Silver chromate and silver dichromate nanostructures: Sonochemical synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soofivand, Faezeh [Institute of Nano Science and Nano Technology, University of Kashan, Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohandes, Fatemeh [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Salavati-Niasari, Masoud, E-mail: salavati@kashanu.ac.ir [Institute of Nano Science and Nano Technology, University of Kashan, Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, P.O. Box 87317-51167, Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-06-01

Graphical abstract: In this work, Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} and Ag{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanostructures have been sonochemically prepared using silver salicylate. The effect of preparation parameters on the morphology of the products was investigated by SEM images. Highlights: ► Herein, Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} and Ag{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanostructures have been sonochemically prepared. ► The effect of preparation parameters on the morphology of the products was investigated. ► The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} nanoparticles was tested. ► XPS spectra indicated the high purity of Ag{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanostructures obtained. - Abstract: In this work, Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} and Ag{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} nanostructures have been produced via a sonochemical method using silver salicylate as precursor. Besides silver salicylate, Na{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} and (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} as starting reagents were applied. To investigate the effect of preparation parameters on the morphology and particle size of Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} and Ag{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7}, sonication time, type of surfactant and its concentration were changed. The as-produced nanostructures were characterized by techniques like powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The scanning electron micrographs showed that particle-like and rod-like nanostructures of Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} and Ag{sub 2}Cr{sub 2}O{sub 7} were produced using different surfactants. To investigate the catalytic properties of Ag{sub 2}CrO{sub 4} nanoparticles, photooxidation of methyl orange (MO) was performed. According to the obtained results, it was found that the methyl orange degradation was about 87.3% after 280 min irradiation of visible light.

Surface-bound states in nanodiamonds

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Peng; Antonov, Denis; Wrachtrup, Jörg; Bester, Gabriel

2017-05-01

We show via ab initio calculations and an electrostatic model that the notoriously low, but positive, electron affinity of bulk diamond becomes negative for hydrogen passivated nanodiamonds and argue that this peculiar situation (type-II offset with a vacuum level at nearly midgap) and the three further conditions: (i) a surface dipole with positive charge on the outside layer, (ii) a spherical symmetry, and (iii) a dielectric mismatch at the surface, results in the emergence of a peculiar type of surface state localized just outside the nanodiamond. These states are referred to as "surface-bound states" and have consequently a strong environmental sensitivity. These type of states should exist in any nanostructure with negative electron affinity. We further quantify the band offsets of different type of nanostructures as well as the exciton binding energy and contrast the results with results for "conventional" silicon quantum dots.

Gold/silver/gold trilayer films on nanostructured polycarbonate substrates for direct and label-free nanoplasmonic biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Muñoz, Gerardo A; Estévez, M-Carmen; Vázquez-García, Marc; Berenguel-Alonso, Miguel; Alonso-Chamarro, Julián; Homs-Corbera, Antoni; Lechuga, Laura M

2018-05-01

Ultrasmooth gold/silver/gold trilayer nanostructured plasmonic sensors were obtained using commercial Blu-ray optical discs as nanoslits-based flexible polymer substrates. A thin gold film was used as an adhesion and nucleation layer to improve the chemical stability and reduce the surface roughness of the overlying silver film, without increasing ohmic plasmon losses. The structures were physically and optically characterized and compared with nanostructures of single gold layer. Ultrasmooth and chemically stable trilayer nanostructures with a surface roughness <0.5 nm were obtained following a simple and reproducible fabrication process. They showed a figure of merit (FOM) value up to 69.2 RIU -1 which is significantly higher (more than 95%) than the gold monolayer counterpart. Their potential for biosensing was demonstrated by employing the trilayer sensor for the direct and refractometric (label-free) detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) biomarker in undiluted urine achieving a Limit of Detection (LOD) in the pM order. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tailoring the optical constants in single-crystal silicon with embedded silver nanostructures for advanced silicon photonics applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhter, Perveen; Huang, Mengbing; Spratt, William; Kadakia, Nirag; Amir, Faisal

2015-01-01

Plasmonic effects associated with metal nanostructures are expected to hold the key to tailoring light emission/propagation and harvesting solar energy in materials including single crystal silicon which remains the backbone in the microelectronics and photovoltaics industries but unfortunately, lacks many functionalities needed for construction of advanced photonic and optoelectronics devices. Currently, silicon plasmonic structures are practically possible only in the configuration with metal nanoparticles or thin film arrays on a silicon surface. This does not enable one to exploit the full potential of plasmonics for optical engineering in silicon, because the plasmonic effects are dominant over a length of ∼50 nm, and the active device region typically lies below the surface much beyond this range. Here, we report on a novel method for the formation of silver nanoparticles embedded within a silicon crystal through metal gettering from a silver thin film deposited at the surface to nanocavities within the Si created by hydrogen ion implantation. The refractive index of the Ag-nanostructured layer is found to be 3–10% lower or higher than that of silicon for wavelengths below or beyond ∼815–900 nm, respectively. Around this wavelength range, the optical extinction values increase by a factor of 10–100 as opposed to the pure silicon case. Increasing the amount of gettered silver leads to an increased extinction as well as a redshift in wavelength position for the resonance. This resonance is attributed to the surface plasmon excitation of the resultant silver nanoparticles in silicon. Additionally, we show that the profiles for optical constants in silicon can be tailored by varying the position and number of nanocavity layers. Such silicon crystals with embedded metal nanostructures would offer novel functional base structures for applications in silicon photonics, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and plasmonics

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Dye and Thiol Molecules Adsorbed on Triangular Silver Nanostructures: A Study of Near-Field Enhancement, Localization of Hot-Spots, and Passivation of Adsorbed Carbonaceous Species

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Manuel R. Gonçalves

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS of thiols and dye molecules adsorbed on triangular silver nanostructures was investigated. The SERS hot-spots are localized at the edges and corners of the silver triangular particles. AFM and SEM measurements permit to observe many small clusters formed at the edges of triangular particles fabricated by nanosphere lithography. Finite-element calculations show that near-field enhancements can reach values of more than 200 at visible wavelengths, in the gaps between small spherical particles and large triangular particles, although for the later no plasmon resonance was found at the wavelengths investigated. The regions near the particles showing strong near-field enhancement are well correlated with spatial localization of SERS hot-spots done by confocal microscopy. Silver nanostructures fabricated by thermal evaporation present strong and fast fluctuating SERS activity, due to amorphous carbon contamination. Thiols and dye molecules seem to be able to passivate the undesired SERS activity on fresh evaporated silver.

Silver decorated titanate/titania nanostructures for efficient solar driven photocatalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong, Dangguo; Ho, Weng Chye Jeffrey; Tang Yuxin; Tay Qiuling; Lai Yuekun; Highfield, James George; Chen Zhong

2012-01-01

Photocatalysis has attracted significant interest to solve both the energy crisis and effectively combat environmental contamination. However, as the most widely used photocatalyst, titania (TiO 2 ) suffers from inefficient utilization of solar energy due to its wide band gap. In the present paper, we describe a method to extend the absorption edge of photocatalyst to visible region by the surface plasmon effect of silver. Silver ions are photo-reduced onto the surface of titanate nanotubes, which are synthesized by a conventional hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized Ag/titanate composite is transformed into Ag/titania nanoparticles by annealing at different temperatures. It is found that the interaction of Ag nanoparticles with the supports (titanate/titania) plays a key role for the visible light activity. The samples annealed at low temperature (<350 °C) do not show significant activity under our conditions, while the one annealed at 450 °C shows fast-degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light irradiation. The detailed mechanisms are also discussed. - Graphical abstract: Silver nanoparticles decorated titanate/titania as visible light active photocatalysts: silver nanoparticles could be excited by visible light due to its surface plasmon effect and excited electrons could be transferred to the conduction band of the semiconductor, where the reduction process occurs. Highlights: ► Uniform Ag nanoparticles are photo-reduced onto titanate and titania nanostructures. ► Titania crystal is formed by annealing hydrogen titanate at different temperatures. ► Best visible-light activity is achieved by Ag-loaded titania annealed at 450 °C. ► The visible light activity is attributed to the surface plasmonic resonance effect.

Facile synthesis of silver nanostructures by using various deposition potential and time: A nonenzymetic sensor for hydrogen peroxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amiri, Mandana, E-mail: mandanaamiri@uma.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nouhi, Sima [Department of Chemistry, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Azizian-Kalandaragh, Yashar [Department of Physics, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-04-01

Silver nanostructures have been successfully fabricated by using electrodeposition method onto indiumtinoxide (ITO) substrate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) techniques were employed for characterization of silver nanostructures. The results show nanostructures with different morphology and electrochemical properties can be obtained by various deposition potentials and times. Electrochemical behavior of the nanostructures has been studied by using cyclic voltammetry. Silver nanostructures exhibits good electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}. The presented electrode can be employed as sensing element for hydrogen peroxide. - Highlights: • Silver nanostructures (AgNS) have been fabricated using electrodeposition ITO. • AgNS with different morphology and electrochemical properties obtained. • AgNS exhibits good electrocatalytic activity for reduction of H{sub 2}O{sub 2}.

Self-organized synthesis of silver dendritic nanostructures via an electroless metal deposition method

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, T.; Wu, X. L.; Mei, Y. F.; Chu, P. K.; Siu, G. G.

2005-09-01

Unique silver dendritic nanostructures, with stems, branches, and leaves, were synthesized with self-organization via a simple electroless metal deposition method in a conventional autoclave containing aqueous HF and AgNO3 solution. Their growth mechanisms are discussed in detail on the basis of a self-assembled localized microscopic electrochemical cell model. A process of diffusion-limited aggregation is suggested for the formation of the silver dendritic nanostructures. This nanostructured material is of great potential to be building blocks for assembling mini-functional devices of the next generation.

From silver nanoparticles to nanostructures through matrix chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayyad, Omar; Munoz-Rojas, David; Oro-Sole, Judith; Gomez-Romero, Pedro

2010-01-01

Direct in situ reduction of silver ions by a biopolymer such as agar, without any other reducing nor capping agent is shown in this article to lead either to nanoparticles (typically 12(2) nm in an optimized case) or to more complex nanostructures depending on the reaction conditions used. This approach takes advantage of the porous polymer lattice acting as a template and leads to hybrid Ag-Agar materials with long-term synergic stability. Silver acts as an antibacterial agent for agar whereas the biopolymer prevents agglomeration of the inorganic nanoparticles leading to a stable nanocomposite formed by a thermoreversible biopolymer from which silver nanoparticles can eventually be recovered.

Chemical Separation on Silver Nanorods Surface Monitored by TOF-SIMS

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Ondrej Petruš

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article introduces a possible chemical separation of a mixture of two compounds on the metal nanorods surface. A silver nanorods surface has been prepared by controlled electrochemical deposition in anodic alumina oxide (AAO template. Rhodamine 6G and 4-aminothiophenol have been directly applied to the sampling point on a silver nanorods surface in an aliquot mixture. The position of the resolved compounds was analysed by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS which measured the fragments and the molecular ions of the two compounds separated on the silver nanorods surface. Rhodamine 6G has been preconcentrated as 1.5 mm radial from the sampling point while 4-aminothiophenol formed a continuous self-assembled monolayer on the silver nanorods surface with a maximum molecular ion intensity at a distance of 0.5 mm from the sampling point. The separation of the single chemical components from the two-component mixture over the examined silver nanostructured films could clearly be shown. A fast separation on the mentioned nanotextured films was observed (within 50 s. This procedure can be easily integrated into the micro/nanofluidic systems or chips and different detection systems can be applied.

Surface-enhanced absorption by self-organized silver films with aciniform-like nanoaggregates at elevated temperatures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sang Woo, E-mail: swkim@kist.re.kr [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Clean Energy Research Center (Korea, Republic of)

2012-01-15

Morphological evolution of silver nanocomposite films prepared by the wet colloidal route and surface-enhanced phenomena on aggregate nanostructures evolved during annealing were investigated. Dramatic changes in morphologies of particles and pores incurred by rearragement, coarsening, premelting, and dewetting of the silver clusters at different concentrations (i.e., mass thicknesses). At a higher mass thickness, the morphological transitions from self-organized nanoaggregates with aciniform pattern at 300 Degree-Sign C to elongated and coarsened particles with circular holes at 400 Degree-Sign C to island clusters at 500 Degree-Sign C occurred in the films. The peculiar absorption with a much redder and broader surface plasmon feature, which gone far beyond the theoretical prediction, induced by the formation of aciniform nanoaggregates embedded in the porous polymer matrix at a critical mass thickness of 9.6 nm during partial degradation of the PVP polymer and rearrangement of silver clusters at 300 Degree-Sign C. The surface-enhanced absorption was dramatically reduced by the elemination of the aggregate nanostructures and the spontaneous formation of the silver nanoisland film at the dewetting temperature of 500 Degree-Sign C.

Colloidosome-based synthesis of a multifunctional nanostructure of silver and hollow iron oxide nanoparticles

KAUST Repository

Pan, Yue

2010-03-16

Nanoparticles that self-assemble on a liquid-liquid interface serve as the building block for making heterodimeric nanostructures. Specifically, hollow iron oxide nanoparticles within hexane form colloidosomes in the aqueous solution of silver nitrate, and iron oxide exposed to the aqueous phase catalyzes the reduction of silver ions to afford a heterodimer of silver and hollow iron oxide nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, and SQUID were used to characterize the heterodimers. Interestingly, the formation of silver nanoparticles helps the removal of spinglass layer on the hollow iron oxide nanoparticles. This work demonstrates a powerful yet convenient strategy for producing sophisticated, multifunctional nanostructures. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Bactericidal performance of visible-light responsive titania photocatalyst with silver nanostructures.

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Ming-Show Wong

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Titania dioxide (TiO(2 photocatalyst is primarily induced by ultraviolet light irradiation. Visible-light responsive anion-doped TiO(2 photocatalysts contain higher quantum efficiency under sunlight and can be used safely in indoor settings without exposing to biohazardous ultraviolet light. The antibacterial efficiency, however, remains to be further improved. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using thermal reduction method, here we synthesized silver-nanostructures coated TiO(2 thin films that contain a high visible-light responsive antibacterial property. Among our tested titania substrates including TiO(2, carbon-doped TiO(2 [TiO(2 (C] and nitrogen-doped TiO(2 [TiO(2 (N], TiO(2 (N showed the best performance after silver coating. The synergistic antibacterial effect results approximately 5 log reductions of surviving bacteria of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii. Scanning electron microscope analysis indicated that crystalline silver formed unique wire-like nanostructures on TiO(2 (N substrates, while formed relatively straight and thicker rod-shaped precipitates on the other two titania materials. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggested that proper forms of silver on various titania materials could further influence the bactericidal property.

Silver-Ion-Exchanged Nanostructured Zeolite X as Antibacterial Agent with Superior Ion Release Kinetics and Efficacy against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shaojiang; Popovich, John; Iannuzo, Natalie; Haydel, Shelley E; Seo, Dong-Kyun

2017-11-15

As antibiotic resistance continues to be a major public health problem, antimicrobial alternatives have become critically important. Nanostructured zeolites have been considered as an ideal host for improving popular antimicrobial silver-ion-exchanged zeolites, because with very short diffusion path lengths they offer advantages in ion diffusion and release over their conventional microsized zeolite counterparts. Herein, comprehensive studies are reported on materials characteristics, silver-ion release kinetics, and antibacterial properties of silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite X with comparisons to conventional microsized silver-ion-exchanged zeolite (∼2 μm) as a reference. The nanostructured zeolites are submicrometer-sized aggregates (100-700 nm) made up of primary zeolite particles with an average primary particle size of 24 nm. The silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite released twice the concentration of silver ions at a rate approximately three times faster than the reference. The material exhibited rapid antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 4 to 16 μg/mL after 24 h exposure in various growth media and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC; >99.9% population reduction) of 1 μg/mL after 2 h in water. While high concentrations of silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite X were ineffective at reducing MRSA biofilm cell viability, efficacy increased at lower concentrations. In consideration of potential medical applications, cytotoxicity of the silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolite X was also investigated. After 4 days of incubation, significant reduction in eukaryotic cell viability was observed only at concentrations 4-16-fold greater than the 24 h MIC, indicating low cytotoxicity of the material. Our results establish silver-ion-exchanged nanostructured zeolites as an effective antibacterial material against dangerous

Simple one step synthesis of nonionic dithiol surfactants and their self-assembling with silver nanoparticles: Characterization, surface properties, biological activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abd-Elaal, Ali A., E-mail: ali_ashour5@yahoo.com; Tawfik, Salah M.; Shaban, Samy M.

2015-07-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nonionic dithiol surfactants were synthesized by simple one step esterification. • The surface activity of the synthesized dithiol surfactants showed high tendency toward adsorption and micellization. • The nanostructure of the synthesized nonionic dithiol surfactants with silver nanoparticles was prepared. • The silver nanoparticles enhanced the biological activity of the synthesized dithiol surfactants. - Abstract: Simple esterification of 2-mercaptoacetic acid and polyethylene glycol with different molecular weights was done to form the desired nonionic dithiol surfactants. The chemical structures of synthesized thiol surfactants were confirmed using FT-IR and {sup 1}H NMR spectra. The surface activity of the synthesized surfactants was determined by measurement of the surface tension at different temperatures. The surface activity measurements showed their high tendency towards adsorption and micellization. The thermodynamic parameters of micellization (ΔG{sub mic}, ΔH{sub mic} and ΔS{sub mic}) and adsorption (ΔG{sub ads}, ΔG{sub ads} and ΔS{sub ads}) showed their tendency toward adsorption at the interfaces and also micellization in the bulk of their solutions. The nanostructure of the synthesized nonionic dithiol surfactants with silver nanoparticles was prepared and investigated using UV and TEM techniques. Screening tests of the synthesized dithiol surfactants and their nanostructure with silver nanoparticles, against gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Microccus luteus), gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Bordatella pertussis) and fungi (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans) showed that they are highly active biocides. The presence of silver nanoparticles enhancement the biological activities of the individual synthesized nonionic dithiol surfactants.

Simple one step synthesis of nonionic dithiol surfactants and their self-assembling with silver nanoparticles: Characterization, surface properties, biological activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd-Elaal, Ali A.; Tawfik, Salah M.; Shaban, Samy M.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nonionic dithiol surfactants were synthesized by simple one step esterification. • The surface activity of the synthesized dithiol surfactants showed high tendency toward adsorption and micellization. • The nanostructure of the synthesized nonionic dithiol surfactants with silver nanoparticles was prepared. • The silver nanoparticles enhanced the biological activity of the synthesized dithiol surfactants. - Abstract: Simple esterification of 2-mercaptoacetic acid and polyethylene glycol with different molecular weights was done to form the desired nonionic dithiol surfactants. The chemical structures of synthesized thiol surfactants were confirmed using FT-IR and 1 H NMR spectra. The surface activity of the synthesized surfactants was determined by measurement of the surface tension at different temperatures. The surface activity measurements showed their high tendency towards adsorption and micellization. The thermodynamic parameters of micellization (ΔG mic , ΔH mic and ΔS mic ) and adsorption (ΔG ads , ΔG ads and ΔS ads ) showed their tendency toward adsorption at the interfaces and also micellization in the bulk of their solutions. The nanostructure of the synthesized nonionic dithiol surfactants with silver nanoparticles was prepared and investigated using UV and TEM techniques. Screening tests of the synthesized dithiol surfactants and their nanostructure with silver nanoparticles, against gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Microccus luteus), gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Bordatella pertussis) and fungi (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans) showed that they are highly active biocides. The presence of silver nanoparticles enhancement the biological activities of the individual synthesized nonionic dithiol surfactants

Functionality of novel black silicon based nanostructured surfaces studied by TOF SIMS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Talian, Ivan; Aranyosiova, M.; Orinak, A.

2010-01-01

A functionality of the novel black silicon based nanostructured surfaces (BS 2) with different metal surface modifications was tested by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF SIMS). Mainly two surface functions were studied: analytical signal enhancement and analyte pre-ionization e......A functionality of the novel black silicon based nanostructured surfaces (BS 2) with different metal surface modifications was tested by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF SIMS). Mainly two surface functions were studied: analytical signal enhancement and analyte pre......-ionization effect in SIMS due to nanostructure type and the assistance of the noble metal surface coating (Ag or Au) for secondary ion formation. As a testing analyte a Rhodamine 6G was applied. Bi+ has been used as SIMS primary ions. It was found out that SIMS signal enhancement of the analyte significantly...... depends on Ag layer thickness and measured ion mode (negative, positive). The best SIMS signal enhancement was obtained at BS2 surface coated with 400 nm of Ag layer. SIMS fragmentation schemes were developed for a model analyte deposited onto a silver and gold surface. Significant differences in pre...

Self-assembled metallic nanoparticle template — a new approach of surface nanostructuring at nanometer scale

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A. Taleb

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the present work, the formation of silver and copper nanostructures on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG modified with self-assembled gold nanoparticles (Au NPs is demonstrated. Surface patterning with nanometer resolution was achieved. Different methods such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FEGSEM, energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS were used to illustrate a selective deposition of silver and copper on Au NPs. The mechanism of silver and copper ions reduction on Au NP with n-dodecanethiol coating is discussed.

Silver electrodeposition on nanostructured gold: from nanodots to nanoripples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Claro, P C dos Santos; Fonticelli, M; BenItez, G; Azzaroni, O; Schilardi, P L; Luque, N B; Leiva, E; Salvarezza, R C

2006-01-01

Silver nanodots and nanoripples have been grown on nanocavity-patterned polycrystalline Au templates by controlled electrodeposition. The initial step is the growth of a first continuous Ag monolayer followed by preferential deposition at nanocavities. The Ag-coated nanocavities act as preferred sites for instantaneous nucleation and growth of the three-dimensional metallic centres. By controlling the amount of deposited Ag, dots of ∼50 nm average size and ∼4 nm average height can be grown with spatial and size distributions dictated by the template. The dots are in a metastable state. Further Ag deposition drives the dot surface structure to nanoripple formation. Results show that electrodeposition on nanopatterned electrodes can be used to prepare a high density of nanostructures with a narrow size distribution and spatial order

Nanogap embedded silver gratings for surface plasmon enhanced fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

Bhatnagar, Kunal

Plasmonic nanostructures have been extensively used in the past few decades for applications in sub-wavelength optics, data storage, optoelectronic circuits, microscopy and bio-photonics. The enhanced electromagnetic field produced at the metal and dielectric interface by the excitation of surface plasmons via incident radiation can be used for signal enhancement in fluorescence and surface enhanced Raman scattering studies. Novel plasmonic structures have shown to provide very efficient and extreme light concentration at the nano-scale in recent years. The enhanced electric field produced within a few hundred nanometers of these surfaces can be used to excite fluorophores in the surrounding environment. Fluorescence based bio-detection and bio-imaging are two of the most important tools in the life sciences and improving the qualities and capabilities of fluorescence based detectors and imaging equipment remains a big challenge for industry manufacturers. We report a novel fabrication technique for producing nano-gap embedded periodic grating substrates on the nanoscale using a store bought HD-DVD and conventional soft lithography procedures. Polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSSQ) polymer is used as the ink for the micro-contact printing process with PDMS stamps obtained from the inexpensive HD-DVDs as master molds. Fluorescence enhancement factors of up to 118 times were observed with these silver nanostructures in conjugation with Rhodamine-590 fluorescent dye. These substrates are ideal candidates for a robust and inexpensive optical system with applications such as low-level fluorescence based analyte detection, single molecule imaging, and surface enhanced Raman studies. Preliminary results in single molecule experiments have also been obtained by imaging individual 3 nm and 20 nm dye-doped nanoparticles attached to the silver plasmonic gratings using epi-fluorescence microscopy.

Optical response of heterogeneous polymer layers containing silver nanostructures

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Miriam Carlberg

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This work is focused on the study of the optical properties of silver nanostructures embedded in a polymer host matrix. The introduction of silver nanostructures in polymer thin films is assumed to result in layers having adaptable optical properties. Thin film layers with inclusions of differently shaped nanoparticles, such as nanospheres and nanoprisms, and of different sizes, are optically characterized. The nanoparticles are produced by a simple chemical synthesis at room temperature in water. The plasmonic resonance peaks of the different colloidal solutions range from 390 to 1300 nm. The non-absorbing, transparent polymer matrix poly(vinylpyrrolidone (PVP was chosen because of its suitable optical and chemical properties. The optical studies of the layers include spectrophotometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements, which provide information about the reflection, transmission, absorption of the material as well as the complex optical indices, n and k. Finite difference time domain simulations of nanoparticles in thin film layers allow the visualization of the nanoparticle interactions or the electric field enhancement on and around the nanoparticles to complete the optical characterization. A simple analysis method is proposed to obtain the complex refractive index of nanospheres and nanoprisms in a polymer matrix.

Wear resistance analysis of the aluminum 7075 alloy and the nanostructured aluminum 7075 - silver nanoparticles composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Estrada-Ruiz R.H.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nanostructured composites of the aluminum 7075 alloy and carbon-coated silver nanoparticles were synthetized by the mechanical milling technique using a high-energy mill SPEX 8000M; the powders generated were compacted, sintered and hot-extruded to produce 1 cm-diameter bars. The composites were then subjected to a wear test using a pin-on-disc device to validate the hypothesis that second phase-ductile nanometric particles homogenously distributed throughout the metalmatrix improve the wear resistance of the material. It was found that silver nanoparticles prevent the wear of the material by acting as an obstacle to dislocations movement during the plastic deformation of the contact surface, as well as a solid lubricant when these are separated from the metal-matrix.

Templated green synthesis of plasmonic silver nanoparticles in onion epidermal cells suitable for surface-enhanced Raman and hyper-Raman scattering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Palanco, Marta Espina; Mogensen, Klaus Bo; Guehlke, Marina

2016-01-01

We report fast and simple green synthesis of plasmonic silver nanoparticles in the epidermal cells of onions after incubation with AgNO3 solution. The biological environment supports the generation of silver nanostructures in two ways. The plant tissue delivers reducing chemicals for the initial...... for one-and two-photon-excited spectroscopy such as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface enhanced hyper-Raman scattering (SEHRS). Our studies demonstrate a templated green preparation of enhancing plasmonic nanoparticles and suggest a new route to deliver silver nanoparticles as basic...... building blocks of plasmonic nanosensors to plants by the uptake of solutions of metal salts....

Measurement of grain-boundary diffusion at low temperature by the surface-accumulation method. II. Results for gold-silver system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, J.C.M.; Pan, J.D.; Balluffi, R.W.

1979-01-01

Grain-boundary diffusion rates in the gold-silver system were measured at relatively low temperatures by the surface-accumulation method which was analyzed in Paper I. The specimen was a polycrystalline gold film possessing columnar grains on which a silver layer was initially deposited epitaxially on one surface. During subsequent low-temperature annealing lattice diffusion was frozen out, and diffusion then occurred along the grain boundary and free-surface short circuits. The silver, therefore, diffused into the film from the silver layer along the boundaries, eventually reaching the opposite surface where it accumulated and was measured by Auger spectroscopy. The silver layer acted as an effective constant silver source, and grain-boundary diffusivities were calculated from the accumulation data. However, the exact location of the effective constant source in the silver layer could not be determined and this led to an uncertainty in the values of the grain-boundary diffusivities of a factor of 10. Lower- and upper-bound values were therefore described by D/sub b/(lower bound) =7.8 x 10 -6 exp(-0.62eV/kT) and D/sub b/(upper bound) =7.8 x 10 -5 exp(-0.62eV/kT) cm 2 /s in the temperature range 30--269 0 C. An examination of available grain-boundary diffusion data (including the present) suggests a tendency for the observed activation energy to decrease with decreasing temperature, and this was ascribed to a spectrum of activated jumps in the grain boundary and/or a spectrum of grain-boundary types in the specimen employed. The constant source behavior was tentatively ascribed, at least in part, to a grain-boundary ''Kirkendall effect'' resulting from the faster diffusion of silver than gold. The work indicates a need for increased understanding of the details of grain-boundary diffusion in alloys

Nanoscale silver-assisted wet etching of crystalline silicon for anti-reflection surface textures.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rui; Wang, Shuling; Chuwongin, Santhad; Zhou, Weidong

2013-01-01

We report here an electro-less metal-assisted chemical etching (MacEtch) process as light management surface-texturing technique for single crystalline Si photovoltaics. Random Silver nanostructures were formed on top of the Si surface based on the thin film evaporation and annealing process. Significant reflection reduction was obtained from the fabricated Si sample, with approximately 2% reflection over a wide spectra range (300 to 1050 nm). The work demonstrates the potential of MacEtch process for anti-reflection surface texture fabrication of large area, high efficiency, and low cost thin film solar cell.

Electroless silver plating of the surface of organic semiconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Campione, Marcello; Parravicini, Matteo; Moret, Massimo; Papagni, Antonio; Schröter, Bernd; Fritz, Torsten

2011-10-04

The integration of nanoscale processes and devices demands fabrication routes involving rapid, cost-effective steps, preferably carried out under ambient conditions. The realization of the metal/organic semiconductor interface is one of the most demanding steps of device fabrication, since it requires mechanical and/or thermal treatments which increment costs and are often harmful in respect to the active layer. Here, we provide a microscopic analysis of a room temperature, electroless process aimed at the deposition of a nanostructured metallic silver layer with controlled coverage atop the surface of single crystals and thin films of organic semiconductors. This process relies on the reaction of aqueous AgF solutions with the nonwettable crystalline surface of donor-type organic semiconductors. It is observed that the formation of a uniform layer of silver nanoparticles can be accomplished within 20 min contact time. The electrical characterization of two-terminal devices performed before and after the aforementioned treatment shows that the metal deposition process is associated with a redox reaction causing the p-doping of the semiconductor. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kan Caixia; Zhu Jiejun; Zhu Xiaoguang

2008-01-01

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {1 1 1} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {100} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {1 0 0} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, Cai-Xia; Zhu, Jie-Jun; Zhu, Xiao-Guang

2008-08-01

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {1 1 1} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {100} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {1 0 0} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes.

Morphology-controlled synthesis of silver nanostructures via a seed catalysis process

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chang; Wang, Li; Yu, Haojie; Wang, Jianjun; Zhou, Junfeng; Tan, Qiaohua; Deng, Libo

2007-03-01

A novel, effective strategy named 'seed catalysis' has been described here to synthesize silver nanostructures with controllable morphology. Typically, we added Na2S into the reaction system and the Ag2S semiconductor colloids formed at the initial stage would act as both seeds and catalyst in the silver reduction. The morphology of products is controlled by the concentration of Na2S added to the system. Low concentration of Na2S gives nanocubes of 40-50 nm in size, while a high concentration of Na2S is of benefit to obtain nanowires. The growth of the silver crystal is also accelerated by the catalysis of Ag2S. Electron microscopy and UV-vis absorption spectra have been used to investigate the evolution of silver nanowires, and a reasonable mechanism to explain the role of Ag2S seeds has also been suggested. This semiconductor seed catalysis strategy will provide wide applications in the fabrication of metal nanomaterials.

Morphology-controlled synthesis of silver nanostructures via a seed catalysis process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Chang; Wang Li; Yu Haojie; Wang Jianjun; Zhou Junfeng; Tan Qiaohua; Deng Libo

2007-01-01

A novel, effective strategy named 'seed catalysis' has been described here to synthesize silver nanostructures with controllable morphology. Typically, we added Na 2 S into the reaction system and the Ag 2 S semiconductor colloids formed at the initial stage would act as both seeds and catalyst in the silver reduction. The morphology of products is controlled by the concentration of Na 2 S added to the system. Low concentration of Na 2 S gives nanocubes of 40-50 nm in size, while a high concentration of Na 2 S is of benefit to obtain nanowires. The growth of the silver crystal is also accelerated by the catalysis of Ag 2 S. Electron microscopy and UV-vis absorption spectra have been used to investigate the evolution of silver nanowires, and a reasonable mechanism to explain the role of Ag 2 S seeds has also been suggested. This semiconductor seed catalysis strategy will provide wide applications in the fabrication of metal nanomaterials

Synthesis of highly conductive cotton fiber/nanostructured silver/polyaniline composite membranes for water sterilization application

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Thabit, Nedal Y.; Basheer, Rafil A.

2014-09-01

Electrically conductive composite membranes (ECCMs) composed of cotton fibers, conductive polyaniline and silver nanostructures were prepared and utilized as electrifying filter membranes for water sterilization. Silver metal and polyaniline were formed in situ during the oxidative polymerization of aniline monomers in the presence of silver nitrate as weak oxidizing agent. The reaction was characterized by long induction period and the morphology of the obtained ECCMs contained silver nanoparticles and silver flakes of 500-1000 nm size giving a membrane electrical resistance in the range of 10-30 Ohm sq-1. However, when dimethylformamide (DMF) was employed as an auxiliary reducing agent to trigger and speed up the polymerization reaction, silver nanostructures such as wires, ribbons, plates were formed and were found to be embedded between polyaniline coating and cotton fibers. These ECCMs exhibited a slightly lower resistance in the range of 2-10 Ohm sq.-1 and, therefore, were utilized for the fabrication of a bacteria inactivation device. When water samples containing 107-108 CFU mL-1 E. coli bacteria were passed through the prepared ECCMs by gravity force, with a filtration rate of 0.8 L h-1 and at an electric potential of 20 V, the fabricated device showed 92% bacterial inactivation efficiency. When the treated solution was passed through the membrane for a second time under the same conditions, no E. coli bacteria was detected.

Antibacterial surfaces by adsorptive binding of polyvinyl-sulphonate-stabilized silver nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasilev, Krasimir; Sah, Vasu R; Goreham, Renee V; Short, Robert D [Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Mawson Lakes, Adelaide, SA 5095 (Australia); Ndi, Chi; Griesser, Hans J, E-mail: Krasimir.vasilev@unisa.edu.au [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, Adelaide, SA 5095 (Australia)

2010-05-28

This paper presents a novel and facile method for the generation of efficient antibacterial coatings which can be applied to practically any type of substrate. Silver nanoparticles were stabilized with an adsorbed surface layer of polyvinyl sulphonate (PVS). This steric layer provided excellent colloidal stability, preventing aggregation over periods of months. PVS-coated silver nanoparticles were bound onto amine-containing surfaces, here produced by deposition of an allylamine plasma polymer thin film onto various substrates. SEM imaging showed no aggregation upon surface binding of the nanoparticles; they were well dispersed on amine surfaces. Such nanoparticle-coated surfaces were found to be effective in preventing attachment of Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria and also in preventing biofilm formation. Combined with the ability of plasma polymerization to apply the thin polymeric binding layer onto a wide range of materials, this method appears promising for the fabrication of a wide range of infection-resistant biomedical devices.

A Facile Fabrication of Silver-Coated Copper Nanowires by Galvanic Replacement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin He

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrated a general strategy to fabricate silver-coated copper nanowires by a galvanic replacement, which is guided by the chemical principle that metal ions (silver ions with a relatively high reduction potential can galvanically etch nanostructure made from a less metal (copper. Well-dispersed and high-yielded copper nanowires were initially synthesized and then introduced into silver-ammonia solution for the growth of silver nanocrystals on the nanowire surfaces under vigorous oscillation. The results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope revealed that the silver nanocrystals were uniformly distributed on the copper nanowire surfaces to form Cu-Ag heterostructures. The concentration of silver-ammonia solution and the time of replacement reaction determine the size and density of the silver nanocrystals. Our investigation might pave the way to the synthesis of other bimetallic nanostructures via a facile, fast, and economical route.

Silver-Palladium Surfaces Inhibit Biofilm Formation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chiang, Wen-Chi; Schroll, Casper; Hilbert, Lisbeth Rischel

2009-01-01

Undesired biofilm formation is a major concern in many areas. In the present study, we investigated biofilm-inhibiting properties of a silver-palladium surface that kills bacteria by generating microelectric fields and electrochemical redox processes. For evaluation of the biofilm inhibition...... efficacy and study of the biofilm inhibition mechanism, the silver-sensitive Escherichia coli J53 and the silver-resistant E. coli J53[pMG101] strains were used as model organisms, and batch and flow chamber setups were used as model systems. In the case of the silver-sensitive strain, the silver......-palladium surfaces killed the bacteria and prevented biofilm formation under conditions of low or high bacterial load. In the case of the silver-resistant strain, the silver-palladium surfaces killed surface-associated bacteria and prevented biofilm formation under conditions of low bacterial load, whereas under...

Antibacterial Au nanostructured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Songmei; Zuber, Flavia; Brugger, Juergen; Maniura-Weber, Katharina; Ren, Qun

2016-01-01

We present here a technological platform for engineering Au nanotopographies by templated electrodeposition on antibacterial surfaces. Three different types of nanostructures were fabricated: nanopillars, nanorings and nanonuggets. The nanopillars are the basic structures and are 50 nm in diameter and 100 nm in height. Particular arrangement of the nanopillars in various geometries formed nanorings and nanonuggets. Flat surfaces, rough substrate surfaces, and various nanostructured surfaces were compared for their abilities to attach and kill bacterial cells. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterial strain responsible for many infections in health care system, was used as the model bacterial strain. It was found that all the Au nanostructures, regardless their shapes, exhibited similar excellent antibacterial properties. A comparison of live cells attached to nanotopographic surfaces showed that the number of live S. aureus cells was flat and rough reference surfaces. Our micro/nanofabrication process is a scalable approach based on cost-efficient self-organization and provides potential for further developing functional surfaces to study the behavior of microbes on nanoscale topographies.We present here a technological platform for engineering Au nanotopographies by templated electrodeposition on antibacterial surfaces. Three different types of nanostructures were fabricated: nanopillars, nanorings and nanonuggets. The nanopillars are the basic structures and are 50 nm in diameter and 100 nm in height. Particular arrangement of the nanopillars in various geometries formed nanorings and nanonuggets. Flat surfaces, rough substrate surfaces, and various nanostructured surfaces were compared for their abilities to attach and kill bacterial cells. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterial strain responsible for many infections in health care system, was used as the model bacterial strain. It was found that all

Synthesis of highly conductive cotton fiber/nanostructured silver/polyaniline composite membranes for water sterilization application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abu-Thabit, Nedal Y; Basheer, Rafil A

2014-01-01

Electrically conductive composite membranes (ECCMs) composed of cotton fibers, conductive polyaniline and silver nanostructures were prepared and utilized as electrifying filter membranes for water sterilization. Silver metal and polyaniline were formed in situ during the oxidative polymerization of aniline monomers in the presence of silver nitrate as weak oxidizing agent. The reaction was characterized by long induction period and the morphology of the obtained ECCMs contained silver nanoparticles and silver flakes of 500–1000 nm size giving a membrane electrical resistance in the range of 10–30 Ohm sq −1 . However, when dimethylformamide (DMF) was employed as an auxiliary reducing agent to trigger and speed up the polymerization reaction, silver nanostructures such as wires, ribbons, plates were formed and were found to be embedded between polyaniline coating and cotton fibers. These ECCMs exhibited a slightly lower resistance in the range of 2–10 Ohm sq. −1 and, therefore, were utilized for the fabrication of a bacteria inactivation device. When water samples containing 10 7 –10 8 CFU mL −1 E. coli bacteria were passed through the prepared ECCMs by gravity force, with a filtration rate of 0.8 L h −1 and at an electric potential of 20 V, the fabricated device showed 92% bacterial inactivation efficiency. When the treated solution was passed through the membrane for a second time under the same conditions, no E. coli bacteria was detected. (paper)

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kan Caixia [College of Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211100 (China); Zhu Jiejun [Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhu Xiaoguang [Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)], E-mail: cxkan@nuaa.edu.cn

2008-08-07

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {l_brace}100{r_brace} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {l_brace}1 0 0{r_brace} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes.

Morphology-controlled synthesis of silver nanostructures via a seed catalysis process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Chang; Wang Li; Yu Haojie; Wang Jianjun; Zhou Junfeng; Tan Qiaohua; Deng Libo [State Key Laboratory of Polymer Reaction Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China)

2007-03-21

A novel, effective strategy named 'seed catalysis' has been described here to synthesize silver nanostructures with controllable morphology. Typically, we added Na{sub 2}S into the reaction system and the Ag{sub 2}S semiconductor colloids formed at the initial stage would act as both seeds and catalyst in the silver reduction. The morphology of products is controlled by the concentration of Na{sub 2}S added to the system. Low concentration of Na{sub 2}S gives nanocubes of 40-50 nm in size, while a high concentration of Na{sub 2}S is of benefit to obtain nanowires. The growth of the silver crystal is also accelerated by the catalysis of Ag{sub 2}S. Electron microscopy and UV-vis absorption spectra have been used to investigate the evolution of silver nanowires, and a reasonable mechanism to explain the role of Ag{sub 2}S seeds has also been suggested. This semiconductor seed catalysis strategy will provide wide applications in the fabrication of metal nanomaterials.

Localized surface plasmon resonance enhanced photoluminescence of CdSe QDs in PMMA matrix on silver colloids with different shapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Liu; Xu Xiaoliang; Shi Chaoshu; Ming Hai

2010-01-01

Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhanced photoluminescences (PL) from CdSe quantum dots (QDs) on worm-like or quasi-spherical silver colloids have been investigated. The shape of silver colloid film is controlled by annealing temperature (200 o C∼350 o C). Strong PL enhancements of CdSe QDs on both as-grown and annealed silver colloid films are observed. The results show that the PL enhancement factor of CdSe QDs on worm-like silver colloid film reaches as high as 15-fold. Moreover, the enhancement factor is 5 times larger than that obtained from the quasi-spherical silver colloids. The superiority of worm-like silver nanostructure on LSPR enhanced photoluminescence is attributed to its larger size, hot spots and multiple dipole resonance modes coupling, which are induced by aggregation effect.

Dependence of the carrier mobility and trapped charge limited conduction on silver nanoparticles embedment in doped polypyrrole nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Swarup; Dutta, Bula; Bhattacharya, Subhratanu

2013-10-01

The present article demonstrates an intensive study upon the temperature dependent current density (J)-voltage (V) characteristics of moderately doped polypyrrole nanostructure and its silver nanoparticles incorporated nanocomposites. Analysis of the measured J-V characteristics of different synthesized nano-structured samples within a wide temperature range revealed that the electrical conduction behavior followed a trapped charge-limited conduction and a transition of charge transport mechanism from deep exponential trap limited conduction to shallow traps limited conduction had been occurred due to the incorporation of silver nanoparticles within the polypyrrole matrix. A direct evaluation of carrier mobility as a function of electric field and temperature from the measured J-V characteristics illustrates that the incorporation of silver nanoparticles within the polypyrrole matrix enhances the carrier mobility at a large extent by reducing the concentration of traps within the polypyrrole matrix. The calculated mobility is consistent with the Poole-Frenkel form for the electrical field up to a certain temperature range. The nonlinear low temperature dependency of mobility of all the nanostructured samples was explained by Mott variable range hopping conduction mechanisms. Quantitative information regarding the charge transport parameters obtained from the above study would help to extend optimization strategies for the fabrication of new organic semiconducting nano-structured devices.

Silver nanoparticles incorporated into nanostructured biopolymer membranes produced by electrospinning: a study of antimicrobial activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen Segala

2015-12-01

Full Text Available abstract This study examines the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles incorporated into nanostructured membranes made of cellulose acetate (CA and blends of chitosan/poly-(ethylene oxide, CTS/PEO and prepared by electrospinning. The formation of chemically synthesized Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs was monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The size distribution of the AgNPs was measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS, with an average size of approximately 20 nm. The presence of AgNPs on the surface of electrospun nanofibers was observed by field emission electron microscopy (FEG and confirmed by TEM. The antimicrobial activity of AgNPs incorporated into nanostructured membranes made of CA and CTS/PEO electrospun nanofibers was evaluated in the presence of both Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213 and Propionibacterium acnes ATCC 6919, and Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli ATCC 25992 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 17933. Microbiological results showed that the presence of AgNPs in CA and CTS/PEO nanostructured membranes has significant antimicrobial activity for the Gram-positive bacteria Escherichia coli and Propionibacterium acnes.

Self-limiting atomic layer deposition of conformal nanostructured silver films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golrokhi, Zahra; Chalker, Sophia; Sutcliffe, Christopher J.; Potter, Richard J.

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We grow metallic silver by direct liquid injection thermal atomic layer deposition. • Highly conformal silver nanoparticle coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces. • An ALD temperature growth window between 123 and 128 °C is established. • ALD cycles provides sub nanometre control of silver growth. • Catalytic dehydrogenation ALD mechanism has been elucidated by in-situ QCM. - Abstract: The controlled deposition of ultra-thin conformal silver nanoparticle films is of interest for applications including anti-microbial surfaces, plasmonics, catalysts and sensors. While numerous techniques can produce silver nanoparticles, few are able to produce highly conformal coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces, together with sub-nanometre control and scalability. Here we develop a self-limiting atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for the deposition of conformal metallic silver nanoparticle films. The films have been deposited using direct liquid injection ALD with ((hexafluoroacetylacetonato)silver(I)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)) and propan-1-ol. An ALD temperature window between 123 and 128 °C is identified and within this range self-limiting growth is confirmed with a mass deposition rate of ∼17.5 ng/cm"2/cycle. The effects of temperature, precursor dose, co-reactant dose and cycle number on the deposition rate and on the properties of the films have been systematically investigated. Under self-limiting conditions, films are metallic silver with a nano-textured surface topography and nanoparticle size is dependent on the number of ALD cycles. The ALD reaction mechanisms have been elucidated using in-situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements, showing chemisorption of the silver precursor, followed by heterogeneous catalytic dehydrogenation of the alcohol to form metallic silver and an aldehyde.

Silver nanoparticle-enriched diamond-like carbon implant modification as a mammalian cell compatible surface with antimicrobial properties

Science.gov (United States)

Gorzelanny, Christian; Kmeth, Ralf; Obermeier, Andreas; Bauer, Alexander T.; Halter, Natalia; Kümpel, Katharina; Schneider, Matthias F.; Wixforth, Achim; Gollwitzer, Hans; Burgkart, Rainer; Stritzker, Bernd; Schneider, Stefan W.

2016-01-01

The implant-bone interface is the scene of competition between microorganisms and distinct types of tissue cells. In the past, various strategies have been followed to support bony integration and to prevent bacterial implant-associated infections. In the present study we investigated the biological properties of diamond-like carbon (DLC) surfaces containing silver nanoparticles. DLC is a promising material for the modification of medical implants providing high mechanical and chemical stability and a high degree of biocompatibility. DLC surface modifications with varying silver concentrations were generated on medical-grade titanium discs, using plasma immersion ion implantation-induced densification of silver nanoparticle-containing polyvinylpyrrolidone polymer solutions. Immersion of implants in aqueous liquids resulted in a rapid silver release reducing the growth of surface-bound and planktonic Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Due to the fast and transient release of silver ions from the modified implants, the surfaces became biocompatible, ensuring growth of mammalian cells. Human endothelial cells retained their cellular differentiation as indicated by the intracellular formation of Weibel-Palade bodies and a high responsiveness towards histamine. Our findings indicate that the integration of silver nanoparticles into DLC prevents bacterial colonization due to a fast initial release of silver ions, facilitating the growth of silver susceptible mammalian cells subsequently. PMID:26955791

PREFACE: Nanostructured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Richard E.

2003-10-01

We can define nanostructured surfaces as well-defined surfaces which contain lateral features of size 1-100 nm. This length range lies well below the micron regime but equally above the Ångstrom regime, which corresponds to the interatomic distances on single-crystal surfaces. This special issue of Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter presents a collection of twelve papers which together address the fabrication, characterization, properties and applications of such nanostructured surfaces. Taken together they represent, in effect, a status report on the rapid progress taking place in this burgeoning area. The first four papers in this special issue have been contributed by members of the European Research Training Network ‘NanoCluster’, which is concerned with the deposition, growth and characterization of nanometre-scale clusters on solid surfaces—prototypical examples of nanoscale surface features. The paper by Vandamme is concerned with the fundamentals of the cluster-surface interaction; the papers by Gonzalo and Moisala address, respectively, the optical and catalytic properties of deposited clusters; and the paper by van Tendeloo reports the application of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to elucidate the surface structure of spherical particles in a catalyst support. The fifth paper, by Mendes, is also the fruit of a European Research Training Network (‘Micro-Nano’) and is jointly contributed by three research groups; it reviews the creation of nanostructured surface architectures from chemically-synthesized nanoparticles. The next five papers in this special issue are all concerned with the characterization of nanostructured surfaces with scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The papers by Bolotov, Hamilton and Dunstan demonstrate that the STM can be employed for local electrical measurements as well as imaging, as illustrated by the examples of deposited clusters, model semiconductor structures and real

The synthesis of four-layer gold-silver-polymer-silver core-shell nanomushroom with inbuilt Raman molecule for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Tao; Wang, Xiaolong; Zhou, Jun

2017-12-01

A facial two-step reduction method was proposed to synthesize four-layer gold-silver-polymer-silver (Au@Ag@PSPAA@Ag) core-shell nanomushrooms (NMs) with inbuilt Raman molecule. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensity of 4MBA adhered on the surface of Au core gradually increased with the modification of middle Ag shell and then Ag mushroom cap due to the formation of two kinds of ultra-small interior nanogap. Compared with the initial Au nanoparticles, the SERS enhancement ratio of the Au@Ag@PSPAA@Ag NMs approached to nearly 40. The novel core-shell NMs also exhibited homogeneous SERS signals for only one sample and reproducible signals for 10 different samples, certified by the low relative standard deviation values of less than 10% and 15% for the character peaks of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, respectively. Such a novel four-layer core-shell nanostructure with reliable SERS performance has great potential application in quantitative SERS-based immunoassay.

Antibacterial Au nanostructured surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Songmei; Zuber, Flavia; Brugger, Juergen; Maniura-Weber, Katharina; Ren, Qun

2016-02-07

We present here a technological platform for engineering Au nanotopographies by templated electrodeposition on antibacterial surfaces. Three different types of nanostructures were fabricated: nanopillars, nanorings and nanonuggets. The nanopillars are the basic structures and are 50 nm in diameter and 100 nm in height. Particular arrangement of the nanopillars in various geometries formed nanorings and nanonuggets. Flat surfaces, rough substrate surfaces, and various nanostructured surfaces were compared for their abilities to attach and kill bacterial cells. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterial strain responsible for many infections in health care system, was used as the model bacterial strain. It was found that all the Au nanostructures, regardless their shapes, exhibited similar excellent antibacterial properties. A comparison of live cells attached to nanotopographic surfaces showed that the number of live S. aureus cells was flat and rough reference surfaces. Our micro/nanofabrication process is a scalable approach based on cost-efficient self-organization and provides potential for further developing functional surfaces to study the behavior of microbes on nanoscale topographies.

Nanostructured Silver Substrates With Stable and Universal SERS Properties: Application to Organic Molecules and Semiconductor Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Waurisch C

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Nanostructured silver films have been prepared by thermal deposition on silicon, and their properties as SERS substrates investigated. The optimal conditions of the post-growth annealing of the substrates were established. Atomic force microscopy study revealed that the silver films with relatively dense and homogeneous arrays of 60–80-nm high pyramidal nanoislands are the most efficient for SERS of both organic dye and inorganic nanoparticles analytes. The noticeable enhancement of the Raman signal from colloidal nanoparticles with the help of silver island films is reported for the first time.

The fabrication of highly ordered silver nanodot patterns by platinum assisted nanoimprint lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Hae-Wook; Jung, Jin-Mi; Lee, Su-kyung; Jung, Hee-Tae

2011-01-01

Silver has been widely used for optical sensing and imaging applications which benefit from localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in a nanoscale configuration. Many attempts have been made to fabricate and control silver nanostructures in order to improve the high performance in sensing and other applications. However, a fatal mechanical weakness of silver and a lack of durability in oxygen-rich conditions have disrupted the manufacturing of reproducible nanostructures by the top-down lithography approach. In this study, we suggest a steady fabrication strategy to obtain highly ordered silver nanopatterns that are able to provide tunable LSPR characteristics. By using a protecting layer of platinum on a silver surface in the lithography process, we successfully obtained large-area (2.7 x 2.7 mm 2 ) silver nanopatterns with high reproducibility. This large-area silver nanopattern was capable of enhancing the low concentration of a Cy3 fluorescence signal (∼10 -10 M) which was labeled with DNA oligomers.

Microstructural and Z-scan measurement of silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivakami, R.; Dhanuskodi, S.

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Novel Ag nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method. • The modified forms of W-H analysis of Ag nanoparticles are reported first time. • Nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of Ag nanoflowers are reported and high nonlinearity was obtained. - Abstract: Silver nanoflowers were synthesized by the hydrothermal route. Formation of Ag nanoparticles is confirmed from the UV–vis spectrum where the surface plasmon absorption maxima are observed at 415–454 nm. FE-SEM and TEM images revealed the formation of silver nanoflowers and the flower-like silver nanostructures are estimated using transmission electron microscopy. XRD confirms that the synthesized silver is highly crystalline with face centered cubic structure. The X-ray line broadening is studied by the modified forms of Williamson–Hall analysis. The Z-scan results reveal that the flower-like silver nanostructures exhibit the nonlinear susceptilibility as 1.14 × 10 −5 esu

Antimicrobial characterization of silver nanoparticle-coated surfaces by “touch test” method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gunell M

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Marianne Gunell,1,2 Janne Haapanen,3 Kofi J Brobbey,4 Jarkko J Saarinen,4 Martti Toivakka,4 Jyrki M Mäkelä,3 Pentti Huovinen,1 Erkki Eerola1,2 1Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Turku, 2Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Microbiology and Genetics Service Area, Turku University Hospital, Turku, 3Aerosol Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere, 4Laboratory of Paper Coating and Converting, Center for Functional Materials, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland Abstract: Bacterial infections, especially by antimicrobial resistant (AMR bacteria, are an increasing problem worldwide. AMR is especially a problem with health care-associated infections due to bacteria in hospital environments being easily transferred from patient to patient and from patient to environment, and thus, solutions to prevent bacterial transmission are needed. Hand washing is an effective tool for preventing bacterial infections, but other approaches such as nanoparticle-coated surfaces are also needed. In the current study, direct and indirect liquid flame spray (LFS method was used to produce silver nanoparticle-coated surfaces. The antimicrobial properties of these nanoparticle surfaces were evaluated with the “touch test” method against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. It was shown in this study that in glass samples one silver nanoparticle-coating cycle can inhibit E. coli growth, whereas at least two coating cycles were needed to inhibit S. aureus growth. Silver nanoparticle-coated polyethylene (PE and PE terephthalate samples did not inhibit bacterial growth as effectively as glass samples: three nanoparticle-coating cycles were needed to inhibit E. coli growth, and more than 30 coating cycles were needed until S. aureus growth was inhibited. To conclude, with the LFS method, it is possible to produce nanostructured large-area antibacterial surfaces which show

Silver deposition on stainless steel container surfaces in contact with disinfectant silver aqueous solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petala, M.; Tsiridis, V.; Mintsouli, I.; Pliatsikas, N.; Spanos, Th.; Rebeyre, P.; Darakas, E.; Patsalas, P.; Vourlias, G.; Kostoglou, M.; Sotiropoulos, S.; Karapantsios, Th.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Silver is one of the biocides of water consumed in the International Space Station. • Ionic silver is depleted from potable water when in contact with stainless steel (SS). • SEM and XPS analysis reveal a uniform silver deposition over the SS surface. • Silver deposits in its metallic form, in line with a galvanic deposition mechanism. • Evidence is provided that Cr and/ or Ni oxide builds-up on SS surfaces. - Abstract: Silver is the preservative used on the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) to prevent microbial proliferation within potable water supplies. Yet, in the frame of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) missions to ISS, silver depletion from water has been detected during ground transportation of this water to launch site, thereby indicating a degradation of water quality. This study investigates the silver loss from water when in contact with stainless steel surfaces. Experiments are conducted with several types of stainless steel surfaces being exposed to water containing 10 or 0.5 mg/L silver ions. Results show that silver deposits on stainless steel surfaces even when a passivation layer protects the metallic surface. The highest protection to silver deposition is offered by acid passivated and electropolished SS 316L. SEM and XPS experiments were carried out at several locations of the sample area that was in contact with the Ag solution and found similar morphological (SEM) and compositional (sputter-etch XPS) results. The results reveal that silver deposits uniformly across the wetted surface to a thickness larger than 3 nm. Moreover, evidence is provided that silver deposits in its metallic form on all stainless steel surfaces, in line with a galvanic deposition mechanism. Combination of ICP-MS and XPS results suggests a mechanism for Ag deposition/reduction with simultaneous substrate oxidation resulting in oxide growth at the exposed stainless steel surface.

Silver deposition on stainless steel container surfaces in contact with disinfectant silver aqueous solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petala, M., E-mail: petala@civil.auth.gr [Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece); Tsiridis, V. [Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece); Mintsouli, I. [Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece); Pliatsikas, N. [Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece); Spanos, Th. [Department of Petroleum and Mechanical Engineering Sciences, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology, Kavala, 65404 (Greece); Rebeyre, P. [ESA/ESTEC, P.O.Box 299, 2200 AG, Noordwijk (Netherlands); Darakas, E. [Department of Civil Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece); Patsalas, P.; Vourlias, G. [Department of Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece); Kostoglou, M.; Sotiropoulos, S.; Karapantsios, Th. [Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124 (Greece)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Silver is one of the biocides of water consumed in the International Space Station. • Ionic silver is depleted from potable water when in contact with stainless steel (SS). • SEM and XPS analysis reveal a uniform silver deposition over the SS surface. • Silver deposits in its metallic form, in line with a galvanic deposition mechanism. • Evidence is provided that Cr and/ or Ni oxide builds-up on SS surfaces. - Abstract: Silver is the preservative used on the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) to prevent microbial proliferation within potable water supplies. Yet, in the frame of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) missions to ISS, silver depletion from water has been detected during ground transportation of this water to launch site, thereby indicating a degradation of water quality. This study investigates the silver loss from water when in contact with stainless steel surfaces. Experiments are conducted with several types of stainless steel surfaces being exposed to water containing 10 or 0.5 mg/L silver ions. Results show that silver deposits on stainless steel surfaces even when a passivation layer protects the metallic surface. The highest protection to silver deposition is offered by acid passivated and electropolished SS 316L. SEM and XPS experiments were carried out at several locations of the sample area that was in contact with the Ag solution and found similar morphological (SEM) and compositional (sputter-etch XPS) results. The results reveal that silver deposits uniformly across the wetted surface to a thickness larger than 3 nm. Moreover, evidence is provided that silver deposits in its metallic form on all stainless steel surfaces, in line with a galvanic deposition mechanism. Combination of ICP-MS and XPS results suggests a mechanism for Ag deposition/reduction with simultaneous substrate oxidation resulting in oxide growth at the exposed stainless steel surface.

Silver surface enrichment of silver-copper alloys: a limitation for the analysis of ancient silver coins by surface techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, L.; Bosonnet, S.; Reveillon, S.; Eliot, D.; Pilon, F.

2004-01-01

The surface enrichment of archaeological silver-copper alloys has been recognized for many years. However, the origin of this enrichment is not well defined and many hypotheses have been put forward to account for this behaviour: segregation of the components during casting, deliberate thermal and/or chemical post-treatment, abrasion or corrosion. Among the hypotheses mentioned above, we have focused our study on the first step of coin manufacturing. Replications of silver-copper standards of various compositions ranging from 30% to 80% Ag, reflecting the composition of silver blanks, have been produced. Metallographic examination, PIXE and SEM-EDS have been used for the characterization of each sample. A model of the direct enrichment has been established. This model allows us to propose a relationship between the surface composition and the silver content of the core. Comparison with data of Roman coins from the Roman site of Cha-hat teaubleau (France) and from the literature and consequences for the analyses of ancient coins by surface methods are presented

Highly Stable Monocrystalline Silver Clusters for Plasmonic Applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Novikov, Sergey M.; Popok, Vladimir N.; Evlyukhin, Andrey B.

2017-01-01

Plasmonic sensor configurations utilizing localized plasmon resonances in silver nanostructures typically suffer from the rapid degradation of silver under ambient atmospheric conditions. In this work, we report on the fabrication and detailed characterization of ensembles of monocrystalline silver......-beam technique and characterized by linear spectroscopy, two-photon-excited photoluminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering microscopy, and transmission electron, helium ion, and atomic force microscopies. It is found that the fabricated ensembles of monocrystalline silver NPs preserve their plasmonic...... properties (monitored with optical spectroscopy) and strong field enhancements (revealed by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy) at least 5 times longer as compared to chemically synthesized silver NPs with similar sizes. The obtained results are of high practical relevance for the further development...

Liquid radiation detectors based on nano-silver surface plasmon resonance phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puiso, J.; Laurikaitiene, J.; Adliene, D.; Prosycevas, I.

2010-01-01

The rapid development of micro- and nano-structures containing silver nano-particles is based on their unique physical properties. Despite the new applications of silver nano-particles in nano-medicine are under heavy discussions, silver nano-particles could be used in liquid radiation detectors thanks to the irradiation-induced surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomena observed in the colloidal solutions. Silver nitrate (1 mM AgNO 3 ) and sodium citrate (1 wt% and 5 wt% C 6 H 5 O 7 Na 3 ) were used as precursors for the fabrication of colloidal solutions. Prepared solutions were exposed to gamma-rays from a 60 Co gamma therapy unit 'Rokus-M' to varying absorbed doses, from 2 to 250 Gy. A UV/VIS/NIR spectrometer (Avantes-2048) was used for the measurement of the optical properties (absorbance) of the silver solutions. It was found that an initial absorbed dose of 2 Gy induced the formation of spherical silver nano-particles as it was indicated in the absorbance spectrum of the solution, which had a well-pronounced absorption maximum at the wavelength of 410 nm. There is a potential to measure absorbed doses down to around 20 mGy. The SPR peaks at the wavelengths of 500-700 nm were found at the highest investigated doses > 100 Gy, indicating the presence of silver nano-rods. The colour of colloidal solutions ranged from pale yellow to green and was dependent on the absorbed dose. The investigation has shown that density, size and shape of synthesised silver nano-particles are dependent on the absorbed dose and that shape transformations of the particles due to irradiation are possible. Application of colloidal solutions containing silver nano-particles for dosimetric purposes is discussed on the basis of the obtained results. (authors)

Probing the adsorption mechanism in thiamazole bound to the silver surface with Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering and DFT

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Nandita; Thomas, Susy; Sarkar, Anjana; Mukherjee, Tulsi; Kapoor, Sudhir

2009-09-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of thiamazole have been investigated in aqueous solution. Thiamazole is an important anti-thyroid drug that is used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism (over activity of the thyroid gland). Due to its medicinal importance, the surface adsorption properties of thiamazole have been studied. The experimental Raman and SERS data are supported with DFT calculations using B3LYP functional with LANL2DZ basis set. From the SERS spectra as well as theoretical calculations, it has been inferred that thiamazole is chemisorbed to the silver surface directly through the sulphur atom and the ring N atom, with a tilted orientation.

Characterization and Application of DNA-templated Silver Nanoclusters and Polarized Spectroscopy of Self-Assembled Nanostructures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carro-Temboury, Miguel R.

In this thesis two different systems are investigated envisioning their potential applications: DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs) and ionic self-assembled (ISA) nanostructures based on azo-dyes. Mainly Visible-NIR spectroscopy was used to probe electronic transitions with absorbance a...

Preparation of Plasmonic Platforms of Silver Wires on Gold Mirrors and Their Application to Surface Enhanced Fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

In this report we describe a preparation of silver wires (SWs) on gold mirrors and its application to surface enhanced fluorescence (SEF) using a new methodology. Silica protected gold mirrors were drop-coated with a solution of silver triangular nanoprisms. The triangular nanoprisms were slowly air-dried to get silver wires that self-assembled on the gold mirrors. Fluorescence enhancement was studied using methyl azadioxatriangulenium chloride (Me-ADOTA·Cl) dye in PVA spin-coated on a clean glass coverslip. New Plasmonic Platforms (PPs) were assembled by placing a mirror with SWs in contact with a glass coverslip spin-coated with a uniform Me-ADOTA·Cl film. It was shown that surface enhanced fluorescence is a real phenomenon, not just an enhancement of the fluorescence signal due to an accumulation of the fluorophore on rough nanostructure surfaces. The average fluorescence enhancement was found to be about 15-fold. The lifetime of Me-ADOTA·Cl dye was significantly reduced (∼4 times) in the presence of SWs. Moreover, fluorescence enhancement and lifetime did not show any dependence on the excitation light polarization. PMID:25296293

A simple method of growing silver chloride nanocubes on silver nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinzadeh Khaligh, Hadi; Goldthorpe, Irene A.

2015-09-01

The growth of AgCl nanocubes directly on the sidewalls of Ag nanowires is demonstrated. The nanocubes can be simply obtained through extended low temperature annealing of polyol-synthesized silver nanowires in a vacuum. The length of time and temperature of the anneal and the diameter of the nanowire affect the size and density of the nanocubes obtained. It is hypothesized that the AgCl material is supplied from reactants leftover from the silver nanowire synthesis. This novel hybrid nanostructure may have applications in areas such as photovoltaics, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and photocatalysis.

Nano-structural characteristics and optical properties of silver chiral nano-flower sculptured thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savaloni, Hadi; Haydari-Nasab, Fatemh; Malmir, Mariam

2011-01-01

Silver chiral nano-flowers with 3-, 4- and 5-fold symmetry were produced using oblique angle deposition method in conjunction with the rotation of sample holder with different speeds at different sectors of each revolution corresponding to symmetry order of the acquired nano-flower. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), were employed to obtain morphology and nano-structure of the films. Optical characteristics of silver chiral nano-flower thin films were obtained using single beam spectrophotometer with both s- and p-polarization incident light at 30 o and 70 o incidence angles and at different azimuthal angles (φ). Optical spectra showed both TM (TDM (transverse dipole mode) and TQM (transverse quadruple mode)) and LM (longitudinal mode) Plasmon resonance peaks. For 3- and 4-fold symmetry chiral nano-flowers the s-polarization extinction spectra obtained at different azimuthal angles did not show significant change in the Plasmon peak position while 5-fold symmetry chiral nano-flower showed a completely different behavior, which may be the result of increased surface anisotropy, so when the φ angle is changed the s-polarization response from the surface can change more significantly than that for lower symmetries. In general, for 3-, 4- and 5-fold symmetry chiral nano-flowers a sharp peak at lower wavelengths ( o incidence angle.

Size measurement of gold and silver nanostructures based on their extinction spectrum: limitations and extensions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A A Ashkarran

2013-09-01

Full Text Available  This paper reports on physical principles and the relations between extinction cross section and geometrical properties of silver and gold nanostructures. We introduce some simple relations for determining geometrical properties of silver and gold nanospheres based on the situation of their plasmonic peak. We also applied, investigated and compared the accuracy of these relations using other published works in order to make clear the effects of shape, size distribution and refractive index of particles’ embedding medium. Finally, we extended the equations to non-spherical particles and investigated their accuracy. We found that modified forms of the equations may lead to more exact results for non-spherical metal particles, but for better results, modified equations should depend on shape and size distribution of particles. It seems that these equations are not applicable to particles with corners sharper than cubes' corners i.e. nanostructures with spatial angles less than π/2 sr.

Surface modification of plasmonic nanostructured materials with thiolated oligonucleotides in 10 seconds using selective microwave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abel, B.; Aslan, K.

2012-01-01

This study demonstrates the proof-of-principle of rapid surface modification of plasmonic nanostructured materials with oligonucleotides using low power microwave heating. Due to their interesting optical and electronic properties, silver nanoparticle films (SNFs, 2 nm thick) deposited onto glass slides were used as the model plasmonic nanostructured materials. Rapid surface modification of SNFs with oligonucleotides was carried out using two strategies (1) Strategy 1: for ss-oligonucleotides, surface hybridization and (2) Strategy 2: for ds-oligonucleotides, solution hybridization, where the samples were exposed to 10, 15, 30 and 60 seconds microwave heating. To assess the efficacy of our new rapid surface modification technique, identical experiments carried out without the microwave heating (i.e., conventional method), which requires 24 hours for the completion of the identical steps. It was found that SNFs can be modified with ss- and ds-oligonucleotides in 10 seconds, which typically requires several hours of incubation time for the chemisorption of thiol groups on to the planar metal surface using conventional techniques. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

MnO{sub 2}-protected silver nanoparticles: New electromagnetic nanoresonators for Raman analysis of surfaces in basis environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdulrahman, Heman Burhanalden; Kołątaj, Karol; Lenczewski, Paweł; Krajczewski, Jan; Kudelski, Andrzej, E-mail: akudel@chem.uw.edu.pl

2016-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • New nanoresonators for Raman surface analysis in basis environment were fabricated. • The new nanoresonators for SHINERS experiments are significantly more efficient. • The first example of synthesis of Ag@MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles is reported. - Abstract: The first example of the synthesis of Ag nanoparticles protected by a few nanometers thick layer of MnO{sub 2} (Ag@MnO{sub 2}) has been reported. Synthesized Ag@MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles effectively locally enhance the electric field of the incident visible radiation, which allows, for example, for a large enhancement of the efficiency of Raman scattering for species located in the close proximity to such nanostructures. It means that Ag@MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles may be used as nanoresonators for shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman scattering (SHINERS) measurements. The obtained Ag@MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles are almost two orders of magnitude more efficient in enhancing Raman signal than previously used for SHINERS measurements in the alkali environment Au@MnO{sub 2} nanostructures. Moreover, in comparison to Ag@SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, which are standard silver nanoresonators for SHINERS experiments, Ag@MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles are significantly more stable in the basic conditions. Deposition of the MnO{sub 2} layer (by the reduction of KMnO{sub 4} with by K{sub 2}C{sub 2}O{sub 4} in an alkaline condition) on hollow silver nanoparticles (h-Ag) has been also analyzed. Hollow silver shells are significantly less stable than the solid Ag nanostructures and are practically entirely destroyed during the process of the MnO{sub 2} deposition. However, in this condition, the majority of h-Ag nanoparticles form agglomerates containing about 10{sup 1} h-Ag items which are connected by MnO{sub 2}, and after dissolution of the silver auxiliary templates very regular MnO{sub 2} sponge nanostructures with the diameter of 150–300 nm are formed.

Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Ethephone Adsorbed on Silver Surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Chul Jae; Kim, Hee Jin; Karim, Mohammad Rezaul; Lee, Mu Sang

2006-01-01

We investigated the Surface-enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) spectrum of ethephone (2- chloroethylphosphonic acid). We observed significant signals in the ordinary Raman spectrum for solid-state ethephone as well as when it was adsorbed on a colloidal silver surface, strong vibrational signals were obtained at a very low concentration. The SERS spectra were obtained by silver colloids that were prepared by the γ - irradiation method. The influence of pH and the influence of anion (Cl - , Br - , I - ) on the adsorption orientation were investigated. Two different adsorption mechanisms were deduced, depending on the experimental conditions. The chlorine atom or the chlorine and two oxygen atoms were adsorbed on the colloidal silver surface. Among halide ions, Br - and I - were more strongly adsorbed on the colloidal silver surfaces. As a result, the adsorption of ethephone was less effective due to their steric hinderance

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy of Dye and Thiol Molecules Adsorbed on Triangular Silver Nano structures: A Study of Near-Field Enhancement, Localization of Hot-Spots, and Passivation of Adsorbed Carbonaceous Species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves, M.R.; Marti, O.; Fabian Enderle, F.

2012-01-01

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of thiols and dye molecules adsorbed on triangular silver nanostructures was investigated. The SERS hot-spots are localized at the edges and corners of the silver triangular particles. AFM and SEM measurements permit to observe many small clusters formed at the edges of triangular particles fabricated by nanosphere lithography. Finite-element calculations show that near-field enhancements can reach values of more than 200 at visible wavelengths, in the gaps between small spherical particles and large triangular particles, although for the later no plasmon resonance was found at the wavelengths investigated. The regions near the particles showing strong near-field enhancement are well correlated with spatial localization of SERS hot-spots done by confocal microscopy. Silver nanostructures fabricated by thermal evaporation present strong and fast fluctuating SERS activity, due to amorphous carbon contamination. Thiols and dye molecules seem to be able to passivate the undesired SERS activity on fresh evaporated silver. excitation: by far-field illumination of metal nanostructures or rough metal Raman scattering cross-section of gold-palladium target Temporal Fluctuation in SERS Temporal and spectral fluctuations.

Tip-Selective Growth of Silver on Gold Nanostars for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Weiqing; Liu, Jie; Niu, Wenxin; Yan, Heng; Lu, Xianmao; Liu, Bin

2018-04-19

Nanogaps as "hot spots" with highly localized surface plasmon can generate ultrastrong electromagnetic fields. Superior to the exterior nanogaps obtained via aggregation and self-assembly, interior nanogaps within Au and Ag nanostructures give stable and reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals. However, the synthesis of nanostructures with interior hot spots is still challenging because of the lack of high-yield strategies and clear design principles. Herein, gold-silver nanoclusters (Au-Ag NCs) with multiple interior hot spots were fabricated as SERS platforms via selective growth of Ag nanoparticles on the tips of Au nanostars (Au NSs). Furthermore, the interior gap sizes of Au-Ag NCs can be facilely tuned by changing the amount of AgNO 3 used. Upon 785 nm excitation, single Au-Ag NC 350 exhibits 43-fold larger SERS enhancement factor and the optimal signal reproducibility relative to single Au NS. The SERS enhancement factors and signal reproducibility of Au-Ag NCs increase with the decrease of gap sizes. Collectively, the Au-Ag NCs could serve as a flexible, reproducible, and active platform for SERS investigation.

A simple method of growing silver chloride nanocubes on silver nanowires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khaligh, Hadi Hosseinzadeh; Goldthorpe, Irene A

2015-01-01

The growth of AgCl nanocubes directly on the sidewalls of Ag nanowires is demonstrated. The nanocubes can be simply obtained through extended low temperature annealing of polyol-synthesized silver nanowires in a vacuum. The length of time and temperature of the anneal and the diameter of the nanowire affect the size and density of the nanocubes obtained. It is hypothesized that the AgCl material is supplied from reactants leftover from the silver nanowire synthesis. This novel hybrid nanostructure may have applications in areas such as photovoltaics, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and photocatalysis. (fast track communication)

Porous Silicon Covered with Silver Nanoparticles as Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Substrate for Ultra-Low Concentration Detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosović, Marin; Balarin, Maja; Ivanda, Mile; Đerek, Vedran; Marciuš, Marijan; Ristić, Mira; Gamulin, Ozren

2015-12-01

Microporous and macro-mesoporous silicon templates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates were produced by anodization of low doped p-type silicon wafers. By immersion plating in AgNO3, the templates were covered with silver metallic film consisting of different silver nanostructures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of these SERS substrates showed diverse morphology with significant difference in an average size and size distribution of silver nanoparticles. Ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) reflection spectroscopy showed plasmonic absorption at 398 and 469 nm, which is in accordance with the SEM findings. The activity of the SERS substrates was tested using rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye molecules and 514.5 nm laser excitation. Contrary to the microporous silicon template, the SERS substrate prepared from macro-mesoporous silicon template showed significantly broader size distribution of irregular silver nanoparticles as well as localized surface plasmon resonance closer to excitation laser wavelength. Such silver morphology has high SERS sensitivity that enables ultralow concentration detection of R6G dye molecules up to 10(-15) M. To our knowledge, this is the lowest concentration detected of R6G dye molecules on porous silicon-based SERS substrates, which might even indicate possible single molecule detection.

Isatis tinctoria mediated synthesis of amphotericin B-bound silver nanoparticles with enhanced photoinduced antileishmanial activity: A novel green approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, Aftab; Wei, Yun; Syed, Fatima; Khan, Shafiullah; Khan, Gul Majid; Tahir, Kamran; Khan, Arif Ullah; Raza, Muslim; Khan, Faheem Ullah; Yuan, Qiping

2016-08-01

After malaria, Leishmaniasis is the most prevalent infectious disease in terms of fatality and geographical distribution. The availability of a limited number of antileishmanial agents, emerging resistance to the available drugs, and the high cost of treatment complicate the treatment of leishmaniasis. To overcome these issues, critical research for new therapeutic agents with enhanced antileishmanial potential and low treatment cost is needed. In this contribution, we developed a green protocol to prepare biogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and amphotericin B-bound biogenic silver nanoparticles (AmB-AgNPs). Phytochemicals from the aqueous extract of Isatis tinctoria were used as reducing and capping agents to prepare silver nanoparticles. Amphotericin B was successfully adsorbed on the surface of biogenic silver nanoparticles. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized by various analytical techniques. UV-Visible spectroscopy was employed to detect the characteristic localized surface plasmon resonance peaks (LSPR) for the prepared nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies revealed the formation of spherical silver nanoparticles with an average particle size of 10-20nm. The cubic crystalline structure of the prepared nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) study. FTIR spectroscopic analysis revealed that plant polyphenolic compounds are mainly involved in metal reduction and capping. Under visible light irradiation, biogenic silver nanoparticles exhibited significant activity against Leishmania tropica with an IC50 value of 4.2μg/mL. The leishmanicidal activity of these nanoparticles was considerably enhanced by conjugation with amphotericin B (IC50=2.43μg/mL). In conclusion, the findings of this study reveal that adsorption of amphotericin B, an antileishmanial drug, to biogenic silver nanoparticles, could be a safe, more effective and economic alternative to the available

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering from silver electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trott, G.R.

1982-01-01

The chemical and physical origins of the anomalously large enhancement of the Raman scattering cross section for molecules adsorbed on silver electrodes in an electrochemical cell were investigated. The effect of the chemical reactions which occur during the anodization/activation procedure were studied using the Ag-CN system. It was shown that the function of the anodization process is to roughen the electrode surface and create an activated site for bonding to the cyanide. A new nonelectrochemical technique for activating the silver surface, along with a study of the enhanced cyanide Raman scattering in different background electrolytes, showed that the Raman active entity on the surface must be a silver-cyanide complex. In order to study the physical mechanism of the enhancement, the angular dependence of the scattered radiation was measured from pyridine adsorbed on an evaporated silver electrode. Both polycrystalline and single crystalline silver films were used. The angular dependence of the scattered radiation from these films showed that the metal surface was controlling the directional properties of the scattered radiation, and not the polarizability tensor of the adsorbate. Based on these experimental results, it was concluded that for weakly roughened silver electrodes the source of the anomalous enhancement is due to a resonant Raman scattering process

Bacterial growth on a superhydrophobic surface containing silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinonen, S; Nikkanen, J-P; Laakso, J; Levänen, E; Raulio, M; Priha, O

2013-01-01

The antibacterial effect of silver can be exploited in the food and beverage industry and medicinal applications to reduce biofouling of surfaces. Very small amount of silver ions are enough to destructively affect the metabolism of bacteria. Moreover, superhydrophobic properties could reduce bacterial adhesion to the surface. In this study we fabricated superhydrophobic surfaces that contained nanosized silver particles. The superhydrophobic surfaces were manufactured onto stainless steel as combination of ceramic nanotopography and hydrophobication by fluorosilane. Silver nanoparticles were precipitated onto the surface by a chemical method. The dissolution of silver from the surface was tested in an aqueous environment under pH values of 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. The pH value was adjusted with nitric acid and ammonia. It was found that dissolution rate of silver increased as the pH of the solution altered from the pH of de-ionized water to lower and higher pH values but dissolution occurred also in de-ionized water. The antimicrobial potential of this coating was investigated using bacterial strains isolated from the brewery equipment surfaces. The results showed that the number of bacteria adhering onto steel surface was significantly reduced (88%) on the superhydrophobic silver containing coating

Bacterial growth on a superhydrophobic surface containing silver nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Heinonen, S.; Nikkanen, J.-P.; Laakso, J.; Raulio, M.; Priha, O.; Levänen, E.

2013-12-01

The antibacterial effect of silver can be exploited in the food and beverage industry and medicinal applications to reduce biofouling of surfaces. Very small amount of silver ions are enough to destructively affect the metabolism of bacteria. Moreover, superhydrophobic properties could reduce bacterial adhesion to the surface. In this study we fabricated superhydrophobic surfaces that contained nanosized silver particles. The superhydrophobic surfaces were manufactured onto stainless steel as combination of ceramic nanotopography and hydrophobication by fluorosilane. Silver nanoparticles were precipitated onto the surface by a chemical method. The dissolution of silver from the surface was tested in an aqueous environment under pH values of 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13. The pH value was adjusted with nitric acid and ammonia. It was found that dissolution rate of silver increased as the pH of the solution altered from the pH of de-ionized water to lower and higher pH values but dissolution occurred also in de-ionized water. The antimicrobial potential of this coating was investigated using bacterial strains isolated from the brewery equipment surfaces. The results showed that the number of bacteria adhering onto steel surface was significantly reduced (88%) on the superhydrophobic silver containing coating.

Positioning of Carbon nanostructures on metal surfaces using laser acceleration and the Raman analyses of the patterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karmenyan, A; Perevedentseva, E; Chiou, A; Cheng, C-L

2007-01-01

The laser-induced acceleration of nanoparticles using intense light irradiation was used for positioning and ordering of carbon nanomaterials to form periodical surface structures. Such systems are of interest for different nanotechnology applications. The nanodiamond with averaged size 100 nm, and fullerene (C 60 ) suspended in distilled water were accelerated using high focused laser beam and attached onto metal surface of silver and gold thin films evaporated on Si substrate. The laser was operating both in CW and femtosecond modes with the wavelength of ∼800 nm, pulse duration 150 fs, and average laser power of 300-600 mW. In case of pulse irradiation the repetition rate of 76 MHZ was applied. The nanoparticles were positioned on the metal surface in accordance with a predetermined program to allow patterning of the nanoparticles. The positioning was analyzed for different treatment conditions and compared to the calculated data. To investigate the obtained nanoparticles/metal structures, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was used utilizing its high sensitivity on the local properties of the nanostructures. SERS allows the observing of carbon nanostructures with their characteristic peculiarities, such as blinking effect and selective enhancement. Here we try to explain the spectral and spatial peculiarities occurring during the laser acceleration process and the interaction of attached carbon nanostructures with metal surface

Chloride ion-dependent surface-enhanced Raman scattering study of biotin on the silver surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Fangfang; Gu Huaimin; Yuan Xiaojuan; Dong Xiao; Lin Yue

2011-01-01

In the present paper, the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique was employed to study the SERS spectra of biotin molecules formed on the silver surface. The adsorption geometries of biotin molecules on the silver surface were analyzed based on the SERS data. It can be found that most vibration modes show a Raman shift in silver sol after the addition of sodium chloride solution. In addition, The Raman signals of biotin become weaker and weaker with the increase of the concentration of sodium chloride. This may be due to that the interaction between chloride ions and silver particles is stronger than the interaction between biotin molecules and silver particles. When the concentration of sodium chloride in silver colloid is higher than 0.05mol/L, superfluous chloride ions may form an absorption layer so that biotin can not be adsorbed on silver surface directly. The changes in intensity and profile shape in the SERS spectra suggest different adsorption behavior and surface-coverage of biotin on silver surface. The SERS spectra of biotin suggest that the contribution of the charge transfer mechanism to SERS may be dominant.

Nano-structural characteristics and optical properties of silver chiral nano-flower sculptured thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savaloni, Hadi, E-mail: savaloni@khayam.ut.ac.ir [Department of Physics, University of Tehran, North-Kargar Street, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Haydari-Nasab, Fatemh; Malmir, Mariam [Department of Physics, University of Tehran, North-Kargar Street, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-08-15

Silver chiral nano-flowers with 3-, 4- and 5-fold symmetry were produced using oblique angle deposition method in conjunction with the rotation of sample holder with different speeds at different sectors of each revolution corresponding to symmetry order of the acquired nano-flower. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), were employed to obtain morphology and nano-structure of the films. Optical characteristics of silver chiral nano-flower thin films were obtained using single beam spectrophotometer with both s- and p-polarization incident light at 30{sup o} and 70{sup o} incidence angles and at different azimuthal angles ({phi}). Optical spectra showed both TM (TDM (transverse dipole mode) and TQM (transverse quadruple mode)) and LM (longitudinal mode) Plasmon resonance peaks. For 3- and 4-fold symmetry chiral nano-flowers the s-polarization extinction spectra obtained at different azimuthal angles did not show significant change in the Plasmon peak position while 5-fold symmetry chiral nano-flower showed a completely different behavior, which may be the result of increased surface anisotropy, so when the {phi} angle is changed the s-polarization response from the surface can change more significantly than that for lower symmetries. In general, for 3-, 4- and 5-fold symmetry chiral nano-flowers a sharp peak at lower wavelengths (<450 nm) is observed in the s-polarization spectra, while in addition to this peak a broad peak at longer wavelengths (i.e., LM) observed in the p-polarization spectra, which is more dominant for 70{sup o} incidence angle.

Nanostructures via DNA scaffold metallization

OpenAIRE

Ning, C.; Zinchenko, A.; Baigl, D.; Pyshkina, O.; Sergeyev, V.; Endo, Kazunaka; Yoshikawa, K.

2005-01-01

The critical role of polymers in process of noble metals nanostructures formation is well known, however, the use of DNA chain template in this process is yet largely unknown. In this study we demonstrate different ways of silver deposition on DNA template and report the influence of silver nanostructures formation on DNA conformational state. Metallization of DNA chain proceeds by two different scenarios depending on DNA conformation. If DNA chain is unfolded (elongated) chain, silver reduct...

One-step direct-laser metal writing of sub-100 nm 3D silver nanostructures in a gelatin matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, SeungYeon; Vora, Kevin; Mazur, Eric

2015-01-01

Developing an ability to fabricate high-resolution, 3D metal nanostructures in a stretchable 3D matrix is a critical step to realizing novel optoelectronic devices such as tunable bulk metal-dielectric optical devices and THz metamaterial devices that are not feasible with alternative techniques. We report a new chemistry method to fabricate high-resolution, 3D silver nanostructures using a femtosecond-laser direct metal writing technique. Previously, only fabrication of 3D polymeric structures or single-/few-layer metal structures was possible. Our method takes advantage of unique gelatin properties to overcome such previous limitations as limited freedom in 3D material design and short sample lifetime. We fabricate more than 15 layers of 3D silver nanostructures with a resolution of less than 100 nm in a stable dielectric matrix that is flexible and has high large transparency that is well-matched for potential applications in the optical and THz metamaterial regimes. This is a single-step process that does not require any further processing. This work will be of interest to those interested in fabrication methods that utilize nonlinear light–matter interactions and the realization of future metamaterials. (fast track communication)

One-step direct-laser metal writing of sub-100 nm 3D silver nanostructures in a gelatin matrix

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, SeungYeon; Vora, Kevin; Mazur, Eric

2015-03-01

Developing an ability to fabricate high-resolution, 3D metal nanostructures in a stretchable 3D matrix is a critical step to realizing novel optoelectronic devices such as tunable bulk metal-dielectric optical devices and THz metamaterial devices that are not feasible with alternative techniques. We report a new chemistry method to fabricate high-resolution, 3D silver nanostructures using a femtosecond-laser direct metal writing technique. Previously, only fabrication of 3D polymeric structures or single-/few-layer metal structures was possible. Our method takes advantage of unique gelatin properties to overcome such previous limitations as limited freedom in 3D material design and short sample lifetime. We fabricate more than 15 layers of 3D silver nanostructures with a resolution of less than 100 nm in a stable dielectric matrix that is flexible and has high large transparency that is well-matched for potential applications in the optical and THz metamaterial regimes. This is a single-step process that does not require any further processing. This work will be of interest to those interested in fabrication methods that utilize nonlinear light-matter interactions and the realization of future metamaterials.

Superhydrophobic Ag decorated ZnO nanostructured thin film as effective surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Jayram, Naidu Dhanpal; Sonia, S.; Poongodi, S.; Kumar, P. Suresh; Masuda, Yoshitake; Mangalaraj, D.; Ponpandian, N.; Viswanathan, C.

2015-11-01

The present work is an attempt to overcome the challenges in the fabrication of super hydrophobic silver decorated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructure thin films via thermal evaporation process. The ZnO nanowire thin films are prepared without any surface modification and show super hydrophobic nature with a contact angle of 163°. Silver is further deposited onto the ZnO nanowire to obtain nanoworm morphology. Silver decorated ZnO (Ag@ZnO) thin films are used as substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) studies. The formation of randomly arranged nanowire and silver decorated nanoworm structure is confirmed using FESEM, HR-TEM and AFM analysis. Crystallinity and existence of Ag on ZnO are confirmed using XRD and XPS studies. A detailed growth mechanism is discussed for the formation of the nanowires from nanobeads based on various deposition times. The prepared SERS substrate reveals a reproducible enhancement of 3.082 × 107 M for Rhodamine 6G dye (R6G) for 10-10 molar concentration per liter. A higher order of SERS spectra is obtained for a contact angle of 155°. Thus the obtained thin films show the superhydrophobic nature with a highly enhanced Raman spectrum and act as SERS substrates. The present nanoworm morphology shows a new pathway for the construction of semiconductor thin films for plasmonic studies and challenges the orderly arranged ZnO nanorods, wires and other nano structure substrates used in SERS studies.

Development of a gold-nanostructured surface for amperometric genosensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zanardi, Chiara, E-mail: chiara.zanardi@unimore.it [Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Chimica (Italy); Baldoli, Clara, E-mail: clara.baldoli@istm.cnr.it [Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari del CNR (Italy); Licandro, Emanuela [Universita degli Studi di Milano, Dipartimento di Chimica Organica ed Industriale (Italy); Terzi, Fabio; Seeber, Renato [Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Chimica (Italy)

2012-10-15

A gold-nanostructured surface has been obtained by stable deposition of chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (2.1-5.5 nm size range) on a gold substrate through a dithiol linker. The method proposed for the obtainment of the nanostructure is suitable for the further stable anchoring of a peptide nucleic acid oligomer through four amine groups of lysine terminal residues, leading to fairly reproducible systems. The geometric area of the nanostructured surface is compared with those of a smooth and of an electrochemically generated nanostructured surface by depositing a probe bearing an electrochemically active ferrocene residue. Despite the area of the two nanostructures being quite similar, the response toward a 2 nM target oligonucleotide sequence is particularly high when using the surface built up by nanoparticle deposition. This aspect indicates that morphologic details of the nanostructure play a key role in conditioning the performances of the genosensors.

Development of a gold-nanostructured surface for amperometric genosensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zanardi, Chiara; Baldoli, Clara; Licandro, Emanuela; Terzi, Fabio; Seeber, Renato

2012-01-01

A gold-nanostructured surface has been obtained by stable deposition of chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (2.1–5.5 nm size range) on a gold substrate through a dithiol linker. The method proposed for the obtainment of the nanostructure is suitable for the further stable anchoring of a peptide nucleic acid oligomer through four amine groups of lysine terminal residues, leading to fairly reproducible systems. The geometric area of the nanostructured surface is compared with those of a smooth and of an electrochemically generated nanostructured surface by depositing a probe bearing an electrochemically active ferrocene residue. Despite the area of the two nanostructures being quite similar, the response toward a 2 nM target oligonucleotide sequence is particularly high when using the surface built up by nanoparticle deposition. This aspect indicates that morphologic details of the nanostructure play a key role in conditioning the performances of the genosensors.

Nanostructured films of metal particles obtained by laser ablation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muniz-Miranda, M., E-mail: muniz@unifi.it [Dipartimento di Chimica “U. Schiff”, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Gellini, C. [Dipartimento di Chimica “U. Schiff”, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Giorgetti, E.; Margheri, G.; Marsili, P. [Istituto Sistemi Complessi (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Lascialfari, L.; Becucci, L. [Dipartimento di Chimica “U. Schiff”, Università di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Trigari, S. [Istituto Sistemi Complessi (CNR), Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Giammanco, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica “E. Fermi”, Università di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa (Italy)

2013-09-30

Colloidal dispersions of silver and gold nanoparticles were obtained in pure water by ablation with nanosecond pulsed laser. Then, by filtration of the metal particles on alumina, we fabricated nanostructured films, whose surface morphology was examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and related to surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) after adsorption of adenine. - Highlights: • Ag and Au colloidal nanoparticles were obtained by laser ablation. • Nanostructured Ag and Au films were fabricated by filtration of metal nanoparticles. • Surface morphology of metal films was investigated by atomic force microscopy. • Surface-enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) of adenine on metal films were obtained. • SERS enhancements were related to the surface roughness of the metal films.

Interfacing nanostructures to biological cells

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Xing; Bertozzi, Carolyn R.; Zettl, Alexander K.

2012-09-04

Disclosed herein are methods and materials by which nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes, nanorods, etc. are bound to lectins and/or polysaccharides and prepared for administration to cells. Also disclosed are complexes comprising glycosylated nanostructures, which bind selectively to cells expressing glycosylated surface molecules recognized by the lectin. Exemplified is a complex comprising a carbon nanotube functionalized with a lipid-like alkane, linked to a polymer bearing repeated .alpha.-N-acetylgalactosamine sugar groups. This complex is shown to selectively adhere to the surface of living cells, without toxicity. In the exemplified embodiment, adherence is mediated by a multivalent lectin, which binds both to the cells and the .alpha.-N-acetylgalactosamine groups on the nanostructure.

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pruna, R., E-mail: rpruna@el.ub.edu; Palacio, F.; López, M. [SIC, Departament d' Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Pérez, J. [Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Mir, M. [Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 15-21, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11, E-28029 Madrid (Spain); Blázquez, O.; Hernández, S.; Garrido, B. [MIND-IN" 2UB, Departament d' Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2016-08-08

The electroactivity of nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) has been investigated for its further use in applications such as sensing biological compounds by the analysis of redox active molecules. ITO films were fabricated by using electron beam evaporation at different substrate temperatures and subsequently annealed for promoting their crystallization. The morphology of the deposited material was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, confirming the deposition of either thin films or nanowires, depending on the substrate temperature. Electrochemical surface characterization revealed a 45 % increase in the electroactive surface area of nanostructured ITO with respect to thin films, one third lower than the geometrical surface area variation determined by atomic force microscopy. ITO surfaces were functionalized with a model organic molecule known as 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol. The chemical attachment was done by means of a glycidoxy compound containing a reactive epoxy group, the so-called 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane. ITO functionalization was useful for determining the benefits of nanostructuration on the surface coverage of active molecules. Compared to ITO thin films, an increase in the total peak height of 140 % was observed for as-deposited nanostructured electrodes, whereas the same measurement for annealed electrodes resulted in an increase of more than 400 %. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability of nanostructured ITO to increase the surface-to-volume ratio, conductivity and surface area functionalization, features that highly benefit the performance of biosensors.

Electrochemical characterization of organosilane-functionalized nanostructured ITO surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruna, R.; Palacio, F.; López, M.; Pérez, J.; Mir, M.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Blázquez, O.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Hernández, S.; 2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" data-affiliation=" (MIND-IN2UB, Departament d'Enginyeries: Electrònica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Martí i Franquès 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain))" >Garrido, B.

2016-01-01

The electroactivity of nanostructured indium tin oxide (ITO) has been investigated for its further use in applications such as sensing biological compounds by the analysis of redox active molecules. ITO films were fabricated by using electron beam evaporation at different substrate temperatures and subsequently annealed for promoting their crystallization. The morphology of the deposited material was monitored by scanning electron microscopy, confirming the deposition of either thin films or nanowires, depending on the substrate temperature. Electrochemical surface characterization revealed a 45 % increase in the electroactive surface area of nanostructured ITO with respect to thin films, one third lower than the geometrical surface area variation determined by atomic force microscopy. ITO surfaces were functionalized with a model organic molecule known as 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol. The chemical attachment was done by means of a glycidoxy compound containing a reactive epoxy group, the so-called 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy-silane. ITO functionalization was useful for determining the benefits of nanostructuration on the surface coverage of active molecules. Compared to ITO thin films, an increase in the total peak height of 140 % was observed for as-deposited nanostructured electrodes, whereas the same measurement for annealed electrodes resulted in an increase of more than 400 %. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability of nanostructured ITO to increase the surface-to-volume ratio, conductivity and surface area functionalization, features that highly benefit the performance of biosensors.

Photoemission electron microscopy of localized surface plasmons in silver nanostructures at telecommunication wavelengths

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mårsell, Erik; Larsen, Esben W.; Arnold, Cord L.; Xu, Hongxing; Mauritsson, Johan; Mikkelsen, Anders, E-mail: anders.mikkelsen@sljus.lu.se [Department of Physics, Lund University, P.O. Box 118, 22 100 Lund (Sweden)

2015-02-28

We image the field enhancement at Ag nanostructures using femtosecond laser pulses with a center wavelength of 1.55 μm. Imaging is based on non-linear photoemission observed in a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM). The images are directly compared to ultra violet PEEM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging of the same structures. Further, we have carried out atomic scale scanning tunneling microscopy on the same type of Ag nanostructures and on the Au substrate. Measuring the photoelectron spectrum from individual Ag particles shows a larger contribution from higher order photoemission processes above the work function threshold than would be predicted by a fully perturbative model, consistent with recent results using shorter wavelengths. Investigating a wide selection of both Ag nanoparticles and nanowires, field enhancement is observed from 30% of the Ag nanoparticles and from none of the nanowires. No laser-induced damage is observed of the nanostructures neither during the PEEM experiments nor in subsequent SEM analysis. By direct comparison of SEM and PEEM images of the same nanostructures, we can conclude that the field enhancement is independent of the average nanostructure size and shape. Instead, we propose that the variations in observed field enhancement could originate from the wedge interface between the substrate and particles electrically connected to the substrate.

Silver nanoprisms self-assembly on differently functionalized silica surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilipavicius, J; Chodosovskaja, A; Beganskiene, A; Kareiva, A

2015-01-01

In this work colloidal silica/silver nanoprisms (NPRs) composite coatings were made. Firstly colloidal silica sols were synthesized by sol-gel method and produced coatings on glass by dip-coating technique. Next coatings were silanized by (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), N-[3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (AEAPTMS), (3- Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). Silver NPRs where synthesized via seed-mediated method and high yield of 94±15 nm average edge length silver NPRs were obtained with surface plasmon resonance peak at 921 nm. Silica-Silver NPRs composite coatings obtained by selfassembly on silica coated-functionalized surface. In order to find the most appropriate silanization way for Silver NPRs self-assembly, the composite coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), water contact angle (CA) and surface free energy (SFE) methods. Results have showed that surface functionalization is necessary to achieve self-assembled Ag NPRs layer. MPTMS silanized coatings resulted sparse distribution of Ag NPRs. Most homogeneous, even distribution composite coatings obtained on APTES functionalized silica coatings, while AEAPTMS induced strong aggregation of Silver NPRs

SERS activity of silver and gold nanostructured thin films deposited by pulsed laser ablation

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, N. R.; Tommasini, M.; Fazio, E.; Neri, F.; Ponterio, R. C.; Trusso, S.; Ossi, P. M.

2014-10-01

Nanostructured Au and Ag thin films were obtained by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in presence of a controlled Ar atmosphere. Keeping constant other deposition parameters such as target-to-substrate distance, incidence angle, laser wavelength and laser fluence, the film morphology, revealed by SEM, ranges from isolated NPs to island structures and sensibly depends on gas pressure (10-100 Pa) and on the laser pulse number (500-3 × 10). The control of these two parameters allows tailoring the morphology and correspondingly the optical properties of the films. The position and width of the surface plasmon resonance peak, in fact, can be varied with continuity. The films showed remarkable surface-enhanced Raman activity (SERS) that depends on the adopted deposition conditions. Raman maps were acquired on micrometer-sized areas of both silver and gold substrates selected among those with the strongest SERS activity. Organic dyes of interest in cultural heritage studies (alizarin, purpurin) have been also considered for bench marking the substrates produced in this work. Also the ability to detect the presence of biomolecules was tested using lysozyme in a label free configuration.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectrum of Gly-Gly adsorbed on the silver colloidal surface

Science.gov (United States)

Xiaojuan, Yuan; Huaimin, Gu; Jiwei, Wu

2010-08-01

Raman and SERS spectra of homodipeptide Gly-Gly and Gly were recorded and compared in this paper, and band assignment for the functional groups contained in these molecules was analyzed in detail. Time-dependent and pH-dependent SERS spectra of Gly-Gly molecule adsorbed on nano-colloidal silver surface were also studied. The time-dependent SERS spectra of Gly-Gly are characterized by the increase in intensity of bands primarily representing the vibrational signatures emanating from the amino and amide moiety of Gly-Gly molecule. It is found that the adsorption style of Gly-Gly on the silver colloid changes as time goes on; at 5 min after adding the sample to the silver colloid, Gly-Gly adsorbs on silver surface firstly through the carboxylate, amino and amide groups, and then the carboxylate group is far away from the silver surface at 10 min to 3 days. The SERS variation of Gly-Gly with the change of pH suggests that the adsorption style is pH-dependent, the different adsorption behavior of the Gly-Gly occurs on silver surface at different pH values.

Stereophotogrammetric study of surface topography in ion irradiated silver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, V.N.; Fayazov, I.M.

1993-01-01

The irradiated surface topography of polycrystalline silver was studied using the stereophotogrammetric method. The surface of silver was irradiated with 30 keV argon ions at variation for the ion incidence angle in interval of 0-80 deg relative to a surface normal. The influence of the inclination angle of the sample in the SEM on the cone shape of a SEM-picture of the irradiated surface is discussed. The parameters of cones on the irradiated surface of silver were measured by the SEM-stereomethod. The measurements of the sample section perpendicular to the incidence plane are also carried out

Color and dichroism of silver-stained glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molina, Gloria; Murcia, Sonia; Molera, Judit; Roldan, Clodoaldo; Crespo, Daniel; Pradell, Trinitat

2013-01-01

Yellow decorations in glasses have been produced since the beginning of the fourteenth century by incorporating metallic silver nanoparticles into the glass (from a few to some tens of nanometers). The optical response of the glass-particles composite is determined by the surface plasmon resonance absorption and scattering of the nanometric metallic particles. Generally, the same color is perceived in reflection and in transmission although dichroic effects are occasionally observed. As silver-stained glasses were designed to be observed in transmission, tuning the transmission color from yellow to red was of technological interest. The relationship between the color observed both in transmission and reflection and the composition and nanostructure of regular (yellow) and dichroic (yellow and red) silver stains from the Renaissance (late fifteenth and sixteenth century, respectively) is related to the presence of a layer (of about 10–20 μm thick) of metallic silver nanoparticles (from few to 100 nm in size). The correlation between the colors observed and the silver stain nanostructure is studied with particular emphasis on the origin of the dichroic behavior. The optical response is computed and compared to the experimental data. Differences in the synthesis parameters responsible for the colors and for the dichroic behavior of the silver stain glasses are proposed. This is essential for the replication of the glass pieces which are required as replacements in the restoration/conservation of the windows but is also of broader interest

Color and dichroism of silver-stained glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molina, Gloria [Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Center for Research in NanoEngineering (Spain); Murcia, Sonia [Universidad de Valencia, Instituto de Ciencia de los Materiales (Spain); Molera, Judit [Universitat de Vic, GRTD, Escola Politecnica Superior (Spain); Roldan, Clodoaldo [Universidad de Valencia, Instituto de Ciencia de los Materiales (Spain); Crespo, Daniel; Pradell, Trinitat, E-mail: Trinitat.Pradell@upc.edu [Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Center for Research in NanoEngineering (Spain)

2013-09-15

Yellow decorations in glasses have been produced since the beginning of the fourteenth century by incorporating metallic silver nanoparticles into the glass (from a few to some tens of nanometers). The optical response of the glass-particles composite is determined by the surface plasmon resonance absorption and scattering of the nanometric metallic particles. Generally, the same color is perceived in reflection and in transmission although dichroic effects are occasionally observed. As silver-stained glasses were designed to be observed in transmission, tuning the transmission color from yellow to red was of technological interest. The relationship between the color observed both in transmission and reflection and the composition and nanostructure of regular (yellow) and dichroic (yellow and red) silver stains from the Renaissance (late fifteenth and sixteenth century, respectively) is related to the presence of a layer (of about 10-20 {mu}m thick) of metallic silver nanoparticles (from few to 100 nm in size). The correlation between the colors observed and the silver stain nanostructure is studied with particular emphasis on the origin of the dichroic behavior. The optical response is computed and compared to the experimental data. Differences in the synthesis parameters responsible for the colors and for the dichroic behavior of the silver stain glasses are proposed. This is essential for the replication of the glass pieces which are required as replacements in the restoration/conservation of the windows but is also of broader interest.

Assessing bio-available silver released from silver nanoparticles embedded in silica layers using the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as bio-sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pugliara, Alessandro [nMat group-CEMES (Centre d' Elaboration de Matériaux et d' Etudes Structurales)-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France); LAPLACE (LAboratoire PLAsma et Conversion d' Energie), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, INPT, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse (France); Makasheva, Kremena; Despax, Bernard [LAPLACE (LAboratoire PLAsma et Conversion d' Energie), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, INPT, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse (France); Bayle, Maxime; Carles, Robert; Benzo, Patrizio; BenAssayag, Gérard; Pécassou, Béatrice [nMat group-CEMES (Centre d' Elaboration de Matériaux et d' Etudes Structurales)-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France); Sancho, Maria Carmen; Navarro, Enrique [IPE (Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología)-CSIC, Avda. Montañana 1005, Zaragoza 50059 (Spain); Echegoyen, Yolanda [I3A, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Zaragoza, C/ María de Luna 3, 50018, Zaragoza (Spain); Bonafos, Caroline, E-mail: bonafos@cemes.fr [nMat group-CEMES (Centre d' Elaboration de Matériaux et d' Etudes Structurales)-CNRS, Université de Toulouse, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, BP 94347, F-31055 Toulouse Cedex 4 (France)

2016-09-15

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) because of their strong antibacterial activity are widely used in health-care sector and industrial applications. Their huge surface-volume ratio enhances the silver release compared to the bulk material, leading to an increased toxicity for microorganisms sensitive to this element. This work presents an assessment of the toxic effect on algal photosynthesis due to small (size < 20 nm) AgNPs embedded in silica layers. Two physical approaches were originally used to elaborate the nanocomposite structures: (i) low energy ion beam synthesis and (ii) combined silver sputtering and plasma polymerization. These techniques allow elaboration of a single layer of AgNPs embedded in silica films at defined nanometer distances (from 0 to 7 nm) beneath the free surface. The structural and optical properties of the nanostructures were studied by transmission electron microscopy and optical reflectance. The silver release from the nanostructures after 20 h of immersion in buffered water was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and ranges between 0.02 and 0.49 μM. The short-term toxicity of Ag to photosynthesis of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was assessed by fluorometry. The obtained results show that embedding AgNPs reduces the interactions with the buffered water free media, protecting the AgNPs from fast oxidation. The release of bio-available silver (impacting on the algal photosynthesis) is controlled by the depth at which AgNPs are located for a given host matrix. This provides a procedure to tailor the toxicity of nanocomposites containing AgNPs. - Highlights: • Controlled synthesis of 2D arrays of silver nanoparticles embedded in silica. • Assessing bio-available silver release using the green algae as bio-sensors. • The Ag release can be controlled by the distance nanoparticles/dielectric surface. • All the Ag released in solution is in the form of Ag{sup +} ions. • Toxicity comparable to similar concentrations of

Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Tegenkamp, Christoph

2009-01-07

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF(2), MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior.

Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tegenkamp, Christoph [Institut fuer Festkoerperphysik, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet Hannover, Appelstrasse 2, D-30167 Hannover (Germany)], E-mail: tegenkamp@fkp.uni-hannover.de

2009-01-07

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF{sub 2}, MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior. (topical review)

Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tegenkamp, Christoph

2009-01-01

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF 2 , MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior. (topical review)

Fabrication of flexible silver nanowire conductive films and transmittance improvement based on moth-eye nanostructure array

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chengpeng; Zhu, Yuwen; Yi, Peiyun; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

2017-07-01

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely used in optoelectronic devices, such as touch screens, liquid-crystal displays and light-emitting diodes. To date, the material of the most commonly used TCEs was indium-tin oxide (ITO), which had several intrinsic drawbacks that limited its applications in the long term, including relatively high material cost and brittleness. Silver nanowire (AgNW), as one of the alternative materials for ITO TCEs, has already gained much attention all over the world. In this paper, we reported a facile method to greatly enhance the transmittance of the AgNW TCEs without reducing the electrical conductivity based on moth-eye nanostructures, and the moth-eye nanostructures were fabricated by using a roll-to-roll ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography process. Besides, the effects of mechanical pressure and bending on the moth-eye nanostructure layer were also investigated. In the research, the optical transmittance of the flexible AgNW TCEs was enhanced from 81.3% to 86.0% by attaching moth-eye nanostructures onto the other side of the flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate while the electrical conductivity of the AgNW TCEs was not sacrificed. This research can provide a direction for the cost-effective fabrication of moth-eye nanostructures and the transmittance improvement of the flexible transparent electrodes.

Fabrication of flexible silver nanowire conductive films and transmittance improvement based on moth-eye nanostructure array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chengpeng; Zhu, Yuwen; Yi, Peiyun; Peng, Linfa; Lai, Xinmin

2017-01-01

Transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) are widely used in optoelectronic devices, such as touch screens, liquid-crystal displays and light-emitting diodes. To date, the material of the most commonly used TCEs was indium-tin oxide (ITO), which had several intrinsic drawbacks that limited its applications in the long term, including relatively high material cost and brittleness. Silver nanowire (AgNW), as one of the alternative materials for ITO TCEs, has already gained much attention all over the world. In this paper, we reported a facile method to greatly enhance the transmittance of the AgNW TCEs without reducing the electrical conductivity based on moth-eye nanostructures, and the moth-eye nanostructures were fabricated by using a roll-to-roll ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography process. Besides, the effects of mechanical pressure and bending on the moth-eye nanostructure layer were also investigated. In the research, the optical transmittance of the flexible AgNW TCEs was enhanced from 81.3% to 86.0% by attaching moth-eye nanostructures onto the other side of the flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate while the electrical conductivity of the AgNW TCEs was not sacrificed. This research can provide a direction for the cost-effective fabrication of moth-eye nanostructures and the transmittance improvement of the flexible transparent electrodes. (paper)

Study on the effect of ambient gas on nanostructure formation on metal surfaces during femtosecond laser ablation for fabrication of low-reflective surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smausz, Tomi, E-mail: tomi@physx.u-szeged.hu [MTA-SZTE Research Group on Photoacoustic Spectroscopy, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Csizmadia, Tamás [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Attosecond Light Pulse Source, ELI-Hu Nkft, H-6720 Szeged, Dugonics ter 13 (Hungary); Tápai, Csaba; Kopniczky, Judit [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary); Oszkó, Albert [Department of Physical Chemistry and Material Science, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Aradi vértanuk tere 1 (Hungary); Ehrhardt, Martin; Lorenz, Pierre; Zimmer, Klaus; Prager, Andrea [Leibniz-Institut für Oberflächenmodifizierung e.V., Permoserstr. 15, 04318 Leipzig (Germany); Hopp, Béla [Department of Optics and Quantum Electronics, University of Szeged, H-6720 Szeged, Dóm tér 9 (Hungary)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • Metal surfaces were irradiated with femtosecond laser in different gas environments. • The reflectivity, morphology and chemical composition of the surfaces were studied. • Darkening was influenced by chemical and physical interaction of the plume and gas. • Molecular mass of the applied gas had an impact on the nanostructure formation. • For some of the used metals the oxide formation affected the reflective properties. - Abstract: Nanostructure formation on bulk metals (silver, gold, copper and titanium) by femtosecond Ti-sapphire laser irradiation (775 nm, 150 fs) is studied aiming the production of low-reflectivity surfaces and the better understanding of the development process. The experiments were performed in nitrogen, air, oxygen and helium environments at atmospheric pressure. The samples were irradiated with fluences in the 0.1–2 J/cm{sup 2} range and an average pulse number of 100 falling over a given area. The reflectivity of the treated surfaces was determined by a microspectrometer in the 450–800 nm range and their morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The gas ambience influenced the results via two effects: formation processes and the chemically-induced modifications of the nanostructures. In case of He the nanoparticle aggregates–otherwise generally present–are predominantly missing, which leads to a lower darkening efficiency. The presence of oxygen enhances the darkening effect for copper mostly at lower fluences, while causes a slow increase in reflectivity in the case of titanium (in case of pure oxygen) in the high fluence range. The surface morphology in case of nitrogen and air were quite similar probably due to their close molecular mass values.

Laser-induced atomic assembling of periodic layered nanostructures of silver nanoparticles in fluoro-polymer film matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bagratashvili, V N; Minaev, N V; Timashev, P S; Yusupov, V I; Rybaltovsky, A O; Firsov, V V

2010-01-01

Fluorinated acrylic polymer (FAP) films have been impregnated with silver precursor (Ag(hfac)COD) by supercritical fluid technique and next irradiated with laser (λ = 532 nm). Laser-chemically reduced Ag atoms have been assembled into massifs of Ag nanoparticles (3 – 8 nm) in FAP/Ag(hfac)COD films matrix in the form of periodic layered nanostructures (horizontal to film surface) with unexpectedly short period (90 – 180 nm). The wavelet analysis of TEM images reveals the existence of even shorter-period structures in such films. Photolysis with non-coherent light or pyrolysis of FAP/Ag(hfac)COD film results in formation of Ag nanoparticles massifs but free of any periodic nanoparticle assemblies. Our interpretation of the observed effect of laser formation of short-period nano-sized Ag nanoparticle assemblies is based on self-enhanced interference process in the course of modification of optical properties of film

Antibacterial effect of silver nanofilm modified stainless steel surface

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, F.; Kennedy, J.; Dhillon, M.; Flint, S.

2015-03-01

Bacteria can attach to stainless steel surfaces, resulting in the colonization of the surface known as biofilms. The release of bacteria from biofilms can cause contamination of food such as dairy products in manufacturing plants. This study aimed to modify stainless steel surfaces with silver nanofilms and to examine the antibacterial effectiveness of the modified surface. Ion implantation was applied to produce silver nanofilms on stainless steel surfaces. 35 keV Ag ions were implanted with various fluences of 1 × 1015 to 1 × 1017 ions•cm-2 at room temperature. Representative atomic force microscopy characterizations of the modified stainless steel are presented. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry spectra revealed the implanted atoms were located in the near-surface region. Both unmodified and modified stainless steel coupons were then exposed to two types of bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Streptococcus thermophilus, to determine the effect of the surface modification on bacterial attachment and biofilm development. The silver modified coupon surface fluoresced red over most of the surface area implying that most bacteria on coupon surface were dead. This study indicates that the silver nanofilm fabricated by the ion implantation method is a promising way of reducing the attachment of bacteria and delay biofilm formation.

Chemically Designed Metallic/Insulating Hybrid Nanostructures with Silver Nanocrystals for Highly Sensitive Wearable Pressure Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Haneun; Lee, Seung-Wook; Joh, Hyungmok; Seong, Mingi; Lee, Woo Seok; Kang, Min Su; Pyo, Jun Beom; Oh, Soong Ju

2018-01-10

With the increase in interest in wearable tactile pressure sensors for e-skin, researches to make nanostructures to achieve high sensitivity have been actively conducted. However, limitations such as complex fabrication processes using expensive equipment still exist. Herein, simple lithography-free techniques to develop pyramid-like metal/insulator hybrid nanostructures utilizing nanocrystals (NCs) are demonstrated. Ligand-exchanged and unexchanged silver NC thin films are used as metallic and insulating components, respectively. The interfaces of each NC layer are chemically engineered to create discontinuous insulating layers, i.e., spacers for improved sensitivity, and eventually to realize fully solution-processed pressure sensors. Device performance analysis with structural, chemical, and electronic characterization and conductive atomic force microscopy study reveals that hybrid nanostructure based pressure sensor shows an enhanced sensitivity of higher than 500 kPa -1 , reliability, and low power consumption with a wide range of pressure sensing. Nano-/micro-hierarchical structures are also designed by combining hybrid nanostructures with conventional microstructures, exhibiting further enhanced sensing range and achieving a record sensitivity of 2.72 × 10 4 kPa -1 . Finally, all-solution-processed pressure sensor arrays with high pixel density, capable of detecting delicate signals with high spatial selectivity much better than the human tactile threshold, are introduced.

Preparation of surface conductive and highly reflective silvered polyimide films by surface modification and in situ self-metallization technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zhanpeng; Wu Dezhen; Qi Shengli; Zhang Teng; Jin Riguang

2005-01-01

Double surface conductive and reflective flexible silvered polyimide films have been prepared by alkali hydroxylation of polyimide film surface and incorporation of silver ions through subsequent ion exchange. Thermal curing of silver(I) polyamate precursor leads to re-cycloimidization of modified surface with concomitant silver reduction, yielding a reflective and conductive silver surface approaching that of native metal. The reflective and conductive surface evolves only when the cure temperature rises to 300 deg. C. The metallized films usually retain the essential mechanical properties of the parent films. Films were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM demonstrates that the diameter of close-packed silver particles of the silver layers was about 50-150 nm. TEM shows that thickness of silver layer on the polyimide film surface is about 400-600 nm

Amontonian frictional behaviour of nanostructured surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Pilkington, Georgia A; Thormann, Esben; Claesson, Per M; Fuge, Gareth M; Fox, Oliver J L; Ashfold, Michael N R; Leese, Hannah; Mattia, Davide; Briscoe, Wuge H

2011-05-28

With nanotextured surfaces and interfaces increasingly being encountered in technological and biomedical applications, there is a need for a better understanding of frictional properties involving such surfaces. Here we report friction measurements of several nanostructured surfaces using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). These nanostructured surfaces provide well defined model systems on which we have tested the applicability of Amontons' laws of friction. Our results show that Amontonian behaviour is observed with each of the surfaces studied. However, no correlation has been found between measured friction and various surface roughness parameters such as average surface roughness (R(a)) and root mean squared (rms) roughness. Instead, we propose that the friction coefficient may be decomposed into two contributions, i.e., μ = μ(0) + μ(g), with the intrinsic friction coefficient μ(0) accounting for the chemical nature of the surfaces and the geometric friction coefficient μ(g) for the presence of nanotextures. We have found a possible correlation between μ(g) and the average local slope of the surface nanotextures. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

2015-11-15

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

Reversible tuning of the wettability on a silver mesodendritic surface by the formation and disruption of lipid-like bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Yuanji; Xia, Bing; Liu, Jie; Ding, Lisheng; Li, Bangjing; Zhou, Yan, E-mail: zhouyan@cib.ac.cn

2015-02-28

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We report a reversible solvent-induced transition from superhydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. • We tuned reversibly the wettability based on the silver mesodendritic structure. • The lipid-like bilayers are formed via non-covalent bond. • Wettability switching on liquid/solid interfaces was achieved by tuning the surface chemical composition. - Abstract: This study reported a smart, easy to apply, flexible and green strategy for obtaining a biomimic micro-nanostructures. 1-Mercapto-12-(p-nitrophenoxy) dodecane (MPND) and n-dodecanethiol were used to form low surface energy film on a silver mesodendritic structure coated zinc substrate. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize surface morphology and mesocrystal structures. Noncovalently linked sodium nonanoyloxy benzene sulfonate (NOBS) was used to form “lipid-like bilayers” on the surface, making it possible for the surface to switch its surface wettability reversibly. The water contact angle (CA) on the constructed surface varies from 168 ± 2° (before processed by NOBS) to 55 ± 2° (after processed by NOBS). This phenomenon can be explained by the formation and disruption of “lipid-like bilayers” to affect the wettability of the surface. This work is of great scientific interests and may provide insights into the design of novel functional devices that are relevant to surface wettability, such as microfluidic devices and sensors.

Reversible tuning of the wettability on a silver mesodendritic surface by the formation and disruption of lipid-like bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Yuanji; Xia, Bing; Liu, Jie; Ding, Lisheng; Li, Bangjing; Zhou, Yan

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We report a reversible solvent-induced transition from superhydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. • We tuned reversibly the wettability based on the silver mesodendritic structure. • The lipid-like bilayers are formed via non-covalent bond. • Wettability switching on liquid/solid interfaces was achieved by tuning the surface chemical composition. - Abstract: This study reported a smart, easy to apply, flexible and green strategy for obtaining a biomimic micro-nanostructures. 1-Mercapto-12-(p-nitrophenoxy) dodecane (MPND) and n-dodecanethiol were used to form low surface energy film on a silver mesodendritic structure coated zinc substrate. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize surface morphology and mesocrystal structures. Noncovalently linked sodium nonanoyloxy benzene sulfonate (NOBS) was used to form “lipid-like bilayers” on the surface, making it possible for the surface to switch its surface wettability reversibly. The water contact angle (CA) on the constructed surface varies from 168 ± 2° (before processed by NOBS) to 55 ± 2° (after processed by NOBS). This phenomenon can be explained by the formation and disruption of “lipid-like bilayers” to affect the wettability of the surface. This work is of great scientific interests and may provide insights into the design of novel functional devices that are relevant to surface wettability, such as microfluidic devices and sensors

Wetting characteristics of 3-dimensional nanostructured fractal surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Ethan; Liu, Ying; Jiang, Lijia; Lu, Yongfeng; Ndao, Sidy

2017-01-01

This article reports the fabrication and wetting characteristics of 3-dimensional nanostructured fractal surfaces (3DNFS). Three distinct 3DNFS surfaces, namely cubic, Romanesco broccoli, and sphereflake were fabricated using two-photon direct laser writing. Contact angle measurements were performed on the multiscale fractal surfaces to characterize their wetting properties. Average contact angles ranged from 66.8° for the smooth control surface to 0° for one of the fractal surfaces. The change in wetting behavior was attributed to modification of the interfacial surface properties due to the inclusion of 3-dimensional hierarchical fractal nanostructures. However, this behavior does not exactly obey existing surface wetting models in the literature. Potential applications for these types of surfaces in physical and biological sciences are also discussed.

Adsorption of iodide and iodate on colloidal silver surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Aiping; Tie Xiaoyun; Zhang Jinzhi; An Yanwei; Li Lingjie

2008-01-01

'Chemically pure' silver colloids were prepared by laser ablated method to investigate their adsorption-induced spectral and morphologic changes, using UV-visible absorption, Raman and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, when nucleophilic different anions (IO 3 - and I - ) were added into sols. It reveals that the adsorption of nucleophiles on silver surfaces leads to an excess negative charge in the metal interior and modifies both surface charge density and the Fermi levels of metal, which is responsible for the colloidal aggregation, reconstruction and appearance of new resonance absorption bands or with wavelength shift. In addition, two models regarding different adsorption effects of these two anions on silver surfaces were proposed to explain their variant spectral and TEM phenomena.

The surface nanostructures of titanium alloy regulate the proliferation of endothelial cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Lai

2014-02-01

Full Text Available To investigate the effect of surface nanostructures on the behaviors of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs, surface nanostructured titanium alloy (Ti-3Zr2Sn-3Mo-25Nb, TLM was fabricated by surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT technique. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, atomic force microscopy (AFM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD were employed to characterize the surface nanostructures of the TLM, respectively. The results demonstrated that nano-crystalline structures with several tens of nanometers were formed on the surface of TLM substrates. The HUVECs grown onto the surface nanostructured TLM spread well and expressed more vinculin around the edges of cells. More importantly, HUVECs grown onto the surface nanostructured TLM displayed significantly higher (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05 cell adhesion and viabilities than those of native titanium alloy. HUVECs cultured on the surface nanostructured titanium alloy displayed significantly higher (p < 0.01 or p < 0.05 productions of nitric oxide (NO and prostacyclin (PGI2 than those of native titanium alloy, respectively. This study provides an alternative for the development of titanium alloy based vascular stents.

Field-assisted synthesis of SERS-active silver nanoparticles using conducting polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ping; Jeon, Sea-Ho; Mack, Nathan H.; Doorn, Stephen K.; Williams, Darrick J.; Han, Xijiang; Wang, Hsing-Lin

2010-08-01

A gradient of novel silver nanostructures with widely varying sizes and morphologies is fabricated on a single conducting polyaniline-graphite (P-G) membrane with the assistance of an external electric field. It is believed that the formation of such a silver gradient is a synergetic consequence of the generation of a silver ion concentration gradient along with an electrokinetic flow of silver ions in the field-assisted model, which greatly influences the nucleation and growth mechanism of Ag particles on the P-G membrane. The produced silver dendrites, flowers and microspheres, with sharp edges, intersections and bifurcations, all present strong surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) responses toward an organic target molecule, mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA). This facile field-assisted synthesis of Ag nanoparticles via chemical reduction presents an alternative approach to nanomaterial fabrication, which can yield a wide range of unique structures with enhanced optical properties that were previously inaccessible by other synthetic routes.A gradient of novel silver nanostructures with widely varying sizes and morphologies is fabricated on a single conducting polyaniline-graphite (P-G) membrane with the assistance of an external electric field. It is believed that the formation of such a silver gradient is a synergetic consequence of the generation of a silver ion concentration gradient along with an electrokinetic flow of silver ions in the field-assisted model, which greatly influences the nucleation and growth mechanism of Ag particles on the P-G membrane. The produced silver dendrites, flowers and microspheres, with sharp edges, intersections and bifurcations, all present strong surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) responses toward an organic target molecule, mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA). This facile field-assisted synthesis of Ag nanoparticles via chemical reduction presents an alternative approach to nanomaterial fabrication, which can yield a wide range

Surface characteristics and antibacterial activity of a silver-doped carbon monolith

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija Vukčević et al

2008-01-01

Full Text Available A carbon monolith with a silver coating was prepared and its antimicrobial behaviour in a flow system was examined. The functional groups on the surface of the carbon monolith were determined by temperature-programmed desorption and Boehm's method, and the point of zero charge was determined by mass titration. The specific surface area was examined by N2 adsorption using the Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET method. As a test for the surface activity, the deposition of silver from an aqueous solution of a silver salt was used. The morphology and structure of the silver coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The resistance to the attrition of the silver deposited on the carbon monolith was tested. The antimicrobial activity of the carbon monolith with a silver coating was determined using standard microbiological methods. Carbon monolith samples with a silver coating showed good antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans, and are therefore suitable for water purification, particularly as personal disposable water filters with a limited capacity.

Electrically conductive nanostructured silver doped zinc oxide (Ag:ZnO) prepared by solution-immersion technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afaah, A. N.; Asib, N. A. M.; Aadila, A.; Khusaimi, Z.; Mohamed, R.; Rusop, M.

2016-01-01

p-type ZnO films have been fabricated on ZnO-seeded glass substrate, using AgNO_3 as a source of silver dopant by facile solution-immersion. Cleaned glass substrate were seeded with ZnO by mist-atomisation, and next the seeded substrates were immersed in Ag:ZnO solution. The effects of Ag doping concentration on the Ag-doped ZnO have been investigated. The substrates were immersed in different concentrations of Ag dopant with variation of 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 at. %. The surface morphology of the films was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). In order to investigate the electrical properties, the films were characterized by Current-Voltage (I-V) measurement. FESEM micrographs showed uniform distribution of nanostructured ZnO and Ag:ZnO. Besides, the electrical properties of Ag-doped ZnO were also dependent on the doping concentration. The I-V measurement result indicated the electrical properties of 1 at. % Ag:ZnO thin film owned highest electrical conductivity.

Toxicological Assessment of a Lignin Core Nanoparticle Doped with Silver as an Alternative to Conventional Silver Core Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cassandra E. Nix

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Elevated levels of silver in the environment are anticipated with an increase in silver nanoparticle (AgNP production and use in consumer products. To potentially reduce the burden of silver ion release from conventional solid core AgNPs, a lignin-core particle doped with silver ions and surface-stabilized with a polycationic electrolyte layer was engineered. Our objective was to determine whether any of the formulation components elicit toxicological responses using embryonic zebrafish. Ionic silver and free surface stabilizer were the most toxic constituents, although when associated separately or together with the lignin core particles, the toxicity of the formulations decreased significantly. The overall toxicity of lignin formulations containing silver was similar to other studies on a silver mass basis, and led to a significantly higher prevalence of uninflated swim bladder and yolk sac edema. Comparative analysis of dialyzed samples which had leached their loosely bound Ag+, showed a significant increase in mortality immediately after dialysis, in addition to eliciting significant increases in types of sublethal responses relative to the freshly prepared non-dialyzed samples. ICP-OES/MS analysis indicated that silver ion release from the particle into solution was continuous, and the rate of release differed when the surface stabilizer was not present. Overall, our study indicates that the lignin core is an effective alternative to conventional solid core AgNPs for potentially reducing the burden of silver released into the environment from a variety of consumer products.

PARAMETERS OPTIMIZATION OF METAL-DIELECTRIC NANOSTRUCTURES FOR SENSOR APPLICATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. I. Egorov

2014-07-01

Full Text Available We present calculation results of optical properties of silver nanoparticles with dielectric shell in relation to their applications in chemical and biosensors. Absorption cross-section calculation for spherical silver nanoparticles was performed by quasi static dipole approximation. It is shown that dielectric shell thickness equal to 2-3 nm and its refraction index equal to 1,5-1,75 are optimal. Calculation results were compared to experimental data. Experimental investigation of metal-dielectric nanostructures sensitivity to external refraction index was performed. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles with dielectric shell on glass surface was performed by nanosecond laser ablation method in near-surface glass layer at 1,06 μm wavelength (Solar LQ129. Synthesis of silver nanoparticles without a shell on the glass surface with silver ions was performed using thermal treatment in wet atmosphere. Spectrophotometer Cary 500 (Varyan was used for spectral measurements. In case of laser ablation method application, external refraction index changes from 1 (the air to 1,33 (water and plasmon resonance band shift for 6 nm occurs. In case of another method application at the same conditions the registered shift was equal to 13 nm. However, in the latter case the particles can be easily removed from the substrate surface. Obtained results will be useful for developing chemical and biological sensors based on plasmon resonance band shift.

Structural characterization and antimicrobial properties of silver nanoparticles prepared by inverse microemulsion method.

Science.gov (United States)

Wani, Irshad A; Khatoon, Sarvari; Ganguly, Aparna; Ahmed, Jahangeer; Ahmad, Tokeer; Manzoor, Nikhat

2013-01-01

Silver nanoparticles have been synthesized in the inverse microemulsions formed using three different surfactants viz., cetyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), Tergitol and Triton X-100. We have done a systematic study of the effect of the surfactants on the particle size and properties of the silver nanoparticles. Microscopic studies show the formation of spheres, cubes and discs shaped silver nanostructures with the size in the range from 8 to 40 nm. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak was observed around 400 nm and 500 nm. In addition to SPR some extra peaks have also been observed due to the formation of silver metal clusters. The surface area increases from 3.45 to 15.06 m(2)/g with decreasing the size of silver nanoparticles (40-8 nm). To investigate the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles, the nanoparticles were tested against the yeast, Candida albicans and the bacterium, E. coli. The results suggest very good antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles against the test microbes. The mode of action of the antimicrobial activity was also proposed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Geometrically induced surface polaritons in planar nanostructured metallic cavities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davids, P. S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Intravia, F [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Dalvit, Diego A. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2014-01-14

We examine the modal structure and dispersion of periodically nanostructured planar metallic cavities within the scattering matrix formulation. By nanostructuring a metallic grating in a planar cavity, artificial surface excitations or spoof plasmon modes are induced with dispersion determined by the periodicity and geometric characteristics of the grating. These spoof surface plasmon modes are shown to give rise to new cavity polaritonic modes at short mirror separations that modify the density of modes in nanostructured cavities. The increased modal density of states form cavity polarirons have a large impact on the fluctuation induced electromagnetic forces and enhanced hear transfer at short separations.

Understanding the biological responses of nanostructured metals and surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Lowe, Terry C.; Reiss, Rebecca A.

2014-08-01

Metals produced by Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) offer distinct advantages for medical applications such as orthopedic devices, in part because of their nanostructured surfaces. We examine the current theoretical foundations and state of knowledge for nanostructured biomaterials surface optimization within the contexts that apply to bulk nanostructured metals, differentiating how their microstructures impact osteogenesis, in particular, for Ultrafine Grained (UFG) titanium. Then we identify key gaps in the research to date, pointing out areas which merit additional focus within the scientific community. For example, we highlight the potential of next-generation DNA sequencing techniques (NGS) to reveal gene and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression changes induced by nanostructured metals. While our understanding of bio-nano interactions is in its infancy, nanostructured metals are already being marketed or developed for medical devices such as dental implants, spinal devices, and coronary stents. Our ability to characterize and optimize the biological response of cells to SPD metals will have synergistic effects on advances in materials, biological, and medical science.

Understanding the biological responses of nanostructured metals and surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowe, Terry C; A Reiss, Rebecca

2014-01-01

Metals produced by Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD) offer distinct advantages for medical applications such as orthopedic devices, in part because of their nanostructured surfaces. We examine the current theoretical foundations and state of knowledge for nanostructured biomaterials surface optimization within the contexts that apply to bulk nanostructured metals, differentiating how their microstructures impact osteogenesis, in particular, for Ultrafine Grained (UFG) titanium. Then we identify key gaps in the research to date, pointing out areas which merit additional focus within the scientific community. For example, we highlight the potential of next-generation DNA sequencing techniques (NGS) to reveal gene and non-coding RNA (ncRNA) expression changes induced by nanostructured metals. While our understanding of bio-nano interactions is in its infancy, nanostructured metals are already being marketed or developed for medical devices such as dental implants, spinal devices, and coronary stents. Our ability to characterize and optimize the biological response of cells to SPD metals will have synergistic effects on advances in materials, biological, and medical science

Application of aqueous dispersions of silver nanostructures for treatment of pyoinflammatory diseases with a chronic component

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rutberg, Ph; Kolikov, V; Snetov, V; Stogov, A; Moshkin, A; Khalilov, M

2011-01-01

Bactericidal properties of aqueous dispersions of oxide silver nanostructures (ADSN) produced by means of pulsed electric discharges (PED) in water can use in surgery for treatment of upper purulent wounds with a chronic component. The patients with such wounds are of large number and differ on etiology of diseases but their mutual feature is long treatment without marked positive changes. Thus long application of antibiotics leads to abnormality of immune processes and antibacterial resistance of microbial flora. Moreover, local antiseptics are frequently toxic and one can oppress processes of reparation in a wound. The investigation is addressed to finding out the opportunity of usage of an ADSN for treatment of purulent wounds with a chronic component and comparison of its efficiency with the sodium hypochlorite. At investigation, the ADSN formed at PED of 5 - 10 μs duration, with highest share of 'small' (hydrodynamic diameter ≤ 100 nm) nanostructures and greatest surface electric charge we used. It was found that the usage of ADSN during the first 5 days characterized by high active reparative processes with their maximum at 3rd - 4th days and subsequent moderate further healing. At local use of ADSN, there were no cellular atypia and preternatural representations about inflammatory reactions. It is possible to assume that usage of ADSN will allow in prospect to correct the practice of out-patient therapy of chronic and slow pyoinflammatory diseases.

Influence of size-corrected bound-electron contribution on nanometric silver dielectric function. Sizing through optical extinction spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santillán, J M J; Videla, F A; Scaffardi, L B; Schinca, D C; Fernández van Raap, M B; Muraca, D

2013-01-01

The study of metal nanoparticles (NPs) is of great interest due to their ability to enhance optical fields on the nanometric scale, which makes them interesting for various applications in several fields of science and technology. In particular, their optical properties depend on the dielectric function of the metal, its size, shape and surrounding environment. This work analyses the contributions of free and bound electrons to the complex dielectric function of spherical silver NPs and their influence on the optical extinction spectra. The contribution of free electrons is usually corrected for particle size under 10 nm, introducing a modification of the damping constant to account for the extra collisions with the particle's boundary. For the contribution of bound electrons, we considered the interband transitions from the d-band to the conduction band including the size dependence of the electronic density states for radii below 2 nm. Bearing in mind these specific modifications, it was possible to determine optical and band energy parameters by fitting the bulk complex dielectric function. The results obtained from the optimum fit are: K bulk = 2 × 10 24 (coefficient for bound-electron contribution), E g = 1.91 eV (gap energy), E F = 4.12 eV (Fermi energy), and γ b = 1.5 × 10 14 Hz (damping constant for bound electrons). Based on this size-dependent dielectric function, extinction spectra of silver particles in the nanometric–subnanometric radius range can be calculated using Mie's theory, and its size behaviour analysed. These studies are applied to fit experimental extinction spectrum of very small spherical particles fabricated by fs laser ablation of a solid target in water. From the fitting, the structure and size distribution of core radius and shell thickness of the colloidal suspension could be determined. The spectroscopic results suggest that the colloidal suspension is composed by two types of structures: bare core and core–shell. The former

Surface nanostructuring by ion-induced localized plasma expansion in zinc oxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Said, A. S., E-mail: elsaid@kfupm.edu.sa, E-mail: a.s.el-said@hzdr.de [Physics Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), 01328 Dresden (Germany); Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, 35516 Mansoura (Egypt); Moslem, W. M. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Port Said University, Port Said 42521 (Egypt); Centre for Theoretical Physics, British University in Egypt (BUE), El-Shorouk City, Cairo (Egypt); Djebli, M. [Theoretical Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Physics USTHB, B.P. 32 Bab Ezzour, 16079 Algiers (Algeria)

2014-06-09

Creation of hillock-like nanostructures on the surface of zinc oxide single crystals by irradiation with slow highly charged ions is reported. At constant kinetic energy, the nanostructures were only observed after irradiation with ions of potential energies above a threshold between 19.1 keV and 23.3 keV. The size of the nanostructures increases as a function of potential energy. A plasma expansion approach is used to explain the nanostructures creation. The calculations showed that the surface nanostructures became taller with the increase of ionic temperature. The influence of charged cluster formation and the relevance of their polarity are discussed.

Surface nanostructuring by ion-induced localized plasma expansion in zinc oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Said, A. S.; Moslem, W. M.; Djebli, M.

2014-01-01

Creation of hillock-like nanostructures on the surface of zinc oxide single crystals by irradiation with slow highly charged ions is reported. At constant kinetic energy, the nanostructures were only observed after irradiation with ions of potential energies above a threshold between 19.1 keV and 23.3 keV. The size of the nanostructures increases as a function of potential energy. A plasma expansion approach is used to explain the nanostructures creation. The calculations showed that the surface nanostructures became taller with the increase of ionic temperature. The influence of charged cluster formation and the relevance of their polarity are discussed.

Modelling nanostructures with vicinal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mugarza, A; Schiller, F; Kuntze, J; Cordon, J; Ruiz-Oses, M; Ortega, J E

2006-01-01

Vicinal surfaces of the (111) plane of noble metals are characterized by free-electron-like surface states that scatter at one-dimensional step edges, making them ideal model systems to test the electronic properties of periodic lateral nanostructures. Here we use high-resolution, angle-resolved photoemission to analyse the evolution of the surface state on a variety of vicinal surface structures where both the step potential barrier and the superlattice periodicity can vary. A transition in the electron dimensionality is found as we vary the terrace size in single-phase step arrays. In double-phase, periodic faceted surfaces, we observe surface states that characterize each of the phases

Topographic characterization of nanostructures on curved polymer surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj Agentoft; Petersen, Jan C.; Taboryski, Rafael J.

2014-01-01

The availability of portable instrumentation for characterizing surface topography on the micro- and nanometer scale is very limited. Particular the handling of curved surfaces, both concave and convex, is complicated or not possible on current instrumentation. However, the currently growing use...... method with a portable instrument that can be used in a production environment, and topographically characterize nanometer-scale surface structures on both flat and curved surfaces. To facilitate the commercialization of injection moulded polymer parts featuring nanostructures, it is pivotal...... of injection moulding of polymer parts featuring nanostructured surfaces, requires an instrument that can characterize these structures to ensure replication-confidence between master structure and replicated polymer parts. This project concerns the development of a metrological traceable quality control...

Nanostructured Surfaces for Drug Delivery and Anti-Fibrosis

Science.gov (United States)

Kam, Kimberly Renee

Effective and cost-efficient healthcare is at the forefront of public discussion; on both personal and policy levels, technologies that improve therapeutic efficacy without the use of painful hypodermic needle injections or the use of harsh chemicals would prove beneficial to patients. Nanostructured surfaces as structure-mediated permeability enhancers introduce a potentially revolutionary approach to the field of drug delivery. Parental administration routes have been the mainstay technologies for delivering biologics because these therapeutics are too large to permeate epithelial barriers. However, there is a significant patient dislike for hypodermic needles resulting in reduced patient compliance and poor therapeutic results. We present an alternative strategy to harness the body's naturally occurring biological processes and transport mechanisms to enhance the drug transport of biologics across the epithelium. Our strategy offers a paradigm shift from traditional biochemical drug delivery vehicles by using nanotopography to loosen the epithelial barrier. Herein, we demonstrate that nanotopographical cues can be used to enable biologics > 66 kDa to be transported across epithelial monolayers by increasing paracellular transport. When placed in contact with epithelial cells, nanostructured films significantly increase the transport of albumin, IgG, and a model therapeutic, etanercept. Our work highlights the potential to use drug delivery systems which incorporate nanotopographical cues to increase the transport of biologics across epithelial tissue. Furthermore, we describe current advancements in nano- and microfabrication for applications in anti-fibrosis and wound healing. Influencing cellular responses to biomaterials is crucial in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Since cells are surrounded by extracellular matrix features that are on the nanoscale, identifying nanostructures for imparting desirable cellular function could greatly

Transformation of irregular shaped silver nanostructures into nanoparticles by under water pulsed laser melting

Science.gov (United States)

Yadavali, S.; Sandireddy, V. P.; Kalyanaraman, R.

2016-05-01

The ability to easily manufacture nanostructures with a desirable attribute, such as well-defined size and shape, especially from any given initial shapes or sizes of the material, will be helpful towards accelerating the use of nanomaterials in various applications. In this work we report the transformation of discontinuous irregular nanostructures (DIN) of silver metal by rapid heating under a bulk fluid layer. Ag films were changed into DIN by dewetting in air and subsequently heated by nanosecond laser pulses under water. Our findings show that the DIN first ripens into elongated structures and then breaks up into nanoparticles. From the dependence of this behavior on laser fluence we found that under water irradiation reduced the rate of ripening and also decreased the characteristic break-up length scale of the elongated structures. This latter result was qualitatively interpreted as arising from a Rayleigh-Plateau instability modified to yield significantly smaller length scales than the classical process due to pressure gradients arising from the rapid evaporation of water during laser melting. These results demonstrate that it is possible to fabricate a dense collection of monomodally sized Ag nanoparticles with significantly enhanced plasmonic quality starting from the irregular shaped materials. This can be beneficial towards transforming discontinuous Ag films into nanostructures with useful plasmonic properties, that are relevant for biosensing applications.

Surface microtopography of thin silver films

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Manuel F. M.; Almeida, Jose B.

1991-01-01

The authors present ne applications for the recently developed nori-contact optical inicrotopographer emphasizing the results of topographic inspections of thin silver films edges. These films were produced by sputtering of silver through different masks, using a planar magnetron source. The results show the influence ot the thickness and position of the masks on the topography of the film near its edge. Topographic information is obtained from the horizontal shift incurred by the bright spot on an horizontal surface, which is displaced vertically, when this is illuminated by an oblique collimated laser beam. The laser beam is focused onto the surface into a diffraction limited spot and is made to sweep the surface to be examined.. The horizontal position of the bright spot is continuously imaged onto a light detector array and the information about individual detectors that are activated is used to compute the corresponding horizontal shift on the reference plane. Simple trignometric calculations are used to relate the horizontal shift to the distance between the surface and a reference plane at each sampling point and thus a map of the surface topography can be built.

Wetting characteristics of 3-dimensional nanostructured fractal surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davis, Ethan, E-mail: ethan.davis4@huskers.unl.edu [Nano & Microsystems Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, W342 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0526 (United States); Liu, Ying; Jiang, Lijia; Lu, Yongfeng [Laser Assisted Nano Engineering Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 209N Scott Engineering Center, Lincoln, NE 68588-0511 (United States); Ndao, Sidy, E-mail: sndao2@unl.edu [Nano & Microsystems Research Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, W342 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0526 (United States)

2017-01-15

Highlights: • Hierarchically structured surfaces were fabricated on the micro/nano-scale. • These structures reduced the contact angle of the inherently hydrophilic material. • Similar surfaces have applications in two-phase heat transfer and microfluidics. - Abstract: This article reports the fabrication and wetting characteristics of 3-dimensional nanostructured fractal surfaces (3DNFS). Three distinct 3DNFS surfaces, namely cubic, Romanesco broccoli, and sphereflake were fabricated using two-photon direct laser writing. Contact angle measurements were performed on the multiscale fractal surfaces to characterize their wetting properties. Average contact angles ranged from 66.8° for the smooth control surface to 0° for one of the fractal surfaces. The change in wetting behavior was attributed to modification of the interfacial surface properties due to the inclusion of 3-dimensional hierarchical fractal nanostructures. However, this behavior does not exactly obey existing surface wetting models in the literature. Potential applications for these types of surfaces in physical and biological sciences are also discussed.

Wetting characteristics of 3-dimensional nanostructured fractal surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, Ethan; Liu, Ying; Jiang, Lijia; Lu, Yongfeng; Ndao, Sidy

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Hierarchically structured surfaces were fabricated on the micro/nano-scale. • These structures reduced the contact angle of the inherently hydrophilic material. • Similar surfaces have applications in two-phase heat transfer and microfluidics. - Abstract: This article reports the fabrication and wetting characteristics of 3-dimensional nanostructured fractal surfaces (3DNFS). Three distinct 3DNFS surfaces, namely cubic, Romanesco broccoli, and sphereflake were fabricated using two-photon direct laser writing. Contact angle measurements were performed on the multiscale fractal surfaces to characterize their wetting properties. Average contact angles ranged from 66.8° for the smooth control surface to 0° for one of the fractal surfaces. The change in wetting behavior was attributed to modification of the interfacial surface properties due to the inclusion of 3-dimensional hierarchical fractal nanostructures. However, this behavior does not exactly obey existing surface wetting models in the literature. Potential applications for these types of surfaces in physical and biological sciences are also discussed.

Nanostructure-Enabled and Macromolecule-Grafted Surfaces for Biomedical Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madeline Small

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials have enabled the development of functional biomaterials with surface properties that reduce the rate of the device rejection in injectable and implantable biomaterials. In addition, the surface of biomaterials can be functionalized with macromolecules for stimuli-responsive purposes to improve the efficacy and effectiveness in drug release applications. Furthermore, macromolecule-grafted surfaces exhibit a hierarchical nanostructure that mimics nanotextured surfaces for the promotion of cellular responses in tissue engineering. Owing to these unique properties, this review focuses on the grafting of macromolecules on the surfaces of various biomaterials (e.g., films, fibers, hydrogels, and etc. to create nanostructure-enabled and macromolecule-grafted surfaces for biomedical applications, such as thrombosis prevention and wound healing. The macromolecule-modified surfaces can be treated as a functional device that either passively inhibits adverse effects from injectable and implantable devices or actively delivers biological agents that are locally based on proper stimulation. In this review, several methods are discussed to enable the surface of biomaterials to be used for further grafting of macromolecules. In addition, we review surface-modified films (coatings and fibers with respect to several biomedical applications. Our review provides a scientific update on the current achievements and future trends of nanostructure-enabled and macromolecule-grafted surfaces in biomedical applications.

Surface plasmon enhanced interfacial electron transfer and resonance Raman, surface-enhanced resonance Raman studies of cytochrome C mutants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Junwei [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

1999-11-08

Surface plasmon resonance was utilized to enhance the electron transfer at silver/solution interfaces. Photoelectrochemical reductions of nitrite, nitrate, and CO₂ were studied on electrochemically roughened silver electrode surfaces. The dependence of the photocurrent on photon energy, applied potential and concentration of nitrite demonstrates that the photoelectrochemical reduction proceeds via photoemission process followed by the capture of hydrated electrons. The excitation of plasmon resonances in nanosized metal structures resulted in the enhancement of the photoemission process. In the case of photoelectrocatalytic reduction of CO₂, large photoelectrocatalytic effect for the reduction of CO₂ was observed in the presence of surface adsorbed methylviologen, which functions as a mediator for the photoexcited electron transfer from silver metal to CO₂ in solution. Photoinduced reduction of microperoxidase-11 adsorbed on roughened silver electrode was also observed and attributed to the direct photoejection of free electrons of silver metal. Surface plasmon assisted electron transfer at nanostructured silver particle surfaces was further determined by EPR method.

Packaging glass with hierarchically nanostructured surface

KAUST Repository

He, Jr-Hau; Fu, Hui-Chun

2017-01-01

An optical device includes an active region and packaging glass located on top of the active region. A top surface of the packaging glass includes hierarchical nanostructures comprised of honeycombed nanowalls (HNWs) and nanorod (NR) structures

Molecular weight evaluation of poly-dimethylsiloxane on solid surfaces using silver deposition/TOF-SIMS

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, Masae; Murase, Atsushi

2004-06-01

Molecular ions include information about end groups, functional groups and molecular weight. A method for directly detecting this in the high-mass region of the spectrum (>1000 amu) from poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on a solid surface was investigated. It was found that a TOF-SIMS analysis of silver-deposited surfaces (silver deposition/TOF-SIMS) is useful for this purpose. Two methods for silver deposition, the diode sputtering method and the vacuum evaporation coating method, were tried. The former required the sample to be cooled so as to prevent the damage of the sample surface due to thermal oxidation; the latter caused no damage to sample surfaces at room temperature. Using silver deposition/TOF-SIMS analysis, silver-cationized quasi-molecular ions were clearly detected from PDMS on solid surfaces and their images were observed without the interference of deposited silver. By applying to the analysis of paint defects, etc., it was confirmed that this technique is useful to analyze practical industrial materials. Silver-cationized ions were detected not only from PDMS, but also from other organic materials, such as some kinds of lubricant additives and fluorine oils on solid surfaces. Therefore, silver deposition/TOF-SIMS was proved to be useful for the analysis of thin substances on solid surfaces.

Deposition of silver nanoparticles on titanium surface for antibacterial effect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liao Juan

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Liao Juan1, Zhu Zhimin3, Mo Anchun1,2, Li Lei1, Zhang Jingchao11State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China; 2Department of Dental Implant, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR China; 3Department of Prosthodontics, West China Stomatology Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, PR ChinaAbstract: Microbial colonization on implanted devices and biofilm formation is a recurrent complication in implant surgery and may result in loss of implants. The aim of this study was to deposit silver nanoparticles on a titanium surface to obtain antibacterial properties. In the present study, we prepared a silver nanoparticle-modified titanium (Ti-nAg surface using silanization method. The morphology and chemical components of the Ti-nAg surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS. Two species of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, were utilized to test the antibacterial effect of the Ti-nAg treated surface. The SEM examination revealed that a small quantity of silver nanoparticles was sparsely deposited on the titanium surface. The diameter of these nanoparticles ranged from ten to several hundred nm. EDS analyses revealed that there was 4.26% of Ag present on the surface. After a 24-hour incubation, 94% of Staphylococcus aureus and over 95% of Escherichia coli had been killed on the Ti-nAg surface, and the SEM examination of anti-adhesive efficacy test showed that there were less bacteria attached to Ti-nAg surface than to a control surface of untreated Titanium. These data suggest that silver nanoparticle-modified titanium is a promising material with an antibacterial property that may be used as an implantable biomaterial.Keywords: nano-silver, titanium, antibacterial activity, silanization method

Creating Metamaterial Building Blocks with Directed Photochemical Metallization of Silver onto DNA Origami Templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Hossen, Md Mir; Bendickson, Lee; Palo, Pierre; Yao, Zhiqi; Nilsen-Hamilton, Marit; Hillier, Andrew C

2018-06-07

DNA origami can be used to create a variety of complex and geometrically unique nanostructures that can be further modified to produce building blocks for applications such as in optical metamaterials. We describe a method for creating metal-coated nanostructures using DNA origami templates and a photochemical metallization technique. Triangular DNA origami were fabricated and coated with a thin metal layer by photochemical silver reduction while either in solution or supported on a surface. The DNA origami template serves as a localized photosensitizer to facilitate reduction of silver ions directly from solution onto the DNA surface. The metallizing process is shown to result in a conformal metal coating, which grows in height to a self-limiting value with increasing photoreduction steps. Although this coating process results in a slight decrease in the triangle dimensions, the overall template shape is retained. Notably, this coating method exhibits characteristics of self-limiting and defect-filling growth, which results in a metal nanostructure that maps the shape of the original origami template with a continuous and uniform metal layer and stops growing once all available DNA sites are exhausted. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Inverse design of nanostructured surfaces for color effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andkjær, Jacob Anders; Johansen, Villads Egede; Friis, Kasper Storgaard

2014-01-01

We propose an inverse design methodology for systematic design of nanostructured surfaces for color effects. The methodology is based on a 2D topology optimization formulation based on frequency-domain finite element simulations for E and/or H polarized waves. The goal of the optimization...... is to maximize color intensity in prescribed direction(s) for a prescribed color (RGB) vector. Results indicate that nanostructured surfaces with any desirable color vector can be generated; that complex structures can generate more intense colors than simple layerings; that angle independent colorings can...

Bacterial inhibiting surfaces caused by the effects of silver release and/or electrical field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chiang, Wen-Chi; Hilbert, Lisbeth Rischel; Schroll, Casper

2008-01-01

In this study, silver-palladium surfaces and silver-bearing stainless steels were designed and investigated focusing on electrochemical principles to form inhibiting effects on planktonic and/or biofilm bacteria in water systems. Silver-resistant Escherichia coli and silver-sensitive E. coli were...... silver ions release can occur from their Surfaces. For silver-bearing stainless steels, the inhibiting effect can only be explained by high local silver ions release. and can be limited or deactivated dependent on the specific environment. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

TOPICAL REVIEW: Vicinal surfaces for functional nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Tegenkamp, Christoph

2009-01-01

Vicinal surfaces are currently the focus of research. The regular arrangements of atomic steps on a mesoscopic scale reveal the possibility to functionalize these surfaces for technical applications, e.g. nanowires, catalysts, etc. The steps of the vicinal surface are well-defined defect structures of atomic size for nucleation of low-dimensional nanostructures. The concentration and therefore the coupling between the nanostructures can be tuned over a wide range by simply changing the inclination angle of the substrate. However, the coupling of these nano-objects to the substrate is just as important in controlling their electronic or chemical properties and making a functionality useable. On the basis of stepped insulating films, these aspects are fulfilled and will be considered in the first part of this review. Recent results for the epitaxial growth of wide bandgap insulating films (CaF2, MgO, NaCl, BaSrO) on metallic and semiconducting vicinal substrates (Si(100), Ge(100), Ag(100)) will be presented. The change of the electronic structure, the adsorption behavior as well as the kinetics and energetics of color centers in the presence of steps is discussed. The successful bridging of the gap between the atomic and mesoscopic world, i.e. the functionalization of vicinal surfaces by nanostructures, is demonstrated in the second part by metal adsorption on semiconducting surfaces. For (sub)monolayer coverage these systems have in common that the surface states do not hybridize with the support, i.e. the semiconducting surfaces are insulating. Here I will focus on the latest results of macroscopic transport measurements on Pb quantum wires grown on vicinal Si(111) showing indeed a one-dimensional transport behavior.

Studying the silver nanoparticles influence on thermodynamic behavior and antimicrobial activities of novel amide Gemini cationic surfactants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaban, Samy M; Abd-Elaal, Ali A

2017-07-01

Three novels amide Gemini cationic surfactants with various alkyl chains and their silver nanohybrid with silver nanoparticles were synthesized and a confirmation study for surfactant and their nanoparticles formation has been established using IR, 1 HNMR, TEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The surface-active properties of these surfactants and their nanoform were investigated through surface tension and electrical conductivity measurements and a comparative study has been established. The thermodynamic parameters of micellization and adsorption were assessed at temperatures range from 25 to 65°C. The effect of silver particles on the surface behavior of the synthesized surfactant has been discussed. The aggregation behavior of silver nanoparticles with these synthesized Gemini surfactants in water were investigated using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activities of these synthesized amide Gemini surfactants and their nanostructure with silver against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria were also investigated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduction of Friction of Metals Using Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhuo Wang

2015-10-01

Full Text Available We report on the effect of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS on the tribological properties of stainless steel. Uniform periodic nanostructures were produced on AISI 304L (American Iron and Steel Institute steel grade steel surfaces using an 800-nm femtosecond laser. The spatial periods of LIPSS measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy ranged from 530 to 570 nm. The tribological properties of smooth and textured surfaces with periodic nanostructures were investigated using reciprocating ball-on-flat tests against AISI 440C balls under both dry and starved oil lubricated conditions. The friction coefficient of LIPSS covered surfaces has shown a lower value than that of the smooth surface. The induced periodic nanostructures demonstrated marked potential for reducing the friction coefficient compared with the smooth surface.

A nanostructured surface increases friction exponentially at the solid-gas interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Phani, Arindam; Putkaradze, Vakhtang; Hawk, John E; Prashanthi, Kovur; Thundat, Thomas

2016-09-06

According to Stokes' law, a moving solid surface experiences viscous drag that is linearly related to its velocity and the viscosity of the medium. The viscous interactions result in dissipation that is known to scale as the square root of the kinematic viscosity times the density of the gas. We observed that when an oscillating surface is modified with nanostructures, the experimentally measured dissipation shows an exponential dependence on kinematic viscosity. The surface nanostructures alter solid-gas interplay greatly, amplifying the dissipation response exponentially for even minute variations in viscosity. Nanostructured resonator thus allows discrimination of otherwise narrow range of gaseous viscosity making dissipation an ideal parameter for analysis of a gaseous media. We attribute the observed exponential enhancement to the stochastic nature of interactions of many coupled nanostructures with the gas media.

A nanostructured surface increases friction exponentially at the solid-gas interface

Science.gov (United States)

Phani, Arindam; Putkaradze, Vakhtang; Hawk, John E.; Prashanthi, Kovur; Thundat, Thomas

2016-09-01

According to Stokes’ law, a moving solid surface experiences viscous drag that is linearly related to its velocity and the viscosity of the medium. The viscous interactions result in dissipation that is known to scale as the square root of the kinematic viscosity times the density of the gas. We observed that when an oscillating surface is modified with nanostructures, the experimentally measured dissipation shows an exponential dependence on kinematic viscosity. The surface nanostructures alter solid-gas interplay greatly, amplifying the dissipation response exponentially for even minute variations in viscosity. Nanostructured resonator thus allows discrimination of otherwise narrow range of gaseous viscosity making dissipation an ideal parameter for analysis of a gaseous media. We attribute the observed exponential enhancement to the stochastic nature of interactions of many coupled nanostructures with the gas media.

Extended domains of organized nanorings of silver grains as surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors for molecular detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bechelany, M; Brodard, P; Philippe, L; Michler, J, E-mail: mikhael.bechelany@empa.c, E-mail: pierre.brodard@empa.c [Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials and Nanostructures, EMPA, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research, Feuerwerkerstrasse 39, CH-3602 Thun (Switzerland)

2009-11-11

The possibility to synthesize large areas of silver grains organized in nanorings using a simple technique based on nanosphere lithography and electroless plating as a metal deposition method is described for the first time. In addition, we present a systematic SERS study of the obtained long-range ordered silver nanodots and nanorings. The possibility to precisely control the size, the interdistance and the morphology of these nanostructures allows us to systematically investigate the influence of these parameters on SERS. We show that the best possible SERS substrates should not only present optimal sizes, interdistances and shapes, but also a grain-like structure composed of sub-100 nm grains in order to maximize the number of hot-spots. In addition, we show that grains arranged in nanorings present higher enhancement factors (E{sub F} = 5.5 x 10{sup 5}) as compared to similar arrays made of nanodots. A wide range of applications, including real-time monitoring of catalytic surface reactions, environmental and security monitoring as well as clinical and pharmaceutical screening, can be envisaged for these SERS substrates.

Extended domains of organized nanorings of silver grains as surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors for molecular detection

Science.gov (United States)

Bechelany, M.; Brodard, P.; Philippe, L.; Michler, J.

2009-11-01

The possibility to synthesize large areas of silver grains organized in nanorings using a simple technique based on nanosphere lithography and electroless plating as a metal deposition method is described for the first time. In addition, we present a systematic SERS study of the obtained long-range ordered silver nanodots and nanorings. The possibility to precisely control the size, the interdistance and the morphology of these nanostructures allows us to systematically investigate the influence of these parameters on SERS. We show that the best possible SERS substrates should not only present optimal sizes, interdistances and shapes, but also a grain-like structure composed of sub-100 nm grains in order to maximize the number of hot-spots. In addition, we show that grains arranged in nanorings present higher enhancement factors (EF = 5.5 × 105) as compared to similar arrays made of nanodots. A wide range of applications, including real-time monitoring of catalytic surface reactions, environmental and security monitoring as well as clinical and pharmaceutical screening, can be envisaged for these SERS substrates.

Extended domains of organized nanorings of silver grains as surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensors for molecular detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechelany, M; Brodard, P; Philippe, L; Michler, J

2009-01-01

The possibility to synthesize large areas of silver grains organized in nanorings using a simple technique based on nanosphere lithography and electroless plating as a metal deposition method is described for the first time. In addition, we present a systematic SERS study of the obtained long-range ordered silver nanodots and nanorings. The possibility to precisely control the size, the interdistance and the morphology of these nanostructures allows us to systematically investigate the influence of these parameters on SERS. We show that the best possible SERS substrates should not only present optimal sizes, interdistances and shapes, but also a grain-like structure composed of sub-100 nm grains in order to maximize the number of hot-spots. In addition, we show that grains arranged in nanorings present higher enhancement factors (E F = 5.5 x 10 5 ) as compared to similar arrays made of nanodots. A wide range of applications, including real-time monitoring of catalytic surface reactions, environmental and security monitoring as well as clinical and pharmaceutical screening, can be envisaged for these SERS substrates.

Packaging glass with hierarchically nanostructured surface

KAUST Repository

He, Jr-Hau

2017-08-03

An optical device includes an active region and packaging glass located on top of the active region. A top surface of the packaging glass includes hierarchical nanostructures comprised of honeycombed nanowalls (HNWs) and nanorod (NR) structures extending from the HNWs.

Low-energy ion beam synthesis of Ag endotaxial nanostructures in silicon

Science.gov (United States)

Nagarajappa, Kiran; Guha, Puspendu; Thirumurugan, Arun; Satyam, Parlapalli V.; Bhatta, Umananda M.

2018-06-01

Coherently, embedded metal nanostructures (endotaxial) are known to have potential applications concerning the areas of plasmonics, optoelectronics and thermoelectronics. Incorporating appropriate concentrations of metal atoms into crystalline silicon is critical for these applications. Therefore, choosing proper dose of low-energy ions, instead of depositing thin film as a source of metal atoms, helps in avoiding surplus concentration of metal atoms that diffuses into the silicon crystal. In this work, 30 keV silver negative ions are implanted into a SiO x /Si(100) at two different fluences: 1 × 1015 and 2.5 × 1015 Ag- ions/cm2. Later, the samples are annealed at 700 °C for 1 h in Ar atmosphere. Embedded silver nanostructures have been characterized using planar and cross-sectional TEM (XTEM) analysis. Planar TEM analysis shows the formation of mostly rectangular silver nanostructures following the fourfold symmetry of the substrate. XTEM analysis confirms the formation of prism-shaped silver nanostructures embedded inside crystalline silicon. Endotaxial nature of the embedded crystals has been discussed using selected area electron diffraction analysis.

Nonenzymatic glucose sensing based on deposited palladium nanoparticles on epoxy-silver electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutes, Albert; Carraro, Carlo; Maboudian, Roya

2011-01-01

Highlights: → New nonenzymatic glucose sensor material. → Modified epoxy-silver electrodes with palladium nanoparticles. → Simple electroless surface modification. → Wide linear response range. → Easy implementation. - Abstract: A new approach for nonenzymatic glucose sensing, based on a simple modification of epoxy-silver surfaces deposited on the tip of commercial copper electric wires, is presented. Palladium was galvanically displaced on the surface of the epoxy-silver surface in order to obtain metal nanoparticles that act as catalyst for the direct oxidation of glucose. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the formation of the metal nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the metallic nature of the formed nanostructures on the surface. Electrochemical characterization and calibration of the palladium-modified epoxy-silver electrode is reported, obtaining a linear range of 1-20 mM for the detection of glucose with low interference of ascorbic acid and uric acid. A simple 3-step coulometry was used as the detection technique. The developed sensing material is believed to be a great candidate for integration in small devices for clinical essays, due to the simplicity and cost effectiveness of the presented approach, compared to the state-of-the-art devices reported recently in the literature. Simplicity in the coulometry determinations makes these Pd-modified epoxy-silver sensors a good candidate for easy glucose determinations.

Thermal dynamics of silver clusters grown on rippled silica surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhatnagar, Mukul, E-mail: mkbh10@gmail.com [FCIPT, Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (India); Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat (India); Ranjan, Mukesh [FCIPT, Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (India); Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat (India); Jolley, Kenny; Lloyd, Adam; Smith, Roger [Dept. of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom); Mukherjee, Subroto [FCIPT, Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, Gujarat (India); Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat (India)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Low energy oblique angle ion bombardment forms ripple pattern on silicon surface. • The ripple patterns have wavelengths between 20 and 45 nm and correspondingly low height. • Silver nanoparticles have been deposited at an angle of 70° on patterned silicon templates. • The as-deposited np are annealed in vacuo at temperature of 573 K for a time duration of 1 h. • MD simulation is used to model the process and compare the results to the experiment. • Results show that silver clusters grow preferentially along parallel to the rippled surface. • Mobility of silver atoms depends on the site to which they are bonded on this amorphous surface. • MD simulations show contour ordered coalescence which is dependent on ripple periodicity. - Abstract: Silver nanoparticles have been deposited on silicon rippled patterned templates at an angle of incidence of 70° to the surface normal. The templates are produced by oblique incidence argon ion bombardment and as the fluence increases, the periods and heights of the structures increase. Structures with periods of 20 nm, 35 nm and 45 nm have been produced. Moderate temperature vacuum annealing shows the phenomenon of cluster coalescence following the contour of the more exposed faces of the ripple for the case of 35 nm and 45 nm but not at 20 nm where the silver aggregates into larger randomly distributed clusters. In order to understand this effect, the morphological changes of silver nanoparticles deposited on an asymmetric rippled silica surface are investigated through the use of molecular dynamics simulations for different deposition angles of incidence between 0° and 70° and annealing temperatures between 500 K and 900 K. Near to normal incidence, clusters are observed to migrate over the entire surface but for deposition at 70°, a similar patterning is observed as in the experiment. The random distribution of clusters for the periodicity ≈ of 20 nm is linked to the geometry of the silica

Comparison of adhesion of the food spoilage bacterium Shewanella putrefaciens to stainless steel and silver surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelm, Mette; Hilbert, Lisbeth Rischel; Møller, Per

2002-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare the number of attached bacteria, Shewanella putrefaciens, on stainless steel with different silver surfaces. Thus evaluating if silver surfaces could contribute to a higher hygienic status in the food industry. Bacterial adhesion to three types of silver surfaces...... (new silver, tarnished silver and sulphide treated silver) was compared to adhesion to stainless steel (AISI 316). Numbers of attached bacteria (cfu cm-2) were estimated using the Malthus indirect conductance method. A lower number of attached bacteria were measured on new silver surfaces compared...... to stainless steel for samples taken after 24 hours. However this was not significant (P > 0.05). The numbers of attached bacteria were consistently lower when tarnished silver surfaces were compared to stainless steel and some, but not all, experiments showed statistically significant. A difference of more...

Formation of Silver and Gold Dendrimer Nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balogh, Lajos; Valluzzi, Regina; Laverdure, Kenneth S.; Gido, Samuel P.; Hagnauer, Gary L.; Tomalia, Donald A.

1999-01-01

Structural types of dendrimer nanocomposites have been studied and the respective formation mechanisms have been described, with illustration of nanocomposites formed from poly(amidoamine) PAMAM dendrimers and zerovalent metals, such as gold and silver. Structure of {(Au(0)) n- PAMAM} and {(Ag(0)) n- PAMAM} gold and silver dendrimer nanocomposites was found to be the function of the dendrimer structure and surface groups as well as the formation mechanism and the chemistry involved. Three different types of single nanocomposite architectures have been identified, such as internal ('I'), external ('E') and mixed ('M') type nanocomposites. Both the organic and inorganic phase could form nanosized pseudo-continuous phases while the other components are dispersed at the molecular or atomic level either in the interior or on the surface of the template/container. Single units of these nanocomposites may be used as building blocks in the synthesis of nanostructured materials

Fabrication of Conductive Nanostructures by Femtosecond Laser Induced Reduction of Silver Ions

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Peter G.

Nanofabrication through multiphoton absorption has generated considerable interest because of its unique ability to generate 2D and 3D structures in a single laser-direct-write step as well as its ability to generate feature sizes well below the diffraction limited laser spot size. The majority of multiphoton fabrication has been used to create 3D structures of photopolymers which have applications in a wide variety of fields, but require additional post-processing steps to fabricate conductive structures. It has been shown that metal ions can also undergo multiphoton absorption, which reduces the metal ions to stable atoms/nanoparticles which are formed at the laser focal point. When the focus is located at the substrate surface, the reduced metal is deposited on the surface, which allows arbitrary 2D patterning as well as building up 3D structures from this first layer. Samples containing the metal ions can be prepared either in a liquid solution, or in a polymer film. The polymer film approach has the benefit of added support for the 3D metallic structures; however it is difficult to remove the polymer after fabrication to leave a free standing metallic structure. With the ion solution method, free standing metallic structures can be fabricated but need to be able to withstand surface tension forces when the remaining unexposed solution is washed away. So far, silver nanowires with resistivity on the order of bulk silver have been fabricated, as well as a few small 3D structures. This research focuses on the surfactant assisted multiphoton reduction of silver ions in a liquid solution. The experimental setup consists of a Coherent Micra 10 Ultrafast laser with 30fs pulse length, 80MHz repetition rate, and a wavelength centered at 800nm. This beam is focused into the sample using a 100x objective with a N.A. of 1.49. Silver structures such as nanowires and grid patterns have been produced with minimum linewidth of 180nm. Silver nanowires with resistivity down to

Surface modification of microfibrous materials with nanostructured carbon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krasnikova, Irina V., E-mail: tokareva@catalysis.ru [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, pr. Ac. Lavrentieva, 5, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin av., 30, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Mishakov, Ilya V.; Vedyagin, Aleksey A. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, pr. Ac. Lavrentieva, 5, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin av., 30, Tomsk 634050 (Russian Federation); Bauman, Yury I. [Boreskov Institute of Catalysis SB RAS, pr. Ac. Lavrentieva, 5, Novosibirsk 630090 (Russian Federation); Korneev, Denis V. [State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR, Koltsovo, Novosibirsk Region 630559 (Russian Federation)

2017-01-15

The surface of fiberglass cloth, carbon and basalt microfibers was modified with carbon nanostructured coating via catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) of 1,2-dichloroethane. Incipient wetness impregnation and solution combustion synthesis (SCS) methods were used to deposit nickel catalyst on the surface of microfibrous support. Prepared NiO/support samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and temperature-programmed reduction. The samples of resulted hybrid materials were studied by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopies as well as by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. The nature of the support was found to have considerable effect on the CCVD process peculiarities. High yield of nanostructured carbon with largest average diameter of nanofibers within the studied series was observed when carbon microfibers were used as a support. This sample characterized with moderate surface area (about 80 m{sup 2}/g after 2 h of CCVD) shows the best anchorage effect. Among the mineral supports, fiberglass tissue was found to provide highest carbon yield (up to 3.07 g/g{sub FG}) and surface area (up to 344 m{sup 2}/g) due to applicability of SCS method for Ni deposition. - Highlights: • The microfibers of different nature were coated with nanostructured carbon layer. • Features of CNF growth and characteristics of hybrid materials were studied. • Appropriate anchorage of CNF layer on microfiber’s surface was demonstrated.

Biomolecule-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of silver bismuth sulfide with nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaowphong, Sulawan

2012-01-01

Silver bismuth sulfide (AgBiS 2 ) nanostructures were successfully prepared via a simple biomolecule-assisted hydrothermal synthesis at 200 °C for 12–72 h. Silver nitrate, bismuth nitrate and L-cysteine were used as starting materials. Here, the biomolecule, L-cysteine, was served as the sulfide source and a complexing agent. The products, characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), were cubic AgBiS 2 nanoparticles with a diameter range of about 20–75 nm. It was found that their crystallinity and particle size increased with increasing reaction time. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrophotometry (ICP-OES) analyses were used to confirm the stoichiometry of AgBiS 2 . The optical band gap of the AgBiS 2 nanoparticles, calculated from UV–vis spectra, was 3.0 eV which indicated a strong blue shift because of the quantum confinement effect. A possible formation mechanism of the AgBiS 2 nanoparticles was also discussed. - Graphical abstract: The optical band gap of the as-prepared AgBiS 2 nanoparticles displays a strong blue shift comparing to the 2.46 eV of bulk AgBiS 2 caused by the quantum confinement effects. Highlights: ► A simple biomolecule-assisted hydrothermal method is developed to prepare AgBiS 2 . ► L-Cysteine is served as the sulfide source and a complexing agent. ► Increase in band gap of the AgBiS 2 nanoparticles attributes to the quantum confinement effects.

Development of nanostructured silver vanadates decorated with silver nanoparticles as a novel antibacterial agent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holtz, R D; Souza Filho, A G; Alves, O L [Laboratorio de Quimica do Estado Solido (LQES), Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, CP 6154, 13081-970, Campinas-SP (Brazil); Brocchi, M; Martins, D [Departamento de Genetica, Evolucao and Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas-SP (Brazil); Duran, N, E-mail: rholtz@iqm.unicamp.br, E-mail: agsf@fisica.ufc.br, E-mail: oalves@iqm.unicamp.br [Laboratorio de Quimica Biologica, Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas-SP (Brazil)

2010-05-07

In this work we report the synthesis, characterization and application of silver vanadate nanowires decorated with silver nanoparticles as a novel antibacterial agent. These hybrid materials were synthesized by a precipitation reaction of ammonium vanadate and silver nitrate followed by hydrothermal treatment. The silver vanadate nanowires have lengths of the order of microns and diameters around 60 nm. The silver nanoparticles decorating the nanowires present a diameter distribution varying from 1 to 20 nm. The influence of the pH of the reaction medium on the chemical structure and morphology of silver vanadates was studied and we found that synthesis performed at pH 5.5-6.0 led to silver vanadate nanowires with a higher morphological yield. The antimicrobial activity of these materials was evaluated against three strains of Staphylococcus aureus and very promising results were found. The minimum growth inhibiting concentration value against a MRSA strain was found to be ten folds lower than for the antibiotic oxacillin.

Nanostructured metal foams: synthesis and applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luther, Erik P [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Tappan, Bryce [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mueller, Alex [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Mihaila, Bogdan [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Volz, Heather [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Cardenas, Andreas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Papin, Pallas [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Veauthier, Jackie [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Stan, Marius [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2009-01-01

Fabrication of monolithic metallic nanoporous materials is difficult using conventional methodology. Here they report a relatively simple method of synthesizing monolithic, ultralow density, nanostructured metal foams utilizing self-propagating combustion synthesis of novel metal complexes containing high nitrogen energetic ligands. Nanostructured metal foams are formed in a post flame-front dynamic assembly with densities as low as 0.011 g/cc and surface areas as high as 270 m{sup 2}/g. They have produced metal foams via this method of titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, copper, palladium, silver, hafnium, platinum and gold. Microstructural features vary as a function of composition and process parameters. Applications for the metal foams are discussed including hydrogen absorption in palladium foams. A model for the sorption kinetics of hydrogen in the foams is presented.

Surface Plasmons and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectra of Aggregated and Alloyed Gold-Silver Nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. Fleger

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Effects of size, morphology, and composition of gold and silver nanoparticles on surface plasmon resonance (SPR and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS are studied with the purpose of optimizing SERS substrates. Various gold and silver films made by evaporation and subsequent annealing give different morphologies and compositions of nanoparticles and thus different position of the SPR peak. SERS measurements of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid obtained from these films reveal that the proximity of the SPR peak to the exciting laser wavelength is not the only factor leading to the highest Raman enhancement. Silver nanoparticles evaporated on top of larger gold nanoparticles show higher SERS than gold-silver alloyed nanoparticles, in spite of the fact that the SPR peak of alloyed nanoparticles is narrower and closer to the excitation wavelength. The highest Raman enhancement was obtained for substrates with a two-peak particle size distribution for excitation wavelengths close to the SPR.

Using reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy to characterize capped silver nanostructures grown on silicon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fleischer, K.; Jacob, J.; McGilp, J.F. [School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2 (Ireland); Chandola, S. [School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2 (Ireland); ISAS - Institute for Analytical Sciences, Department Berlin, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Esser, N. [ISAS - Institute for Analytical Sciences, Department Berlin, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 9, 12489 Berlin (Germany)

2008-07-01

Using the single domain Si(111)-3 x 1-Ag surface as a template, room temperature deposition of two or more monolayers of Ag leads to the formation of metallic nanostructures. Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) in the infrared (IR) spectral region is used to analyse the anisotropic conductivity of the structures. The anisotropy is found to be influenced by the offcut angle of the substrate, and hence the terrace width. The Ag nanostructures were capped with Si to form a near-IR transparent protecting layer. The samples are stable to exposure to ambient conditions for significant periods. The RAS spectra are compared to model calculations, which support the conclusion that the buried metallic Ag nanostructures survive the capping process. (copyright 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Growth and characterization of two-dimensional nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera Sancho, Oscar Andrey

2008-01-01

Two dimensional nanostructures of palladium, nickel, silver and gadolinium were grown by means of physical evaporation in atmospheres of high vacuum and ultra high vacuum. The qualitative characterization, in situ, of the nanostructures was carried out with techniques of surface analysis: Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The model for the quantification of contaminants in the nanostructures, was proposed by Seah and Shirley, and was made using the spectra XPS measured in situ in the atmospheres of vacuum. For the two-dimensional nanostructures of gadolinium of thicknesses 8 Å, 16 Å, 24 Å, 32 Å, 36 Å, 44 Å, 50 Å, 61 Å, 77 Å, 81 Å, 92 Å and 101 Å, were obtained optical spectra of transmission measured in situ. An band of absorption centered at approximately 2,40 eV is obtained by an increase in the dynamic conductivity from the optical constants, i.e. refractive index and extinction coefficient, of the nanostructure of gadolinium. In addition, the optical constants for the gadolinium nanostructures have presented a maximum of 80 Å of thickness and then it was continued a decreasing tendency toward the values that were reported in the literature for bulk of gadolinium. (author) [es

Reversible tuning of the wettability on a silver mesodendritic surface by the formation and disruption of lipid-like bilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yuanji; Xia, Bing; Liu, Jie; Ding, Lisheng; Li, Bangjing; Zhou, Yan

2015-02-01

This study reported a smart, easy to apply, flexible and green strategy for obtaining a biomimic micro-nanostructures. 1-Mercapto-12-(p-nitrophenoxy) dodecane (MPND) and n-dodecanethiol were used to form low surface energy film on a silver mesodendritic structure coated zinc substrate. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to characterize surface morphology and mesocrystal structures. Noncovalently linked sodium nonanoyloxy benzene sulfonate (NOBS) was used to form "lipid-like bilayers" on the surface, making it possible for the surface to switch its surface wettability reversibly. The water contact angle (CA) on the constructed surface varies from 168 ± 2° (before processed by NOBS) to 55 ± 2° (after processed by NOBS). This phenomenon can be explained by the formation and disruption of "lipid-like bilayers" to affect the wettability of the surface. This work is of great scientific interests and may provide insights into the design of novel functional devices that are relevant to surface wettability, such as microfluidic devices and sensors.

Piperidine adsorption on two different silver electrodes: A combined surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao Yanling; Fang Yan

2007-01-01

The surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of piperidine in silver colloid solution, on roughened silver electrode and on roughened silver electrode modified with silver nanoparticles were studied, and the high-quality SERS spectra of piperidine on roughened silver electrode modified with silver nanoparticles were obtained for the first time. Surface selection rules derived from the EM enhancement model were employed to deduce piperidine orientations on the different surfaces. On the basis of this, two models of piperidine adsorbed on the surface of the silver nanoparticles were built, and DFT-B3PW91/LanL2dz was applied to calculate the Raman frequencies. It proves that, at higher potential values, the piperidine is perpendicularly standing on the roughened silver electrode surface though its lone-electron pair, but in silver colloid solution and on the silver nanoparticles modified silver electrode the piperidine molecular lies flat on the silver surface. In the meantime, the potential dependent SERS of piperidine on the modified electrode were studied

Imprinted and injection-molded nano-structured optical surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Alexander Bruun; Højlund-Nielsen, Emil; Clausen, Jeppe Sandvik

2013-01-01

. In this paper, nanostructured polymer surfaces suitable for up-scalable polymer replication methods, such as imprinting/embossing and injection-molding, are discussed. The limiting case of injection-moulding compatible designs is investigated. Anti-reflective polymer surfaces are realized by replication...

Electrical properties of polyimides containing a near-surface deposit of silver

Science.gov (United States)

Rancourt, J. D.; Porta, G. M.; Taylor, L. T.

1987-01-01

Films containing a surface or near-surface deposit of palladium, gold or copper metal as well as tin, cobalt, copper, or lithium oxides have been prepared by dissolving appropriate metal salts into poly(amide-acid)/N,N-dimethylacetamide solutions and curing the solvent cast films to temperatures up to 300 C. This preparation technique has been extended to evaluate the thermal, spectroscopic, and electrical characteristics of condensation polyimide films modified with silver nitrate. A near-surface deposit of metallic silver results but the reflective surface has high electrical resistivity (sheet resistivity) due to a polymer coating or overlayer above the metal. Details pertaining to the silver nitrate modified condensation polyimides are presented. Also, the applicability of the structural model and electrical model previously proposed for the cobalt oxide system are assessed.

Comparison of nanostructured silver-modified silver and carbon ultramicroelectrodes for electrochemical detection of nitrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lotfi Zadeh Zhad, Hamid R; Lai, Rebecca Y

2015-09-10

We report the use of silver (Ag)-modified carbon and Ag ultramicroelectrodes (UMEs) for electrochemical detection of nitrate. We investigated several methods for electrodeposition of Ag; our results show that the addition of a complexation agent (ammonium sulfate) in the Ag deposition solution is necessary for electrodeposition of nanostructured Ag that adheres well to the electrode. The electrodeposited Ag on both types of electrodes has branch-like structures that are well-suited for electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate. The use of UMEs is advantageous; the sigmoidal-shaped cyclic voltammogram allows for sensitive detection of nitrate by reducing the capacitive current, as well as enabling easy quantification of the nitrate reduction current. Both cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were used to characterize the electrodes; and independent of the electrochemical interrogation technique, both UMEs were found to have a wide linear dynamic range (4-1000 μM) and a low limit of detection (3.2-5.1 μM). More importantly, they are reusable up to ∼100 interrogation cycles and are selective enough to be used for direct detection of nitrate in a synthetic aquifer sample without any sample pretreatment and/or pH adjustment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Generalized surface tension bounds in vacuum decay

Science.gov (United States)

Masoumi, Ali; Paban, Sonia; Weinberg, Erick J.

2018-02-01

Coleman and De Luccia (CDL) showed that gravitational effects can prevent the decay by bubble nucleation of a Minkowski or AdS false vacuum. In their thin-wall approximation this happens whenever the surface tension in the bubble wall exceeds an upper bound proportional to the difference of the square roots of the true and false vacuum energy densities. Recently it was shown that there is another type of thin-wall regime that differs from that of CDL in that the radius of curvature grows substantially as one moves through the wall. Not only does the CDL derivation of the bound fail in this case, but also its very formulation becomes ambiguous because the surface tension is not well defined. We propose a definition of the surface tension and show that it obeys a bound similar in form to that of the CDL case. We then show that both thin-wall bounds are special cases of a more general bound that is satisfied for all bounce solutions with Minkowski or AdS false vacua. We discuss the limit where the parameters of the theory attain critical values and the bound is saturated. The bounce solution then disappears and a static planar domain wall solution appears in its stead. The scalar field potential then is of the form expected in supergravity, but this is only guaranteed along the trajectory in field space traced out by the bounce.

Multiple surface plasmon polaritons modes on thin silver film controlled by a two-dimensional lattice of silver nanodimers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Ying; Jiang, Yongyuan, E-mail: jiangyy@hit.edu.cn [Harbin Institute of Technology, Department of Physics (China)

2015-01-15

We study the optical resonant spectrum of a two-dimensional periodic array of silver nanodimers on a thin silver film using multiple scattering formalism. The excited multiple plasmonic modes on two interfaces of the silver film reveal that the dispersion relationships of surface plasmon polaritons on metallic film are modified by doubly periodic lattice due to the fact that wave vectors matching conditions are satisfied. Moreover, we demonstrate that the plasmonic modes are directly controlled by the thickness of silver film, as well as the gap between nanodimer array and silver film. These effects provide novel high-efficient and steady way for excitation in future plasmonic nanodevices.

Formation of Nanostructures on the Nickel Metal Surface in Ionic Liquid under Anodizing

Science.gov (United States)

Lebedeva, O. K.; Root, N. V.; Kultin, D. Yu.; Kalmykov, K. B.; Kustov, L. M.

2018-05-01

The formation of nanostructures in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide on the surface of a nickel electrode during anodizing was studied. Hexagonal ordered surface nanostructures were found to form in a narrow range of current densities. The form of the potential transients of the nickel electrode corresponded to the morphology of the nickel surface obtained which was studied by electron microscopy. No other types of nanostructures were found under the electrosynthesis conditions under study.

Surface engineering of one-dimensional tin oxide nanostructures for chemical sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Yuanyuan; Qu, Yongquan; Zhou, Wei

2013-01-01

Nanostructured materials are promising candidates for chemical sensors due to their fascinating physicochemical properties. Among various candidates, tin oxide (SnO 2 ) has been widely explored in gas sensing elements due to its excellent chemical stability, low cost, ease of fabrication and remarkable reproducibility. We are presenting an overview on recent investigations on 1-dimensional (1D) SnO 2 nanostructures for chemical sensing. In particular, we focus on the performance of devices based on surface engineered SnO 2 nanostructures, and on aspects of morphology, size, and functionality. The synthesis and sensing mechanism of highly selective, sensitive and stable 1D nanostructures for use in chemical sensing are discussed first. This is followed by a discussion of the relationship between the surface properties of the SnO 2 layer and the sensor performance from a thermodynamic point of view. Then, the opportunities and recent progress of chemical sensors fabricated from 1D SnO 2 heterogeneous nanostructures are discussed. Finally, we summarize current challenges in terms of improving the performance of chemical (gas) sensors using such nanostructures and suggest potential applications. (author)

Growth and optical properties of silver nanostructures obtained on connected anodic aluminum oxide templates

Science.gov (United States)

Giallongo, G.; Durante, C.; Pilot, R.; Garoli, D.; Bozio, R.; Romanato, F.; Gennaro, A.; Rizzi, G. A.; Granozzi, G.

2012-08-01

Ag nanostructures are grown by AC electrodeposition on anodic alumina oxide (AAO) connected membranes acting as templates. Depending on the thickness of the template and on the voltage applied during the growth process, different Ag nanostructures with different optical properties are obtained. When AAO membranes about 1 μm thick are used, the Ag nanostructures consist in Ag nanorods, at the bottom of the pores, and Ag nanotubes departing from the nanorods and filling the pores almost for the whole length. When AAO membranes about 3 μm thick are used, the nanostructures are Ag spheroids, at the bottom of the pores, and Ag nanowires that do not reach the upper part of the alumina pores. The samples are characterized by angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and UV-vis and Raman spectroscopies. A simple NaOH etching procedure, followed by sonication in ethanol, allows one to obtain an exposed ordered array of Ag nanorods, suitable for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, while in the other case (3 μm thick AAO membranes) the sample can be used in localized surface plasmon resonance sensing.

Growth and optical properties of silver nanostructures obtained on connected anodic aluminum oxide templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giallongo, G; Durante, C; Pilot, R; Bozio, R; Gennaro, A; Rizzi, G A; Granozzi, G; Garoli, D; Romanato, F

2012-01-01

Ag nanostructures are grown by AC electrodeposition on anodic alumina oxide (AAO) connected membranes acting as templates. Depending on the thickness of the template and on the voltage applied during the growth process, different Ag nanostructures with different optical properties are obtained. When AAO membranes about 1 μm thick are used, the Ag nanostructures consist in Ag nanorods, at the bottom of the pores, and Ag nanotubes departing from the nanorods and filling the pores almost for the whole length. When AAO membranes about 3 μm thick are used, the nanostructures are Ag spheroids, at the bottom of the pores, and Ag nanowires that do not reach the upper part of the alumina pores. The samples are characterized by angle resolved x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and UV–vis and Raman spectroscopies. A simple NaOH etching procedure, followed by sonication in ethanol, allows one to obtain an exposed ordered array of Ag nanorods, suitable for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, while in the other case (3 μm thick AAO membranes) the sample can be used in localized surface plasmon resonance sensing. (paper)

Reduction of Friction of Metals Using Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Nanostructures

OpenAIRE

Zhuo Wang; Quanzhong Zhao; Chengwei Wang

2015-01-01

We report on the effect of femtosecond-laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) on the tribological properties of stainless steel. Uniform periodic nanostructures were produced on AISI 304L (American Iron and Steel Institute steel grade) steel surfaces using an 800-nm femtosecond laser. The spatial periods of LIPSS measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy ranged from 530 to 570 nm. The tribological properties of smooth and textured surfaces with periodic nanostructures...

Silver surface enrichment controlled by simultaneous RBS for reliable PIXE analysis of ancient coins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, L.; Alloin, E.; Berthier, C.; Reveillon, S.; Costa, V.

2008-01-01

Evidence of silver surface enrichment of ancient silver-copper coins has been pointed out in the past years. Surface enrichment can be fortuitous or intentional. In this paper, we have investigated the cleaning procedures usually performed after excavation or in museums. We have shown that chemicals or commercial products routinely used dissolve preferentially the copper phase and consequently contribute to the silver surface enrichment. As a result, surface analyses such as PIXE or XRF can be strongly affected by this effect. By using simultaneously RBS and PIXE, it is possible to check through the silver surface enrichment and then select the reliable measurements, characteristic of the bulk composition. Results on coins recently discovered and mechanically or chemically cleaned are presented

Controllable fabrication of large-scale hierarchical silver nanostructures for long-term stable and ultrasensitive SERS substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Fang, Jinghuai; Cheng, Mingfei; Gong, Xiao

2016-09-01

In this work, we aim to prepare effective and long-term stable hierarchical silver nanostructures serving as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates simply via displacement reaction on Aluminum foils. In our experiments, Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is used as cationic surfactant to control the velocity of displacement reaction as well as the hierarchical morphology of the resultant. We find that the volume ratio of CTAB to AgNO3 plays a dominant role in regulating the hierarchical structures besides the influence of displacement reaction time. These as-prepared hierarchical morphologies demonstrate excellent SERS sensitivity, structural stability and reproducibility with low values of relative standard deviation less than 20 %. The high SERS analytical enhancement factor of ~6.7 × 108 is achieved even at the concentration of Crystal Violet (CV) as low as 10-7 M, which is sufficient for single-molecule detection. The detection limit of CV is 10-9 M in this study. We believe that this simple and rapid approach integrating advantages of low-cost production and high reproducibility would be a promising way to facilitate routine SERS detection and will get wide applications in chemical synthesis.

High Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Amplification Factor Obtained with Silver Printed Circuit Boards and the Influence of Phenolic Resins for the Characterization of the Pesticide Thiram.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva de Almeida, Francylaine; Bussler, Larissa; Marcio Lima, Sandro; Fiorucci, Antonio Rogério; da Cunha Andrade, Luis Humberto

2016-07-01

In this work, low-cost substrates with rough silver surfaces were prepared from commercial copper foil-covered phenolic board (CPB) and an aqueous solution of AgNO3, and were used for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) measurements. A maximum SERS amplification factor of 1.2 × 10(7) was obtained for Rhodamine 6G (R6G), and use of the CPB resulted in a detection limit for Thiram pesticide of 0.5 µmol L(-1) The minimum detection level was limited by residual traces of phenolic groups that originated from the substrate resin, which became solubilized in the aqueous Ag(+) solution. It was found that the bands corresponding to the impurities had less influence in the Thiram analysis, which could be explained by the high affinity of sulfur for Ag surfaces. The influence of impurities in the SERS analyses therefore depended on the linkage between the rough silver surface and the analyte. The findings demonstrated the ease and effectiveness of using CPB to prepare a nanostructured surface for SERS. © The Author(s) 2016.

Silver nanoparticles with gelatin nanoshells: photochemical facile green synthesis and their antimicrobial activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pourjavadi, Ali; Soleyman, Rouhollah

2011-01-01

In the current study, a facile green synthesis of silver-gelatin core–shell nanostructures (spherical, spherical/cubic hybrid, and cubic, DLS diameter: 4.1–6.9 nm) is reported via the wet chemical synthesis procedure. Sunlight-UV as an available reducing agent cause mild reduction of silver ions into the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Gelatin protein, as an effective capping/shaping agent, was used in the reaction to self-assemble silver nanostructures. The formation of silver nanostructures and their self-assembly pattern was confirmed by SEM, AFM, and TEM techniques. Further investigations were carried out using zeta-potential, UV–Vis, FTIR, GPC, and TGA/DTG/DTA data. The prepared Ag-NPs showed proper and acceptable antimicrobial activity against three classes of microorganisms (Escherichia coli Gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus Gram-positive bacteria, and Candida albicans fungus). The antibacterial and antifungal Ag-NPs exhibit good stability in solution and can be considered as promising candidates for a wide range of biomedical applications.

Silver nanoparticles with gelatin nanoshells: photochemical facile green synthesis and their antimicrobial activity

Science.gov (United States)

Pourjavadi, Ali; Soleyman, Rouhollah

2011-10-01

In the current study, a facile green synthesis of silver-gelatin core-shell nanostructures (spherical, spherical/cubic hybrid, and cubic, DLS diameter: 4.1-6.9 nm) is reported via the wet chemical synthesis procedure. Sunlight-UV as an available reducing agent cause mild reduction of silver ions into the silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs). Gelatin protein, as an effective capping/shaping agent, was used in the reaction to self-assemble silver nanostructures. The formation of silver nanostructures and their self-assembly pattern was confirmed by SEM, AFM, and TEM techniques. Further investigations were carried out using zeta-potential, UV-Vis, FTIR, GPC, and TGA/DTG/DTA data. The prepared Ag-NPs showed proper and acceptable antimicrobial activity against three classes of microorganisms ( Escherichia coli Gram-negative bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus Gram-positive bacteria, and Candida albicans fungus). The antibacterial and antifungal Ag-NPs exhibit good stability in solution and can be considered as promising candidates for a wide range of biomedical applications.

Comparison of Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering Spectra of Two Kinds of Silver Nanoplate Films

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

TAO Jin-long; TANG Bin; XU Shu-ping; PAN Ling-yun; XU Wei-qing

2012-01-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS) spectra of different silver nanoplate self-assembled films at different excitation wavelengths were fairly compared.Shape conversion from silver nanoprisms to nanodisks on slides was in situ carried out.The SERS spectra of 4-mercaptopyridine(4-MPY) on these anisotropic silver nanoparticle self-assembled films present that strong enhancement appeared when the excitation line and the surface plasmon resonance(SPR) band of silver substrate overlapped.In this model,the influence of the crystal planes of silver nanoplates on SERS enhancement could be ignored because the basal planes were nearly unchanged in two kinds of silver nanoplate self-assembled films.

Surface-enhanced Raman difference between bombesin and its modified analogues on the colloidal and electrochemically roughen silver surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Podstawka, Edyta; Ozaki, Yukihiro

2008-10-01

In this article, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of bombesin (BN) and its six modified analogues ([D-Phe(12)]BN, [Tyr(4)]BN, [Tyr(4),D-Phe(12)]BN, [D-Phe(12),Leu(14)]BN, [Leu(13)-(R)-Leu(14)]BN, and [Lys(3)]BN) on a colloidal silver surface are reported and compared with SERS spectra of these species immobilized onto an ellectrochemically roughen silver electrode. Changes in enhancement and wavenumber of proper bands upon adsorption on different silver surfaces are consistent with BN and its analogues adsorption primarily through Trp(8). Slightly different adsorption states of these molecules are observed depending upon natural amino acids substitution. For example, the indole ring in all the peptides interacts with silver nanoparticles in a edge-on orientation. It is additionally coordinated to the silver through the N(1)--H bond for all the peptides, except [Phe(12)]BN. This is in contrary to the results obtained for the silver roughen electrode that show direct but not strong N(1)--H/Ag interaction for all peptides except [D-Phe(12),Leu(14)]BN and [Leu(13)-(R)-Leu(14)]BN. For BN only C==O is not involved in the chemical coordination with the colloidal surface. [Lys(3)]BN and BN also adsorb with the C--N bond of NH(2) group normal and horizontal, respectively, to the colloidal surface, whereas C--NH(2) in other peptides is tilted to this surface. Also, the Trp(8) --CH(2)-- moiety of only [Tyr(4)]BN, [Lys(3)]BN, and [Tyr(4),D-Phe(12)]BN coordinates to Ag, whereas the Phe(12) ring of [Phe(12)]BN, [Tyr(4),D-Phe(12)]BN, and [D-Phe(12),Leu(14)]BN assists in the peptides binding only on the colloidal silver. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microstructural evolution and surface properties of nanostructured Cu-based alloy by ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amanov, Auezhan, E-mail: amanov_a@yahoo.com [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, In-Sik [R& D Group, Mbrosia Co., Ltd., Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of); Pyun, Young-Sik [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sun Moon University, Asan 336-708 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A nanostructured surface was produced by UNSM technique. • Porosities were eliminated from the surface by UNSM technique. • Extremely high hardness obtained at the top surface after UNSM treatment. • Friction and wear behavior was improved by UNSM technique. • Resistance to scratch behavior was improved by UNSM technique. - Abstract: A nanostructured surface layer with a thickness of about 180 μm was successfully produced in Cu-based alloy using an ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique. Cu-based alloy was sintered onto low carbon steel using a powder metallurgy (P/M) method. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) characterization revealed that the severe plastic deformation introduced by UNSM technique resulted in nano-sized grains in the topmost surface layer and deformation twins. It was also found by atomic force microscope (AFM) observations that the UNSM technique provides a significant reduction in number of interconnected pores. The effectiveness of nanostructured surface layer on the tribological and micro-scratch properties of Cu-based alloy specimens was investigated using a ball-on-disk tribometer and micro-scratch tester, respectively. Results exhibited that the UNSM-treated specimen led to an improvement in tribological and micro-scratch properties compared to that of the sintered specimen, which may be attributed to the presence of nanostructured surface layer having an increase in surface hardness and reduction in surface roughness. The findings from this study are expected to be implemented to the automotive industry, in particular connected rod bearings and bushings in order to increase the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines (ICEs).

Influence of surface topography on the sputtering yields of silver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Jisheng; Wang Zhenxia; Tao Zhenlan; Zhang Jiping

1992-01-01

The sputtering yields of silver have been measured as a function of the fluence of incident Ar + ions (27 keV) using the collector technique and RBS analysis. The irradiated surface was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is shown that the sputtering yields of surfaces with topography are enhanced relative to smooth surfaces of silver, but the extent of the enhancement depends on the irradiation dose. The experimental results can be explained assuming that the surface topography and sputtering yield are a function of incident angle. It is obvious that the surface topography is an important factor to influence the sputtering yield. The term ''apparent sputtering yield'' has specifically been used when referring to the experimental sputtering yield of a surface with topography, to emphasize the difference with a smooth surface. (orig.)

Distinction of heterogeneity on Au nanostructured surface based on phase contrast imaging of atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Mi; Choi, Jeong-Woo

2010-01-01

The discrimination of the heterogeneity of different materials on nanostructured surfaces has attracted a great deal of interest in biotechnology as well as nanotechnology. Phase imaging through tapping mode of atomic force microscopy (TMAFM) can be used to distinguish the heterogeneity on a nanostructured surface. Nanostructures were fabricated using anodic aluminum oxide (AAO). An 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA) layer adsorbed onto the Au nanodots through self-assembly to improve the bio-compatibility. The Au nanostructures that were modified with 11-MUA and the concave surfaces were investigated using the TMAFM phase images to compare the heterogeneous and homogeneous nanostructured surfaces. Although the topography and phase images were taken simultaneously, the images were different. Therefore, the contrast in the TMAFM phase images revealed the different compositional materials on the heterogeneous nanostructure surface.

Nonspecular reflection of light at an inhomogeneous interface between two media and in a nanostructured layer with a quasi-zero refractive index

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadomsky, O. N.; Gadomskaya, I. V.

2015-01-01

We have derived formulas for the amplitudes of light reflection and refraction at an inhomogeneous interface between two media and in a nanostructured layer with a quasi-zero refractive index. These formulas are applied to explain the experimental spectra of nonspecular light reflection using a nanostructured (PMMA + Ag) layer with silver nanoparticles on a silicon surface as an example. We show that a surface wave is formed in the nanostructured layer at various angles of light incidence and the layer with a quasi-zero refractive index is an antireflection coating that provides uniform 5% silicon antireflection in the wavelength range from 450 to 1000 nm

Femtosecond laser-induced periodic surface nanostructuring of sputtered platinum thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodríguez, Ainara, E-mail: airodriguez@ceit.es [CIC microGUNE, Goiru Kalea 9 Polo Innovación Garaia, 20500 Arrasate-Mondragón (Spain); CEIT-IK4 & Tecnun (University of Navarra), Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain); Morant-Miñana, Maria Carmen; Dias-Ponte, Antonio; Martínez-Calderón, Miguel; Gómez-Aranzadi, Mikel; Olaizola, Santiago M. [CIC microGUNE, Goiru Kalea 9 Polo Innovación Garaia, 20500 Arrasate-Mondragón (Spain); CEIT-IK4 & Tecnun (University of Navarra), Paseo Manuel Lardizábal 15, 20018 San Sebastián (Spain)

2015-10-01

Highlights: • Femtosecond laser-induced surface nanostructures on sputtered platinum thin films. • Three types of structures obtained: random nanostructures, LSFL and HSFL. • Two different modification regimes have been established based on laser fluence. - Abstract: In this work, submicro and nanostructures self-formed on the surface of Platinum thin films under femtosecond laser-pulse irradiation are investigated. A Ti:Sapphire laser system was used to linearly scan 15 mm lines with 100 fs pulses at a central wavelength of 800 nm with a 1 kHz repetition rate. The resulting structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 2D-Fast Fourier Transform (2D-FFT) analysis. This analysis of images revealed different types of structures depending on the laser irradiation parameters: random nanostructures, low spatial frequency LIPSS (LSFL) with a periodicity from about 450 to 600 nm, and high spatial frequency LIPSS (HSFL) with a periodicity from about 80 to 200 nm. Two different modifications regimes have been established for the formation of nanostructures: (a) a high-fluence regime in which random nanostructures and LSFL are obtained and (b) a low-fluence regime in which HSFL and LSFL are obtained.

Synthesis of water soluble glycine capped silver nanoparticles and their surface selective interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agasti, Nityananda; Singh, Vinay K.; Kaushik, N.K.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Synthesis of water soluble silver nanoparticles at ambient reaction conditions. • Glycine as stabilizing agent for silver nanoparticles. • Surface selective interaction of glycine with silver nanoparticles. • Glycine concentration influences crystalinity and optical property of silver nanoparticles. - Abstract: Synthesis of biocompatible metal nanoparticles has been an area of significant interest because of their wide range of applications. In the present study, we have successfully synthesized water soluble silver nanoparticles assisted by small amino acid glycine. The method is primarily based on reduction of AgNO 3 with NaBH 4 in aqueous solution under atmospheric air in the presence of glycine. UV–vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X–ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques used for characterization of resulting silver nanoparticles demonstrated that, glycine is an effective capping agent to stabilize silver nanoparticles. Surface selective interaction of glycine on (1 1 1) face of silver nanoparticles has been investigated. The optical property and crystalline behavior of silver nanoparticles were found to be sensitive to concentration of glycine. X–ray diffraction studies ascertained the phase specific interaction of glycine on silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles synthesized were of diameter 60 nm. We thus demonstrated an efficient synthetic method for synthesis of water soluble silver nanoparticles capped by amino acid under mild reaction conditions with excellent reproducibility

Silver-capped silicon nanopillar platforms for adsorption studies of folic acid using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and density functional theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castillo, Jaime; Rindzevicius, Tomas; Wu, Kaiyu

2015-01-01

The study of the interactions of folic acid (FA) with surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates is relevant for understanding its adsorption mechanismand for fabricating analytical devices for detection ofmalignant cells over-expressing folate receptors. This paper presents a study of the adso......The study of the interactions of folic acid (FA) with surface enhanced Raman scattering substrates is relevant for understanding its adsorption mechanismand for fabricating analytical devices for detection ofmalignant cells over-expressing folate receptors. This paper presents a study...... of the adsorption of FA on silver-capped silicon nanopillar substrates employing surface enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The experimentally observed vibrations from free FA and FA bound to the Ag surface display different vibrational spectra indicating chemical...

Synthesis of silver nanocubes as a SERS substrate for the determination of pesticide paraoxon and thiram

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bin; Zhang, Li; Zhou, Xia

2014-03-01

The silver cube-like nanostructure with uniform size and high yield have been synthesized through the rapid sulfide-mediated polyol method. The morphology, structure and optical properties of the as-prepared silver nanocubes were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) performance of the as-prepared Ag nanocubes was characterized by crystal violet (CV) as the probe molecules. Furthermore, the low levels of thiram and pesticide paraoxon can be detected by the SERS technique, which shows that the silver nanocubes as a SERS substrate have excellent sensitivity and reproducibility.

Dielectric properties of DNA oligonucleotides on the surface of silicon nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bagraev, N. T., E-mail: bagraev@mail.ioffe.ru [St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (Russian Federation); Chernev, A. L. [Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg Academic University—Nanotechnology Research and Education Center (Russian Federation); Klyachkin, L. E. [St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (Russian Federation); Malyarenko, A. M. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical–Technical Institute (Russian Federation); Emel’yanov, A. K.; Dubina, M. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg Academic University—Nanotechnology Research and Education Center (Russian Federation)

2016-10-15

Planar silicon nanostructures that are formed as a very narrow silicon quantum well confined by δ barriers heavily doped with boron are used to study the dielectric properties of DNA oligonucleotides deposited onto the surface of the nanostructures. The capacitance characteristics of the silicon nanostructures with oligonucleotides deposited onto their surface are determined by recording the local tunneling current–voltage characteristics by means of scanning tunneling microscopy. The results show the possibility of identifying the local dielectric properties of DNA oligonucleotide segments consisting of repeating G–C pairs. These properties apparently give grounds to correlate the segments with polymer molecules exhibiting the properties of multiferroics.

Studies on the controlled growth of InAs nanostructures on scission surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauer, J.

2006-01-01

The aim of this thesis was the controlled alignment of self-assembled InAs nano-structures on a {110}-oriented surface. The surface is prestructured with the atomic precision offered by molecular beam epitaxy, using the cleaved edge overgrowth-technique. On all samples grown within this work, the epitaxial template in the first growth step was deposited on a (001)GaAs substrate, while the InAs-layer forming the nanostructures during the second growth step was grown on cleaved {110}-GaAs surfaces. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) investigations demonstrate the formation of quantum dot (QD)-like nanostructures on top of the AlAs-stripes. X-ray diffraction measurements on large arrays of aligned quantum dots demonstrate that the quantum dots are formed of pure InAs. First investigations on the optical properties of these nanostructures were done using microphotoluminescence-spectroscopy with both high spatial and spectral resolution. (orig.)

Diameter Effect of Silver Nanorod Arrays to Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, Geun Hoi; Kim, Min Young; Yoon, Hyeok Jin; Suh, Jung Sang

2014-01-01

The effect the diameter of silver nanorod arrays whose distance between the nanorods was uniform at 65 nm have on Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) has been studied by varying the diameter from 28 to 51 nm. Nanorod length was fixed at approximately 62 nm, which is the optimum length for SERS by excitation with a 632.8 nm laser line. The transverse and longitudinal modes of the surface plasmon of these silver nanorods were near 400 and 630 nm, respectively. The extinction of the longitudinal mode increased with increasing nanorod diameter, while the transverse mode did not change significantly. High-quality SERS spectra of p-aminothiophenol and benzenethiol adsorbed on the tips of the silver nanorods were observed by excitation with a 632.8 nm laser line. The SERS enhancement increased with increasing nanorod diameter. We concluded that the SERS enhancement increases when the diameter of silver nanorods is increased mainly by increasing the excitation efficiency of the longitudinal mode. The enhancement factor for the silver nanorods with a 51 nm diameter was approximately 2 Χ 10 7

Optimized organic photovoltaics with surface plasmons

Science.gov (United States)

Omrane, B.; Landrock, C.; Aristizabal, J.; Patel, J. N.; Chuo, Y.; Kaminska, B.

2010-06-01

In this work, a new approach for optimizing organic photovoltaics using nanostructure arrays exhibiting surface plasmons is presented. Periodic nanohole arrays were fabricated on gold- and silver-coated flexible substrates, and were thereafter used as light transmitting anodes for solar cells. Transmission measurements on the plasmonic thin film made of gold and silver revealed enhanced transmission at specific wavelengths matching those of the photoactive polymer layer. Compared to the indium tin oxide-based photovoltaic cells, the plasmonic solar cells showed overall improvements in efficiency up to 4.8-fold for gold and 5.1-fold for the silver, respectively.

Metal nanostructures: from clusters to nanocatalysis and sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Smirnov, B. M.

2017-12-01

The properties of metal clusters and nanostructures composed of them are reviewed. Various existing methods for the generation of intense beams of metal clusters and their subsequent conversion into nanostructures are compared. Processes of the flow of a buffer gas with active molecules through a nanostructure are analyzed as a basis of using nanostructures for catalytic applications. The propagation of an electric signal through a nanostructure is studied by analogy with a macroscopic metal. An analysis is given of how a nanostructure changes its resistance as active molecules attach to its surface and are converted into negative ions. These negative ions induce the formation of positively charged vacancies inside the metal conductor and attract the vacancies to together change the resistance of the metal nanostructure. The physical basis is considered for using metal clusters and nanostructures composed of them to create new materials in the form of a porous metal film on the surface of an object. The fundamentals of nanocatalysis are reviewed. Semiconductor conductometric sensors consisting of bound nanoscale grains or fibers acting as a conductor are compared with metal sensors conducting via a percolation cluster, a fractal fiber, or a bunch of interwoven nanofibers formed in superfluid helium. It is shown that sensors on the basis of metal nanostructures are characterized by a higher sensitivity than semiconductor ones, but are not selective. Measurements using metal sensors involve two stages, one of which measures to high precision the attachment rate of active molecules to the sensor conductor, and in the other one the surface of metal nanostructures is cleaned from the attached molecules using a gas discharge plasma (in particular, capillary discharge) with a subsequent chromatography analysis for products of cleaning.

Determination of mercury (II) ions based on silver-nanoparticles-assisted growth of gold nanostructures: UV-Vis and surface enhanced Raman scattering approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jun-Liang; Yang, Pei-Chia; Wu, Tsunghsueh; Lin, Yang-Wei

2018-06-01

Innovative dual detection methods for mercury(II) ions (Hg(II)) have been developed based on the formation of gold nanostructures (AuNSs) following the addition of mercury-containing solution to a mixture containing an optimized amount of Au(III), H2O2, HCl, and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). In the absence of Hg(II), the addition of Au(III), H2O2, and HCl to the AgNP solution changes the solution's color from yellow to red, and the absorption peak shifts from 400 to 526 nm, indicating the dissolution of AgNPs and the formation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Because of the spontaneous redox reaction of Hg(II) toward AgNPs, the change in the amount of remaining AgNP seed facilitates the generation of irregular AuNSs, resulting in changes in absorption intensity and shifting the peak within the range from 526 to 562 nm depending on the concentration of Hg(II). Under optimal conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for Hg(II) at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3 was 0.3 μM. We further observed that AgNP-assisted catalytic formation of Au nanomaterials deposited on a surface enhanced Raman scattering active substrate significantly reduced the Raman signal of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid, dependent on the Hg(II) concentration. A linear relationship was observed in the range 0.1 nM-100 μM with a LOD of 0.05 nM (S/N 3.0). As a simple, accurate and precise method, this SERS-based assay has demonstrated its success in determining levels of Hg(II) in real water samples.

Electron-beam lithography of gold nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

KAUST Repository

Yue, Weisheng

2012-10-26

The fabrication of nanostructured substrates with precisely controlled geometries and arrangements plays an important role in studies of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Here, we present two processes based on electron-beam lithography to fabricate gold nanostructures for SERS. One process involves making use of metal lift-off and the other involves the use of the plasma etching. These two processes allow the successful fabrication of gold nanostructures with various kinds of geometrical shapes and different periodic arrangements. 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MPy) and Rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules are used to probe SERS signals on the nanostructures. The SERS investigations on the nanostructured substrates demonstrate that the gold nanostructured substrates have resulted in large SERS enhancement, which is highly dependent on the geometrical shapes and arrangements of the gold nanostructures. © 2012 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Synthesis of silver-titanium dioxide nanocomposites for antimicrobial applications

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X. H.; Fu, H. T.; Wang, X. C.; Yang, J. L.; Jiang, X. C.; Yu, A. B.

2014-08-01

Silver-titanium dioxide (Ag-TiO2) nanostructures have attracted increasing attention because of unique functional properties and potential applications in many areas such as photocatalysis, antibacterial, and self-cleaning coatings. In this study, Ag@TiO2 core-shell nanostructures and Ag-decorated TiO2 particles (TiO2@Ag) (the size of these two nanoparticles is ranging from 200-300 nm) have been synthesized by a developed facile but efficient method. These two types of hybrid nanostructures, characterized by various advanced techniques (TEM, XRD, BET and others), exhibit unique functional properties particularly in antibacterial toward Gram negative Escherichia coli, as a case study. Specifically: (i) the TiO2@Ag nanoparticles are superior in bacterial growth inhibition in standard culture conditions (37 °C incubator) to the Ag@TiO2 core-shell ones, in which silver may dominate the antibacterial performance; (ii) while after UV irradiation treatment, the Ag@TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles exhibit better performance in killing grown bacteria than the TiO2@Ag ones, probably because of the Ag cores facilitating charge separation for TiO2, and thus produce more hydroxyl radicals on the surface of the TiO2 particles; and (iii) without UV irradiation, both TiO2@Ag and Ag@TiO2 nanostructures show poor capabilities in killing mature bacteria. These findings would be useful for designing hybrid metal oxide nanocomposites with desirable functionalities in bioapplications in terms of sterilization, deodorization, and water purification.

Surface morphology effects on the light-controlled wettability of ZnO nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khranovskyy, V., E-mail: volkh@ifm.liu.se [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linkoping University (Sweden); Ekblad, T.; Yakimova, R.; Hultman, L. [Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM), Linkoping University (Sweden)

2012-08-01

ZnO nanostructures of diverse morphology with shapes of corrals and cabbages as well as open and filled hexagons and sheaves prepared by APMOCVD technique, are investigated with water contact angle (CA) analysis. The as-grown ZnO nanostructures exhibit pure hydrophobic behavior, which is enhanced with the increase of the nanostructure's surface area. The most hydrophobic structures (CA = 124 Degree-Sign ) were found to be the complex nanosheaf, containing both the macro-and nanoscale features. It is concluded that the nanoscale roughness contributes significantly to the hydrophobicity increase. The character of wettability was possible to switch from hydrophobic-to-superhydrophilic state upon ultra violet irradiation. Both the rate and amplitude of the contact angle depend on the characteristic size of nanostructure. The observed effect is explained due to the semiconductor properties of zinc oxide enhanced by increased surface chemistry effect in nanostructures.

Observation of plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding mode in silver nanoring structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Jian; Van Dorpe, Pol; Lagae, Liesbet; Borghs, Gustaaf; Maes, Guido

2009-01-01

We report on a clear experimental observation of the plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding resonance in silver nanorings. The data can be explained effectively by the plasmon hybridization model, which is confirmed by the numerical calculations of the electromagnetic field and surface charge distribution profiles. The experimental demonstration of the plasmon hybridization model indicates its usefulness as a valuable tool to understand, design and predict optical properties of metallic nanostructures.

Observation of plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding mode in silver nanoring structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ye Jian; Van Dorpe, Pol; Lagae, Liesbet; Borghs, Gustaaf [Interuniversity Microelectronics Center (IMEC), Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Maes, Guido, E-mail: Jian.Ye@imec.b [Chemistry Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 F, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2009-11-18

We report on a clear experimental observation of the plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding resonance in silver nanorings. The data can be explained effectively by the plasmon hybridization model, which is confirmed by the numerical calculations of the electromagnetic field and surface charge distribution profiles. The experimental demonstration of the plasmon hybridization model indicates its usefulness as a valuable tool to understand, design and predict optical properties of metallic nanostructures.

Observation of plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding mode in silver nanoring structures

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Jian; Van Dorpe, Pol; Lagae, Liesbet; Maes, Guido; Borghs, Gustaaf

2009-11-01

We report on a clear experimental observation of the plasmonic dipolar anti-bonding resonance in silver nanorings. The data can be explained effectively by the plasmon hybridization model, which is confirmed by the numerical calculations of the electromagnetic field and surface charge distribution profiles. The experimental demonstration of the plasmon hybridization model indicates its usefulness as a valuable tool to understand, design and predict optical properties of metallic nanostructures.

Synthesis of self-assembly plasmonic silver nanoparticles with tunable luminescence color

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Ghamdi, Haifa S.; Mahmoud, Waleed E.

2014-01-01

Assembly is an elegant and effective bottom-up approach to prepare arrays of nanoparticles from nobel metals. Noble metal nanoparticles are perfect building blocks because they can be prepared with an adequate functionalization to allow their assembly and with controlled sizes. Herein, we report a novel recipe for the synthesis of self-assembled silver nanoparticles with tunable optical properties and sizes. The synthetic route followed here based on the covalent binding among silver nanoparticles by means of poly vinyl alcohol for the first time. The size of silver nanoparticle is governed by varying the amount of sodium borohydride. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction and UV–vis spectroscopy. Results depicted that self-assembly of mono-dispersed silver nanoparticles with different sizes have been achieved. The silver nanostructure has a single crystalline faced centered cubic structure with growth orientation along (1 1 1) facet. These nanoparticles exhibited localized surface plasmon resonance at 403 nm. The luminescence peaks were red-sifted from violet to green due to the increase of the particle sizes. -- Highlights: • Self-assembled silver nanoparticles based PVA were synthesized. • NaBH 4 amount was found particle size dependent. • Silver nanoparticles strongly affected the surface plasmon resonance. • Highly symmetric luminescence emission band narrow width is obtained. • Dark field image showed a tunable color change from violet to green

Multifaceted adsorption of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid on silver colloidal and island surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Dawoon; Jeon, Kooknam; Yeo, Juhyun; Hussain, Shafqat; Pang, Yoonsoo

2017-12-01

The surface adsorption of organic nitrile compounds on the silver colloidal and island surfaces has been studied using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). α-Cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) with nitrile and carboxyl groups shows various surface adsorption on the silver surfaces. In acidic conditions, the surface adsorption of CHCA via the nitrile group with a more or less tilted geometry to the surface was found. When the solution pH increases, the carboxylate and nitrile groups of deprotonated CHCA participate in the surface adsorption, whereas the molecular plane of CHCA becomes more parallel to the surface. The ν(Ctbnd N) band in SERS of CHCA is the indicator of the surface adsorption geometry. The strongly red-shifted and broadened ν(Ctbnd N) band in SERS represents the surface adsorption via π-electrons of the Ctbnd N bond (side-on geometry; π-coordination). Nitriles adsorbed on the surface via the nonbonding electron pair of the nitrogen atom (end-on geometry; σ-coordination) often cause the blue-shifts and small band broadening in ν(Ctbnd N) in SERS. The surface adsorption geometry of organic nitriles based on many previous experimental results was further confirmed by the surface adsorption of CHCA on the silver island surfaces and dinitrile compounds on the silver colloidal surfaces.

Surface plasmon microscopy with low-cost metallic nanostructures for biosensing I

Science.gov (United States)

Lindquist, Nathan; Oh, Sang-Hyun; Otto, Lauren

2012-02-01

The field of plasmonics aims to manipulate light over dimensions smaller than the optical wavelength by exploiting surface plasmon resonances in metallic films. Typically, surface plasmons are excited by illuminating metallic nanostructures. For meaningful research in this exciting area, the fabrication of high-quality nanostructures is critical, and in an undergraduate setting, low-cost methods are desirable. Careful optical characterization of the metallic nanostructures is also required. Here, we present the use of novel, inexpensive nanofabrication techniques and the development of a customized surface plasmon microscopy setup for interdisciplinary undergraduate experiments in biosensing, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and surface plasmon imaging. A Bethel undergraduate student performs the nanofabrication in collaboration with the University of Minnesota. The rewards of mentoring undergraduate students in cooperation with a large research university are numerous, exposing them to a wide variety of opportunities. This research also interacts with upper-level, open-ended laboratory projects, summer research, a semester-long senior research experience, and will enable a large range of experiments into the future.

Preparation of triangular and hexagonal silver nanoplates on the surface of quartz substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Huiying; Zeng Jianbo; An Jing; Song Wei; Xu Weiqing; Zhao Bing

2008-01-01

In this paper, triangular and hexagonal silver nanoplates were prepared on the surface of quartz substrate using photoreduction of silver ions in the presence of silver seeds. The obtained silver nanoplates were characterized by atomic force microscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was found that the silver seeds played an important role in the formation of triangular and hexagonal silver nanoplates. By varying the irradiation time, nanoplates with different sizes and shapes could be obtained. The growth mechanism for triangular and hexagonal nanoplates prepared on quartz substrate was discussed

Characterization of Ag-porous silicon nanostructured layer formed by an electrochemical etching of p-type silicon surface for bio-application

Science.gov (United States)

Naddaf, M.; Al-Mariri, A.; Haj-Mhmoud, N.

2017-06-01

Nanostructured layers composed of silver-porous silicon (Ag-PS) have been formed by an electrochemical etching of p-type (1 1 1) silicon substrate in a AgNO3:HF:C2H5OH solution at different etching times (10 min-30 min). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) results reveal that the produced layers consist of Ag dendrites and a silicon-rich porous structure. The nanostructuring nature of the layer has been confirmed by spatial micro-Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction techniques. The Ag dendrites exhibit a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectrum, while the porous structure shows a typical PS Raman spectrum. Upon increasing the etching time, the average size of silicon nanocrystallite in the PS network decreases, while the average size of Ag nanocrystals is slightly affected. In addition, the immobilization of prokaryote Salmonella typhimurium DNA via physical adsorption onto the Ag-PS layer has been performed to demonstrate its efficiency as a platform for detection of biological molecules using SERS.

Optimization of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell for sensing applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirzaditabar, Farzad; Saliminasab, Maryam

2013-01-01

In this paper, resonance light scattering (RLS) properties of a silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell, based on quasi-static approach and plasmon hybridization theory, are investigated. Scattering spectrum of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell has two intense and clearly separated RLS peaks and provides a potential for biosensing based on surface plasmon resonance and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The two RLS peaks in silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell are optimized by tuning the geometrical dimensions. In addition, the optimal geometry is discussed to obtain the high sensitivity of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell. As the silver core radius increases, the sensitivity of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell decreases whereas increasing the middle dielectric thickness increases the sensitivity of silver-dielectric-silver nanoshell

Silver-gold core-shell nanoparticles containing methylene blue as SERS labels for probing and imaging of live cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, X.; Guo, Z.; Jin, Y.; Liu, Z.; Zhang, W.; Huang, D.

2012-01-01

We report on silver-gold core-shell nanostructures that contain Methylene Blue (MB) at the gold/x96silver interface. They can be used as reporter molecules in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) labels. The labels are stable and have strong SERS activity. TEM imaging revealed that these nanoparticles display bright and dark stripe structures. In addition, these labels can act as probes that can be detected and imaged through the specific Raman signatures of the reporters. We show that such SERS probes can identify cellular structures due to enhanced Raman spectra of intrinsic cellular molecules measured in the local optical fields of the core-shell nanostructures. They also provide structural information on the cellular environment as demonstrated for these nanoparticles as new SERS-active and biocompatible substrates for imaging of live cells. (author)

Effects of fibre-form nanostructures on particle emissions from a tungsten surface in plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takamura, S.; Miyamoto, T.; Ohno, N.

2012-01-01

The effects of fibre-form nanostructure of a tungsten surface on both electron emission and sputtering in helium/argon plasmas are represented. Generally, a nano-fibre forest, the so-called ‘fuzz’, made of tungsten with helium gas inside is found to have the tendency of suppressing the particle emission substantially. The electron emission comes from the impact of high-energy primary electrons. In addition, a deeply biased tungsten target, which inhibits the influx of even energetic primary electrons, seems to produce an electron emission, and it may be suppressed on the way to nanostructure formation on the surface of the W target. Such an emission process is discussed here. The sputtering yield of the He-damaged tungsten surface with the fibre-form nanostructure depends on the surface morphology while the sputtering itself changes the surface morphology, so that the time evolutions of sputtering yield from the W surface with an originally well-developed nanostructure are found to show a minimum in sputtering yield, which is about a half for the fresh nanostructured tungsten and roughly one-fifth of the yield for the original flat normal tungsten surface. The surface morphology at that time is, for the first time, made clear with field emission scanning electron microscopy observation. The physical mechanism for the appearance of such a minimum in sputtering yield is discussed. (paper)

New nanostructured nickel–polymer nanohybrids with improved surface hydrophobicity and effect on the living cells adhesion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macko, Ján; Oriňak, Andrej; Oriňaková, Renáta; Muhmann, Christian; Petruš, Ondrej; Harvanová, Denisa

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Unique nanohybrid formed from nanostructured nickel covered with polymer layer in being introduced. • Polymer is spin-coated on nanostructured nickel surface. • Nanohybrid surface hydrophobicity extension has been observed. • Adhesion of the cells was studied at nanohybrid surface. • The cells growth was differently inhibited at nanohybrid surface. - Abstract: An intensive gain of surface hydrophobicity has been observed on the differently polar polymer layers spin-coated directly on the previously prepared nanostructured nickel surface to form nanohybrids. Nanostructured nickel layer has been prepared by electrochemical deposition to form polyhedral crystalline nanostructure. Surface morphology and homogeneity of a nanohybrid polymer layer have been monitored by TOF-SIMS and SEM methods. Hydrophobicity extension of nanohybrid surfaces increased nearly linearly with decreasing polarity of single polymers applied and maximum increase in hydrophobicity value obtained was 32%. Novel nanohybrid surfaces functionality has been tested on the different cells adhesion. The results showed cell adhesion followed with an inhibition of the living cells spreading and proliferation on declared nanostructured nickel–polymer nanohybrid surfaces. The maximum inhibition activity of nanohybrid surface against cells line has been observed in a case when polydimethylsiloxane was applied as surface polymeric layer. Preparation of this kind of surface is easy and inexpensive, with many proposed applications where hydrophobic surfaces are required. This also can tend as a model for the preparation of the surfaces with cell anti-adhesion and antimicrobial activity.

The kinetics of formation and transformation of silver atoms on solid surfaces subjected to ionizing irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popovich, G.M.

1988-01-01

The paper discusses the results obtained in ESR-assisted studies of the kinetics of formation and transformation of silver atoms generated by γ-irradiation of silver-containing carriers. Three types of dependences have been established: (1) extreme; (2) saturation curves and (3) step-like. All the kinetic curves display, after a definite period of time, stable concentrations of adsorbed silver atoms per unit of the surface at a given temperature. Depending on the temperature of the experiment, the composition and nature of the carrier, the number of adsorbed silver ions, the irradiation dose and conditions of the experiment, a stable concentration of silver atoms at a given temperature may be equal to, higher or lower than the number of silver atoms measured immediately after γ-irradiation at a temperature of liquid nitrogen. A kinetic scheme is proposed to explain the obtained curves. The model suggests that the silver atoms adsorbed on the surface, as well as those formed after γ-irradiation, are bonded to the surface by various energies, which are related to heterogeneity of the carrier surface. (author)

Silver inkjet printing with control of surface energy and substrate temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S-H; Shin, K-Y; Hwang, J Y; Kang, K T; Kang, H S

2008-01-01

The characteristics of silver inkjet printing were intensively investigated with control of surface energy and substrate temperature. A fluorocarbon (FC) film was spincoated on a silicon (Si) substrate to obtain a hydrophobic surface, and an ultraviolet (UV)/ozone (O 3 ) treatment was performed to control the surface wettability of the FC film surface. To characterize the surface changes, we performed measurements of the static and dynamic contact angles and calculated the surface energy by Wu's harmonic mean model. The surface energy of the FC film increased with the UV/O 3 treatment time, while the contact angles decreased. In silver inkjet printing, the hydrophobic FC film could reduce the diameter of the printed droplets. Merging of deposited droplets was observed when the substrate was kept at room temperature. Substrate heating was effective in preventing the merging phenomenon among the deposited droplets, and in reducing the width of printed lines. The merging phenomenon of deposited droplets was also prevented by increasing the UV/O 3 treatment time. Continuous silver lines in the width range of 48.04–139.21 µm were successfully achieved by inkjet printing on the UV/O 3 -treated hydrophobic FC films at substrate temperatures below 90 °C

Localization of optical excitations on random surfaces: SNOM studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.

1999-01-01

Localization of optical excitations on nanostructured metal surfaces and fractal colloid silver aggregates are studied by using a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM). The SNOM images obtained in both configurations exhibit spatially localized (within 150 to 250 nm) light intensity...

Optical response of nanostructured metal/dielectric composites and multilayers

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Geoffrey B.; Maaroof, Abbas I.; Allan, Rodney S.; Schelm, Stefan; Anstis, Geoffrey R.; Cortie, Michael B.

2004-08-01

The homogeneous optical response in conducting nanostructured layers, and in insulating layers containing dense arrays of self assembled conducting nanoparticles separated by organic linkers, is examined experimentally through their effective complex indices (n*, k*). Classical effective medium models, modified to account for the 3-phase nanostructure, are shown to explain (n*, k*) in dense particulate systems but not inhomogeneous layers with macroscopic conductance for which a different approach to homogenisation is discussed. (n*, k*) data on thin granular metal films, thin mesoporous gold, and on thin metal layers containing ordered arrays of voids, is linked to properties of the surface plasmon states which span the nanostructured film. Coupling between evanescent waves at either surface counterbalanced by electron scattering losses must be considered. Virtual bound states for resonant photons result, with the associated transit delay leading to a large rise in n* in many nanostructures. Overcoating n-Ag with alumina is shown to alter (n*, k*) through its impact on the SP coupling. In contrast to classical optical homogenisation, effective indices depend on film thickness. Supporting high resolution SEM images are presented.

Synthesis and antimicrobial effects of silver nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S kheybari

2010-09-01

Full Text Available "n  "n "nBackground and the purpose of the study:The most prominent nanoparticles for medical uses are nanosilver particles which are famous for their high anti-microbial activity. Silver ion has been known as a metal ion that exhibit anti-mold, anti-microbial and anti-algal properties for a long time. In particular, it is widely used as silver nitrate aqueous solution which has disinfecting and sterilizing actions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity as well as physical properties of the silver nanoparticles prepared by chemical reduction method. "nMethods:Silver nanoparticles (NPs were prepared by reduction of silver nitrate in the presence of a reducing agent and also poly [N-vinylpyrolidone] (PVP as a stabilizer. Two kinds of NPs were synthesized by ethylene glycol (EG and glucose as reducing agent. The nanostructure and particle size of silver NPs were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and laser particle analyzer (LPA. The formations of the silver NPs were monitored using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The anti-bacterial activity of silver NPs were assessed by determination of their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC against the Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis as well as Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. "nResults and Conclusion:The silver nanoparticles were spherical with particle size between 10 to 250 nm. Analysis of the theoretical (Mie light scattering theory and experimental results showed that the silver NPs in colloidal solution had a diameter of approximately 50 nm. "nBoth colloidal silver NPs showed high anti-bacterial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Glucose nanosilver colloids showed a shorter killing time against most of the tested bacteria which could be due to their nanostructures and uniform size distribution patterns.

Microstructural, spectroscopic, and antibacterial properties of silver-based hybrid nanostructures biosynthesized using extracts of coriander leaves and seeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luna C

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Carlos Luna,1 Enrique Díaz Barriga-Castro,2 Alberto Gómez-Treviño,3 Nuria O Núñez,4 Raquel Mendoza-Reséndez1 1Research Center of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Mexico; 2Central Laboratory of Analytical Instrumentation, Research Center for Applied Chemistry, Coahuila, Mexico; 3Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Mexico; 4Colloidal Materials Research Group, Institute of Materials Science of Seville, Spanish National Research Council, University of Seville, Seville, Spain Abstract: Coriander leaves and seeds have been highly appreciated since ancient times, not only due to their pleasant flavors but also due to their inhibitory activity on food degradation and their beneficial properties for health, both ascribed to their strong antioxidant activity. Recently, it has been shown that coriander leaf extracts can mediate the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles through oxidation/reduction reactions. In the present study, extracts of coriander leaves and seeds have been used as reaction media for the wet chemical synthesis of ultrafine silver nanoparticles and nanoparticle clusters, with urchin- and tree-like shapes, coated by biomolecules (mainly, proteins and polyphenols. In this greener route of nanostructure preparation, the active biocompounds of coriander simultaneously play the roles of reducing and stabilizing agents. The morphological and microstructural studies of the resulting biosynthesized silver nanostructures revealed that the nanostructures prepared with a small concentration of the precursor Ag salt (AgNO3 =5 mM exhibit an ultrafine size and a narrow size distribution, whereas particles synthesized with high concentrations of the precursor Ag salt (AgNO3 =0.5 M are polydisperse and formation of supramolecular structures occurs. Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopy

Silver-mediated base pairings: towards dynamic DNA nanostructures with enhanced chemical and thermal stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swasey, Steven M; Gwinn, Elisabeth G

2016-01-01

The thermal and chemical fragility of DNA nanomaterials assembled by Watson–Crick (WC) pairing constrain the settings in which these materials can be used and how they can be functionalized. Here we investigate use of the silver cation, Ag + , as an agent for more robust, metal-mediated self-assembly, focusing on the simplest duplex building blocks that would be required for more elaborate Ag + –DNA nanostructures. Our studies of Ag + -induced assembly of non-complementary DNA oligomers employ strands of 2–24 bases, with varied base compositions, and use electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to determine product compositions. High yields of duplex products containing narrowly distributed numbers of Ag + can be achieved by optimizing solution conditions. These Ag + -mediated duplexes are stable to at least 60 mM Mg 2+ , higher than is necessary for WC nanotechnology schemes such as tile assemblies and DNA origami, indicating that sequential stages of Ag + -mediated and WC-mediated assembly may be feasible. Circular dichroism spectroscopy suggests simple helical structures for Ag + -mediated duplexes with lengths to at least 20 base pairs, and further indicates that the structure of cytosine-rich duplexes is preserved at high urea concentrations. We therefore propose an approach towards dynamic DNA nanomaterials with enhanced thermal and chemical stability through designs that combine sturdy silver-mediated ‘frames’ with WC paired ‘pictures’. (paper)

Theory of hyperbolic stratified nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Herman M. K.; Dezfouli, Mohsen Kamandar; Axelrod, Simon; Hughes, Stephen; Helmy, Amr S.

2017-11-01

We theoretically investigate the enhancement of surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using hyperbolic stratified nanostructures and compare to metal nanoresonators. The photon Green function of each nanostructure within its environment is first obtained from a semianalytical modal theory, which is used in a quantum optics formalism of the molecule-nanostructure interaction to model the SERS spectrum. An intuitive methodology is presented for calculating the single-molecule enhancement factor (SMEF), which is also able to predict known experimental SERS enhancement factors of a gold nanodimer. We elucidate the important figures-of-merit of the enhancement and explore these for different designs. We find that the use of hyperbolic stratified materials can enhance the photonic local density of states (LDOS) by close to two times in comparison to pure metal nanostructures, when both designed to work at the same operating wavelengths. However, the increased LDOS is accompanied by higher electric field concentration within the lossy hyperbolic material, which leads to increased quenching that serves to reduce the overall detected SERS enhancement in the far field. For nanoresonators with resonant localized surface plasmon wavelengths in the near-infrared, the SMEF for the hyperbolic stratified nanostructure is approximately one order of magnitude lower than the pure metal counterpart. Conversely, we show that by detecting the Raman signal using a near-field probe, hyperbolic materials can provide an improvement in SERS enhancement compared to using pure metal nanostructures when the probe is sufficiently close (<50 nm ) to the Raman active molecule at the plasmonic hotspot.

Surface chemical and biological characterization of flax fabrics modified with silver nanoparticles for biomedical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paladini, F.; Picca, R.A.; Sportelli, M.C.; Cioffi, N.; Sannino, A.; Pollini, M.

2015-01-01

Silver nanophases are increasingly used as effective antibacterial agent for biomedical applications and wound healing. This work aims to investigate the surface chemical composition and biological properties of silver nanoparticle-modified flax substrates. Silver coatings were deposited on textiles through the in situ photo-reduction of a silver solution, by means of a large-scale apparatus. The silver-coated materials were characterized through X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), to assess the surface elemental composition of the coatings, and the chemical speciation of both the substrate and the antibacterial nanophases. A detailed investigation of XPS high resolution regions outlined that silver is mainly present on nanophases' surface as Ag 2 O. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also carried out, in order to visualize the distribution of silver particles on the fibers. The materials were also characterized from a biological point of view in terms of antibacterial capability and cytotoxicity. Agar diffusion tests and bacterial enumeration tests were performed on Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, namely Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In vitro cytotoxicity tests were performed through the extract method on murine fibroblasts in order to verify if the presence of the silver coating affected the cellular viability and proliferation. Durability of the coating was also assessed, thus confirming the successful scaling up of the process, which will be therefore available for large-scale production. - Highlights: • Silver nanophases are increasingly used as effective antibacterial agent for biomedical applications. • Silver coatings were deposited on textiles through the in situ photo-reduction of a silver solution. • Flax fabrics were characterized from a biological and surface chemical point of view. • Scaling up of the process was confirmed

Delayed frost formation on hybrid nanostructured surfaces with patterned high wetting contrast

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Youmin; Zhou, Peng; Yao, Shuhuai

2014-11-01

Engineering icephobic surfaces that can retard the frost formation and accumulation are important to vehicles, wind turbines, power lines, and HVAC systems. For condensation frosting, superhydrophobic surfaces promote self-removal of condensed droplets before freezing and consequently delay the frost growth. However, a small thermal fluctuation may lead to a Cassie-to-Wenzel transition, and thus dramatically enhance the frost formation and adhesion. In this work, we investigated the heterogeneous ice nucleation on hybrid nanostructured surfaces with patterned high wetting contrast. By judiciously introducing hydrophilic micro-patches into superhydrophobic nanostructured surface, we demonstrated that such a novel hybrid structure can efficiently defer the ice nucleation as compared to a superhydrophobic surface with nanostructures only. We observed efficient droplet jumping and higher coverage of droplets with diameter smaller than 10 μm, both of which suppress frost formation. The hybrid surface avoids the formation of liquid-bridges for Cassie-to-Wenzel transition, therefore eliminating the `bottom-up' droplet freezing from the cold substrate. These findings provide new insights to improve anti-frosting and anti-icing by using heterogeneous wettability in multiscale structures.

Evaporation phase change processes of water/methanol mixtures on superhydrophobic nanostructured surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Chiang, Cheng-Kun; Lu, Yen-Wen

2011-07-01

Evaporation phenomena are a critical and frequently seen phase change process in many heat transfer applications. In this paper, we study the evaporation process of a sessile droplet on two topologically different surfaces, including smooth and nanostructured surfaces. The nanostructured surface has an array of high-aspect-ratio nanowires (height/diameter ~ 125) and is implemented by using a simple template-based nanofabrication method. It possesses superhydrophobicity (>140°) and low contact angle hysteresis (1.2-2.1°), allowing the liquid droplets to remain in the 'fakir' state throughout the evaporation processes. Sessile droplets of deionized (DI) water and water/methanol binary mixture test liquids with their contact angles and base diameters are monitored. The results show that the nanostructures play a critical role in the droplet dynamics during evaporation.

Evaporation phase change processes of water/methanol mixtures on superhydrophobic nanostructured surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, Cheng-Kun; Lu, Yen-Wen

2011-01-01

Evaporation phenomena are a critical and frequently seen phase change process in many heat transfer applications. In this paper, we study the evaporation process of a sessile droplet on two topologically different surfaces, including smooth and nanostructured surfaces. The nanostructured surface has an array of high-aspect-ratio nanowires (height/diameter ∼ 125) and is implemented by using a simple template-based nanofabrication method. It possesses superhydrophobicity (>140°) and low contact angle hysteresis (1.2–2.1°), allowing the liquid droplets to remain in the 'fakir' state throughout the evaporation processes. Sessile droplets of deionized (DI) water and water/methanol binary mixture test liquids with their contact angles and base diameters are monitored. The results show that the nanostructures play a critical role in the droplet dynamics during evaporation

Silver Eco-Solvent Ink for Reactive Printing of Polychromatic SERS and SPR Substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Dustov, Mavlavi; Golovina, Diana I; Polyakov, Alexander Yu; Goldt, Anastasia E; Eliseev, Andrei A; Kolesnikov, Efim A; Sukhorukova, Irina V; Shtansky, Dmitry V; Grünert, Wolfgang; Grigorieva, Anastasia V

2018-02-09

A new reactive ink based on a silver citrate complex is proposed for a photochemical route to surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy active substrates with controllable extinction spectra. The drop-cast test of the ink reveals homogeneous nucleation of silver and colloid particle growth originating directly from photochemical in situ reduction in droplets, while the following evaporation of the deposited ink produces small nano- and micron-size particles. The prepared nanostructures and substrates were accurately characterized by electron microscopy methods and optical extinction spectroscopy. Varying the duration of UV irradiation allows tuning the morphology of individual silver nanoparticles forming hierarchical ring structures with numerous "hot spots" for most efficient Raman enhancement. Raman measurements of probe molecules of rhodamine 6G and methylene blue reached the largest signal enhancement of 10⁶ by the resonance effects.

Control of bacterial biofilm growth on surfaces by nanostructural mechanics and geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epstein, A K; Hochbaum, A I; Kim, Philseok; Aizenberg, J

2011-01-01

Surface-associated communities of bacteria, called biofilms, pervade natural and anthropogenic environments. Mature biofilms are resistant to a wide range of antimicrobial treatments and therefore pose persistent pathogenic threats. The use of surface chemistry to inhibit biofilm growth has been found to only transiently affect initial attachment. In this work, we investigate the tunable effects of physical surface properties, including high-aspect-ratio (HAR) surface nanostructure arrays recently reported to induce long-range spontaneous spatial patterning of bacteria on the surface. The functional parameters and length scale regimes that control such artificial patterning for the rod-shaped pathogenic species Pseudomonas aeruginosa are elucidated through a combinatorial approach. We further report a crossover regime of biofilm growth on a HAR nanostructured surface versus the nanostructure effective stiffness. When the 'softness' of the hair-like nanoarray is increased beyond a threshold value, biofilm growth is inhibited as compared to a flat control surface. This result is consistent with the mechanoselective adhesion of bacteria to surfaces. Therefore by combining nanoarray-induced bacterial patterning and modulating the effective stiffness of the nanoarray—thus mimicking an extremely compliant flat surface—bacterial mechanoselective adhesion can be exploited to control and inhibit biofilm growth.

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection of biomolecules using EBL fabricated nanostructured substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Robert F; Gutierrez-Rivera, Luis; Dew, Steven K; Stepanova, Maria

2015-03-20

Fabrication and characterization of conjugate nano-biological systems interfacing metallic nanostructures on solid supports with immobilized biomolecules is reported. The entire sequence of relevant experimental steps is described, involving the fabrication of nanostructured substrates using electron beam lithography, immobilization of biomolecules on the substrates, and their characterization utilizing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Three different designs of nano-biological systems are employed, including protein A, glucose binding protein, and a dopamine binding DNA aptamer. In the latter two cases, the binding of respective ligands, D-glucose and dopamine, is also included. The three kinds of biomolecules are immobilized on nanostructured substrates by different methods, and the results of SERS imaging are reported. The capabilities of SERS to detect vibrational modes from surface-immobilized proteins, as well as to capture the protein-ligand and aptamer-ligand binding are demonstrated. The results also illustrate the influence of the surface nanostructure geometry, biomolecules immobilization strategy, Raman activity of the molecules and presence or absence of the ligand binding on the SERS spectra acquired.

Laser generation of nanostructures on the surface and in the bulk of solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bityurin, N M

2010-01-01

This paper considers nanostructuring of solid surfaces by nano-optical techniques, primarily by laser particle nanolithography. Threshold processes are examined that can be used for laser structuring of solid surfaces, with particular attention to laser swelling of materials. Fundamental spatial resolution issues in three-dimensional (3D) laser nanostructuring are analysed with application to laser nanopolymerisation and 3D optical information recording. The formation of nanostructures in the bulk of solids due to their structural instability under irradiation is exemplified by photoinduced formation of nanocomposites. (photonics and nanotechnology)

Size-dependent surface plasmon resonance in silver silica nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Senoy; Nair, Saritha K; Jamal, E Muhammad Abdul; Anantharaman, M R; Al-Harthi, S H; Varma, Manoj Raama

2008-01-01

Silver silica nanocomposites were obtained by the sol-gel technique using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) as precursors. The silver nitrate concentration was varied for obtaining composites with different nanoparticle sizes. The structural and microstructural properties were determined by x-ray diffractometry (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies were done for determining the chemical states of silver in the silica matrix. For the lowest AgNO 3 concentration, monodispersed and spherical Ag crystallites, with an average diameter of 5 nm, were obtained. Grain growth and an increase in size distribution was observed for higher concentrations. The occurrence of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands and their evolution in the size range 5-10 nm is studied. For decreasing nanoparticle size, a redshift and broadening of the plasmon-related absorption peak was observed. The observed redshift and broadening of the SPR band was explained using modified Mie scattering theory

Formation of reflective and conductive silver film on ABS surface via covalent grafting and solution spray

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Dexin; Zhang, Yan [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Bessho, Takeshi [Higashifuji Technical Center, Toyota Motor Corporation, 1200 Mishuku, Susono, Shizuoka 410-1193 (Japan); Kudo, Takahiro; Sang, Jing; Hirahara, Hidetoshi; Mori, Kunio [Faculty of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Kang, Zhixin, E-mail: zxkang@scut.edu.cn [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381 Wushan, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2015-09-15

Highlights: • A pure and homogenous silver film was deposited by spray-style plating technique. • The mechanism of covalent bonding between coating and substrate was studied. • The silver coating is highly reflective and conductive. • UV light was used to activate the ABS surface with triazine azide derivative. - Abstract: Conductive and reflective silver layers on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastics have been prepared by photo grafting of triazine azides upon ultraviolet activation, self-assembling of triazine dithiols and silver electroless plating by solution spray based on silver mirror reaction. The as-prepared silver film exhibited excellent adhesion with ABS owing to covalent bonds between coating and substrate, and the detailed bonding mechanism have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) result revealed that silver film on ABS was pure and with a nanocrystalline structure. Atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis demonstrated that massive silver particles with sizes varying from 80 to 120 nm were deposited on ABS and formed a homogenous and smooth coating, resulting in highly reflective surface. Furthermore, silver maintained its unique conductivity even as film on ABS surface in term of four-point probe method.

Formation of reflective and conductive silver film on ABS surface via covalent grafting and solution spray

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Dexin; Zhang, Yan; Bessho, Takeshi; Kudo, Takahiro; Sang, Jing; Hirahara, Hidetoshi; Mori, Kunio; Kang, Zhixin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A pure and homogenous silver film was deposited by spray-style plating technique. • The mechanism of covalent bonding between coating and substrate was studied. • The silver coating is highly reflective and conductive. • UV light was used to activate the ABS surface with triazine azide derivative. - Abstract: Conductive and reflective silver layers on acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastics have been prepared by photo grafting of triazine azides upon ultraviolet activation, self-assembling of triazine dithiols and silver electroless plating by solution spray based on silver mirror reaction. The as-prepared silver film exhibited excellent adhesion with ABS owing to covalent bonds between coating and substrate, and the detailed bonding mechanism have been investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) result revealed that silver film on ABS was pure and with a nanocrystalline structure. Atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis demonstrated that massive silver particles with sizes varying from 80 to 120 nm were deposited on ABS and formed a homogenous and smooth coating, resulting in highly reflective surface. Furthermore, silver maintained its unique conductivity even as film on ABS surface in term of four-point probe method

Facile synthesis of microporous SiO2/triangular Ag composite nanostructures for photocatalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sirohi, Sidhharth; Singh, Anandpreet; Dagar, Chakit; Saini, Gajender; Pani, Balaram; Nain, Ratyakshi

2017-11-01

In this article, we present a novel fabrication of microporous SiO2/triangular Ag nanoparticles for dye (methylene blue) adsorption and plasmon-mediated degradation. Microporous SiO2 nanoparticles with pore size aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane) to introduce amine groups. Amine-functionalized microporous silica was used for adsorption of triangular silver (Ag) nanoparticles. The synthesized microporous SiO2 nanostructures were investigated for adsorption of different dyes including methylene blue, congo red, direct green 26 and curcumin crystalline. Amine-functionalized microporous SiO2/triangular Ag nanostructures were used for plasmon-mediated photocatalysis of methylene blue. The experimental results revealed that the large surface area of microporous silica facilitated adsorption of dye. Triangular Ag nanoparticles, due to their better charge carrier generation and enhanced surface plasmon resonance, further enhanced the photocatalysis performance.

Two-color beam improvement of the colloidal particle lens array assisted surface nanostructuring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Afanasiev, Andrei; Bredikhin, Vladimir; Pikulin, Alexander; Ilyakov, Igor; Shishkin, Boris; Akhmedzhanov, Rinat; Bityurin, Nikita, E-mail: bit@ufp.appl.sci-nnov.ru [Institute of Applied Physics of Russian Academy of Scienses, 46, Ul' yanov St., Nizhniy Novgorod 603950 (Russian Federation)

2015-05-04

We consider laser nanostructuring of the material surface by means of a colloidal particle lens array. Here, the monolayer of dielectric micro- or nanospheres placed on the surface acts as an array of near-field lenses that focus the laser radiation into the multitude of distinct spots, allowing the formation of many structures in a single stage. We show that conversion of a small part of the energy of the femtosecond beam into the second harmonic (SH) is an efficient way to increase the surface density of obtained nanostructures. By combining the fundamental frequency and the SH, one benefits both from the power of the former and from the focusing ability of the latter. This combination provides an efficient nanostructuring with sphere diameter close to the wavelength of the second harmonic. The possibility to create arrays of nanostructures with surface density above 5×10{sup 8} cm{sup −2} with femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser operating at 800 nm was demonstrated by employing 0.45 μm spheres.

Understanding long-term silver release from surface modified porous titanium implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shivaram, Anish; Bose, Susmita; Bandyopadhyay, Amit

2017-08-01

Prevention of orthopedic device related infection (ODRI) using antibiotics has met with limited amount of success and is still a big concern during post-surgery. As an alternative, use of silver as an antibiotic treatment to prevent surgical infections is being used due to the well-established antimicrobial properties of silver. However, in most cases silver is used in particulate form with wound dressings or with short-term devices such as catheters but not with load-bearing implants. We hypothesize that strongly adherent silver to load-bearing implants can offer longer term solution to infection in vivo. Keeping that in mind, the focus of this study was to understand the long term release study of silver ions for a period of minimum 6months from silver coated surface modified porous titanium implants. Implants were fabricated using a LENS™ system, a powder based additive manufacturing technique, with at least 25% volume porosity, with and without TiO 2 nanotubes in phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4) to see if the total release of silver ions is within the toxic limit for human cells. Considering the fact that infection sites may reduce the local pH, silver release was also studied in acetate buffer (pH 5.0) for a period of 4weeks. Along with that, the osseointegrative properties as well as cytotoxicity of porous titanium implants were assessed in vivo for a period of 12weeks using a rat distal femur model. In vivo results indicate that porous titanium implants with silver coating show comparable, if not better, biocompatibility and bonding at the bone-implant interface negating any concerns related to toxicity related to silver to normal cells. The current research is based on our recently patented technology, however focused on understanding longer-term silver release to mitigate infection related problems in load-bearing implants that can even arise several months after the surgery. Prevention of orthopedic device related infection using antibiotics has met

Ion beam induced optical and surface modification in plasmonic nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Udai B., E-mail: udaibhansingh123@gmail.com; Gautam, Subodh K.; Kumar, Sunil; Hooda, Sonu; Ojha, Sunil; Singh, Fouran

2016-07-15

In present work, ion irradiation induced nanostructuring has been exploited as an efficient and effective tool for synthesis of coupled plasmonics nanostructures by using 1.2 MeV Xe ions on Au/ZnO/Au system deposited on glass substrate. The results are correlated on the basis of their optical absorption, surface morphologies and enhanced sensitivity of evolved phonon modes by using UV Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy (RS), respectively. Optical absorbance spectra of plasmonic nanostructures (NSs) show a decrease in band gap, which may be ascribed to the formation of defects with ion irradiation. The surface morphology reveals the formation of percolated NSs upon ion irradiation and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) study clearly shows the formation of multilayer system. Furthermore, RS measurements on samples are studied to understand the enhanced sensitivity of ion irradiation induced phonon mode at 573 cm{sup −1} along with other modes. As compared to pristine sample, a stronger and pronounced evolution of these phonon modes is observed with further ion irradiation, which indicates localized surface plasmon results with enhanced intensity of phonon modes of Zinc oxide (ZnO) material. Thus, such plasmonic NSs can be used as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates.

Self-assembly of silver nanoparticles and bacteriophage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santi Scibilia

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Biohybrid nanostructured materials, composed of both inorganic nanoparticles and biomolecules, offer prospects for many new applications in extremely diverse fields such as chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine and nanobiotechnology. In the recent years, Phage display technique has been extensively used to generate phage clones displaying surface peptides with functionality towards organic materials. Screening and selection of phage displayed material binding peptides has attracted great interest because of their use for development of hybrid materials with multiple functionalities. Here, we present a self-assembly approach for the construction of hybrid nanostructured networks consisting of M13 P9b phage clone, specific for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, selected by Phage display technology, directly assembled with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, previously prepared by pulsed laser ablation. These networks are characterized by UV–vis optical spectroscopy, scanning/transmission electron microscopies and Raman spectroscopy. We investigated the influence of different ions and medium pH on self-assembly by evaluating different phage suspension buffers. The assembly of these networks is controlled by electrostatic interactions between the phage pVIII major capsid proteins and the AgNPs. The formation of the AgNPs-phage networks was obtained only in two types of tested buffers at a pH value near the isoelectric point of each pVIII proteins displayed on the surface of the clone. This systematic study allowed to optimize the synthesis procedure to assembly AgNPs and bacteriophage. Such networks find application in the biomedical field of advanced biosensing and targeted gene and drug delivery. Keywords: Phage display, Silver nanoparticles, Self-assembly, Hybrid architecture, Raman spectroscopy

Fabrication of Nanostructured Polymer Surfaces and Characterization of their Wetting Properties

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Nis Korsgaard

. • Simulations of wetting transitions. • Clean room fabrication of functional surfaces, and production of micro- and nanostructured mold inserts. • Injection molding of micro- and nanostructured polymer parts on a commercial injection molding machine. • Co-invented a patented technique for microstructuring steel...... molds able to produce superhydrophobic polymer parts. The patented microstructuring technique generates microstructures similar to those found on the leaf of the lotus flower, without the overlaying nanostructure. Despite the lack of hierarchical structures, the microstructured surface shows excellent...... structures and the irregular structures produced by the patented microstructuring technique. The second study bridges the gap between silicon structures produced by planar processes in the clean room and the smooth multi-height structures often found in nature. Finally i have demonstrated a novel type...

Preparation of Silver Nanostructures from Bicontinuous Microemulsions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Pedroza-Toscano

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Precipitation of silver nanoparticles at 70°C was carried out by dosing a 1.3 M sodium borohydride aqueous solution over bicontinuous microemulsions formed with a mixture of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl sulfosuccinate (AOT and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS as surfactants, a 0.5 M silver nitrate aqueous solution, and toluene. Weight ratios of 2.5/1 and 3/1 AOT/SDS were used in the precipitation reactions. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electronic microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic absorption spectroscopy. A mixture of isolated spheroidal nanoparticles (≈15 wt.% with an average diameter around 10 nm and wormlike structures (≈85 wt.% with an average length close to 480 nm and an average diameter ca. 40 nm was obtained, regardless of the AOT/SDS ratio. Higher yields were obtained compared with those reported when reverse microemulsions were employed. Formation of wormlike structures was ascribed to one-dimensional aggregation of crystal and particles within the channels of bicontinuous microemulsions, which performed as templates.

Thermally controlled growth of surface nanostructures on ion-modified AIII-BV semiconductor crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Trynkiewicz, Elzbieta; Jany, Benedykt R.; Wrana, Dominik; Krok, Franciszek

2018-01-01

The primary motivation for our systematic study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of sample temperature on the pattern evolution of several AIII-BV semiconductor crystal (001) surfaces (i.e., InSb, InP, InAs, GaSb) in terms of their response to low-energy Ar+ ion irradiation conditions. The surface morphology and the chemical diversity of such ion-modified binary materials has been characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In general, all surface textures following ion irradiation exhibit transitional behavior from small islands, via vertically oriented 3D nanostructures, to smoothened surface when the sample temperature is increased. This result reinforces our conviction that the mass redistribution of adatoms along the surface plays a vital role during the formation and growth process of surface nanostructures. We would like to emphasize that this paper addresses in detail for the first time the topic of the growth kinetics of the nanostructures with regard to thermal surface diffusion, while simultaneously offering some possible approaches to supplementing previous studies and therein gaining a new insight into this complex issue. The experimental results are discussed with reference to models of the pillars growth, abutting on preferential sputtering, the self-sustained etch masking effect and the redeposition process recently proposed to elucidate the observed nanostructuring mechanism.

[DNA complexes, formed on aqueous phase surfaces: new planar polymeric and composite nanostructures].

Science.gov (United States)

Antipina, M N; Gaĭnutdinov, R V; Rakhnianskaia, A A; Sergeev-Cherenkov, A N; Tolstikhina, A L; Iurova, T V; Kislov, V V; Khomutov, G B

2003-01-01

The formation of DNA complexes with Langmuir monolayers of the cationic lipid octadecylamine (ODA) and the new amphiphilic polycation poly-4-vinylpyridine with 16% of cetylpyridinium groups (PVP-16) on the surface of an aqueous solution of native DNA of low ionic strength was studied. Topographic images of Langmuir-Blodgett films of DNA/ODA and DNA/PVP-16 complexes applied to micaceous substrates were investigated by the method of atomic force microscopy. It was found that films of the amphiphilic polycation have an ordered planar polycrystalline structure. The morphology of planar DNA complexes with the amphiphilic cation substantially depended on the incubation time and the phase state of the monolayer on the surface of the aqueous DNA solution. Complex structures and individual DNA molecules were observed on the surface of the amphiphilic monolayer. Along with quasi-linear individual bound DNA molecules, characteristic extended net-like structures and quasi-circular toroidal condensed conformations of planar DNA complexes were detected. Mono- and multilayer films of DNA/PVP-16 complexes were used as templates and nanoreactors for the synthesis of inorganic nanostructures via the binding of metal cations from the solution and subsequent generation of the inorganic phase. As a result, ultrathin polymeric composite films with integrated DNA building blocks and quasi-linear arrays of inorganic semiconductor (CdS) and iron oxide nanoparticles and nanowires were obtained. The nanostructures obtained were characterized by scanning probe microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The methods developed are promising for investigating the mechanisms of structural organization and transformation in DNA and polyelectrolyte complexes at the gas-liquid interface and for the design of new extremely thin highly ordered planar polymeric and composite materials, films, and coatings with controlled ultrastructure for applications in nanoelectronics and

From nucleotides to DNA analysis by a SERS substrate of a self similar chain of silver nanospheres

KAUST Repository

Coluccio, M L

2015-11-01

In this work we realized a device of silver nanostructures designed so that they have a great ability to sustain the surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect. The nanostructures were silver self-similar chains of three nanospheres, having constant ratios between their diameters and between their reciprocal distances. They were realized by electron beam lithography, to write the pattern, and by silver electroless deposition technique, to fill it with the metal. The obtained device showed the capability to increase the Raman signal coming from the gap between the two smallest nanospheres (whose size is around 10 nm) and so it allows the detection of biomolecules fallen into this hot spot. In particular, oligonucleotides with 6 DNA bases, deposited on these devices with a drop coating method, gave a Raman spectrum characterized by a clear fingerprint coming from the hot spot and, with the help of a fitting method, also oligonucleotides of 9 bases, which are less than 3 nm long, were resolved. In conclusion the silver nanolens results in a SERS device able to measure all the molecules, or part of them, held into the hot spot of the nanolenses, and thus it could be a future instrument with which to analyze DNA portions.

Design of Novel Metal Nanostructures for Broadband Solar Energy Conversion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristine A. Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Solar power holds great potential as an alternative energy source, but current photovoltaic cells have much room for improvement in cost and efficiency. Our objective was to develop metal nanostructures whose surface plasmon resonance (SPR spectra closely match the solar spectrum to enhance light absorption and scattering. We employed the finite-difference time-domain simulation method to evaluate the effect of varying key parameters. A novel nanostructure with SPR absorption matching a region of the solar spectrum (300 to 1500 nm that contains 90% of solar energy was successfully designed. This structure consists of a large gold-silica core-shell structure with smaller gold nanoparticles and nanorods on its surface. Such complex nanostructures are promising for broad and tunable absorption spectra. In addition, we investigated the SPR of silver nanoparticle arrays, which can achieve scattering close to the solar spectrum. We demonstrated an improvement in efficiency of over 30% with optimal nanoparticle radius and periods of 75 nm and 325 nm, respectively. In combination, our studies enable high-efficiency, tunable, and cost-effective enhancement of both light absorption and scattering, which has potential applications in solar energy conversion as well as biomedical imaging.

Plasmonics and single-molecule detection in evaporated silver-island films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moula, G.; Aroca, R.F. [Materials and Surface Science Group, University of Windsor, Ontario (Canada); Rodriguez-Oliveros, R.; Sanchez-Gil, J.A. [Instituto de Estructura de la Materia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Albella, P. [Centro de Fisica de Materiales (CSIC-UPV/EHU) and Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), 20018 Donostia, San Sebastian (Spain)

2012-11-15

The plasmonic origin of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) leads to the concept of hotspots and plasmon coupling that can be realized in the interstitial regions, or on specially engineered, silver and gold nanostructures. It is also possible to achieve spatial locations of high local field or hotspots on silver-island films (SIF) allowing single-molecule detection (SMD). When a single monomolecular layer coating the SIFs contains dye molecules dispersed in it, single-molecule impurities, (with an average of one hundred dye molecules in 1 {mu}m{sup 2}, which is the field of view of the micro-Raman system), SMD is observed as a rare statistical event. Here, the SMD results for silver-island films are presented, with the same nominal mass thickness, but differing in the localized surface plasmon resonance that is a function of the temperature of substrate during deposition. A blue-shifted plasmon can be seen as a decrease in plasmon coupling for deposition at higher temperature. A simple two-particle model for localized plasmon resonance coupling calculations, including the shape and substrate effects seems to explain the trend of observations. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

Science.gov (United States)

Palmstrom, Axel F.; Santra, Pralay K.; Bent, Stacey F.

2015-07-01

Nanostructured materials offer key advantages for third-generation photovoltaics, such as the ability to achieve high optical absorption together with enhanced charge carrier collection using low cost components. However, the extensive interfacial areas in nanostructured photovoltaic devices can cause high recombination rates and a high density of surface electronic states. In this feature article, we provide a brief review of some nanostructured photovoltaic technologies including dye-sensitized, quantum dot sensitized and colloidal quantum dot solar cells. We then introduce the technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a vapor phase deposition method using a sequence of self-limiting surface reaction steps to grow thin, uniform and conformal films. We discuss how ALD has established itself as a promising tool for addressing different aspects of nanostructured photovoltaics. Examples include the use of ALD to synthesize absorber materials for both quantum dot and plasmonic solar cells, to grow barrier layers for dye and quantum dot sensitized solar cells, and to infiltrate coatings into colloidal quantum dot solar cell to improve charge carrier mobilities as well as stability. We also provide an example of monolayer surface modification in which adsorbed ligand molecules on quantum dots are used to tune the band structure of colloidal quantum dot solar cells for improved charge collection. Finally, we comment on the present challenges and future outlook of the use of ALD for nanostructured photovoltaics.

Aqueously Dispersed Silver Nanoparticle-Decorated Boron Nitride Nanosheets for Reusable, Thermal Oxidation-Resistant Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yi; Bunker, Christopher E.; Fernandos, K. A. Shiral; Connell, John W.

2012-01-01

The impurity-free aqueous dispersions of boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) allowed the facile preparation of silver (Ag) nanoparticle-decorated BNNS by chemical reduction of an Ag salt with hydrazine in the presence of BNNS. The resultant Ag-BNNS nanohybrids remained dispersed in water, allowing convenient subsequent solution processing. By using substrate transfer techniques, Ag-BNNS nanohybrid thin film coatings on quartz substrates were prepared and evaluated as reusable surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors that were robust against repeated solvent washing. In addition, because of the unique thermal oxidation-resistant properties of the BNNS, the sensor devices may be readily recycled by short-duration high temperature air oxidation to remove residual analyte molecules in repeated runs. The limiting factor associated with the thermal oxidation recycling process was the Ostwald ripening effect of Ag nanostructures.

Periodic nanostructures formed on a poly-methyl methacrylate surface with a femtosecond laser for biocompatibility improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Takenaka, Keisuke; Tsukamoto, Masahiro; Sato, Yuji; Ooga, Takahiro; Asai, Satoru; Murai, Kensuke

2018-06-01

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is widely used as a biomaterial. The formation of periodic nanostructures on the surface is necessary to improve the biocompatibility. A method was proposed and developed to form periodic nanostructures on a PMMA surface. A PMMA plate was placed on titanium (Ti) plate, and then the Ti plate was irradiated with a laser through the PMMA plate. We try to effectively produce periodic nanostructures on PMMA with a femtosecond laser at a fundamental wavelength by increasing the contact pressure and using titanium (Ti) plate. The contact pressure between PMMA and Ti required to form a periodic nanostructure is 300 kPa, and for a contact pressure of 2400 kPa, periodic nanostructures are formed in 62% of the laser-irradiated area on the PMMA surface. These results suggest that the formation efficiency of the periodic nanostructure depends on the laser conditions and the contact pressure.

SERS and in situ SERS spectroscopy of riboflavin adsorbed on silver, gold and copper substrates. Elucidation of variability of surface orientation based on both experimental and theoretical approach

Science.gov (United States)

Dendisová-Vyškovská, Marcela; Kokaislová, Alžběta; Ončák, Milan; Matějka, Pavel

2013-04-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering and in situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra have been collected to study influences of (i) used metal and (ii) applied electrode potential on orientation of adsorbed riboflavin molecules. Special in situ SERS spectroelectrochemical cell was used to obtain in situ SERS spectra of riboflavin adsorbed on silver, gold and copper nanostructured surfaces. Varying electrode potential was applied in discrete steps forming a cycle from positive values to negative and backward. Observed spectral features in in situ SERS spectra, measured at alternate potentials, have been changing very significantly and the spectra have been compared with SERS spectra of riboflavin measured ex situ. Raman spectra of single riboflavin molecule in the vicinity to metal (Ag, Au and Cu) clusters have been calculated for different mutual positions. The results demonstrate significant changes of bands intensities which can be correlated with experimental spectra measured at different potentials. Thus, the orientation of riboflavin molecules adsorbed on metal surfaces can be elucidated. It is influenced definitely by the value of applied potential. Furthermore, the riboflavin adsorption orientation on the surface depends on the used metal. Adsorption geometries on the copper substrates are more diverse in comparison with the orientations on silver and gold substrates.

Rapid green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and nanorods using Piper nigrum extract

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohapatra, Bandita; Kuriakose, Sini; Mohapatra, Satyabrata

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Silver nanorods were synthesized by photoreduction using Piper nigrum extract. • The morphological and structural properties were studied by XRD and AFM. • Silver nanoparticles were formed at lower AgNO 3 concentration. • Increase in AgNO 3 concentration resulted in formation of silver nanorods. - Abstract: We report sun light driven rapid green synthesis of stable aqueous dispersions of silver nanoparticles and nanorods at room temperature using photoreduction of silver ions with Piper nigrum extract. Silver nanoparticles were formed within 3 min of sun light irradiation following addition of Piper nigrum extract to the AgNO 3 solution. The effects of AgNO 3 concentration and irradiation time on the formation and plasmonic properties of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were studied using UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The morphology and structure of silver nanoparticles were well characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The size of Ag nanoparticles increased with increase in irradiation time, leading to the formation of anisotropic nanostructures. Increasing the AgNO 3 concentration resulted in the formation of Ag nanorods. UV–visible absorption studies revealed the presence of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks which red shift and broaden with increasing AgNO 3 concentration. We have demonstrated a facile, energy efficient and rapid green synthetic route to synthesize stable aqueous dispersions of silver nanoparticles and nanorods

Rapid green synthesis of silver nanoparticles and nanorods using Piper nigrum extract

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohapatra, Bandita [Multifunctional Nanomaterials Laboratory, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078 (India); Kuriakose, Sini [Multifunctional Nanomaterials Laboratory, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078 (India); School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078 (India); Mohapatra, Satyabrata, E-mail: smiuac@gmail.com [Multifunctional Nanomaterials Laboratory, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078 (India); School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078 (India)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Silver nanorods were synthesized by photoreduction using Piper nigrum extract. • The morphological and structural properties were studied by XRD and AFM. • Silver nanoparticles were formed at lower AgNO{sub 3} concentration. • Increase in AgNO{sub 3} concentration resulted in formation of silver nanorods. - Abstract: We report sun light driven rapid green synthesis of stable aqueous dispersions of silver nanoparticles and nanorods at room temperature using photoreduction of silver ions with Piper nigrum extract. Silver nanoparticles were formed within 3 min of sun light irradiation following addition of Piper nigrum extract to the AgNO{sub 3} solution. The effects of AgNO{sub 3} concentration and irradiation time on the formation and plasmonic properties of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were studied using UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The morphology and structure of silver nanoparticles were well characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The size of Ag nanoparticles increased with increase in irradiation time, leading to the formation of anisotropic nanostructures. Increasing the AgNO{sub 3} concentration resulted in the formation of Ag nanorods. UV–visible absorption studies revealed the presence of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks which red shift and broaden with increasing AgNO{sub 3} concentration. We have demonstrated a facile, energy efficient and rapid green synthetic route to synthesize stable aqueous dispersions of silver nanoparticles and nanorods.

Role of SiC substrate surface on local tarnishing of deposited silver mirror stacks

Science.gov (United States)

Limam, Emna; Maurice, Vincent; Seyeux, Antoine; Zanna, Sandrine; Klein, Lorena H.; Chauveau, Grégory; Grèzes-Besset, Catherine; Savin De Larclause, Isabelle; Marcus, Philippe

2018-04-01

The role of the SiC substrate surface on the resistance to the local initiation of tarnishing of thin-layered silver stacks for demanding space mirror applications was studied by combined surface and interface analysis on model stack samples deposited by cathodic magnetron sputtering and submitted to accelerated aging in gaseous H2S. It is shown that suppressing the surface pores resulting from the bulk SiC material production process by surface pretreatment eliminates the high aspect ratio surface sites that are imperfectly protected by the SiO2 overcoat after the deposition of silver. The formation of channels connecting the silver layer to its environment through the failing protection layer at the surface pores and locally enabling H2S entry and Ag2S growth as columns until emergence at the stack surface is suppressed, which markedly delays tarnishing initiation and thereby preserves the optical performance. The results revealed that residual tarnishing initiation proceeds by a mechanism essentially identical in nature but involving different pathways short circuiting the protection layer and enabling H2S ingress until the silver layer. These permeation pathways are suggested to be of microstructural origin and could correspond to the incompletely coalesced intergranular boundaries of the SiO2 layer.

Enhanced sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance phase-interrogation biosensor by using oblique deposited silver nanorods.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Hung-Yi; Chen, Chih-Chia; Wu, Pin Chieh; Tseng, Ming Lun; Lin, Wen-Chi; Chen, Chih-Wei; Chiang, Hai-Pang

2014-01-01

Sensitivity of surface plasmon resonance phase-interrogation biosensor is demonstrated to be enhanced by oblique deposited silver nanorods. Silver nanorods are thermally deposited on silver nanothin film by oblique angle deposition (OAD). The length of the nanorods can be tuned by controlling the deposition parameters of thermal deposition. By measuring the phase difference between the p and s waves of surface plasmon resonance heterodyne interferometer with different wavelength of incident light, we have demonstrated that maximum sensitivity of glucose detection down to 7.1 × 10(-8) refractive index units could be achieved with optimal deposition parameters of silver nanorods.

Using surfaces, ligands, and dimensionality to obtain desired nanostructure properties

Science.gov (United States)

Nagpal, Prashant; Singh, Vivek; Ding, Yuchen

2014-03-01

Nanostructured materials are intensively investigated to obtain material properties different from their bulk counterparts. It has been demonstrated that nanoscaled semiconductor can have interesting size, shape and morphology dependent optoelectronic properties. But the effect of surfaces, ligands and dimensionality (0D quantum dots to 2D nanosheets) has been largely unexplored. Here, we will show how tuning the surface and dimensionality can affect the electronic states of the semiconductor, and how these states can play an important role in their fundamental photophysical properties or thermal transport. Using the specific case for silicon, we will show how ``new'' surface states in small uniform can lead to light absorption/emission without phonon assistance, while hindering the phonon-drag of charge carriers leading to low Seebeck coefficient for thermoelectric applications. These measurements will shed light on designing appropriate surface, size, and dimensionality for desired applications of nanostructured films.

Surface-enhanced raman spectroscopic studies of ellagic acid in silver colloids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Seung Jang; Cheong, Byeong Seo; Cho, Han Gook [Dept. of Chemistry, Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-06-15

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy has been applied for the vibrational characterization of ellagic acid (EA), a natural organic dye, using citrate-reduced silver colloids. The infrared and FT-Raman spectra of EA in the solid state were examined for comparison. Spectral assignments of the observed bands were aided by density functional theory (DFT) calculations employing the B3LYP functional. The variations in the SERS spectrum with pH and excitation wavelength were analyzed to gain information on the adsorption- and pH-dependent behaviors of the natural dye on the metal surface. On the basis of the observed spectral features and DFT calculations, the adsorption configuration of EA on the silver metal surface is proposed.

Two step formation of metal aggregates by surface X-ray radiolysis under Langmuir monolayers: 2D followed by 3D growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smita Mukherjee

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In order to form a nanostructured metallic layer below a Langmuir monolayer, radiolysis synthesis was carried out in an adapted geometry that we call surface X-ray radiolysis. In this procedure, an X-ray beam produced by a synchrotron beamline intercepts the surface of an aqueous metal-ion solution covered by a Langmuir monolayer at an angle of incidence below the critical angle for total internal reflection. Underneath the organic layer, the X-ray beam induces the radiolytic synthesis of a nanostructured metal–organic layer whose ultrathin thickness is defined by the vertical X-ray penetration depth. We have shown that increasing the X-ray flux on the surface, which considerably enhances the kinetics of the silver layer formation, results in a second growth regime of silver nanocrystals. Here the formation of the oriented thin layer is followed by the appearance of a 3D powder of silver clusters.

METALLIC AND HYBRID NANOSTRUCTURES: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murph, S.

2012-05-02

This book chapter presents an overview of research conducted in our laboratory on preparation, optical and physico-chemical properties of metallic and nanohybrid materials. Metallic nanoparticles, particularly gold, silver, platinum or a combination of those are the main focus of this review manuscript. These metallic nanoparticles were further functionalized and used as templates for creation of complex and ordered nanomaterials with tailored and tunable structural, optical, catalytic and surface properties. Controlling the surface chemistry on/off metallic nanoparticles allows production of advanced nanoarchitectures. This includes coupled or encapsulated core-shell geometries, nano-peapods, solid or hollow, monometallic/bimetallic, hybrid nanoparticles. Rational assemblies of these nanostructures into one-, two- and tridimensional nano-architectures is described and analyzed. Their sensing, environmental and energy related applications are reviewed.

Surface composition of silver nanocubes and their influence on morphological stabilization and catalytic performance in ethylene epoxidation

KAUST Repository

Sangaru, Shiv; Zhu, Haibo; Rosenfeld, Devon C.; Samal, Akshaya Kumar; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Basset, Jean-Marie

2015-01-01

Silver nanocubes with exposed (100) facets are reported to have improved selectivity with respect to their spherical counterparts for ethylene epoxidation. In the present study, we observe that the surface composition of the silver nanocubes have also a critical impact on activity. Detailed investigation of the surface composition of silver nanocubes has been carried out using HRTEM, SEM, EDS, EELS and EFTEM. Surfaces of silver nanocubes are “passivated” by chloride and its removal is essential to achieve any catalytic activity. However, the surface chloride is apparently essential for stabilizing the cubic morphology of the particles. Attempts were made to understand the competing effects of the surface species for retaining the morphology of the nanocubes and on their catalytic activity.

Surface composition of silver nanocubes and their influence on morphological stabilization and catalytic performance in ethylene epoxidation

KAUST Repository

Sangaru, Shiv

2015-12-04

Silver nanocubes with exposed (100) facets are reported to have improved selectivity with respect to their spherical counterparts for ethylene epoxidation. In the present study, we observe that the surface composition of the silver nanocubes have also a critical impact on activity. Detailed investigation of the surface composition of silver nanocubes has been carried out using HRTEM, SEM, EDS, EELS and EFTEM. Surfaces of silver nanocubes are “passivated” by chloride and its removal is essential to achieve any catalytic activity. However, the surface chloride is apparently essential for stabilizing the cubic morphology of the particles. Attempts were made to understand the competing effects of the surface species for retaining the morphology of the nanocubes and on their catalytic activity.

Optical Characterization of Nanostructured Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj Agentoft

Micro- and nanostructured surfaces are interesting due to the unique properties they add to the bulk material. One example is structural colors, where the interaction between surface structures and visible light produce bright color effects without the use of paints or dyes. Several research groups...... modeling to evaluate the dimensions of subwavelength gratings, by correlating the reflected light measured from the structures with a database of simulations. A new method is developed and termed color scatterometry, since compared to typical spectroscopic scatterometry, which evaluates the full reflection...... spectrum; the new method only evaluates the color of the reflected light using a standard RGB color camera. Color scatterometry provides the combined advantages of spectroscopic scatterometry, which provides fast evaluations, and imaging scatterometry that provides an overview image from which small...

Metallization of DNA on silicon surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puchkova, Anastasiya Olegovna; Sokolov, Petr; Petrov, Yuri Vladimirovich; Kasyanenko, Nina Anatolievna

2011-01-01

New simple way for silver deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based nanowires preparation on silicon surface was developed. The electrochemical reduction of silver ions fixed on DNA molecule provides the forming of tightly matched zonate silver clusters. Highly homogeneous metallic clusters have a size about 30 nm. So the thickness of nanowires does not exceed 30–50 nm. The surface of n-type silicon monocrystal is the most convenient substrate for this procedure. The comparative analysis of DNA metallization on of n-type silicon with a similar way for nanowires fabrication on p-type silicon, freshly cleaved mica, and glass surface shows the advantage of n-type silicon, which is not only the substrate for DNA fixation but also the source of electrons for silver reduction. Images of bound DNA molecules and fabricated nanowires have been obtained using an atomic force microscope and a scanning ion helium microscope. DNA interaction with silver ions in a solution was examined by the methods of ultraviolet spectroscopy and circular dichroism.

Degradation of the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil on medical-grade silver surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Risinggård, Helene Kjær; Cooil, Simon; Mazzola, Federico; Hu, Di; Kjærvik, Marit; Østli, Elise Ramleth; Patil, Nilesh; Preobrajenski, Alexei; Andrew Evans, D.; Breiby, Dag W.; Trinh, Thuat T.; Wells, Justin W.

2018-03-01

The degradation of the chemotherapy drug 5-fluorouracil by a non-pristine metal surfaces is studied. Using density functional theory, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy we show that the drug is entirely degraded by medical-grade silver surfaces, already at body temperature, and that all of the fluorine has left the molecule, presumably as HF. Remarkably, this degradation is even more severe than that reported previously for 5-fluorouracil on a pristine monocrystalline silver surface (in which case 80% of the drug reacted at body temperature) [1]. We conclude that the observed reaction is due to a reaction pathway, driven by H to F attraction between molecules on the surface, which results in the direct formation of HF; a pathway which is favoured when competing pathways involving reactive Ag surface sites are made unavailable by environmental contamination. Our measurements indicate that realistically cleaned, non-pristine silver alloys, which are typically used in medical applications, can result in severe degradation of 5-fluorouracil, with the release of HF - a finding which may have important implications for the handling of chemotherapy drugs.

Tuning the localized surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoplatelet colloids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Asha; Jayabalan, J; Chari, Rama; Srivastava, Himanshu; Oak, S M

2010-01-01

The effect of femtosecond laser irradiation on silver nanoplatelet colloids is described. It is shown that irradiation with a femtosecond laser of appropriate fluence can be used to tune the localized surface plasmon resonances of triangular silver nanoplatelets by a few tens of nanometres. This peak shift is shown to be caused by the structural modifications of the particle tips. We have also shown that post-preparation addition of poly-vinyl pyrrolidone to the nanocolloid arrests the peak shift.

Tuning the localized surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoplatelet colloids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Asha; Jayabalan, J; Chari, Rama [Laser Physics Applications Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore (India); Srivastava, Himanshu [Indus Synchrotrons Utilization Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore (India); Oak, S M, E-mail: jjaya@rrcat.gov.i [Solid State Laser Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore (India)

2010-08-25

The effect of femtosecond laser irradiation on silver nanoplatelet colloids is described. It is shown that irradiation with a femtosecond laser of appropriate fluence can be used to tune the localized surface plasmon resonances of triangular silver nanoplatelets by a few tens of nanometres. This peak shift is shown to be caused by the structural modifications of the particle tips. We have also shown that post-preparation addition of poly-vinyl pyrrolidone to the nanocolloid arrests the peak shift.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2010-01-01

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

Effective bounds for Brauer groups of Kummer surfaces over number fields

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cantoral-Farfan, Victoria; Tang, Yunqing; Tanimoto, Sho

2018-01-01

We study effective bounds for Brauer groups of Kummer surfaces associated to the Jacobians of curves of genus 2.......We study effective bounds for Brauer groups of Kummer surfaces associated to the Jacobians of curves of genus 2....

Surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy of quinomethionate adsorbed on silver colloids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Mak Soon; Kang, Jae Soo; Park, Si Bum; Lee, Mu Sang

2003-01-01

We have studied the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) spectrum of quinomethionate (6-methyl-1,3-dithiolo(4,5-b)quinoxalin-2-one), which is an insecticide or fungicide used on vegetables and wheat. We observed no signals in the ordinary Raman spectra of solid-state quinomethionate, but when it was adsorbed on a colloidal silver surface, strong vibrational signals were obtained at a very low concentration. The SERS spectra were obtained by silver colloids prepared by the Creighton et al. method. The influence of pH and the aggregation inductors (Cl - , Br - , I - , F - ) on the adsorption mechanism was investigated. Two different adsorption mechanisms were deduced, depending on the experimental conditions: The one N atom or two N atoms are chemisorbed on an Ag surface. An important contribution of the chemical mechanism was inferred when the one N atom was perpendicularly adsorbed on a surface. It is possible that quinomethionate can be detected to about 10 -5 M

Wettability control of micropore-array films by altering the surface nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chi-Jung; Hung, Shao-Tsu

2010-07-01

By controlling the surface nanostructure, the wettability of films with similar pore-array microstructure can be tuned from hydrophilic to nearly superhydrophobic without variation of the chemical composition. PA1 pore-array film consisting of the horizontal ZnO nanosheets was nearly superhydrophobic. PA2 pore-array film consisting of growth-hindered vertically-aligned ZnO nanorods was hydrophilic. The influences of the nanostructure shape, orientation and the micropore size on the contact angle of the PA1 films were studied. This study provides a new approach to control the wettability of films with similar pore-array structure at the micro-scale by changing their surface nanostructure. PA1 films exhibited irradiation induced reversible wettability transition. The feasibility of creating a wetted radial pattern by selective UV irradiation of PA1 film through a mask with radial pattern and water vapor condensation was also evaluated.

Structural anomalies induced by the metal deposition methods in 2D silver nanoparticle arrays prepared by nanosphere lithography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Shengli, E-mail: huangsl@xmu.edu.cn [Fujian Provincial Key Lab of Semiconductors and Applications, Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); State Key Lab of Silicon Materials, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Yang, Qianqian [Fujian Provincial Key Lab of Semiconductors and Applications, Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China); State Key Lab of Silicon Materials, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Zhang, Chunjing; Kong, Lingqi; Li, Shuping; Kang, Junyong [Fujian Provincial Key Lab of Semiconductors and Applications, Department of Physics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China)

2013-06-01

Silver nanoparticle arrays with 2-dimensional hexagonal arrangement were fabricated on the silicon substrates by nanosphere lithography. The silver film was deposited either by thermal evaporation or by magnetron sputtering under different conditions. The nanostructures of the achieved sphere template and the array units were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and were found to be anomalous under different deposition parameters. Comparative study indicated that the formation of the various 2-dimensional silver nanoparticle array structures was dominated by the thermal energy (temperature), kinetic energy and deposition direction of the deposited metal atoms as well as the size and nanocurvature of the colloidal particles and the metal clusters. - Highlights: • Silver nanoparticle arrays with different nanostructures on silicon substrates. • Various deposition parameters in arrays formation systematically examined. • Possible mechanisms and optimization of nanostructures formation addressed.

A monolayer of hierarchical silver hemi-mesoparticles with tunable surface topographies for highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Shuangmei; Fan, Chunzhen; Mao, Yanchao; Wang, Junqiao; He, Jinna; Liang, Erjun; Chao, Mingju

2016-02-01

We proposed a facile green synthesis system to synthesize large-scale Ag hemi-mesoparticles monolayer on Cu foil. Ag hemi-mesoparticles have different surface morphologies on their surfaces, including ridge-like, meatball-like, and fluffy-like shapes. In the reaction, silver nitrate was reduced by copper at room temperature in dimethyl sulfoxide via the galvanic displacement reaction. The different surface morphologies of the Ag hemi-mesoparticles were adjusted by changing the reaction time, and the hemi-mesoparticle surface formed fluffy-spherical nanoprotrusions at longer reaction time. At the same time, we explored the growth mechanism of silver hemi-mesoparticles with different surface morphologies. With 4-mercaptobenzoic acid as Raman probe molecules, the fluffy-like silver hemi-mesoparticles monolayer with the best activity of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), the enhancement factor is up to 7.33 × 107 and the detection limit can reach 10-10M. SERS measurements demonstrate that these Ag hemi-mesoparticles can serve as sensitive SERS substrates. At the same time, using finite element method, the distribution of the localized electromagnetic field near the particle surface was simulated to verify the enhanced mechanism. This study helps us to understand the relationship between morphology Ag hemi-mesoparicles and the properties of SERS.

Synthesis and Oxidation of Silver Nano-particles

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

solution (20%wt propyl alcohol, 5%wt hydrochloric acid and 5%wt stannous chloride in water). Scheme 1b and c illustrate the sensitization and silver... Synthesis and Oxidation of Silver Nano-particles Hua Qi*, D. A. Alexson, O.J. Glembocki and S. M. Prokes* Electronics Science and Technology...energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) techniques. The results Quantum Dots and Nanostructures: Synthesis , Characterization, and Modeling VIII, edited by Kurt

Facile fabrication of homogeneous 3D silver nanostructures on gold-supported polyaniline membranes as promising SERS substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Ping; Mack, Nathan H; Jeon, Sea-Ho; Doorn, Stephen K; Han, Xijiang; Wang, Hsing-Lin

2010-06-01

We report a facile synthesis of large-area homogeneous three-dimensional (3D) Ag nanostructures on Au-supported polyaniline (PANI) membranes through a direct chemical reduction of metal ions by PANI. The citric acid absorbed on the Au nuclei that are prefabricated on PANI membranes directs Ag nanoaprticles (AgNPs) to self-assemble into 3D Ag nanosheet structures. The fabricated hybrid metal nanostructures display uniform surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) responses throughout the whole surface area, with an average enhancement factor of 10(6)-10(7). The nanocavities formed by the stereotypical stacking of these Ag nanosheets and the junctions and gaps between two neighboring AgNPs are believed to be responsible for the strong SERS response upon plasmon absorption. These homogeneous metal nanostructure decorated PANI membranes can be used as highly efficient SERS substrates for sensitive detection of chemical and biological analytes.

Structure-related antibacterial activity of a titanium nanostructured surface fabricated by glancing angle sputter deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sengstock, Christina; Borgmann, Anna; Schildhauer, Thomas A; Köller, Manfred; Lopian, Michael; Motemani, Yahya; Khare, Chinmay; Buenconsejo, Pio John S; Ludwig, Alfred

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to reproduce the physico-mechanical antibacterial effect of the nanocolumnar cicada wing surface for metallic biomaterials by fabrication of titanium (Ti) nanocolumnar surfaces using glancing angle sputter deposition (GLAD). Nanocolumnar Ti thin films were fabricated by GLAD on silicon substrates. S. aureus as well as E. coli were incubated with nanostructured or reference dense Ti thin film test samples for one or three hours at 37 °C. Bacterial adherence, morphology, and viability were analyzed by fluorescence staining and scanning electron microscopy and compared to human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Bacterial adherence was not significantly different after short (1 h) incubation on the dense or the nanostructured Ti surface. In contrast to S. aureus the viability of E. coli was significantly decreased after 3 h on the nanostructured film compared to the dense film and was accompanied by an irregular morphology and a cell wall deformation. Cell adherence, spreading and viability of hMSCs were not altered on the nanostructured surface. The results show that the selective antibacterial effect of the cicada wing could be transferred to a nanostructured metallic biomaterial by mimicking the natural nanocolumnar topography. (papers)

Design, fabrication, and characterization of metallic nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and plasmonic applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Qingzhen

spectrum, due to nontrivial high orders of evanescent scattering modes. This study unveils the different near-field properties between nanoparticle and nanohole arrays and adds important details to the conventional wisdom for SERS substrate design. Besides SERS studies on gold substrates, I further extended my research to transition metals, i.e. platinum. I have carried out a comparative study of SERS performance for gold and platinum substrates. The commonly observed low enhancement from a platinum substrate is explained by the larger Fano interference between its free intra-band electrons and its bound inter-band electrons. A major challenge in applying SERS for biochemical sensing is to fabricate substrates with excellent sensitivity and uniform surface functionality. Graphene, a single sheet of carbon atoms with an ideal two-dimensional honeycomb crystal structure, offers excellent surface chemical properties. We synthesized high quality single-layer graphene sheets by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on copper foils and transferred them to gold nanostructures, i.e., nanoparticle or nanohole arrays. Our experimental data show that graphene coated metallic substrates could achieve higher sensitivity of SERS detection than bare metallic substrates. The combined graphene-nanostructure substrates show about three-fold or nine-fold enhancement in the Raman signal of methylene blue (MB) compared with the bare nanohole or nanoparticle substrates, respectively. The difference in the enhancement factors between the nanohole and nanoparticle substrates is explained by the different coating morphologies of graphene on the two substrates. SERS enhancement of graphene is further investigated on mechanically exfoliated graphene. We found that SERS enhancement of graphene can be tuned by changing its Fermi level through doping. Both molecular doping and gate doping experiments show that hole-doped graphene yields a larger SERS enhancement in MB than electron-doped graphene, which

Role of nanostructured gold surfaces on monocyte activation and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Svensson S

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Sara Svensson,1,2 Magnus Forsberg,1,2 Mats Hulander,1,2 Forugh Vazirisani,1,2 Anders Palmquist,1,2 Jukka Lausmaa,2,3 Peter Thomsen,1,2 Margarita Trobos1,21Department of Biomaterials, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; 2BIOMATCELL VINN Excellence Center of Biomaterials and Cell Therapy, Gothenburg, Sweden; 3SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, Borås, SwedenAbstract: The role of material surface properties in the direct interaction with bacteria and the indirect route via host defense cells is not fully understood. Recently, it was suggested that nanostructured implant surfaces possess antimicrobial properties. In the current study, the adhesion and biofilm formation of Staphylococcus epidermidis and human monocyte adhesion and activation were studied separately and in coculture in different in vitro models using smooth gold and well-defined nanostructured gold surfaces. Two polystyrene surfaces were used as controls in the monocyte experiments. Fluorescent viability staining demonstrated a reduction in the viability of S. epidermidis close to the nanostructured gold surface, whereas the smooth gold correlated with more live biofilm. The results were supported by scanning electron microscopy observations, showing higher biofilm tower formations and more mature biofilms on smooth gold compared with nanostructured gold. Unstimulated monocytes on the different substrates demonstrated low activation, reduced gene expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and low cytokine secretion. In contrast, stimulation with opsonized zymosan or opsonized live S. epidermidis for 1 hour significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species, the gene expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, as well as the secretion of TNF-α, demonstrating the ability of the cells to elicit a response and actively phagocytose prey. In addition, cells cultured on the smooth

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy as a Probe of the Surface Chemistry of Nanostructured Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Dick, Susan; Konrad, Magdalena P; Lee, Wendy W Y; McCabe, Hannah; McCracken, John N; Rahman, Taifur M D; Stewart, Alan; Xu, Yikai; Bell, Steven E J

2016-07-01

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is now widely used as a rapid and inexpensive tool for chemical/biochemical analysis. The method can give enormous increases in the intensities of the Raman signals of low-concentration molecular targets if they are adsorbed on suitable enhancing substrates, which are typically composed of nanostructured Ag or Au. However, the features of SERS that allow it to be used as a chemical sensor also mean that it can be used as a powerful probe of the surface chemistry of any nanostructured material that can provide SERS enhancement. This is important because it is the surface chemistry that controls how these materials interact with their local environment and, in real applications, this interaction can be more important than more commonly measured properties such as morphology or plasmonic absorption. Here, the opportunity that this approach to SERS provides is illustrated with examples where the surface chemistry is both characterized and controlled in order to create functional nanomaterials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Radiative decay of surface plasmons on nonspherical silver particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Little, J.W.; Ferrell, T.L.; Callcott, T.A.; Arakawa, E.T.

1982-01-01

We have studied the radiation emitted by electron-bombarded silver particles. Electron micrographs have shown that the particles, obtained by heating thin (5 nm) silver films, were oblate (flattened) with minor axes aligned along the substrate normal. The characteristic wavelength obtained by bombarding these particles with 15-keV electrons was found to vary with angle of photon emission. We have modeled this wavelength shift as a result of the mixture of radiation from dipole and quadrupole surface-plasmon oscillations on oblate spheroids. Experimental observations of the energy, polarization, and angular distribution of the emitted radiation are in good agreement with theoretical calculations

Adherence of human oral keratinocytes and gingival fibroblasts to nano-structured titanium surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorkhan, Marjan; Yücel-Lindberg, Tülay; Hall, Jan; Svensäter, Gunnel; Davies, Julia R

2014-06-21

A key element for long-term success of dental implants is integration of the implant surface with the surrounding host tissues. Modification of titanium implant surfaces can enhance osteoblast activity but their effects on soft-tissue cells are unclear. Adherence of human keratinocytes and gingival fibroblasts to control commercially pure titanium (CpTi) and two surfaces prepared by anodic oxidation was therefore investigated. Since implant abutments are exposed to a bacteria-rich environment in vivo, the effect of oral bacteria on keratinocyte adhesion was also evaluated. The surfaces were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The number of adhered cells and binding strength, as well as vitality of fibroblasts and keratinocytes were evaluated using confocal scanning laser microscopy after staining with Live/Dead Baclight. To evaluate the effect of bacteria on adherence and vitality, keratinocytes were co-cultured with a four-species streptococcal consortium. SEM analysis showed the two anodically oxidized surfaces to be nano-structured with differing degrees of pore-density. Over 24 hours, both fibroblasts and keratinocytes adhered well to the nano-structured surfaces, although to a somewhat lesser degree than to CpTi (range 42-89% of the levels on CpTi). The strength of keratinocyte adhesion was greater than that of the fibroblasts but no differences in adhesion strength could be observed between the two nano-structured surfaces and the CpTi. The consortium of commensal streptococci markedly reduced keratinocyte adherence on all the surfaces as well as compromising membrane integrity of the adhered cells. Both the vitality and level of adherence of soft-tissue cells to the nano-structured surfaces was similar to that on CpTi. Co-culture with streptococci reduced the number of keratinocytes on all the surfaces to approximately the same level and caused cell damage, suggesting that commensal bacteria could affect adherence of soft-tissue cells to

Facile Synthesis of Micron-Sized Hollow Silver Spheres as Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lixin Xia

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A well-designed type of micron-sized hollow silver sphere was successfully synthesized by a simple hard-template method to be used as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering. 4 Å molecular sieves were employed as a removable solid template. [Ag(NH32]+ was absorbed as the precursor on the surface of the molecular sieve. Formaldehyde was selected as a reducing agent to reduce [Ag(NH32]+, resulting in the formation of a micron-sized silver shell on the surface of the 4 Å molecular sieves. The micron-sized hollow silver spheres were obtained by removing the molecular sieve template. SEM and XRD were used to characterize the structure of the micron-sized hollow silver spheres. The as-prepared micro-silver spheres exhibited robust SERS activity in the presence of adsorbed 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA with excitation at 632.8 nm, and the enhancement factor reached ~1.5 × 106. This synthetic process represents a promising method for preparing various hollow metal nanoparticles.

The characterization of the antibacterial efficacy of an electrically activated silver ion-based surface system

Science.gov (United States)

Shirwaiker, Rohan A.

There have been growing concerns in the global healthcare system about the eradication of pathogens in hospitals and other health-critical environments. The problem has been aggravated by the overuse of antibiotics and antimicrobial agents leading to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant superbugs such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) which are difficult to kill. Lower immunity of sick patients coupled with the escalating concurrent problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has resulted in increasing incidences of hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections. There is an immediate need to control the transmission of such infections, primarily in healthcare environments, by creating touch-contact and work surfaces (e.g., door knobs, push plates, countertops) that utilize alternative antibacterial materials like the heavy metal, silver. Recent research has shown that it is silver in its ionic (Ag+ ) and not elemental form that is antibacterial. Thus, silver-based antibacterial surfaces have to release silver ions directly into the pathogenic environment (generally, an aqueous media) in order to be effective. This dissertation presents the study and analysis of a new silver-based surface system that utilizes low intensity direct electric current (LIDC) for generation of silver ions to primarily inhibit indirect contact transmission of infections. The broader objective of this research is to understand the design, and characterization of the electrically activated silver ion-based antibacterial surface system. The specific objectives of this dissertation include: (1) Developing a comprehensive system design, and identifying and studying its critical design parameters and functional mechanisms. (2) Evaluating effects of the critical design parameters on the antibacterial efficacy of the proposed surface system. (3) Developing a response surface model for the surface system performance. These objectives are

Carbon-based nanostructured surfaces for enhanced phase-change cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Selvaraj Kousalya, Arun

To maintain acceptable device temperatures in the new generation of electronic devices under development for high-power applications, conventional liquid cooling schemes will likely be superseded by multi-phase cooling solutions to provide substantial enhancement to the cooling capability. The central theme of the current work is to investigate the two-phase thermal performance of carbon-based nanostructured coatings in passive and pumped liquid-vapor phase-change cooling schemes. Quantification of the critical parameters that influence thermal performance of the carbon nanostructured boiling surfaces presented herein will lead to improved understanding of the underlying evaporative and boiling mechanisms in such surfaces. A flow boiling experimental facility is developed to generate consistent and accurate heat transfer performance curves with degassed and deionized water as the working fluid. New means of boiling heat transfer enhancement by altering surface characteristics such as surface energy and wettability through light-surface interactions is explored in this work. In this regard, carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings are exposed to low-intensity irradiation emitted from a light emitting diode and the subcooled flow boiling performance is compared against a non-irradiated CNT-coated copper surface. A considerable reduction in surface superheat and enhancement in average heat transfer coefficient is observed. In another work involving CNTs, the thermal performance of CNT-integrated sintered wick structures is evaluated in a passively cooled vapor chamber. A physical vapor deposition process is used to coat the CNTs with varying thicknesses of copper to promote surface wetting with the working fluid, water. Thermal performance of the bare sintered copper powder sample and the copper-functionalized CNT-coated sintered copper powder wick samples is compared using an experimental facility that simulates the capillary fluid feeding conditions of a vapor chamber

On the electrical conductivity of silver-content-controlled polyaniline-silver composites

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Varga, M.; Prokeš, J.; Bober, Patrycja; Stejskal, Jaroslav

2013-01-01

Roč. 9, č. 3 (2013), s. 76-83 ISSN 1790-4439. [International Conference on Nanostructured Polymers and Nanocomposites /7./. Prague, 24.04.2012-27.04.2012] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400500905 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : conducting polymer composites * polyaniline * silver Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry http://www.jnpn.org/03,09,03,03.html

An effective hydrothermal route for the synthesis of multiple PDDA-protected noble-metal nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hongjun; Wang, Yuling; Dong, Shaojun

2007-12-10

In this article, we demonstrate an effective hydrothermal route for the synthesis of multiple PDDA-protected (PDDA = poly(diallyl dimethylammonium) chloride) noble-metal (including silver, platinum, palladium, and gold) nanostructures in the absence of any seeds and surfactants, in which PDDA, an ordinary and water-soluble polyelectrolyte, acts as both a reducing and a stabilizing agent. Under optimal experimental conditions, Ag nanocubes, Pt and Pd nanopolyhedrons, and Au nanoplates can be obtained, which were characterized by transmission electron microscopy , scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. More importantly, the nanostructures synthesized show potential applications in surface-enhanced Raman scattering and electrocatalysis, in which Ag nanocubes and Pt nanopolyhedrons were chosen as the examples, respectively.

Fluorescence studies of Rhodamine 6G functionalized silicon oxide nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumgaertel, Thomas; Borczyskowski, Christian von; Graaf, Harald

2010-01-01

Selective anchoring of optically active molecules on nanostructured surfaces is a promising step towards the creation of nanoscale devices with new functionalities. Recently we have demonstrated the electrostatic attachment of charged fluorescent molecules on silicon oxide nanostructures prepared by atomic force microscopy (AFM) nanolithography via local anodic oxidation (LAO) of dodecyl-terminated silicon. In this paper we report on our findings from a more detailed optical investigation of the bound dye Rhodamine 6G. High sensitivity optical wide field microscopy as well as confocal laser microscopy have been used to characterize the Rhodamine fluorescence emission. A highly interesting question concerns the interaction between an emitter close to a silicon surface because mechanisms such as energy transfer and fluorescence quenching will occur which are still not fully understood. Since the oxide thickness can be varied during preparation continuously from 1 to ∼ 5 nm, it is possible to investigate the fluorescence of the bound dye in close proximity to the underlying silicon. Using confocal laser microscopy we were also able to obtain optical spectra from the bound molecules. Together with the results from an analysis of their photochemical bleaching behaviour, we conjecture that some of the Rhodamine 6G molecules on the structure are interacting with the oxide, causing a spectral shift and differences in their photochemical properties.

Controlled adsorption of cytochrome c to nanostructured gold surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomes, Inês; Feio, Maria J.; Santos, Nuno C.; Eaton, Peter; Serro, Ana Paula; Saramago, Benilde; Pereira, Eulália; Franco, Ricardo

2012-01-01

Controlled electrostatic physisorption of horse heart cytochrome c (Cyt c) onto nanostructured gold surfaces was investigated using Quartz-Crystal Microbalance measurements in planar gold surfaces with or without functionalization using a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the alkanethiol mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA). MUA is a useful functionalization ligand for gold surfaces, shedding adsorbed biomolecules from the excessive electron density of the metal. A parallel analysis was conducted in the corresponding curved surfaces of 15 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), using zeta-potential and UV– visible spectroscopy. Atomic Force Microscopy of both types of functionalized gold surfaces with a MUA SAM, allowed for visualization of Cyt c deposits on the nanostructured gold surface. The amount of Cyt c adsorbed onto the gold surface could be controlled by the solution pH. For the assays conducted at pH 4.5, when MUA SAM- functionalized planar gold surfaces are positive or neutral, and Cyt c has a positive net charge, only 13 % of the planar gold surface area was coated with protein. In contrast, at pH 7.4, when MUA SAM-functionalized planar gold surfaces and Cyt c have opposite charges, a protein coverage of 28 % could be observed implying an adsorption process strongly governed by electrostatic forces. Cyt c adsorption on planar and curved gold surfaces are found to be greatly favored by the presence of a MUA-capping layer. In particular, on the AuNPs, the binding constant is three times larger than the binding constant obtained for the original citrate-capped AuNPs.

Controlled adsorption of cytochrome c to nanostructured gold surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomes, Ines [Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Quimica (Portugal); Feio, Maria J. [Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Quimica e Bioquimica (Portugal); Santos, Nuno C. [Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto de Medicina Molecular (Portugal); Eaton, Peter [Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Quimica e Bioquimica (Portugal); Serro, Ana Paula; Saramago, Benilde [Centro de Quimica Estrutural, Instituto Superior Tecnico (Portugal); Pereira, Eulalia [Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade do Porto, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Quimica e Bioquimica (Portugal); Franco, Ricardo, E-mail: ricardo.franco@fct.unl.pt [Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Quimica (Portugal)

2012-12-15

Controlled electrostatic physisorption of horse heart cytochrome c (Cyt c) onto nanostructured gold surfaces was investigated using Quartz-Crystal Microbalance measurements in planar gold surfaces with or without functionalization using a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of the alkanethiol mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA). MUA is a useful functionalization ligand for gold surfaces, shedding adsorbed biomolecules from the excessive electron density of the metal. A parallel analysis was conducted in the corresponding curved surfaces of 15 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), using zeta-potential and UV- visible spectroscopy. Atomic Force Microscopy of both types of functionalized gold surfaces with a MUA SAM, allowed for visualization of Cyt c deposits on the nanostructured gold surface. The amount of Cyt c adsorbed onto the gold surface could be controlled by the solution pH. For the assays conducted at pH 4.5, when MUA SAM- functionalized planar gold surfaces are positive or neutral, and Cyt c has a positive net charge, only 13 % of the planar gold surface area was coated with protein. In contrast, at pH 7.4, when MUA SAM-functionalized planar gold surfaces and Cyt c have opposite charges, a protein coverage of 28 % could be observed implying an adsorption process strongly governed by electrostatic forces. Cyt c adsorption on planar and curved gold surfaces are found to be greatly favored by the presence of a MUA-capping layer. In particular, on the AuNPs, the binding constant is three times larger than the binding constant obtained for the original citrate-capped AuNPs.

Fabrication and evolution of multilayer silver nanofilms for surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensing of arsenate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Jinwei

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS has recently been investigated extensively for chemical and biomolecular sensing. Multilayer silver (Ag nanofilms deposited on glass slides by a simple electroless deposition process have been fabricated as active substrates (Ag/GL substrates for arsenate SERS sensing. The nanostructures and layer characteristics of the multilayer Ag films could be tuned by varying the concentrations of reactants (AgNO3/BuNH2 and reaction time. A Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs double-layer was formed by directly reducing Ag+ ions on the glass surfaces, while a top layer (3rd-layer of Ag dendrites was deposited on the double-layer by self-assembling AgNPs or AgNPs aggregates which had already formed in the suspension. The SERS spectra of arsenate showed that characteristic SERS bands of arsenate appear at approximately 780 and 420 cm-1, and the former possesses higher SERS intensity. By comparing the peak heights of the approximately 780 cm-1 band of the SERS spectra, the optimal Ag/GL substrate has been obtained for the most sensitive SERS sensing of arsenate. Using this optimal substrate, the limit of detection (LOD of arsenate was determined to be approximately 5 μg·l-1.

Picosecond ultrasonic study of surface acoustic waves on titanium nitride nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bjornsson, M. M.; Connolly, A. B.; Mahat, S.; Rachmilowitz, B. E.; Daly, B. C.; Antonelli, G. A.; Myers, A.; Singh, K. J.; Yoo, H. J.; King, S. W.

2015-01-01

We have measured surface acoustic waves on nanostructured TiN wires overlaid on multiple thin films on a silicon substrate using the ultrafast pump-probe technique known as picosecond ultrasonics. We find a prominent oscillation in the range of 11–54 GHz for samples with varying pitch ranging from 420 nm down to 168 nm. We find that the observed oscillation increases monotonically in frequency with decrease in pitch, but that the increase is not linear. By comparing our data to two-dimensional mechanical simulations of the nanostructures, we find that the type of surface oscillation to which we are sensitive changes depending on the pitch of the sample. Surface waves on substrates that are loaded by thin films can take multiple forms, including Rayleigh-like waves, Sezawa waves, and radiative (leaky) surface waves. We describe evidence for detection of modes that display characteristics of these three surface wave types

An SU-8-based microprobe with a nanostructured surface enhances neuronal cell attachment and growth

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eunhee; Kim, Jin-Young; Choi, Hongsoo

2017-12-01

Microprobes are used to repair neuronal injury by recording electrical signals from neuronal cells around the surface of the device. Following implantation into the brain, the immune response results in formation of scar tissue around the microprobe. However, neurons must be in close proximity to the microprobe to enable signal recording. A common reason for failure of microprobes is impaired signal recording due to scar tissue, which is not related to the microprobe itself. Therefore, the device-cell interface must be improved to increase the number of neurons in contact with the surface. In this study, we developed nanostructured SU-8 microprobes to support neuronal growth. Nanostructures of 200 nm diameter and depth were applied to the surface of microprobes, and the attachment and neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells on the microprobes were evaluated. Neuronal attachment and neurite outgrowth on the nanostructured microprobes were significantly greater than those on non-nanostructured microprobes. The enhanced neuronal attachment and neurite outgrowth on the nanostructured microprobes occurred in the absence of an adhesive coating, such as poly- l-lysine, and so may be useful for implantable devices for long-term use. Therefore, nanostructured microprobes can be implanted without adhesive coating, which can cause problems in vivo over the long term.

Aqueous-Phase Synthesis of Silver Nanodiscs and Nanorods in Methyl Cellulose Matrix: Photophysical Study and Simulation of UV–Vis Extinction Spectra Using DDA Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarkar Priyanka

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract We present a very simple and effective way for the synthesis of tunable coloured silver sols having different morphologies. The procedure is based on the seed-mediated growth approach where methyl cellulose (MC has been used as soft-template in the growth solution. Nanostructures of varying morphologies as well as colour of the silver sols are controlled by altering the concentration of citrate in the growth solution. Similar to the polymers in the solution, citrate ions also dynamically adsorbed on the growing silver nanoparticles and promote one (1-D and two-dimensional (2-D growth of nanoparticles. Silver nanostructures are characterized using UV–vis and HR-TEM spectroscopic study. Simulation of the UV–vis extinction spectra of our synthesized silver nanostructures has been carried out using discrete dipole approximation (DDA method.

Direct nanopatterning of polymer/silver nanoblocks under low energy electron beam irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

El Mel, Abdel-Aziz; Stephant, Nicolas; Gautier, Romain

2016-10-06

In this communication, we report on the growth, direct writing and nanopatterning of polymer/silver nanoblocks under low energy electron beam irradiation using a scanning electron microscope. The nanoblocks are produced by placing a droplet of an ethylene glycol solution containing silver nitrate and polyvinylpyrrolidone diluted in ethanol directly on a hot substrate heated up to 150 °C. Upon complete evaporation of the droplet, nanospheres, nano- and micro-triangles and nanoblocks made of silver-containing polymers, form over the substrate surface. Considering the nanoblocks as a model system, we demonstrate that such nanostructures are extremely sensitive to the e-beam extracted from the source of a scanning electron microscope operating at low acceleration voltages (between 5 and 7 kV). This sensitivity allows us to efficiently create various nanopatterns (e.g. arrays of holes, oblique slits and nanotrenches) in the material under e-beam irradiation. In addition to the possibility of writing, the nanoblocks revealed a self-healing ability allowing them to recover a relatively smooth surface after etching. Thanks to these properties, such nanomaterials can be used as a support for data writing and erasing on the nanoscale under low energy electron beam irradiation.

Computational design of surfaces, nanostructures and optoelectronic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, Kamal

Properties of engineering materials are generally influenced by defects such as point defects (vacancies, interstitials, substitutional defects), line defects (dislocations), planar defects (grain boundaries, free surfaces/nanostructures, interfaces, stacking faults) and volume defects (voids). Classical physics based molecular dynamics and quantum physics based density functional theory can be useful in designing materials with controlled defect properties. In this thesis, empirical potential based molecular dynamics was used to study the surface modification of polymers due to energetic polyatomic ion, thermodynamics and mechanics of metal-ceramic interfaces and nanostructures, while density functional theory was used to screen substituents in optoelectronic materials. Firstly, polyatomic ion-beams were deposited on polymer surfaces and the resulting chemical modifications of the surface were examined. In particular, S, SC and SH were deposited on amorphous polystyrene (PS), and C2H, CH3, and C3H5 were deposited on amorphous poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) using molecular dynamics simulations with classical reactive empirical many-body (REBO) potentials. The objective of this work was to elucidate the mechanisms by which the polymer surface modification took place. The results of the work could be used in tailoring the incident energy and/or constituents of ion beam for obtaining a particular chemistry inside the polymer surface. Secondly, a new Al-O-N empirical potential was developed within the charge optimized many body (COMB) formalism. This potential was then used to examine the thermodynamic stability of interfaces and mechanical properties of nanostructures composed of aluminum, its oxide and its nitride. The potentials were tested for these materials based on surface energies, defect energies, bulk phase stability, the mechanical properties of the most stable bulk phase, its phonon properties as well as with a genetic algorithm based evolution theory of

Synthesis of polymer nanostructures via the use of surfactant surface aggregates as templates

Science.gov (United States)

Marquez, Maricel

The subject of this work is the synthesis of polymer nanostructures via the use of surfactant surface aggregates as templates, also termed Template Assisted Admicellar Polymerization (TAAP). The first chapter reviews some of the most current nanopatterning techniques (including both top-down and bottom-up approaches), with particular emphasis on the fabrication of organic and inorganic patterned nanostructures via particle lithography. In chapter 2, highly ordered hexagonal arrays of latex spheres were prepared on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) from a variation of the Langmuir Blodgett technique, using an anionic surfactant (SDS), and a low molecular weight (ca. 10000) polyacrylamide as spreading agents. When a nonionic polyethoxylated (EO = 9) surfactant was used as the spreading agent, no ordered arrays were observed. Based on the correlation found between the surface tension in the presence of the latex particles and the critical concentration at which hexagonal arrangements of latex spheres occurs; a model was proposed to explain the role of the spreading agent in forming stable monolayers at the air/liquid interface, which in turn are necessary for the formation of well-ordered monolayers on a solid substrate from the LB technique. According to this model, solid-like regions of small numbers of latex spheres form at the liquid-air interface, which are then transferred to the substrate. These ordered regions then act as nuclei for the formation of 2D arrays of latex spheres on the surface upon water evaporation. The role of other factors such as relative humidity, substrate and solvent choice, and pulling vs. compression speed were also found to affect the quality of the monolayers formed. Finally, a simple, easy to automate, yet effective surface tension method was proposed to predict the optimal conditions for the formation of ordered monolayers using a variation of the LB deposition method from any monodisperse set of spheres. In chapter 3, a novel

Surface Phenomena at Silver Nanoparticles in the Context of Toxicology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miclaus, Teodora

2015-01-01

Nanoparticle research and applications are rapidly expanding areas and large scale production and use of nanomaterials has prompted concern regarding their safety for humans and the environment. Nanotoxicology aims to offer answers to issues that may arise in regards to potential harmful effects...... associated with engineered nanomaterials. Among these materials, silver nanoparticles are some of the most widely employed and thus represent a major point of focus in nanotoxicology and the topic of this PhD thesis. While nanoparticles have, upon synthesis, well-defined characteristics, specific...... of nanotoxicology. The main aim of this PhD research is to investigate these phenomena at the surface of silver nanoparticles under conditions that are relevant for in vitro studies in order to understand their implications for nano-silver toxicity. Upon contact with biological fluids, particles get coated...

Experimental identification for physical mechanism of fiber-form nanostructure growth on metal surfaces with helium plasma irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takamura, S., E-mail: takamura@aitech.ac.jp [Faculty of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Yakusa-cho, Toyota 470-0392 (Japan); Uesugi, Y. [Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-1192 (Japan)

2015-11-30

Highlights: • Initial growth process of fiber-form nanostructure on metal surfaces under helium ion irradiation is given based on experimental knowledge, where the pitting of original surface and forming nano-walls and/or loop-like nanostructure works as precursors. • The physical mechanism of fiber growth is discussed in terms of shear modulus of metals influenced by helium content as well as surface temperature. • The physical model explains the reason why tantalum does not make sufficiently grown nano-fibers, and the temperature dependence of surface morphology of titanium. - Abstract: The initial stage of fiber-form nanostructure growth on metal surface with helium plasma irradiation is illustrated, taking recent research knowledge using a flux gradient technique, and including loop-like nano-scale structure as precursors. The growth mechanism of fibers is discussed in terms of the shear modulus of various materials that is influenced by the helium content as well as the surface temperature, and the mobility of helium atoms, clusters and/or nano-bubbles in the bulk, loops and fibers. This model may explain the reason why tantalum does not provide fiber-form nanostructure although the loop-like structure was identified. The model also suggests the mechanism of an existence of two kinds of nanostructure of titanium depending on surface temperature. Industrial applications of such nanostructures are suggested in the properties and the possibilities of its growth on other basic materials.

Surface modification of indium tin oxide for direct writing of silver nanoparticulate ink micropatterns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vunnam, Swathi; Ankireddy, Krishnamraju; Kellar, Jon; Cross, William

2013-01-01

Surface treatment techniques were deployed to alter the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) samples to attain a favorable interface between printed nano-inks and ITO surface. Surface free energy components of treated ITO substrates were calculated for each treatment using the van Oss–Chaudhury–Good method. The surface treatments of ITO changed the Lifshitz–van der Waals and Lewis acid–base components, and contact angle hysteresis significantly. Among all the surface treatments, air plasma treated samples showed high polar in nature, whereas dodecyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayer treated sample showed the lowest. In addition to the polarity and homogeneity, the surface roughness of the ITO was studied with respect to the surface treatment. Silver nanoparticulate ink was printed on treated ITO surfaces using aerosol jet printing system. Printed silver nano-ink line width and morphology strongly depended on the surface treatment of the ITO, ink properties and printing parameters. - Highlights: ► Surface treatments on indium tin oxide (ITO) altered its surface free energy. ► Surface free energies were studied in terms of acid–base components. ► ITO surface morphology and roughness were changed with the surface treatment. ► Silver ink was printed on treated ITO samples using aerosol jet printing system. ► Line widths of printed patterns clearly depended on the surface free energy of ITO

Surface modification of indium tin oxide for direct writing of silver nanoparticulate ink micropatterns

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vunnam, Swathi, E-mail: swathi.vunnam@mines.sdsmt.edu [Nanoscience and Nanoengineering Department, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD-57701 (United States); Ankireddy, Krishnamraju; Kellar, Jon; Cross, William [Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD-57701 (United States)

2013-03-01

Surface treatment techniques were deployed to alter the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) samples to attain a favorable interface between printed nano-inks and ITO surface. Surface free energy components of treated ITO substrates were calculated for each treatment using the van Oss–Chaudhury–Good method. The surface treatments of ITO changed the Lifshitz–van der Waals and Lewis acid–base components, and contact angle hysteresis significantly. Among all the surface treatments, air plasma treated samples showed high polar in nature, whereas dodecyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayer treated sample showed the lowest. In addition to the polarity and homogeneity, the surface roughness of the ITO was studied with respect to the surface treatment. Silver nanoparticulate ink was printed on treated ITO surfaces using aerosol jet printing system. Printed silver nano-ink line width and morphology strongly depended on the surface treatment of the ITO, ink properties and printing parameters. - Highlights: ► Surface treatments on indium tin oxide (ITO) altered its surface free energy. ► Surface free energies were studied in terms of acid–base components. ► ITO surface morphology and roughness were changed with the surface treatment. ► Silver ink was printed on treated ITO samples using aerosol jet printing system. ► Line widths of printed patterns clearly depended on the surface free energy of ITO.

Formation and surface characterization of nanostructured Al2O3 ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Page 1. Electronic Supplementary Material. Graphical abstract. Formation and surface characterization of nanostructured Al2O3–TiO2 coatings by Vairamuthu Raj and Mohamed Sirajudeen Mumjitha. (pp 1411–1418).

Biological and Mechanical Effects of Micro-Nanostructured Titanium Surface on an Osteoblastic Cell Line In vitro and Osteointegration In vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Jingzu; Li, Ying; Li, Baoe; Wang, Xiaolin; Li, Haipeng; Liu, Shimin; Liang, Chunyong; Wang, Hongshui

2017-09-01

Hybrid micro-nanostructure implant surface was produced on titanium (Ti) surface by acid etching and anodic oxidation to improve the biological and mechanical properties. The biological properties of the micro-nanostructure were investigated by simulated body fluid (SBF) soaking test and MC3T3-E1 cell co-culture experiment. The cell proliferation, spreading, and bone sialoprotein (BSP) gene expression were examined by MTT, SEM, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. In addition, the mechanical properties were evaluated by instrumented nanoindentation test and friction-wear test. Furthermore, the effect of the micro-nanostructure surface on implant osteointegration was examined by in vivo experiment. The results showed that the formation of bone-like apatite was accelerated on the micro-nanostructured Ti surface after immersion in simulated body fluid, and the proliferation, spreading, and BSP gene expression of the MC3T3-E1 cells were also upregulated on the modified surface. The micro-nanostructured Ti surface displayed decreased friction coefficient, stiffness value, and Young's modulus which were much closer to those of the cortical bone, compared to the polished Ti surface. This suggested much better mechanical match to the surrounding bone tissue of the micro-nanostructured Ti surface. Furthermore, the in vivo animal experiment showed that after implantation in the rat femora, the micro-nanostructure surface displayed higher bonding strength between bone tissues and implant; hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining suggested that much compact osteoid tissue was observed at the interface of Micro-nano-Ti-bone than polished Ti-bone interface after implantation. Based on these results mentioned above, it was concluded that the improved biological and mechanical properties of the micro-nanostructure endowed Ti surface with good biocompatibility and better osteointegration, implying the enlarged application of the micro-nanostructure

Silver Uptake and Reuse of Biomass by Saccharomyces cerevisiae ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Studies were carried out on the recovery of bound silver and reuse of Chlorella emersonii and Saccharomyces cerevisiae biomass for further silver uptake after they were placed in contact with 20mg/l silver for 30 minutes to allow for maximum binding. It was found that 0.16M nitric acid gave the best recovery rates of silver.

Electroplating Gold-Silver Alloys for Spherical Capsules for NIF Double-Shell Targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhandarkar, N. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Horwood, C. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Bunn, T. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Stadermann, M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-08-17

For Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) implosions, a design based on gradients of high and mid Z materials could potentially be more robust than single element capsule systems. To that end, gold and silver alloys were electroplated on 2.0 mm diameter surrogate brass spheres using a new flow–based pulsed plating method specifically designed to minimize surface roughness without reducing plating rates. The coatings were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and white light interferometry for surface topography, and by energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) to determine near-surface gold and silver compositions. The alloy range attainable was 15 to 85 weight percent gold using 1:1 and 1:3 silver to gold ratio plating baths at applied potentials of -0.7 volts to -1.8 volts. This range was bounded by the open circuit potential of the system and hydrogen evolution, and in theory could be extended by using ionic liquids or aprotic solutions. Preliminary gradient trials proved constant composition alloy data could be translated to smooth gradient plating, albeit at higher gold compositions.

Time-domain analysis of surface-plasmon-polariton propagation in Ag nano-films using a generalized polarization approach

KAUST Repository

Al-Jabr, Ahmad; Alsunaidi, Mohammad A.

2010-01-01

A time-domain analysis of the propagation properties of surface-plasmon-polaritons (SPP) in Silver nanostructures is presented. The analysis is based on a simulation algorithm that unifies the formulation of different dispersion models and multi

Creation of Principally New Generation of Switching Technique Elements (Reed Switches) with Nanostructured Contact Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karabanov S M; Zeltser I A; Maizels R M; Moos E N; Arushanov K A, E-mail: zeltseria@rmcip.ru [Russia, Ryazan, 390027, Novaya Str., 51B, Ryazan Metal Ceramics Instrumentation Plant JSC (Russian Federation)

2011-04-01

The cycle of activities of the creation of principally new generation of reed switches with nanostructured contact surfaces was implemented. Experimental justification of the opportunity of reed switches creation with modified contact surface was given (instead of precious metals-based galvanic coating). Principally new technological process of modification of magnetically operated contacts contacting surfaces was developed, based on the usage of the ion-plasma methods of nanolayers and nanostructures forming having specified contact features.

uleSIMS characterization of silver reference surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Palitsin, V. V.; Dowsett, M. G.; Mata, B. Guzmán de la; Oloff, I. W.; Gibbons, R.

2006-07-01

Ultra low energy SIMS (uleSIMS) is a high sensitivity analytical technique that is normally used for ultra shallow profiling at a depth resolution of up to1 nm. This work describes the use of uleSIMS as both a spectroscopic and depth-profiling tool for the characterization of the early stages of corrosion formed on reference surfaces of silver. These samples are being developed to help with the characterization of tarnished surfaces in a cultural heritage context, and uleSIMS enables the tarnishing to be studied from its very earliest stages due to its high sensitivity (ppm-ppb) and surface specificity. We show that, uleSIMS can be used effectively to study the surface chemistry and aid the development of reference surfaces themselves. In particular, handling contaminants, surface dust, and residues from polishing are relatively easy to identify allowing them to be separated from the parts of the mass spectrum specific to the early stages of corrosion.

Surface ligand controls silver ion release of nanosilver and its antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Long Y

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Yan-Min Long,1,2 Li-Gang Hu,1,3 Xue-Ting Yan,1,3 Xing-Chen Zhao,1,3 Qun-Fang Zhou,1,3 Yong Cai,2,4 Gui-Bin Jiang1,3 1State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Beijing, China; 2Institute of Environment and Health, Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; 3College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; 4Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southeast Environmental Research Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA Abstract: Understanding the mechanism of nanosilver-dependent antibacterial activity against microorganisms helps optimize the design and usage of the related nanomaterials. In this study, we prepared four kinds of 10 nm-sized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs with dictated surface chemistry by capping different ligands, including citrate, mercaptopropionic acid, mercaptohexanoic acid, and mercaptopropionic sulfonic acid. Their surface-dependent chemistry and antibacterial activities were investigated. Owing to the weak bond to surface Ag, short carbon chain, and low silver ion attraction, citrate-coated AgNPs caused the highest silver ion release and the strongest antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, when compared to the other tested AgNPs. The study on the underlying antibacterial mechanisms indicated that cellular membrane uptake of Ag, NAD+/NADH ratio increase, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS generation were significantly induced in both AgNP and silver ion exposure groups. The released silver ions from AgNPs inside cells through a Trojan-horse-type mechanism were suggested to interact with respiratory chain proteins on the membrane, interrupt intracellular O2 reduction, and induce ROS production. The further oxidative damages of lipid peroxidation and membrane breakdown caused the lethal effect on E. coli. Altogether, this study demonstrated that AgNPs exerted

Effects of chlorine and other water quality parameters on the release of silver nanoparticles from a ceramic surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Bielefeldt, Angela R; Stewart, Michael W; Mansfield, Elisabeth; Scott Summers, R; Ryan, Joseph N

2013-08-01

A quartz crystal microbalance was used to determine the effects of different water quality parameters on the detachment of silver nanoparticles from surfaces representative of ceramic pot filters (CPFs). Silver nanoparticles stabilized with casein were used in the experiments. The average hydrodynamic diameter of the nanoparticles ranged from 20 nm to 100 nm over a pH range of 6.5-10.5. The isoelectric point was about 3.5 and the zeta potential was -45 mV from pH 4.5 to 9.5. The silver nanoparticles were deposited onto silica surfaces and a quartz crystal microbalance was used to monitor silver release from the surface. At environmentally relevant ranges of pH (4.8-9.3), ionic strength (0 and 150 mol/m(3) NaNO3 or 150 mol/m(3) Ca(NO3)2), and turbidity (0 and 51.5 NTU kaolin clay), the rates of silver release were similar. A high concentration of sodium chloride and bacteria (Echerichia coli in 10% tryptic soy broth) caused rapid silver release. Water containing sodium hypochlorite removed 85% of the silver from the silica surface within 3 h. The results suggest that contact between CPFs and prechlorinated water or bleach CPF cleaning should be avoided. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Silver deposition on titanium surface by electrochemical anodizing process reduces bacterial adhesion of Streptococcus sanguinis and Lactobacillus salivarius.

Science.gov (United States)

Godoy-Gallardo, Maria; Rodríguez-Hernández, Ana G; Delgado, Luis M; Manero, José M; Javier Gil, F; Rodríguez, Daniel

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the antibacterial properties of silver-doped titanium surfaces prepared with a novel electrochemical anodizing process. Titanium samples were anodized with a pulsed process in a solution of silver nitrate and sodium thiosulphate at room temperature with stirring. Samples were processed with different electrolyte concentrations and treatment cycles to improve silver deposition. Physicochemical properties were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, white-light interferometry, and scanning electron microscopy. Cellular cytotoxicity in human fibroblasts was studied with lactate dehydrogenase assays. The in vitro effect of treated surfaces on two oral bacteria strains (Streptococcus sanguinis and Lactobacillus salivarius) was studied with viable bacterial adhesion measurements and growth curve assays. Nonparametric statistical Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used for multiple and paired comparisons, respectively. Post hoc Spearman's correlation tests were calculated to check the dependence between bacteria adhesion and surface properties. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the presence of silver on treated samples and showed that treatments with higher silver nitrate concentration and more cycles increased the silver deposition on titanium surface. No negative effects in fibroblast cell viability were detected and a significant reduction on bacterial adhesion in vitro was achieved in silver-treated samples compared with control titanium. Silver deposition on titanium with a novel electrochemical anodizing process produced surfaces with significant antibacterial properties in vitro without negative effects on cell viability. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Scaling of the Surface Plasmon Resonance in Gold and Silver Dimers Probed by EELS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kadkhodazadeh, Shima; de Lasson, Jakob Rosenkrantz; Beleggia, Marco

2014-01-01

The dependence of surface plasmon coupling on the distance between two nanoparticles (dimer) is the basis of nanometrology tools such as plasmon rulers. Application of these nanometric rulers requires an accurate description of the scaling of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) wavelength...... with distance. Here, we have applied electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) imaging to investigate the relationship between the SPR wavelength of gold and silver nanosphere dimers (radius R) and interparticle distance (d) in the range 0.1R .... Instead, within the range 0.1R gold and silver dimers. Despite this common power dependence, consistently larger SPR wavelength shifts are registered for silver for a given change in d, implying...

Ageing of plasma-mediated coatings with embedded silver nanoparticles on stainless steel: An XPS and ToF-SIMS investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Zanna, S.; Saulou, C.; Mercier-Bonin, M.; Despax, B.; Raynaud, P.; Seyeux, A.; Marcus, P.

2010-09-01

Nanocomposite thin films (˜170 nm), composed of silver nanoparticles enclosed in an organosilicon matrix, were deposited onto stainless steel, with the aim of preventing biofilm formation. The film deposition was carried out under cold plasma conditions, combining radiofrequency (RF) glow discharge fed with argon and hexamethyldisiloxane and simultaneous silver sputtering. XPS and ToF-SIMS were used to characterize Ag-organosilicon films in native form and after ageing in saline solution (NaCl 0.15 M), in order to further correlate their lifetime with their anti-fouling properties. Two coatings with significantly different silver contents (7.5% and 20.3%) were tested. Surface analysis confirmed the presence of metallic silver in the pristine coating and revealed significant modifications after immersion in the saline solution. Two different ageing mechanisms were observed, depending on the initial silver concentration in the film. For the sample exhibiting the low silver content (7.5%), the metal amount decreased at the surface in contact with the solution, due to the release of silver from the coating. As a result, after a 2-day exposure, silver nanoparticles located at the extreme surface were entirely released, whereas silver is still present in the inner part of the film. The coating thickness was not modified during ageing. In contrast, for the high silver content film (20.3%), the thickness decreased with immersion time, due to significant silver release and matrix erosion, assigned to a percolation-like effect. However, after 18 days of immersion, the delamination process stopped and a thin strongly bounded layer remained on the stainless steel surface.

Low temperature surface chemistry and nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Sergeev, G. B.; Shabatina, T. I.

2002-03-01

The new scientific field of low temperature surface chemistry, which combines the low temperature chemistry (cryochemistry) and surface chemistry approaches, is reviewed in this paper. One of the most exciting achievements in this field of science is the development of methods to create highly ordered hybrid nanosized structures on different organic and inorganic surfaces and to encapsulate nanosized metal particles in organic and polymer matrices. We consider physical and chemical behaviour for the systems obtained by co-condensation of the components vapours on the surfaces cooled down to 4-10 and 70-100 K. In particular the size effect of both types, the number of atoms in the reactive species structure and the thickness of growing co-condensate film, on the chemical activity of the system is analysed in detail. The effect of the internal mechanical stresses on the growing interfacial co-condensate film formation and on the generation of fast (explosive) spontaneous reactions at low temperatures is discussed. The examples of unusual chemical interactions of metal atoms, clusters and nanosized particles, obtained in co-condensate films on the cooled surfaces under different conditions, are presented. The examples of highly ordered surface and volume hybrid nanostructures formation are analysed.

Facile conversion of bulk metal surface to metal oxide single-crystalline nanostructures by microwave irradiation: Formation of pure or Cr-doped hematite nanostructure arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seungho; Jeong, Haeyoon; Lee, Kun-Hong

2010-01-01

We report a method for converting the surfaces of bulk metal substrates (pure iron or stainless steel) to metal oxide (hematite or Cr-doped hematite) nanostructures using microwave irradiation. When microwave radiation (2.45 GHz, single-mode) was applied to a metal substrate under the flow of a gas mixture containing O 2 and Ar, metal oxide nanostructures formed and entirely covered the substrate. The nanostructures were single crystalline, and the atomic ratios of the substrate metals were preserved in the nanostructures. When a pure iron sheet was used as a substrate, hematite nanowires (1000 W microwave radiation) or nanosheets (1800 W microwave radiation) formed on the surface of the substrate. When a SUS410 sheet was used as a substrate, slightly curved rod-like nanostructures were synthesized. The oxidation states of Fe and Cr in these nanorods were Fe 3+ and Cr 3+ . Quantitative analyses revealed an average Fe/Cr atomic ratio of 9.2, nearly identical to the ratio of the metals in the SUS410 substrate.

Nanostructured surfaces investigated by quantitative morphological studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perani, Martina; Carapezzi, Stefania; Mutta, Geeta Rani; Cavalcoli, Daniela

2016-01-01

The morphology of different surfaces has been investigated by atomic force microscopy and quantitatively analyzed in this paper. Two different tools have been employed to this scope: the analysis of the height–height correlation function and the determination of the mean grain size, which have been combined to obtain a complete characterization of the surfaces. Different materials have been analyzed: SiO_xN_y, InGaN/GaN quantum wells and Si nanowires, grown with different techniques. Notwithstanding the presence of grain-like structures on all the samples analyzed, they present very diverse surface design, underlying that this procedure can be of general use. Our results show that the quantitative analysis of nanostructured surfaces allows us to obtain interesting information, such as grain clustering, from the comparison of the lateral correlation length and the grain size. (paper)

Single ion induced surface nanostructures: a comparison between slow highly charged and swift heavy ions.

Science.gov (United States)

Aumayr, Friedrich; Facsko, Stefan; El-Said, Ayman S; Trautmann, Christina; Schleberger, Marika

2011-10-05

This topical review focuses on recent advances in the understanding of the formation of surface nanostructures, an intriguing phenomenon in ion-surface interaction due to the impact of individual ions. In many solid targets, swift heavy ions produce narrow cylindrical tracks accompanied by the formation of a surface nanostructure. More recently, a similar nanometric surface effect has been revealed for the impact of individual, very slow but highly charged ions. While swift ions transfer their large kinetic energy to the target via ionization and electronic excitation processes (electronic stopping), slow highly charged ions produce surface structures due to potential energy deposited at the top surface layers. Despite the differences in primary excitation, the similarity between the nanostructures is striking and strongly points to a common mechanism related to the energy transfer from the electronic to the lattice system of the target. A comparison of surface structures induced by swift heavy ions and slow highly charged ions provides a valuable insight to better understand the formation mechanisms. © 2011 IOP Publishing Ltd

Reaction mechanisms for on-surface synthesis of covalent nanostructures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Björk, J

2016-01-01

In recent years, on-surface synthesis has become an increasingly popular strategy to form covalent nanostructures. The approach has great prospects for facilitating the manufacture of a range of fascinating materials with atomic precision. However, the on-surface reactions are enigmatic to control, currently restricting its bright perspectives and there is a great need to explore how the reactions are governed. The objective of this topical review is to summarize theoretical work that has focused on comprehending on-surface synthesis protocols through studies of reaction mechanisms. (topical review)

Topographic characterization of the self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface by atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Li; Wu, Jiafeng; Guo, Yan; Gong, Coucong; Song, Yonghai

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nanocomposites of chitosan film were prepared by simple self-assembly from solvent media. • Chitosan molecules assembled on mica surface of nanoparticles, fibril and membrane with varied chitosan concentration. • Chitosan molecules assembled with different nanostructure under varied pH. • The optimum drying temperature for forming chitosan membrane is about 65 °C. - Abstract: In this work, the self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface formed from various solvents were investigated by using atomic force microscopy. The effects of various factors on the self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface, including solvents, the concentration of chitosan, the pH of solution and the drying temperature, were explored in detail. Our experimental data resulted in the conclusion that chitosan molecules could self-assemble on mica surface to form various nanostructures such as nanoparticles, fibril and film. Nanoparticles were always formed on mica surface from CCl_4, C_6H_6, CH_2Cl_2 solution, fibril preferred to form on mica surface from CH_3CH_2OH and CH_3OH solution and the optimal solvent to form film was found to be CH_3CN. Low concentration, pH and temperature were helpful for the formation of nanoparticles, medium concentration, pH and temperature resulted in fibril and high concentration, pH and temperature were often beneficial to forming chitosan films. The study of self-assembled nanostructures of chitosan on mica surface would provide new insight into the development of chitosan-based load-bearing materials.

Spectroscopic properties of triangular silver nanoplates immobilized on polyelectrolyte multilayer-modified glass substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Rabor, Janice B.; Kawamura, Koki; Muko, Daiki; Kurawaki, Junichi; Niidome, Yasuro

2017-07-01

Fabrication of surface-immobilized silver nanostructures with reproducible plasmonic properties by dip-coating technique is difficult due to shape alteration. To address this challenge, we used a polyelectrolyte multilayer to promote immobilization of as-received triangular silver nanoplates (TSNP) on a glass substrate through electrostatic interaction. The substrate-immobilized TSNP were characterized by absorption spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy. The bandwidth and peak position of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) bands can be tuned by simply varying the concentration of the colloidal solution and immersion time. TSNP immobilized from a higher concentration of colloidal solution with longer immersion time produced broadened LSPR bands in the near-IR region, while a lower concentration with shorter immersion time produced narrower bands in the visible region. The shape of the nanoplates was retained even at long immersion time. Analysis of peak positions and bandwidths also revealed the point at which the main species of the immobilization had been changed from isolates to aggregates.

Growth and decay of surface voltage on silver diffused polyimide exposed to 3-15 keV electrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahapatra, S K; Dhole, S D; Bhoraskar, V N [Department of Physics, University of Pune, Pune-411007 (India)

2007-02-21

During electron irradiation, the growth in the surface voltage on virgin and silver diffused polyimide sample was studied by varying electron energy from 3 to 15 keV and beam diameter from 3 to 15 mm. At a constant beam current, the surface voltage increased nonlinearly with electron energy but decreased slowly with beam diameter at fixed electron energy. At a surface voltage around saturation or beyond 3 kV, the electron beam was switched off and the decay in the surface voltage was studied for a period of 9 x 10{sup 4} s. The surface analysis revealed that the relative concentrations of carbon increased and that of the oxygen and the nitrogen decreased in the electron irradiated virgin and silver diffused polyimide sample, however in different proportions. Under the identical conditions of electron irradiation, the growth rate of the surface voltage, the post irradiated surface resistivity and the voltage decay constant of the silver diffused polyimide were lower than that of the virgin polyimide. The results of the present study reveal that the resistance of the silver diffused polyimide to keV electrons is higher than that of the virgin polyimide.

On-chip surface modified nanostructured ZnO as functional pH sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Qing; Liu, Wenpeng; Sun, Chongling; Zhang, Hao; Pang, Wei; Zhang, Daihua; Duan, Xuexin

2015-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures are promising candidates as electronic components for biological and chemical applications. In this study, ZnO ultra-fine nanowire (NW) and nanoflake (NF) hybrid structures have been prepared by Au-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) under ambient pressure. Their surface morphology, lattice structures, and crystal orientation were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two types of ZnO nanostructures were successfully integrated as gate electrodes in extended-gate field-effect transistors (EGFETs). Due to the amphoteric properties of ZnO, such devices function as pH sensors. We found that the ultra-fine NWs, which were more than 50 μm in length and less than 100 nm in diameter, performed better in the pH sensing process than NW–NF hybrid structures because of their higher surface-to-volume ratio, considering the Nernst equation and the Gouy–Chapman–Stern model. Furthermore, the surface coating of (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) protects ZnO nanostructures in both acidic and alkaline environments, thus enhancing the device stability and extending its pH sensing dynamic range. (paper)

Fabrication and characterisation of nanostructures on CaF2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batzill, M.M.

1999-04-01

Novel nanostructure fabrication techniques are described in this dissertation. Furthermore, an unusual two dimensional phase segregation on CaF 2 surfaces after glancing incidence ion beam irradiation is reported. Atomic force microscope (AFM)-tip assisted self-organisation of clusters on anisotropic surfaces is illustrated. This new technique for the fabrication of periodic structures has been demonstrated using silver clusters grown on vicinal CaF 2 (111) surfaces. The scanning action of the tip aligns silver clusters along crystal step edges on the vicinal surface. Nanowire arrays of silver with a uniform periodicity of 20-50 nm and wire widths of 5-7 nm have been achieved over the entire area scanned by the AFM. Calcium remaining on CaF 2 surfaces after electron irradiation induced depletion of the surface of fluorine is found to re-organise itself into island structures. These islands show a shape transition, upon reaching a critical size of ∼ 20 nm in diameter, from a compact to an elongated island shape. Crystal step edge erosion of fluorine allows the formation of long ranging nanowires. These wires have a uniform width of ∼ 15 nm. The observed island shape transition and the width of the wires has been explained by the presence of strain in the islands. This is the first experimental observation confirming a theoretical prediction of the reduction of island width with increasing length for strained islands. A novel technique of ion beam assisted fabrication of periodic nanowire arrays over macroscopic areas is reported. Potential sputtering of CaF 2 surfaces leads to a calcium enriched surface that organised itself in stress domains due to the lattice misfit between calcium and CaF 2 . These stress domains can be oriented by directed ion beam irradiation under glancing angles in parallel stripes with a periodicity of 8-12 nm. A phase segregation on the CaF 2 (111) surface has been observed upon glancing incidence ion beam irradiation under certain

Surface analytical investigations of the release behaviour of volatile fission products during simulated core meltdown accidents and of the reaction behaviour of iodine with silver surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moers, H.

1986-07-01

The report presents the results of the analysis of aerosol particles formed in simulated laboratory scale core meltdown experiments. In addition the interaction of silver surfaces with gaseous molecular iodine and with iodide and molecular iodine in aqueous solution was investigated. The composition of the aerosol samples and the progress of the reactions mentioned were determined by use of surface analytical techniques (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy). The major information can be evaluated from X-ray photoelectron spectra which exhibit chemical shifts of the photoelectron lines which allowing a discrimination between different chemical species of the same element. The analyses showed that iodine is present in the aerosol particles mainly as caesium iodide and, to a smaller fraction, as silver iodide. During the adsorption of gaseous molecular iodine at metallic silver surfaces a closed silver iodide overlayer is formed. In aqueous iodide solutions one observes chemisorption of the iodide anions up to a coverage of the metallic silver surface of about half a monolayer. Molecular iodine in aqueous solution is completely converted to silver iodide which covers the substrate irregularly. (orig./HP) [de

Diffusion and surface alloying of gradient nanostructured metals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenbo Wang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Gradient nanostructures (GNSs have been optimized in recent years for desired performance. The diffusion behavior in GNS metals is crucial for understanding the diffusion mechanism and relative characteristics of different interfaces that provide fundamental understanding for advancing the traditional surface alloying processes. In this paper, atomic diffusion, reactive diffusion, and surface alloying processes are reviewed for various metals with a preformed GNS surface layer. We emphasize the promoted atomic diffusion and reactive diffusion in the GNS surface layer that are related to a higher interfacial energy state with respect to those in relaxed coarse-grained samples. Accordingly, different surface alloying processes, such as nitriding and chromizing, have been modified significantly, and some diffusion-related properties have been enhanced. Finally, the perspectives on current research in this field are discussed.

Design and fabrication of Ni nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Sada, Takao; Fujigaya, Tsuyohiko; Nakashima, Naotoshi

2014-09-01

We propose a concept for the design and fabrication of metal nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures inside the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane using a sacrificial metal. In this study, nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) were used as the base metal and the sacrificial metal, respectively. Alternating an applied potential between -0.4 and -1.0 V provided alternatively deposited Ni and Ag segments in a Ni-Ag `barcode' nanowire with a diameter of 18 or 35 nm. After etching away the Ag segments, we fabricated Ni nanowires with nanopores of 12 +/- 5.3 nm. Such nanostructure formation is explained by the formation of a Ni shell layer over the surface of the Ag segments due to the strong affinity of Ni2+ for the interior surfaces of AAO. The Ni shell layer allows the Ni segments to remain even after dissolution of the Ag segments. Because the electroplating conditions can be easily controlled, we could carefully adjust the size and pitch of the periodically hollow nanospaces. We also describe a method for the fabrication of Ni nanorods by forming an Ag shell instead of a Ni shell on the Ni-Ag barcode nanowire, in which the interior of the AAO surfaces was modified with a compound bearing a thiol group prior to electroplating.We propose a concept for the design and fabrication of metal nanowires having periodically hollow nanostructures inside the pores of an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane using a sacrificial metal. In this study, nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) were used as the base metal and the sacrificial metal, respectively. Alternating an applied potential between -0.4 and -1.0 V provided alternatively deposited Ni and Ag segments in a Ni-Ag `barcode' nanowire with a diameter of 18 or 35 nm. After etching away the Ag segments, we fabricated Ni nanowires with nanopores of 12 +/- 5.3 nm. Such nanostructure formation is explained by the formation of a Ni shell layer over the surface of the Ag segments due to the strong affinity of Ni2+ for the

Gradient nanostructured surface of a Cu plate processed by incremental frictional sliding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hong, Chuanshi; Huang, Xiaoxu; Hansen, Niels

2015-01-01

The flat surface of a Cu plate was processed by incremental frictional sliding at liquid nitrogen temperature. The surface treatment results in a hardened gradient surface layer as thick as 1 mm in the Cu plate, which contains a nanostructured layer on the top with a boundary spacing of the order...

Participation of the Third Order Optical Nonlinearities in Nanostructured Silver Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Solid Films

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C. Torres-Torres

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We report the transmittance modulation of optical signals in a nanocomposite integrated by two different silver doped zinc oxide thin solid films. An ultrasonic spray pyrolysis approach was employed for the preparation of the samples. Measurements of the third-order nonlinear optical response at a nonresonant 532 nm wavelength of excitation were performed using a vectorial two-wave mixing. It seems that the separated contribution of the optical nonlinearity associated with each film noticeable differs in the resulting nonlinear effects with respect to the additive response exhibited by the bilayer system. An enhancement of the optical Kerr nonlinearity is predicted for prime number arrays of the studied nanoclusters in a two-wave interaction. We consider that the nanostructured morphology of the thin solid films originates a strong modification of the third-order optical phenomena exhibited by multilayer films based on zinc oxide.

Architecting boron nanostructure on the diamond particle surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, H.; Dai, D.; Yu, J.H.; Nishimura, K.; Sasaoka, S.; Jiang, N.

2014-01-01

The present study provides an efficient approach for nano-functionalization of diamond powders. Boron nanostructure can be grown on diamond particle entire surface by a simple heat-treatment process. After treatment, various boron nanoforms were grown on the diamond particle surface at different processing temperature. High-density boron nanowires (BNWs) grow on the diamond particle entire surface at 1333 K, while nanopillars cover diamond powders when the heat treatment process is performed at 1393 K. The influence of the pretreatment temperature on the microstructure and thermal conductivity of Cu/diamond composites were investigated. Cu/diamond composites with high thermal conductivity of 670 W (m K) −1 was obtained, which was achieved by the formation of large number of nanowires and nanopillars on the diamond particle surface.

Correlation between surface modification and photoluminescence properties of β-Ga2O3 nanostructures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Jangir

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In this work three different growth methods have been used to grow β-Ga2O3 nanostructures. The nanostructures were characterized by Grazing Incident X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy. Photoluminescence spectra for all the samples of β-Ga2O3 nanostructures exhibit an UV and blue emission band. The relative intensity of UV and blue luminescence is strongly affected by the surface defects present on the nanostructures. Our study shows that Photoluminescence intensity of UV and blue luminescence can be reliably used to determine the quality of β-Ga2O3 nanostructures. Further the work opens up the possibility of using UV excitation and subsequent Photoluminescence analysis as a possible means for oxygen sensing. The Photoluminescence mechanism in β-Ga2O3 nanostructures is also discussed.

Effect of polar and non-polar surfaces of ZnO nanostructures on photocatalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jinghai; Wang Jian; Li Xiuyan; Lang Jihui; Liu Fuzhu; Yang Lili; Zhai Hongju; Gao Ming; Zhao Xiaoting

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Large-scale arrayed ZnO nanocrystals including ZnO hexagonal platforms and hamburger-like samples have been successfully fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method. ► ZnO with hexagonal platform-like morphology exhibited higher photocatalytic activity compared with that of the hamburger-like ZnO nanostructures. ► The theories of expose surfaces and oxygen vacancies were utilized to explain the photocatalytic mechanism. - Abstract: Large-scale arrayed ZnO nanocrystals with two different expose surfaces, including ZnO hexagonal nanoplatforms with the major expose plane of (0 0 0 1) and hamburger-like samples with the nonpolar planes of {101 ¯ 0} mainly exposed, were successfully fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method. Mechanisms for compare the photocatalytic activity of two typical ZnO nanostructures were systematic explained as the key point in the paper. Compared with the hamburger-like ZnO nanostructures, the ZnO with hexagonal platform-like morphology exhibited improved ability on the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution under UV radiation. The relative higher photocatalytic activity of the ZnO hexagonal nanoplatforms was attributed to the exposed polar surfaces and the content of oxygen vacancy on the nanostructures surface. The Zn-terminated (0 0 0 1) polar face and the surface defects are facile to adsorb O 2− and OH − ions, resulting in a greater production rate of O 2 · − and OH· − , hence promoting the photocatalysis reaction.

Polyoxometalate-Promoted Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction at Nanostructured Silver in Dimethylformamide.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Si-Xuan; Li, Fengwang; Chen, Lu; MacFarlane, Douglas R; Zhang, Jie

2018-04-18

Electrochemical reduction of CO 2 is a promising method to convert CO 2 into fuels or useful chemicals, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons, and alcohols. In this study, nanostructured Ag was obtained by electrodeposition of Ag in the presence of a Keggin type polyoxometalate, [PMo 12 O 40 ] 3- (PMo). Metallic Ag is formed upon reduction of Ag + . Adsorption of PMo on the surface of the newly formed Ag lowers its surface energy thus stabilizes the nanostructure. The electrocatalytic performance of this Ag-PMo nanocomposite for CO 2 reduction was evaluated in a CO 2 saturated dimethylformamide medium containing 0.1 M [ n-Bu 4 N]PF 6 and 0.5% (v/v) added H 2 O. The results show that this Ag-PMo nanocomposite can catalyze the reduction of CO 2 to CO with an onset potential of -1.70 V versus Fc 0/+ , which is only 0.29 V more negative than the estimated reversible potential (-1.41 V) for this process and 0.70 V more positive than that on bulk Ag metal. High faradaic efficiencies of about 90% were obtained over a wide range of applied potentials. A Tafel slope of 60 mV dec -1 suggests that rapid formation of *CO 2 •- is followed by the rate-determining protonation step. This is consistent with the voltammetric data which suggest that the reduced PMo interacts strongly with CO 2 (and presumably CO 2 •- ) and hence promotes the formation of CO 2 •- .

NEXAFS characterization of DNA components and molecular-orientation of surface-bound DNA oligomers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samuel, Newton T.; Lee, C.-Y.; Gamble, Lara J.; Fischer, Daniel A.; Castner, David G.

2006-01-01

Single stranded DNA oligomers (ssDNA) immobilized onto solid surfaces forms the basis for several biotechnological applications such as DNA microarrays, affinity separations, and biosensors. Surface structure of Surface-bound oligomers is expected to significantly influence their biological activity and interactions with the environment. In this study near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) is used to characterize the components of DNA (nucleobases, nucleotides and nucleosides) and the orientation information of surface-bound ssDNA. The K-edges of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen have spectra with features that are characteristic of the different chemical species present in the nucleobases of DNA. The effect of addition of the DNA sugar and phosphate components on the NEXAFS K-edge spectra was also investigated. The polarization-dependent nitrogen K-edge NEXAFS data show significant changes for different orientations of surface bound ssDNA. These results establish NEXAFS as a powerful technique for chemical and structural characterization of surface-bound DNA oligomers

Formation of nanoparticles from thin silver films irradiated by laser pulses in air

Science.gov (United States)

Nastulyavichus, A. A.; Smirnov, N. A.; Kudryashov, S. I.; Ionin, A. A.; Saraeva, I. N.; Busleev, N. I.; Rudenko, A. A.; Khmel'nitskii, R. A.; Zayarnyi, D. A.

2018-03-01

Some specific features of the transport of silver nanoparticles onto a SiO2 substrate under focused nanosecond IR laser pulses is experimentally investigated. A possibility of obtaining silver coatings is demonstrated. The formation of silver nanostructures as a result of pulsed laser ablation in air is studied. Nanoparticles are formed by exposing a silver film to radiation of an HTF MARK (Bulat) laser marker (λ = 1064 nm). The thus prepared nanoparticles are analysed using scanning electron microscopy and optical spectroscopy.

Modeling, Fabrication and Characterization of Scalable Electroless Gold Plated Nanostructures for Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Gyoung Gug

The scientific and industrial demand for controllable thin gold (Au) film and Au nanostructures is increasing in many fields including opto-electronics, photovoltaics, MEMS devices, diagnostics, bio-molecular sensors, spectro-/microscopic surfaces and probes. In this study, a novel continuous flow electroless (CF-EL) Au plating method is developed to fabricate uniform Au thin films in ambient condition. The enhanced local mass transfer rate and continuous deposition resulting from CF-EL plating improved physical uniformity of deposited Au films and thermally transformed nanoparticles (NPs). Au films and NPs exhibited improved optical photoluminescence (PL) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), respectively, relative to batch immersion EL (BI-EL) plating. Suggested mass transfer models of Au mole deposition are consistent with optical feature of CF-EL and BI-EL films. The prototype CF-EL plating system is upgraded an automated scalable CF-EL plating system with real-time transmission UV-vis (T-UV) spectroscopy which provides the advantage of CF-EL plating, such as more uniform surface morphology, and overcomes the disadvantages of conventional EL plating, such as no continuous process and low deposition rate, using continuous process and controllable deposition rate. Throughout this work, dynamic morphological and chemical transitions during redox-driven self-assembly of Ag and Au film on silica surfaces under kinetic and equilibrium conditions are distinguished by correlating real-time T-UV spectroscopy with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The characterization suggests that four previously unrecognized time-dependent physicochemical regimes occur during consecutive EL deposition of silver (Ag) and Au onto tin-sensitized silica surfaces: self-limiting Ag activation; transitory Ag NP formation; transitional Au-Ag alloy formation during galvanic replacement of Ag by Au; and uniform morphology formation under

Laser cladding of stainless steel with a copper-silver alloy to generate surfaces of high antimicrobial activity

Science.gov (United States)

Hans, Michael; Támara, Juan Carlos; Mathews, Salima; Bax, Benjamin; Hegetschweiler, Andreas; Kautenburger, Ralf; Solioz, Marc; Mücklich, Frank

2014-11-01

Copper and silver are used as antimicrobial agents in the healthcare sector in an effort to curb infections caused by bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. While the bactericidal potential of copper and silver alone are well documented, not much is known about the antimicrobial properties of copper-silver alloys. This study focuses on the antibacterial activity and material aspects of a copper-silver model alloy with 10 wt% Ag. The alloy was generated as a coating with controlled intermixing of copper and silver on stainless steel by a laser cladding process. The microstructure of the clad was found to be two-phased and in thermal equilibrium with minor Cu2O inclusions. Ion release and killing of Escherichia coli under wet conditions were assessed with the alloy, pure silver, pure copper and stainless steel. It was found that the copper-silver alloy, compared to the pure elements, exhibited enhanced killing of E. coli, which correlated with an up to 28-fold increased release of copper ions. The results show that laser cladding with copper and silver allows the generation of surfaces with enhanced antimicrobial properties. The process is particularly attractive since it can be applied to existing surfaces.

Facile fabrication and characterization of poly(tetrafluoroethylene)@polypyrrole/nano-silver composite membranes with conducting and antibacterial property

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Zhiquan; Zhou, Hui; Qing, Xutang; Dai, Tingyang; Lu, Yun

2012-06-01

Porous poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) membranes play an important role in air purification and separation engineering. To achieve the bi-functionality of conducting and antibacterial property, two kinds of poly(tetrafluoroethylene)@ polypyrrole/nano-silver composite membranes have been prepared. One involves hydrophobic polypyrrole/nano-silver composite with hollow capsule nanostructures immobilized on the surface of the PTFE membranes. The other is a type of composite membranes with polypyrrole/nano-silver composite wholly packed on the fibrils of the expand PTFE membrane to form core/shell coaxial cable structures. The structure and morphology of the two kinds of composite membranes have been characterized by FTIR, UV-vis, XRD, TGA and SEM measurements. Possible formation mechanisms of the hollow capsules and the core/shell nanocable structures have been discussed in detail. The antibacterial effects of composite membranes are also briefly investigated.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2017-07-24

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

Magneto-optical response of Cu/NiFe/Cu nanostructure under surface plasmon resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahmoodi, S. [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kashan, Kashan, 87317 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moradi, M., E-mail: m.moradi@kashanu.ac.ir [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Kashan, Kashan, 87317 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mohseni, S.M. [Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, Evin, Tehran, 19839 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-12-15

In this paper, we present theoretical and experimental studies about the surface plasmon resonance effects on the magneto-optical activity of Cu/NiFe/Cu nanostructures as a function of layers thickness and light incident angle. Device fabrication was done by an oblique deposition technique with RF magnetron sputtering to carefully cover fine step thickness variation of all constituted layers. Angular dependent transverse Kerr response of samples was measured in the Kretschmann configuration at a fixed wavelength of 632 nm. At an optimum layer thickness and incident angle, significant amplification of the transverse Kerr effect was observed. Enhancement in the transverse Kerr effect can be realized by hybridization of surface plasmon excitation and cavity resonance in the plasmonic nanostructure. Experimental results were in qualitative agreement with modeling based on the 4×4 transfer matrix formalism. - Highlights: • Large magneto-optical response in Cu/NiFe/Cu multilayer nanostructure is achieved. • Layer thickness and sequence are studied to find large transverse Kerr signal. • Hybridization of surface plasmon excitation and cavity resonance were done.

Surface electrostatic waves in bounded high temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Averkov, Yu.O.; Yakovenko, V.M.

2008-01-01

The dispersion relations of surface electrostatic waves propagating along the surface of semi bounded layered superconductor and in the slab of layered superconductor are theoretically investigated. An arbitrary inclination of superconductor layers to the interface of a vacuum - crystal and an arbitrary direction of propagation of surface waves in the plane of the interface are taking into account. The possibility of initiation of an absolute instability during the propagation of a non-relativistic plasma stream above the surface of the layered superconductor is shown

As-grown graphene/copper nanoparticles hybrid nanostructures for enhanced intensity and stability of surface plasmon resonance

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yun-Fei; Dong, Feng-Xi; Chen, Yang; Zhang, Xu-Lin; Wang, Lei; Bi, Yan-Gang; Tian, Zhen-Nan; Liu, Yue-Feng; Feng, Jing; Sun, Hong-Bo

2016-11-01

The transfer-free fabrication of the high quality graphene on the metallic nanostructures, which is highly desirable for device applications, remains a challenge. Here, we develop the transfer-free method by direct chemical vapor deposition of the graphene layers on copper (Cu) nanoparticles (NPs) to realize the hybrid nanostructures. The graphene as-grown on the Cu NPs permits full electric contact and strong interactions, which results in a strong localization of the field at the graphene/copper interface. An enhanced intensity of the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) supported by the hybrid nanostructures can be obtained, which induces a much enhanced fluorescent intensity from the dye coated hybrid nanostructures. Moreover, the graphene sheets covering completely and uniformly on the Cu NPs act as a passivation layer to protect the underlying metal surface from air oxidation. As a result, the stability of the LSPRs for the hybrid nanostructures is much enhanced compared to that of the bare Cu NPs. The transfer-free hybrid nanostructures with enhanced intensity and stability of the LSPRs will enable their much broader applications in photonics and optoelectronics.

SERS, XPS, and DFT Study of Adenine Adsorption on Silver and Gold Surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Pagliai, Marco; Caporali, Stefano; Muniz-Miranda, Maurizio; Pratesi, Giovanni; Schettino, Vincenzo

2012-01-19

The adsorption of adenine on silver and gold surfaces has been investigated combining density functional theory calculations with surface-enhanced Raman scattering and angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements, obtaining useful insight into the orientation and interaction of the nucleobase with the metal surfaces.

Formation of various types of nanostructures on germanium surface by nanosecond laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Mikolutskiy, S. I.; Khasaya, R. R.; Khomich, Yu V.; Yamshchikov, V. A.

2018-03-01

The paper describes the formation of micro- and nanostructures in different parts of irradiation zone on germanium surface by multiple action of nanosecond pulses of ArF-laser. It proposes a simple method using only one laser beam without any optional devices and masks for surface treatment. Hexa- and pentagonal cells with submicron dimensions along the surface were observed in peripheral zone of irradiation spot by atomic-force microscopy. Nanostructures in the form of bulbs with rounded peaks with lateral sizes of 40-120 nm were obtained in peripheral low-intensity region of the laser spot. Considering experimental data on material processing by nanosecond laser pulses, a classification of five main types of surface reliefs formed by nanosecond laser pulses with energy density near or slightly above ablation threshold was proposed.

Localized surface plasmon and exciton interaction in silver-coated cadmium sulphide quantum dots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghosh, P.; Rustagi, K. C.; Vasa, P.; Singh, B. P., E-mail: bhanuprs@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai- 400076 (India)

2015-05-15

Localized surface plasmon and exciton coupling has been investigated on colloidal solutions of silver-coated CdS nanoparticles (NPs), synthesized by gamma irradiation. Two broad photoluminescence (PL) bands (blue/red) corresponding to band to band and defect state transitions have been observed for the bare and coated samples. In case of bare CdS NPs, the intensity of the red PL peak is about ten times higher than the blue PL peak intensity. However, on coating the CdS NPs with silver, the peak intensity of the blue PL band gets enhanced and becomes equal to that of the red PL band. High-resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) images adequately demonstrate size distribution of these metal/semiconductor nanocomposites. UV-Vis absorption studies show quantum confinement effect in these semiconductor quantum dot (SQD) systems. Absorption spectrum of silver-coated SQDs shows signature of surface plasmon-exciton coupling which has been theoretically verified.

Surface-enhanced vibrational spectroscopy of B vitamins: what is the effect of SERS-active metals used?

Science.gov (United States)

Kokaislová, A; Matějka, P

2012-05-01

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy and surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy are analytical tools suitable for the detection of small amounts of various analytes adsorbed on metal surfaces. During recent years, these two spectroscopic methods have become increasingly important in the investigation of adsorption of biomolecules and pharmaceuticals on nanostructured metal surfaces. In this work, the adsorption of B-group vitamins pyridoxine, nicotinic acid, folic acid and riboflavin at electrochemically prepared gold and silver substrates was investigated using Fourier transform SERS spectroscopy at an excitation wavelength of 1,064 nm. Gold and silver substrates were prepared by cathodic reduction on massive platinum targets. In the case of gold substrates, oxidation-reduction cycles were applied to increase the enhancement factor of the gold surface. The SERS spectra of riboflavin, nicotinic acid, folic acid and pyridoxine adsorbed on silver substrates differ significantly from SERS spectra of these B-group vitamins adsorbed on gold substrates. The analysis of near-infrared-excited SERS spectra reveals that each of B-group vitamin investigated interacts with the gold surface via a different mechanism of adsorption to that with the silver surface. In the case of riboflavin adsorbed on silver substrate, the interpretation of surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectra was also helpful in investigation of the adsorption mechanism.

Isotope dilution surface ionization mass spectrometry of silver in environmental materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murozumi, M; Nakamura, S; Suga, K [Muroran Inst. of Tech., Hokkaido (Japan)

1981-03-01

Surface ionization mass spectrometry has been developed to measure isotopic abundances and concentrations of silver in commercial high-purity metals, environmental materials such as rocks and plants, and /sup 109/Ag and /sup 107/Ag spikes. A minute amount of silver is extracted into a dithizone chloroform solution from a nitric acid solution of above samples. After the silver is back-extracted into 6.0 ml of a 7 mol/l HNO/sub 3/ solution, the solution is evaporated to dryness under the nitrogen atmosphere. Silver nitrate thus formed is dissolved in a mixture of 60 ..mu..l of an 0.003% silica gel suspended water and 5 ..mu..l of a 2% phosphoric acid. An aliquot of this solution is applied to the mass spectrometry using a rhenium single filament as an ion emitter. The proposed method can detect the presence of 10/sup -14/ g of silver on the ion emitter, and measure the /sup 109/Ag//sup 107/Ag isotopic ratio in environmental materials with the accuracy of 0.1 -- 0.2% in the coefficient of variation. Isotope dilution mass spectrometry using a /sup 107/Ag spike has revealed the silver concentration in the environmental standard materials, which were prepared by the National Bureau of Standards, U.S.A. and National Institute of Environmental Studies of Japan, as follows; 27.9 +- 0.2 ppb for the Orchard Leaves and 34.3 +- 0.3 ppb in the Pepper Bush. The determined values of silver in the Granodiorite, JG-1, and Basalt, JB-1 powders made by the Geological Survey of Japan are 25.4 +- 0.4 ppb and 41.3 +- 0.1 ppb respectively. Silver concentration in a coastal sea water sample is found to be at the level of 2.5 +- 0.4 ppt.

Using a silver-enhanced microarray sandwich structure to improve SERS sensitivity for protein detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Xuefang; Yan, Yuerong; Jiang, Guoqing; Adkins, Jason; Shi, Jian; Jiang, Guomin; Tian, Shu

2014-03-01

A simple and sensitive method, based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), for immunoassay and label-free protein detection is reported. A series of bowl-shaped silver cavity arrays were fabricated by electrodeposition using a self-assembled polystyrene spheres template. The reflection spectra of these cavity arrays were recorded as a function of film thickness, and then correlated with SERS enhancement using sodium thiophenolate as the probe molecule. The results reveal that SERS enhancement can be maximized when the frequency of both the incident laser and the Raman scattering approach the frequency of the localized surface plasmon resonance. The optimized array was then used as the bottom layer of a silver nanoparticle-protein-bowl-shaped silver cavity array sandwich. The second layer of silver was introduced by the interactions between the proteins in the middle layer of the sandwich architecture and silver nanoparticles. Human IgG bound to the surface of this microcavity array can retain its recognition function. With the Raman reporter molecules labeled on the antibody, a detection limit down to 0.1 ng mL(-1) for human IgG is easily achieved. Furthermore, the SERS spectra of label-free proteins (catalase, cytochrome C, avidin and lysozyme) from the assembled sandwich have excellent reproducibility and high quality. The results reveal that the proposed approach has potential for use in qualitative and quantitative detection of biomolecules.

Silver-graphene oxide based plasmonic spacer for surface plasmon-coupled fluorescence emission enhancements

Science.gov (United States)

Badiya, Pradeep Kumar; Srinivasan, Venkatesh; Sathish Ramamurthy, Sai

2017-06-01

We report the application of single layered graphene oxide (SLGO) and silver decorated SLGO (Ag-SLGO) as plasmonic spacer material for obtaining enhanced fluorescence from a Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) radiating dipole in a surface plasmon-coupled emission platform. To this end, we have decorated SLGO with biphasic silver nanoparticles using an in situ deposition technique to achieve 112-fold fluorescence enhancements.

Surface States Effect on the Large Photoluminescence Redshift in GaN Nanostructures

KAUST Repository

Ben Slimane, Ahmed

2013-01-01

We report on the large photoluminescence redshift observed in nanostructures fabricated using n-type GaN by ultraviolet (UV) metal-assisted electroless chemical-etching method. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) characterization showed nanostructures with size dispersion ranging from 10 to 100 nm. We observed the crystalline structure using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron energy loss (EELS) techniques. In contrast to 362 nm UV emission from the GaN epitaxy, the nanostructures emitted violet visible-light in photoluminescence (PL) characterization with increasing optical excitation. An energy band model was presented to shed light on the large PL redshift under the influence of surface states, which resulted in two competing photoluminescence mechanisms depending on excitation conditions.

Effect of surface density silver nanoplate films toward surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhancement for bisphenol A detection

Science.gov (United States)

Bakar, N. A.; Salleh, M. M.; Umar, A. A.; Shapter, J. G.

2018-03-01

This paper reports a study on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) phenomenon of triangular silver nanoplate (NP) films towards bisphenol A (BPA) detection. The NP films were prepared using self-assembly technique with four different immersion times; 1 hour, 2 hours, 5 hours, and 8 hours. The SERS measurement was studied by observing the changes in Raman spectra of BPA after BPA absorbed on the NP films. It was found that the Raman intensity of BPA peaks was enhanced by using the prepared SERS substrates. This is clearly indicated that these SERS silver substrates are suitable to sense industrial chemical and potentially used as SERS detector. However, the rate of SERS enhancement is depended on the distribution of NP on the substrate surface.

Silver nanoparticles delivery system based on natural rubber latex membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guidelli, Eder Jose, E-mail: ederguidelli@gmail.com [Universidade de Sao Paulo/FFCLRP-DF (Brazil); Kinoshita, Angela [Universidade do Sagrado Coracao (Brazil); Ramos, Ana Paula [Universidade de Sao Paulo/FFCLRP-DQ (Brazil); Baffa, Oswaldo [Universidade de Sao Paulo/FFCLRP-DF (Brazil)

2013-04-15

The search for new materials for biomedical applications is extremely important. Here, we present results on the performance of a silver nanoparticles delivery system using natural rubber latex (NRL) as the polymeric matrix. Our aim was to obtain an optimized wound dressing by combining materials with potential healing action. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their characterization by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are depicted. The NRL membranes are good matrix for silver nanoparticles and allow for their gradual release. The release of 30 nm silver nanoparticles by the NRL membranes depends on their mass percentage in NRL membranes. The total concentration of AgNP released by the NRL membranes was calculated. The AgNP attached to the cis-isoprene molecules in the NRL matrix remain attached to the membrane ({approx}0.1 % w/w). So, only the AgNP bound to the non-rubber molecules are released. FTIR spectra suggest that non-rubber molecules, like aminoacids and proteins, associated with the serum fraction of the NRL may be attached to the surfaces of the released nanoparticles, thereby increasing the release of such molecules. The released silver nanoparticles are sterically stabilized, more stable and well dispersed. Because the serum fraction of the NRL is responsible for the angiogenic properties of the matrix, the silver nanoparticles could increment the angiogenic properties of NRL. This biomaterial has desirable properties for the fabrication of a wound dressing with potential healing action, since it combines the angiogenic and antibacterial properties of the silver nanoparticles with the increased angiogenic properties of the NRL.Graphical AbstractThe AgNP attached to the cis-isoprene molecules remain in the NRL matrix and only the AgNP bound to the non-rubber molecules (NRL serum fraction) are released. The released AgNP are

Silver nanoparticles delivery system based on natural rubber latex membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guidelli, Éder José; Kinoshita, Angela; Ramos, Ana Paula; Baffa, Oswaldo

2013-01-01

The search for new materials for biomedical applications is extremely important. Here, we present results on the performance of a silver nanoparticles delivery system using natural rubber latex (NRL) as the polymeric matrix. Our aim was to obtain an optimized wound dressing by combining materials with potential healing action. The synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their characterization by UV–Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are depicted. The NRL membranes are good matrix for silver nanoparticles and allow for their gradual release. The release of 30 nm silver nanoparticles by the NRL membranes depends on their mass percentage in NRL membranes. The total concentration of AgNP released by the NRL membranes was calculated. The AgNP attached to the cis-isoprene molecules in the NRL matrix remain attached to the membrane (∼0.1 % w/w). So, only the AgNP bound to the non-rubber molecules are released. FTIR spectra suggest that non-rubber molecules, like aminoacids and proteins, associated with the serum fraction of the NRL may be attached to the surfaces of the released nanoparticles, thereby increasing the release of such molecules. The released silver nanoparticles are sterically stabilized, more stable and well dispersed. Because the serum fraction of the NRL is responsible for the angiogenic properties of the matrix, the silver nanoparticles could increment the angiogenic properties of NRL. This biomaterial has desirable properties for the fabrication of a wound dressing with potential healing action, since it combines the angiogenic and antibacterial properties of the silver nanoparticles with the increased angiogenic properties of the NRL.Graphical AbstractThe AgNP attached to the cis-isoprene molecules remain in the NRL matrix and only the AgNP bound to the non-rubber molecules (NRL serum fraction) are released. The released AgNP are sterically

Fabrication of dendritic silver-coated copper powders by galvanic displacement reaction and their thermal stability against oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yu-Seon; An, Chang Yong; Kannan, Padmanathan Karthick; Seo, Nary; Zhuo, Kai; Yoo, Tae Kyong; Chung, Chan-Hwa

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The dendritic silver-coated copper powders with high specific surface area have been prepared using a simple wet chemical reduction process at room temperature. • It is found that the Cu starts to be oxidized into Cu_2O followed by CuO at elevated temperatures. • The more amount of Ag-coating provides the less oxidation, which confirms that the Ag-shell prevents the Cu-core from oxidation. • The resistivity of dendritic 33.27 wt.% Ag-coated Cu powders was measured to 25.67 μΩ cm after the annealing at 150 °C for 30 min. - Abstract: Two steps of wet chemical processes have been developed for the preparation of core-shell nanostructures of copper and silver, which is a facile and low cost method for the production of large quantity of dendritic powders. First step involves a galvanic displacement reaction with hydrogen evolution which is the motive force of spontaneous electrochemical reaction. To achieve the core-shell structure, silver has been coated on the dendritic copper using the galvanic displacement reaction. The dendritic silver-coated copper powders exhibit high surface-area, excellent conductivity, and good oxidation resistance. It has been found that silver-coated copper powders maintain the electrical conductivity even after annealing at 150 °C for several to tens of minutes, thus it is a promising material and an alternative to pure silver powders in printed electronics application.

Fabrication of dendritic silver-coated copper powders by galvanic displacement reaction and their thermal stability against oxidation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Yu-Seon [School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); Farad Materials Co., Ltd., Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); An, Chang Yong; Kannan, Padmanathan Karthick; Seo, Nary [School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); Zhuo, Kai [School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); Farad Materials Co., Ltd., Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); Yoo, Tae Kyong [School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Chan-Hwa, E-mail: chchung@skku.edu [School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of); Farad Materials Co., Ltd., Suwon 16419 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

Highlights: • The dendritic silver-coated copper powders with high specific surface area have been prepared using a simple wet chemical reduction process at room temperature. • It is found that the Cu starts to be oxidized into Cu{sub 2}O followed by CuO at elevated temperatures. • The more amount of Ag-coating provides the less oxidation, which confirms that the Ag-shell prevents the Cu-core from oxidation. • The resistivity of dendritic 33.27 wt.% Ag-coated Cu powders was measured to 25.67 μΩ cm after the annealing at 150 °C for 30 min. - Abstract: Two steps of wet chemical processes have been developed for the preparation of core-shell nanostructures of copper and silver, which is a facile and low cost method for the production of large quantity of dendritic powders. First step involves a galvanic displacement reaction with hydrogen evolution which is the motive force of spontaneous electrochemical reaction. To achieve the core-shell structure, silver has been coated on the dendritic copper using the galvanic displacement reaction. The dendritic silver-coated copper powders exhibit high surface-area, excellent conductivity, and good oxidation resistance. It has been found that silver-coated copper powders maintain the electrical conductivity even after annealing at 150 °C for several to tens of minutes, thus it is a promising material and an alternative to pure silver powders in printed electronics application.

Investigation on the adsorption characteristics of anserine on the surface of colloidal silver nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, S; Maiti, N; Mukherjee, T; Kapoor, S

2013-08-01

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies of anserine (beta-alanyl-N-methylhistidine) was carried out on colloidal silver nanoparticles to understand its adsorption characteristics. The experimentally observed Raman bands were assigned based on the results of DFT calculations. The studies suggest that the interaction of anserine is primarily through the carboxylate group with the imidazole ring in an upright position with respect to the silver surface. Concentration dependent SERS studies suggest a change in orientation at sub-monolayer concentration. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical anisotropy of layered metal-dielectric nanostructures based on dense 2D-arrays of silver nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeshchenko, O.A.

2013-01-01

The spatial and polarization anisotropy of extinction spectra of parallel dense 2D-monolayers of Ag nanoparticles separated by dielectric films is theoretically studied. The dependences are interpreted as a result of collectivization of surface plasmon modes occurring due to strong dipole-dipole coupling silver nanoparticles

Improving power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells by cooperative LSPR of gold-silver dual nanoparticles

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Peng Liu; Cong-hua Zhou; Bing-chu Yang; Gang Liu; Run-sheng Wu; Chu-jun Zhang; Fang Wan; Shui-gen Li; Jun-liang Yang; Yong-li Gao

2017-01-01

Enhancing optical and electrical performances is effective in improving power conversion efficiency of photovoltaic devices.Here,gold and silver dual nanoparticles were imported and embedded in the hole transport layer of perovskite solar cells.Due to the cooperative localized surface plasmon resonance of these two kinds of metal nanostructures,light harvest of perovskite material layer and the electrical performance of device were improved,which finally upgraded short circuit current density by 10.0％,and helped to increase power conversion efficiency from 10.4％ to 11.6％ under AM 1.5G illumination with intensity of 100 mW/cm2.In addition,we explored the influence of silver and gold nanoparticles on charge carrier generation,dissociation,recombination,and transportation inside perovskite solar cells.

Investigations of inorganic and hybrid inorganic-organic nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Kam, Kinson Chihang

This thesis focuses on the exploratory synthesis and characterization of inorganic and hybrid inorganic-organic nanomaterials. In particular, nanostructures of semiconducting nitrides and oxides, and hybrid systems of nanowire-polymer composites and framework materials, are investigated. These materials are characterized by a variety of techniques for structure, composition, morphology, surface area, optical properties, and electrical properties. In the study of inorganic nanomaterials, gallium nitride (GaN), indium oxide (In2O3), and vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanostructures were synthesized using different strategies and their physical properties were examined. GaN nanostructures were obtained from various synthetic routes. Solid-state ammonolysis of metastable gamma-Ga2O 3 nanoparticles was found to be particularly successful; they achieved high surface areas and photoluminescent study showed a blue shift in emission as a result of surface and size defects. Similarly, In2O3 nanostructures were obtained by carbon-assisted solid-state syntheses. The sub-oxidic species, which are generated via a self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, resulted in 1D nanostructures including nanowires, nanotrees, and nanobouquets upon oxidation. On the other hand, hydrothermal methods were used to obtain VO2 nanorods. After post-thermal treatment, infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that these nanorods exhibit a thermochromic transition with temperature that is higher by ˜10°C compared to the parent material. The thermochromic behavior indicated a semiconductor-to-metal transition associated with a structural transformation from monoclinic to rutile. The hybrid systems, on the other hand, enabled their properties to be tunable. In nanowire-polymer composites, zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver (Ag) nanowires were synthesized and incorporated into polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPy) via in-situ and ex-situ polymerization method. The electrical properties of these composites are

Study of Immobilization Procedure on Silver Nanolayers and Detection of Estrone with Diverged Beam Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Abdulhalim

2013-03-01

Full Text Available An immobilization protocol was developed to attach receptors on smooth silver thin films. Dense and packed 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA was used to avoid uncontrolled sulfidization and harmful oxidation of silver nanolayers. N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS were added to make the silver surfaces reactive. A comparative study was carried out with different immersion times of silver samples in 11-MUA solutions with different concentrations to find the optimum conditions for immobilization. The signals, during each step of the protocol, were analyzed with a refractometer based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR effect and luminescence techniques. Molecular interactions at the surfaces between the probe and target at the surface nanolayer shift the SPR signal, thus indicating the presence of the substance. To demonstrate specific biosensing, rabbit anti-estrone polyclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG antibody was immobilized through a linker on 47 nm silver layer deposited on SF11 glass. At the final stage, the representative endocrine disruptor—estrone—was attached and detected in deionized water with a diverging beam SPR imaging sensor.

Smooth-surface silver nanowire electrode with high conductivity and transparency on functional layer coated flexible film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, So Hee; Lim, Sooman; Kim, Haekyoung, E-mail: hkkim@ynu.ac.kr

2015-08-31

Transparent conductive electrode (TCE) with silver nanowires has been widely studied as an alternative of indium tin oxide for flexible electronic or optical devices such as organic light-emitting diodes, and solar cells. However, it has an issue of surface roughness due to nanowire's intrinsic properties. Here, to achieve a smooth electrode with high conductivity and transmittance on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, a functional layer of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) is utilized with a mechanical transfer process. The silver nanowire electrode on PVP-coated PET with low surface roughness of 9 nm exhibits the low sheet resistance of 18 Ω □{sup −1} and high transmittance of 87.6%. It is produced by transferring the silver nanowire electrode spin-coated on the glass to PVP-coated PET using a pressure of 10 MPa for 10 min. Silver nanowire electrode on PVP-coated PET demonstrates the stable sheet resistance of 18 Ω □{sup −1} after the mechanical taping test due to strong adhesion between PVP functional layer and silver nanowires. Smooth TCE with silver nanowires could be proposed as a transparent electrode for flexible electronic or optical devices, which consist of thin electrical active layers on TCE. - Highlights: • Silver nanowire (Ag NWs) transparent electrodes were fabricated on flexible film. • Flexible film was coated with poly N-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP). • PVP layer plays roles as an adhesive layer and matrix in electrode. • Ag NWs electrode exhibited with low surface roughness of 9 nm. • Ag NWs electrode has a low resistance (18 Ω ☐{sup −1}) and high transmittance (87.6%)

Smooth-surface silver nanowire electrode with high conductivity and transparency on functional layer coated flexible film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, So Hee; Lim, Sooman; Kim, Haekyoung

2015-01-01

Transparent conductive electrode (TCE) with silver nanowires has been widely studied as an alternative of indium tin oxide for flexible electronic or optical devices such as organic light-emitting diodes, and solar cells. However, it has an issue of surface roughness due to nanowire's intrinsic properties. Here, to achieve a smooth electrode with high conductivity and transmittance on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, a functional layer of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) is utilized with a mechanical transfer process. The silver nanowire electrode on PVP-coated PET with low surface roughness of 9 nm exhibits the low sheet resistance of 18 Ω □ −1 and high transmittance of 87.6%. It is produced by transferring the silver nanowire electrode spin-coated on the glass to PVP-coated PET using a pressure of 10 MPa for 10 min. Silver nanowire electrode on PVP-coated PET demonstrates the stable sheet resistance of 18 Ω □ −1 after the mechanical taping test due to strong adhesion between PVP functional layer and silver nanowires. Smooth TCE with silver nanowires could be proposed as a transparent electrode for flexible electronic or optical devices, which consist of thin electrical active layers on TCE. - Highlights: • Silver nanowire (Ag NWs) transparent electrodes were fabricated on flexible film. • Flexible film was coated with poly N-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP). • PVP layer plays roles as an adhesive layer and matrix in electrode. • Ag NWs electrode exhibited with low surface roughness of 9 nm. • Ag NWs electrode has a low resistance (18 Ω ☐ −1 ) and high transmittance (87.6%)

Ultrafast excited-state dynamics in shape- and composition-controlled gold–silver bimetallic nanostructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zarick, Holly F. [Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); Boulesbaa, Abdelaziz [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Talbert, Eric M. [Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States); Puretzky, Alexander A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Geohegan, David B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Bardhan, Rizia [Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)

2017-02-01

In this paper, we have examined the ultrafast dynamics of shape- and composition-controlled bimetallic Au/Ag core/shell nanostructures with transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) as a function of Ag layer thickness (0–15 nm) and pump excitation fluence (50–500 nJ/pulse). Our synthesis approach generated both bimetallic nanocubes and nanopyramids with distinct dipolar plasmon resonances and plasmon dephasing behavior at the resonance. Lifetimes obtained from TAS at low powers (50 nJ/pulse) demonstrated minimal dependence on the Ag layer thickness, whereas at high power (500 nJ/pulse) a rise in electron–phonon coupling lifetime (τ₁) was observed with increasing Ag shell thickness for both nanocubes and nanopyramids. This is attributable to the stronger absorption of the 400 nm pump pulse with higher Ag content, which induced higher electron temperatures. The phonon–phonon scattering lifetime (τ₂) also rises with increasing Ag layer, contributed both by the increasing size of the Au/Ag nanostructures as well as by surface chemistry effects. Further, we observed that even the thinnest, 2 nm, Ag shell strongly impacts both τ₁ and τ₂ at high power despite minimal change in overall size, indicating that the nanostructure composition also strongly impacts the thermalization temperature following absorption of 400 nm light. We also observed a shape-dependent trend at high power, where τ₂ increased for the nanopyramids with increasing Ag shell thickness and nanostructure size, but bimetallic nanocubes demonstrated an unexpected decrease in τ₂ for the thickest, 15 nm, Ag shell. This was attributed to the larger number of corners and edges in the nanocubes relative to the nanopyramids.

Surface and zeta-potentials of silver halide single crystals: pH-dependence in comparison to particle systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selmani, Atiða; Kallay, Nikola; Preočanin, Tajana; Lützenkirchen, Johannes

2014-01-01

We have carried out surface and zeta-potential measurements on AgCl and AgBr single crystals. As for particle systems we find that, surprisingly and previously unnoted, the zeta-potential exhibits pH-dependence, while the surface potential does not. A possible interpretation of these observations is the involvement of water ions in the interfacial equilibria and in particular, stronger affinity of the hydroxide ion compared to the proton. The pH-dependence of the zeta-potential can be suppressed at sufficiently high silver concentrations, which agrees with previous measurements in particle systems where no pH-dependence was found at high halide ion concentrations. The results suggest a subtle interplay between the surface potential determining the halide and silver ion concentrations, and the water ions. Whenever the charge due to the halide and silver ions is sufficiently high, the influence of the proton/hydroxide ion on the zeta-potential vanishes. This might be related to the water structuring at the relevant interfaces which should be strongly affected by the surface potential. Another interesting observation is accentuation of the assumed water ion effect on the zeta-potential at the flat single crystal surfaces compared to the corresponding silver halide colloids. Previous generic MD simulations have indeed predicted that hydroxide ion adsorption is accentuated on flat/rigid surfaces. A thermodynamic model for AgI single crystals was developed to describe the combined effects of iodide, silver and water ions, based on two independently previously published models for AgI (that only consider constituent and background electrolyte ions) and inert surfaces (that only consider water and background electrolyte ions). The combined model correctly predicts all the experimentally observed trends. (paper)

Synthesis and Modification of Nanoparticles for Surface Nanostructuration of Polymeric Membranes

KAUST Repository

Prada, Iran David Charry

2012-05-01

The objectives of this work are (i) to prepare silver and TiO2 nanoparticles functionalized with polymers or alkoxysilanes as capping agents with specific control of morphology, size, and chemical reactivity and (ii) their attachment to the surface and pore wall of ultrafiltration membranes. These particles are interesting due to their known antibacterial, anti-biofouling efficiency, besides the photocatytic activity exhibited by TiO2. The first chapter focuses on the synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles. Their performance depends on the shape, size and other colloidal characteristics. A complete analysis of the effect of the stabilizer and pH conditions on particle size and shape was conducted by using polyethyleneimine and polyvinylpyrrolidone. Opposite trends and different morphologies were observed for both stabilizers. The second chapter describes the surface attachment of TiO2 nanoparticles onto polyetherimide ultrafiltration membrane with pore size around 134nm by using organoalkylsilanes. Excellent hydrophilicity (contact angle 39  2) and high and thermal stability (260oC) was achieved. Particles and membranes samples were characterized by microscopy, chemical and surface analysis.

Silver nanostructures in laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and mass spectrometry imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekuła, Justyna; Nizioł, Joanna; Rode, Wojciech; Ruman, Tomasz

2015-09-21

Silver nanoparticles have been successfully applied as a matrix replacement for the laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF-MS). Nanoparticles, producing spectra with highly reduced chemical background in the low m/z region, are perfectly suited for low-molecular weight compound analysis and imaging. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can efficiently absorb ultraviolet laser radiation, transfer energy to the analyte and promote analyte desorption, but also constitute a source of silver ions suitable for analyte cationisation. This review provides an overview of the literature on silver nanomaterials as non-conventional desorption and ionization promoters in LDI-MS and mass spectrometry imaging.

Convenient, rapid synthesis of silver nanocubes and nanowires via a microwave-assisted polyol method

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dapeng; Qiao, Xueliang; Qiu, Xiaolin; Chen, Jianguo; Jiang, Renzhi

2010-01-01

Silver nanostructures have been synthesized via a microwave-assisted polyol method by adding sodium sulfide (Na2S) into the solution. An interesting morphology evolution can be observed by adjusting the concentration of Na2S and the heating power. It is found that the ideal concentration of Na2S is 31.25-500 µM for the fast reduction of Ag+ at 300 W under optimal conditions for producing monodispersed silver nanocubes. When the heating power is increased to 400 W, 62.5-250 µM is the ideal concentration of Na2S for the synthesis of silver nanocubes. On increasing the concentration of Na2S (>500 µM), a mixture of silver nanowires, nanocubes, bipyramids, and irregular/quasispherical particles is synthesized at 300 and 400 W. In particular, an increase in the concentration of Na2S to 750 µM at 400 W leads to the production of a quantity of silver nanowires. In addition, silver nanocubes with controllable sizes can be obtained by changing the concentration of Na2S and the heating power. Compared to traditional wet-chemical methods, this method has the advantage of a marked decrease in reaction time to 3.5 min. Finally, our work provides a simple strategy for fabricating silver nanostructures with controllable morphologies and sizes.

Convenient, rapid synthesis of silver nanocubes and nanowires via a microwave-assisted polyol method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Dapeng; Qiao Xueliang; Chen Jianguo; Jiang Renzhi [State Key Laboratory of Plastic Forming Simulation and Die and Mold Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei (China); Qiu Xiaolin, E-mail: dpchenhust@yahoo.com.cn [Nanomaterials Research Center, Nanchang Institute of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, Jiangxi (China)

2010-01-15

Silver nanostructures have been synthesized via a microwave-assisted polyol method by adding sodium sulfide (Na{sub 2}S) into the solution. An interesting morphology evolution can be observed by adjusting the concentration of Na{sub 2}S and the heating power. It is found that the ideal concentration of Na{sub 2}S is 31.25-500 {mu}M for the fast reduction of Ag{sup +} at 300 W under optimal conditions for producing monodispersed silver nanocubes. When the heating power is increased to 400 W, 62.5-250 {mu}M is the ideal concentration of Na{sub 2}S for the synthesis of silver nanocubes. On increasing the concentration of Na{sub 2}S (>500 {mu}M), a mixture of silver nanowires, nanocubes, bipyramids, and irregular/quasispherical particles is synthesized at 300 and 400 W. In particular, an increase in the concentration of Na{sub 2}S to 750 {mu}M at 400 W leads to the production of a quantity of silver nanowires. In addition, silver nanocubes with controllable sizes can be obtained by changing the concentration of Na{sub 2}S and the heating power. Compared to traditional wet-chemical methods, this method has the advantage of a marked decrease in reaction time to 3.5 min. Finally, our work provides a simple strategy for fabricating silver nanostructures with controllable morphologies and sizes.

Convenient, rapid synthesis of silver nanocubes and nanowires via a microwave-assisted polyol method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Dapeng; Qiao Xueliang; Chen Jianguo; Jiang Renzhi; Qiu Xiaolin

2010-01-01

Silver nanostructures have been synthesized via a microwave-assisted polyol method by adding sodium sulfide (Na 2 S) into the solution. An interesting morphology evolution can be observed by adjusting the concentration of Na 2 S and the heating power. It is found that the ideal concentration of Na 2 S is 31.25-500 μM for the fast reduction of Ag + at 300 W under optimal conditions for producing monodispersed silver nanocubes. When the heating power is increased to 400 W, 62.5-250 μM is the ideal concentration of Na 2 S for the synthesis of silver nanocubes. On increasing the concentration of Na 2 S (>500 μM), a mixture of silver nanowires, nanocubes, bipyramids, and irregular/quasispherical particles is synthesized at 300 and 400 W. In particular, an increase in the concentration of Na 2 S to 750 μM at 400 W leads to the production of a quantity of silver nanowires. In addition, silver nanocubes with controllable sizes can be obtained by changing the concentration of Na 2 S and the heating power. Compared to traditional wet-chemical methods, this method has the advantage of a marked decrease in reaction time to 3.5 min. Finally, our work provides a simple strategy for fabricating silver nanostructures with controllable morphologies and sizes.

Nanostructuring of Solar Cell Surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Schmidt, Michael Stenbæk

Solar energy is by far the most abundant renewable energy source available, but the levelized cost of solar energy is still not competitive with that of fossil fuels. Therefore there is a need to improve the power conversion effciency of solar cells without adding to the production cost. The main...... objective of this PhD thesis is to develop nanostructured silicon (Si) solar cells with higher power conversion efficiency using only scalable and cost-efficient production methods. The nanostructures, known as 'black silicon', are fabricated by single-step, maskless reactive ion etching and used as front...... texturing of different Si solar cells. Theoretically the nanostructure topology may be described as a graded refractive index in a mean-field approximation between air and Si. The optical properties of the developed black Si were simulated and experimentally measured. Total AM1.5G-weighted average...

Optical spectra of composite silver-porous silicon (Ag-pSi) nanostructure based periodical lattice

Science.gov (United States)

Amedome Min-Dianey, Kossi Aniya; Zhang, Hao-Chun; Brohi, Ali Anwar; Yu, Haiyan; Xia, Xinlin

2018-03-01

Numerical finite differential time domain (FDTD) tools were used in this study for predicting the optical characteristics through the nanostructure of composite silver-porous silicon (Ag-pSi) based periodical lattice. This is aimed at providing an interpretation of the optical spectra at known porosity in improvement of the light manipulating efficiency through a proposed structure. With boundary conditions correctly chosen, the numerical simulation was achieved using FDTD Lumerical solutions. This was used to investigate the effect of porosity and the number of layers on the reflection, transmission and absorption characteristics through a proposed structure in a visible wavelength range of 400-750 nm. The results revealed that the higher the number of layers, the lower the reflection. Also, the reflection increases with porosity increase. The transmission characteristics were the inverse to those found in the case of reflection spectra and optimum transmission was attained at high number of layers. Also, increase in porosity results in reduced transmission. Increase in porosity as well as in the number of layers led to an increase in absorption. Therefore, absorption into such structure can be enhanced by elevating the number of layers and the degree of porosity.

Silicon nanostructures-induced photoelectrochemical solar water splitting for energy applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dadwal, U.; Singh, R. [Nanoscale Research Facility (NRF), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016 (India); Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016 (India); Ranjan, Neha [Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi-110025 (India)

2016-05-23

We study the photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar water splitting assisted with synthesized nanostructures. Si nanowires decorated with silver dendrite nanostructures have been synthesized using metal assisted wet chemical etching of (100) Si wafer. Etching has been carried out in an aqueous solution consisting of 5M HF and 0.02M AgNO{sub 3}. Investigations showed that such type of semiconductor nanostructures act as efficient working electrodes for the splitting of normal water in PEC method. An enhancement in the photon-to-current conversion efficiency and solar-to-hydrogen evolution was observed for obtaining a practical source of clean and renewable fuel.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering of new acridine based fluorophore adsorbed on silver electrode

Science.gov (United States)

Solovyeva, Elena V.; Myund, Liubov A.; Denisova, Anna S.

2015-10-01

4,5-Bis(N,N-di(2-hydroxyethyl)iminomethyl)acridine (BHIA) is a new acridine based fluoroionophore and a highly-selective sensor for cadmium ion. The direct interaction of the aromatic nitrogen atom with a surface is impossible since there are bulky substituents in the 4,5-positions of the acridine fragment. Nevertheless BHIA molecule shows a reliable SERS spectrum while adsorbed on a silver electrode. The analysis of SERS spectra pH dependence reveals that BHIA species adsorbed on a surface can exist in both non-protonated and protonated forms. The adsorption of BHIA from alkaline solution is accompanied by carbonaceous species formation at the surface. The intensity of such "carbon bands" turned out to be related with the supporting electrolyte (KCl) concentration. Upon lowering the electrode potential the SERS spectra of BHIA do not undergo changes but the intensity of bands decreases. This indicates that the adsorption mechanism on the silver surface is realized via aromatic system of acridine fragment. In case of such an adsorption mechanism the chelate fragment of the BHIA molecule is capable of interaction with the solution components. Addition of Cd2+ ions to a system containing BHIA adsorbed on a silver electrode in equilibrium with the solution leads to the formation of BHIA/Cd2+ complex which desorption causes the loss of SERS signal.

Nanostructured surfaces for analysis of anticancer drug and cell diagnosis based on electrochemical and SERS tools

Science.gov (United States)

El-Said, Waleed A.; Yoon, Jinho; Choi, Jeong-Woo

2018-04-01

Discovering new anticancer drugs and screening their efficacy requires a huge amount of resources and time-consuming processes. The development of fast, sensitive, and nondestructive methods for the in vitro and in vivo detection of anticancer drugs' effects and action mechanisms have been done to reduce the time and resources required to discover new anticancer drugs. For the in vitro and in vivo detection of the efficiency, distribution, and action mechanism of anticancer drugs, the applications of electrochemical techniques such as electrochemical cell chips and optical techniques such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) have been developed based on the nanostructured surface. Research focused on electrochemical cell chips and the SERS technique have been reviewed here; electrochemical cell chips based on nanostructured surfaces have been developed for the in vitro detection of cell viability and the evaluation of the effects of anticancer drugs, which showed the high capability to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of several chemicals at low concentrations. SERS technique based on the nanostructured surface have been used as label-free, simple, and nondestructive techniques for the in vitro and in vivo monitoring of the distribution, mechanism, and metabolism of different anticancer drugs at the cellular level. The use of electrochemical cell chips and the SERS technique based on the nanostructured surface should be good tools to detect the effects and action mechanisms of anticancer drugs.

Giant Enhancement of Small Photoluminescent Signals on Glass Surfaces Covered by Self-Assembled Silver Nanorings.

Science.gov (United States)

Sousanis, A; Poulopoulos, P; Karoutsos, V; Trachylis, D; Politis, C

2017-02-01

Self-assembled nanostructures with the shape of nanospheres or nanorings were formed after annealing of ultrathin Ag films grown on glass, in a furnace with air at 460 °C. Intense localized surface plasmon resonances were recorded for these nanostructures with maxima at the green-blue light. The surface became functional in terms of enhancing the weak photoluminescence of glass between 2–400 times. This system provides an easy way of enhancing the photoluminescence emission of initially low performance materials.

Kinetically controlled synthesis of large-scale morphology-tailored silver nanostructures at low temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ling; Zhao, Yuda; Lin, Ziyuan; Gu, Fangyuan; Lau, Shu Ping; Li, Li; Chai, Yang

2015-08-01

Ag nanostructures are widely used in catalysis, energy conversion and chemical sensing. Morphology-tailored synthesis of Ag nanostructures is critical to tune physical and chemical properties. In this study, we develop a method for synthesizing the morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures in aqueous solution at a low temperature (45 °C). With the use of AgCl nanoparticles as the precursor, the growth kinetics of Ag nanostructures can be tuned with the pH value of solution and the concentration of Pd cubes which catalyze the reaction. Ascorbic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride are used as the mild reducing agent and capping agent in aqueous solution, respectively. High-yield Ag nanocubes, nanowires, right triangular bipyramids/cubes with twinned boundaries, and decahedra are successfully produced. Our method opens up a new environmentally-friendly and economical route to synthesize large-scale and morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures, which is significant to the controllable fabrication of Ag nanostructures and fundamental understanding of the growth kinetics.Ag nanostructures are widely used in catalysis, energy conversion and chemical sensing. Morphology-tailored synthesis of Ag nanostructures is critical to tune physical and chemical properties. In this study, we develop a method for synthesizing the morphology-tailored Ag nanostructures in aqueous solution at a low temperature (45 °C). With the use of AgCl nanoparticles as the precursor, the growth kinetics of Ag nanostructures can be tuned with the pH value of solution and the concentration of Pd cubes which catalyze the reaction. Ascorbic acid and cetylpyridinium chloride are used as the mild reducing agent and capping agent in aqueous solution, respectively. High-yield Ag nanocubes, nanowires, right triangular bipyramids/cubes with twinned boundaries, and decahedra are successfully produced. Our method opens up a new environmentally-friendly and economical route to synthesize large-scale and morphology