced cell growth compared to the plain polystyrene control group. At a concentration of 100 μg/cm², Sr-doped particles led to significantly enhanced gene expression of osteocalcin, collagen type 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Thus, Sr-doped nanoparticles showing a dose-dependent increase of osteogenic differentiation in hBMSCs are a promising biomaterial for bone regeneration purposes.

  20. Preparation and characterization of Ag-doped In2O3 nanoparticles gas sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anand, Kanica; Kaur, Jasmeet; Singh, Ravi Chand; Thangaraj, Rengasamy

    2017-08-01

    Pure and Ag-doped In2O3 nanoparticles are synthesized by the co-precipitation method and are characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Gas sensing properties of the sensors has been investigated towards methanol, ethanol, acetone and LPG at different operating temperatures. It is found that the sensor response magnitude of the 3% Ag-doped In2O3 nanoparticles sensors is higher to 50 ppm of ethanol at 300 °C, to acetone at 350 °C and to LPG at 400 °C. This is mainly attributed to the large number of oxygen vacancies and defects in doped sensors as corroborated by the photoluminescence studies.

  1. A palladium-doped ceria@carbon core-sheath nanowire network: a promising catalyst support for alcohol electrooxidation reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Qiang; Du, Chunyu; Sun, Yongrong; Du, Lei; Yin, Geping; Gao, Yunzhi

    2015-08-01

    A novel palladium-doped ceria and carbon core-sheath nanowire network (Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN) is synthesized by a template-free and surfactant-free solvothermal process, followed by high temperature carbonization. This hierarchical network serves as a new class of catalyst support to enhance the activity and durability of noble metal catalysts for alcohol oxidation reactions. Its supported Pd nanoparticles, Pd/(Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN), exhibit >9 fold increase in activity toward the ethanol oxidation over the state-of-the-art Pd/C catalyst, which is the highest among the reported Pd systems. Moreover, stability tests show a virtually unchanged activity after 1000 cycles. The high activity is mainly attributed to the superior oxygen-species releasing capability of Pd-doped CeO2 nanowires by accelerating the removal of the poisoning intermediate. The unique interconnected one-dimensional core-sheath structure is revealed to facilitate immobilization of the metal catalysts, leading to the improved durability. This core-sheath nanowire network opens up a new strategy for catalyst performance optimization for next-generation fuel cells.A novel palladium-doped ceria and carbon core-sheath nanowire network (Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN) is synthesized by a template-free and surfactant-free solvothermal process, followed by high temperature carbonization. This hierarchical network serves as a new class of catalyst support to enhance the activity and durability of noble metal catalysts for alcohol oxidation reactions. Its supported Pd nanoparticles, Pd/(Pd-CeO2@C CSNWN), exhibit >9 fold increase in activity toward the ethanol oxidation over the state-of-the-art Pd/C catalyst, which is the highest among the reported Pd systems. Moreover, stability tests show a virtually unchanged activity after 1000 cycles. The high activity is mainly attributed to the superior oxygen-species releasing capability of Pd-doped CeO2 nanowires by accelerating the removal of the poisoning intermediate. The unique

  2. Spectral features and antibacterial properties of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alireza, Samavati; A, F. Ismail; Hadi, Nur; Z, Othaman; M, K. Mustafa

    2016-07-01

    Zn1-x Cu x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) nanoparticles are synthesized via the sol-gel technique using gelatin and nitrate precursors. The impact of copper concentration on the structural, optical, and antibacterial properties of these nanoparticles is demonstrated. Powder x-ray diffraction investigations have illustrated the organized Cu doping into ZnO nanoparticles up to Cu concentration of 5% (x = 0.05). However, the peak corresponding to CuO for x = 0.01 is not distinguishable. The images of field emission scanning electron microscopy demonstrate the existence of a nearly spherical shape with a size in the range of 30-52 nm. Doping Cu creates the Cu-O-Zn on the surface and results in a decrease in the crystallite size. Photoluminescence and absorption spectra display that doping Cu causes an increment in the energy band gap. The antibacterial activities of the nanoparticles are examined against Escherichia coli (Gram negative bacteria) cultures using optical density at 600 nm and a comparison of the size of inhibition zone diameter. It is found that both pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles indicate appropriate antibacterial activity which rises with Cu doping. Project supported by the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) (Grant No. R. J1300000.7809.4F626). Dr. Samavati is thankful to RMC for postdoctoral grants.

  3. Preparation of silica doped titania nanoparticles with thermal stability and photocatalytic properties and their application for leather surface functionalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Gaidau

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Doped nanoparticles based on titanium dioxide are of interest for their multifunctional properties and enlarged photocatalytic activity in visible domain. Silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method and their structural characteristics and photocatalytic activity were determined, in order to be used for leather coating as alternative to halogen based flame retardants and dry cleaning solvents. A range of concentrations from 2% to 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (% denotes the theoretical weight percent of Si was synthesized and characterized by ICP-OES, FT-IR, UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, HRTEM and DLS. Titanium dioxide network penetration was supported by Si-O-Ti and OH identification in FT-IR spectra mainly on surface of 10% and 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The increase of Si-O-Ti bonds with Si dopant concentration acts as efficient barriers against sinterization and growth of TiO2 particles and explains the low particle size identified in HRTEM analyses as compared to undoped TiO2NPs. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra of doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles showed the shifting of absorption band to visible domain for 10% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The crystallite sizes were calculated from XRD spectra, ranging between 16.2 and 18.1 nm. HRTEM measurement of hydrothermally synthesized titanium dioxide nanoparticles showed anatase crystallites in the range of 8.8–27 nm, while in the 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticle sample smaller crystallite with sizes between 2.7 nm and 3.5 nm was identified due to the constraints of the SiO2-based amorphous matrix. Nano sizes of 64 nm and 72 nm were found in water dispersions of 10% and 20% silica doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the Zeta potentials were of −53.6 mV and −52.9 mV, which indicate very good stabilities. The leather surface treated with composites of film forming polymers

  4. Efficiency of Nb-Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Electrode for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anuntahirunrat, Jirapat; Sung, Youl-Moon; Pooyodying, Pattarapon

    2017-09-01

    The technological of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) had been improved for several years. Due to its simplicity and low cost materials with belonging to the part of thin films solar cells. DSSCs have numerous advantages and benefits among the other types of solar cells. Many of the DSSC devices had use organic chemical that produce by specific method to use as thin film electrodes. The organic chemical that widely use to establish thin film electrodes are Zinc Oxide (ZnO), Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) and many other chemical substances. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles had been used in DSSCs applications as thin film electrodes. Nanoparticles are a part of nanomaterials that are defined as a single particles 1-100 nm in diameter. From a few year ZnO widely used in DSSC applications because of its optical, electrical and many others properties. In particular, the unique properties and utility of ZnO structure. However the efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles based solar cells can be improved by doped various foreign impurity to change the structures and properties. Niobium (Nb) had been use as a dopant of metal oxide thin films. Using specification method to doped the ZnO nanoparticles thin film can improved the efficiencies of DSSCs. The efficiencies of Nb-doped ZnO can be compared by doping 0 at wt% to 5 at wt% in ZnO nanoparticles thin films that prepared by the spin coating method. The thin film electrodes doped with 3 at wt% represent a maximum efficiencies with the lowest resistivity of 8.95×10-4 Ω·cm.

  5. Clean Photothermal Heating and Controlled Release From Near Infrared Dye Doped Nanoparticles Without Oxygen Photosensitization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guha, Samit; Shaw, Scott K.; Spence, Graeme T.; Roland, Felicia M.; Smith, Bradley D.

    2015-01-01

    The photothermal heating and release properties of biocompatible organic nanoparticles, doped with a near-infrared croconaine (Croc) dye, were compared with analogous nanoparticles doped with the common near-infrared dyes ICG and IR780. Separate formulations of lipid-polymer-hybrid nanoparticles and liposomes, each containing Croc dye, absorbed strongly at 808 nm and generated clean laser-induced heating (no production of 1O2 and no photobleaching of the dye). In contrast, laser-induced heating of nanoparticles containing ICG or IR780 produced reactive 1O2 leading to bleaching of the dye and also decomposition of co-encapsulated payload such as the drug Doxorubicin. Croc dye was especially useful as a photothermal agent for laser controlled release of chemically sensitive payload from nanoparticles. Solution state experiments demonstrated repetitive fractional release of water soluble fluorescent dye from the interior of thermosensitive liposomes. Additional experiments used a focused laser beam to control leakage from immobilized liposomes with very high spatial and temporal precision. The results indicate that fractional photothermal leakage from nanoparticles doped with Croc dye is a promising method for a range of controlled release applications. PMID:26149326

  6. Dielectric response and room temperature ferromagnetism in Cr doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naseem, Swaleha; Khan, Wasi; Khan, Shakeel; Husain, Shahid; Ahmad, Abid

    2018-02-01

    In the present work, nanocrystalline samples of Ti1-xCrxO2 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) were synthesized in anatase phase through simple and cost effective acid modified sol gel method. The influence of Cr doping on thermal, microstructural, electrical and magnetic properties was investigated in TiO2 host matrix. The surface morphology has revealed less agglomeration and considerable reduction in particle size in case of Cr doped TiO2 as compared to undoped TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) established high purity, appropriate stoichiometry and oxidation states of the compositions. The dielectric properties of the nanoparticles were altered by the doping concentration, applied frequency as well as temperature variation. The variation in dielectric constant (ε‧), dielectric loss (δ) and ac conductivity as a function of frequency and temperature at different doping concentration of Cr were interpreted in the light of Maxwell Wagner theory, space charge polarization mechanism and drift mobility of charge carriers. Both undoped and Cr doped TiO2 samples exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) that remarkably influenced by means of the Cr content. The significant enhancement in the magnetization was observed at 4% Cr doping. However, decrease in magnetization for higher doping signify antiferromagnetic interactions between Cr ions or superexchange mechanism. These results reveal that the oxygen vacancies play a crucial role to initiate the RTFM. Therefore, the present investigation suggests the potential applications of Cr doped TiO2 nanoparticles for spintronics application.

  7. The effect of doping titanium dioxide nanoparticles on phase transformation, photocatalytic activity and anti-bacterial properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buzby, Scott Edward

    Nanosized titanium dioxide has a variety of important applications in everyday life including a photocatalyst for pollution remediation, photovoltaic devices, sunscreen, etc. This study focuses on the various properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles doped with various cation and anion species. Samples were produced by various methods including metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), plasma assisted metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PA-MOCVD) and sol-gel. Numerous techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electron microscopy both scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) were used for physical characterization. Photocatalytic properties were determined by the oxidation of methylene blue dye and 2-chlorophenol in water as well as gaseous formic acid with results analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and ultra violet - visible spectroscopy (UV-VIS). For the purpose of enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, the effect of anion doping and the anatase-rutile phase ratio were studied. Although anatase, rutile and mixed crystallite phases all show some degree of activity in photocatalytic reactions, these results show that anatase is better suited for the degradation of organic compounds in an aqueous medium any advantage in photocatalytic activity gained through the enhancement in optical response from the smaller band gap by addition of rutile was overcome by the negatives associated with the rutile phase. Furthermore substitutional nitrogen doping showed significant improvement in UV photocatalysis as well as allowing for visible light activation of the catalyst. Further studies on the phase transitions in titanium dioxide nanoparticles were carried out by synthesizing various cation doped samples by sol-gel. Analysis of the phases by XRD showed an inverse relationship between dopant size and rutile percentage

  8. Enhanced green and red upconversion emissions in Er3+-doped boro-tellurite glass containing gold nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dousti, M. Reza; Amjad, Raja J.; Mahraz, Zahra Ashur S.

    2015-01-01

    Increasing the cross-section of upconversion emissions from the rare earth ions doped materials is a challenging issue. In this work, we report on the enhancement of the up-converted emissions of Er3+-doped boro-tellurite glasses containing gold nanoparticles which have been prepared by a conventional melt-quench technique. Seven absorption bands and three emission lines are observed using the UV-Vis-IR and photoluminescence spectroscopic techniques, respectively. Red emission is enhanced up to 30 times in a sample having 1 wt% of Au nanoparticles. The presence of the gold nanoparticles with average size of ∼5.74 nm is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and corresponding surface plasmon band is observed at 630 nm in a singly-doped Au-nanoparticles embedded glass sample. A model to determine the enhancement factor of the emissions is suggested which could not describe the phenomenon for high concentrations of nanoparticles. Enhancement is attributed to the increased local field around the metal, and the results are discussed in details.

  9. Photoluminescence studies on Eu doped TiO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ningthoujam, R.S.; Sudarsan, V.; Vatsa, R.K.; Kadam, R.M.; Jagannath; Gupta, A.

    2009-01-01

    Eu 3+ doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were prepared by urea hydrolysis in ethylene glycol medium at low temperature of 150 deg. C. X-ray diffraction study showed that anatase phase of tetragonal structure was formed below 500 deg. C; and above this temperature, additional peaks due to rutile phase were also observed. From luminescence study, it was found that as prepared nanoparticles showed the enhanced luminescence intensity due to energy transfer from host to europium ions. However, photoluminescence from these nanoparticles was found to disappear when the samples were heated above 900 deg. C. We established the origin of the reduction in the luminescence intensity from Eu 3+ when doped in TiO 2 and heated at 900 deg. C. Based on detailed studies at different heat-treatment temperatures using techniques such as X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, Raman spectroscopy, and Moessbauer spectroscopy, it has been established that formation of Eu 2 Ti 2 O 7 phase, wherein Eu 3+ ions occupy high symmetric environment (D 3d ) and also reduced distance between Eu 3+ and Eu 3+ ions is responsible for the decrease/loss in the luminescence intensity.

  10. Amperometric L-cysteine sensor based on a carbon paste electrode modified with Y_2O_3 nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Suling; Li, Gang; Wang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Guifang; Qu, Lingbo

    2016-01-01

    We describe an electrochemical sensor for L-cysteine that is based on the use of Y_2O_3 nanoparticles (Y_2O_3-NPs) supported on nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-rGO). The material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. Deposited on a carbon paste electrode, the material displays a strongly oxidation peak for L-cysteine at pH 7.0 (compared to an unmodified electrode). The current, measured at a potential 0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), increases linearly in the 1.3 to 720 μM L-cysteine concentration range, and the detection limit is 0.8 μM. The sensor was successfully applied to the determination L-cysteine in spiked syrup. (author)

  11. Study the Polyol Process of Preparing the ru Doped FePt Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chih-Hao; Hsu, Jen-Ho; Su, Hui-Chia; Huang, Tzu Wen

    The structure of Ru doped FePt nanoparticles using polyol process was studied. The particle size grown is around 5 nm, and a shell structure might be formed. By selecting the time and temperature of adding the Ru precursors into solution, three different processes to synthesize the FePtRu particles were studied resulting in different growing mechanics. The possible models during the reaction process are also discussed. The phase transition temperature for the as-grown FCC FePt nanoparticle to transform into L10 FePt nanoparticle is about 823 K which is about the same as the one without doping Ru atoms. From the XAS study of each element, the possible scenario is that: although Ru atoms with the size close to the Pt, they do not totally replace the Pt sites in the FePt alloy. Instead, most of Ru formed a shell outside the FePt nanoparticles and Fe atoms are replaced.

  12. Synthesis and characterization of vanadium doped SnO2 diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mazloom, J.; Ghodsi, F.E.; Golmojdeh, H.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Pure and V-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized using a facile sol–gel route. • The V 4+ ions were incorporated into the SnO 2 lattice and located at the Sn 4+ sites. • TEM images reveled that by increasing the doping content, average grain size decreased. • We show that the V-doped SnO 2 is more photoactive than undoped SnO 2 . • The V-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles exhibited ferromagnetism at room temperature. - Abstract: Vanadium doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a facile sol–gel method. Different analytical techniques including TG/DTG, XRD, XPS, VSM and PL were used to investigate the influence of dopant concentration on structural, morphological, compositional, magnetic and optical properties of prepared nanoparticles. The XRD study showed a dominant tetragonal structure. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy proved the presence of vanadium as V 4+ species. TEM image revealed that particle size decrease by doping. It was found that room temperature ferromagnetic (RTFM) behavior is strongly dependent on vanadium dopant content and the magnetic saturation dropped rapidly with increasing V content, which can be explained reasonably through bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model. A quenching in green luminescence intensity was observed in V-doped SnO 2 compared to undoped sample. The 5% V-doped SnO 2 sample showed better photocatalytic activity than undoped one in decomposing methylene blue and rhodamine B

  13. Biomineralization-Inspired Synthesis of Cerium-Doped Carbonaceous Nanoparticles for Highly Hydroxyl Radical Scavenging Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Shenqiang; Zhu, Xiaofang; Zhang, Lirong; Guo, Fan; Zhang, Miaomiao; Tan, Youwen; Gong, Aihua; Fang, Zhengzou; Ju, Huixiang; Wu, Chaoyang; Du, Fengyi

    2018-03-01

    Cerium oxide nanoparticles recently have received extensive attention in biomedical applications due to their excellent anti-oxidation performance. In this study, a simple, mild, and green approach was developed to synthesize cerium-doped carbonaceous nanoparticles (Ce-doped CNPs) using bio-mineralization of bull serum albumin (BSA) as precursor. The resultant Ce-doped CNPs exhibited uniform and ultrasmall morphology with an average size of 14.7 nm. XPS and FTIR results revealed the presence of hydrophilic group on the surface of Ce-doped CNPs, which resulted in excellent dispersity in water. The CCK-8 assay demonstrated that Ce-doped CNPs possessed favorable biocompatibility and negligible cytotoxicity. Using H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) as model, Ce-doped CNPs showed highly hydroxyl radical scavenging capability. Furthermore, flow cytometry and live-dead staining results indicated that Ce-doped CNPs protected cells from H2O2-induced damage in a dose-dependent effect, which provided a direct evidence for anti-oxidative performance. These findings suggest that Ce-doped CNPs as novel ROS scavengers may provide a potential therapeutic prospect in treating diseases associated with oxidative stress.

  14. Doped-carbon composites, synthesizing methods and applications of the same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viswanathan, Tito

    2017-05-09

    A method of synthesizing a doped carbon composite includes preparing a solution having a carbon source material and a heteroatom containing additive, evaporating the solution to yield a plurality of powders, and subjecting the plurality of powders to a heat treatment for a duration of time effective to produce the doped carbon composite.

  15. Effect of alkaline earth metal doping on thermal, optical, magnetic and dielectric properties of BiFeO3 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhushan, B; Das, D; Basumallick, A; Bandopadhyay, S K; Vasanthacharya, N Y

    2009-01-01

    Substrate-free pure-phase BiFeO 3 (BFO) nanoparticles doped with alkaline earth metals (Ba, Sr and Ca) have been synthesized by a sol-gel route and their thermal, optical, dielectric and magnetic properties are discussed. The characteristic structural phase transitions of BFO nanoparticles are found to occur at much lower temperatures. A reduction of the Neel temperature has been observed in the doped samples in comparison with the pristine one, whereas the band gap shows a reverse trend. Iron was found to be only in the Fe 3+ valence state in all the doped samples. Magnetoelectric coupling is seen in our samples. Weak ferromagnetism is observed at room temperature in all of the doped and undoped BFO nanoparticles with the largest value of coercive field ∼1.78 kOe and saturation magnetization ∼2.38 emu g -1 for Ba and Ca doped BFO nanoparticles, respectively.

  16. A flexible 3D nitrogen-doped carbon foam@CNTs hybrid hosting TiO2 nanoparticles as free-standing electrode for ultra-long cycling lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Wei; Wang, Boya; Wu, Hao; Xiang, Mingwu; Wang, Qiong; Liu, Heng; Zhang, Yun; Liu, Huakun; Dou, Shixue

    2018-03-01

    Free-standing electrodes have stood out from the electrode pack, owing to their advantage of abandoning the conventional polymeric binder and conductive agent, thus increasing the specific capacity of lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, their practical application is hampered by inferior electrical conductivity and complex manufacturing process. To this end, we report here a facile approach to fabricate a flexible 3D N-doped carbon foam/carbon nanotubes (NCF@CNTs) hybrid to act as the current collector and host scaffold for TiO2 particles, which are integrated into a lightweight free-standing electrode (NCF@CNTs-TiO2). In the resulting architecture, ultra-fine TiO2 nanoparticles are homogeneously anchored in situ into the N-doped NCF@CNTs framework with macro- and meso-porous structure, wrapped by a dense CNT layer, cooperatively enhances the electrode flexibility and forms an interconnected conductive network for electron/ion transport. As a result, the as-prepared NCF@CNTs-TiO2 electrode exhibits excellent lithium storage performance with high specific capacity of 241 mAh g-1 at 1 C, superb rate capability of 145 mAh g-1 at 20 C, ultra-long cycling stability with an ultra-low capacity decay of 0.0037% per cycle over 2500 cycles, and excellent thermal stability with ∼94% capacity retention over 100 cycles at 55 °C.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2018-06-01

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

  18. Investigating the effect of Mn-doped CeO2 nanoparticles by co-precipitation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prabaharan, D.D.M.; Sadaiyandi, K.; Mahendran, M.; Sagadevan, Suresh

    2018-01-01

    The paper exhibits a detailed study about the synthesis and characterization in analysis of structural, morphological, optical and electrical investigations of pure and Mn-doped Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles which were synthesized by co-precipitation technique. Phase formation of the prepared sample was analyzed with powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) examines, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination. The PXRD comes about affirmed partial crystallinity having cubic phases and the crystallite sizes of the pure and Mn-doped Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) were estimated by utilizing Debye-Scherrer's formula and they were calculated to be 12 and 14 nm individually. SEM pictures revealed that the particles were profoundly accumulated and were of permeable nature. The optical properties of pure and Mn-doped CeO 2 were ascertained by using UV-visible absorption spectrum. The estimated band gap values for the pure and the Mn-doped CeO 2 nanoparticles were observed to be 2.7 and 2.6 eV, respectively, utilizing UV-Vis spectroscopy. At different frequencies and temperatures the dielectric properties of the Mn-doped Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) nanoparticles, for example, the dielectric consistent, the dielectric loss and the AC conductivity, were studied. (orig.)

  19. Studies on Characterization, Optical Absorption, and Photoluminescence of Yttrium Doped ZnS Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ranganaik Viswanath

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pure ZnS and ZnS:Y nanoparticles were synthesized by a chemical coprecipitation route using EDTA-ethylenediamine as a stabilizing agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR, thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC, and UV-visible and photoluminescence (PL spectroscopy were employed to characterize the as-synthesized ZnS and ZnS:Y nanoparticles, respectively. XRD and TEM studies show the formation of cubic ZnS:Y particles with an average size of ~4.5 nm. The doping did not alter the phase of the zinc sulphide, as a result the sample showed cubic zincblende structure. The UV-visible spectra of ZnS and ZnS:Y nanoparticles showed a band gap energy value, 3.85 eV and 3.73 eV, which corresponds to a semiconductor material. A luminescence characteristics such as strong and stable visible-light emissions in the orange region alone with the blue emission peaks were observed for doped ZnS nanoparticles at room temperature. The PL intensity of orange emission peak was found to be increased with an increase in yttrium ions concentration by suppressing blue emission peaks. These results strongly propose that yttrium doped zinc sulphide nanoparticles form a new class of luminescent material.

  20. Synthesis and photoluminescence of Cr-, Ni-, Co-, and Ti-doped ZnSe nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huy, Bui The [Anastro Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Nhatrang Institute of Technology and Research Application, 2 Hungvuong, Nhatrang (Viet Nam); Seo, Min-Ho; Kumar, Avvaru Praveen [Anastro Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Hyuk [Department of Chemistry, Sookmyung Women’s University, Seoul 140-742 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yong-Ill, E-mail: yilee@changwon.ac.kr [Anastro Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Changwon National University, Changwon 641-773 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-03-05

    Highlights: • The chain length, structure of surfactants operated the size nanoparticles. • Ni{sup 2+}, Co{sup 2+}, Cr{sup 3+}, and Ti{sup 3+} did not create any new centers in the structure of ZnSe. • Doping may have influenced the nanoparticles size because of the Zn replacement. • The TM ions change in ligand field caused the influence on fluorescence intensity. -- Abstract: We developed a facile strategy to synthesize transition metal (TM; Ni, Cr, Co, and Ti)-doped ZnSe nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous media using a chemical co-precipitation method. Co-precipitation was performed in the presence of one of four different surfactants, namely mercaptoacetic acid (MAA), 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA), thioglycerol (TGC), or (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). Surface morphology, chemical, and crystalline properties of the TM-doped ZnSe NPs were studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Optical features were characterized by UV–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopies. The influence of various experimental parameters, including the amount of TM and the ratio of precursors, as well as different types of surfactants on the photoluminescence properties of TM-doped ZnSe NPs was investigated systematically. TM-doped ZnSe NPs were excited in the UV region and exhibited photoluminescence in the visible region. Intensity was affected by the concentration of the TM. The results showed that MPA had a stronger influence on photoluminescence than MAA, TGC, and MPTMS. The photoluminescence intensity of TM-doped ZnSe NPs was 30% higher than that of undoped ZnSe NPs.

  1. Synthesis and magnetic properties of CoFe2O4 spinel ferrite nanoparticles doped with lanthanide ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kahn, Myrtil L.; Zhang, Z. John

    2001-01-01

    Lanthanide ions have been doped into cobalt spinel ferrites using an oil-in-water micellar method to form CoLn 0.12 Fe 1.88 O 4 nanoparticles with Ln=Ce, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, or Er. Doping with lanthanide ions (Ln III ) modulates the magnetic properties of cobalt spinel ferrite nanoparticles. In particular cases of Gd 3+ or Dy 3+ ions, a dramatic increase in the blocking temperature and coercivity is observed. Indeed, the introduction of only 4% of Gd 3+ ions increases the blocking temperature ∼100 K and the coercivity 60%. Initial studies on the magnetic properties of these doped nanoparticles clearly demonstrate that the relationship between the modulation of magnetic properties and the nature of doped Ln III ions is interesting but very complex. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

  2. Re-dispersible Li+ and Eu3+ co-doped CdS nanoparticles ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Also, it can be used as sensor for drug delivery in our body [12,13]. In the present work, we prepare re-dispersible CdS, Li+- and Eu3+-doped CdS nanoparticles in organic solvent by urea hydrolysis at 170◦C and their lumines- cence properties are studied. We propose the mechanism of re-dispersion of CdS nanoparticles ...

  3. Indium vacancy induced d0 ferromagnetism in Li-doped In2O3 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Haiming; Xing, Pengfei; Zhou, Wei; Yao, Dongsheng; Wu, Ping

    2018-04-01

    Li-doped In2O3 nanoparticles with room temperature d0 ferromagnetism were prepared by a sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence were carried out to investigate the effects of Li incorporation on the lattice defects. As the content of Li increases, non-monotonic changes in shifts of XRD peak (2 2 2) and the intensity ratios of indium vacancies related photoluminescence peak (PII) with respect to oxygen vacancies related peak (PI) are observed. Results show that at low doping level (≤2 at.%) Li prefers to occupy In sites, while with further doping the interstitial sites are more favorable for Li. Combined with the consistent non-monotonic change in saturation magnetization, we think that indium vacancies resulting from Li-doping play an important role in inducing d0 ferromagnetism in our Li-doped In2O3 nanoparticles, and the FM coupling is mainly mediated by the LiIn-ONN-VIn-ONN-LiIn chains.

  4. Effect of nickel doping concentration on structural and magnetic properties of ultrafine diluted magnetic semiconductor ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, Prashant K.; Dutta, Ranu K.; Pandey, Avinash C.

    2009-01-01

    The ZnO:Ni 2+ nanoparticles of mean size 2-12 nm were synthesized at room temperature by the simple co-precipitation method. The crystallite structure, morphology and size were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The wurtzite structure of ZnO gradually degrades with the increasing Ni doping concentration and an additional NiO-associated diffraction peak was observed above 15% of Ni 2+ doping. The change in magnetic behavior of the nanoparticles of ZnO with varying Ni 2+ doping concentration was investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Initially, these nanoparticles showed strong ferromagnetic behavior, however, at higher doping percentage of Ni 2+ , the ferromagnetic behavior was suppressed and paramagnetic nature was observed. The enhanced antiferromagnetic interaction between neighboring Ni-Ni ions suppressed the ferromagnetism at higher doping concentrations of Ni 2+ .

  5. Cyanogel-derived N-doped C nanosheets immobilizing Pd-P nanoparticles: One-pot synthesis and enhanced hydrogenation catalytic performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Hao; Yan, Xiaohong; Huang, Yundi; Zhang, Mengru; Tang, Yawen; Sun, Dongmei; Xu, Lin, E-mail: njuxulin@gmail.com; Wei, Shaohua, E-mail: weishaohua@njnu.edu.cn

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • Cyanogel-bridged approach was developed for the synthesis of Pd-P@N-Cnanosheets. • Pd-P@N-C nanosheets exhibit high activity and stability for reduction of 4-NP. • Compositional and structural advantages account for the high catalytic activity. • The feasible synthesis could be extendable to other carbon-based nanohybrids. - Abstract: For Pd-based nanocatalysts, stabilization of Pd nanoparticles on carbon support could not only effectively avoid particle aggregation and maintain catalytic stability during catalytic processes, but also facilitate enhancing the catalytic activity due to the synergy between Pd nanoparticles and carbon support. Furthermore, the incorporation of non-metal of phosphorus (P) into Pd could effectively modulate the electronic structure of Pd and thus help to boost the catalytic properties. However, one-pot synthesis of such nanohybrids remains a great challenge due to the distinct physiochemical properties of Pd, P and C components. Herein, we demonstrate a one-pot and scalable synthesis of highly dispersed PdP alloy nanoparticle-immobilized on N-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets (abbreviated as Pd-P@N-C nanosheets) by using inorganic-organic hybrid cyanogel as a reaction precursor. In virtue of both compositional and structural advantages, the as-synthesized Pd-P@N-C nanosheets manifest a superior catalytic activity and stability toward the hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). We believe that the present work will provide a feasible and versatile strategy for the development of efficient catalysts for environmental remediation and can also be extendable to other carbon-based nanohybrids with desirable functionalities.

  6. Ce doped NiO nanoparticles as selective NO2 gas sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gawali, Swati R.; Patil, Vithoba L.; Deonikar, Virendrakumar G.; Patil, Santosh S.; Patil, Deepak R.; Patil, Pramod S.; Pant, Jayashree

    2018-03-01

    Metal oxide gas sensors are promising portable gas detection devices because of their advantages such as low cost, easy production and compact size. The performance of such sensors is strongly dependent on material properties such as morphology, structure and doping. In the present study, we report the effect of cerium (Ce) doping on nickel oxide (NiO) nano-structured thin film sensors towards various gases. Bare NiO and Ce doped NiO nanoparticles (Ce:NiO) were synthesized by sol-gel method. To understand the effect of Ce doping in nickel oxide, various molar percentages of Ce with respect to nickel were incorporated. The structure, phase, morphology and band-gap energy of as-synthesized nanoparticles were studied by XRD, SEM, EDAX and UV-vis spectroscopy. Thin film gas sensors of all the samples were prepared and subjected to various gases such as LPG, NH3, CH3COCH3 and NO2. A systematic and comparative study reveals an enhanced gas sensing performance of Ce:NiO sensors towards NO2 gas. The maximum sensitivity for NO2 gas is around 0.719% per ppm at moderate operating temperature of 150 °C for 0.5% Ce:NiO thin film gas sensor. The enhanced gas sensing performance for Ce:NiO is attributed to the distortion of crystal lattice caused by doping of Ce into NiO.

  7. Inhibition of Neuroblastoma cancer cells viability by ferromagnetic Mn doped CeO{sub 2} monodisperse nanoparticles mediated through reactive oxygen species

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abbas, Fazal; Jan, Tariq [Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology (LNT), Department of Physics, International Islamic University Islamabad (Pakistan); Iqbal, Javed, E-mail: javed.saggu@iiu.edu.pk [Laboratory of Nanoscience and Technology (LNT), Department of Physics, International Islamic University Islamabad (Pakistan); Haider Naqvi, M. Sajjad [Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi (Pakistan); Ahmad, Ishaq [Experimental Physics Labs, National Center for Physics, Islamabad (Pakistan)

    2016-04-15

    Here we report the Mn doping induced effects on structural, Raman, optical, magnetic and anticancer properties of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles prepared via soft chemical route. Structural and microstructural results infer that the synthesized nanoparticles have single phase cubic fluorite structure of CeO{sub 2} and that Mn doping results in enhancement of the structural defects. Scanning electron microscopy results reveal the formation of monodisperse nanoparticles having average particle size ranging from 30 to 41 nm. The optical absorbance spectroscopy analysis discloses the band gap energy tailoring of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles via Mn doping. Room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) has been found in both as-prepared and Mn doped CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles. This RTFM of the synthesized nanoparticles have been attributed to the Mn ions and surface defects such as oxygen vacancies. Finally, the influence of Mn dopant on the cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation levels of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles in the presence of healthy and cancerous cells have been studied. It has been observed that the differential cytotoxicity of the synthesized nanoparticles is strongly correlated with level of ROS generation. - Highlights: • Mn doped CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles with cubic fluorite structure were synthesized. • Mn dopant significantly tailored the band gap of CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited room temperature ferromagnetic behavior. • The cytotoxicity of these nanoparticles was reported for the first time. • The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited differential cytotoxicity.

  8. Structural and optical properties of chromium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naqvi, Syed Mohd. Adnan, E-mail: adiaks2004@yahoo.co.in [Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak (Malaysia); Irshad, Kashif, E-mail: alig.kashif@gmail.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak (Malaysia); Soleimani, Hassan, E-mail: hassan.soleimani@petronas.com.my, E-mail: noorhana-yahya@petronas.com.my; Yahya, Noorhana, E-mail: hassan.soleimani@petronas.com.my, E-mail: noorhana-yahya@petronas.com.my

    2014-10-24

    Nanosized Cr-doped ZnO nano particles were synthesized by facile sol-gel auto combustion method. The structural and optical properties of Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles have been investigated by XRD and UV-Vis spectroscopy at room temperature for 0% to 8% concentration. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the Cr-doped ZnO crystallizes in a single phase polycrystalline nature with wurtzite lattice. With every % of doping, the peaks are shifting scarcely and doping of Cr is possible up to 7%. After that, the last peak vanishes, that signifies its structure is transmuted from 8% doping. The average crystallite size decreases with increase in Cr concentration (i.e. 28.9 nm for 0% to 25.8 nm for 8%). The UV-Vis spectra of the nanoparticles betoken an incrementation in the band gap energy from 3.401, 3.415, 3.431, 3.437,3.453, 3.514,3.521, 3.530 and 3.538 eV respectively, for 0,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 % doping concentration.

  9. Structural and optical properties of chromium doped zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naqvi, Syed Mohd. Adnan; Irshad, Kashif; Soleimani, Hassan; Yahya, Noorhana

    2014-01-01

    Nanosized Cr-doped ZnO nano particles were synthesized by facile sol-gel auto combustion method. The structural and optical properties of Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles have been investigated by XRD and UV-Vis spectroscopy at room temperature for 0% to 8% concentration. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the Cr-doped ZnO crystallizes in a single phase polycrystalline nature with wurtzite lattice. With every % of doping, the peaks are shifting scarcely and doping of Cr is possible up to 7%. After that, the last peak vanishes, that signifies its structure is transmuted from 8% doping. The average crystallite size decreases with increase in Cr concentration (i.e. 28.9 nm for 0% to 25.8 nm for 8%). The UV-Vis spectra of the nanoparticles betoken an incrementation in the band gap energy from 3.401, 3.415, 3.431, 3.437,3.453, 3.514,3.521, 3.530 and 3.538 eV respectively, for 0,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 % doping concentration

  10. Platinum nanoparticles on gallium nitride surfaces: effect of semiconductor doping on nanoparticle reactivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schäfer, Susanne; Wyrzgol, Sonja A; Caterino, Roberta; Jentys, Andreas; Schoell, Sebastian J; Hävecker, Michael; Knop-Gericke, Axel; Lercher, Johannes A; Sharp, Ian D; Stutzmann, Martin

    2012-08-01

    Platinum nanoparticles supported on n- and p-type gallium nitride (GaN) are investigated as novel hybrid systems for the electronic control of catalytic activity via electronic interactions with the semiconductor support. In situ oxidation and reduction were studied with high pressure photoemission spectroscopy. The experiments revealed that the underlying wide-band-gap semiconductor has a large influence on the chemical composition and oxygen affinity of supported nanoparticles under X-ray irradiation. For as-deposited Pt cuboctahedra supported on n-type GaN, a higher fraction of oxidized surface atoms was observed compared to cuboctahedral particles supported on p-type GaN. Under an oxygen atmosphere, immediate oxidation was recorded for nanoparticles on n-type GaN, whereas little oxidation was observed for nanoparticles on p-type GaN. Together, these results indicate that changes in the Pt chemical state under X-ray irradiation depend on the type of GaN doping. The strong interaction between the nanoparticles and the support is consistent with charge transfer of X-ray photogenerated free carriers at the semiconductor-nanoparticle interface and suggests that GaN is a promising wide-band-gap support material for photocatalysis and electronic control of catalysis.

  11. Unintended phosphorus doping of nickel nanoparticles during synthesis with TOP: a discovery through structural analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreau, Liane M; Ha, Don-Hyung; Bealing, Clive R; Zhang, Haitao; Hennig, Richard G; Robinson, Richard D

    2012-09-12

    We report the discovery of unintentional phosphorus (P) doping when tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) ligands are used in Ni nanoparticle synthesis, which is the most common method for monodisperse Ni nanoparticle synthesis. The nanoparticles appear pure face-centered cubic (fcc) Ni in X-ray diffraction despite the surprisingly high level (5 atomic %) of P. We find that the P doping follows a direct relationship with increased reaction time and temperature and that the P doping can be estimated with the degree of lattice expansion shown from a peak shift in the XRD spectrum. Through EXAFS modeling and density-functional (DFT) calculations of defect formation energies we find that the P atoms are preferentially located on the fcc lattice as substitutional dopants with oxidation state of zero. Magnetic and catalytic properties are shown to be greatly affected by this doping; DFT calculations show magnetization losses in the Ni system, as well as in Fe and Co systems. These findings are likely relevant for other metal syntheses that employ phosphine ligands.

  12. Iron Oxide Doped Alumina-Zirconia Nanoparticle Synthesis by Liquid Flame Spray from Metal Organic Precursors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juha-Pekka Nikkanen

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The liquid flame spray (LFS method was used to make iron oxide doped alumina-zirconia nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were generated using a turbulent, high-temperature (Tmax⁡∼3000 K H2-O2 flame. The precursors were aluminium-isopropoxide, zirconium-n-propoxide, and ferrocene in xylene solution. The solution was atomized into micron-sized droplets by high velocity H2 flow and introduced into the flame where nanoparticles were formed. The particle morphology, size, phase, and chemical composition were determined by TEM, XRD, XPS, and N2-adsorption measurements. The collected particulate material consists of micron-sized aggregates with nanosized primary particles. In both doped and undoped samples, tetragonal phase of zirconia was detected in room temperature while alumina was found to be noncrystalline. In the doped powder, Fe was oxidized to Fe2O3. The primary particle size of collected sample was approximately from 6 nm to 40 nm. Doping was observed to increase the specific surface area of the powder from 39 m2/g to 47 m2/g.

  13. Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous carbon – is an efficient electrocatalyst as platinum or a hoax for oxygen reduction reaction in acidic environment PEM fuel cell?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahoo, Madhumita; Ramaprabhu, S.

    2017-01-01

    Non-precious, heteroatom doped carbon is reported to replace commercial Pt/C in both alkaline and acidic half-cell rotating disc electrode study; however the real world full cell measurements with the metal-free electrocatalysts overcoming the practical troubles in acidic environment proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) are almost negligible to confirm the claim. Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous carbon (DPC) was synthesized in a one step, high yield process from single source ionic liquid precursor using eutectic salt as porogens to achieve porosity. Structural characterization confirms 7.03% nitrogen and 1.68% sulfur doping into the high surface area, porous carbon structure. As the cathode oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst, metal-free DPC and Pt nanoparticles decorated DPC (Pt/DPC) shows stable and high exchange current density by four electron transfer pathway in acidic half–cell liquid environment due to the synergistic effect of nitrogen and sulfur doping and porous nature of DPC. In an actual solid state full cell measurement, Pt/DPC shows higher performance comparable to commercial Pt/C; however DPC failed to reciprocate the half-cell performance due to blockage of active sites in the membrane electrode assembly fabrication process. - Highlights: • Synthesis of N and S co-doped porous carbon (DPC) in simple one-pot technique. • High surface area DPC shows comparable activity for ORR in half-cell acidic PEMFC study. • Real-world performance of DPC gives 20 mW/cm 2 peak power density at 60 °C. • Homogeneous Pt nanoparticles decorated DPC (Pt/DPC) outperforms commercial Pt/C. • Pt/DPC shows maximum power density of 718 mW/cm 2 with lower 0.3 mg/cm 2 total Pt loading.

  14. Development of bioconjugated dye-doped poly(styrene-co-maleimide) nanoparticles as a new bioprobe

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Swanepoel, A

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available -1 Journal of Materials Chemistry B Development of bioconjugated dye-doped poly(styrene-co- maleimide) nanoparticles as a new bioprobe A. Swanepoel, I. du Preez, T. Mahlangu, A. Chetty and B. Klumperman Abstract Fluorescent dye-doped poly...

  15. The effect of alkaline doped catalysts on the CVD synthesis of carbon nanotubes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nemeth, Krisztian; Nemeth, Zoltan; Fejes, Dora

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this work was to develop new doped catalysts for chemical vapour deposition (CVD) synthesis in order to increase the quantity and quality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Doping compounds such as CsBr, CsCl, KBr and KCl were used to reach higher carbon deposit and carbon yield. The amount o...... of the dopant alkali compounds varied from 1 to 5%. As prepared CNTs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman microscopy. Results revealed that both carbon yield and deposit could be increased over doped catalysts.......The aim of this work was to develop new doped catalysts for chemical vapour deposition (CVD) synthesis in order to increase the quantity and quality of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Doping compounds such as CsBr, CsCl, KBr and KCl were used to reach higher carbon deposit and carbon yield. The amount...

  16. Electrochemical investigation of the properties of Co doped ZnO nanoparticle as a corrosion inhibitive pigment for modifying corrosion resistance of the epoxy coating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rostami, M.; Rasouli, S.; Ramezanzadeh, B.; Askari, A.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Corrosion inhibitive pigment based on ZnOCo was synthesized through combustion method. • Doping ZnO nanoparticle with Co enhanced its inhibition properties considerably. • ZnOCo nanoparticle could enhance corrosion protective performance of epoxy coating. • Co doped ZnO nanoparticles behaved as efficient barrier and inhibitive pigment. - Abstract: Co doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by combustion method. Then, the epoxy nanocomposites were prepared using various amounts of nanoparticles. Salt spray and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used in order to investigate the corrosion inhibition effects of nanoparticles on the steel substrate. The morphology and composition of the films precipitated on the steel surface were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Results revealed that the corrosion inhibition properties of ZnO nanoparticle were significantly enhanced after doping with Co. Moreover, Co doped ZnO nanoparticles enhanced the corrosion resistance of the epoxy coating effectively

  17. Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Cr doped SnO2 nanoparticles stabilized with polyethylene glycol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Subramanyam, K.; Sreelekha, N.; Murali, G.; Reddy, D. Amaranatha; Vijayalakshmi, R.P.

    2014-01-01

    Pure and Cr (1, 3, 5 and 7 at%) doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by a simple chemical co-precipitation method using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a stabilizing agent. The effect of Cr doping on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of SnO 2 nanoparticles was investigated. EDAX spectra confirmed the presence of Sn, O and Cr in near stoichiometry. XRD patterns revealed that particles of all samples were crystallized in single phase rutile type tetragonal crystal structure (P4 2 /mnm) of SnO 2 . The peak positions with Cr concentration shifted to higher 2θ values. Lattice parameters were also decreased with increasing Cr concentration. TEM studies indicated that the particle size is in the range of 8–10 nm. The optical absorption studies indicated that the absorption edge shifted towards lower wavelengths with inclusion of Cr content. FTIR spectrum displays various bands that are due to fundamental overtones of PEG and O–Sn–O entities. Further it revealed that the undoped and as well as Cr doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were capped by PEG. Magnetization measurements at room temperature revealed that all the doped samples were ferromagnetic in nature. Well defined strong room temperature ferromagnetic hysteresis loop was observed for 1% Cr doped SnO 2 nanoparticles

  18. Manganese doped-iron oxide nanoparticle clusters and their potential as agents for magnetic resonance imaging and hyperthermia

    KAUST Repository

    Casula, Maria F.

    2016-06-10

    A simple, one pot method to synthesize water-dispersible Mn doped iron oxide colloidal clusters constructed of nanoparticles arranged into secondary flower-like structures was developed. This method allows the successful incorporation and homogeneous distribution of Mn within the nanoparticle iron oxide clusters. The formed clusters retain the desired morphological and structural features observed for pure iron oxide clusters, but possess intrinsic magnetic properties that arise from Mn doping. They show distinct performance as imaging contrast agents and excellent characteristics as heating mediators in magnetic fluid hyperthermia. It is expected that the outcomes of this study will open up new avenues for the exploitation of doped magnetic nanoparticle assemblies in biomedicine. © the Owner Societies 2016.

  19. Manganese doped-iron oxide nanoparticle clusters and their potential as agents for magnetic resonance imaging and hyperthermia

    KAUST Repository

    Casula, Maria F.; Conca, Erika; Bakaimi, Ioanna; Sathya, Ayyappan; Materia, Maria Elena; Casu, Alberto; Falqui, Andrea; Sogne, Elisa; Pellegrino, Teresa; Kanaras, Antonios G.

    2016-01-01

    A simple, one pot method to synthesize water-dispersible Mn doped iron oxide colloidal clusters constructed of nanoparticles arranged into secondary flower-like structures was developed. This method allows the successful incorporation and homogeneous distribution of Mn within the nanoparticle iron oxide clusters. The formed clusters retain the desired morphological and structural features observed for pure iron oxide clusters, but possess intrinsic magnetic properties that arise from Mn doping. They show distinct performance as imaging contrast agents and excellent characteristics as heating mediators in magnetic fluid hyperthermia. It is expected that the outcomes of this study will open up new avenues for the exploitation of doped magnetic nanoparticle assemblies in biomedicine. © the Owner Societies 2016.

  20. Structural and optical properties of Ni doped ZnSe nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yadav, Kanta; Dwivedi, Y.; Jaggi, Neena, E-mail: neena_jaggi@rediffmail.com

    2015-02-15

    In the present work synthesis of ZnSe:Ni nanoparticles using a simple solvothermal method has been discussed. The structural characterizations of as synthesized materials were done by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and High resolution transmission microscope (HRTEM) imaging techniques, which revealed formation of core–shell nanoparticles with crystallite size 2–4 nm. The structural parameters such as lattice constants, internal strain, dislocation density etc. of ZnSe and Ni doped ZnSe nanocrystals were estimated. Nickel doping in ZnSe host is verified by the Raman spectroscopy. Optical properties were diagnosed by UV–vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) techniques. The observed blue-shift in UV–vis absorption edge of the prepared sample of ZnSe as compared to its value for the bulk counterpart indicates formation of nanosized particles. PL spectra of Ni{sup 2+} doped samples indicate red-shift and improved emission intensity. - Highlights: • Synthesis of core shell structures of the ZnSe by simple approach. • Enhancement of the photoluminescence emission with the increase in the concentration of Ni a transition metal into the host material. • Increase in the dislocation density and strain with decrease in grain size.

  1. XAFS Studies of Fe Doped PhTiO3 Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibata, Tomohiro; Chattopadhyay, Soma; Lin Bin; Palkar, V. R.

    2007-01-01

    Fe K and Ti K edge XAFS studies are reported on Fe doped PbTiO3 nanoparticles down to the 10 nm size. Fe forms Fe3+ ions and substitute for Ti4+ ions. For 18 nm nanoparticles, the Fe and Ti environment is found to be quite different. For PbFe0.5Ti0.5O3, locally the structure remains distorted from bulk to 10 nm size although the average structure changes

  2. Synthesis and characterization of arsenic-doped cysteine-capped thoria-based nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pereira, F. J.; Díez, M. T.; Aller, A. J.

    2013-01-01

    Thoria materials have been largely used in the nuclear industry. Nonetheless, fluorescent thoria-based nanoparticles provide additional properties to be applied in other fields. Thoria-based nanoparticles, with and without arsenic and cysteine, were prepared in 1,2-ethanediol aqueous solutions by a simple precipitation procedure. The synthesized thoria-based nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (ED-XRS), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The presence of arsenic and cysteine, as well as the use of a thermal treatment facilitated fluorescence emission of the thoria-based nanoparticles. Arsenic-doped and cysteine-capped thoria-based nanoparticles prepared in 2.5 M 1,2-ethanediol solutions and treated at 348 K showed small crystallite sizes and strong fluorescence. However, thoria nanoparticles subjected to a thermal treatment at 873 K also produced strong fluorescence with a very narrow size distribution and much smaller crystallite sizes, 5 nm being the average size as shown by XRD and TEM. The XRD data indicated that, even after doping of arsenic in the crystal lattice of ThO 2 , the samples treated at 873 K were phase pure with the fluorite cubic structure. The Raman and FT-IR spectra shown the most characteristics vibrational peaks of cysteine together with other peaks related to the bonds of this molecule to thoria and arsenic when present

  3. Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction by In Situ Anchoring Fe2N Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Doped Pomelo Peel-Derived Carbon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiqing Wang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The development of effective oxygen electrode catalysts for renewable energy technologies such as metal-air batteries and fuel cells remains challenging. Here, we prepared a novel high-performance oxygen reduction reaction (ORR catalyst comprised of Fe2N nanoparticles (NPs in situ decorated over an N-doped porous carbon derived from pomelo peel (i.e., Fe2N/N-PPC. The decorated Fe2N NPs provided large quantities of Fe-N-C bonding catalytic sites. The as-obtained Fe2N/N-PPC showed superior onset and half-wave potentials (0.966 and 0.891 V, respectively in alkaline media (0.1 M KOH compared to commercial Pt/C through a direct four-electron reaction pathway. Fe2N/N-PPC also showed better stability and methanol tolerance than commercial Pt/C. The outstanding ORR performance of Fe2N/N-PPC was attributed to its high specific surface area and the synergistic effects of Fe2N NPs. The utilization of agricultural wastes as a precursor makes Fe2N/N-PPC an ideal non-precious metal catalyst for ORR applications.

  4. Sensing Using Rare-Earth-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles

    OpenAIRE

    Hao, Shuwei; Chen, Guanying; Yang, Chunhui

    2013-01-01

    Optical sensing plays an important role in theranostics due to its capability to detect hint biochemical entities or molecular targets as well as to precisely monitor specific fundamental psychological processes. Rare-earth (RE) doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising for these endeavors due to their unique frequency converting capability; they emit efficient and sharp visible or ultraviolet (UV) luminescence via use of ladder-like energy levels of RE ions when excited at near ...

  5. The effect of Sm-doping on optical properties of LaB6 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chao, Luomeng; Bao, Lihong; Shi, Junjie; Wei, Wei; Tegus, O.; Zhang, Zhidong

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Nanoparticles of Sm-doped LaB 6 have been prepared by solid state reaction. • All samples exhibit high absorbance in NIR range and UV range. • The increase of Sm-doping amount shifts the position of minimum absorptance value. • The optical properties of Sm-doped LaB 6 were interpreted by DFT theory. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline particles of LaB 6 , SmB 6 and Sm-doped LaB 6 have been prepared by a solid-state reaction in order to investigate the optical properties of ternary rare-earth hexaborides. The sizes of prepared nanoparticles range from dozens to more than 200 nm, as confirmed by XRD, SEM and TEM examinations. The optical property concerning the absorption spectra was tested with ultraviolet-visible-near infrared (UV-vis-NIR) absorption spectrum. All samples exhibit high absorbance in NIR range and UV range. The increase of Sm-doping amount shifts the position of minimum absorptance value of LaB 6 to the long-wave direction. Density functional theory (DFT) is employed to interpret the optical properties of Sm-doped LaB 6 , and results indicate that Sm 4f states change the DOS at near Fermi surface of LaB 6 after Sm doping and the reduced number of conduction electrons results into the change of absorption spectra

  6. Doping of Co into V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanoparticles enhances photodegradation of methylene blue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suresh, R.; Giribabu, K.; Manigandan, R.; Munusamy, S.; Praveen Kumar, S.; Muthamizh, S. [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Maraimalai Campus, Chennai 600 025 (India); Stephen, A. [Department of Nuclear Physics, University of Madras, Guindy Maraimalai Campus, Chennai 600 025 (India); Narayanan, V., E-mail: vnnara@yahoo.co.in [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Madras, Guindy Maraimalai Campus, Chennai 600 025 (India)

    2014-06-15

    Highlights: • Co-doped V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanoparticles are synthesized by thermal decomposition method. • The nanoparticles are used as photocatalyst for the first time. • Doped samples exhibited enhanced photodegradation property. • Observed enhanced activity is due to Co and plausible mechanism has been proposed. - Abstract: V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanoparticles doped with different amounts of (x = 2%, 5% and 10%) Co was successfully synthesized by thermal decomposition method with the purpose of enhancing their photodegradation performance under visible light irradiation. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, UV–Vis, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The photodegradation property of the prepared pure V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and Co-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanoparticles were investigated by using aqueous solution of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The obtained results clearly indicated that the amount of Co has significant effect on the photodegradation of MB. Particularly, 10%Co-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nanoparticles exhibits enhanced photodegradation property than the pure, 2% and 5%Co-doped samples. A plausible mechanism was put forth for such significant improvements in photodegradation performance of Co-V{sub 2}O{sub 5}.

  7. SYNTHESIS OF M–Nd DOPED Fe3O4 NANOPARTICLES (M = Co ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

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    nanoparticles were spherical shaped with inverse spinel structure. ... To obtain nano sized spinel ferrite particles, various preparation techniques have been ... SEM images of (a) Fe3O4, (b) Fe3O4 doped with Nd3+ and Co2+, (c) Fe3O4 doped with. Nd3+ .... Nayar, S.; Mir, A.; Ashok, A.; Sharma, A. J. Bionic Eng. 2010, 7, 29.

  8. Metal-doped inorganic nanoparticles for multiplex detection of biomarkers by a sandwich-type ICP-MS immunoassay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Jung Aa; Lim, H B

    2016-09-28

    Metal-doped inorganic nanoparticles were synthesized for the multiplex detection of biomarkers by a sandwich-type inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) immunoassay. The synthesized Cs-doped multicore magnetic nanoparticles (MMNPs) were used not only for magnetic extraction of targets but also for ratiometric measurement in ICP-MS. In addition, three different metal/dye-doped silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were synthesized as probes for multiplex detection: Y/RhBITC (rhodamine B isothiocyanate)-doped SNPs for CRP (cardiovascular disease), Cd/RhBITC-doped SNPs for AFP (tumor), and Au/5(6)-XRITC (X-rhodamine-5-(and-6)-isothiocyanate)-doped SNPs for NSE (heart disease). For quantification, the doped metals of SNPs were measured by ICP-MS and then the signal ratio to Cs of MMNPs was plotted with respect to the concentration of targets by a ratiometry. Limits of detection (LOD) of 0.35 ng/mL to 77 ng mL(-1) and recoveries of 83%-125% were obtained for serum samples spiked with the biomarkers. Since no sample treatment was necessary prior to the extraction, the proposed method provided short analysis time and convenience for the multiplex determination of biomarkers, which will be valuable for clinical application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Dots as A New Substrate for Sensitive Glucose Determination

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanxu Ji

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen-doped carbon dots are introduced as a novel substrate suitable for enzyme immobilization in electrochemical detection metods. Nitrogen-doped carbon dots are easily synthesised from polyacrylamide in just one step. With the help of the amino group on chitosan, glucose oxidase is immobilized on nitrogen-doped carbon dots-modified carbon glassy electrodes by amino-carboxyl reactions. The nitrogen-induced charge delocalization at nitrogen-doped carbon dots can enhance the electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of O2. The specific amino-carboxyl reaction provides strong and stable immobilization of GOx on electrodes. The developed biosensor responds efficiently to the presence of glucose in serum samples over the concentration range from 1 to 12 mM with a detection limit of 0.25 mM. This novel biosensor has good reproducibility and stability, and is highly selective for glucose determination under physiological conditions. These results indicate that N-doped quantum dots represent a novel candidate material for the construction of electrochemical biosensors.

  10. Magnetic and dielectric properties of alkaline earth Ca2+ and Ba2+ ions co-doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, C.; Liu, C.Z.; Wang, C.M.; Zhang, W.G.; Jiang, J.S.

    2012-01-01

    Ca 2+ and Ba 2+ ions co-doped BiFeO 3 nanoparticles, Bi 0.8 Ca 0.2−x Ba x FeO 3 (x=0–0.20), were prepared by a sol–gel method. The phase structure, grain size, dielectric and magnetic properties of the prepared samples were investigated. The results showed that the lattice structure of the nanoparticles transformed from rhombohedral (x=0) to orthorhombic (x=0.07–0.19) and then to tetragonal (x=0.20) with x increased. The dielectric properties of the nanoparticles were affected by the properties of the substitutional ions as well as the crystalline structure of the samples. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles were greatly improved and the T N of the nanoparticles was obviously increased. All the Ca 2+ and Ba 2+ ions co-doped BiFeO 3 nanoparticles presented the high ratio of M r /M from 0.527 to 0.571 and large coercivity from 4.335 to 5.163 KOe. - Highlights: ► Ca 2+ and Ba 2+ ions co-doped BiFeO 3 nanoparticles were prepared using a sol–gel method. ► The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles are greatly improved. ► The Neel temperature (T N ) of the nanoparticles is greatly increased. ► Doped ions and crystal structure affect the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles.

  11. Reduced graphene oxide decorated with Fe doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles for humidity sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Toloman, D. [National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Popa, A., E-mail: popa@itim-cj.ro [National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Stan, M.; Socaci, C.; Biris, A.R. [National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Katona, G. [Babes-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos Street, 400028 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Tudorache, F. [Interdisciplinary Research Department – Field Science & RAMTECH, Al. I. Cuza University, 11 Carol I Blvd., 7000506 Iasi (Romania); Petrila, I. [Interdisciplinary Research Department – Field Science & RAMTECH, Al. I. Cuza University, 11 Carol I Blvd., 7000506 Iasi (Romania); Faculty of Automatic Control and Computer Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University, 27 Dimitrie Mangeron Street, 700050 Iasi (Romania); Iacomi, F. [Faculty of Physics, Al. I. Cuza University, 11 Carol I Blvd., 7000506 Iasi (Romania)

    2017-04-30

    Highlights: • Reduced graphene oxide decorated with Fe doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized. • The decoration of rGO layers with SnO{sub 2}:Fe nanoparticles was highlited by TEM. • The reduction of graphene oxide was evidenced using XRD and FT-IR. • Sensitivity tests for relative humidity (RH) were carried out. • The composite sensor exhibited enhanced sensing response as compared with Fe:SnO{sub 2}. - Abstract: Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) decorated with Fe doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were fabricated via the electrostatic interaction between positively charged modified Fe-doped SnO{sub 2} oxide and negatively charged graphene oxide (GO) in the presence of poly(allylamine) hydrochloride (PAH). The decoration of rGO layers with SnO{sub 2}:Fe nanoparticles was highlited by TEM microsopy. For composite sample the diffraction patterns coincide well with those of SnO{sub 2}:Fe nanoparticles. The reduction of graphene oxide was evidenced using XRD and FT-IR spectroscopy. The formation of SnO{sub 2}:Fe-PAH-graphene composites was confirmed by FT-IR, Raman and EPR spectroscopy. Sensitivity tests for relative humidity (RH) measurements were carried out at five different concentrations of humid air at room temperature. The prepared composite sensor exhibited a higher sensing response as compared with Fe:SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles.

  12. Silver release and antimicrobial properties of PMMA films doped with silver ions, nano-particles and complexes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lyutakov, O., E-mail: lyutakoo@vscht.cz [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic); Goncharova, I. [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic); Rimpelova, S. [Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic); Kolarova, K.; Svanda, J.; Svorcik, V. [Department of Solid State Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague (Czech Republic)

    2015-04-01

    Materials prepared on the base of bioactive silver compounds have become more and more popular due to low microbial resistance to silver. In the present work, the efficiency of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymer complex was studied by a combination of AAS, XPS and AFM techniques. The biological activities of the proposed materials were discussed in view of the rate of silver releasing from the polymer matrix. Concentrations of Ag active form were estimated by its ability to interact with L-cysteine using electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy. Rates of the released silver were compared with the biological activity in dependence on the form of embedded silver. Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were studied using two bacterial strains: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. It was found that PMMA films doped with Ag{sup +} had greater activity than those doped with nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymeric complexes. However, the antimicrobial efficiency of Ag{sup +} doped films was only short-term. Contrary, the antimicrobial activity of silver–imidazole/PMMA films increased in time of sample soaking. - Highlights: • PMMA thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver–imidazole helical complexes (AgIm) were studied. • Silver release from doped polymer films and its biological activity were estimated. • Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were also studied. • Ag ions doped films showed the strongest antimicrobial activity, which quickly disappeared. • AgIm and AgNPs doped films showed more stable antimicrobial properties. • AgIm complexes conserve their structure after addition into polymer and after leaching.

  13. Silver release and antimicrobial properties of PMMA films doped with silver ions, nano-particles and complexes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyutakov, O.; Goncharova, I.; Rimpelova, S.; Kolarova, K.; Svanda, J.; Svorcik, V.

    2015-01-01

    Materials prepared on the base of bioactive silver compounds have become more and more popular due to low microbial resistance to silver. In the present work, the efficiency of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymer complex was studied by a combination of AAS, XPS and AFM techniques. The biological activities of the proposed materials were discussed in view of the rate of silver releasing from the polymer matrix. Concentrations of Ag active form were estimated by its ability to interact with L-cysteine using electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy. Rates of the released silver were compared with the biological activity in dependence on the form of embedded silver. Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were studied using two bacterial strains: Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. It was found that PMMA films doped with Ag + had greater activity than those doped with nanoparticles and silver–imidazole polymeric complexes. However, the antimicrobial efficiency of Ag + doped films was only short-term. Contrary, the antimicrobial activity of silver–imidazole/PMMA films increased in time of sample soaking. - Highlights: • PMMA thin films doped with silver ions, nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver–imidazole helical complexes (AgIm) were studied. • Silver release from doped polymer films and its biological activity were estimated. • Antimicrobial properties of doped polymer films were also studied. • Ag ions doped films showed the strongest antimicrobial activity, which quickly disappeared. • AgIm and AgNPs doped films showed more stable antimicrobial properties. • AgIm complexes conserve their structure after addition into polymer and after leaching

  14. Linear and nonlinear optical studies of bare and copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles via sol gel technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajamannan, B.; Mugundan, S.; Viruthagiri, G.; Praveen, P.; Shanmugam, N.

    2014-01-01

    In general, the nanoparticles of TiO2 may exist in the phases of anatase, rutile and brookite. In the present work, we used titanium terta iso propoxide and 2-propanol as a common starting material to prepare the precursors of bare and copper doped nanosized TiO2. Then the synthesized products were calcinated at 500 °C and after calcination the pure TiO2 nanoparticles in anatase phase were harvested. The crystallite sizes of bare and copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles were calculated from X-ray diffraction analysis. The existence of functional groups of the samples was identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The optical properties of bare and doped samples were carried out using UV-DRS and photoluminescence measurements. The surface morphology and the element constitution of the copper doped TiO2 nanoparticles were studied by scanning electron microscope fitted with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer arrangement. The nonlinear optical properties of the products were confirmed by Kurtz second harmonic generation (SHG) test and the output power generated by the nanoparticle was compared with that of potassium di hydrogen phosphate (KDP).

  15. Correlated vortex pinning in Si-nanoparticle doped MgB2

    OpenAIRE

    Kusevic, I.; Babic, E.; Husnjak, O.; Soltanian, S.; Wang, X. L.; Dou, S. X.

    2003-01-01

    The magnetoresistivity and critical current density of well characterized Si-nanoparticle doped and undoped Cu-sheathed MgB$_{2}$ tapes have been measured at temperatures $T\\geq 28$ K in magnetic fields $B\\leq 0.9$ T. The irreversibility line $B_{irr}(T)$ for doped tape shows a stepwise variation with a kink around 0.3 T. Such $B_{irr}(T)$ variation is typical for high-temperature superconductors with columnar defects (a kink occurs near the matching field $% B_{\\phi}$) and is very different ...

  16. Coercivity enhancement in Nd-Fe-B sintered permanent magnet by Dy nanoparticles doping

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, W.Q., E-mail: liuweiqiang77@hotmail.co [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Sun, H. [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Yi, X.F. [Anhui Earth-panda Advance Magnetic Material Co., Ltd., Anhui 231500 (China); Liu, X.C.; Zhang, D.T. [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Yue, M., E-mail: yueming@bjut.edu.c [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Zhang, J.X. [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China)

    2010-07-02

    Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets with a small amount of Dysprosium (Dy) nanoparticles doping were prepared by conventional sintered method, and the microstructure and magnetic properties of the magnets were studied. Investigation shows that the coercivity rises gradually, while the remanence decreases simultaneously with increased Dy doping amount. As a result, the magnet with 1.5 wt.% Dy exhibits optimal magnetic properties. Further investigation presumed that Dy is enriched as (Nd, Dy){sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B phase in the surface region of the Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B matrix grains indicated by the enhancement of the magneto-crystalline anisotropy field of the Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B phase. As a result, the magnet doped with a small amount of Dy nanoparticles possesses remarkably enhanced coercivity without sacrificing its magnetization noticeably.

  17. Catalytic activity of Pd-doped Cu nanoparticles for hydrogenation as a single-atom-alloy catalyst.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xinrui; Fu, Qiang; Luo, Yi

    2014-05-14

    The single atom alloy of extended surfaces is known to provide remarkably enhanced catalytic performance toward heterogeneous hydrogenation. Here we demonstrate from first principles calculations that this approach can be extended to nanostructures, such as bimetallic nanoparticles. The catalytic properties of the single-Pd-doped Cu55 nanoparticles have been systemically examined for H2 dissociation as well as H atom adsorption and diffusion, following the concept of single atom alloy. It is found that doping a single Pd atom at the edge site of the Cu55 shell can considerably reduce the activation energy of H2 dissociation, while the single Pd atom doped at the top site or in the inner layers is much less effective. The H atom adsorption on Cu55 is slightly stronger than that on the Cu(111) surface; however, a larger nanoparticle that contains 147 atoms could effectively recover the weak binding of the H atoms. We have also investigated the H atom diffusion on the 55-atom nanoparticle and found that spillover of the produced H atoms could be a feasible process due to the low diffusion barriers. Our results have demonstrated that facile H2 dissociation and weak H atom adsorption could be combined at the nanoscale. Moreover, the effects of doping one more Pd atom on the H2 dissociation and H atom adsorption have also been investigated. We have found that both the doping Pd atoms in the most stable configuration could independently exhibit their catalytic activity, behaving as two single-atom-alloy catalysts.

  18. Hydrogen storage capacity of lithium-doped KOH activated carbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Minoda, Ai; Oshima, Shinji; Iki, Hideshi; Akiba, Etsuo

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The hydrogen adsorption of lithium-doped KOH activated carbons has been studied. • Lithium doping improves their hydrogen adsorption affinity. • Lithium doping is more effective for materials with micropores of 0.8 nm or smaller. • Lithium reagent can alter the pore structure, depending on the raw material. • Optimizing the pore size and functional group is needed for better hydrogen uptake. - Abstract: The authors have studied the hydrogen adsorption performance of several types of lithium-doped KOH activated carbons. In the case of activated cokes, lithium doping improves their hydrogen adsorption affinity from 5.02 kg/m 3 to 5.86 kg/m 3 at 303 K. Hydrogen adsorption density increases by around 17% after lithium doping, likely due to the fact that lithium doping is more effective for materials with micropores of 0.8 nm or smaller. The effects of lithium on hydrogen storage capacity vary depending on the raw material, because the lithium reagent can react with the material and alter the pore structure, indicating that lithium doping has the effect of plugging or filling the micropores and changing the structures of functional groups, resulting in the formation of mesopores. Despite an observed decrease in hydrogen uptake, lithium doping was found to improve hydrogen adsorption affinity. Lithium doping increases hydrogen uptake by optimizing the pore size and functional group composition

  19. Preparation of nanocomposites resin from seed Pterodon emarginatus doped maghemite nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silveira, L B; Martins, Q S; Maia, J C; Santos, J G

    2012-06-01

    Electrical characterization and magnetic nanocomposite resin seeds Pterodon emarginatus (PE) doped with nanoparticles of maghemite and treated by different chemical processes is reported in this paper. The pure PE resin showed semiconducting characteristics probably the presence of natural iron oxide in its molecular structure. The analysis of Mössbauer spectra pure resin showed two magnetic sites presented on measurements made at temperature of 300 K. Six "LEDs" to have been doped maghemite nanoparticles forming concentrations of 2.6 x 10(15) to 1.56 x 10(16) particles/cm2 forming the LED-PEMN. In the presence of the applied current versus voltage (0 to 0.9 V) LED-PEMN shown semiconducting properties. In the presence of frequency versus voltage sample of pure resin and LED features small decrease. While samples of LED-PEMN suffers loss frequency linearly with concentration and voltage. The pure PE resin shows high resistance to the applied voltage while the LED-PEMN is observed linear increase with the strength and concentration of nanoparticles of maghemite.

  20. Biomass derived porous nitrogen doped carbon for electrochemical devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Litao Yan

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Biomass derived porous nanostructured nitrogen doped carbon (PNC has been extensively investigated as the electrode material for electrochemical catalytic reactions and rechargeable batteries. Biomass with and without containing nitrogen could be designed and optimized to prepare PNC via hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis, and other methods. The presence of nitrogen in carbon can provide more active sites for ion absorption, improve the electronic conductivity, increase the bonding between carbon and sulfur, and enhance the electrochemical catalytic reaction. The synthetic methods of natural biomass derived PNC, heteroatomic co- or tri-doping into biomass derived carbon and the application of biomass derived PNC in rechargeable Li/Na batteries, high energy density Li–S batteries, supercapacitors, metal-air batteries and electrochemical catalytic reaction (oxygen reduction and evolution reactions, hydrogen evolution reaction are summarized and discussed in this review. Biomass derived PNCs deliver high performance electrochemical storage properties for rechargeable batteries/supercapacitors and superior electrochemical catalytic performance toward hydrogen evolution, oxygen reduction and evolution, as promising electrodes for electrochemical devices including battery technologies, fuel cell and electrolyzer. Keywords: Biomass, Nitrogen doped carbon, Batteries, Fuel cell, Electrolyzer

  1. Nitrogen-doped porous carbon from Camellia oleifera shells with enhanced electrochemical performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhai, Yunbo; Xu, Bibo; Zhu, Yun; Qing, Renpeng; Peng, Chuan; Wang, Tengfei; Li, Caiting; Zeng, Guangming

    2016-01-01

    Nitrogen doped porous activated carbon was prepared by annealing treatment of Camellia oleifera shell activated carbon under NH 3 . We found that nitrogen content of activated carbon up to 10.43 at.% when annealed in NH 3 at 800 °C. At 600 °C or above, the N-doped carbon further reacts with NH 3 , leads to a low surface area down to 458 m 2 /g and low graphitization degree. X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) analysis indicated that the nitrogen functional groups on the nitrogen-doped activated carbons (NACs) were mostly in the form of pyridinic nitrogen. We discovered that the oxygen groups and carbon atoms at the defect and edge sites of graphene play an important role in the reaction, leading to nitrogen atoms incorporated into the lattice of carbon. When temperatures were lower than 600 °C the nitrogen atoms displaced oxygen groups and formed nitrogen function groups, and when temperatures were higher than 600 °C and ~ 4 at.% carbon atoms and part of oxygen function groups reacted with NH 3 . When compared to pure activated carbon, the nitrogen doped activated carbon shows nearly four times the capacitance (191 vs 51 F/g). - Highlights: • The nitrogen content up to 10.43 at % during CAC pyrolysis under NH3 at 800 °C. • The oxygen groups and carbon atoms played an important role in the nitrogen doping. • NAC-600 shows a much higher specific capacitance than CAC.

  2. Hydrogen adsorption in microporous alkali-doped carbons (single-wall carbon nano-tubes and activated carbons)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laurent Duclaux; Szymon Los; Michel Letellier; Philippe Azais; Roland Pellenq; Thomas Roussel; Xavier Fuhr

    2006-01-01

    Doping of microporous carbon by Li or K leads to an increase in the energy of adsorption of H 2 or D 2 molecules. Thus, the room temperature sorption capacities (at P≤3 MPa) can be higher than the ones of the raw materials after slight doping. However, the maximum H 2 (or D 2 ) storage uptake measured at T≤ 77 K is lower than the one of pristine materials as the sites of adsorption are occupied by alkali ions inserted in the micropores. The microporous adsorption sites of doped single-walled carbon nano-tubes, identified by neutron diffraction, are both the interstitial voids (in electric-arc or HiPCO tubes) in between the tubes and the central canals of the tubes (only in HiPCO tubes). (authors)

  3. Study of dielectric property on ZrO2 and Al doped ZrO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Catherine Siriya Pushpa, K.; Mangayarkarasi, K.; Ravichandran, A.T.; Xavier, A. Robert; Nagabushana, B.M.

    2014-01-01

    A solution combustion process was used to synthesize ZrO 2 and Al doped ZrO 2 nanoparticles by using Zirconium nitrate and aluminium nitrate as the oxidizer and glycine as fuel. The prepared samples were characterized by several techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis). The dielectric values of the pelletized samples were examined at room temperature as the function of frequency. XRD shows the structure of the prepared and doped samples. The SEM shows the surface morphology of the pure and doped ZrO 2 nanoparticles. The dielectric property enhances with increase of Al concentration, which is useful in dielectric gates. (author)

  4. Enhanced specific heat capacity of molten salt-based nanomaterials: Effects of nanoparticle dispersion and solvent material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jo, Byeongnam; Banerjee, Debjyoti

    2014-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of nanoparticle dispersion on the specific heat capacity for carbonate salt mixtures doped with graphite nanoparticles. The effect of the solvent material was also examined. Binary carbonate salt mixtures consisting of lithium carbonate and potassium carbonate were used as the base material for the graphite nanomaterial. The different dispersion uniformity of the nanoparticles was created by employing two distinct synthesis protocols for the nanomaterial. Different scanning calorimetry was employed to measure the specific heat capacity in both solid and liquid phases. The results showed that doping the molten salt mixture with the graphite nanoparticles significantly raised the specific heat capacity, even in minute concentrations of graphite nanoparticles. Moreover, greater enhancement in the specific heat capacity was observed from the nanomaterial samples with more homogeneous dispersion of the nanoparticles. A molecular dynamics simulation was also performed for the nanomaterials used in the specific heat capacity measurements to explain the possible mechanisms for the enhanced specific heat capacity, including the compressed layering and the species concentration of liquid solvent molecules

  5. Structural, electronic and magnetic properties of carbon doped boron nitride nanowire: Ab initio study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jalilian, Jaafar, E-mail: JaafarJalilian@gmail.com [Young Researchers and Elite Club, Kermanshah Br anch, Islamic Azad University, P.O. Box: 6718997551, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kanjouri, Faramarz, E-mail: kanjouri@khu.ac.ir [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Kharazmi University, University Square, P.O. Box: 3197937551, Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-11-15

    Using spin-polarized density functional theory calculations, we demonstrated that carbon doped boron nitride nanowire (C-doped BNNW) has diverse electronic and magnetic properties depending on position of carbon atoms and their percentages. Our results show that only when one carbon atom is situated on the edge of the nanowire, C-doped BNNW is transformed into half-metal. The calculated electronic structure of the C-doped BNNW suggests that doping carbon can induce localized edge states around the Fermi level, and the interaction among localized edge states leads to semiconductor to half-metal transition. Overall, the bond reconstruction causes of appearance of different electronic behavior such as semiconducting, half-metallicity, nonmagnetic metallic, and ferromagnetic metallic characters. The formation energy of the system shows that when a C atom is doped on surface boron site, system is more stable than the other positions of carbon impurity. Our calculations show that C-doped BNNW may offer unique opportunities for developing nanoscale spintronic materials.

  6. A facile and fast approach for the synthesis of doped nanoparticles using a microfluidic device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Akanksha; Limaye, Mukta; Singh, Shashi; Kulkarni, Sulabha; Lalla, Niranjan Prasad; Malek, Chantal Khan

    2008-01-01

    The microfluidic approach emerges as a new and promising technology for the synthesis of nanomaterials. A microreactor allows a variety of reaction conditions to be quickly scanned without consuming large amounts of raw material. In this study, we investigated the synthesis of water soluble 1-thioglycerol-capped Mn-doped ZnS nanocrystalline semiconductor nanoparticles (TG-capped ZnS:Mn) via a microfluidic approach. This is the first report for the successful doping of Mn in a ZnS semiconductor at room temperature as well as at 80 deg. C using a microreactor. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis show that the average particle size of Mn-doped ZnS nanoparticles is ∼3.0 nm with a zinc-blende structure. Photoluminescence, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance studies were carried out to confirm that the Mn 2+ dopants are present in the ZnS nanoparticles

  7. Preparation of acridine orange-doped silica nanoparticles for pH measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Jinshui; Zang, Lingjie; Wang, Yiru; Liu, Guoning

    2014-01-01

    Acridine orange was first encapsulated into silica shell via a facile reverse microemusion method to built core–shell fluorescent nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are all in spherical shape and have a narrow size distribution, and its application as a optical pH sensor has been demonstrated. This novel sensor is based on the pH-dependent fluorescence intensities of acridine orange in different pH value. The fluorescence intensity of acridine orange-doped silica nanoparticles was decreased by increasing pH value. Under optimum conditions, the changes of fluorescence intensity were proportional to the pH value in the range of 8.00–10.90. In addition, the sensor can be easily separated by centrifugation and adds no pollution to the environment compared to the free dyes. Furthermore, the effects of ionic strength and co-existing substances were proved to have little influence on the determination of pH. The sensor has been successfully applied to determine the pH of two artificial samples. Hence, the core–shell fluorescent nanoparticles show potential for practical application. -- Highlights: • Acridine orange was encapsulated into silica shell via a facile reverse microemusion method to built core–shell fluorescent nanoparticles. • The fluorescence intensity of acridine orange-doped silica nanoparticles was decreased by increasing pH value. • Its can be used as an optical pH sensor. • The sensor can be easily separated by centrifugation and adds no pollution to the environment compared to the free dyes. • The sensor has been successfully applied to determine the pH of artificial samples

  8. Enhanced thermal lens effect in gold nanoparticle-doped Lyotropic liquid crystal by nanoparticle clustering probed by Z-scan technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomez, S.L.; Lenart, V.M.

    2015-01-01

    This work presents an experimental study of the thermal lens effect in Au nanoparticles-doped lyotropic liquid crystals under cw 532 nm optical excitation. Spherical Au nanoparticles of about 12 nm were prepared by Turkevich’s method, and the lyotropic liquid crystal was a ternary mixture of SDS, 1-DeOH, and water that exhibits an isotropic phase at room temperature. The lyotropic matrix induces aggregation of the nanoparticles, leading to a broad and a red-shifted surface plasmon resonance. The thermal nonlinear optical refraction coefficient n 2 increases as a power of number density of nanoparticles, being possible to address this behavior to nanoparticle clustering. (author)

  9. Enhanced thermal lens effect in gold nanoparticle-doped Lyotropic liquid crystal by nanoparticle clustering probed by Z-scan technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gomez, S.L.; Lenart, V.M., E-mail: sgomez@uepg.br [Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG), PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Turchiello, R.T. [Universidade Federal Tecnologica do Parana (UFTPR), Ponta Grossa, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Goya, G.F. [Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Aragon Institute of Nanoscience, Zaragoza (Spain)

    2015-10-01

    This work presents an experimental study of the thermal lens effect in Au nanoparticles-doped lyotropic liquid crystals under cw 532 nm optical excitation. Spherical Au nanoparticles of about 12 nm were prepared by Turkevich’s method, and the lyotropic liquid crystal was a ternary mixture of SDS, 1-DeOH, and water that exhibits an isotropic phase at room temperature. The lyotropic matrix induces aggregation of the nanoparticles, leading to a broad and a red-shifted surface plasmon resonance. The thermal nonlinear optical refraction coefficient n{sub 2} increases as a power of number density of nanoparticles, being possible to address this behavior to nanoparticle clustering. (author)

  10. Nanostructured nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon derived from polyacrylonitrile for advanced lithium sulfur batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Ying; Zhao, Xiaohui; Chauhan, Ghanshyam S. [Department of Chemical Engineering and Research Institute for Green Energy Convergence Technology, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 660-701 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Jou-Hyeon, E-mail: jhahn@gnu.ac.kr [Department of Chemical Engineering and Research Institute for Green Energy Convergence Technology, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 660-701 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Materials Engineering and Convergence Technology and RIGET, Gyeongsang National University, 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 660-701 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-09-01

    Graphical abstract: Well-ordered nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon materials were prepared by in-situ polymerization of polyacrylonitrile in SBA-15 template. The composite of sulfur and nitrogen-doped carbon was successfully used as a cathode material for lithium sulfur battery. - Highlights: • N-doped mesoporous carbons were prepared with PAN as carbon source. • Highly ordered pore system facilitates sulfur loading. • Ladder-type carbon matrix provides good structural stability for confining sulfur. • N-doping ensures an improved absorbability of soluble polysulfides. - Abstract: Nitrogen doping in carbon matrix can effectively improve the wettability of electrolyte and increase electric conductivity of carbon by ensuring fast transfer of ions. We synthesized a series of nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbons (CPANs) via in situ polymerization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in SBA-15 template followed by carbonization at different temperatures. Carbonization results in the formation of ladder structure which enhances the stability of the matrix. In this study, CPAN-800, carbon matrix synthesized by the carbonization at 800 °C, was found to possess many desirable properties such as high specific surface area and pore volume, moderate nitrogen content, and highly ordered mesoporous structure. Therefore, it was used to prepare S/CPAN-800 composite as cathode material in lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries. The S/CPAN-800 composite was proved to be an excellent material for Li-S cells which delivered a high initial discharge capacity of 1585 mAh g{sup −1} and enhanced capacity retention of 862 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.1 C after 100 cycles.

  11. Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Cr doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles stabilized with polyethylene glycol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Subramanyam, K.; Sreelekha, N. [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India); Murali, G. [Department of BIN Fusion Technology and Department of Polymer-Nano Science and Technology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk (Korea, Republic of); Reddy, D. Amaranatha [Department of Chemistry and Chemical Institute for Functional Materials, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Vijayalakshmi, R.P., E-mail: vijayaraguru@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517502 (India)

    2014-12-01

    Pure and Cr (1, 3, 5 and 7 at%) doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by a simple chemical co-precipitation method using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a stabilizing agent. The effect of Cr doping on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles was investigated. EDAX spectra confirmed the presence of Sn, O and Cr in near stoichiometry. XRD patterns revealed that particles of all samples were crystallized in single phase rutile type tetragonal crystal structure (P4{sub 2}/mnm) of SnO{sub 2}. The peak positions with Cr concentration shifted to higher 2θ values. Lattice parameters were also decreased with increasing Cr concentration. TEM studies indicated that the particle size is in the range of 8–10 nm. The optical absorption studies indicated that the absorption edge shifted towards lower wavelengths with inclusion of Cr content. FTIR spectrum displays various bands that are due to fundamental overtones of PEG and O–Sn–O entities. Further it revealed that the undoped and as well as Cr doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were capped by PEG. Magnetization measurements at room temperature revealed that all the doped samples were ferromagnetic in nature. Well defined strong room temperature ferromagnetic hysteresis loop was observed for 1% Cr doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles.

  12. Nitrogen-doped porous carbon derived from biomass waste for high-performance supercapacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Guofu; Yang, Qian; Sun, Kanjun; Peng, Hui; Ran, Feitian; Zhao, Xiaolong; Lei, Ziqiang

    2015-12-01

    High capacitance property and low cost are the pivotal requirements for practical application of supercapacitor. In this paper, a low cost and high capacitance property nitrogen-doped porous carbon with high specific capacitance is prepared. The as-prepared nitrogen-doped porous carbon employing potato waste residue (PWR) as the carbon source, zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as the activating agent and melamine as nitrogen doping agent. The morphology and structure of the carbon materials are studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N2 adsorption/desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra. The surface area of the nitrogen-doped carbon which prepared under 700°C is found to be 1052m(2)/g, and the specific capacitance as high as 255Fg(-1) in 2M KOH electrolyte is obtained utilize the carbon as electrode materials. The electrode materials also show excellent cyclability with 93.7% coulombic efficiency at 5Ag(-1) current density of for 5000cycles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. APTES-Terminated ultrasmall and iron-doped silicon nanoparticles as X-Ray dose enhancer for radiation therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Stefanie; Wegmann, Marc; Distel, Luitpold V R; Neuhuber, Winfried; Kryschi, Carola

    2018-04-15

    Silicon nanoparticles with sizes between were synthesized through wet-chemistry procedures using diverse phase transfer reagents. On the other hand, the preparation of iron-doped silicon nanoparticles was carried out using the precursor Na 4 Si 4 containing 5% Fe. Biocompatibility of all silicon nanoparticle samples was achieved by surface-stabilizing with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. These surface structures provided positive surface charges which facilitated electrostatic binding to the negatively charged biological membranes. The mode of interaction with membranes, being either incorporation or just attachment, was found to depend on the nanoparticle size. The smallest silicon nanoparticles (ca. 1.5 nm) were embedded in the mitochondrial membrane in MCF-7 cells. When interacting with X-rays these silicon nanoparticles were observed to enhance the superoxide formation upon depolarizing the mitochondrial membrane. X-ray irradiation of MCF-7 cells loaded with the larger silicon nanoparticles was shown to increase the intracellular singlet oxygen generation. The doping of the silicon nanoparticles with iron led to additional production of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Carbon dots based dual-emission silica nanoparticles as ratiometric fluorescent probe for nitrite determination in food samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Guoqiang; Wang, Yule; Zhang, Heng; Fan, Huanhuan; Fan, Lu; He, Lijun; Jiang, Xiuming; Zhao, Wenjie

    2018-09-15

    In this work, a simple and effective strategy for designing a ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor was described. A carbon dots (CDs) based dual-emission nanosensor for nitrite was prepared by coating the CDs on to dye-doped silica nanoparticles. Dual-emission silica nanoparticles fluorescence was quenched in sulfuric acid using potassium bromate (KBrO 3 ). The nitrite present catalyzed the KBrO 3 oxidation, resulting in ratiometric fluorescence response of the dual-emission silica nanoparticles. Several important parameters affecting the performance of the nanosensor were investigated. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection was 1.0 ng mL -1 and the linear range 10-160 ng mL -1 . Furthermore, the sensor was suitable for nitrite determination in different food samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Sensing using rare-earth-doped upconversion nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Shuwei; Chen, Guanying; Yang, Chunhui

    2013-01-01

    Optical sensing plays an important role in theranostics due to its capability to detect hint biochemical entities or molecular targets as well as to precisely monitor specific fundamental psychological processes. Rare-earth (RE) doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising for these endeavors due to their unique frequency converting capability; they emit efficient and sharp visible or ultraviolet (UV) luminescence via use of ladder-like energy levels of RE ions when excited at near infrared (NIR) light that are silent to tissues. These features allow not only a high penetration depth in biological tissues but also a high detection sensitivity. Indeed, the energy transfer between UCNPs and biomolecular or chemical indicators provide opportunities for high-sensitive bio- and chemical-sensing. A temperature-sensitive change of the intensity ratio between two close UC bands promises them for use in temperature mapping of a single living cell. In this work, we review recent investigations on using UCNPs for the detection of biomolecules (avidin, ATP, etc.), ions (cyanide, mecury, etc.), small gas molecules (oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, etc.), as well as for in vitro temperature sensing. We also briefly summarize chemical methods in synthesizing UCNPs of high efficiency that are important for the detection limit.

  16. A comparative study of the magnetization in transition metal ion doped CeO2, TiO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apostolov, A. T.; Apostolova, I. N.; Wesselinowa, J. M.

    2018-05-01

    Using the microscopic s-d model taking into account anharmonic spin-phonon interactions we have studied the magnetic properties of Co and Cu ion doped CeO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles and compared them with those of SnO2. By Co-doping there is a maximum in the magnetization M(x) curve for all nanoparticles observed in the most transition metal doped ones. The s-d interaction plays an important role by the decrease of M at higher dopant concentration. We have discussed the magnetization in dependence of different model parameters. By small Cu-ion doping there are some differences. In CeO2M decreases with the Cu-concentration, whereas in TiO2 and SnO2M increases. For higher Cu dopant concentrations M(X) decreases in TiO2 nanoparticles. We obtain room temperature ferromagnetism also in Zn doped CeO2, TiO2 and SnO2 nanoparticles, i.e. in non-transition metal ion doped ones. The different behavior of M in Co and Cu doped nanoparticles is due to a combination effect of multivalent metal ions, oxygen vacancies, different radius of cation dopants, connection between lattice and magnetism, as well as competition between the s-d and d-d ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic interactions.

  17. Nano-Doped Monolithic Materials for Molecular Separation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caleb Acquah

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Monoliths are continuous adsorbents that can easily be synthesised to possess tuneable meso-/macropores, convective fluid transport, and a plethora of chemistries for ligand immobilisation. They are grouped into three main classes: organic, inorganic, and hybrid, based on their chemical composition. These classes may also be differentiated by their unique morphological and physicochemical properties which are significantly relevant to their specific separation applications. The potential applications of monoliths for molecular separation have created the need to enhance their characteristic properties including mechanical strength, electrical conductivity, and chemical and thermal stability. An effective approach towards monolith enhancement has been the doping and/or hybridization with miniaturized molecular species of desirable functionalities and characteristics. Nanoparticles are usually preferred as dopants due to their high solid phase dispersion features which are associated with improved intermolecular adsorptive interactions. Examples of such nanomaterials include, but are not limited to, carbon-based, silica-based, gold-based, and alumina nanoparticles. The incorporation of these nanoparticles into monoliths via in situ polymerisation and/or post-modification enhances surface adsorption for activation and ligand immobilisation. Herein, insights into the performance enhancement of monoliths as chromatographic supports by nanoparticles doping are presented. In addition, the potential and characteristics of less common nanoparticle materials such as hydroxyapatite, ceria, hafnia, and germania are discussed. The advantages and challenges of nanoparticle doping of monoliths are also discussed.

  18. Photocatalytic characteristics of single phase Fe-doped anatase TiO2 nanoparticles sensitized with vitamin B12

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gharagozlou, Mehrnaz; Bayati, R.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Anatase TiO 2 /B 12 hybrid nanostructured catalyst was successfully synthesized by sol–gel technique. • The nanoparticle catalyst was doped with iron at several concentrations. • Nanoparticles were characterized in detail by XRD, Raman, TEM, EDS, and spectroscopy techniques. • The formation mechanism and role of point defects on photocatalytic properties were discussed. • A structure-property-processing correlation was established. - Abstract: We report a processing-structure-property correlation in B 12 -anatase titania hybrid catalysts doped with several concentrations of iron. Our results clearly show that low-level iron doping alters structure, defect content, and photocatalytic characteristics of TiO 2 . XRD and Raman studies revealed formation of a single-phase anatase TiO 2 where no iron based segregation in particular iron oxide, was detected. FT-IR spectra clearly confirmed sensitization of TiO 2 nanoparticles with vitamin B 12 . TEM micrographs and diffraction patterns confirmed crystallization of anatase nanoparticles with a radius of 15–20 nm. Both XRD and Raman signals showed a peak shift and a peak broadening which are surmised to originate from creation of point defects, namely oxygen vacancy and titanium interstitial. The doped samples revealed a narrower band gap as compared to undoped samples. Photocatalytic activity of the samples was assessed through measuring the decomposition rate of rhodamine B. It was found that sensitization with vitamin B 12 and Fe-doping significantly enhances the photocatalytic efficiency of the anatase nanoparticles. We also showed that there is an optimum Fe-doping level where the maximum photocatalytic activity is achieved. The boost of photocatalytic activity was qualitatively understood to originate from a more effective use of the light photons, formation of point defects, which enhance the charge separation, higher carrier mobility

  19. Neodymium-doped nanoparticles for infrared fluorescence bioimaging: The role of the host

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosal, Blanca del; Pérez-Delgado, Alberto; Rocha, Ueslen; Martín Rodríguez, Emma; Jaque, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.jaque@uam.es [Fluorescence Imaging Group, Dpto. de Física de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Misiak, Małgorzata; Bednarkiewicz, Artur [Wroclaw Research Centre EIT+, ul. Stabłowicka 147, 54-066 Wrocław (Poland); Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, 14c Ravila Str., 50411 Tartu (Estonia); Vanetsev, Alexander S. [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, PAS, ul. Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław (Poland); Orlovskii, Yurii [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, PAS, ul. Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław (Poland); Prokhorov General Physics Institute RAS, 38 Vavilov Str., 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Jovanović, Dragana J.; Dramićanin, Miroslav D. [Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 522, Belgrade 11001 (Serbia); Upendra Kumar, K.; Jacinto, Carlos [Grupo de Fotônica e Fluidos Complexos, Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, 57072-900 Maceió-AL (Brazil); Navarro, Elizabeth [Depto. de Química, Eco Catálisis, UAM-Iztapalapa, Sn. Rafael Atlixco 186, México 09340, D.F (Mexico); and others

    2015-10-14

    The spectroscopic properties of different infrared-emitting neodymium-doped nanoparticles (LaF{sub 3}:Nd{sup 3+}, SrF{sub 2}:Nd{sup 3+}, NaGdF{sub 4}: Nd{sup 3+}, NaYF{sub 4}: Nd{sup 3+}, KYF{sub 4}: Nd{sup 3+}, GdVO{sub 4}: Nd{sup 3+}, and Nd:YAG) have been systematically analyzed. A comparison of the spectral shapes of both emission and absorption spectra is presented, from which the relevant role played by the host matrix is evidenced. The lack of a “universal” optimum system for infrared bioimaging is discussed, as the specific bioimaging application and the experimental setup for infrared imaging determine the neodymium-doped nanoparticle to be preferentially used in each case.

  20. Enhanced photoanisotropic response in azopolymer doped with elongated goethite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nedelchev, L; Nazarova, D; Berberova, N; Mateev, G; Kostadinova, D; Mariño-Fernández, R; Salgueiriño, V; Schmool, D

    2016-01-01

    We present a study of the photoinduced birefringence in nanocomposite films of an azopolymer (PAZO) doped with goethite (a-FeOOH, a characteristic antiferromagnetic material) nanoparticles (NPs). The NPs had an elongated shape with a size 15×150 nm, i.e., a ratio of 1:10. Samples were prepared with different concentrations of the NPs in the azopolymer varying from 0% (undoped azopolymer film) to 15 wt %. An unusual dependence of the birefringence on the concentration was observed - two peaks of enhancement at 1 % and at 10 % concentration. Our previous studies on ZnO and SiO 2 NP have indicated only one peak of increase at low concentrations - 0.5 wt % and 2 wt %, respectively. This effect could be related to the elongated shape of the nanoparticles and the presence of two characteristic NPs sizes - 15 and 150 nm. Moreover, the birefringence increase for the samples with 10 wt % NPs concentration (compared with the non-doped samples) was rather significant - nearly 70%. (paper)

  1. A doped activated carbon prepared from polyaniline for high performance supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Limin; Liu, Enhui; Li, Jian; Yang, Yanjing; Shen, Haijie; Huang, Zhengzheng; Xiang, Xiaoxia; Li, Wen [Key Laboratory of Environmentally Friendly Chemistry and Applications of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Xiangtan University, Hunan 411105 (China)

    2010-03-01

    A novel doped activated carbon has been prepared from H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}-doped polyaniline which is prepared by the oxypolymerization of aniline. The morphology, surface chemical composition and surface area of the carbon have been investigated by scanning electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Brunaner-Emmett-Teller measurement, respectively. Electrochemical properties of the doped activated carbon have been studied by cyclic voltammograms, galvanostatic charge/discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements in 6 mol l{sup -1} KOH. The specific capacitance of the carbon is as high as 235 F g{sup -1}, the specific capacitance hardly decreases at a high current density 11 A g{sup -1} after 10,000 cycles, which indicates that the carbon possesses excellent cycle durability and may be a promising candidate for supercapacitors. (author)

  2. Study of the electrical and nanosecond third order nonlinear optical properties of ZnO films doped with Au and Pt nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trejo-Valdez, Martin, E-mail: martin.trejo@laposte.net [ESIQIE, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, D.F. 07738, México (Mexico); Sobral, Hugo [Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-186, México, D.F. 04510, México (Mexico); Martínez-Gutiérrez, Hugo [Centro de Nanociencias y Micro y Nanotecnologías del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, D.F. 07738, México (Mexico); Torres-Torres, Carlos [Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, ESIME ZAC, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México, D.F. 07738, México (Mexico)

    2016-04-30

    Zinc oxide films doped with platinum and gold nanoparticles were deposited by the spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates. A titanium dioxide sol–gel solution containing gold and platinum aqueous ions was employed for synthesizing the nanoparticles by ultraviolet-light irradiation. The conductive properties of the samples were characterized by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. Our results showed that the impedance of zinc oxide films doped with metallic nanoparticles was, by far, lower than typical measurements in zinc oxide films. A strong enhancement in the nanosecond nonlinear optical response was also obtained in the studied metallic doped films. A vectorial two-mixing experiment performed at 532 nm and 4 ns allowed us to evaluate the sample with a third order optical nonlinearity described by approximately | χ{sub 1111}{sup (3)}| = 2.6 × 10{sup −8} esu. - Highlights: • ZnO films doped with Pt and Au nanoparticles were synthetized. • The inclusion of metallic nanoparticles in the film improves optical nonlinearities. • Conductivity of the films was enhanced by the contribution of the nanoparticles.

  3. Zirconia-doped nanoparticles: organic coating, polymeric entrapment and application as dual-imaging agents

    OpenAIRE

    Rebuttini, Valentina; Pucci, Andrea; Arosio, Paolo; Bai, Xue; Locatelli, Erica; Pinna, Nicola; Lascialfari, Alessandro; Franchini, Mauro Comes

    2013-01-01

    Zirconia nanoparticles doped with Eu3+, Tb3+ and Gd3+ ions have been synthesized following the benzyl alcohol route. The nanoparticles were coated with N-hydroxydodecanamide and encapsulated in PLGA-b-PEG-COOH nanomicelles. The magnetic and fluorescent properties of these hybrid nanocarriers were investigated, proving them to be potential dual-imaging contrast agents.

  4. Silicon and aluminum doping effects on the microstructure and properties of polymeric amorphous carbon films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Xiaoqiang, E-mail: lxq_suse@sina.com [Material Corrosion and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan province, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong 643000 (China); Hao, Junying, E-mail: jyhao@licp.cas.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Xie, Yuntao [Material Corrosion and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan province, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong 643000 (China)

    2016-08-30

    Highlights: • Evolution of nanostructure and properties of the polymeric amorphous carbon films were firstly studied. • Si doping enhanced polymerization of the hydrocarbon chains and Al doping resulted in increase in the ordered carbon clusters of polymeric amorphous carbon films. • Soft polymeric amorphous carbon films exhibited an unconventional frictional behaviors with a superior wear resistance. • The mechanical and vacuum tribological properties of the polymeric amorphous carbon films were significantly improved by Si and Al co-doping. - Abstract: Polymeric amorphous carbon films were prepared by radio frequency (R.F. 13.56 MHz) magnetron sputtering deposition. The microstructure evolution of the deposited polymeric films induced by silicon (Si) and aluminum(Al) doping were scrutinized through infrared spectroscopy, multi-wavelength Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The comparative results show that Si doping can enhance polymerization and Al doping results in an increase in the ordered carbon clusters. Si and Al co-doping into polymeric films leads to the formation of an unusual dual nanostructure consisting of cross-linked polymer-like hydrocarbon chains and fullerene-like carbon clusters. The super-high elasticity and super-low friction coefficients (<0.002) under a high vacuum were obtained through Si and Al co-doping into the films. Unconventionally, the co-doped polymeric films exhibited a superior wear resistance even though they were very soft. The relationship between the microstructure and properties of the polymeric amorphous carbon films with different elements doping are also discussed in detail.

  5. Control of carbon nanotube growth using cobalt nanoparticles as catalyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huh, Yoon; Green, Malcolm L.H.; Kim, Young Heon; Lee, Jeong Yong; Lee, Cheol Jin

    2005-01-01

    We have controllably grown carbon nanotubes using uniformly distributed cobalt nanoparticles as catalyst. Cobalt nanoparticles with a uniform size were synthesized by chemical reaction and colloidal solutions including the cobalt nanoparticles were prepared. The cobalt nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on silicon substrates by a spin-coating method. Carbon nanotubes with a uniform diameter were synthesized on the cobalt nanoparticles by thermal chemical vapor deposition of acetylene gas. The density and vertical alignment of carbon nanotubes could be controlled by adjusting the density of cobalt (Co) nanoparticles

  6. Non-platinum nanocatalyst on porous nitrogen-doped carbon fabricated by cathodic vacuum arc plasma technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sirirak, Reungruthai [Material Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Sarakonsri, Thapanee, E-mail: tsarakonsri@gmail.com [Material Science Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Medhesuwakul, Min [Plasma & Beam Physics Research Facility, Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand)

    2015-11-30

    Highlights: • High surface area porous coral-like nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) and non-platinum nanocatalysts were fabricated on proton exchange membrane using the cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP) technique. • It is a one-step catalysts preparation directly on nafion proton exchange membrane. This CVAP technique is the first new method that was applied in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) catalysts preparation. • Due to these excellent characteristics of nitrogen-doped carbon, it is expected to exhibit a good catalyst supporter for PEMFC. • In addition, the Fe–NC catalysts fabricated via this CVAP technique are sphere-like nanoparticle and well disperse on coral-like NC film, which particularity exhibits that these prepared catalysts ought to be a good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst for PEMFC. • This approach can be extended to the synthesis of other non-platinum ORR catalyst for broad range applications in energy conversion. - Abstract: Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy where catalysts composing of non-noble transition metals, nitrogen, and carbon compounds are the most promising materials to replace the expensive platinum catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this research, cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP) technique was used to fabricate porous nitrogen doped carbon (NC) and non-platinum catalyst on porous NC (Fe–NC) directly on ion exchange membrane for being used as an ORR catalyst at the cathode. The porous NC layer was fabricated on silicon wafer at 0.05 mTorr, 0.1 mTorr, 0.5 mTorr, 1 mTorr, and 5 mTorr of nitrogen gas inlet. The AFM, and SEM images are observed to be regularly big with quite high hillocks and thin NC layers; these results indicate that the optimum process pressure of nitrogen gas inlet is 5 mTorr for porous NC fabrication. The SEM–EDS detects Fe, N, and C elements in the prepared catalysts, and the XRD pattern reviews

  7. Non-platinum nanocatalyst on porous nitrogen-doped carbon fabricated by cathodic vacuum arc plasma technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sirirak, Reungruthai; Sarakonsri, Thapanee; Medhesuwakul, Min

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • High surface area porous coral-like nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) and non-platinum nanocatalysts were fabricated on proton exchange membrane using the cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP) technique. • It is a one-step catalysts preparation directly on nafion proton exchange membrane. This CVAP technique is the first new method that was applied in a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) catalysts preparation. • Due to these excellent characteristics of nitrogen-doped carbon, it is expected to exhibit a good catalyst supporter for PEMFC. • In addition, the Fe–NC catalysts fabricated via this CVAP technique are sphere-like nanoparticle and well disperse on coral-like NC film, which particularity exhibits that these prepared catalysts ought to be a good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst for PEMFC. • This approach can be extended to the synthesis of other non-platinum ORR catalyst for broad range applications in energy conversion. - Abstract: Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy where catalysts composing of non-noble transition metals, nitrogen, and carbon compounds are the most promising materials to replace the expensive platinum catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In this research, cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP) technique was used to fabricate porous nitrogen doped carbon (NC) and non-platinum catalyst on porous NC (Fe–NC) directly on ion exchange membrane for being used as an ORR catalyst at the cathode. The porous NC layer was fabricated on silicon wafer at 0.05 mTorr, 0.1 mTorr, 0.5 mTorr, 1 mTorr, and 5 mTorr of nitrogen gas inlet. The AFM, and SEM images are observed to be regularly big with quite high hillocks and thin NC layers; these results indicate that the optimum process pressure of nitrogen gas inlet is 5 mTorr for porous NC fabrication. The SEM–EDS detects Fe, N, and C elements in the prepared catalysts, and the XRD pattern reviews

  8. Comparative study of Ni and Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles: Structural and optical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, Shaveta; Thakur, Samita; Sharma, Jyoti; Kumar, Sanjay

    2018-05-01

    Nanoparticles of undoped and doped (0.1 M Ni2+ and Cu2+) ZnO are synthesized using chemical precipitation method. The crystallite size, morphology, chemical bonding and optical properties of as prepared nanoparticles are determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and UV-visible spectra. XRD analysis shows that the prepared samples are single phase and have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The crystallite size of the doped and undoped nanoparticles is determined using Scherrer method. The crystallite size is found to be increased with concentration of nickel and copper. All stretching and vibrational bands are observed at their specific positions through FTIR. The increase in band gap can be attributed to the different chemical nature of dopant and host cation.

  9. Nitrogen-doped porous carbon from Camellia oleifera shells with enhanced electrochemical performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhai, Yunbo, E-mail: ybzhai@hnu.edu.cn [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China); Xu, Bibo [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China); Zhu, Yun [Office of Scientific R& D, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Qing, Renpeng; Peng, Chuan; Wang, Tengfei; Li, Caiting; Zeng, Guangming [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control, Hunan University, Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China)

    2016-04-01

    Nitrogen doped porous activated carbon was prepared by annealing treatment of Camellia oleifera shell activated carbon under NH{sub 3}. We found that nitrogen content of activated carbon up to 10.43 at.% when annealed in NH{sub 3} at 800 °C. At 600 °C or above, the N-doped carbon further reacts with NH{sub 3}, leads to a low surface area down to 458 m{sup 2}/g and low graphitization degree. X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) analysis indicated that the nitrogen functional groups on the nitrogen-doped activated carbons (NACs) were mostly in the form of pyridinic nitrogen. We discovered that the oxygen groups and carbon atoms at the defect and edge sites of graphene play an important role in the reaction, leading to nitrogen atoms incorporated into the lattice of carbon. When temperatures were lower than 600 °C the nitrogen atoms displaced oxygen groups and formed nitrogen function groups, and when temperatures were higher than 600 °C and ~ 4 at.% carbon atoms and part of oxygen function groups reacted with NH{sub 3}. When compared to pure activated carbon, the nitrogen doped activated carbon shows nearly four times the capacitance (191 vs 51 F/g). - Highlights: • The nitrogen content up to 10.43 at % during CAC pyrolysis under NH3 at 800 °C. • The oxygen groups and carbon atoms played an important role in the nitrogen doping. • NAC-600 shows a much higher specific capacitance than CAC.

  10. Solvothermal synthesis of carbon coated N-doped TiO{sub 2} nanostructures with enhanced visible light catalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan Xuemin, E-mail: yanzhangmm2002@163.com [College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023 (China); Kang Jialing; Gao Lin; Xiong Lin; Mei Ping [College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 434023 (China)

    2013-01-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Chitosan was used as carbon and nitrogen resource to modify TiO{sub 2} nanostructure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanocomposites with mesostructure were obtained by one-step solvothermal method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Carbon species were modified on the surface of TiO{sub 2}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nitrogen was doped into the anatase titania lattice. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CTS-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites show superior visible light photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Visible light-active carbon coated N-doped TiO{sub 2} nanostructures(CTS-TiO{sub 2}) were prepared by a facile one-step solvothermal method with chitosan as carbon and nitrogen resource at 180 Degree-Sign C. The as-prepared samples were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The CTS-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites possess anatase phase of nanocrystalline structure with average particle size of about 5-7 nm. A wormhole mesostructure can be observed in the CTS-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites due to the constituent agglomerated of nanoparticles. It has been evidenced that the nitrogen was doped into the anatase titania lattice and the carbon species were modified on the surface of TiO{sub 2}. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared photocatalysts were measured by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation at {lambda} {>=} 400 nm. The results show that CTS-TiO{sub 2} nanostructures display a higher visible light photocatalytic activity than pure TiO{sub 2}, commercial P25 and C-coated TiO{sub 2} (C-TiO{sub 2}) photocatalysts. The higher photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the band-gap narrowed by N-doping and the accelerated separation of the photo-generated electrons

  11. Hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped carbon membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Hong; Wu, Tao

    2017-01-01

    The present invention is a structure, method of making and method of use for a novel macroscopic hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped, nano-porous carbon membrane (HNDCMs) with asymmetric and hierarchical pore architecture that can be produced

  12. Photoluminescence study of Sm{sup 3+}–Yb{sup 3+}co-doped tellurite glass embedding silver nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reza Dousti, M., E-mail: mrdousti@ifsc.usp.br [Laboratório de Espectroscopia de Materiais Funcionais (LEMAF), Instituto de Fisica de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Trabalhador So-carlense 400, São Carlos, SP 13566-590 (Brazil); Department of Physics, Tehran-North Branch, Islamic Azad University Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor (Malaysia); Amjad, R.J. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor (Malaysia); Department of Physics, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Hosseinian S, R.; Salehi, M.; Sahar, M.R. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor (Malaysia)

    2015-03-15

    We report on the upconversion emission of Sm{sup 3+} ions doped tellurite glass in the presence of Yb{sup 3+} ions and silver nanoparticles. The enhancement of infrared-to-visible upconversion emissions is achieved under 980 nm excitation wavelength and attributed to the high absorption cross section of Yb{sup 3+} ions and an efficient energy transfer to Sm{sup 3+} ions. Further enhancements are attributed to the plasmonic effect via metallic nanoparticles resulting in the large localized field around rare earth ions. However, under excitation at 406 nm, the addition of Yb{sup 3+} content and heat-treated silver nanoparticles quench the luminescence of Sm{sup 3+} ions likely due to quantum cutting and plasmonic diluent effects, respectively. - Highlights: • Sm{sup 3+} tellurite glasses co-doped with Yb{sup 3+} ions and tri-doped with Yb{sup 3+}:Ag NPs were prepared. • In first step, Yb{sup 3+} ions enhanced the upconversion emissions of Sm{sup 3+} doped samples. • In second step, Ag NPs further enhanced the upconversion emissions in tri-doped glasses. • Finally, the quench in luminescence under 406 nm excitation is observed and discussed.

  13. Size-dependent abnormal thermo-enhanced luminescence of ytterbium-doped nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Xiangshui; Cheng, Yao; Lin, Hang; Huang, Feng; Wu, Qingping; Wang, Yuansheng

    2017-09-21

    Thermal quenching above 300 K is widely expected in photoluminescence. Luminescence quenching is usually ascribed to the non-radiative relaxation of excited electrons to the ground state of the activators, during which a high temperature always plays a role in pushing the excited electrons towards the quenching channels, leading to thermal quenching. For the lanthanide-doped nanoparticles, however, there is a special luminescence quenching channel that does not exist in their bulk counterparts, i.e., energy migration-induced surface quenching. Herein, a size-dependent abnormal thermal enhancement of luminescence in the temperature range of 300 K to 423 K in the ytterbium-doped fluoride nanoparticles is presented for the first time. Importantly, in this work, we originally demonstrate that the energy migration-induced surface quenching can be suppressed by increasing temperature, which results in the abnormal thermal enhancement of luminescence. According to the temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction and lifetime analyses, an underlying mechanism based on the effect of thermal lattice expansion on ytterbium-mediated energy migration is proposed. This new finding adds new insights to the size effect on the luminescent characteristics of nanoparticles, which could be utilized to construct some unique nanostructures, especially for many important temperature-related purposes, such as thermal sensing technology.

  14. Statistical Optimization of Synthesis of Manganese Carbonates Nanoparticles by Precipitation Methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Javidan, A.; Rahimi-Nasrabadi, M.; Davoudi, A.A.

    2011-01-01

    In this study, an orthogonal array design (OAD), OA9, was employed as a statistical experimental method for the controllable, simple and fast synthesis of manganese carbonate nanoparticle. Ultrafine manganese carbonate nanoparticles were synthesized by a precipitation method involving the addition of manganese ion solution to the carbonate reagent. The effects of reaction conditions, for example, manganese and carbonate concentrations, flow rate of reagent addition and temperature, on the diameter of the synthesized manganese carbonate nanoparticle were investigated. The effects of these factors on the width of the manganese carbonate nanoparticle were quantitatively evaluated by the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that manganese carbonate nanoparticle can be synthesized by controlling the manganese concentration, flow rate and temperature. Finally, the optimum conditions for the synthesis of manganese carbonate nanoparticle by this simple and fast method were proposed. The results of ANOVA showed that 0.001 mol/ L manganese ion and carbonate reagents concentrations, 2.5 mL/ min flow rate for the addition of the manganese reagent to the carbonate solution and 0 degree Celsius temperature are the optimum conditions for producing manganese carbonate nanoparticle with 75 ± 25 nm width. (author)

  15. Boron/nitrogen pairs Co-doping in metallic carbon nanotubes: a first-principle study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouyang Fang-Ping; Peng Sheng-Lin; Chen Ling-Na; Sun Shu-Yuan; Xu Hui

    2011-01-01

    By using the first-principles calculations, the electronic structure and quantum transport properties of metallic carbon nanotubes with B/N pairs co-doping have been investigated. It is shown that the total energies of metallic carbon nanotubes are sensitive to the doping sites of the B/N pairs. The energy gaps of the doped metallic carbon nanotubes decrease with decreasing the concentration of the B/N pair not only along the tube axis but also around the tube. Moreover, the I—V characteristics and transmissions of the doped tubes are studied. Our results reveal that the conducting ability of the doped tube decreases with increasing the concentrations of the B/N pairs due to symmetry breaking of the system. This fact opens a new way to modulate band structures of metallic carbon nanotubes by doping B/N pair with suitable concentration and the novel characteristics are potentially useful in future applications. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  16. Low temperature fabrication of V-doped TiO2 nanoparticles, structure and photocatalytic studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Baoshun; Wang Xuelai; Cai Guofa; Wen Liping; Song Yanbao; Zhao Xiujian

    2009-01-01

    V-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized at low temperature and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy (RS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, respectively. It is found the nanoparticle shape changed from needle, to short stick and then to cubic with the increase of doped V concentration, which was also accompanied by the improvement of crystallinity. The specific surface area (S BET ) decreased with increasing V content. It is confirmed that V ions can be doped in TiO 2 by substituting Ti 4+ ions, which suppressed the CB → VB and surface recombination of photoinduced electrons and holes, and a relation was found between the PL spectra and the UV photocatalytic activity. There was an optimum V content for the V-doped TiO 2 to present the best UV-light induced photoactivity, but they were visible-inactive. At last, the effect of the doping V as trapping centers on photocatalysis was investigated in detail, and used to explain the difference between the photocatalysis under the illumination of UV light and visible light.

  17. Influence of Fe-doping on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Changzhen; Meng Dawei; Pang Haixia; Wu Xiuling; Xie Jing; Yu Xiaohong; Chen Long; Liu Xiaoyang

    2012-01-01

    Zn 1–x Fe x O (x=0–0.05) nanoparticles were synthesized without a catalyst by a two-step method. Fe was doped into ZnO by a source of metallic Fe sheets in a solid–liquid system at 80 °C, and the Zn 1−x Fe x O nanoparticles were obtained by annealing at 300 °C. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the structural properties of the as-grown Zn 1−x Fe x O. The optical properties were determined by Infrared and Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The results confirm that the crystallinity of the ZnO is deteriorated due to Fe-doping. XPS results show that there is a mixture of Fe 0+ and the Fe 3+ in the representative Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O sample. The optical band gap of Zn 1−x Fe x O is enhanced with increasing of Fe-doping. Room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in all the Fe-doped ZnO samples. - Highlights: ► Zn 1−x Fe x O nanoparticles were synthesized with a simple two-step method. ► The Zn 1−x Fe x O predecessors were synthesized at a low temperature. ► Fe element was readily doped from the source of metallic Fe sheet. ► All the Fe doping ZnO samples have room temperature ferromagnetism. ► The structural and properties of the Zn 1−x Fe x O are regular with different x.

  18. Development of Iron Doped Silicon Nanoparticles as Bimodal Imaging Agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Mani P.; Atkins, Tonya M.; Muthuswamy, Elayaraja; Kamali, Saeed; Tu, Chuqiao; Louie, Angelique Y.; Kauzlarich, Susan M.

    2012-01-01

    We demonstrate the synthesis of water-soluble allylamine terminated Fe doped Si (SixFe) nanoparticles as bimodal agents for optical and magnetic imaging. The preparation involves the synthesis of a single source iron containing precursor, Na4Si4 with x% Fe (x = 1, 5, 10), and its subsequent reaction with NH4Br to produce hydrogen terminated SixFe nanoparticles. The hydrogen-capped nanoparticles are further terminated with allylamine via thermal hydrosilylation. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicates that the average particle diameter is ~3.0±1.0 nm. The Si5Fe nanoparticles show strong photoluminescence quantum yield in water (~ 10 %) with significant T2 contrast (r2/r1value of 4.31). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Mössbauer spectroscopies indicate that iron in the nanoparticles is in the +3 oxidation state. Analysis of cytotoxicity using the resazurin assay on HepG2 liver cells indicates that the particles have minimal toxicity. PMID:22616623

  19. Structural, optical, and magnetic properties of Mn and Fe-doped Co3O4 nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Stella

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Mn and Fe-doped Co3O4 nanoparticles were prepared by a simple precipitation method. The synthesized particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM, transmission electron microscope (TEM, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM techniques. XRD analysis showed the cubic structure of Co3O4. SEM and TEM images confirmed the formation of interconnected nanoparticles. Mn and Fe-doped Co3O4 showed broad absorption in the visible region compared to undoped sample and the band gap values are red shifted. Five Raman active modes were observed from the Raman spectra. FTIR spectra confirmed the spinel structure of Co3O4 and the doping of Mn and Fe shifts the vibrational modes to lower wave number region. The magnetic measurements confirmed that Fe-doped Co3O4 shows a little ferromagnetic behavior compared to undoped and Mn-doped Co3O4, which could be related to the uncompensated surface spins and the finite size effects.

  20. Large-scale synthesis of onion-like carbon nanoparticles by carbonization of phenolic resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Mu; Song Huaihe; Chen Xiaohong; Lian Wentao

    2007-01-01

    Onion-like carbon nanoparticles have been synthesized on a large scale by carbonization of phenolic-formaldehyde resin at 1000 o C with the aid of ferric nitrate (FN). The effects of FN loading content on the yield, morphology and structure of carbonized products were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM and X-ray diffraction. It was found that the onion-like carbon nanoparticles, which had a narrow size distribution ranging from 30 to 50 nm, were composed mainly of quasi-spherically concentric shells of well-aligned graphene layers with interlayer spacing of 0.336 nm. Based on the results of the investigation, the formation mechanism of onion-like carbon nanoparticles was also discussed

  1. Magnetic Properties of Copper Doped Nickel Ferrite Nanoparticles Synthesized by Co Precipitation Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anjana, V.; John, Sara; Prakash, Pooja; Nair, Amritha M.; Nair, Aravind R.; Sambhudevan, Sreedha; Shankar, Balakrishnan

    2018-02-01

    Nickel ferrite nanoparticles with copper atoms as dopant have been prepared using co-precipitation method with general formula Ni1-xCuxFe2O4 (x=0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1) and are sintered at quite ambient temperature. Structural and magnetic properties were examined using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction method (XRD) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) to study the influence of copper doping in nickel ferrite magnetic nanoparticles. X-ray studies proves that the particles are possessing single phase spinel structure with an average particle size calculated using Debye Scherer formula. Magnetic measurements reveal that saturation magnetization value (Ms) decreases while magnetic coercivity (Hc) increases upon doping.

  2. Enhanced oxidation resistance of carbon fiber reinforced lithium aluminosilicate composites by boron doping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, Long; Jin, Feng; Zhang, Tao; Hu, Xueting; Wu, Songsong; Wen, Guangwu

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • C f /LAS composites exhibit enhanced oxidation resistance by boron doping. • Boron doping is beneficial to the improvement of graphitization degree of carbon fibers. • Graphitization of carbon fibers together with the decrease of viscosity of LAS matrix is responsible to the enhancement of oxidation resistance of C f /LAS composites. - Abstract: Carbon fiber reinforced lithium aluminosilicate matrix composites (C f /LAS) modified with boron doping were fabricated and oxidized for 1 h in static air. Weight loss, residual strength and microstructure were analyzed. The results indicate that boron doping has a remarkable effect on improving the oxidation resistance for C f /LAS. The synergism of low viscosity of LAS matrix at high temperature and formation of graphite crystals on the surface of carbon fibers, is responsible for excellent oxidation resistance of the boron doped C f /LAS.

  3. Induced Magnetic Anisotropy in Liquid Crystals Doped with Resonant Semiconductor Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicente Marzal

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Currently, there are many efforts to improve the electrooptical properties of liquid crystals by means of doping them with different types of nanoparticles. In addition, liquid crystals may be used as active media to dynamically control other interesting phenomena, such as light scattering resonances. In this sense, mixtures of resonant nanoparticles hosted in a liquid crystal could be a potential metamaterial with interesting properties. In this work, the artificial magnetism induced in a mixture of semiconductor nanoparticles surrounded by a liquid crystal is analyzed. Effective magnetic permeability of mixtures has been obtained using the Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory. Furthermore, permeability variations with nanoparticles size and their concentration in the liquid crystal, as well as the magnetic anisotropy, have been studied.

  4. Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of silver-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciobanu, Carmen Steluta; Iconaru, Simona Liliana; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Costescu, Adrian; Le Coustumer, Philippe; Predoi, Daniela

    2013-01-01

    The synthesis of nanosized particles of Ag-doped hydroxyapatite with antibacterial properties is of great interest for the development of new biomedical applications. The aim of this study was the evaluation of Ca(10-x)Ag(x)(PO4)6(OH)2 nanoparticles (Ag:HAp-NPs) for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. Resistance to antimicrobial agents by pathogenic bacteria has emerged in the recent years and became a major health problem. Here, we report a method for synthesizing Ag doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite. A silver-doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite was synthesized at 100°C in deionised water. Also, in this paper Ag:HAp-NPs are evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and fungal strains. The specific antimicrobial activity revealed by the qualitative assay is demonstrating that our compounds are interacting differently with the microbial targets, probably due to the differences in the microbial wall structures.

  5. Microscopic unravelling of nano-carbon doping in MgB2 superconductors fabricated by diffusion method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, D.C.K.; Yeoh, W.K.; De Silva, K.S.B.; Kondyurin, A.; Bao, P.; Li, W.X.; Xu, X.; Peleckis, G.; Dou, S.X.; Ringer, S.P.; Zheng, R.K.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • First report on nano-carbon doped MgB 2 superconductors synthesized by diffusion method. • Microstructure and superconducting properties of the superconductors are discussed. • B 4 C region blocks the Mg from reacting with B in the 10% nano-carbon doped sample. • MgB 2 with 2.5% nano-carbon doped showed the highest J c , ≈10 4 A/cm 2 for 20 K at 4 T. - Abstract: We investigated the effects of nano-carbon doping as the intrinsic (B-site nano-carbon substitution) and extrinsic (nano-carbon derivatives) pinning by diffusion method. The contraction of the in-plane lattice confirmed the presence of disorder in boron sublattice caused by carbon substitution. The increasing value in full width half maximum (FWHM) in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns with each increment in the doping level reveal smaller grains and imperfect MgB 2 crystalline. The strain increased across the doping level due to the carbon substitution in the MgB 2 matrix. The broadening of the T c curves from low to high doping showed suppression of the connectivity of the bulk samples with progressive dirtying. At high doping, the presence of B 4 C region blocked the Mg from reacting with crystalline B thus hampering the formation of MgB 2 . Furthermore, the unreacted Mg acted as a current blocking phase in lowering down the grain connectivity hence depressing the J c of the 10% nano-carbon doped MgB 2 bulk superconductor

  6. Photoreduction of carbon dioxide under visible light by ultra-small Ag nanoparticles doped into Co-ZIF-9.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mengmeng; Han, Lu; Zhou, Jie; Sun, Chunyi; Hu, Chengying; Wang, Xinlong; Su, Zhongmin

    2018-07-13

    Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are well-known porous materials able to adsorb CO 2 , and their performance in CO 2 reduction has attracted much attention from researchers. A classical Co-MOF, Co-ZIF-9, has been proposed as a novel photocatalyst for reducing CO 2 into chemical feedstocks. Herein, Co-ZIF-9 with a rod-like structure was obtained through reflux. Ultra-small silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs, smaller than 5 nm) were doped into Co-ZIF-9 by the photodeposition method. With the assistance of a photosensitizer, the resultant composite Ag@Co-ZIF-9 shows catalytic reactivity in converting CO 2 into CO under visible light irradiation. Compared with bare Co-ZIF-9, the photocatalytic performance of Ag@Co-ZIF-9 increases by more than twofold (around 28.4 μmol CO) and the selectivity is enhanced by about 20% (22.9 μmol H 2 ) for 0.5 h of irradiation. This demonstrates that Ag NPs doping may provide a possible way to promote the efficiency and selectivity of MOF materials in CO 2 photoreduction.

  7. Raman scattering and band-gap variations of Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by a chemical colloid process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lo, Shih-Shou; Huang, Dison; Tu, Chun Hsiang; Hou, Chia-Hung; Chen, Chii-Chang

    2009-01-01

    This study synthesizes Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles using a chemical colloid process. Raman scattering analysis shows that Al doping increases the lattice defects and induces Raman vibration modes of 651 cm -1 . The Raman shift of the active mode E 2 (high) of AZO nanoparticles shows the presence and increase in the stress in nanoparticles when the Al dopant concentration increases. Room-temperature photoluminescence (RT-PL) spectra of synthesized AZO nanoparticles exhibit strong UV emissions near the band edges. The RT-PL peak shifts to a higher photon energy region as the Al concentration increases, indicating a broadening of the band gap.

  8. Preparation of raspberry-like γ-Fe2O3/crackled nitrogen-doped carbon capsules and their application as supports to improve catalytic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Junshuai; Yao, Tongjie; Zhang, Hui; Zhang, Xiao; Wu, Jie

    2016-11-10

    In this manuscript, we have introduced a novel method to improve the catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles via optimizing the support structure. To this end, raspberry-like γ-Fe 2 O 3 /crackled nitrogen-doped carbon (CNC) capsules were prepared by a two-step method. Compared with traditional magnetic capsules, in γ-Fe 2 O 3 /CNC capsules, the γ-Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were embedded in a CNC shell; therefore, they neither occupied the anchoring sites for metal nanoparticles nor came into contact with them, which was beneficial for increasing the metal nanoparticle loading. Numerous tiny cracks appeared on the porous CNC shell, which effectively improved the mass diffusion and transport in catalytic reactions. Additionally, the coordination interaction could be generated between the precursor metal ions and doped-nitrogen atoms in the capsule shell. With the help of these structural merits, γ-Fe 2 O 3 /CNC capsules were ideal supports for Pd nanoparticles, because they were beneficial for improving the Pd loading, reducing the nanoparticle size, increasing their dispersity and maximizing the catalytic performance of Pd nanoparticles anchored on the inner shell surface. As expected, γ-Fe 2 O 3 /CNC@Pd catalysts exhibited a dramatically enhanced catalytic activity towards hydrophilic 4-nitrophenol and hydrophobic nitrobenzene. The reaction rate constant k was compared with recent work and the corresponding reference samples. Moreover, they could be easily recycled by using a magnet and reused without an obvious loss of catalytic activity.

  9. Mössbauer and magnetic studies of surfactant mediated Ca-Mg doped ferrihydrite nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Layek, Samar; Mohapatra, M; Anand, S; Verma, H C

    2013-03-01

    Ultrafine (2-5 nm) particles of amorphous Ca-Mg co-doped ferrihydrite have been synthesized by surfactant mediated co-precipitation method. The evolution of the amorphous ferrihydrite by Ca-Mg co-doping is quite different from our earlier investigations on individual doping of Ca and Mg. Amorphous phase of ferrihydrite for the present study has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy at room temperature and low temperatures (40 K and 20 K). Hematite nanoparticles with crystallite size about 8, 38 and 70 nm were obtained after annealing the as-prepared samples at 400, 600 and 800 degrees C respectively in air atmosphere. Superparamagnetism has been found in 8 nm sized hematite nanoparticles which has been confirmed from the magnetic hysteresis loop with zero remanent magnetization and coercive field and also from the superparamagnetic doublet of its room temperature Mössbauer spectrum. The magnetic properties of the 38 and 70 nm sized particles have been studied by room temperature magnetic hysteresis loop measurements and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The coercive field in these hematite nanoparticles increases with increasing particle size. Small amount of spinel MgFe2O4 phase has been detected in the 800 degrees C annealed sample.

  10. Carbonization-dependent nitrogen-doped hollow porous carbon nanospheres synthesis and electrochemical study for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lingyun; Xie, Guohong; Chen, Xiling

    2018-05-01

    In this paper, a nitrogen-doped hollow microporous carbon nanospheres was synthesized via the combination of hyper-crosslinking mediated self-assembly and further pyrolysis using polylactide-b-polystyrene (PLA-b-PS) copolymers and aniline monomers as precursor. The pore structure and the correlative electrochemical performance of nitrogen-doped hollow microporous carbon nanospheres were affected by the molar mass ratio of aniline and PS in block copolymers and the carbonization conditions. The electrochemical measurements results showed that the obtained PLA150-PS250-N4-900-10H sample with nitrogen content of 3.57% and the BET surface area of 945 m2 g-1 displays the best capacitance performance. At a current density of 1.0 Ag-1, the resultant specific capacitance is 250 Fg-1. In addition, it also exhibits high capacitance retention of 98% after charging-discharging 1500 times at 25 Ag-1. The results demonstrate the nitrogen-doped hollow microporous carbon nanospheres can be used as promising supercapacitor electrode materials for high performance energy storage devices.

  11. The Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ACVDmethod was used to prepare high-quality nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (N-MWCNTs) using acetonitrile as the nitrogen and carbon source and acetylene as a carbon source over an Fe-Co/CaCO3 catalyst in the temperature range 700–850 °C. This represents a continuation of earlier work in which ...

  12. Effects of metallic nanoparticle doped flux on the interfacial intermetallic compounds between lead-free solder ball and copper substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sujan, G.K.; Haseeb, A.S.M.A.; Afifi, A.B.M.

    2014-01-01

    Lead free solders currently in use are prone to develop thick interfacial intermetallic compound layers with rough morphology which are detrimental to the long term solder joint reliability. A novel method has been developed to control the morphology and growth of intermetallic compound layers between lead-free Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder ball and copper substrate by doping a water soluble flux with metallic nanoparticles. Four types of metallic nanoparticles (nickel, cobalt, molybdenum and titanium) were used to investigate their effects on the wetting behavior and interfacial microstructural evaluations after reflow. Nanoparticles were dispersed manually with a water soluble flux and the resulting nanoparticle doped flux was placed on copper substrate. Lead-free Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder balls of diameter 0.45 mm were placed on top of the flux and were reflowed at a peak temperature of 240 °C for 45 s. Angle of contact, wetting area and interfacial microstructure were studied by optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was observed that the angle of contact increased and wetting area decreased with the addition of cobalt, molybdenum and titanium nanoparticles to flux. On the other hand, wettability improved with the addition of nickel nanoparticles. Cross-sectional micrographs revealed that both nickel and cobalt nanoparticle doping transformed the morphology of Cu 6 Sn 5 from a typical scallop type to a planer one and reduced the intermetallic compound thickness under optimum condition. These effects were suggested to be related to in-situ interfacial alloying at the interface during reflow. The minimum amount of nanoparticles required to produce the planer morphology was found to be 0.1 wt.% for both nickel and cobalt. Molybdenum and titanium nanoparticles neither appear to undergo alloying during reflow nor have any influence at the solder/substrate interfacial reaction. Thus, doping of flux

  13. Effects of metallic nanoparticle doped flux on the interfacial intermetallic compounds between lead-free solder ball and copper substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sujan, G.K., E-mail: sgkumer@gmail.com; Haseeb, A.S.M.A., E-mail: haseeb@um.edu.my; Afifi, A.B.M., E-mail: amalina@um.edu.my

    2014-11-15

    Lead free solders currently in use are prone to develop thick interfacial intermetallic compound layers with rough morphology which are detrimental to the long term solder joint reliability. A novel method has been developed to control the morphology and growth of intermetallic compound layers between lead-free Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder ball and copper substrate by doping a water soluble flux with metallic nanoparticles. Four types of metallic nanoparticles (nickel, cobalt, molybdenum and titanium) were used to investigate their effects on the wetting behavior and interfacial microstructural evaluations after reflow. Nanoparticles were dispersed manually with a water soluble flux and the resulting nanoparticle doped flux was placed on copper substrate. Lead-free Sn–3.0Ag–0.5Cu solder balls of diameter 0.45 mm were placed on top of the flux and were reflowed at a peak temperature of 240 °C for 45 s. Angle of contact, wetting area and interfacial microstructure were studied by optical microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. It was observed that the angle of contact increased and wetting area decreased with the addition of cobalt, molybdenum and titanium nanoparticles to flux. On the other hand, wettability improved with the addition of nickel nanoparticles. Cross-sectional micrographs revealed that both nickel and cobalt nanoparticle doping transformed the morphology of Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5} from a typical scallop type to a planer one and reduced the intermetallic compound thickness under optimum condition. These effects were suggested to be related to in-situ interfacial alloying at the interface during reflow. The minimum amount of nanoparticles required to produce the planer morphology was found to be 0.1 wt.% for both nickel and cobalt. Molybdenum and titanium nanoparticles neither appear to undergo alloying during reflow nor have any influence at the solder/substrate interfacial reaction. Thus, doping

  14. Electrocatalytic activity of Pt nanoparticles on bamboo shaped carbon nanotubes for ethanol oxidation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu Zanzan; Wang Jianlong; Munir, Ahsan; Zhou, H. Susan

    2010-01-01

    Recently, bamboo shaped carbon nanotubes (BCNTs) have received increased attention for its bamboo shaped structure associated properties and its application in direct methanol/ethanol fuel cell. In this work, the potential to use BCNTs as the support material of high loaded Pt nanoparticles for improving the efficiency of ethanol/methanol fuel cell is explored. The structure and nature of the resulting Pt-BCNTS composite were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) spectrum, it was found that Pt nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed on the BCNTs surfaces with 23.5% by weight. Cyclic voltammogram (CV) indicated that the Pt-BCNTs catalyst displayed excellent electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability toward ethanol oxidation. The excellent performance may be attributed to the high dispersion of nanoscale Pt catalysts and the unique nature of BCNTs. The results imply that doping N atom introduces some defective sites and active sites onto the surface of CNTs. In general, this paper demonstrates that BCNTs are promising support material for Pt-nanoparticles catalyst and can be used to enhance the efficiency of fuel cell.

  15. Preparation of Mn doped CeO_2 nanoparticles with enhanced ferromagnetism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravi, S.; Winfred Shashikanth, F.

    2017-01-01

    Spherical-like CeO_2 and Mn-doped CeO_2 using 6-aminohexanoic acid as surfactant exhibit enhanced ferromagnetism. The optical absorption spectra reveal a red shift with a band gap of 2.51 eV. The mechanics of ferromagnetism and the red shift were analyzed. These results provide a promising platform for developing a dilute magnetic semiconductor in spintronics. - Highlights: • Pure and Mn-doped CeO_2 is prepared with aminohexanoic acid as capping. • They exhibit wide optical absorption with red-shift in their band gap. • Mn-doped CeO_2 nanoparticle exhibit hysteresis at room temperature. • Results were promising to use in spintronics and opto-electronics field.

  16. EPR investigations of silicon carbide nanoparticles functionalized by acid doped polyaniline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karray, Fekri; Kassiba, Abdelhadi

    2012-06-01

    Nanocomposites (SiC-PANI) based on silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC) encapsulated in conducting polyaniline (PANI) are synthesized by direct polymerization of PANI on the nanoparticle surfaces. The conductivity of PANI and the nanocomposites was modulated by several doping levels of camphor sulfonic acid (CSA). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigations were carried out on representative SiC-PANI samples over the temperature range [100-300 K]. The features of the EPR spectra were analyzed taking into account the paramagnetic species such as polarons with spin S=1/2 involved in two main environments realized in the composites as well as their thermal activation. A critical temperature range 200-225 K was revealed through crossover changes in the thermal behavior of the EPR spectral parameters. Insights on the electronic transport properties and their thermal evolutions were inferred from polarons species probed by EPR and the electrical conductivity in doped nanocomposites.

  17. EPR investigations of silicon carbide nanoparticles functionalized by acid doped polyaniline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karray, Fekri [Laboratoire des materiaux Ceramiques Composites et Polymeres, Faculte des Sciences de Sfax, BP 802, 3018 Sfax (Tunisia); Kassiba, Abdelhadi, E-mail: kassiba@univ-lemans.fr [Institute of Molecules and Materials of Le Mans (I3M), UMR-CNRS 6283, Universite du Maine, 72085 Le Mans (France)

    2012-06-15

    Nanocomposites (SiC-PANI) based on silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC) encapsulated in conducting polyaniline (PANI) are synthesized by direct polymerization of PANI on the nanoparticle surfaces. The conductivity of PANI and the nanocomposites was modulated by several doping levels of camphor sulfonic acid (CSA). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigations were carried out on representative SiC-PANI samples over the temperature range [100-300 K]. The features of the EPR spectra were analyzed taking into account the paramagnetic species such as polarons with spin S=1/2 involved in two main environments realized in the composites as well as their thermal activation. A critical temperature range 200-225 K was revealed through crossover changes in the thermal behavior of the EPR spectral parameters. Insights on the electronic transport properties and their thermal evolutions were inferred from polarons species probed by EPR and the electrical conductivity in doped nanocomposites.

  18. Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube and Graphene Materials for Oxygen Reduction Reactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiliang Wei

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen-doped carbon materials, including nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs and nitrogen-doped graphene (NG, have attracted increasing attention for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR in metal-air batteries and fuel cell applications, due to their optimal properties including excellent electronic conductivity, 4e− transfer and superb mechanical properties. Here, the recent progress of NCNTs- and NG-based catalysts for ORR is reviewed. Firstly, the general preparation routes of these two N-doped carbon-allotropes are introduced briefly, and then a special emphasis is placed on the developments of both NCNTs and NG as promising metal-free catalysts and/or catalyst support materials for ORR. All these efficient ORR electrocatalysts feature a low cost, high durability and excellent performance, and are thus the key factors in accelerating the widespread commercialization of metal-air battery and fuel cell technologies.

  19. Synthesis and characterization of Tin / Titanium mixed oxide nanoparticles doped with lanthanide for biomarking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paganini, Paula Pinheiro

    2012-01-01

    This work presents the synthesis, characterization and photo luminescent study of tin and titanium mixed oxide nanoparticles doped with europium, terbium and neodymium to be used with luminescent markers on biological systems. The syntheses were done by co-precipitation, protein sol-gel and Pechini methods and the nanoparticles were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The photo luminescent properties studies were conducted for luminophores doped with europium, terbium and neodymium synthesized by coprecipitation method. For luminophore doped with europium it was possible to calculate the intensity parameters and quantum yield and it showed satisfactory results. In the case of biological system marking it was necessary the functionalization of these particles to allow them to bind to the biological part to be studied. So the nanoparticles were functionalized by microwave and Stöber methods and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction obtaining qualitative response of functionalization efficacy. The ninhydrin spectroscopic method was used for quantification of luminophores functionalization. The photo luminescent studies of functionalized particles demonstrate the potential applying of these luminophores as luminescent markers. (author)

  20. Effect of Au nano-particles doping on polycrystalline YBCO high temperature superconductor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dadras, Sedigheh, E-mail: dadras@alzahra.ac.ir; Gharehgazloo, Zahra

    2016-07-01

    In this research, we prepared different Au nanoparticles (0.1–2 wt%) doped YBCO high temperature superconductor samples by sol-gel method. To characterize the samples, we used X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. Results show the formation of orthorhombic phase of superconductivity for all prepared samples. We observed that by adding Au nanoparticles, the grains' size of the samples reduces from 76 nm to 47 nm as well. The critical current density (J{sub c}) and transition temperature (T{sub c}) were determined using current versus voltage (I–V) and resistivity versus temperature (ρ-T) measurements, respectively. We found that by increasing Au nanoparticles in the compound, in comparison to the pure YBCO sample, the transition temperature, pinning energy and critical current density will increase. Also, the highest J{sub c} is for 1 wt% Au doped YBCO compound that its critical current density is about 8 times more than the J{sub c} of pure one in 0.7 T magnetic field.

  1. In vivo demonstration of enhanced radiotherapy using rare earth doped titania nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Townley, Helen E; Kim, Jeewon; Dobson, Peter J

    2012-08-21

    Radiation therapy is often limited by damage to healthy tissue and associated side-effects; restricting radiation to ineffective doses. Preferential incorporation of materials into tumour tissue can enhance the effect of radiation. Titania has precedent for use in photodynamic therapy (PDT), generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon photoexcitation, but is limited by the penetration depth of UV light. Optimization of a nanomaterial for interaction with X-rays could be used for deep tumour treatment. As such, titania nanoparticles were doped with gadolinium to optimize the localized energy absorption from a conventional medical X-ray, and further optimized by the addition of other rare earth (RE) elements. These elements were selected due to their large X-ray photon interaction cross-section, and potential for integration into the titania crystal structure. Specific activation of the nanoparticles by X-ray can result in generation of ROS leading to cell death in a tumour-localized manner. We show here that intratumoural injection of RE doped titania nanoparticles can enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy in vivo.

  2. InGaAs GRINSCH-SQW lasers with novel carbon delta doped contact layer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Shu, Y.; Li, Gang; Tan, H.H.; Jagadish, C.; Karouta, F.

    1996-01-01

    In conclusion, we have demonstrated the use of novel carbon delta doped layers in the contact layer of InGaAs SQW GRINSCH lasers and compared with lasers consisting of Zn bulk doped contact layers. These carbon delta doped contact layer lasers are of interest for post growth tuning of the laser

  3. Structural and room temperature ferromagnetic properties of Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles via low-temperature hydrothermal method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Kun; Liu, Changzhen, E-mail: liuchangzhen94@163.com; Chen, Rui; Fang, Xiaoxiang; Wu, Xiuling; Liu, Jie

    2016-12-01

    A series of Zn{sub 1−x}Ni{sub x}O (x=0, 1%, 3%, 5%) nanoparticles have been synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal method. Influence of Ni doping concentration on the structure, morphology, optical properties and magnetism of the samples was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV–vis spectrophotometer and vibrating sample magnetometer instruments. The results show that the undoped and doped ZnO nanoparticles are both hexagonal wurtzite structures. The surface analysis was performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. The images of SEM reveal that the structure of pure ZnO and Ni doped samples are nanoparticles which intended to form flakes with thickness of few nanometers, being overlain with each one to develop the network with some pores and voids. Based on the ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy analysis, it indicates that the band gap energy decreases with the increasing concentration of Ni. Furthermore, The Ni doped ZnO samples didn't exhibit higher ultraviolet-light-driven photocatalytic activity compared to the undoped ZnO sample. Vibrating sample magnetometer was used for the magnetic property investigations, and the result indicates that room temperature ferromagnetism property of 3% Ni doped sample is attributed to oxygen vacancy and interaction between doped ions.

  4. Investigations on structural, optical and magnetic properties of Dy-doped zinc ferrite nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinosha, P. Annie; Deepapriya, S.; Rodney, John. D.; Das, S. Jerome

    2018-04-01

    A persuasive and thriftily feasible homogeneous co-precipitation route was adopted to fabricate dysprosium (Dy) doped zinc ferrite (Zn1-xDyxFe2O4)nanoparticles in order to examine their structural, optical and magnetic properties. Theas-synthesized Zn1-xDyxFe2O4 was studied for its momentous applications in photo-degradation of organic Methylene Blue (MB) dye. The paper marksthe connotation of zinc ferrite nanocatalyst in Photo-Fenton degradation. The chemical composition of dysprosium has a decisive feature of this research work. From X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), spinel phase formation of theas-synthesized Zn1-xDyxFe2O4 nanoparticles was observedand the crystallite size was foundto increase as the doping concentration increased. Theabsorption bands peaked between 600-400 cm-l waspragmatic by Fourier Transform Infrared spectral analysis (FTIR). Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) micrograph elucidated the morphology and the speck size of as-synthesized nanoparticles. Surface area and pore size were determined by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique.

  5. Deposition of metallic nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes via a fast evaporation process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren Guoqiang; Xing Yangchuan

    2006-01-01

    A new technique was developed for the deposition of colloidal metal nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes. It involves fast evaporation of a suspension containing sonochemically functionalized carbon nanotubes and colloidal nanoparticles. It was demonstrated that metallic nanoparticles with different sizes and concentrations can be deposited on the carbon nanotubes with only a few agglomerates. The technique does not seem to be limited by what the nanoparticles are, and therefore would be applicable to the deposition of other nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes. PtPd and CoPt 3 alloy nanoparticles were used to demonstrate the deposition process. It was found that the surfactants used to disperse the nanoparticles can hinder the nanoparticle deposition. When the nanoparticles were washed with ethanol, they could be well deposited on the carbon nanotubes. The obtained carbon nanotube supported metal nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry

  6. Magnetic properties of Co-ferrite-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles having a core/shell structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petchsang, N.; Pon-On, W.; Hodak, J.H.; Tang, I.M.

    2009-01-01

    The magnetic properties of Co-ferrite-doped hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles of composition Ca 10-3x Fe 2x Co x (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 (where x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5% mole) are studied. Transmission electron microscope micrograms show that the 90 nm size nanoparticles annealed at 1250 o C have a core/shell structure. Their electron diffraction patterns show that the shell is composed of the hydroxyapatite and the core is composed of the Co-ferrite, CoFe 2 O 4 . Electron spin resonance measurements indicate that the Co 2+ ions are being substituted into the Ca(1) sites in HAP lattice. X-ray diffraction studies show the formation of impurity phases as higher amounts of the Fe 3+ /Co 2+ ions which are substituted into the HAP host matrix. The presence of two sextets (one for the A-site Fe 3+ and the other for the B-site Fe 3+ ) in the Moessbauer spectrum for all the doped samples clearly indicates that the CoFe 2 O 4 .cores are in the ferromagnetic state. Evidence of the impurity phases is seen in the appearance of doublet patterns in the Moessbauer spectrums for the heavier-doped (x=0.4 and 0.5) specimens. The decrease in the saturation magnetizations and other magnetic properties of the nanoparticles at the higher doping levels is consistent with some of the Fe 3+ and Co 2+ which being used to form the CoO and Fe 2 O 3 impurity phase seen in the XRD patterns.

  7. Investigation on structural and electrical properties of Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by solution combustion method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ram, Mast; Bala, Kanchan; Sharma, Hakikat; Kumar, Arun; Negi, N. S.

    2016-01-01

    In the present study, nanoparticles of Fe doped zinc oxide (ZnO) [Zn_1_-_xFe_xO where x=0.0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05] were prepared by cost effective solution combustion method. The powder X-ray diffractometry confirms the formation of single phase wurtzite structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate the micrsostructure of Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The DC electrical conductivity was found to increase with temperature and measurement was carried out in the temperature range of 300-473K. DC electrical conductivity increases with temperature and decreases with Fe doping concentration.

  8. Influence of pH on structural morphology and magnetic properties of ordered phase cobalt doped lithium ferrites nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Srivastava, Manish; Ojha, Animesh K.; Chaubey, S.; Sharma, Prashant K.; Pandey, Avinash C.

    2010-01-01

    Cobalt doped lithium ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized at different pH by sol-gel method. The effect of pH on the physical properties of cobalt doped lithium ferrite nanoparticles has been investigated. The nanoparticles synthesized at different pH were characterized through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy (RS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD patterns were analyzed to determine the crystal phase of cobalt doped lithium ferrites nanoparticles synthesized at different pH. The XRD results show the formation of impurity free cobalt doped lithium ferrites having ordered phase spinel structure. A similar kind of conclusion was also drawn through the analysis of Raman spectra of the nanoparticles synthesized at different pH. SEM micrographs show that the structural morphology of the nanoparticles is highly sensitive to the pH during the synthesis process. The magnetic properties such as; saturation magnetization (Ms), remnant magnetization (Mr) and coercivety (Hc) have been also investigated and found to be different for the nanoparticles synthesized at different pH, which may be attributed to the different size and surface morphology of the nanoparticles.

  9. Synthesis of Dispersible Mesoporous Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Nanoplates with Uniform Hexagonal Morphologies for Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Jie; Jafta, Charl J; Gong, Jiang; Ran, Qidi; Lin, Xianzhong; Félix, Roberto; Wilks, Regan G; Bär, Marcus; Yuan, Jiayin; Ballauff, Matthias; Lu, Yan

    2016-11-02

    In this study, dispersible mesoporous nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanoplates have been synthesized as a new anisotropic carbon nanostructure using gibbsite nanoplates as templates. The gibbsite-silica core-shell nanoplates were first prepared before the gibbsite core was etched away. Dopamine as carbon precursor was self-polymerized on the hollow silica nanoplates surface assisted by sonification, which not only favors a homogeneous polymer coating on the nanoplates but also prevents their aggregation during the polymerization. Individual silica-polydopamine core-shell nanoplates were immobilized in a silica gel in an insulated state via a silica nanocasting technique. After pyrolysis in a nanoconfine environment and elimination of silica, discrete and dispersible hollow carbon nanoplates are obtained. The resulted hollow carbon nanoplates bear uniform hexagonal morphology with specific surface area of 460 m 2 ·g -1 and fairly accessible small mesopores (∼3.8 nm). They show excellent colloidal stability in aqueous media and are applied as electrode materials for symmetric supercapacitors. When using polyvinylimidazolium-based nanoparticles as a binder in electrodes, the hollow carbon nanoplates present superior performance in parallel to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder.

  10. Insight about electrical properties of low-temperature solution-processed Al-doped ZnO nanoparticle based layers for TFT applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diallo, Abdou Karim; Gaceur, Meriem; Fall, Sadiara; Didane, Yahia; Ben Dkhil, Sadok; Margeat, Olivier, E-mail: margeat@cinam.univ-mrs.fr; Ackermann, Jörg; Videlot-Ackermann, Christine, E-mail: videlot@cinam.univ-mrs.fr

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles. • Impact of dispersion state and solid state on electrical properties. • Extrinsic doping with Al for high conducting AZO nanoparticle based layers. • Low-temperature operating nanoparticulate AZO TFTs. - Abstract: Aluminium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled Al doping contents (AZO{sub x} with x = 0–0.8 at% of Al) were explored as new oxide semiconductor materials to study the impact of doping on both solution and solid states. Polycrystalline AZO{sub x} thin films were produced by spin-coating the dispersions following by a thermal post-treatment at low-temperature (80 °C or 150 °C). The coated AZO{sub x} films were employed as active layer in thin-film transistors. Morphology and microstructure were studied by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The impact on the device performances (mobility, conductivity, charge carrier density) of Al-doping content together with the solution state was examined. Spin-coated films delivered an electron mobility up to 3 × 10{sup −2} cm{sup 2}/Vs for the highest Al-doping ratio AZO{sub 0.8}. Despite highly different morphologies, extrinsic doping with aluminium significantly increases the conductivity of low temperature solution-processed AZO{sub x} NPs series based layers by several orders of magnitude from AZO{sub 0} to AZO{sub 0.8}.

  11. Flexible and robust N-doped carbon nanofiber film encapsulating uniformly silica nanoparticles: Free-standing long-life and low-cost electrodes for Li- and Na-Ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Liye; Liu, Pengcheng; Zhu, Kongjun; Wang, Jing; Tai, Guoan; Liu, Jinsong

    2017-01-01

    With the wearable electronics progressing rapidly, the demand for flexible, long-life and low-cost electrodes of Li-ion batteries (LIBs) becomes more and more urgent. Due to the abundant resources and low cost, silica (SiO_2), especially the amorphous one, has attracted a lot of interests on the application of anode materials for LIBs. However, SiO_2 still suffer from the poor cycling performance mainly caused by the huge volume change during cycling like other alloy-type materials. Furthermore, it remains a challenge to fabricate the SiO_2–based flexible electrode. Herein, we propose a facile in situ strategy to fabricate the electrospun robust free-standing SiO_2/carbon nanofibers (denoted as in-SCNFs) film constructed by N-doped carbon nanofibers encapsulating uniformly amorphous SiO_2 nanoparticles. The in situ synthesized finer SiO_2 nanoparticles in the in-SCNFs are uniformly encapsulated in flexible carbon nanofibers, which can effectively buffer the volume change. Furthermore, the robust in-SCNFs film possesses the excellent mechanical flexibility and strength. So, when served as the free-standing anode of LIBs, the in-SCNFs film exhibits superior cycling performance. A discharge specific capacity of 405 mAh/g can be delivered even after a long-term 1000 cycles at a large current density of 500 mA/g, and the retention is up to 115%. It is an exciting finding that the in-SCNFs film is also a long-life anode of Na-ion batteries (NIBs). The 99% of initial capacity can be kept after 250 cycles at 500 mA/g. To our best knowledge, this is the first report on the application of SiO_2/C composite for NIBs. These results suggest that the as-fabricated in-SCNFs film can become one promising free-standing long-life anode for LIBs and NIBs.

  12. Advanced LiTi2(PO4)3@N-doped carbon anode for aqueous lithium ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Zhangxing; Jiang, Yingqiao; Meng, Wei; Zhu, Jing; Liu, Yang; Dai, Lei; Wang, Ling

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @N-doped carbon anode was prepared by in-situ coating approach for aqueous lithium ion batteries. • The well-proportioned N-doped carbon layer and loose nanoporous structure was obtained using urea as nitrogen source and pore former. • LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @N-doped carbon demonstrates excellent rate performance and good cycling stability. - Abstract: In this paper, LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @N-doped carbon anode has been synthesized by in situ carbon coating approach. The well-proportioned N-doped carbon layer and loose nanoporous structure was obtained by using urea as nitrogen source and pore former. LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @N-doped carbon as anode demonstrates much better rate capability than LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @carbon in ALIBs. The optimized anode delivers the discharge capacity of 93.7 mAh g −1 and 74.2 mAh g −1 at rates of 10C and 20C, 22.5 mAh g −1 and 50.0 mAh g −1 larger than that of LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @carbon. Moreover, LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @N-doped carbon exhibits excellent cycling performance with capacity retention of 84.3% at 5C after 1000 cycles. As verified, the well-proportioned N-doped carbon layer could reduce charge transfer resistance and improve electrical conductivity. The loose nanoporous structure could shorten pathway and facilitate diffusion for Li ion. Therefore, LiTi 2 (PO 4 ) 3 @N-doped carbon gets the superior electrochemical properties benefiting from those two characteristics.

  13. Nitrogen-Doped Carbon-Encapsulated SnO2@Sn Nanoparticles Uniformly Grafted on Three-Dimensional Graphene-like Networks as Anode for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yunyong; Zhang, Haiyan; Chen, Yiming; Shi, Zhicong; Cao, Xiaoguo; Guo, Zaiping; Shen, Pei Kang

    2016-01-13

    A peculiar nanostructure consisting of nitrogen-doped, carbon-encapsulated (N-C) SnO2@Sn nanoparticles grafted on three-dimensional (3D) graphene-like networks (designated as N-C@SnO2@Sn/3D-GNs) has been fabricated via a low-cost and scalable method, namely an in situ hydrolysis of Sn salts and immobilization of SnO2 nanoparticles on the surface of 3D-GNs, followed by an in situ polymerization of dopamine on the surface of the SnO2/3D-GNs, and finally a carbonization. In the composites, three-layer core-shell N-C@SnO2@Sn nanoparticles were uniformly grafted onto the surfaces of 3D-GNs, which promotes highly efficient insertion/extraction of Li(+). In addition, the outermost N-C layer with graphene-like structure of the N-C@SnO2@Sn nanoparticles can effectively buffer the large volume changes, enhance electronic conductivity, and prevent SnO2/Sn aggregation and pulverization during discharge/charge. The middle SnO2 layer can be changed into active Sn and nano-Li2O during discharge, as described by SnO2 + Li(+) → Sn + Li2O, whereas the thus-formed nano-Li2O can provide a facile environment for the alloying process and facilitate good cycling behavior, so as to further improve the cycling performance of the composite. The inner Sn layer with large theoretical capacity can guarantee high lithium storage in the composite. The 3D-GNs, with high electrical conductivity (1.50 × 10(3) S m(-1)), large surface area (1143 m(2) g(-1)), and high mechanical flexibility, tightly pin the core-shell structure of the N-C@SnO2@Sn nanoparticles and thus lead to remarkably enhanced electrical conductivity and structural integrity of the overall electrode. Consequently, this novel hybrid anode exhibits highly stable capacity of up to 901 mAh g(-1), with ∼89.3% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 0.1 A g(-1) and superior high rate performance, as well as a long lifetime of 500 cycles with 84.0% retention at 1.0 A g(-1). Importantly, this unique hybrid design is expected to be

  14. Influence of Rare Earth Doping on the Structural and Catalytic Properties of Nanostructured Tin Oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maciel Adeilton

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractNanoparticles of tin oxide, doped with Ce and Y, were prepared using the polymeric precursor method. The structural variations of the tin oxide nanoparticles were characterized by means of nitrogen physisorption, carbon dioxide chemisorption, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synthesized samples, undoped and doped with the rare earths, were used to promote the ethanol steam reforming reaction. The SnO2-based nanoparticles were shown to be active catalysts for the ethanol steam reforming. The surface properties, such as surface area, basicity/base strength distribution, and catalytic activity/selectivity, were influenced by the rare earth doping of SnO2and also by the annealing temperatures. Doping led to chemical and micro-structural variations at the surface of the SnO2particles. Changes in the catalytic properties of the samples, such as selectivity toward ethylene, may be ascribed to different dopings and annealing temperatures.

  15. Self-assembled Targeting of Cancer Cells by Iron(III)-doped, Silica Nanoparticles

    OpenAIRE

    Mitchell, K.K. Pohaku; Sandoval, S.; Cortes-Mateos, M. J.; Alfaro, J.G.; Kummel, A. C.; Trogler, W.C.

    2014-01-01

    Iron(III)-doped silica nanoshells are shown to possess an in vitro cell-receptor mediated targeting functionality for endocytosis. Compared to plain silica nanoparticles, iron enriched ones are shown to be target-specific, a property that makes them potentially better vehicles for applications, such as drug delivery and tumor imaging, by making them more selective and thereby reducing the nanoparticle dose. Iron(III) in the nanoshells can interact with endogenous transferrin, a serum protein ...

  16. F-doped VO2 nanoparticles for thermochromic energy-saving foils with modified color and enhanced solar-heat shielding ability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Lei; Chen, Shi; Liu, Jianjun; Gao, Yanfeng; Zhou, Jiadong; Chen, Zhang; Cao, Chuanxiang; Luo, Hongjie; Kanehira, Minoru

    2013-07-28

    F-doped VO2 (M1) nanoparticles were prepared via one-pot hydrothermal synthesis. The F-doping can minimise the size of the VO2 (M1) nanoparticles, induce a homogeneous size distribution and effectively decrease the phase transition temperature to 35 °C at 2.93% F in VO2. VO2 smart glass foils obtained by casting these nanoparticles exhibit excellent thermochromism in the near-infrared region, which suggests that these foils can be used for energy-efficient glass. Compared to a pure VO2 foil, the 2.93% F-doped VO2 foil exhibits an increased solar-heat shielding ability (35.1%) and a modified comfortable colour, while still retaining an excellent solar modulation ability (10.7%) and an appropriate visible transmittance (48.7%). The F-doped VO2 foils are the first to simultaneously meet the requirements of a reduced phase transition temperature, diluted colour and excellent thermochromic properties, and these properties make the further improved F-doped VO2 foils suitable for commercial applications in energy efficient glass.

  17. Structural and optical properties of Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles formed in chitosan/sodium alginate multilayer films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Liping; Sun, Yujie; Xie, Xiaodong

    2014-05-01

    Chitosan/alginate multilayers were fabricated using a spin-coating method, and ZnS:Cu nanoparticles were generated within the network of two natural polysaccharides, chitosan and sodium alginate. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results showed that cubic zinc blende-structured ZnS:Cu nanoparticles with an average crystal size of ~ 3 nm were uniformly distributed. UV-vis spectra indicate a large quantum size effect and the absorption edge for the ZnS:Cu nanoparticles slightly shifted to longer wavelengths with increasing Cu ion concentrations. The photoluminescence of the Cu-doped ZnS nanoparticles reached a maximum at a 1% doping level. The ZnS:Cu nanoparticles form and are distributed uniformly in the composite multilayer films with a surface average height of 25 nm. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Silver-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen Steluta Ciobanu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The synthesis of nanosized particles of Ag-doped hydroxyapatite with antibacterial properties is of great interest for the development of new biomedical applications. The aim of this study was the evaluation of Ca10−xAgx(PO46(OH2 nanoparticles (Ag:HAp-NPs for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. Resistance to antimicrobial agents by pathogenic bacteria has emerged in the recent years and became a major health problem. Here, we report a method for synthesizing Ag doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite. A silver-doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite was synthesized at 100°C in deionised water. Also, in this paper Ag:HAp-NPs are evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungal strains. The specific antimicrobial activity revealed by the qualitative assay is demonstrating that our compounds are interacting differently with the microbial targets, probably due to the differences in the microbial wall structures.

  19. Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Silver-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciobanu, Carmen Steluta; Iconaru, Simona Liliana; Chifiriuc, Mariana Carmen; Costescu, Adrian; Le Coustumer, Philippe; Predoi, Daniela

    2013-01-01

    The synthesis of nanosized particles of Ag-doped hydroxyapatite with antibacterial properties is of great interest for the development of new biomedical applications. The aim of this study was the evaluation of Ca10−xAgx(PO4)6(OH)2 nanoparticles (Ag:HAp-NPs) for their antibacterial and antifungal activity. Resistance to antimicrobial agents by pathogenic bacteria has emerged in the recent years and became a major health problem. Here, we report a method for synthesizing Ag doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite. A silver-doped nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite was synthesized at 100°C in deionised water. Also, in this paper Ag:HAp-NPs are evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungal strains. The specific antimicrobial activity revealed by the qualitative assay is demonstrating that our compounds are interacting differently with the microbial targets, probably due to the differences in the microbial wall structures. PMID:23509801

  20. Rare earth doped nanoparticles in organic and inorganic host materials for application in integrated optics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, R.; Hilderink, L.T.H.; Diemeer, Mart; Stouwdam, J.W.; Sudarsan, V; van Veggel, F.C.J.M.; Driessen, A.; Worhoff, Kerstin; Misra, D; Masscher, P.; Sundaram, K.; Yen, W.M.; Capobianco, J.

    2006-01-01

    The preparation and the optical properties of lanthanum fluoride (LaF3) nanoparticles doped with erbium and neodymium will be discussed. Organic and inorganic materials in the form of polymers and sol-gels were used to serve as the hosts for the inorganic nanoparticles, respectively. The organic

  1. Magnetically responsive calcium carbonate microcrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fakhrullin, Rawil F; Bikmullin, Aidar G; Nurgaliev, Danis K

    2009-09-01

    Here we report the fabrication of magnetically responsive calcium carbonate microcrystals produced by coprecipitation of calcium carbonate in the presence of citrate-stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles. We demonstrate that the calcite microcrystals obtained possess superparamagnetic properties due to incorporated magnetite nanoparticles and can be manipulated by an external magnetic field. The microcrystals doped with magnetic nanoparticles were utilized as templates for the fabrication of hollow polyelectrolyte microcapsules, which retain the magnetic properties of the sacrificial cores and might be spatially manipulated using a permanent magnet, thus providing the magnetic-field-facilitated delivery and separation of materials templated on magnetically responsive calcite microcrystals.

  2. Formation of tin-tin oxide core–shell nanoparticles in the composite SnO{sub 2−x}/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes by pulsed ion beam irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Korusenko, P.M., E-mail: korusenko@obisp.oscsbras.ru [Omsk Scientific Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Karl Marx avenue 15, 644040 Omsk (Russian Federation); Nesov, S.N.; Bolotov, V.V.; Povoroznyuk, S.N. [Omsk Scientific Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Karl Marx avenue 15, 644040 Omsk (Russian Federation); Pushkarev, A.I. [National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Ave. 2a, 634028 Tomsk (Russian Federation); Ivlev, K.E. [Omsk Scientific Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Karl Marx avenue 15, 644040 Omsk (Russian Federation); Smirnov, D.A. [St. Petersburg State University, Lieutenant Shmidt Emb. 11, 198504 St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Institute of Solid State Physics, Dresden University of Technology, D-01069 Dresden (Germany)

    2017-03-01

    Highlights: • Original method the formation of core–shell structures by pulsed ion beam is proposed. • The composite SnO{sub 2−x}/N-MWCNTs was irradiated by pulsed ion beam. • Morphology and electronic structure of the irradiated composite were characterized. • The formation of Sn−SnO{sub x} core–shell nanoparticles after irradiation was observed. - Abstract: The complex methods of transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to investigate the changes in the morphology, phase composition, and electronic structure of the composite SnO{sub 2−x}/nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (SnO{sub 2−x}/N-MWCNTs) irradiated with the pulsed ion beam of nanosecond duration. The irradiation of the composite SnO{sub 2−x}/N-MWCNTs leads to the formation of nanoparticles with the core–shell structure on the surface of CNTs with a sharp interfacial boundary. It has been established that the “core” is a metal tin (Sn{sup 0}) with a typical size of 5–35 nm, and the “shell” is a thin amorphous layer (2–6 nm) consisting of nonstoichiometric tin oxide with a low oxygen content. The “core–shell” structure Sn−SnO{sub x} is formed due to the process of heating and evaporation of SnO{sub 2−x} under the effect of the ion beam, followed by vapor deposition on the surface of carbon nanotubes.

  3. Room temperature ferromagnetism and absorption red-shift in nitrogen-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gómez-Polo, C.; Larumbe, S.; Monge, M.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • N-doped TiO 2 anatase nanoparticles were obtained by sol–gel. • The nanoparticle size, controlled by the N doping, determines lattice parameters. • Correlation between room temperature ferromagnetism and absorption red-shift. • Oxygen vacancies reinforce both phenomena. • Metal transition impurities contribute to the room temperature ferromagnetism. - Abstract: In this work, room-temperature ferromagnetism and the red-shift of the optical absorption is analyzed in nitrogen doped TiO 2 semiconductor nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method using urea as the nitrogen source. Titanium Tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was employed as the alkoxyde precursor and dissolved in ethanol. The as prepared gels were dried and calcined in air at 300 °C. Additionally, post-annealing treatments under vacuum atmosphere were performed to modify the oxygen stoichiometry of the samples. The anatase lattice parameters, analyzed by means of powder X-ray diffractometry, depend on the nanometer grain size of the nanoparticles (increase and decrease, respectively, of the tetragonal a and c lattice parameters with respect to the bulk values). The diffuse reflectance ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) absorbance spectra show a clear red-shift as consequence of the nitrogen and the occurrence of intragap energy levels. The samples display ferromagnetic features at room temperature that are reinforced with the nitrogen content and after the post annealings in vacuum. The results indicate a clear correlation between the room temperature ferromagnetism and the shift of the absorbance spectrum. In both phenomena, oxygen vacancies (either induced by the nitrogen doping or by the post vacuum annealings) play a dominant role. However, we conclude the existence of very low concentration of diluted transition metal impurities that determine the room ferromagnetic response (bound magnetic polaron BMP model). The contraction of the c soft axis of the

  4. Electrical properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticles synthesized by chemical vapor synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartner, Sonja; Schulz, Christof; Wiggers, Hartmut; Ali, Moazzam; Winterer, Markus

    2009-01-01

    Aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been prepared by chemical vapor synthesis, which facilitates the incorporation of a higher percentage of dopant atoms, far above the thermodynamic solubility limit of aluminum. The electrical properties of aluminum-doped and undoped zinc oxide nanoparticles were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The impedance is measured under hydrogen and synthetic air between 323 and 673 K. The measurements under hydrogen as well as under synthetic air show transport properties depending on temperature and doping level. Under hydrogen atmosphere, a decreasing conductivity with increasing dopant content is observed, which can be explained by enhanced scattering processes due to an increasing disorder in the nanocrystalline material. The temperature coefficient for the doped samples switches from positive temperature coefficient behavior to negative temperature coefficient behavior with increasing dopant concentration. In the presence of synthetic air, the conductivity firstly increases with increasing dopant content by six orders of magnitude. The origin of the increasing conductivity is the generation of free charge carriers upon dopant incorporation. It reaches its maximum at a concentration of 7.7% of aluminum, and drops for higher doping levels. In all cases, the conductivity under hydrogen is higher than under synthetic air and can be changed reversibly by changing the atmosphere.

  5. Electrical properties of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) nanoparticles synthesized by chemical vapor synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartner, Sonja; Ali, Moazzam; Schulz, Christof; Winterer, Markus; Wiggers, Hartmut

    2009-11-04

    Aluminum-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles have been prepared by chemical vapor synthesis, which facilitates the incorporation of a higher percentage of dopant atoms, far above the thermodynamic solubility limit of aluminum. The electrical properties of aluminum-doped and undoped zinc oxide nanoparticles were investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The impedance is measured under hydrogen and synthetic air between 323 and 673 K. The measurements under hydrogen as well as under synthetic air show transport properties depending on temperature and doping level. Under hydrogen atmosphere, a decreasing conductivity with increasing dopant content is observed, which can be explained by enhanced scattering processes due to an increasing disorder in the nanocrystalline material. The temperature coefficient for the doped samples switches from positive temperature coefficient behavior to negative temperature coefficient behavior with increasing dopant concentration. In the presence of synthetic air, the conductivity firstly increases with increasing dopant content by six orders of magnitude. The origin of the increasing conductivity is the generation of free charge carriers upon dopant incorporation. It reaches its maximum at a concentration of 7.7% of aluminum, and drops for higher doping levels. In all cases, the conductivity under hydrogen is higher than under synthetic air and can be changed reversibly by changing the atmosphere.

  6. Experimental results on performance improvement of doped carbon-base materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Zengyu

    2002-01-01

    Carbon-base materials is one of candidate plasma facing materials and have been widely used in current tokamak facilities in the world. But some defect properties are presented on high yield of chemical sputtering , high yield of radiation enhancement sublimate (RES), cracking after heat flux and so on. It can be improved by doped some little other elements into the carbon-base materials, such as boron, silicon, titanium and so on. Experimental results indicate that it is feasible and successful to improve thermo-physics and chemical properties of carbon-base materials by multi-element doped. Doped 12 % silicon can strained RES and chemical sputtering yield do not changed. It is the same level of chemical sputtering yield for B 4 C from 3 % to 10 % , but their resistance thermal shock properties ability increases with B 4 C increases

  7. Supercritical temperature synthesis of fluorine-doped VO2(M) nanoparticle with improved thermochromic property

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riapanitra, Anung; Asakura, Yusuke; Cao, Wenbin; Noda, Yasuto; Yin, Shu

    2018-06-01

    Fluorine-doped VO2(M) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method at a supercritical temperature of 490 °C. The pristine VO2(M) has the critical phase transformation temperature of 64 °C. The morphology and homogeneity of the monoclinic structure VO2(M) were adopted by the fluorine-doped system. The obtained particle size of the samples is smaller at the higher concentration of anion doping. The best reduction of critical temperature was achieved by fluorine doping of 0.13% up to 48 °C. The thin films of the fluorine-doped VO2(M) showed pronounced thermochromic property and therefore are suitable for smart window applications.

  8. Peapod-like Li3 VO4 /N-Doped Carbon Nanowires with Pseudocapacitive Properties as Advanced Materials for High-Energy Lithium-Ion Capacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Laifa; Lv, Haifeng; Chen, Shuangqiang; Kopold, Peter; van Aken, Peter A; Wu, Xiaojun; Maier, Joachim; Yu, Yan

    2017-07-01

    Lithium ion capacitors are new energy storage devices combining the complementary features of both electric double-layer capacitors and lithium ion batteries. A key limitation to this technology is the kinetic imbalance between the Faradaic insertion electrode and capacitive electrode. Here, we demonstrate that the Li 3 VO 4 with low Li-ion insertion voltage and fast kinetics can be favorably used for lithium ion capacitors. N-doped carbon-encapsulated Li 3 VO 4 nanowires are synthesized through a morphology-inheritance route, displaying a low insertion voltage between 0.2 and 1.0 V, a high reversible capacity of ≈400 mAh g -1 at 0.1 A g -1 , excellent rate capability, and long-term cycling stability. Benefiting from the small nanoparticles, low energy diffusion barrier and highly localized charge-transfer, the Li 3 VO 4 /N-doped carbon nanowires exhibit a high-rate pseudocapacitive behavior. A lithium ion capacitor device based on these Li 3 VO 4 /N-doped carbon nanowires delivers a high energy density of 136.4 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 532 W kg -1 , revealing the potential for application in high-performance and long life energy storage devices. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Preparation and structure of carbon encapsulated copper nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hao Chuncheng; Xiao Feng; Cui Zuolin

    2008-01-01

    Carbon-encapsulated copper nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified arc plasma method using methane as carbon source. The particles were characterized in detail by transmission electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry. The encapsulated copper nanoparticles were about 30 nm in diameter with 3-5 nm graphitic carbon shells. The outside graphitic carbon layers effectively prevented unwanted oxidation of the copper inside. The effect of the ratio of He/CH 4 on the morphologies and the formation of the carbon shell were investigated

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-06-01

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

  11. Size-dependent cytotoxicity of europium doped NaYF4 nanoparticles in endothelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Shizhu; Zhang, Cuimiao; Jia, Guang; Duan, Jianlei; Wang, Shuxiang; Zhang, Jinchao

    2014-01-01

    Lanthanide-doped sodium yttrium fluoride (NaYF 4 ) nanoparticles exhibit novel optical properties which make them be widely used in various fields. The extensive applications increase the chance of human exposure to these nanoparticles and thus raise deep concerns regarding their riskiness. In the present study, we have synthesized europium doped NaYF 4 (NaYF 4 :Eu 3+ ) nanoparticles with three diameters and used endothelial cells (ECs) as a cell model to explore the potential toxic effect. The cell viability, cytomembrane integrity, cellular uptake, intracellular localization, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptosis detection, caspase-3 activity and expression of inflammatory gene were studied. The results indicated that these nanoparticles could be uptaken into ECs and decrease the cell viability, induce the intracellular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, increase the ROS level, and decrease the cell MMP in a size-dependent manner. Besides that, the cells were suffered to apoptosis with the caspase-3 activation, and the inflammation specific gene expressions (ICAM1 and VCAM1) were also increased. Our results suggest that the damage pathway may be related to the ROS generation and mitochondrial damage. The results provide novel evidence to elucidate their toxicity mechanisms and may be helpful for more rational applications of these compounds in the future. - Highlights: • NaYF 4 :Eu 3+ nanoparticles with three diameters have been synthesized. • NaYF 4 :Eu 3+ nanoparticles could be uptaken by endothelial cells (ECs). • NaYF 4 :Eu 3+ nanoparticles show a significant cytotoxicity on ECs. • The size of NaYF 4 :Eu 3+ nanoparticles may be important to their toxicology effect

  12. Enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by auto-combustion method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haq, Khizar-ul; Irfan, M.; Masood, Muhammad; Saleem, Murtaza; Iqbal, Tahir; Ahmad, Ishaq; Khan, M. A.; Zaffar, M.; Irfan, Muhammad

    2018-04-01

    Zn1‑x Cr x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09) nanoparticles were synthesized, by an auto-combustion method. Structural, optical, and magnetic characteristics of Cr-doped ZnO samples calcined at 600 °C have been analyzed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD data confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of pure and Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The calculated values of grain size using Scherrer's formula are in the range of 30.7–9.2 nm. The morphology of nanopowders has been observed by FESEM, and EDS results confirmed a systematic increase of Cr content in the samples and clearly indicate with no impurity element. The band gaps, computed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, are in the range of 2.83–2.35 eV for different doping concentrations. By analyzing VSM data, significantly enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism is identified in Cr-doped ZnO samples. The value of magnetization is a 12 times increased of the value reported by Daunet al. (2010). Room temperature ferromagnetism of the nanoparticles is of vital prominence for spintronics applications. Project supported by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), MUST Mirpur (AJK).

  13. Synthesis and characterization of samarium-doped ZnS nanoparticles: A novel visible light responsive photocatalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanifehpour, Younes, E-mail: y_hanifehpour@yu.ac.kr [School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749 (Korea, Republic of); Soltani, Behzad; Amani-Ghadim, Ali Reza; Hedayati, Behnam [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khomami, Bamin [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Joo, Sang Woo, E-mail: swjoo1@gmail.com [School of Mechanical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-04-15

    Highlights: • Sm-doped ZnS Nanomaterials were synthesized by hydrothermal method. • The as-prepared compounds were characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, SEM and UV techniques. • The photocatalytic effect of compounds was determined by Reactive Red 43 degradation. • The degradation of RRed 43 followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood kinetic model. - Abstract: We prepared pure and samarium-doped ZnS (Sm{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}S{sub 1+0.5x}) nanoparticles via hydrothermal process at 160 °C for 24 h. XRD analysis shows that the particles were well crystallized and corresponds to a cubic sphalerite phase. SEM and TEM images indicate that the sizes of the particles were in the range of 20–60 nm. The photocatalytic activity of Sm-doped ZnS nanoparticles was evaluated by monitoring the decolorization of Reactive Red 43 in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The color removal efficiency of Sm{sub 0.04}Zn{sub 0.96}S and pure ZnS was 95.1% and 28.7% after 120 min of treatment, respectively. Among the different amounts of dopant agent used, 4% Sm-doped ZnS nanoparticles indicated the highest decolorization. We found that the presence of inorganic ions such as Cl{sup −}, CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} and other radical scavengers such as buthanol and isopropyl alcohol reduced the decolorization efficiency.

  14. Effect of Pd ion doping in the band gap of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles: structural and optical studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nandan, Brajesh; Venugopal, B. [Pondicherry University, Centre for Nanoscience and Technology (India); Amirthapandian, S.; Panigrahi, B. K. [Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Ion Beam and Computer Simulation Section, Materials Science Group (India); Thangadurai, P., E-mail: thangadurai.p@gmail.com [Pondicherry University, Centre for Nanoscience and Technology (India)

    2013-10-15

    Pd ion doping has influenced the band gap of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Undoped and Pd ion-doped SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation method. A tetragonal phase of SnO{sub 2} with a grain size range of 7-13 nm was obtained (studied by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy). A decreasing trend in the particle size with increasing doping concentration was observed. The presence of Pd in doped SnO{sub 2} was confirmed by chemical analysis carried out by energy-dispersive spectroscopy in the transmission electron microscope. Diffuse reflectance spectra showed a blue shift in absorption with increasing palladium concentration. Band gap of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles was estimated from the diffuse reflectance spectra using Kubelka-Munk function and it was increasing with the increase of Pd ion concentration from 3.73 to 4.21 eV. The variation in band gap is attributed predominantly to the lattice strain and particle size. All the samples showed a broad photoluminescence emission centered at 375 nm when excited at 270 nm. A systematic study on the structural and optical properties of SnO{sub 2} nanoparticles is presented.

  15. Microscopic unravelling of nano-carbon doping in MgB{sub 2} superconductors fabricated by diffusion method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wong, D.C.K. [School of Physics, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia); Yeoh, W.K. [School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia); Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia); De Silva, K.S.B. [Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, North Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); Institute for Nanoscale Technology, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007 (Australia); Kondyurin, A.; Bao, P. [School of Physics, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia); Li, W.X. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200072 (China); Xu, X.; Peleckis, G.; Dou, S.X. [Institute for Superconducting & Electronic Materials, University of Wollongong, North Wollongong, New South Wales 2500 (Australia); Ringer, S.P. [School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia); Australian Centre for Microscopy & Microanalysis, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia); Zheng, R.K., E-mail: rongkun.zheng@sydney.edu.au [School of Physics, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006 (Australia)

    2015-09-25

    Highlights: • First report on nano-carbon doped MgB{sub 2} superconductors synthesized by diffusion method. • Microstructure and superconducting properties of the superconductors are discussed. • B{sub 4}C region blocks the Mg from reacting with B in the 10% nano-carbon doped sample. • MgB{sub 2} with 2.5% nano-carbon doped showed the highest J{sub c}, ≈10{sup 4} A/cm{sup 2} for 20 K at 4 T. - Abstract: We investigated the effects of nano-carbon doping as the intrinsic (B-site nano-carbon substitution) and extrinsic (nano-carbon derivatives) pinning by diffusion method. The contraction of the in-plane lattice confirmed the presence of disorder in boron sublattice caused by carbon substitution. The increasing value in full width half maximum (FWHM) in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns with each increment in the doping level reveal smaller grains and imperfect MgB{sub 2} crystalline. The strain increased across the doping level due to the carbon substitution in the MgB{sub 2} matrix. The broadening of the T{sub c} curves from low to high doping showed suppression of the connectivity of the bulk samples with progressive dirtying. At high doping, the presence of B{sub 4}C region blocked the Mg from reacting with crystalline B thus hampering the formation of MgB{sub 2}. Furthermore, the unreacted Mg acted as a current blocking phase in lowering down the grain connectivity hence depressing the J{sub c} of the 10% nano-carbon doped MgB{sub 2} bulk superconductor.

  16. The effects of cerium doping on the size, morphology, and optical properties of α-hematite nanoparticles for ultraviolet filtration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cardillo, Dean [Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong Innovation Campus, Squires Way, North Wollongong, NSW 2500 (Australia); Konstantinov, Konstantin, E-mail: konstan@uow.edu.au [Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials, AIIM Facility, University of Wollongong Innovation Campus, Squires Way, North Wollongong, NSW 2500 (Australia); Devers, Thierry [Centre de Recherche sur la Matière Divisée, Institut de Physique, site de Chartres, Université d’Orléans (France)

    2013-11-15

    Highlights: • Possible application of cerium-doped α-hematite as ultraviolet filter. • Nanoparticles obtained through co-precipitation technique using various cerium doping levels followed by annealing. • Comprehensive materials characterisation utilizing XRD, DSC/TGA, STEM, UV–vis spectroscopy. • Increasing cerium content reduces particle sizing and alters morphology. • Solubility of cerium in hematite seen between 5 and 10% doping, 10% cerium doping greatly enhances attenuation in ultraviolet region and increases optical bandgap. - Abstract: Metal oxide nanoparticles have potential use in energy storage, electrode materials, as catalysts and in the emerging field of nanomedicine. Being able to accurately tailor the desirable properties of these nanoceramic materials, such as particle size, morphology and optical bandgap (E{sub g}) is integral in the feasibility of their use. In this study we investigate the altering of both the structure and physical properties through the doping of hematite (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanocrystals with cerium at a range of concentrations, synthesised using a one-pot co-precipitation method. This extremely simple synthesis followed by thermal treatment results in stable Fe{sub 2−x}Ce{sub x}O{sub y} nanoceramics resulting from the burning of any unreacted precursors and transformation of goethite-cerium doped nanoparticle intermediate. The inclusion of Ce into the crystal lattice of these α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles causes a significantly large reduction in mean crystalline size and alteration in particle morphology with increasing cerium content. Finally we report an increase optical semiconductor bandgap, along with a substantial increase in the ultraviolet attenuation found for a 10% Ce-doping concentration which shows the potential application of cerium-doped hematite nanocrystals to be used as a pigmented ultraviolet filter for cosmetic products.

  17. The investigation of photo-induced chemiluminescence on Co2+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles and its analytical application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Guixin; Nan, Hongyan; Zheng, Xingwang

    2009-07-01

    A novel space- and time-resolved photo-induced chemiluminescence (PICL) analytical method was developed based on the photocatalysis of the Co2+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles. The PICL reaction procedure under the photocatalysis of Co2+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and potentiometry. Meanwhile, the effect of the electrical double layer outside the Co2+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles on the PICL was investigated by contrasting with the Co2+-doped TiO2-SiO2 core-shell nanoparticles. Significantly, the CL intensity increased apparently and the time of the CL was prolonged in the presence of procaterol hydrochloride because the mechanism of the enhanced PICL reaction may be modified. The route of the PICL was changed due to the participation of the procaterol hydrochloride enriched at the surface of the Co2+-doped TiO2-SiO2 in the PICL reaction, which prolonged the time of the CL reaction and resulted in the long-term PICL. The analytical characteristics of the proposed in-situ PICL method were investigated using the procaterol hydrochloride as the model analyte. The investigation results showed that this new PICL analytical method offered higher sensitivity to the analysis of the procaterol hydrochloride and the PICL intensity was linear with the concentration of the procaterol hydrochloride in the range from ca. 2.0 x 10(-10) to 1.0 x 10(-8) g mL(-1).

  18. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue on Fe3+-doped TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradiation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    SU Bitao; WANG Ke; BAI Jie; MU Hongmei; TONG Yongchun; MIN Shixiong; SHE Shixiong; LEI Ziqiang

    2007-01-01

    Fe3+-doped TiO2 composite nanoparticles with different doping amounts were successfully synthesized using sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD),transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was used as a model reaction to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of Fe3+/TiO2 nanoparticles under visible light irradia-tion. The influence of doping amount of Fe3+ (ω: 0.00%-3.00%) on photocatalytic activities of TiO2 was investigated.Results show that the size of Fe3+/TiO2 particles decreases with the increase of the amount of Fe3+ and their absorptionspectra are broaden and absorption intensities are also increased. Doping Fe3+ can control the conversion of TiO2 from anatase to rutile. The doping amount of Fe3+ remarkably affects the activity of the catalyst, and the optimum efficiency occurs at about the doping amount of 0.3%. The appropriate doping of Fe3+ can markedly increase the catalytic activity of TiO2 under visible light irradiation.

  19. Enhancement of photovoltaic effects and photoconductivity observed in Co-doped amorphous carbon/silicon heterostructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, Y. C.; Gao, J., E-mail: jugao@hku.hk [Research Center for Solid State Physics and Materials, School of Mathematics and Physics, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, Jiangsu (China)

    2016-08-22

    Co-doped amorphous carbon (Co-C)/silicon heterostructures were fabricated by growing Co-C films on n-type Si substrates using pulsed laser deposition. A photovoltaic effect (PVE) has been observed at room temperature. Open-circuit voltage V{sub oc} = 320 mV and short-circuit current density J{sub sc }= 5.62 mA/cm{sup 2} were measured under illumination of 532-nm light with the power of 100 mW/cm{sup 2}. In contrast, undoped amorphous carbon/Si heterostructures revealed no significant PVE. Based on the PVE and photoconductivity (PC) investigated at different temperatures, it was found that the energy conversion efficiency increased with increasing the temperature and reached the maximum at room temperature, while the photoconductivity showed a reverse temperature dependence. The observed competition between PVE and PC was correlated with the way to distribute absorbed photons. The possible mechanism, explaining the enhanced PVE and PC in the Co-C/Si heterostructures, might be attributed to light absorption enhanced by localized surface plasmons in Co nanoparticles embedded in the carbon matrix.

  20. Gd(iii)-doped carbon dots as a dual fluorescent-MRI probe

    KAUST Repository

    Bourlinos, Athanasios B.; Bakandritsos, Aristides; Kouloumpis, Antonios; Gournis, Dimitrios; Krysmann, Marta; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Polakova, Katerina; Safarova, Klara; Hola, Katerina; Zboril, Radek

    2012-01-01

    We describe the synthesis of Gd(iii)-doped carbon dots as dual fluorescence-MRI probes for biomedical applications. The derived Gd(iii)-doped carbon dots show uniform particle size (3-4 nm) and gadolinium distribution and form stable dispersions in water. More importantly, they exhibit bright fluorescence, strong T1-weighted MRI contrast and low cytotoxicity. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.

  1. Biological cellular response to carbon nanoparticle toxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panessa-Warren, B J; Warren, J B; Wong, S S; Misewich, J A

    2006-01-01

    Recent advances in nanotechnology have increased the development and production of many new nanomaterials with unique characteristics for industrial and biomedical uses. The size of these new nanoparticles (<100 nm) with their high surface area and unusual surface chemistry and reactivity poses unique problems for biological cells and the environment. This paper reviews the current research on the reactivity and interactions of carbon nanoparticles with biological cells in vivo and in vitro, with ultrastructural images demonstrating evidence of human cell cytotoxicity to carbon nanoparticles characteristic of lipid membrane peroxidation, gene down regulation of adhesive proteins, and increased cell death (necrosis, apoptosis), as well as images of nontoxic carbon nanoparticle interactions with human cells. Although it is imperative that nanomaterials be systematically tested for their biocompatibility and safety for industrial and biomedical use, there are now ways to develop and redesign these materials to be less cytotoxic, and even benign to cell systems. With this new opportunity to utilize the unique properties of nanoparticles for research, industry and medicine, there is a responsibility to test and optimize these new nanomaterials early during the development process, to eliminate or ameliorate identified toxic characteristics

  2. Low temperature synthesis, characterization and tunable optical properties of Eu3+, Tb3+ doped CaMoO4 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, K. Gayatri; Singh, Th. Prasanta; Singh, N. Rajmuhon

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Red and green nanophosphors of CaMoO 4 :Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ were synthesized via an ethylene glycol route at very low temperature. • The prepared nanoparticles have tetragonal structure. • The luminescence properties of the nanoparticles are also studied extensively. • CIE chromaticity coordinates of the phosphors are also studied. • The blue-green emission of host could be easily tuned to red or green by varying the dopant ion used in the host. - Abstract: CaMoO 4 doped with Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ nanoparticles are obtained using ethylene glycol as the solvent. The synthesis has been carried out at 130 °C temperature. The XRD patterns reveal that all the doped samples are well assigned to the scheelite structure of the CaMoO 4 phase. Upon excitation by ultraviolet radiation, the CaMoO 4 :Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ phosphors show the characteristic emission lines of Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ . For Eu 3+ doped samples, red emission dominates over other transitions and for Tb 3+ doped, green emission is the predominant one. The blue-green emission of the host could be easily tuned to red and green by doping with activator ions. The emission intensity is also dependent on the concentration of the dopant ions. The prepared nanoparticles could find applications in LEDs and other optical devices

  3. Efficient photocatalytic performance enhancement in Co-doped ZnO nanowires coupled with CuS nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Wang, Guojing; Feng, Yimeng; Li, Zhengcao

    2018-01-01

    In this research, a kind of highly efficient semiconductor photocatalyst was fabricated by depositing CuS nanoparticles uniformly on the surface of Co-doped ZnO nanowires. ZnO nanowires were synthesized by hydrothermal method and CuS nanoparticles were modified by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). By conducting methyl orange (MO) degradation experiments under the illumination of visible light, the photocatalytic activity of Co-doped ZnO nanowires modified with CuS nanoparticles was found to be nearly three times active when compared to bare ZnO nanowires. Its superior photocatalytic performance has two main reasons. The doped Co2+ ions can inhibit the recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs and decrease the optical bandgap, while the p-n heterostructure can enhance the visible light absorption ability and promote the separation of photo-excited charge carriers. Furthermore, the effect of the amount of deposited CuS nanoparticles on the photocatalysis was also investigated. The photocatalytic efficiency firstly raised along with the increment of SILAR cycle times and reached a maximum at 10 cycles but then decreased as the cycle times continue to increase. This originates from that an excessive amount of CuS would not only cover the active reacting sites, but also serve as recombination centers. Overall, this new nanostructure is expected to work as an efficient photocatalyst.

  4. Bromate Removal from Water Using Doped Iron Nanoparticles on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (CNTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aasem Zeino

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The raw carbon nanotubes (CNTs were prepared by the floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition method. The raw carbon nanotubes were functionalized, impregnated with iron nanoparticles, and characterized using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The three types of these multiwalled carbon nanotubes were applied as adsorbents for the removal of bromate from drinking water. The effects of the pH, the concentration of BrO3- anion, the adsorbent dose, the contact time, and the coanions on the adsorption process have been investigated. The results concluded that the highest adsorption capacities were 0.3460 and 0.3220 mg/g through using CNTs-Fe and raw CNTs, respectively, at the same conditions. The results showed that the CNTs-Fe gives higher adsorption capacity compared with the raw CNTs and the functionalized CNTs. The presence of nitrate (NO3- in the solution decreases the adsorption capacity of all CNTs compared with chloride (Cl- associated with pH adjustment caused by nitric acid or hydrochloric acid, respectively. However, the adsorption of all MWNCTs types increases as the pH of solution decreases.

  5. Magnetic and dielectric study of Fe-doped CdSe nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Sayantani; Banerjee, Sourish; Bandyopadhyay, Sudipta; Sinha, Tripurari Prasad

    2018-01-01

    Nanoparticles of cadmium selenide (CdSe) and Fe (5% and 10%) doped CdSe have been synthesized by soft chemical route and found to have cubic structure. The magnetic field dependent magnetization measurement of the doped samples indicates the presence of anti-ferromagnetic order. The temperature dependent magnetization (M-T) measurement under zero field cooled and field cooled conditions has also ruled out the presence of ferromagnetic component in the samples at room temperature as well as low temperature. In order to estimate the anti-ferromagnetic coupling among the doped Fe atoms, an M-T measurement at 500 Oe has been carried out, and the Curie-Weiss temperature θ of the samples has been estimated from the inverse of susceptibility versus temperature plots. The dielectric relaxation peaks are observed in the spectra of imaginary part of dielectric constant. The temperature dependent relaxation time is found to obey the Arrhenius law having activation energy 0.4 eV for Fe doped samples. The frequency dependent conductivity spectra are found to obey the power law. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  6. Assessment of carbon nanoparticle exposure on murine macrophage function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suro-Maldonado, Raquel M.

    There is growing concern about the potential cytotoxicity of nanoparticles. Exposure to respirable ultrafine particles (2.5uM) can adversely affect human health and have been implicated with episodes of increased respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergies. Nanoparticles are of particular interest because of their ability to penetrate into the lung and potentially elicit health effects triggering immune responses. Nanoparticles are structures and devises with length scales in the 1 to 100-nanometer range. Black carbon (BC) nanoparticles have been observed to be products of combustion, especially flame combustion and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) have been shown to be found in both indoor and outdoor air. Furthermore, asbestos, which have been known to cause mesothelioma as well as lung cancer, have been shown to be structurally identical to MWCNTs. The aims of these studies were to examine the effects of carbon nanoparticles on murine macrophage function and clearance mechanisms. Macrophages are immune cells that function as the first line of defense against invading pathogens and are likely to be amongst the first cells affected by nanoparticles. Our research focused on two manufactured nanoparticles, MWCNT and BC. The two were tested against murine-derived macrophages in a chronic contact model. We hypothesized that long-term chronic exposure to carbon nanoparticles would decrease macrophages ability to effectively respond to immunological challenge. Production of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), cell surface macrophage; activation markers, reactive oxygen species formation (ROS), and antigen processing and presentation were examined in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) following a 144hr exposure to the particulates. Data demonstrated an increase in TNF-alpha, and NO production; a decrease in phagocytosis and antigen processing and presentation; and a decrease in the expression levels of cell surface macrophage

  7. Photocatalytic characteristics of single phase Fe-doped anatase TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles sensitized with vitamin B{sub 12}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gharagozlou, Mehrnaz, E-mail: gharagozlou@icrc.ac.ir [Department of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology, Institute for Color Science and Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bayati, R. [Intel Corporation, IMO-SC, SC2, Santa Clara, CA 95054 (United States)

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • Anatase TiO{sub 2}/B{sub 12} hybrid nanostructured catalyst was successfully synthesized by sol–gel technique. • The nanoparticle catalyst was doped with iron at several concentrations. • Nanoparticles were characterized in detail by XRD, Raman, TEM, EDS, and spectroscopy techniques. • The formation mechanism and role of point defects on photocatalytic properties were discussed. • A structure-property-processing correlation was established. - Abstract: We report a processing-structure-property correlation in B{sub 12}-anatase titania hybrid catalysts doped with several concentrations of iron. Our results clearly show that low-level iron doping alters structure, defect content, and photocatalytic characteristics of TiO{sub 2}. XRD and Raman studies revealed formation of a single-phase anatase TiO{sub 2} where no iron based segregation in particular iron oxide, was detected. FT-IR spectra clearly confirmed sensitization of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with vitamin B{sub 12}. TEM micrographs and diffraction patterns confirmed crystallization of anatase nanoparticles with a radius of 15–20 nm. Both XRD and Raman signals showed a peak shift and a peak broadening which are surmised to originate from creation of point defects, namely oxygen vacancy and titanium interstitial. The doped samples revealed a narrower band gap as compared to undoped samples. Photocatalytic activity of the samples was assessed through measuring the decomposition rate of rhodamine B. It was found that sensitization with vitamin B{sub 12} and Fe-doping significantly enhances the photocatalytic efficiency of the anatase nanoparticles. We also showed that there is an optimum Fe-doping level where the maximum photocatalytic activity is achieved. The boost of photocatalytic activity was qualitatively understood to originate from a more effective use of the light photons, formation of point defects, which enhance the charge separation, higher carrier mobility.

  8. Functionalization of silicon-doped single walled carbon nanotubes at the doping site: An ab initio study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Chen; Xia Yueyuan; Zhao Mingwen; Liu Xiangdong; Li Feng; Huang Boda; Zhang Hongyu; Zhang Bingyun

    2006-01-01

    We performed ab initio calculations on the cytosine-functionalized silicon-doped single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). The results show that silicon substitutional doping to SWNT can dramatically change the atomic and electronic structures of the SWNT. And more importantly, it may provide an efficient pathway for further sidewall functionalization to synthesize more complicated SWNT based complex materials, for example, our previously proposed base-functionalized SWNTs, because the doping silicon atom can improve the reaction activity of the tube at the doping site due to its preference to form sp3 hybridization bonding

  9. Low Temperature Ferromagnetism and Optical Properties of Fe Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized by Sol-Gel Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Sathya

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this present investigation, pure and Fe doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by sol gel method.The structural and optical properties were examined by using X-ray diffraction (XRD, Scanning electron microscope (SEM, Transmission electron microscope (TEM, Ultraviolet spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL techniques.The structural characterization of XRD analysis confirmed the phase purity of the samples and crystallite size can be decreased with increasing doping concentrations.SEM image show that nanoparticles in spherical shape. The optical band gap calculated through UV-visible spectroscopy is found to be increasing from 3.48 to 3.57eV. TEM analysis depicted the crystallinity of nanoparticles prepared and chemical composition conformed the EDAX analysis. The PL spectra reveal that, Fe doped ZnO exhibit a decrease in intensity of the band edge emission peak while the intensity of the deep level emission peak increases.The enhancement of low temperature ferromagnetism in ZnO: Fe was achieved.

  10. Low-temperature synthesis of hexagonal transition metal ion doped ZnS nanoparticles by a simple colloidal method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Liping; Huang, Shungang; Sun, Yujie

    2013-01-01

    A general route to synthesize transition metal ions doped ZnS nanoparticles with hexagonal phase by means of a conventional reverse micelle at a low temperature is developed. The synthesis involves N,N-dimethylformamide, Zn(AC) 2 solution, thiourea, ammonia, mercaptoacetic acid, as oil phase, water phase, sulfide source, pH regulator, and surfactant, respectively. Thiourea, ammonia and mercaptoacetic acid are demonstrated crucial factors, whose effects have been studied in detail. In addition, the FT-IR spectra suggest that mercaptoacetic acid may form complex chelates with Zn 2+ in the preparation. In the case of Cu 2+ as a doped ion, hexagonal ZnS:Cu 2+ nanoparticles were synthesized at 95 °C for the first time. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements show that the ZnS:Cu 2+ nanoparticles are polycrystalline and possess uniform particle size. The possible formation mechanism of the hexagonal doped ZnS is discussed.

  11. Microstructural and optical properties of Ca and Cr doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by auto combustion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agrawal, Shraddha; Parveen, Azra; Azam, Ameer

    2018-05-01

    The Ca and Cr doped cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (Co0.8Ca0.2) (Fe0.8 Cr0.2)2O4 were synthesized by auto combustion method. Microstructural studies were carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystalline size of synthesized nanoparticles as determined by the XRD was found to be 17.6 nm. These structural studies suggest that the crystal system remains spinal even with the doping of calcium and chromium. Optical properties of Ca and Cr doped cobalt ferrite were studied by UV-visible technique in the range of 200-800 nm. The energy band gap was calculated with the help of Tauc relationship. Ca and Cr doped cobalt ferrite annealed at 600°C exhibit significant dispersion in complex permeability. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of cobalt ferrite were studied as a function of frequency and were explained on the basis of Koop's theory based on Maxwell Wagner two layer models and electron hopping.

  12. Activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles: a hybrid material for carbon dioxide adsorption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boruban, Cansu; Esenturk, Emren Nalbant

    2018-03-01

    Activated carbon-supported copper(II) oxide (CuO) nanoparticles were synthesized by simple impregnation method to improve carbon dioxide (CO2) adsorption capacity of the support. The structural and chemical properties of the hybrid material were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (https://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCsQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.intertek.com%2Fanalytical-laboratories%2Fxrd%2F&ei=-5WZVYSCHISz7Aatqq-IAw&usg=AFQjCNFBlk-9wqy49foh8tskmbD-GGbG9g&sig2=eKrhYjO75rl_Id2sLGpq4w&bvm=bv.96952980,d.bGg) (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyses. The analyses showed that CuO nanoparticles are well-distributed on the activated carbon surface. The CO2 adsorption behavior of the activated carbon-supported CuO nanoparticles was observed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed desorption (TPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and BET analyses. The results showed that CuO nanoparticle loading on activated carbon led to about 70% increase in CO2 adsorption capacity of activated carbon under standard conditions (1 atm and 298 K). The main contributor to the observed increase is an improvement in chemical adsorption of CO2 due to the presence of CuO nanoparticles on activated carbon.

  13. Structural and optical studies of Mg doped nanoparticles of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) synthesized by co-precipitation method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Jarnail; Verma, Vikram; Kumar, Ravi

    2018-04-01

    We present here the synthesization, structural and optical studies of Mg doped nanoparticles of Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) prepared using co-precipitation method. These samples were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques. We have demonstrated that there is negligible change in optical band gap with the Mg doping. The prepared Cr2O3 nanoparticles are spherical in shape, but they are transformed into platelets when doped with Mg. The XRD studies reveal that the Mg doping in Cr2O3 doesn't affect the structure of Chromium oxide (Cr2O3).

  14. Incorporation of Pt, Ru and Pt-Ru nanoparticles into ordered mesoporous carbons for efficient oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stojmenović, Marija; Momčilović, Milan; Gavrilov, Nemanja; Pašti, Igor A.; Mentus, Slavko; Jokić, Bojan; Babić, Biljana

    2015-01-01

    Ordered mesoporous carbon, volume-doped up to 3 w.% with Pt, Ru and Pt-Ru nanoparticles was synthesized by evaporation-induced self-assembly method, under acidic conditions. The content of incorporated metal was determined by EDX analysis. The X-ray diffractometry confirmed the existence of highly dispersed metallic phases in doped samples. Specific surface area was determined by N 2 -physisorption measurements to range between 452 and 545 m 2 g −1 . Raman spectroscopy of investigated materials indicated highly disordered carbon structure with crystallite sizes around 1.4 nm. In a form of thin-layer electrode on glassy carbon support, in 0.1 M KOH solution, the prepared materials displayed high activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media, with onset potentials more positive than −0.10 V vs. SCE. The kinetics of O 2 reduction was found to be affected by both the specific surface area and the concentration of metal dopants. The ethanol tolerance of (Pt, Ru)-doped OMCs was found to be higher than that of common Pt/C ORR catalysts. Presented study provides a new route for the synthesis of active and selective ORR catalysts in alkaline media, being competitive with, or superior to, the existing ones in terms of performance and price

  15. Compositionally modulated multilayer diamond-like carbon coatings with AlTiSi multi-doping by reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Wei; Gao, Xiang; Liu, Jingmao; Kwon, Se-Hun; Wang, Qimin

    2017-12-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings with AlTiSi multi-doping were prepared by a reactive high power impulse magnetron sputtering with using a gas mixture of Ar and C2H2 as precursor. The composition, microstructure, compressive stress, and mechanical property of the as-deposited DLC coatings were studied systemically by using SEM, XPS, TEM, Raman spectrum, stress-tester, and nanoindentation as a function of the Ar fraction. The results show that the doping concentrations of the Al, Ti and Si atoms increased as the Ar fraction increased. The doped Ti and Si preferred to bond with C while the doped Al mainly existed in oxidation state without bonding with C. As the doping concentrations increased, TiC carbide nanocrystals were formed in the DLC matrix. The microstructure of coatings changed from an amorphous feature dominant AlTiSi-DLC to a carbide nanocomposite AlTiSi-DLC with TiC nanoparticles embedding. In addition, the coatings exhibited the compositionally modulated multilayer consisting of alternate Al-rich layer and Al-poor layer due to the rotation of the substrate holder and the diffusion behavior of the doped Al which tended to separate from C and diffuse towards the DLC matrix surface owing to its weak interactions with C. The periodic Al-rich layer can effectively release the compressive stress of the coatings. On the other hand, the hard TiC nanoparticles were conducive to the hardness of the coatings. Consequently, the DLC coatings with relatively low residual stress and high hardness could be acquired successfully through AlTiSi multi-doping. It is believed that the AlCrSi multi-doping may be a good way for improving the comprehensive properties of the DLC coatings. In addition, we believe that the DLC coatings with Al-rich multilayered structure have a high oxidation resistance, which allows the DLC coatings application in high temperature environment.

  16. Preparation of Mn doped CeO{sub 2} nanoparticles with enhanced ferromagnetism

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ravi, S., E-mail: sravi@mepcoeng.ac.in; Winfred Shashikanth, F.

    2017-06-15

    Spherical-like CeO{sub 2} and Mn-doped CeO{sub 2} using 6-aminohexanoic acid as surfactant exhibit enhanced ferromagnetism. The optical absorption spectra reveal a red shift with a band gap of 2.51 eV. The mechanics of ferromagnetism and the red shift were analyzed. These results provide a promising platform for developing a dilute magnetic semiconductor in spintronics. - Highlights: • Pure and Mn-doped CeO{sub 2} is prepared with aminohexanoic acid as capping. • They exhibit wide optical absorption with red-shift in their band gap. • Mn-doped CeO{sub 2} nanoparticle exhibit hysteresis at room temperature. • Results were promising to use in spintronics and opto-electronics field.

  17. Effect of annealing on properties of Mg doped Zn-ferrite nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Nadeem

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available A comparison of structural and magnetic properties of as-prepared and annealed (900 °C Mg doped Zn ferrite nanoparticles (Zn1−xMgxFe2O4, with x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 is presented. X-ray diffraction (XRD studies confirmed the cubic spinel structure for both the as-prepared and annealed nanoparticles. The average crystallite size and lattice parameter were increased by annealing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM images also showed that the average particle size increased after annealing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR also confirmed the spinel structure for both series of nanoparticles. For both annealed and as-prepared nanoparticles, the O–Mtet.–O vibrational band shifts towards higher wave numbers with increased Mg concentration due to cationic rearrangement on the lattice sites. Magnetization studies revealed an anomalous decreasing magnetization for the annealed nanoparticles which is also ascribed to cationic rearrangement on the lattice sites after annealing. The measurement of coercivity showed a decreasing trend by annealing due to the increased nanoparticle size and better crystallinity.

  18. Growth and characterization of semi-insulating carbon-doped/undoped GaN multiple-layer buffer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dong-Seok; Won, Chul-Ho; Kang, Hee-Sung; Kim, Young-Jo; Kang, In Man; Lee, Jung-Hee; Kim, Yong Tae

    2015-01-01

    We have proposed a new semi-insulating GaN buffer layer, which consists of multiple carbon-doped and undoped GaN layer. The buffer layer showed sufficiently good semi-insulating characteristics, attributed to the depletion effect between the carbon-doped GaN and the undoped GaN layers, even though the thickness of the carbon-doped GaN layer in the periodic structure was designed to be very thin to minimize the total carbon incorporation into the buffer layer. The AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure grown on the proposed buffer exhibited much better electrical and structural properties than that grown on the conventional thick carbon-doped semi-insulating GaN buffer layer, confirmed by Hall measurement, x-ray diffraction, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The fabricated device also showed excellent buffer breakdown characteristics. (paper)

  19. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Fe-doped CeO2 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maensiri, Santi; Phokha, Sumalin; Laokul, Paveena; Seraphin, Supapan

    2009-11-01

    RT ferromagnetism was observed in nanoparticles of Fe-doped CeO2 (i.e., Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2) synthesized by a sol-gel method. The undoped and Fe-doped CeO2 were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM, and VSM. The undoped samples and Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 precursor exhibit a diamagnetic behavior. The 673 K-calcined Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 sample is paramagnetic whereas 773 and 873 K-calcined Ce(0.97)Fe(0.03)O2 samples are ferromagnetism having the magnetizations of 4.65 x 10(-3) emu/g and 6.20 x 10(-3) emu/g at 10 kOe, respectively. Our results indicate that the ferromagnetic property is intrinsic to the Fe-doped CeO2 system and is not a result of any secondary magnetic phase or cluster formation.

  20. CNT supported Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles: simple synthesis and improved photocatalytic activity for degradation of malachite green dye under visible light

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, R. M.; Shawky, Ahmed

    2018-03-01

    Hexagonal ZnO nanoparticles doped with Mn and supported with a minor amount of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized through a simple coprecipitation-ultrasonication process with high yield. The effect of Mn doping, as well as CNTs addition on structure, surface morphology and texture, optical and electronic properties, was studied. We found that just 1% Mn doping and 1% CNT addition on ZnO showed the best crystallinity, highest surface area, improved visible light absorption, and a lowest estimated band gap of 2.6 eV with minimum charge recombination as revealed from photoluminescence spectra. The application of the optimum composition of the synthesized sample for the photodegradation of malachite green dye showed enhanced photocatalytic activity > 95% under visible light irradiation within 120 min at a minimum dosage of 0.1 g L-1 without any using of hole scavenger or changing the pH. This work highlighting the humble preparation procedure and develops photocatalysis research for real industrial applications.

  1. Structure and properties of electron-doped Ca1-xSmxMnO3 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanmathi, C.S.; Retoux, R.; Singh, M.P.; Noudem, J.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we report the structural and magnetic properties of electron-doped Ca 1-x Sm x MnO 3 (CSM) nanoparticles. The samarium's composition 'x' was varied from 0 to 0.2 with the special attention up to 0.05. Spherical 60-70 nm polycrystalline CSM nanoparticles were synthesised by chemical co-precipitation technique. Doping of Sm 3+ in antiferromagnetic CaMnO 3 has drastically altered its magnetic behavior due to the formation of ferromagnetic clusters. For example, the CSM powder with x = 0.04 displays about 115 K magnetic Curie temperature and about 0.1 emu/mole saturation magnetization. Physical properties of our nano-CSM powders are also compared with identical bulk-samples. To understand the differences, we invoked the intra-grain and inter-grain magnetic coupling process that facilitates to enhance their ferromagnetic behaviors. Unlike the bulk samples, such magnetic couplings in nanoparticles are favored by the presence of low-level crystal and interfacial defects

  2. Effects of Mn, Cu doping concentration to the properties of magnetic nanoparticles and arsenic adsorption capacity in wastewater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thi, Tran Minh; Trang, Nguyen Thi Huyen; Van Anh, Nguyen Thi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Investigation the decrease of saturate magnetic moment of Fe 3 O 4 over time. • Substitution of Mn, Cu ions into Fe position to create stable properties of materials. • Investigate the surface and mesopore structure of nanoparticles. • The arsenic adsorption capacity of Cu doped Fe 3 O 4 nanomaterials is higher than of Fe 3 O 4 and Mn doped Fe 3 O 4 nanomaterials. - Abstract: The research results of Fe 3 O 4 and Mn, Cu doped Fe 3 O 4 nanomaterials synthesized by a chemical method for As(III) wastewater treatment are presented in this paper. The X-ray diffraction patterns and transmission electron microscopy images showed that samples had the cubic spinel structure with the grain sizes were varied from 9.4 nm to 18.1 nm. The results of vibrating sample magnetometer measurements at room temperature showed that saturation magnetic moments of Fe 1−x Cu x Fe 2 O 4 and Fe 1−x Mn x Fe 2 O 4 samples decreased from 65.9 emu/g to 53.2 emu/g and 65.9 emu/g to 61.5 emu/g, respectively, with the increase of Cu, Mn concentrations from 0.0 to 0.15. The nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm of a typical Fe 3 O 4 sample at 77 K was studied in order to investigate the surface and porous structure of nanoparticles by BET method. The specific surface area of Fe 3 O 4 magnetic nanoparticles was calculated about of 100.2 m 2 /g. The pore size distribution of about 15–20 nm calculated by the BJH (Barrett, Joyner, and Halendar) method at a relative pressure P/P 0 of about 1. Although the saturation magnetic moments of samples decreased when the increase of doping concentration, but the arsenic adsorption capacity of Cu doped Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles is better than that of Fe 3 O 4 and Mn doped Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles in a solution with pH = 7. In the solution with a pH > 14, the arsenic adsorption of magnetic nanoparticles is insignificant

  3. Improving hydrogen storage in Ni-doped carbon nanospheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zubizarreta, L.; Menendez, J.A.; Pis, J.J.; Arenillas, A. [Instituto Nacional del Carbon, CSIC, Apartado 73, 33080 Oviedo (Spain)

    2009-04-15

    The effect of nickel distribution and content in Ni-doped carbon nanospheres on hydrogen storage capacity under conditions of moderate temperature and pressure was studied. It was found that the nickel distribution, obtained by using different doping techniques and conditions, has a noticeable influence on hydrogen storage capacity. The samples with the most homogeneous nickel distribution, obtained by pre-oxidising the carbon nanospheres, displayed the highest storage capacity. In addition, storage capacity is influenced by the amount of nickel. It was found a higher storage capacity in samples containing 5 wt.% of Ni. This is due to the greater interactions between the nickel and the support that produce a higher activation of the solid through a spillover effect. (author)

  4. Crystal and electronic structure study of Mn doped wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.M. Ozkendir

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The change in the crystal and electronic structure properties of wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles was studied according to Mn doping in the powder samples. The investigations were conducted by X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (XAFS technique for the samples prepared with different heating and doping processes. Electronic analysis was carried out by the collected data from the X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Spectroscopy (XANES measurements. Additional crystal structure properties were studied by Extended-XAFS (EXAFS analysis. Longer heating periods for the undoped wurtzite ZnO samples were determined to own stable crystal geometries. However, for some doped samples, the distortions in the crystal were observed as a result of the low doping amounts of Mn which was treated as an impurity. Besides, the changes in oxygen locations were determined to create defects and distortions in the samples.

  5. Lanthanide-Doped Ceria Nanoparticles as Backside Coaters to Improve Silicon Solar Cell Efficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajjiah, Ali; Samir, Effat; Shehata, Nader; Salah, Mohamed

    2018-05-23

    This paper introduces lanthanide-doped ceria nanoparticles as silicon solar cell back-side coaters, showing their influence on the solar cell efficiency. Ceria nanoparticles can be synthesized to have formed oxygen vacancies (O-vacancies), which are associated with converting cerium ions from the Ce 4+ state ions to the Ce 3+ ones. These O-vacancies follow the rule of improving silicon solar cell conductivity through a hopping mechanism. Besides, under near-ultra violet (near-UV) excitation, the reduced trivalent cerium Ce 3+ ions are directly responsible for down converting the un-absorbed UV wavelengths to a resultant green photo-luminescence emission at ~520 nm, which is absorbed through the silicon solar cell’s active layer. Adding lanthanide elements such as Neodymium “Nd” as ceria nanoparticle dopants helps in forming extra oxygen vacancies (O-vacancies), followed by an increase in the number of Ce 4+ to Ce 3+ ion reductions, thus enhancing the conductivity and photoluminescence down conversion mechanisms. After introducing lanthanide-doped ceria nanoparticles on a silicon solar cell surface, a promising enhancement in the behavior of the solar cell current-voltage curve is observed, and the efficiency is improved by about 25% of its initial value due to the mutual impact of improving both electric conductivity and optical conversions.

  6. A Facile Synthesis of a Palladium-Doped Polyaniline-Modified Carbon Nanotube Composites for Supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giri, Soumen; Ghosh, Debasis; Malas, Asish; Das, Chapal Kumar

    2013-08-01

    Supercapacitors have evolved as the premier choice of the era for storing huge amounts of charge in the field of energy storage devices, but it is still necessary to enhance their performance to meet the increasing requirements of future systems. This could be achieved either through advancing the interfaces of the material at the nanoscale or by using novel material compositions. We report a high-performance material composition prepared by combining a transition metal (palladium)-doped conductive polymer with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). MWCNTs/palladium-doped polyaniline (MWCNTs/Pd/PANI) composites and multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyaniline (MWCNTs/PANI) composites (for comparison) were prepared via in situ oxidative polymerization of aniline monomer. The reported composites were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies. FESEM and TEM studies indicated the narrow size distribution of the π-conjugated polymer-protected palladium nanoparticles on the surface of the carbon nanotubes. All the electrochemical characterizations were executed using a three-electrode system in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis was performed to observe the capacitive performance and redox behavior of the composites. The ion transfer behavior and cyclic stability of the composites were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis and cyclic charge-discharge (CCD) testing, respectively. The MWCNTs/Pd/PANI composite was found to exhibit an especially high specific capacitance value of 920 F/g at scan rate of 2 mV/s.

  7. Further improvement of mechanical and tribological properties of Cr-doped diamond-like carbon nanocomposite coatings by N codoping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Changwei; Xie, Wei; Tang, Xiaoshan

    2016-11-01

    In this study, the effects of nitrogen codoping on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Cr-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) nanocomposite coatings were investigated in detail. Compared with undoped DLC coatings, the Cr-DLC and N/Cr-DLC coatings showed higher root-mean-square (RMS) roughness values. However, from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman results, the fraction of sp2 carbon bonds of N/Cr-DLC coatings increased with increasing N content, which indicated the graphitization of the coatings. The hardness and elastic modulus of N/Cr-DLC coatings with 1.8 at. % N were about 26.8 and 218 GPa, respectively. The observed hardness increase with N codoping was attributed to the incorporation of N in the C network along with the formation of CrC(N) nanoparticles, as confirmed from the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results. The internal stress markedly decreased from 0.93 to 0.32 GPa as the N content increased from 0 to 10.3 at. %. Furthermore, N doping significantly improved the high-temperature dry friction behavior of DLC coatings. The friction coefficient of N/Cr-DLC coatings with 8.0 and 10.3 at. % N was kept at about 0.2 during the overall sliding test at 500 °C. These results showed that appropriate N doping could promote the mechanical and tribological properties of Cr-DLC nanocomposite coatings.

  8. Temperature driven transport of gold nanoparticles physisorbed inside carbon nanotubes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schoen, P.A.E.; Poulikakos, D.; Walther, Jens Honore

    2006-01-01

    We use molecular dynamics simulations to demonstrate the temperature driven mass transport of solid gold nanoparticles, physisorbed inside carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Our results indicate that the nanoparticle experiences a guided motion, in the direction opposite to the direction of the temperature...... affects the nanoparticle motion along the carbon lattice....

  9. Controllable synthesis of helical, straight, hollow and nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers and their magnetic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Xun [State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructure, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008 (China); Xu, Zheng, E-mail: zhengxu@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructure, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

    2012-12-15

    Graphical abstract: The helical, straight and hollow carbon nanofibers can be selectively synthesized by adjusting either the reaction temperature or feed gas composition. Display Omitted Highlights: ► CNFs were synthesized via pyrolysis of acetylene on copper NPs. ► The helical, straight, hollow and N-doped CNFs can be selectively synthesized. ► The growth mechanism of different types of CNFs was proposed. -- Abstract: Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with various morphologies were synthesized by catalytic pyrolysis of acetylene on copper nanoparticles which were generated from the in situ decomposition of copper acetylacetonate. The morphology of the pristine and acid-washed CNFs was investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Helical, straight and hollow CNFs can be selectively synthesized by adjusting either the reaction temperature or feed gas composition. The growth mechanism for these three types of CNFs was proposed.

  10. One-pot synthesis of fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots with good biocompatibility for cell labeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhengwei; Yan, Kun; Yang, Qiulian; Liu, Yanhua; Yan, Zhengyu; Chen, Jianqiu

    2017-12-01

    Here we report an easy and economical hydrothermal carbonization approach to synthesize the fluorescent nitrogen-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) that was developed using citric acid and triethanolamine as the precursors. The synthesis conditions were optimized to obtain the N-CDs with superior fluorescence performances. The as-prepared N-CDs are monodispersed sphere nanoparticles with good water solubility, and exhibited strong fluorescence, favourable photostability and excitation wavelength-dependent behavior. Furthermore, the in vitro cytotoxicity and cellular labeling of N-CDs were investigated using the rat glomerular mesangial cells. The results showed the N-CDs have more inconspicuous cytotoxicity and better biosafety in comparison with ZnSe quantum dots, although both targeted the cells successfully. Considering their admirable photostability, low toxicity and good compatibility, the as-obtained N-CDs could have potential applications in biosensors, cellular imaging, and other fields. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Goat anti-rabbit IgG conjugated fluorescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles for human breast carcinoma cell recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Min-Yan; Chen, Ze-Zhong; Wu, Ling-Ling; Tang, Hong-Wu; Pang, Dai-Wen

    2013-11-12

    We report an indirect method for cancer cell recognition using photostable fluorescent silica nanoprobes as biological labels. The dye-doped fluorescent silica nanoparticles were synthesized using the water-in-oil (W/O) reverse microemulsion method. The silica matrix was produced by the controlled hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) in water nanodroplets with the initiation of ammonia (NH3·H2O). Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) or rhodamine B isothiocyanate conjugated with dextran (RBITC-Dextran) was doped in silica nanoparticles (NPs) with a size of 60 ± 5 nm as a fluorescent signal element by covalent bonding and steric hindrance, respectively. The secondary antibody, goat anti-rabbit IgG, was conjugated on the surface of the PEG-terminated modified FITC-doped or RBITC-Dextran-doped silica nanoparticles (PFSiNPs or PBSiNPs) by covalent binding to the PEG linkers using the cyanogen bromide method. The concentrations of goat anti-rabbit IgG covering the nanoprobes were quantified via the Bradford method. In the proof-of-concept experiment, an epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) on the human breast cancer SK-Br-3 cell surface was used as the tumor marker, and the nanoparticle functionalized with rabbit anti-EpCAM antibody was employed as the nanoprobe for cancer cell recognition. Compared with fluorescent dye labeled IgG (FITC-IgG and RBITC-IgG), the designed nanoprobes display dramatically increased stability of fluorescence as well as photostability under continuous irradiation.

  12. Preparation of Boron Nitride Nanoparticles with Oxygen Doping and a Study of Their Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Qing; Zhao, Qi; Yang, Tianye; Zhai, Chengbo; Wang, Dongxue; Zhang, Mingzhe

    2018-04-18

    In this work, oxygen-doped boron nitride nanoparticles with room-temperature ferromagnetism have been synthesized by a new, facile, and efficient method. There are no metal magnetic impurities in the nanoparticles analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The boron nitride nanoparticles exhibit a parabolic shape with increase in the reaction time. The saturation magnetization value reaches a maximum of 0.2975 emu g -1 at 300 K when the reaction time is 12 h, indicating that the Curie temperature ( T C ) is higher than 300 K. Combined with first-principles calculation, the coupling between B 2p orbital, N 2p orbital, and O 2p orbital in the conduction bands is the main origin of room-temperature ferromagnetism and also proves that the magnetic moment changes according the oxygen-doping content change. Compared with other room temperature ferromagnetic semiconductors, boron nitride nanoparticles have widely potential applications in spintronic devices because of high temperature oxidation resistance and excellent chemical stability.

  13. Microstructural and optical properties of Co doped NiO nanoparticles synthesized by auto combustion using NaOH as fuel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parveen, Azra; Agrawal, Shraddha; Azam, Ameer

    2018-05-01

    The nanoparticles of 5% Co doped NiO were synthesized by auto-combustion method in aqueous medium using NaOH as a fuel. The obtained particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction studies XRD. The results of structural characterization shows the formation of Co doped Nickel oxide nanoparticles in single phase without any impurity. The optical absorption spectra of Co doped NiO sample recorded by UV-VIS spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 800 nm have been presented. The variation of dielectric constant and dielectric loss has been studied as function of frequency. Co doping affects the optical properties and band gap. NiO can potentially be used in optical, electronic, catalytic materials, antimicrobial agent and super-paramagnetic devices.

  14. DNA base pair resolution measurements using resonance energy transfer efficiency in lanthanide doped nanoparticles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandra Delplanque

    Full Text Available Lanthanide-doped nanoparticles are of considerable interest for biodetection and bioimaging techniques thanks to their unique chemical and optical properties. As a sensitive luminescence material, they can be used as (bio probes in Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET where trivalent lanthanide ions (La3+ act as energy donors. In this paper we present an efficient method to transfer ultrasmall (ca. 8 nm NaYF4 nanoparticles dispersed in organic solvent to an aqueous solution via oxidation of the oleic acid ligand. Nanoparticles were then functionalized with single strand DNA oligomers (ssDNA by inducing covalent bonds between surface carboxylic groups and a 5' amine modified-ssDNA. Hybridization with the 5' fluorophore (Cy5 modified complementary ssDNA strand demonstrated the specificity of binding and allowed the fine control over the distance between Eu3+ ions doped nanoparticle and the fluorophore by varying the number of the dsDNA base pairs. First, our results confirmed nonradiative resonance energy transfer and demonstrate the dependence of its efficiency on the distance between the donor (Eu3+ and the acceptor (Cy5 with sensitivity at a nanometre scale.

  15. DNA base pair resolution measurements using resonance energy transfer efficiency in lanthanide doped nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delplanque, Aleksandra; Wawrzynczyk, Dominika; Jaworski, Pawel; Matczyszyn, Katarzyna; Pawlik, Krzysztof; Buckle, Malcolm; Nyk, Marcin; Nogues, Claude; Samoc, Marek

    2015-01-01

    Lanthanide-doped nanoparticles are of considerable interest for biodetection and bioimaging techniques thanks to their unique chemical and optical properties. As a sensitive luminescence material, they can be used as (bio) probes in Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) where trivalent lanthanide ions (La3+) act as energy donors. In this paper we present an efficient method to transfer ultrasmall (ca. 8 nm) NaYF4 nanoparticles dispersed in organic solvent to an aqueous solution via oxidation of the oleic acid ligand. Nanoparticles were then functionalized with single strand DNA oligomers (ssDNA) by inducing covalent bonds between surface carboxylic groups and a 5' amine modified-ssDNA. Hybridization with the 5' fluorophore (Cy5) modified complementary ssDNA strand demonstrated the specificity of binding and allowed the fine control over the distance between Eu3+ ions doped nanoparticle and the fluorophore by varying the number of the dsDNA base pairs. First, our results confirmed nonradiative resonance energy transfer and demonstrate the dependence of its efficiency on the distance between the donor (Eu3+) and the acceptor (Cy5) with sensitivity at a nanometre scale.

  16. Effect of Gd{sup 3+} doping and reaction temperature on structural and optical properties of CdS nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pandey, Gajanan, E-mail: pandeygajanan@rediffmail.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, 226025, (U.P.) (India); Dixit, Supriya; Shrivastava, A.K. [School of Studies in Physics, Jiwaji University, Gwalior, 474011, (M.P.) (India)

    2015-10-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Cd{sub 1−x}Gd{sub x}S nanoparticles have been prepared in aqueous medium in presence of CTAB. • From XRD, EDX and ICP-OES study, successful doping of Gd{sup 3+} in CdS has been proved. • Gd{sup 3+} doping reduced size of NCs, while temperature increased size and altered shape. • Gd{sup 3+} doping and reaction temperature influenced the optical properties of NCs. - Abstract: CdS and Gd{sup 3+} ions doped CdS nanoparticles have been prepared at two reaction temperatures 90 and 120 °C in aqueous medium in presence of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. X-ray diffraction study revealed predominant formation of zinc blend CdS and Gd:CdS at 90 °C, while at 120 °C, phase pure wurtzite CdS and Gd:CdS were formed. From EDX spectra and ICP-OES analysis, successful doping of Gd{sup 3+} ions in CdS host has been proved. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show the interaction of CTAB through headgroup at the nanoparticles surface. In the transmission electron microscopy images, it has been observed that the reaction temperature and Gd{sup 3+} doping played critical role on size and shape of nanocrystals. In UV–visible absorption as well as photoluminescence emission spectra, size and shape-dependent quantum confinement effect has been observed. On Gd{sup 3+} doping, surface states related emission peak shifted to higher wavelength, while intensity of peaks increased on increasing temperature.

  17. Room temperature ferromagnetism and absorption red-shift in nitrogen-doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gómez-Polo, C., E-mail: gpolo@unavarra.es [Departamento de Física, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Campus de Arrosadia, 31006 Pamplona (Spain); Larumbe, S. [Departamento de Física, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Campus de Arrosadia, 31006 Pamplona (Spain); Monge, M. [Departamento de Química, Universidad de la Rioja, Centro de Investigación en Síntesis Química (CISQ), Complejo Científico Tecnológico, 26006 Logroño (Spain)

    2014-11-05

    Highlights: • N-doped TiO{sub 2} anatase nanoparticles were obtained by sol–gel. • The nanoparticle size, controlled by the N doping, determines lattice parameters. • Correlation between room temperature ferromagnetism and absorption red-shift. • Oxygen vacancies reinforce both phenomena. • Metal transition impurities contribute to the room temperature ferromagnetism. - Abstract: In this work, room-temperature ferromagnetism and the red-shift of the optical absorption is analyzed in nitrogen doped TiO{sub 2} semiconductor nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method using urea as the nitrogen source. Titanium Tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was employed as the alkoxyde precursor and dissolved in ethanol. The as prepared gels were dried and calcined in air at 300 °C. Additionally, post-annealing treatments under vacuum atmosphere were performed to modify the oxygen stoichiometry of the samples. The anatase lattice parameters, analyzed by means of powder X-ray diffractometry, depend on the nanometer grain size of the nanoparticles (increase and decrease, respectively, of the tetragonal a and c lattice parameters with respect to the bulk values). The diffuse reflectance ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) absorbance spectra show a clear red-shift as consequence of the nitrogen and the occurrence of intragap energy levels. The samples display ferromagnetic features at room temperature that are reinforced with the nitrogen content and after the post annealings in vacuum. The results indicate a clear correlation between the room temperature ferromagnetism and the shift of the absorbance spectrum. In both phenomena, oxygen vacancies (either induced by the nitrogen doping or by the post vacuum annealings) play a dominant role. However, we conclude the existence of very low concentration of diluted transition metal impurities that determine the room ferromagnetic response (bound magnetic polaron BMP model). The contraction of the c soft axis

  18. Magnetic nanoparticles formed in glasses co-doped with iron and larger radius elements

    OpenAIRE

    Edelman , Irina; Ivanova , Oxana; Ivantsov , Ruslan; Velikanov , D.; Zabluda , V.; Zubavichus , Y.; Veligzhanin , A.; Zaikovskiy , V.; Stepanov , S.; Artemenko , Alla; Curély , Jacques; Kliava , Janis

    2012-01-01

    International audience; A new type of nanoparticle-containing glasses based on borate glasses co-doped with low contents of iron and larger radius elements, Dy, Tb, Gd, Ho, Er, Y, and Bi, is studied. Heat treatment of these glasses results in formation of magnetic nanoparticles, radically changing their physical properties. Transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron radiation-based techniques: x-ray diffraction, extended x-ray absorption fine structure, x-ray absorption near-edge struct...

  19. Core shell structured nanoparticles of Eu3+ doped SnO2 with SiO2 shell: luminescence studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ningthoujam, R.S.; Sudarsan, V.; Kulshreshtha, S.K.

    2005-01-01

    Re dispersible SnO 2 nanoparticles with and without Eu 3+ doping nanoparticles were prepared at 185 deg C by the urea hydrolysis of Sn 4+ in ethylene glycol medium. X-ray diffraction and 119 Sn MAS NMR studies of these particles revealed that these nanoparticles are crystalline with Cassiterite structure having an average crystallite size of 7 nm. Undoped SnO 2 gave a emission peak centered around 470 nm characteristic of the traps present in the nanoparticles. For Eu 3+ doped samples, emission around 590 and 615 nm was observed on both direct excitation as well as indirect excitation through traps, indicating that there is an energy transfer between the traps present in the nanoparticles and Eu 3+ ions. The asymmetric ratio of luminescence (relative intensity ratio of 590 to 615 nm transitions) has been found to be 1.2. For SnO 2 :Eu(5%)-SiO 2 nanoparticles, the asymmetric ratio of luminescence change significantly indicating the formation of nanoparticles with SnO 2 :Eu(5%) core covered with SiO 2 shell. (author)

  20. Fabrication of hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on Ni doped SnO2 nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavanya, N; Radhakrishnan, S; Sekar, C

    2012-01-01

    Ni doped SnO(2) nanoparticles (0-5 wt%) have been prepared by a simple microwave irradiation (2.45 GHz) method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies confirmed the formation of rutile structure with space group (P(42)/mnm) and nanocrystalline nature of the products with spherical morphology. Direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/nano-SnO(2) composite has been studied. The immobilized enzyme retained its bioactivity, exhibited a surface confined, reversible one-proton and one-electron transfer reaction, and had good stability, activity and a fast heterogeneous electron transfer rate. A significant enzyme loading (3.374×10(-10) mol cm(-2)) has been obtained on nano-Ni doped SnO(2) as compared to the bare glassy carbon (GC) and nano-SnO(2) modified surfaces. This HRP/nano-Ni-SnO(2) film has been used for sensitive detection of H(2)O(2) by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), which exhibited a wider linearity range from 1.0×10(-7) to 3.0×10(-4)M (R=0.9897) with a detection limit of 43 nM. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(M)(app)) of HRP on the nano-Ni-SnO(2) was estimated as 0.221 mM. This excellent performance of the fabricated biosensor is attributed to large surface-to-volume ratio and Ni doping into SnO(2) which facilitate the direct electron transfer between the redox enzyme and the surface of electrode. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Intraband scattering studies in carbon- and aluminium-doped MgB2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samuely, P.; Szabo, P.; Hol'anova, Z.; Bud'ko, S.; Canfield, P.

    2006-01-01

    Magnetic field effect on the point-contact spectra of the Al- and C-substituted MgB 2 is presented. It is shown that suppression of the π-band contribution to the spectrum is different in the aluminium- and carbon-doped samples. The carbon substitution leads to a stronger enhancement of the π-band scattering while the Al-doping does not change the ratio between the π and σ scatterings

  2. Effect of calcination temperature on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of pure and Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pal Singh Raminder Preet

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, pure ZnO and Fe-doped ZnO (Zn0.97Fe0.03O nanoparticles were synthesized by simple coprecipitation method with zinc acetate, ferric nitrate and sodium hydroxide precursors. Pure ZnO and Fe-doped ZnO were further calcined at 450 °C, 600 °C and 750 °C for 2 h. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the as-synthesized pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The average crystallite size was calculated using Debye-Scherrer’s formula. The particle size was found to be in nano range and increased with an increase in calcination temperature. SEM micrographs confirmed the formation of spherical nanoparticles. Elemental compositions of various elements in pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles were determined by EDX spectroscopy. UV-Vis absorption spectra showed red shift (decrease in band gap with increasing calcination temperature. Effect of calcination on the magnetic properties of Fe-doped ZnO sample was also studied using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM. M-H curves at room temperature revealed that coercivity and remanent polarization increase with an increase in calcination temperature from 450 °C to 750 °C, whereas reverse effect was observed for magnetization saturation.

  3. Direct Synthesis of Co-doped Graphene on Dielectric Substrates Using Solid Carbon Sources

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Qi Wang; Pingping Zhang; Qiqi Zhuo; Xiaoxin Lv; Jiwei Wang; Xuhui Sun

    2015-01-01

    Direct synthesis of high-quality doped graphene on dielectric substrates without transfer is highly desired for simplified device processing in electronic applications.However,graphene synthesis directly on substrates suitable for device applications,though highly demanded,remains unattainable and challenging.Here,a simple and transfer-free synthesis of high-quality doped graphene on the dielectric substrate has been developed using a thin Cu layer as the top catalyst and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as both carbon precursors and doping sources.N-doped and N,F-co-doped graphene have been achieved using TPB and F16Cu Pc as solid carbon sources,respectively.The growth conditions were systematically optimized and the as-grown doped graphene were well characterized.The growth strategy provides a controllable transfer-free route for high-quality doped graphene synthesis,which will facilitate the practical applications of graphene.

  4. One-pot synthetic method to prepare highly N-doped nanoporous carbons for CO2 adsorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meng, Long-Yue; Park, Soo-Jin

    2014-01-01

    A one-pot synthetic method was used for the preparation of nanoporous carbon containing nitrogen from polypyrrole (PPY) using NaOH as the activated agent. The activation process was carried out under set conditions (NaOH/PPY = 2 and NaOH/PPY = 4) at different temperatures in 600–900 °C for 2 h. The effect of the activation conditions on the pore structure, surface functional groups and CO 2 adsorption capacities of the prepared N-doped activated carbons was examined. The carbon was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2/77 K full isotherms, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CO 2 adsorption capacity of the N-doped activated carbon was measured at 298 K and 1 bar. By dissolving the activation agents, the N-doped activated carbon exhibited high specific surface areas (755–2169 m 2 g −1 ) and high pore volumes (0.394–1.591 cm 3 g −1 ). In addition, the N-doped activated carbons contained a high N content at lower activation temperatures (7.05 wt.%). The N-doped activated carbons showed a very high CO 2 adsorption capacity of 177 mg g −1 at 298 K and 1 bar. The CO 2 adsorption capacity was found to be dependent on the microporosity and N contents. - Highlights: • A one-pot synthetic method was used for the preparation of N-doped nanoporous carbons. • Polypyrrole (PPY) were activated with NaOH under set conditions (NaOH/PPY = 2 and 4). • N-doped activated carbon exhibited high specific surface areas (2169 m 2 g −1 ). • The carbons showed a very high CO 2 adsorption capacity of 177 mg g −1 at 298 K

  5. Highly effective catalytic peroxymonosulfate activation on N-doped mesoporous carbon for o-phenylphenol degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Jifei; Yang, Shasha; Wan, Haiqin; Fu, Heyun; Qu, Xiaolei; Xu, Zhaoyi; Zheng, Shourong

    2018-04-01

    As a broad-spectrum preservative, toxic o-phenylphenol (OPP) was frequently detected in aquatic environments. In this study, N-doped mesoporous carbon was prepared by a hard template method using different nitrogen precursors and carbonization temperatures (i.e., 700, 850 and 1000 °C), and was used to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for OPP degradation. For comparison, mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) was also prepared. Characterization results showed that the N-doped mesoporous carbon samples prepared under different conditions were perfect replica of their template. In comparison with ethylenediamine (EDA) and dicyandiamide (DCDA) as the precursors, N-doped mesoporous carbon prepared using EDA and carbon tetrachloride as the precursors displayed a higher catalytic activity for OPP degradation. Increasing carbonization temperature of N-doped mesoporous carbon led to decreased N content and increased graphitic N content at the expense of pyridinic and pyrrolic N. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis showed that PMS activation on N-doped mesoporous carbon resulted in highly active species and singlet oxygen, and catalytic PMS activation for OPP degradation followed a combined radical and nonradical reaction mechanism. Increasing PMS concentration enhanced OPP degradation, while OPP degradation rate was independent on initial OPP concentration. Furthermore, the dependency of OPP degradation on PMS concentration followed the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, reflecting that the activation of adsorbed PMS was the rate controlling step. Based on the analysis by time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the degradation pathway of OPP was proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles for use in dental resin formulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zane, Andrew; Zuo, Ranfang; Villamena, Frederick A; Rockenbauer, Antal; Digeorge Foushee, Ann Marie; Flores, Kristin; Dutta, Prabir K; Nagy, Amber

    The addition of antibacterial functionality to dental resins presents an opportunity to extend their useful lifetime by reducing secondary caries caused by bacterial recolonization. In this study, the potential efficacy of nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles for this purpose was determined. Nitrogen doping was carried out to extend the ultraviolet absorbance into longer wavelength blue light for increased biocompatibility. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (approximately 20-30 nm) were synthesized with and without nitrogen doping using a sol-gel method. Ultraviolet-Visible spectroscopy indicated a band of trap states, with increasing blue light absorbance as the concentration of the nitrogen dopant increased. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements indicated the formation of superoxide and hydroxyl radicals upon particle exposure to visible light and oxygen. The particles were significantly toxic to Escherichia coli in a dose-dependent manner after a 1-hour exposure to a blue light source (480 nm). Intracellular reactive oxygen species assay demonstrated that the particles caused a stress response in human gingival epithelial cells when exposed to 1 hour of blue light, though this did not result in detectable release of cytokines. No decrease in cell viability was observed by water-soluble tetrazolium dye assay. The results show that nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles have antibacterial activity when exposed to blue light, and are biocompatible at these concentrations.

  7. Stable tetragonal phase and magnetic properties of Fe-doped HfO2 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sales, T. S. N.; Cavalcante, F. H. M.; Bosch-Santos, B.; Pereira, L. F. D.; Cabrera-Pasca, G. A.; Freitas, R. S.; Saxena, R. N.; Carbonari, A. W.

    2017-05-01

    In this paper, the effect in structural and magnetic properties of iron doping with concentration of 20% in hafnium dioxide (HfO2) nanoparticles is investigated. HfO2 is a wide band gap oxide with great potential to be used as high-permittivity gate dielectrics, which can be improved by doping. Nanoparticle samples were prepared by sol-gel chemical method and had their structure, morphology, and magnetic properties, respectively, investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD), and magnetization measurements. TEM and SEM results show size distribution of particles in the range from 30 nm to 40 nm with small dispersion. Magnetization measurements show the blocking temperature at around 90 K with a strong paramagnetic contribution. XRD results show a major tetragonal phase (94%).

  8. Stable tetragonal phase and magnetic properties of Fe-doped HfO2 nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. S. N. Sales

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, the effect in structural and magnetic properties of iron doping with concentration of 20% in hafnium dioxide (HfO2 nanoparticles is investigated. HfO2 is a wide band gap oxide with great potential to be used as high-permittivity gate dielectrics, which can be improved by doping. Nanoparticle samples were prepared by sol-gel chemical method and had their structure, morphology, and magnetic properties, respectively, investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD, transmission electron microscopy (TEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM with electron back scattering diffraction (EBSD, and magnetization measurements. TEM and SEM results show size distribution of particles in the range from 30 nm to 40 nm with small dispersion. Magnetization measurements show the blocking temperature at around 90 K with a strong paramagnetic contribution. XRD results show a major tetragonal phase (94%.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite-doped silver nanoparticles; Sintese e caracterizacao de hidroxiapatita dopada com nanoparticulas de prata

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andrade, Flavio Augusto Cavadas da Silva; Rollo, Joao Manuel Domingos de Almeida, E-mail: flavio.andrade@usp.br [Universidade de Sao Paulo (EESC/FMRP/IQSC/USP), Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil). Programa de Pos-Graduacao Interunidades Bioengenharia; Rigo, Eliana Cristina da Silva; Vercik, Andres; Vercik, Luci Cristina de Oliveira; Valencia, German Ayala; Ferreira, Leticcia Gaviao [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Pirassununga, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos. Departamento de Ciencias Basicas

    2012-07-01

    Hydroxyapatite-doped silver nanoparticles was obtained by immersing the powder in increasing dilutions of a solution containing AGNPS which were synthesized in different times and were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction (XRD)studies demonstrate no change in the major phase of HA. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed morphological characteristics of powders after doping and the presence of silver was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis.The antibacterial effect of the doped powders was evaluated using strain of Staphylococcus aureus by disc-diffusion test. The zone of inhibition was found to vary with the amount of silver nanoparticle in the doped powder even for low concentrations of AgNPs. These results indicate that the method of immersion hydroxyapatite in solutions containing AgNPs is promising to obtain bioactive materials with low cytotoxicity and antibacterial effects. (author)

  10. Lanthanide-doped nanoparticles as the active optical medium in polymer-based devices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stouwdam, J.W.

    2004-01-01

    The luminescence of lanthanide ions in organic environment is greatly reduced compared to inorganic materials. This thesis describes the doping of the lanthanide ions in the core of inorganic nanoparticles that are soluble in organic solvents as a way to shield the lanthanide ions from the organic

  11. Iron Oxide Doped Alumina-Zirconia Nanoparticle Synthesis by Liquid Flame Spray from Metal Organic Precursors

    OpenAIRE

    Juha-Pekka Nikkanen; Helmi Keskinen; Mikko Aromaa; Mikael Järn; Tomi Kanerva; Erkki Levänen; Jyrki M. Mäkelä; Tapio Mäntylä

    2008-01-01

    The liquid flame spray (LFS) method was used to make iron oxide doped alumina-zirconia nanoparticles. Nanoparticles were generated using a turbulent, high-temperature (Tmax⁡∼3000 K) H2-O2 flame. The precursors were aluminium-isopropoxide, zirconium-n-propoxide, and ferrocene in xylene solution. The solution was atomized into micron-sized droplets by high velocity H2 flow and introduced into the flame where nanoparticles were formed. The particle morphology, size, phase, and chemical compositi...

  12. Electrochemical synthesis and characterization of zinc carbonate and zinc oxide nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pourmortazavi, Seied Mahdi; Marashianpour, Zahra; Karimi, Meisam Sadeghpour; Mohammad-Zadeh, Mohammad

    2015-11-01

    Zinc oxide and its precursor i.e., zinc carbonate is widely utilized in various fields of industry, especially in solar energy conversion, optical, and inorganic pigments. In this work, a facile and clean electrodeposition method was utilized for the synthesis of zinc carbonate nanoparticles. Also, zinc oxide nanoparticles were produced by calcination of the prepared zinc carbonate powder. Zinc carbonate nanoparticles with different sizes were electrodeposited by electrolysis of a zinc plate as anode in the solution of sodium carbonate. It was found that the particle size of zinc carbonate might be tuned by process parameters, i.e., electrolysis voltage, carbonate ion concentration, solvent composition and stirring rate of the electrolyte solution. An orthogonal array design was utilized to identify the optimum experimental conditions. The experimental results showed that the minimum size of the electrodeposited ZnCO3 particles is about 24 nm whereas the maximum particle size is around 40 nm. The TG-DSC studies of the nanoparticles indicated that the main thermal degradation of ZnCO3 occurs in two steps over the temperature ranges of 150-250 and 350-400 °C. The electrosynthesized ZnCO3 nanoparticles were calcined at the temperature of 600 °C to prepare ZnO nanoparticles. The prepared ZnCO3 and ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and FT-IR techniques.

  13. A synthesis method for cobalt doped carbon aerogels with high surface area and their hydrogen storage properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tian, H.Y.; Buckley, C.E. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth 6845, WA (Australia); CSIRO National Hydrogen Materials Alliance, CSIRO Energy Centre, 10 Murray Dwyer Circuit, Steel River Estate, Mayfield West, NSW 2304 (Australia); Sheppard, D.A.; Paskevicius, M. [Department of Imaging and Applied Physics, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U 1987, Perth 6845, WA (Australia); Hanna, N. [CSIRO Process Science and Engineering, Waterford, WA (Australia)

    2010-12-15

    Carbon aerogels doped with nanoscaled Co particles were prepared by first coating activated carbon aerogels using a wet-thin layer coating process. The resulting metal-doped carbon aerogels had a higher surface area ({proportional_to}1667 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}) and larger micropore volume ({proportional_to}0.6 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}) than metal-doped carbon aerogels synthesised using other methods suggesting their usefulness in catalytic applications. The hydrogen adsorption behaviour of cobalt doped carbon aerogel was evaluated, displaying a high {proportional_to}4.38 wt.% H{sub 2} uptake under 4.6 MPa at -196 C. The hydrogen uptake capacity with respect to unit surface area was greater than for pure carbon aerogel and resulted in {proportional_to}1.3 H{sub 2} (wt. %) per 500 m{sup 2} g{sup -1}. However, the total hydrogen uptake was slightly reduced as compared to pure carbon aerogel due to a small reduction in surface area associated with cobalt doping. The improved adsorption per unit surface area suggests that there is a stronger interaction between the hydrogen molecules and the cobalt doped carbon aerogel than for pure carbon aerogel. (author)

  14. Composite Materials with Magnetically Aligned Carbon Nanoparticles and Methods of Preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Haiping (Inventor); Peterson, G.P. (Bud) (Inventor); Salem, David R. (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    The present invention relates to magnetically aligned carbon nanoparticle composites and methods of preparing the same. The composites comprise carbon nanoparticles, host material, magnetically sensitive nanoparticles and surfactant. The composites may have enhanced mechanical, thermal, and/or electrical properties.

  15. Heteroatom-doped porous carbon from methyl orange dye wastewater for oxygen reduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiqing Wang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Banana peel-derived porous carbon (BPPC was prepared from banana peel and used as an adsorbent for methyl orange (MO wastewater removal. BPPC-MO50 is a N,S-doped BPPC obtained via secondary carbonization. The BPPC-MO50 exhibited a high specific surface area of 1774.3 m2/g. Heteroatom-doped porous carbon (PC was successfully synthesized from the BPPC absorbed MO at high temperature and used for oxygen reduction. The BPPC-MO50 displayed the highest ORR onset potential among all carbon-based electrocatalysts, i.e., 0.93 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE. This is the first report to describe porous carbon-activated materials from agriculture and forestry waste that is used for adsorption of dyes from wastewater via an enhanced heteroatom (N,S content. These results may contribute to the sustainable development of dye wastewater treatment by transforming saturated PC into an effective material and has potential applications in fuel cells or as energy sources. Keywords: Banana peel, Dye wastewater, Porous carbon, Heteroatom doping, Oxygen reduction reaction

  16. Ultrasonic synthesis of In-doped SnS nanoparticles and their physical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamali-Sheini, Farid; Cheraghizade, Mohsen; Yousefi, Ramin

    2018-05-01

    Indium (In)-doped Tin (II) Sulfide (SnS) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by an ultra-sonication method and their optical, electrical, dielectric and photocatalytic properties were investigated. XRD patterns of the obtained NPs indicated formation of orthorhombic polycrystalline SnS. Field emission scanning electron microscopy exhibited flower-like NPs with particle sizes below 100 nm for both SnS and In-doped SnS samples. Optical analysis showed a decrease in energy band gap of SnS NPs upon In doping. In addition, electrical results demonstrated p-type nature of the synthesized SnS NPs and enhanced electrical conductivity of the NPs due to increased tin vacancy. Dielectric experiments on SnS NPs suggested an electronic polarizations effect to be responsible for changing dielectric properties of the particles, in terms of frequency. Finally, photocatalytic experiments revealed that high degradation power can be obtained using In-doped SnS NPs.

  17. Tungsten carbide encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon with iron/cobalt carbides electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Jie; Chen, Jinwei, E-mail: jwchen@scu.edu.cn; Jiang, Yiwu; Zhou, Feilong; Wang, Gang; Wang, Ruilin, E-mail: rl.wang@scu.edu.cn

    2016-12-15

    Graphical abstract: A hybrid catalyst was prepared via a quite green and simple method to achieve an one-pot synthesis of the N-doping carbon, tungsten carbides, and iron/cobalt carbides. It exhibited comparable electrocatalytic activity, higher durability and ability to methanol tolerance compared with commercial Pt/C to ORR. - Highlights: • A novel type of hybrid Fe/Co/WC@NC catalysts have been successfully synthesized. • The hybrid catalyst also exhibited better durability and methanol tolerance. • Multiple effective active sites of Fe{sub 3}C, Co{sub 3}C, WC, and NC help to improve catalytic performance. - Abstract: This work presents a type of hybrid catalyst prepared through an environmental and simple method, combining a pyrolysis of transition metal precursors, a nitrogen-containing material, and a tungsten source to achieve a one-pot synthesis of N-doping carbon, tungsten carbides, and iron/cobalt carbides (Fe/Co/WC@NC). The obtained Fe/Co/WC@NC consists of uniform Fe{sub 3}C and Co{sub 3}C nanoparticles encapsulated in graphitized carbon with surface nitrogen doping, closely wrapped around a plate-like tungsten carbide (WC) that functions as an efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst. The introduction of WC is found to promote the ORR activity of Fe/Co-based carbide electrocatalysts, which is attributed to the synergistic catalysts of WC, Fe{sub 3}C, and Co{sub 3}C. Results suggest that the composite exhibits comparable electrocatalytic activity, higher durability, and ability for methanol tolerance compared with commercial Pt/C for ORR in alkaline electrolyte. These advantages make Fe/Co/WC@NC a promising ORR electrocatalyst and a cost-effective alternative to Pt/C for practical application as fuel cell.

  18. Electrolyte influence on the Cu nanoparticles electrodeposition onto boron doped diamond electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsushima, Jorge Tadao; Santos, Laura Camila Diniz; Couto, Andrea Boldarini; Baldan, Mauricio Ribeiro; Ferreira, Neidenei Gomes

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the electrolyte influence on deposition and dissolution processes of Cu nanoparticles on boron doped diamond electrodes (DDB). Morphological, structural and electrochemical analysis showed BDD films with good reproducibility, quality and reversible in a specific redox system. Electrodeposition of Cu nanoparticles on DDB electrodes in three different solutions was influenced by pH and ionic strength of the electrolytic medium. Analyzing the process as function of the scan rate, it was verified a better efficiency in 0,5 mol L -1 Na 2 SO 4 solution. Under the influence of the pH and ionic strength, Cu nanoparticles on DDB may be obtained with different morphologies and it was important for defining the desired properties. (author)

  19. Interplay of dopants and defects in making Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle a ferromagnetic semiconductor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choudhury, Biswajit, E-mail: biswa.tezu@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam 784028, Assam (India); Choudhury, Amarjyoti [Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam 784028, Assam (India); Borah, Debajit [Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam (India)

    2015-10-15

    Here we have studied the role of oxygen defects and Cu dopants on ferromagnetism in Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with nominal Cu concentration of 2%, 4% and 6 mol%. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra analysis reveals the presence of Cu{sup 2+} in the distorted octahedral coordination of TiO{sub 2}. Cu d-states undergo strong p-d coupling with the valence band O 2p state of TiO{sub 2} resulting the extended absorption hump in the visible region. Photoluminescence results reveal the presence of oxygen defect related emission peaks in Cu doped TiO{sub 2}. Room temperature ferromagnetism is observed in all the Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Saturation magnetization is the highest at 4 mol% and then there is a decrease in magnetization at 6 mol%. Ferromagnetism completely disappears on calcinations of 4% Cu doped TiO{sub 2} in air at 450 °C for 8 h. It is speculated that both oxygen vacancies and Cu d-states are involved in the room temperature ferromagnetism. Spin polarization occurs by the formation of bound magnetic polaron between electrons in Cu{sup 2+}d-states and the unpaired spins in oxygen vacancies. Presence of Cu{sup 2+}-Cu{sup 2+}d-d exchange interaction and Cu{sup 2+}-O{sup 2−}-Cu{sup 2+} antiferromagnetic superexchange interactions might have resulted in the reduction in magnetization at 6 mol% Cu. - Graphical abstract: Ferromagnetism in Cu doped TiO{sub 2} requires presence of both Cu dopant and oxygen vacancies. - Highlights: • Cu doped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle displays room temperature ferromagnetism. • Ferromagnetism requires presence of both Cu and oxygen vacancies. • Antiferromagnetic interaction persists at high Cu dopant concentration. • Paramagnetism appears on air annealing of the doped system for longer period.

  20. Multifunctional Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by reverse micelle method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavrilović, Tamara V; Jovanović, Dragana J; Lojpur, Vesna; Dramićanin, Miroslav D

    2014-02-27

    Synthesis of Eu(3+)- and Er(3+)/Yb(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles in reverse micelles and their multifunctional luminescence properties are presented. Using cyclohexane, Triton X-100, and n-pentanol as the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively, crystalline nanoparticles with ~4 nm diameter are prepared at low temperatures. The particle size assessed using transmission electron microscopy is similar to the crystallite size obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements, suggesting that each particle comprises a single crystallite. Eu(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles emit red light through downconversion upon UV excitation. Er(3+)/Yb(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles exhibit several functions; apart from the downconversion of UV radiation into visible green light, they act as upconvertors, transforming near-infrared excitation (980 nm) into visible green light. The ratio of green emissions from (2)H11/2 → (2)I15/2 and (4)S3/2 → (4)I15/2 transitions is temperature dependent and can be used for nanoscale temperature sensing with near-infrared excitation. The relative sensor sensitivity is 1.11%K(-1), which is among the highest sensitivities recorded for upconversion-luminescence-based thermometers.

  1. Multifunctional Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by reverse micelle method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavrilović, Tamara V.; Jovanović, Dragana J.; Lojpur, Vesna; Dramićanin, Miroslav D.

    2014-02-01

    Synthesis of Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles in reverse micelles and their multifunctional luminescence properties are presented. Using cyclohexane, Triton X-100, and n-pentanol as the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively, crystalline nanoparticles with ~4 nm diameter are prepared at low temperatures. The particle size assessed using transmission electron microscopy is similar to the crystallite size obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements, suggesting that each particle comprises a single crystallite. Eu3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles emit red light through downconversion upon UV excitation. Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles exhibit several functions; apart from the downconversion of UV radiation into visible green light, they act as upconvertors, transforming near-infrared excitation (980 nm) into visible green light. The ratio of green emissions from 2H11/2 --> 2I15/2 and 4S3/2 --> 4I15/2 transitions is temperature dependent and can be used for nanoscale temperature sensing with near-infrared excitation. The relative sensor sensitivity is 1.11%K-1, which is among the highest sensitivities recorded for upconversion-luminescence-based thermometers.

  2. First principles study of the adsorption of a NO molecule on N-doped anatase nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Juan; Liu Qin; Fang Pengfei; Pan Chunxu; Xiao Wei

    2012-01-01

    The adsorption of a NO molecule on 72 atom N-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles has been studied by first principles calculations. Two types of adsorption are considered in the calculations. In one type of the adsorption, the NO molecule forms one bond with the particle, while in the other type of adsorption, the NO molecule forms two bonds with the particle. The second type of adsorption is more energetic favorable. The adsorption energies, bond lengths, density of the states (DOSs), and the difference of the charge density are calculated to investigate the adsorption. In the adsorption process, the unpaired electron of the NO molecule transfers to the empty state of the particle, making the Fermi levels lower. As a result, the electrons of the N-doped system occupy lower energy states, making the system energy lower than that of the undoped particle. Since the adsorption of a NO molecule on N-doped nanoparticles is stronger than that on undoped particles, N-doped particles can adsorb more NO molecules on their surfaces than the undoped particles do. Meanwhile, there are more adsorption sites on the N-doped particles, on which the adsorption energies are much higher than that of the undoped particle, some of them are even higher than the highest adsorption energy of the undoped particle. It suggests that N-doped particles are more active and they can adsorb more small toxic gas molecules in the air. So, the doping method can be used to remove NO molecules for the air pollution control through the surface adsorption strategy.

  3. Formation and nitrile hydrogenation performance of Ru nanoparticles on a K-doped Al2O3 surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muratsugu, Satoshi; Kityakarn, Sutasinee; Wang, Fei; Ishiguro, Nozomu; Kamachi, Takashi; Yoshizawa, Kazunari; Sekizawa, Oki; Uruga, Tomoya; Tada, Mizuki

    2015-10-14

    Decarbonylation-promoted Ru nanoparticle formation from Ru3(CO)12 on a basic K-doped Al2O3 surface was investigated by in situ FT-IR and in situ XAFS. Supported Ru3(CO)12 clusters on K-doped Al2O3 were converted stepwise to Ru nanoparticles, which catalyzed the selective hydrogenation of nitriles to the corresponding primary amines via initial decarbonylation, the nucleation of the Ru cluster core, and the growth of metallic Ru nanoparticles on the surface. As a result, small Ru nanoparticles, with an average diameter of less than 2 nm, were formed on the support and acted as efficient catalysts for nitrile hydrogenation at 343 K under hydrogen at atmospheric pressure. The structure and catalytic performance of Ru catalysts depended strongly on the type of oxide support, and the K-doped Al2O3 support acted as a good oxide for the selective nitrile hydrogenation without basic additives like ammonia. The activation of nitriles on the modelled Ru catalyst was also investigated by DFT calculations, and the adsorption structure of a nitrene-like intermediate, which was favourable for high primary amine selectivity, was the most stable structure on Ru compared with other intermediate structures.

  4. Electronic structure study of Co doped CeO2 nanoparticles using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Shalendra; Gautam, Sanjeev; Song, T.K.; Chae, Keun Hwa; Jang, K.W.; Kim, S.S.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • The electronic structural of Co–CeO 2 nanoparticles is investigated using XAFS. • Ce M 5,4 , Ce L 3 and O K edge NEXAFS reveal that the Ce-ions are in +4 valence state. • The NEXAFS spectrum performed at Co L3,2-edge confirms Co-ion in 2+ state. • The EXAFS analysis also show that Co ions are occupying Ce position in doped CeO 2 . • The distances between Ce–O and Ce–Ce/Co in all shells decreases with Co doping. - Abstract: We investigated the electronic structure of well characterized Co doped CeO 2 nanoparticles using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra at Ce M 5,4 , Ce L 3 and O K-edge conclude that the Ce-ions are in +4 valence state in pure as well as in Co doped CeO 2 nanoparticles. The local structure around Ce-atom in Co doped CeO 2 nanoparticles was also determined using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at Ce L 3 edge. The EXAFS analysis suggest that the inter-atomic distance of Ce–O, Ce–Ce/Co decreases with Co doping, which indicate a contraction of the lattice. The decease in Ce–O distance also reflect that there is a formation of oxygen vacancies in CeO 2 matrix. The Debye–Waller factor also shows the consistent behaviour for all the coordination shells. The atomic multiplet calculations for Co L 3,2 -edge was performed to determine the valence state, symmetry and field splitting, which reflect that Co-ions are in 2+ state and substituted at Ce-site with crystal field splitting of 10Dq=-0.57eV. The XAFS measurements reveal that the Co-ions occupy the Ce position in the CeO 2 host matrix and create a oxygen vacancy

  5. Enhanced visible light photocatalytic properties of Fe-doped TiO2 nanorod clusters and monodispersed nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Y.; Wei, J.H.; Xiong, R.; Pan, C.X.; Shi, J.

    2011-01-01

    In order to get photocatalysts with desired morphologies and enhanced visible light responses, the Fe-doped TiO 2 nanorod clusters and monodispersed nanoparticles were prepared by modified hydrothermal and solvothermal method, respectively. The microstructures and morphologies of TiO 2 crystals can be controlled by restraining the hydrolytic reaction rates. The Fe-doped photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis), N 2 adsorption-desorption measurement (BET), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The refinements of the microstructures and morphologies result in the enhancement of the specific surface areas. The Fe 3+ -dopants in TiO 2 lattices not only lead to the significantly extending of the optical responses from UV to visible region but also diminish the recombination rates of the electrons and holes. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by photocatalytic decomposition of formaldehyde in air under visible light illumination. Compared with P25 (TiO 2 ) and N-doped TiO 2 nanoparticles, the Fe-doped photocatalysts show high photocatalytic activities under visible light.

  6. Preparation and Characterization of Cerium (III Doped Captopril Nanoparticles and Study of their Photoluminescence Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghamami Shahriar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In this research Ce3+ doped Captopril nanoparticles (Ce3+ doped CAP-NP were prepared by a cold welding process and have been studied. Captopril may be applied in the treatment of hypertension and some types of congestive heart failure and for preventing kidney failure due to high blood pressure and diabetes. CAP-NP was synthesized by a cold welding process. The cerium nitrate was added at a ratio of 10% and the optical properties have been studied by photoluminescence (PL. The synthesized compounds were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The size of CAP-NP was calculated by X-ray diffraction (XRD. The size of CAP-NP was in the range of 50 nm. Morphology of surface of synthesized nanoparticles was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. Finally the luminescence properties of undoped and doped CAP-NP were compared. PL spectra from undoped CAP-NP show a strong pack in the range of 546 nm after doped cerium ion into the captopril appeared two bands at 680 and 357 nm, which is ascribed to the well-known 5d–4f emission band of the cerium.

  7. Electrochemical determination of serotonin in urine samples based on metal oxide nanoparticles/MWCNT on modified glassy carbon electrode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omolola E. Fayemi

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The electrochemical response of serotonin on the modified electrode based on multiwalled-carbon-nanotube (MWCNT doped respectively with nickel, zinc and iron oxide nanoparticles coating on glassy carbon electrode (GCE at physiological pH 7 was determined using cyclic voltammetry (CV and square wave voltammetry (SWV. The modified GCE/MWCNT-metal oxide electrodes exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the detection of serotonin at large peak current and lower oxidation potentials compared to other electrodes investigated. The dynamic range for the serotonin determination was between 5.98 × 10−3 μM to 62.8 μM with detection limits 118, 129 and 166 nM for GCE/MWCNT-NiO, GCE/MWCNT-ZnO and GCE/MWCNT-Fe3O4 sensors respectively. GCE-MWCNT-NiO was the best electrode in terms of serotonin current response, electrode stability, resistance to fouling and limit of detection towards the analyte. The developed sensors were found to be electrochemically stable, reusable, economically effective due to their extremely low operational cost, and have demonstrated good limit of detection, sensitivity and selectivity towards serotonin determination in urine samples. Keywords: Metal oxides nanoparticles, Multiwalled carbon nanotubes, Glassy carbon electrode, Serotonin, Cyclic voltammetry, Square wave voltammetry

  8. In Situ One-Step Synthesis of Hierarchical Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon for High Performance Supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeon, Ju Won [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Sharma, Ronish [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Meduri, Praveen [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Arey, Bruce W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Schaef, Herbert T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lutkenhaus, Jodie [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States); Lemmon, John P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Thallapally, Praveen K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Nandasiri, Manjula I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McGrail, B. Peter [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Nune, Satish K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2014-04-30

    Electrochemical performance of the existing state-of-the art capacitors is not very high, key scientific barrier is that its charge storage mechanism wholly depends on adsorption of electrolyte on electrode. We present a novel method for the synthesis of nitrogen -doped porous carbons and address the drawback by precisely controlling composition and surface area. Nitrogen-doped porous carbon was synthesized using a self-sacrificial template technique without any additional nitrogen and carbon sources. They exhibited exceptionally high capacitance (239 Fg-1) due to additional pseudocapacitance originating from doped nitrogen. Cycling tests showed no obvious capacitance decay even after 10,000 cycles, which meets the requirement of commercial supercapacitors. Our method is simple and highly efficient for the production of large quantities of nitrogen-doped porous carbons.

  9. Structural, electronic properties, and quantum capacitance of B, N and P-doped armchair carbon nanotubes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mousavi-Khoshdel, S. Morteza, E-mail: mmousavi@iust.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Jahanbakhsh-bonab, Parisa [Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Targholi, Ehsan [Young Researchers and Elite Club, Abhar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Abhar (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-10-07

    Using DFT calculations, we study the structural parameters, electronic properties and quantum capacitance of N, B, and P-doped armchair carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Fermi level shifts towards conduction band and valence band in N- and B-doped CNTs, respectively. While in the case of P atom, despite having an extra valence electron than carbon, there is no shift in Fermi level. The results revealed from a symmetric capacitance enhancement in P-doped CNT and an asymmetric capacitance enhancement in B and N-doped CNTs. The greatest amount of quantum capacitance of N-doped (6, 6) CNT could be achieved at the concentration range of 0.1–0.15. - Highlights: • Exploration of variation in quantum capacitance of CNTs through doping N, B and P atoms. • Quantum capacitance of CNTs is sensitive to impurities entered in carbon nanotubes. • Maximum quantum capacitance of N-doped CNTs is achieved at the concentration range of 0.1–0.15.

  10. Boron-doped MnO{sub 2}/carbon fiber composite electrode for supercapacitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chi, Hong Zhong, E-mail: hzchi@hdu.edu.cn [College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Zhu, Hongjie [College of Materials and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Gao, Linhui [Center of Materials Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

    2015-10-05

    Highlights: • Interstitial ion in MnO{sub 2} lattice. • Porous film composed by interlocking worm-like nanostructure. • Boron-doped birnessite-type MnO{sub 2}/carbon fiber composite electrode. • Enhanced capacitive properties through nonmetal element doping. - Abstract: The boron-doped MnO{sub 2}/carbon fiber composite electrode has been prepared via in situ redox reaction between potassium permanganate and carbon fibers in the presence of boric acid. The addition of boron as dopant results in the increase of growth-rate of MnO{sub 2} crystal and the formation of worm-like nanostructure. Based on the analysis of binding energy, element boron incorporates into the MnO{sub 2} lattice through interstitial mode. The doped electrode with porous framework is beneficial to pseudocapacitive reaction and surface charge storage, leading to higher specific capacitance and superior rate capability. After experienced 1000 cycles, the boron-doped MnO{sub 2} still retain a higher specific capacitance by about 80% of its initial value. The fall in capacitance is blamed to be the combination of the formation of soluble Mn{sup 2+} and the absence of active site on the outer surface.

  11. Mesostructured niobium-doped titanium oxide-carbon (Nb-TiO2-C) composite as an anode for high-performance lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Keebum; Sohn, Hiesang; Yoon, Songhun

    2018-02-01

    Mesostructured niobium (Nb)-doped TiO2-carbon (Nb-TiO2-C) composites are synthesized by a hydrothermal process for application as anode materials in Li-ion batteries. The composites have a hierarchical porous structure with the Nb-TiO2 nanoparticles homogenously distributed throughout the porous carbon matrix. The Nb content is controlled (0-10 wt%) to investigate its effect on the physico-chemical properties and electrochemical performance of the composite. While the crystalline/surface structure varied with the addition of Nb (d-spacing of TiO2: 0.34-0.36 nm), the morphology of the composite remained unaffected. The electrochemical performance (cycle stability and rate capability) of the Nb-TiO2-C composite anode with 1 wt% Nb doping improved significantly. First, a full cut-off potential (0-2.5 V vs. Li/Li+) of Nb-doped composite anode (1 wt%) provides a higher energy utilization than that of the un-doped TiO2-C anode. Second, Nb-TiO2-C composite anode (1 wt%) exhibits an excellent long-term cycle stability (100% capacity retention, 297 mAh/g at 0.5 C after 100 cycles and 221 mAh/g at 2 C after 500 cycles) and improved rate-capability (192 mAh/g at 5 C), respectively (1 C: 150 mA/g). The superior electrochemical performance of Nb-TiO2-C (1 wt%) could be attributed to the synergistic effect of improved electronic conductivity induced by optimal Nb doping (1 wt%) and lithium-ion penetration (high diffusion kinetics) through unique pore structures.

  12. Structural, magnetic and electronic structural properties of Mn doped CeO2 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumari, Kavita; Vij, Ankush; Hashim, Mohd.; Chae, K. H.; Kumar, Shalendra

    2018-05-01

    Nanoparticles of Ce1-xMnxO2, (x=0.0, 0.01, and 0.05) have been synthesized by using co-precipitation method, and then characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy and dc magnetization measurements. XRD results clearly showed that the all the samples have single phase nature and exclude the presence of any secondary phase. The average particle size calculated using XRD TEM measurements found to decrease with increase in Mn doping in the range of 4.0 - 9.0 nm. The structural parameters such as strain, interplaner distance and lattice parameter is observed to decrease with increase in doping. The morphology of Ce1-xMnxO2 nanoparticles measured using TEM micrographs indicate that nanoparticle have spherical shape morphology. Magnetic hysteresis curve for Ce1-xMnxO2, (x = 0.0, 0.01, and 0.05) confirms the ferromagnetic ordering room temperature. The value of saturation magnetization is observed to decrease with increase in temperature from 10 K to 300 K. The NEXAFS spectra measured at Ce M4,5 edge reveals that Ce-ions are in +4 valance state.

  13. Na-ion capacitor using sodium pre-doped hard carbon and activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuratani, Kentaro; Yao, Masaru; Senoh, Hiroshi; Takeichi, Nobuhiko; Sakai, Tetsuo; Kiyobayashi, Tetsu

    2012-01-01

    We assembled a sodium-ion capacitor (Na-IC) by combining sodium pre-doped hard carbon (HC) as the negative- and activated carbon (AC) as the positive-electrode. The electrochemical properties were compared with two lithium-ion capacitors (Li-ICs) in which the negative electrodes were prepared with Li pre-doped HC and mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB). The positive and negative electrodes were prepared using the established doctor blade method. The negative electrodes were galvanostatically pre-doped with Na or Li to 80% of the full capacity of carbons. The potential of the negative electrodes after pre-doping was around 0.0 V vs. Na/Na + or Li/Li + , which resulted in the higher output potential difference of the Na-IC and Li-ICs than that of the conventional electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) because AC positive electrode works in the same principle both in the ion capacitors and in the EDLC. The state-of-charge of the negative electrode varied 80 ± 10% during the electrochemical charging and discharging. The capacity of the cell was evaluated using galvanostatic charge–discharge measurement. At the discharge current density of 10 mA cm −2 , the Na-IC maintained 70% of the capacity that obtained at the current density of 0.5 mA cm −2 , which was comparable to the Li-ICs. At 50 mA cm −2 , the capacities of the Li-IC(MCMB) and the Na-IC dropped to 20% whereas the Li-IC(HC) retained 30% of the capacity observed at 0.5 mA cm −2 . The capacities of the Na-IC and Li-ICs decreased by 9% and 3%, respectively, after 1000 cycles of charging and discharging.

  14. Structural characteristics and UV-light enhanced gas sensitivity of La-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ge Chunqiao; Xie Changsheng; Hu Mulin; Gui Yanghai; Bai Zikui; Zeng Dawen

    2007-01-01

    La-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method starting from zinc acetate dihydrate, lanthanum sesquioxide, alcohol and nitric acid. The crystal structure and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FESEM, respectively. The thermal decomposition behavior of the the ZnO-based xerogel was detected by TG-DSC. The results show that as-prepared nanoparticles with the hexagonal wurtzite contain the adsorbed water and some organic compounds below 300 o C, which is the key to the calcinations of the ZnO-based xerogel. Pure ZnO and La-doped ZnO thick film sensors were prepared and tested for specific sensitivity to alcohol and benzene with (and without) UV-light excitation. Among all, 10 at.%La-ZnO-based sensors are significantly sensitive to 100 ppm alcohol and 100 ppm benzene. There is an obvious enhancement of the gas-sensing performances with UV-light excitation. That is, the sensitivity to 100 ppm benzene rises twice. The observed sensitivity to alcohol and benzene could be explained with the surface adsorption theory and the conduction-band theory

  15. Electrically active, doped monocrystalline silicon nanoparticles produced by hot wire thermal catalytic pyrolysis

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Scriba, MR

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Doped silicon nanoparticles have successfully been produced by hot wire thermal catalytic pyrolysis at 40 mbar and a filament temperature of 1800 °C, using a mixture of silane and diborane or phosphine. All particles are monocrystalline with shapes...

  16. Characterizations of diverse mole of pure and Ni-doped α-Fe2O3 synthesized nanoparticles through chemical precipitation route.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivakumar, S; Anusuya, D; Khatiwada, Chandra Prasad; Sivasubramanian, J; Venkatesan, A; Soundhirarajan, P

    2014-07-15

    In the present study, an attempt has been made for characterization and synthesis of pure and Ni-doped α-Fe2O3 (hematite) nanoparticles by chemical precipitation method. The synthesized products have been studied by X-ray diffraction (X-RD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The estimated average diameter of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were calculated by using the Debye-Scherrer equation and established as 31 nm. SEM micrographs showed the surface morphology as well as structures and particles distributions of synthesized samples. The UV-Vis DRS showed the indirect and direct band gap energies of pure and Ni-doped α-Fe2O3, these were reduced from 1.9847 to 1.52 eV and 2.0503 to 1.76 eV respectively. This result suggested the dopant enhanced the semiconducting behavior of iron oxide nanoparticles to an extent proportional to its nickel doped in the α-Fe2O3. Further, the magnetic properties of the pure and doped samples were investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and evaluated the information of pure and doped samples exhibited saturated hysteresis loop at room temperature, which is indicating that the weak ferromagnetism in nature of our synthesized samples. In addition, it has been found from the magnetization hysteresis curves of Ni-doping, resulting from increased the saturation of magnetization and reduced the coercivity of used samples. Therefore, the present study showed the reduction in band gap energies and coercive field for α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles due to nickel doped. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Carbon-dot-based dual-emission silica nanoparticles as a ratiometric fluorescent probe for vanadium(V) detection in mineral water samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Lijun; Zhang, Heng; Fan, Huanhuan; Jiang, Xiuming; Zhao, Wenjie; Xiang, Guo Qiang

    2018-01-01

    Herein, we propose a simple and effective strategy for designing a ratiometric fluorescent nanosensor. We designed and developed a carbon dots (CDs) based dual-emission nanosensor for vanadium(V) by coating the surface of dye-doped silica nanoparticles with CDs. The fluorescence of dual-emission silica nanoparticles was quenched in acetic acid through potassium bromate (KBrO3) oxidation. V(V) could catalyze KBrO3 oxidation reaction process, resulting in the ratiometric fluorescence quenching of dual-emission silica nanoparticles. We investigated several important parameters affecting the performance of the nanosensor. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limit of this nanosensor reached 1.1 ng mL- 1 and the linear range from 10 to 800 ng mL- 1. Furthermore, we found that the sensor was suitable for determination of V(V) in different mineral water samples with satisfactory results.

  18. The optoelectronic properties and role of Cu concentration on the structural and electrical properties of Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omri, K.; Bettaibi, A.; Khirouni, K.; El Mir, L.

    2018-05-01

    In the current study, we synthesized a Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) nanoparticles material using a sol-gel method with different doping concentrations of Cu (0, 2, 3 and 4 at.%). The control of the Cu concentration on structural, electrical and optical properties of CZO nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The XRD analysis of the CZO nanoparticles reveals the formation of ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure for all samples which confirm the incorporation of Cu2+ ions into the ZnO lattice by substitution. Furthermore, CZO nanoparticles showed a small red shift of absorption band with the incorporation of Cu from 0 to 4 at.%; i.e. a decreased band gap value from 3.34 eV to 3.27 eV with increasing of Cu doping content. The frequency dispersion of the electric conductivity were studied using the Jonscher universal power law, according to relation σ(ω) = σDC + A ωs(T). Alternative current conductivity increases with increasing Cu content in spite of the decrease the activation energy with copper loading. It was found that the conductivity reached its maximum value for critical Cu concentration of 3 at.%. The frequency relaxation phenomenon was also investigated and all results were discussed in term of the copper doping concentration.

  19. Hydrogen storage in pure and Li-doped carbon nanopores: combined effects of concavity and doping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabria, I; López, M J; Alonso, J A

    2008-04-14

    Density functional calculations are reported for the adsorption of molecular hydrogen on carbon nanopores. Two models for the pores have been considered: (i) The inner walls of (7,7) carbon nanotubes and (ii) the highly curved inner surface of nanotubes capped on one end. The effect of Li doping is investigated in all cases. The hydrogen physisorption energies increase due to the concavity effect inside the clean nanotubes and on the bottom of the capped nanotubes. Li doping also enhances the physisorption energies. The sum of those two effects leads to an increase by a factor of almost 3 with respect to the physisorption in the outer wall of undoped nanotubes and in flat graphene. Application of a quantum-thermodynamical model to clean cylindrical pores of diameter 9.5 A, the diameter of the (7,7) tube, indicates that cylindrical pores of this size can store enough hydrogen to reach the volumetric and gravimetric goals of the Department of Energy at 77 K and low pressures, although not at 300 K. The results are useful to explain the experiments on porous carbons. Optimizations of the pore size, concavity, and doping appear as promising alternatives for achieving the goals at room temperature.

  20. The study of nonlinear two-photon phenomenon in photonic crystals doped with nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Mahi R [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Western Ontario, London, N6A 3K7 (Canada)

    2007-02-28

    A theory of the nonlinear two-photon absorption has been developed in a photonic crystal doped with an ensemble of four-level nanoparticles. We have considered that the nanoparticles are interacting with the photonic crystal. An expression of two-photon absorption has been obtained by using the density matrix method. The effect of the dipole-dipole interaction has also been included in the formulation. Interesting new phenomena have been predicted. For example, it is found that the inhibition of two-photon absorption can be turned on and off when the decay resonance energies of the four-level nanoparticles are moved within the energy band.