WorldWideScience

Sample records for zno nanoparticles capped

  1. Optical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Capped with Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atsushi Noguchi

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles capped with polymers were investigated. Polyethylene glycol (PEG and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP were used as capping reagents. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Fluorescence and absorption spectra were measured. When we varied the timing of the addition of the polymer to the ZnO nanoparticle solution, the optical properties were drastically changed. When PEG was added to the solution before the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the fluorescence intensity increased. At the same time, the total particle size increased, which indicated that PEG molecules had capped the ZnO nanoparticles. The capping led to surface passivation, which increased fluorescence intensity. However, when PEG was added to the solution after the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the fluorescence and particle size did not change. When PVP was added to the solution before the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, aggregation of nanoparticles occurred. When PVP was added to the solution after the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, fluorescence and particle size increased. This improvement of optical properties is advantageous to the practical usage of ZnO nanoparticles, such as bioimaging

  2. Synthesis, effect of capping agents, structural, optical and photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, A.K.; Viswanath, V.; Janu, V.C.

    2009-01-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using chemical method in alcohol base. During synthesis three capping agents, i.e. triethanolamine (TEA), oleic acid and thioglycerol, were used and the effect of concentrations was analyzed for their effectiveness in limiting the particle growth. Thermal stability of ZnO nanoparticles prepared using TEA, oleic acid and thioglycerol capping agents, was studied using thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). ZnO nanoparticles capped with TEA showed maximum weight loss. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for structural and morphological characterization of ZnO nanoparticles. Particle size was evaluated using effective mass approximation method from UV-vis spectroscopy and Scherrer's formula from XRD patterns. XRD analysis revealed single crystal ZnO nanoparticles of size 12-20 nm in case of TEA capping. TEA, oleic acid and thioglycerol capped synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were investigated at room temperature photoluminescence for three excitation wavelengths i.e. 304, 322 and 325 nm, showing strong peaks at about 471 nm when excited at 322 and 325 nm whereas strong peak was observed at 411 for 304 nm excitation.

  3. Effect of capping agents: Structural, optical and biological properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Javed, Rabia [Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan); Usman, Muhammad, E-mail: uk_phy@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan); Department of Physics, School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54729 (Pakistan); Tabassum, Saira; Zia, Muhammad [Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320 (Pakistan)

    2016-11-15

    Highlights: • ZnO nanoparticles have been effectively capped with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) shown by the data of XRD, FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy. • Reduction in size occurred from 34 nm to 26 nm due to capping agent and band gap energy increases with the decrease in the particle size. • Antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria is greater than the Gram-negative bacteria. • All biological assays reveal highest activities in capped ZnO nanoparticles as compared to the uncapped ZnO nanoparticles. • Highest antibacterial activity has been exhibited by ZnO-PVP while highest antioxidant and antidiabetic activities have been conferred by ZnO- PEG. - Abstract: Different biological activities of capped and uncapped ZnO nanoparticles were investigated, and the effects of potential capping agents on these biological activities were studied. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and capped by polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) using a simple chemical method of co-precipitation. Characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–vis spectroscopy confirmed the crystallinity, size, functional group, and band gap of synthesized nanoparticles. Reduction in size occurred from 34 nm to 26 nm due to surfactant. Results of all biological activities indicated significantly higher values in capped as compared to uncapped nanoparticles. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Escherichia coli (ATCC15224), and Acetobacter was obtained. This activity was more prominent against Gram-positive bacteria, and ZnO-PVP nanoparticles elucidated highest antibacterial activity (zone of inhibition 17 mm) against Gram-positive, Bacillus subtilis species. Antioxidant activities including total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power and %age inhibition of DPPH, and

  4. Effect of capping agents: Structural, optical and biological properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Javed, Rabia; Usman, Muhammad; Tabassum, Saira; Zia, Muhammad

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • ZnO nanoparticles have been effectively capped with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) shown by the data of XRD, FTIR and UV–visible spectroscopy. • Reduction in size occurred from 34 nm to 26 nm due to capping agent and band gap energy increases with the decrease in the particle size. • Antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria is greater than the Gram-negative bacteria. • All biological assays reveal highest activities in capped ZnO nanoparticles as compared to the uncapped ZnO nanoparticles. • Highest antibacterial activity has been exhibited by ZnO-PVP while highest antioxidant and antidiabetic activities have been conferred by ZnO- PEG. - Abstract: Different biological activities of capped and uncapped ZnO nanoparticles were investigated, and the effects of potential capping agents on these biological activities were studied. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and capped by polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) using a simple chemical method of co-precipitation. Characterization by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and UV–vis spectroscopy confirmed the crystallinity, size, functional group, and band gap of synthesized nanoparticles. Reduction in size occurred from 34 nm to 26 nm due to surfactant. Results of all biological activities indicated significantly higher values in capped as compared to uncapped nanoparticles. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), Escherichia coli (ATCC15224), and Acetobacter was obtained. This activity was more prominent against Gram-positive bacteria, and ZnO-PVP nanoparticles elucidated highest antibacterial activity (zone of inhibition 17 mm) against Gram-positive, Bacillus subtilis species. Antioxidant activities including total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity, total reducing power and %age inhibition of DPPH, and

  5. Synthesis of Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles with biocompatible capping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharda; Jayanthi, K.; Chawla, Santa

    2010-01-01

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

  6. Structural, spectroscopic and anti-microbial inspection of PEG capped ZnO nanoparticles for biomedical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meshram, J. V.; Koli, V. B.; Kumbhar, S. G.; Borde, L. C.; Phadatare, M. R.; Pawar, S. H.

    2018-04-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have a wide range of biomedical applications. Present study demonstrates the new methodology in sol-gel technology for synthesizing Polyethylene glycol (PEG) capped ZnO NPs and its size effect on anti-microbial activity. The reaction time was increased from 1 h to 5 h for the synthesis of ZnO NPs at 130 °C. The size of PEG capped ZnO NPs is increased from 10 to 84 nm by increasing the reaction upto 5 h. The x-ray diffraction studies and transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals the phase purity and hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with uniform PEG capping on the surface of ZnO NPs. UV–visible spectroscopy exhibits the peak at 366 nm which is attributed to ZnO NPs. No adverse effect is observed in case of absorbance spectroscopy. Further, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric analysis depicts the adsorption of PEG molecules on the ZnO NPs surface. The anti-microbial activities for both Gram-positive (S. aureus) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria were studied by optical density (OD) mesurement. The remarkable anti-microbial activity was observed for PEG capped ZnO NPs synthesized at 1 h reaction time showing higher activity in comparison with that synthesized from 2 h to 5 h reaction time. The microbial growth was found to be inhibited after 10 h OD measurement for both the bacteria. The anti-microbial activity may be attributed to the generation of ROS and H2O2. However, these generated species plays a vital role in inhibition of microbial growth. Hence, PEG capped ZnO NPs has promising biomedical applications.

  7. Structural, optical, XPS and magnetic properties of Zn particles capped by ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morozov, Iu.G., E-mail: yugmor@hotmail.com [Institute of Structural Macrokinetics and Materials Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Osipyan Street 8, Chernogolovka, Moscow Region 142432 (Russian Federation); Belousova, O.V. [Institute of Structural Macrokinetics and Materials Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician Osipyan Street 8, Chernogolovka, Moscow Region 142432 (Russian Federation); Ortega, D., E-mail: daniel.ortega@imdea.org [Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados en Nanociencia (IMDEA-Nanociencia), Cantoblanco 28049, Madrid (Spain); Mafina, M.-K., E-mail: m.k.mafina@qmul.ac.uk [School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End, Eng, 231, London E1 4NS (United Kingdom); Kuznetcov, M.V., E-mail: maxim1968@mail.ru [Department of Chemistry, Materials Chemistry Research Centre, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ (United Kingdom)

    2015-06-05

    Highlights: • Levitation-jet aerosol synthesis of Zn particles capped by ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). • TEM, XRD, UV–vis, FT-IR, Raman, XPS and magnetic characterization of the NPs. • Correlation between unit-cell volume of crystal lattice and maximum magnetization. - Abstract: Spherical zinc particles ranging from 42 to 760 nm in average size and capped with plate-like zinc oxide particles of 10–30 nm in sizes have been prepared by levitation-jet aerosol synthesis through condensation of zinc vapor in an inert/oxidizer gas flow. The nanoparticles have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET measurements, ultra violet visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), and vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM). Magnetic and XRD data indicate that the observed ferromagnetic ordering related to the changes in unit-cell volume of Zn in the Zn/ZnO interface of the nanoparticles. These results are in good correlation with the optical measurements data.

  8. Growth of ZnO nanoparticles from nanowhisker precursor with a simple solvothermal route

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Chunlei; Wang Enbo; Shen Enhong; Gao Lei; Kang Zhenhui; Tian Chungui; Zhang Chao; Lan Yang

    2006-01-01

    Methods of preparing nanoparticles have long been a topic experiencing extensive investigation. Among those methods developed, using template or polymer and surfactant as capping reagents were often effective. However, obtaining nanoparticles in high amounts and high purity still remains an unresolved challenge. Here, a simple two-step solvothermal method without using any surfactant or coating reactant to prepare ZnO nanoparticles with high purity in large scale was developed. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles, and the formation process of the nanoparticles was discussed finally

  9. Stability and toxicity of ZnO quantum dots: Interplay between nanoparticles and bacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bellanger, Xavier, E-mail: xavier.bellanger@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l’Environnement (LCPME), UMR 7564, 15 Avenue du Charmois, 54500 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy (France); Billard, Patrick, E-mail: patrick.billard@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), UMR 7360, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, BP 70239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy (France); Schneider, Raphaël, E-mail: raphael.schneider@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire Réactions et Génie des Procédés (LRGP), UMR 7274, 1 rue Grandville, BP 20451, 54001 Nancy Cedex (France); Balan, Lavinia, E-mail: lavinia.balan@uha.fr [Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse (IS2M), UMR 7361, CNRS, 15 rue Jean Starcky, 68093 Mulhouse (France); Merlin, Christophe, E-mail: christophe.merlin@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine and CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l’Environnement (LCPME), UMR 7564, 15 Avenue du Charmois, 54500 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy (France)

    2015-02-11

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Dilution of aminosilane-capped ZnO QDs dramatically increases their dissolution. • Bacteria limit Zn{sup 2+} leakage from ZnO QDs in a physiological-dependent process. • Implementation of biosensors for assessing free metal promotes QDs instability. • Dialysis combined to ICP allows studying QDs stability without prior dilution. - Abstract: The toxicity of quantum dots (QDs) has been commonly attributed to the release of metal ions from the core as well as to the production of reactive oxygen species. However, the information related to the stability of the nanoparticles are relatively scarce although this parameter may strongly influence their toxicity. The stability of aminosilane-capped ZnO QDs, here used as model nanoparticles, was investigated by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and whole cell biosensors using a dialysis setup to separate the QDs from the leaked Zn{sup 2+} ions. The integrity of the ZnO QDs appeared strongly affected by their dilution in aqueous medium, whereas the nanoparticles were slightly stabilized by bacteria. Our results demonstrate some inadequacy between the implementation and use of whole cell biosensors, and the monitoring of metal release from QDs.

  10. Electrosynthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles as inorganic component in organic thin-film transistor active layers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Picca, Rosaria Anna; Sportelli, Maria Chiara; Hötger, Diana; Manoli, Kyriaki; Kranz, Christine; Mizaikoff, Boris; Torsi, Luisa; Cioffi, Nicola

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • PSS-capped ZnO NPs were synthesized via a green electrochemical-thermal method • The influence of electrochemical conditions and temperature was studied • Spectroscopic data show that PSS functionalities are retained in the annealed NPs • Nanostructured ZnO improved the performance of P3HT-based thin film transistors - Abstract: ZnO nanoparticles have been prepared via a green electrochemical synthesis method in the presence of a polymeric anionic stabilizer (poly-sodium-4-styrenesulfonate, PSS), and then applied as inorganic component in poly-3-hexyl-thiophene thin-film transistor active layers. Different parameters (i.e. current density, electrolytic media, PSS concentration, and temperature) influencing nanoparticle synthesis have been studied. The resulting nanomaterials have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and spectroscopic techniques (UV-Vis, infrared, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopies), assessing the most suitable conditions for the synthesis and thermal annealing of nanostructured ZnO. The proposed ZnO nanoparticles have been successfully coupled with a poly-3-hexyl-thiophene thin-film resulting in thin-film transistors with improved performance.

  11. Revisiting magnetism of capped Au and ZnO nanoparticles: Surface band structure and atomic orbital with giant magnetic moment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hernando, Antonio; Crespo, Patricia [Instituto de Magnetismo Aplicado, UCM-CSIC-ADIF, Las Rozas. P.O. Box 155, 28230 Madrid (Spain); Dept. Fisica de Materiales, Universidad Complutense, Madrid (Spain); Garcia, Miguel Angel [Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio, CSIC, C/ Kelsen, 5, Madrid 28049 (Spain); Coey, Michael [Trinity College Dublin, Dublin (Ireland); Ayuela, Andres; Echenique, Pedro Miguel [Centro de Fisica de Materiales, CFM-MPC CSIC-UPV/EHU, Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), 20018 San Sebastian (Spain); Departamento de Fisica de Materiales, Fac. de Quimicas, Universidad del Pais Vasco UPV-EHU, 20018 San Sebastian (Spain)

    2011-10-15

    In this article we review the exotic magnetism of nanoparticles (NPs) formed by substances that are not magnetic in bulk as described with generality in Section 1. In particular, the intrinsic character of the magnetism observed on capped Au and ZnO NPs is analysed. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) analysis has shown that the magnetic moments are intrinsic and lie in the Au and Zn atoms, respectively, as analysed in Section 2, where the general theoretical ideas are also revisited. Since impurity atoms bonded to the surface act as donor or acceptor of electrons that occupy the surface states, the anomalous magnetic response is analysed in terms of the surface band in Section 3. Finally, Section 4 summarizes our last theoretical proposal. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  12. Room-temperature sol–gel synthesis of organic ligand-capped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zobel, Mirijam, E-mail: mirijam.zobel@fau.de; Chatterjee, Haimantee [Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Physics, Lehrstuhl für Kristallographie und Strukturphysik (Germany); Matveeva, Galina; Kolb, Ute [Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Institut für Physikalische Chemie (Germany); Neder, Reinhard B., E-mail: reinhard.neder@fau.de [Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Physics, Lehrstuhl für Kristallographie und Strukturphysik (Germany)

    2015-05-15

    Powders of zinc oxide nanoparticles with individual particle sizes below 10 nm in diameter are readily produced in base-induced sol–gel processes from ethanolic solutions of zinc acetate dihydrate. These particles are covered with acetate molecules and without further stabilization, they grow when stored as a powder. Here, we present three organic ligands, which reproducibly stabilize individual particle sizes <5 nm within the agglomerated powders for extended periods of time, up to months. Citric acid and 1,5-diphenyl-1,3,5-pentanetrione result in average diameters of 3 nm, whereas dimethyl-L-tartrate stabilizes 2.1 nm. X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function analysis were used to investigate the structural properties of the particles. TEM data confirm the individual particle size and crystallinity and show that the particles are agglomerated without structural coherence. Besides the introduction of these novel ligands for ZnO nanoparticles, we investigated, in particular, the influence of each synthesis step onto the final nanoparticle size in the powder. Previous studies often reported the employed synthesis parameters, but did not motivate the reasoning for their choice based on detailed experimental observations. Herein, we regard separately the steps of (i) the synthesis of the colloids, (ii) their precipitation, and (iii) the drying of the resulting gel to understand the role of the ligands therein. ZnO particles only covered with acetate grow to 5 nm during the drying process, whereas particles with any of the additional ligands retain their colloidal size of 2–3 nm. This clearly shows the efficient binding and effect of the presented ligands.

  13. Biological synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using C. albicans and studying their catalytic performance in the synthesis of steroidal pyrazolines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shamsuzzaman

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we describe a green and simple procedure for biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Candida albicans as eco-friendly reducing and capping agent. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, photoluminescence (PL, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA and differential thermal analysis (DTA. The prepared nano-particles were used as catalyst for the fast and efficient synthesis of steroidal pyrazolines (4–9 from α, β-unsaturated steroidal ketones (1–3. The target molecules were obtained in good to excellent yields applying the current method.

  14. Microwave-assisted silica coating and photocatalytic activities of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siddiquey, Iqbal Ahmed; Furusawa, Takeshi; Sato, Masahide; Suzuki, Noboru

    2008-01-01

    A new and rapid method for silica coating of ZnO nanoparticles by the simple microwave irradiation technique is reported. Silica-coated ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), CHN elemental analysis and zeta potential measurements. The FT-IR spectra and XPS clearly confirmed the silica coating on ZnO nanoparticles. The results of XPS analysis showed that the elements in the coating at the surface of the ZnO nanoparticles were Zn, O and Si. HR-TEM micrographs revealed a continuous and uniform dense silica coating layer of about 3 nm in thickness on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, the silica coating on the ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed by the agreement in the zeta potential of the silica-coated ZnO nanoparticles with that of SiO 2 . The results of the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution showed that silica coating effectively reduced the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. Silica-coated ZnO nanoparticles showed excellent UV shielding ability and visible light transparency

  15. Dynamic recovery and optical properties changes in He-implanted ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.-K.; Harriman, T.A.; Lucca, D.A.; Jung, H.S.; Ryan, D.B.; Nastasi, M.

    2007-01-01

    A study of the effects of ion-implanted He + on the photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO nanoparticles is presented. This investigation is motivated by the need to further understand the effects of damage resulting from the implantation process on the luminescence response of the nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by reacting zinc acetate with lithium hydroxide. The nanoparticle suspension was then dip coated on SiO 2 substrates producing thin films of ZnO nanoparticles, which were then implanted with He + ions at either room temperature or 400 deg. C. Following implantation, the PL spectrum of the ZnO nanoparticles was investigated and compared to that obtained from He-implanted bulk ZnO. Change in the overall luminescence efficiency was found to depend on both the size of the nanoparticles and the implantation temperature, and is attributed to the dynamic recovery of collision cascades in the ZnO nanoparticles. In addition, a comparison of He + -implanted ZnO nanoparticles with He + -implanted ZnO single crystals indicates that the origin of the green luminescence occurring from the ZnO nanoparticles is near-surface complex defects

  16. Complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Here, we present evidence on complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which are among the most heavily studied metal oxide particles, during 24 h in vitro toxicological testing with human T-lymphocytes. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy results revealed that Zn speciation profiles of 30 nm and 80 nm ZnO nanoparticles, and ZnSO4- exposed cells were almost identical with the prevailing species being Zn-cysteine. This suggests that ZnO nanoparticles are rapidly transformed during a standard in vitro toxicological assay, and are sequestered intracellularly, analogously to soluble Zn. Complete transformation of ZnO in the test conditions was further supported by almost identical Zn spectra in medium to which ZnO nanoparticles or ZnSO4 was added. Likewise, Cu XANES spectra for CuO and CuSO4-exposed cells and cell culture media were similar. These results together with our observation on similar toxicological profiles of ZnO and soluble Zn, and CuO and soluble Cu, underline the importance of dissolution and subsequent transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles during toxicological testing and provide evidence that the nano-specific effect of ZnO and CuO nanoparticulates is negligible in this system. We strongly suggest to account for this aspect when interpreting the toxicological results of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles. Although a number of studies have discussed the transformation of nanoparticles during

  17. Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; AlSalhi, Mohamad S; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees A; Willander, Magnus

    2013-09-30

    In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

  18. Fabrication of Well-Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Composite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles and Chitosan Polymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anees A. Ansari

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available In this study, by taking the advantage of both inorganic ZnO nanoparticles and the organic material chitosan as a composite seed layer, we have fabricated well-aligned ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate using the hydrothermal growth method. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by the Raman spectroscopic techniques, which showed the nanocrystalline phase of the ZnO nanoparticles. Different composites of ZnO nanoparticles and chitosan were prepared and used as a seed layer for the fabrication of well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopic techniques were utilized for the structural characterization of the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods on a gold-coated glass substrate. This study has shown that the ZnO nanorods are well-aligned, uniform, and dense, exhibit the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and are perpendicularly oriented to the substrate. Moreover, the ZnO nanorods are only composed of Zn and O atoms. An optical study was also carried out for the ZnO nanoparticles/chitosan seed layer-coated ZnO nanorods, and the obtained results have shown that the fabricated ZnO nanorods exhibit good crystal quality. This study has provided a cheap fabrication method for the controlled morphology and good alignment of ZnO nanorods, which is of high demand for enhancing the working performance of optoelectronic devices.

  19. Decontamination of chemical warfare sulfur mustard agent simulant by ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeghi, Meysam; Yekta, Sina; Ghaedi, Hamed

    2016-07-01

    In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have been surveyed to decontaminate the chloroethyl phenyl sulfide as a sulfur mustard agent simulant. Prior to the reaction, ZnO NPs were successfully prepared through sol-gel method in the absence and presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). PVA was utilized as a capping agent to control the agglomeration of the nanoparticles. The formation, morphology, elemental component, and crystalline size of nanoscale ZnO were certified and characterized by SEM/EDX, XRD, and FT-IR techniques. The decontamination (adsorption and destruction) was tracked by the GC-FID analysis, in which the effects of polarity of the media, such as isopropanol, acetone and n-hexane, reaction time intervals from 1 up to 18 h, and different temperatures, including 25, 35, 45, and 55 °C, on the catalytic/decontaminative capability of the surface of ZnO NPs/PVA were investigated and discussed, respectively. Results demonstrated that maximum decontamination (100 %) occurred in n-hexane solvent at 55 °C after 1 h. On the other hand, the obtained results for the acetone and isopropanol solvents were lower than expected. GC-MS chromatograms confirmed the formation of hydroxyl ethyl phenyl sulfide and phenyl vinyl sulfide as the destruction reaction products. Furthermore, these chromatograms proved the role of hydrolysis and elimination mechanisms on the catalyst considering its surface Bronsted and Lewis acid sites. A non-polar solvent aids material transfer to the reactive surface acid sites without blocking these sites.

  20. Room temperature ferromagnetism in Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2015-01-01

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

  1. Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Performances of Pyridine Based Monomer and Polymer Capped ZnO Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Satbir; Raj, Tilak; Singh, Amarpal; Kaur, Navneet

    2016-06-01

    The present research work describes the comparative analysis and performance characteristics of 4-pyridine based monomer and polymer capped ZnO dye-sensitized solar cells. The N, N-dimethyl-N4-((pyridine-4yl)methylene) propaneamine (4,monomer) and polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base (5, polymer) dyes were synthesized through one step condensation reaction between 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde 1 and N, N-dimethylpropylamine 2/polyamine 3. Products obtained N, N-dimethyl-N4-((pyridine-4yl)methylene)propaneamine (4) and polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base (5) were purified and characterized using 1H, 13C NMR, mass, IR and CHN spectroscopy. Both the dyes 4 and 5 were further coated over ZnO nanoparticles and characterized using SEM, DLS and XRD analysis. Absorption profile and emission profile was monitored using fluorescence and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. A thick layer of these inbuilt dye linked ZnO nanoparticles of dyes (4) and (5) was pasted on one of the conductive side of ITO glass followed with a liquid electrolyte and counter electrode of the same conductive glass. Polyamine-4-pyridyl Schiff base polymer (5) decorated dye sensitized solar cell has shown better exciting photovoltaic properties in the form of short circuit current density (J(sc) = 6.3 mA/cm2), open circuit photo voltage (V(oc) = 0.7 V), fill factor (FF = 0.736) than monomer decorated dye sensitized solar cell. Polymer dye (5) based ZnO solar cell has shown a maximum solar power to electrical conversion efficiency of 3.25%, which is enhanced by 2.16% in case of monomer dye based ZnO solar cell under AM 1.5 sun illuminations.

  2. Enhanced fluorescence imaging performance of hydrophobic colloidal ZnO nanoparticles by a facile method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zang, Zhigang; Tang, Xiaosheng

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • A dual phase hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles. • ZnO nanoparticles show a stability and solubility in the aqueous environment. • ZnO nanoparticles with a blue emission wavelength at around 420 nm and small size (30 nm). • ZnO nanoparticles as biological labeling agent was also shown. - Abstract: A facile synthesis method for the formation of ZnO nanoparticles by using a double-phase reaction was demonstrated in this paper. The morphology of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles shows a flower-shape. Hydrogen peroxide was used as a unique oxygenic source to promote the formation of ZnO in the presence of organic zinc precursor. The as-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles also show a stability and solubility in the aqueous environment. The structure and properties of ZnO nanoparticles were investigated by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as UV–vis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The as-prepared hydrophobic colloidal ZnO nanoparticles could be modified to become water-soluble via ligand exchange with amineothanethiol⋅HCl while retaining the photoluminescence properties. In addition, the potential application for biological label of water-soluble ZnO nanoparticles were also demonstrated. These results not only have applications towards using colloidal ZnO nanoparticles effectively in biological fluorescence imaging, but also promote its application in the field of targeted drug delivery

  3. Encapsulation of nanoparticles into single-crystal ZnO nanorods and microrods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jinzhang; Notarianni, Marco; Rintoul, Llew; Motta, Nunzio

    2014-01-01

    One-dimensional single crystal incorporating functional nanoparticles of other materials could be an interesting platform for various applications. We studied the encapsulation of nanoparticles into single-crystal ZnO nanorods by exploiting the crystal growth of ZnO in aqueous solution. Two types of nanodiamonds with mean diameters of 10 nm and 40 nm, respectively, and polymer nanobeads with size of 200 nm have been used to study the encapsulation process. It was found that by regrowing these ZnO nanorods with nanoparticles attached to their surfaces, a full encapsulation of nanoparticles into nanorods can be achieved. We demonstrate that our low-temperature aqueous solution growth of ZnO nanorods do not affect or cause degradation of the nanoparticles of either inorganic or organic materials. This new growth method opens the way to a plethora of applications combining the properties of single crystal host and encapsulated nanoparticles. We perform micro-photoluminescence measurement on a single ZnO nanorod containing luminescent nanodiamonds and the spectrum has a different shape from that of naked nanodiamonds, revealing the cavity effect of ZnO nanorod.

  4. Direct Precipitation and Characterization of ZnO Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. H. Moharram

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available ZnO nanoparticles are prepared through hydrolysis and condensation of zinc acetate dihydrate by potassium hydroxide in alcoholic medium at low temperatures. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA of the precursor is made in order to specify the temperature range over which the weight loss and thermal effect are significant. X-ray diffraction of the as-prepared specimens shows that the hexagonal (a=3.2459 Å, c=5.1999 Å structure is the predominant crystallographic structure. According to Scherer’s formula, the average size of the nanoparticles is 22.4 ± 0.6 nm. The structural properties of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles have been confirmed using the TEM micrographs. The optical energy gap of the ZnO nanoparticles, as obtained from applying Tauc’s equation, is equal to 3.52 eV, which is higher than that of the bulk material. Absorption peak of the as-prepared sample is 298 nm which is highly blue shifted as compared to the bulk (360 nm. Large optical energy gap and highly blue shifted absorption edge confirm that the prepared ZnO nanoparticle exhibits strong quantum confinement effect.

  5. Studies on antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles by ROS induced lipid peroxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, R K; Nenavathu, Bhavani P; Gangishetty, Mahesh K; Reddy, A V R

    2012-06-01

    Recent studies indicated the role of ROS toward antibacterial activity. In our study we report ROS mediated membrane lipid oxidation of Escherichia coli treated with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) as supported by detection and spectrophotometric measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) by TBARS (thiobarbituric acid-reactive species) assay. The antibacterial effects of ZnO NPs were studied by measuring the growth curve of E. coli, which showed concentration dependent bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal effects of ZnO NPs. The antibacterial effects were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Further, antibacterial effect of ZnO NPs was found to decrease by introducing histidine to the culture medium treated with ZnO NPs. The ROS scavenging action of histidine was confirmed by treating histidine to the batch of Escherichia coli+ZnO NPs at the end of the lag phase of the growth curve (Set-I) and during inoculation (Set-II). A moderate bacteriostatic effect (lag in the E. coli growth) was observed in Set-II batch while Set-I showed no bacteriostatic effect. From these evidences we confirmed that the antibacterial effect of bare as well as TG capped ZnO NPs were due to membrane lipid peroxidation caused by the ROS generated during ZnO NPs interaction in culture medium. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2008-07-15

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

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2008-01-01

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

  8. Encapsulation of nanoparticles into single-crystal ZnO nanorods and microrods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinzhang Liu

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available One-dimensional single crystal incorporating functional nanoparticles of other materials could be an interesting platform for various applications. We studied the encapsulation of nanoparticles into single-crystal ZnO nanorods by exploiting the crystal growth of ZnO in aqueous solution. Two types of nanodiamonds with mean diameters of 10 nm and 40 nm, respectively, and polymer nanobeads with size of 200 nm have been used to study the encapsulation process. It was found that by regrowing these ZnO nanorods with nanoparticles attached to their surfaces, a full encapsulation of nanoparticles into nanorods can be achieved. We demonstrate that our low-temperature aqueous solution growth of ZnO nanorods do not affect or cause degradation of the nanoparticles of either inorganic or organic materials. This new growth method opens the way to a plethora of applications combining the properties of single crystal host and encapsulated nanoparticles. We perform micro-photoluminescence measurement on a single ZnO nanorod containing luminescent nanodiamonds and the spectrum has a different shape from that of naked nanodiamonds, revealing the cavity effect of ZnO nanorod.

  9. Reducing ZnO nanoparticle cytotoxicity by surface modification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Mingdeng; Shen, Cenchao; Feltis, Bryce N; Martin, Lisandra L; Hughes, Anthony E; Wright, Paul F A; Turney, Terence W

    2014-06-07

    Nanoparticulate zinc oxide (ZnO) is one of the most widely used engineered nanomaterials and its toxicology has gained considerable recent attention. A key aspect for controlling biological interactions at the nanoscale is understanding the relevant nanoparticle surface chemistry. In this study, we have determined the disposition of ZnO nanoparticles within human immune cells by measurement of total Zn, as well as the proportions of extra- and intracellular dissolved Zn as a function of dose and surface coating. From this mass balance, the intracellular soluble Zn levels showed little difference in regard to dose above a certain minimal level or to different surface coatings. PEGylation of ZnO NPs reduced their cytotoxicity as a result of decreased cellular uptake arising from a minimal protein corona. We conclude that the key role of the surface properties of ZnO NPs in controlling cytotoxicity is to regulate cellular nanoparticle uptake rather than altering either intracellular or extracellular Zn dissolution.

  10. The Fate of ZnO Nanoparticles Administered to Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Benjamin; Fakra, Sirine C.; Xia, Tian; Pokhrel, Suman; Mädler, Lutz; Nel, André E.

    2014-01-01

    A particular challenge for nanotoxicology is the evaluation of the biological fate and toxicity of nanomaterials that dissolve in aqueous fluids. Zinc oxide nanomaterials are of particular concern because dissolution leads to release of the toxic divalent zinc ion. Although dissolved zinc ions have been implicated in ZnO cytotoxicity, direct identification of the chemical form of zinc taken up by cells exposed to ZnO nanoparticles, and its intracellular fate, has not yet been achieved. We combined high resolution X-ray spectromicroscopy and high elemental sensitivity X-ray microprobe analyses to determine the fate of ZnO and less soluble iron-doped ZnO nanoparticles following exposure to cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B. We complemented two-dimensional X-ray imaging methods with atomic force microscopy of cell surfaces to distinguish between nanoparticles that were transported inside the cells from those that adhered to the cell exterior. The data suggest cellular uptake of ZnO nanoparticles is a mechanism of zinc accumulation in cells. Following uptake, ZnO nanoparticles dissolved completely generating intracellular Zn2+ complexed by molecular ligands. These results corroborate a model for ZnO nanoparticle toxicity that is based on nanoparticle uptake followed by intracellular dissolution. PMID:22646753

  11. ZnO nanoparticles based fiber optic gas sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Narasimman, S.; Sivacoumar, R.; Alex, Z. C. [MEMS and Sensor Division, School of Electronics Engineering, VIT University, Vellore 632 014 (India); Balakrishnan, L., E-mail: bslv85@gmail.com; Meher, S. R. [Materials Physics Division, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT University, Vellore 632 014 (India)

    2016-05-23

    In this work, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by simple aqueous chemical route method. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The sensitivity of the nanoparticles was studied for different gases like acetone, ammonia and ethanol in terms of variation in spectral light intensity. The XRD and SEM analysis confirms the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structure with the grain size of 11.2 nm. The small cladding region of the optical fiber was replaced with the synthesized nanoparticles. The light spectrum was recorded for different gas concentrations. The synthesized nanoparticles showed high sensitivity towards ammonia in low ppm level and acetone in high ppm level.

  12. Structural and electrical properties of TiO2/ZnO core–shell nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlazan, P.; Ursu, D.H.; Irina-Moisescu, C.; Miron, I.; Sfirloaga, P.; Rusu, E.

    2015-01-01

    TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method in two stages: first stage is the hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles and second stage the obtained ZnO nanoparticles are encapsulated in TiO 2 . The obtained ZnO, TiO 2 and TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer, Emmett, Teller and resistance measurements. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of both, TiO 2 and ZnO phases in TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles. According to transmission electron microscopy images, ZnO nanoparticles have hexagonal shapes, TiO 2 nanoparticles have a spherical shape, and TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles present agglomerates and the shape of particles is not well defined. The activation energy of TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles was about 101 meV. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method. • TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles were investigated by means of XRD, TEM and BET. • Electrical properties of TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles were investigated. • The activation energy of TiO 2 /ZnO core–shell nanoparticles was about E a = 101 meV

  13. Zinc accumulation and synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Physalis alkekengi L

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qu Jiao; Yuan Xing; Wang Xinhong; Shao Peng

    2011-01-01

    A field survey and greenhouse experiments were conducted using Physalis alkekengi L. to investigate strategies of phytoremediation. In addition, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using P. alkekengi. P. alkekengi plants grew healthily at Zn levels from 50 to 5000 mg kg -1 in soils. The plants incorporated Zn into their aerial parts (with mean dry weight values of 235-10,980 mg kg -1 ) and accumulated biomass (with a mean dry weight of 25.7 g plant -1 ) during 12 weeks. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles showed a polydisperse behavior and had a mean size of 72.5 nm. The results indicate that P. alkekengi could be used for the remediation of zinc-contaminated soils. Moreover, the synthetic method of synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles from Zn hyperaccumulator plants constitutes a new insight into the recycling of metals in plant sources. - Highlights: → P. alkekengi plants were used to remediate the Zn-contaminated soils. → Zn in P. alkekengi plants were used as a material to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles. → P. alkekengi plants absorbed large amounts of Zn from soils into its aerial parts. → The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were not uniform. → The mean size of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was 72.5 nm. - ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using P. alkekengi plants, which absorbed large amounts of Zn from contaminated soils.

  14. Zinc accumulation and synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Physalis alkekengi L

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qu Jiao, E-mail: qujiao@bhu.edu.cn [School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northeast Normal University, No. 5268 Renmin street, Changchun 130024 (China); Yuan Xing, E-mail: yuanx@nenu.edu.cn [School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northeast Normal University, No. 5268 Renmin street, Changchun 130024 (China); Wang Xinhong; Shao Peng [School of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northeast Normal University, No. 5268 Renmin street, Changchun 130024 (China)

    2011-07-15

    A field survey and greenhouse experiments were conducted using Physalis alkekengi L. to investigate strategies of phytoremediation. In addition, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using P. alkekengi. P. alkekengi plants grew healthily at Zn levels from 50 to 5000 mg kg{sup -1} in soils. The plants incorporated Zn into their aerial parts (with mean dry weight values of 235-10,980 mg kg{sup -1}) and accumulated biomass (with a mean dry weight of 25.7 g plant{sup -1}) during 12 weeks. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles showed a polydisperse behavior and had a mean size of 72.5 nm. The results indicate that P. alkekengi could be used for the remediation of zinc-contaminated soils. Moreover, the synthetic method of synthesizing ZnO nanoparticles from Zn hyperaccumulator plants constitutes a new insight into the recycling of metals in plant sources. - Highlights: > P. alkekengi plants were used to remediate the Zn-contaminated soils. > Zn in P. alkekengi plants were used as a material to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles. > P. alkekengi plants absorbed large amounts of Zn from soils into its aerial parts. > The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were not uniform. > The mean size of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was 72.5 nm. - ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using P. alkekengi plants, which absorbed large amounts of Zn from contaminated soils.

  15. Biosynthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles using the aqueous leaf extract of Imperata cylindrica L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saputra, I. S.; Yulizar, Y.

    2017-04-01

    ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were biosynthesized.The growth was observed by a sol-gel method. ZnO were successfully formed through the reaction of zinc nitrate tetrahydrate Zn(NO3)2.4H2O precursor with aqueous leaf extract of Imperata cylindrica L (ICL). The structural and optical properties of ZnO were investigated. The as-synthesized products were characterized by UV-Visible (UV-Vis), UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). UV-Vis absorption data showed hydrolysis and characteristic of absorption peak at 300 nm of Zn(OH)2. UV-DRS confirmed that ZnO NPs has the indirect band gap at 3.13 eV. FTIR spectrum revealed the functional groups and indicated the presence of protein as the capping and stabilizing agent on the ZnO surface. Powder XRD studies indicated the formation of pure wurtzite hexagonal structure with particle size of 11.9 nm. The detailed morphological and structural characterizations revealed that the synthesized products were hexagonal nanochip.

  16. Green method for producing hierarchically assembled pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Escobedo-Morales, A.; Téllez-Flores, D.; Ruiz Peralta, Ma. de Lourdes; Garcia-Serrano, J.; Herrera-González, Ana M.; Rubio-Rosas, E.; Sánchez-Mora, E.; Olivares Xometl, O.

    2015-01-01

    A green method for producing pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution is reported. This method consists in synthesizing ZnO 2 nanopowders via a hydrothermal route using cheap and non-toxic reagents, and its subsequent thermal decomposition at low temperature under a non-protective atmosphere (air). The morphology, structural and optical properties of the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles were studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. It was found that after thermal decomposition of the ZnO 2 powders, pristine ZnO nanoparticles are obtained. These particles are round-shaped with narrow size distribution. A further analysis of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles reveals that they are hierarchical self-assemblies of primary ZnO particles. The agglomeration of these primary particles at the very early stage of the thermal decomposition of ZnO 2 powders provides to the resulting ZnO nanoparticles a porous nature. The possibility of using the synthesized porous ZnO nanoparticles as photocatalysts has been evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B dye. - Highlights: • A green synthesis method for obtaining porous ZnO nanoparticles is reported. • The obtained ZnO nanoparticles have narrow particle size distribution. • This method allows obtaining pristine ZnO nanoparticles avoiding unintentional doping. • A growth mechanism for the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles is proposed

  17. Can visible light impact litter decomposition under pollution of ZnO nanoparticles?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Jingjing; Zhang, Yuyan; Liu, Lina; Qv, Mingxiang; Lv, Yanna; Yin, Yifei; Zhou, Yinfei; Cui, Minghui; Zhu, Yanfeng; Zhang, Hongzhong

    2017-11-01

    ZnO nanoparticles is one of the most used materials in a wide range including antibacterial coating, electronic device, and personal care products. With the development of nanotechnology, ecotoxicology of ZnO nanoparticles has been received increasing attention. To assess the phototoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in aquatic ecosystem, microcosm experiments were conducted on Populus nigra L. leaf litter decomposition under combined effect of ZnO nanoparticles and visible light radiation. Litter decomposition rate, pH value, extracellular enzyme activity, as well as the relative contributions of fungal community to litter decomposition were studied. Results showed that long-term exposure to ZnO nanoparticles and visible light led to a significant decrease in litter decomposition rate (0.26 m -1 vs 0.45 m -1 ), and visible light would increase the inhibitory effect (0.24 m -1 ), which caused significant decrease in pH value of litter cultures, fungal sporulation rate, as well as most extracellular enzyme activities. The phototoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles also showed impacts on fungal community composition, especially on the genus of Varicosporium, whose abundance was significantly and positively related to decomposition rate. In conclusion, our study provides the evidence for negatively effects of ZnO NPs photocatalysis on ecological process of litter decomposition and highlights the contribution of visible light radiation to nanoparticles toxicity in freshwater ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Aqueous chemical route synthesis and the effect of calcination temperature on the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Ramzan Parra

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available This article reports the controlled size of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized via simple aqueous chemical route without the involvement of any capping agent. The effect of different calcination temperatures on the size of the ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD results indicated that all the samples have crystalline wurtzite phase, and peak broadening analysis was used to evaluate the average crystallite size and lattice strain using Scherrer's equation and Williamson–Hall (W–H method. Morphology and elemental compositions were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX spectroscopy. The average crystallite size of ZnO nanoparticles estimated from Scherrer's formula and W–H analysis was found to increase with the increase in calcination temperature. These results were in good agreement with AFM results. Optical properties were investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy in diffused reflectance (DR mode, with a sharp increase in reflectivity at 375 nm and the material has a strong reflective characteristic after 420 nm at 500 °C calcination temperature. Furthermore, photoluminescence spectroscopic results revealed intensive ultraviolet (UV emission with reduced defect concentrations and a slight shifting in band gap energies with increased calcination temperature from 200 °C to 500 °C. This study suggests that the as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles with bandgap tunability might be utilized as window layer in optoelectronic devices.

  19. Effects of the Absorption Behaviour of ZnO Nanoparticles on Cytotoxicity Measurements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nigar Najim

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available ZnO absorbs certain wavelengths of light and this behavior is more pronounced for nanoparticles of ZnO. As many toxicity measurements rely on measuring light transmission in cell lines, it is essential to determine how far this light absorption influences experimental toxicity measurements. The main objective was to study the ZnO absorption and how this influenced the cytotoxicity measurements. The cytotoxicity of differently sized ZnO nanoparticles in normal and cancer cell lines derived from lung tissue (Hs888Lu, neuron-phenotypic cells (SH-SY5Y, neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y, human histiocytic lymphoma (U937, and lung cancer (A549 was investigated. Our results demonstrate that the presence of ZnO affected the cytotoxicity measurements due to the absorption characteristic of ZnO nanoparticles. The data revealed that the ZnO nanoparticles with an average particle size of around 85.7 nm and 190 nm showed cytotoxicity towards U937, SH-SY5Y, differentiated SH-SY5Y, and Hs888Lu cell lines. No effect on the A549 cells was observed. It was also found that the cytotoxicity of ZnO was particle size, concentration, and time dependent. These studies are the first to quantify the influence of ZnO nanoparticles on cytotoxicity assays. Corrections for absorption effects were carried out which gave an accurate estimation of the concentrations that produce the cytotoxic effects.

  20. Ultraviolet photosensors fabricated with Ag nanowires coated with ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2014-11-03

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

  1. Halloysite Nanotubes Supported Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles with Synergistically Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Zhan; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Qian; Yang, Huaming

    2017-02-01

    Novel antimicrobial nanocomposite incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and silver (Ag) into zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles is prepared by integrating HNTs and decorating Ag nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with a size of about 100 and 8 nm, respectively, are dispersively anchored onto HNTs. The synergistic effects of ZnO NPs, Ag NPs, and HNTs led to the superior antibacterial activity of the Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposites. HNTs facilitated the dispersion and stability of ZnO NPs and brought them in close contact with bacteria, while Ag NPs could promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhanced the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs. The close contact with cell membrane enabled the nanoparticles to produce the increased concentration of reactive oxygen species and the metal ions to permeate into the cytoplasm, thus induced quick death of bacteria, indicating that Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposite is a promising candidate in the antibacterial fields.

  2. Enhanced antimicrobial activity in biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumari, Niraj; Kumari, Priti; Jha, Anal K.; Prasad, K.

    2018-05-01

    Biological synthesis of different metallic and/or oxide nanoparticles and their applications especially in agriculture and biomedical sciences are gaining prominence nowadays due to their handy and reproducible synthetic protocols which are cost-effective and eco-friendly. In this work, green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using the alcoholic extract of Azadirachta indica as a reducing and stabilizing agent has been presented. Formation of ZnO NPs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The phytochemicals responsible for nano-transformation were principally alkaloids, flavanoids, terpenoids, tannins and organic acids present in the Azadirachta indica leaves. The synthesized ZnO NPs were used for antimicrobial assays by disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Results showed that ZnO NPs may act as antimicrobial agent especially against skin infections.

  3. Photoluminescence investigation of ZnO quantum dots surface modified with silane coupling agent as a capping agent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moghaddam, E., E-mail: e.moghaddam@merc.ac.ir; Youzbashi, A.A; Kazemzadeh, A.; Eshraghi, M.J.

    2015-12-15

    This report presents the luminescence measurement results of surface modified zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) performed with different concentrations of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) as a capping agent. Surface modification was performed by an in situ procedure on the surface of ZnO QDs in a sol gel solution route. The modified samples were characterized by various analytical techniques such as XRD, TEM, FT-IR, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Surface modification efficiency was experimentally investigated by variation of the photoluminescence) PL (emission intensities observed by changing the capping agent concentration. In order to investigate the effectiveness of the capping agent on the stability of the QDs, The PL spectra of the surface modified ZnO QDs were compared with that of unmodified ZnO QDs. Molecular layer of this type and similar silane based molecules with a variety of surface terminations that have the same molecular attachment schemes should enable interface engineering in optimizing the chemical selectivity of ZnO biosensors or electrical and optical properties of ZnO-polymer hybrid films. - Highlights: • Surface modification of ZnO QDs resulted in the small- size QDs (around 2 nm). • Surface modification resulted in the enhancement of the UV emission upon quenching the visible emission. • Surface modification efficiency was decreased with reduction of the QD size • Intensified stability of the surface modified ZnO QDs was obtained from surface modification.

  4. Facially amphiphilic thiol capped gold and silver nanoparticles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. A series of bile acid-derived facially amphiphilic thiols have been used to cap sliver and gold nanoparticles. The self-assembling properties of these steroid-capped nanoparticles have been investigated and reported in this article.

  5. Effect of temperature on the characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    7

    worked on self assembly of ZnO NPs produced by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in aqueous media [4]. They reported that the small ZnO nanoparticles were obtained .... monitor the optical properties of quantum-sized particles [17]. If the size of nanoparticles increases, their resonance absorption spectrum peak ...

  6. Green method for producing hierarchically assembled pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Escobedo-Morales, A., E-mail: alejandro.escobedo@correo.buap.mx [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Téllez-Flores, D.; Ruiz Peralta, Ma. de Lourdes [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Garcia-Serrano, J.; Herrera-González, Ana M. [Centro de Investigaciones en Materiales y Metalurgia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carretera Pachuca Tulancingo Km 4.5, Pachuca, Hidalgo (Mexico); Rubio-Rosas, E. [Centro Universitario de Vinculación y Transferencia de Tecnología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Sánchez-Mora, E. [Instituto de Física, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Apdo. Postal J-48, 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico); Olivares Xometl, O. [Facultad de Ingeniería Química, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, C.P. 72570 Puebla, Pue. (Mexico)

    2015-02-01

    A green method for producing pristine porous ZnO nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution is reported. This method consists in synthesizing ZnO{sub 2} nanopowders via a hydrothermal route using cheap and non-toxic reagents, and its subsequent thermal decomposition at low temperature under a non-protective atmosphere (air). The morphology, structural and optical properties of the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles were studied by means of powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements. It was found that after thermal decomposition of the ZnO{sub 2} powders, pristine ZnO nanoparticles are obtained. These particles are round-shaped with narrow size distribution. A further analysis of the obtained ZnO nanoparticles reveals that they are hierarchical self-assemblies of primary ZnO particles. The agglomeration of these primary particles at the very early stage of the thermal decomposition of ZnO{sub 2} powders provides to the resulting ZnO nanoparticles a porous nature. The possibility of using the synthesized porous ZnO nanoparticles as photocatalysts has been evaluated on the degradation of rhodamine B dye. - Highlights: • A green synthesis method for obtaining porous ZnO nanoparticles is reported. • The obtained ZnO nanoparticles have narrow particle size distribution. • This method allows obtaining pristine ZnO nanoparticles avoiding unintentional doping. • A growth mechanism for the obtained porous ZnO nanoparticles is proposed.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2013-05-15

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

  8. Biogenic ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using L. aculeata leaf ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The antifungal activity of ZnO nanoparticles were determined using the well diffusion method. All the ... 1. Introduction. Nanoparticles have gained increasing importance because ... The synthesis of nanoparticles by conventional physical.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Hengda; Liu, Xinzhong; Zheng, Zhigong

    2014-01-01

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

  10. Defect induced ferromagnetism in undoped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rainey, K.; Chess, J.; Eixenberger, J.; Tenne, D. A.; Hanna, C. B.; Punnoose, A., E-mail: apunnoos@boisestate.edu [Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725 (United States)

    2014-05-07

    Undoped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with size ∼12 nm were produced using forced hydrolysis methods using diethylene glycol (DEG) [called ZnO-I] or denatured ethanol [called ZnO-II] as the reaction solvent; both using Zn acetate dehydrate as precursor. Both samples showed weak ferromagnetic behavior at 300 K with saturation magnetization M{sub s} = 0.077 ± 0.002 memu/g and 0.088 ± 0.013 memu/g for ZnO-I and ZnO-II samples, respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed that ZnO-I nanocrystals had DEG fragments linked to their surface. Photoluminescence (PL) data showed a broad emission near 500 nm for ZnO-II which is absent in the ZnO-I samples, presumably due to the blocking of surface traps by the capping molecules. Intentional oxygen vacancies created in the ZnO-I NPs by annealing at 450 °C in flowing Ar gas gradually increased M{sub s} up to 90 min and x-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) suggested that oxygen vacancies may have a key role in the observed changes in M{sub s}. Finally, PL spectra of ZnO showed the appearance of a blue/violet emission, attributed to Zn interstitials, whose intensity changes with annealing time, similar to the trend seen for M{sub s}. The observed variation in the magnetization of ZnO NP with increasing Ar annealing time seems to depend on the changes in the number of Zn interstitials and oxygen vacancies.

  11. The Effect of Solvents, Acetone, Water, and Ethanol, on the Morphological and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Prepared by Microwave

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Phindile B. Khoza

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available HDA-capped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by solvothermal method using solvents of different polarities. A number of parameters were kept constant such as temperature, pressure, time, and pH while solvents were varied, that is, water, ethanol, and acetone. The TEM was used for the structural properties and morphologies such as spheres, mixture of rods, and spheres and stars were obtained in ethanol, acetone, and water, respectively, in a given reaction time of 15 minutes. Both ethanol and acetone gave rods with high aspect ratio primarily because of the lengths of the rods. Water and ethanol have the hydroxyl groups which interact with nanoparticles from nucleation, growth, and termination giving rise to nonspherical shapes. The hydroxyl group promotes growth in a nonuniform way resulting in stars and rods. The optical features were typical of ZnO nanoparticles with excitonic peaks in the range 368 to 374 nm from their absorption spectra. The XRD patterns of the particles gave the most stable form of ZnO which is the hexagonal phase, with high degree of crystallinity and with the 101 plane predominant in all solvents.

  12. Halloysite Nanotubes Supported Ag and ZnO Nanoparticles with Synergistically Enhanced Antibacterial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhan Shu

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Novel antimicrobial nanocomposite incorporating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs and silver (Ag into zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles is prepared by integrating HNTs and decorating Ag nanoparticles. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs and Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs with a size of about 100 and 8 nm, respectively, are dispersively anchored onto HNTs. The synergistic effects of ZnO NPs, Ag NPs, and HNTs led to the superior antibacterial activity of the Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposites. HNTs facilitated the dispersion and stability of ZnO NPs and brought them in close contact with bacteria, while Ag NPs could promote the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhanced the antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs. The close contact with cell membrane enabled the nanoparticles to produce the increased concentration of reactive oxygen species and the metal ions to permeate into the cytoplasm, thus induced quick death of bacteria, indicating that Ag-ZnO/HNTs antibacterial nanocomposite is a promising candidate in the antibacterial fields.

  13. Facile Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles and Their Photocatalytic Activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jun Young; Ko, Sung Hyun; Kim, Sang Wook [Dongguk Univ., Yongin (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sookeun; Kim, A Young [Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, Daegu (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-07-15

    This paper reports the facile synthesis methods of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, using diethylene glycol (DEG) and polyethylene glycol (PEG400). The particle size and morphology were correlated with the PEG concentration and reaction time. With 0.75 mL of PEG400 in 150 mL of DEG and a 20 h reaction time, the ZnO nanoparticles began to disperse from a collective spherical grain shape. The ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and a N{sub 2} adsorption.desorption studies. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of and were 157.083, 141.559 and 233.249 m{sup 2}/g, respectively. The observed pore diameters of and were 63.4, 42.0 and 134.0 A, respectively. The pore volumes of and were 0.249, 0.148 and 0.781 cm{sup 3}/g, respectively. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was evaluated by methylene blue (MB) degradation, and the activity showed a good correlation with the N{sub 2} adsorption.desorption data.

  14. Preparation of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone-stabilized ZnO colloid nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatyana Gutul

    2014-04-01

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

  15. Controlled synthesis of various ZnO nanostructured materials by capping agents-assisted hydrothermal method for dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akhtar, M. Shaheer; Khan, M. Alam; Yang, O-Bong [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Center for Advanced Radiation Technology, Jeon-Ju (Korea); New and Renewable Energy Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeon-Ju (Korea); Jeon, Myung Seok [Photocatalysis and Photoelectrochemistry Research Center, Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), Daejon 305-343 (Korea)

    2008-11-15

    In this work, the morphology of ZnO materials could be controlled by changing the capping agent at constant alkali solution in hydrothermal process. ZnO nanomaterials with the structure of flowers, sheet-spheres and plates were obtained with the capping agent of ammonia, citric acid and oxalic acid, respectively. Thus prepared ZnO nanomaterials were characterized and applied as the photo-anode materials for dye-sensitized solar cell. All synthesized ZnO nanomaterials possessed high crystalline wurtzite structures grown in the (001) direction with the size of 2-4{mu}m, which consist of ZnO units around 20-400 nm. Among them, Sheet-sphere ZnO showed the highest crystallinity, surface area and uniform film morphology, resulting in the significantly improved PV performance with the overall conversion efficiency of 2.61% in dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) fabricated with sheet-sphere ZnO. It is notable that the ZnO materials with sphere structure may be the optimal photo-anode material among various ZnO nanomaterials for DSSC. (author)

  16. Chronic toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl2 to Folsomia candida (Collembola) in relation to bioavailability in soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kool, Pauline L.; Diez Ortiz, Maria; Gestel, Cornelis A.M. van

    2011-01-01

    The chronic toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) to Folsomia candida was determined in natural soil. To unravel the contribution of particle size and free zinc to NP toxicity, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl 2 were also tested. Zinc concentrations in pore water increased with increasing soil concentrations, with Freundlich sorption constants K f of 61.7, 106 and 96.4 l/kg (n = 1.50, 1.34 and 0.42) for ZnO-NP, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl 2 respectively. Survival of F. candida was not affected by ZnO-NP and non-nano ZnO at concentrations up to 6400 mg Zn/kg d.w. Reproduction was dose-dependently reduced with 28-d EC50s of 1964, 1591 and 298 mg Zn/kg d.w. for ZnO-NP, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl 2 , respectively. The difference in EC50s based on measured pore water concentrations was small (7.94-16.8 mg Zn/l). We conclude that zinc ions released from NP determine the observed toxic effects rather than ZnO particle size. - Highlights: → ZnO nanoparticles and non-nano ZnO were equally toxic to Folsomia candida in soil. → Pore water from soil spiked with ZnO nanoparticles showed saturation with zinc suggesting aggregation. → Pore water based EC50 values for ZnO nanoparticles and ZnCl 2 were similar. → ZnO nanoparticle toxicity in soil was most probably due to Zn dissolution from the nanoparticles. - ZnO nanoparticle toxicity to springtails in soil can be explained from Zn dissolution but not from particle size.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2014-01-01

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

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2015-01-01

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

  19. Biosynthesis and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles using Trifolium pratense flower extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Dobrucka

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Zinc oxide (ZnO has broad applications in various areas. Nanoparticle synthesis using plants is an alternative to conventional physical and chemical methods. It is known that the biological synthesis of nanoparticles is gaining importance due to its simplicity, eco-friendliness and extensive antimicrobial activity. Also, in this study we report the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Trifolium pratense flower extract. The prepared ZnO nanoparticles have been characterized by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM with Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX. Besides, this study determines the antimicrobial efficacy of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles against clinical and standard strains of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa and standard strain of E. coli.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2015-01-01

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

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2013-01-01

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

  2. Zn nanoparticle formation in FIB irradiated single crystal ZnO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pea, M.; Barucca, G.; Notargiacomo, A.; Di Gaspare, L.; Mussi, V.

    2018-03-01

    We report on the formation of Zn nanoparticles induced by Ga+ focused ion beam on single crystal ZnO. The irradiated materials have been studied as a function of the ion dose by means of atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, evidencing the presence of Zn nanoparticles with size of the order of 5-30 nm. The nanoparticles are found to be embedded in a shallow amorphous ZnO matrix few tens of nanometers thick. Results reveal that ion beam induced Zn clustering occurs producing crystalline particles with the same hexagonal lattice and orientation of the substrate, and could explain the alteration of optical and electrical properties found for FIB fabricated and processed ZnO based devices.

  3. Blue shift in the luminescence spectra of MEH-PPV films containing ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ton-That, Cuong; Phillips, Matthew R.; Nguyen, Thien-Phap

    2008-01-01

    Luminescence properties of nanocomposites consisting of ZnO nanoparticles in a conjugated polymer, poly [2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl hexyloxy)-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV), were investigated. Photoluminescence measurements reveal a blue shift in the emission spectrum of MEH-PPV upon incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles into the polymer film while the emission is increasingly quenched with increasing ZnO concentration. In contrast, the structure of the polymer and its conjugation length are not affected by the presence of ZnO nanoparticles (up to 16 wt% ZnO) as revealed by Raman spectroscopy. The blue shift and photoluminescence quenching are explained by the separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs at the MEH-PPV/ZnO interface and the charging of the nanoparticles

  4. Chronic toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl{sub 2} to Folsomia candida (Collembola) in relation to bioavailability in soil

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kool, Pauline L., E-mail: pauline.kool@falw.vu.nl [Department of Animal Ecology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Diez Ortiz, Maria [Department of Animal Ecology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Pole de Recherche ROVALTAIN en Toxicologie Environnementale et Ecotoxicologie, Batiment Rhovalparc, BP 15173, 26958 Valence Cedex 9 (France); Gestel, Cornelis A.M. van [Department of Animal Ecology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2011-10-15

    The chronic toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) to Folsomia candida was determined in natural soil. To unravel the contribution of particle size and free zinc to NP toxicity, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl{sub 2} were also tested. Zinc concentrations in pore water increased with increasing soil concentrations, with Freundlich sorption constants K{sub f} of 61.7, 106 and 96.4 l/kg (n = 1.50, 1.34 and 0.42) for ZnO-NP, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl{sub 2} respectively. Survival of F. candida was not affected by ZnO-NP and non-nano ZnO at concentrations up to 6400 mg Zn/kg d.w. Reproduction was dose-dependently reduced with 28-d EC50s of 1964, 1591 and 298 mg Zn/kg d.w. for ZnO-NP, non-nano ZnO and ZnCl{sub 2}, respectively. The difference in EC50s based on measured pore water concentrations was small (7.94-16.8 mg Zn/l). We conclude that zinc ions released from NP determine the observed toxic effects rather than ZnO particle size. - Highlights: > ZnO nanoparticles and non-nano ZnO were equally toxic to Folsomia candida in soil. > Pore water from soil spiked with ZnO nanoparticles showed saturation with zinc suggesting aggregation. > Pore water based EC50 values for ZnO nanoparticles and ZnCl{sub 2} were similar. > ZnO nanoparticle toxicity in soil was most probably due to Zn dissolution from the nanoparticles. - ZnO nanoparticle toxicity to springtails in soil can be explained from Zn dissolution but not from particle size.

  5. Local transport properties, morphology and microstructure of ZnO decorated SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Nostrand, Joseph E [Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate, Rome, NY (United States); Cortez, Rebecca [Union College, Schenectady, NY (United States); Rice, Zachary P; Cady, Nathaniel C; Bergkvist, Magnus, E-mail: Joseph.VanNostrand@rl.af.mil [Albany College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Albany, NY (United States)

    2010-10-15

    We report on a novel, surfactant free method for achieving nanocrystalline ZnO decoration of an SiO{sub 2} nanoparticle at ambient temperature. The size distributions of the naked and decorated SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles are measured by means of dynamic light scattering, and a monodisperse distribution is observed for each. The morphology and microstructure of the nanoparticles are explored using atomic force microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Investigation of the optical properties of the ZnO decorated SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles shows absorption at 350 nm. This blue shift in absorption as compared to bulk ZnO is shown to be consistent with quantum confinement effects due to the small size of the ZnO nanocrystals. Finally, the local electronic transport properties of the nanoparticles are explored by scanning conductance atomic force microscopy. A memristive hysteresis in the transport properties of the individual ZnO decorated SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles is observed. Optical absorption measurements suggest the presence of oxygen vacancies, whose migration and annihilation appear to contribute to the dynamic conduction properties of the ZnO decorated nanoparticles. We believe this to be the first demonstration of a ZnO decorated SiO{sub 2} nanoparticle, and this represents a simple yet powerful way of achieving the optical and electrical properties of ZnO in combination with the simplicity of SiO{sub 2} synthesis.

  6. Recovery of thermal-degraded ZnO photodetector by embedding nano silver oxide nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Zhan-Shuo [Institute of Microelectronics, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Hung, Fei-Yi, E-mail: fyhung@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Chen, Kuan-Jen [Institute of Nanotechnology and Microsystems Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); The Instrument Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Chang, Shoou-Jinn [Institute of Microelectronics, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Institute of Microelectronics and Department of Electrical Engineering, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Hsieh, Wei-Kang; Liao, Tsai-Yu; Chen, Tse-Pu [Institute of Microelectronics, Center for Micro/Nano Science and Technology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

    2013-08-15

    The degraded performance of annealed ZnO-based photodetector can be recovered by embedding Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles resulted from the transformation of as-deposited Ag layer. After thermal treatment, the electrons were attracted at the interface between ZnO and Ag{sub 2}O. The excess Ag{sup +} ions form the cluster to incorporate into the interstitial sites of ZnO lattice to create a larger amount of lattice defects for the leakage path. The photo-current of ZnO film with Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles is less than annealed ZnO film because the photo-induced electrons would flow into Ag{sub 2}O side. ZnO photodetector with the appropriate Ag{sub 2}O nanoparticles possesses the best rejection ratio.

  7. Photoactivable caps for reactive metal nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Ashish

    The synthesis and stabilization of reactive metal nanoparticles is often challenging under normal atmospheric conditions. This problem can be alleviated by capping and passivation. Our lab has focused on forming polymer coatings on the surface of reactive metal nanoparticles. We discovered a convenient and effective route for stabilization of aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs), which uses the nascent metal core as a polymerization initiator for various organic monomers. In our previous work, we used this method to passivate the Al NPs using variety of epoxides and copolymers of epoxides and alkenes. These products have demonstrated air stability for weeks to months with little to no degradation in the active Al content. Since our previously synthesized Al NP's were not beneficial for rapid and efficient thermodynamic access to the active Al core, our goal was find polymers that could easily be photochemically activated to enhance such access. Since poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has photodegrading properties, we used PMMA as a capping agent to passivate Al NPs. In this work, we present capping and stabilization of Al NPs with PMMA, and also with 1,2-epoxyhexane/ PMMA. In our previous work, we increased the stability of Al NP capped with 1,2-epoxy-9-decene by adding 1,13-tetradecadiene as a cross-linker. Here, we used the methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer as cross-linker for Al NP capped with 1,2-epoxy-9-decene. We have also used the MMA as capping agent. We use powder x-ray diffractametry (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravity analysis (TGA) to confirm the presence of elemental Al and ATR-FTIR to confirm the presence of polymers.

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2015-10-15

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

  9. 'Green' synthesis of starch capped CdSe nanoparticles at room temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jinhua; Ren Cuiling; Liu Xiaoyan; Hu Zhide; Xue Desheng

    2007-01-01

    The nearly monodisperse starch capped CdSe nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a simple and 'green' route at room temperature. The as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. The XRD analysis showed that the starch capped CdSe nanoparticles were of the cubic structure, the average particle size was calculated to be about 3 nm according to the Debye-Scherrer equation. TEM micrographs exhibited that the starch capped CdSe nanoparticles were well dispersed than the uncapped CdSe nanoparticles, the mean particles size of the capped CdSe was about 3 nm in the TEM image, which was in good agreement with the XRD

  10. Magnetic nanoparticles as a seed layer for growing ZnO nanowires for optical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AlSalhi, M S; Atif, M; Ansari, Anees A; Khun, K; Ibupoto, Z H; Willander, M

    2013-01-01

    In the present work, cerium oxide CeO 2 nanoparticles were synthesised by sol-gel method and used for the growth of ZnO nanorods. The synthesised nanoparticles were studied by x-ray diffraction technique [XRD]. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were used as seed layer for the growth of ZnO nanorods by following the hydrothermal growth method. The structural study of ZnO nanorods was carried out by using field emission scanning electron microscopy [FESEM], and x-ray diffraction [XRD] techniques. This study demonstrated that the grown ZnO nanorods are well align, uniform, good in crystal quality and possess diameter of less than 200 nm. Energy dispersive x-rays [EDX] revealed that the ZnO nanorods are only composed of zinc, cerium as seed atom and oxygen atoms and no any other impurity in the grown nanorods. Moreover, photoluminescence [PL] approach was applied for the optical characterisation and it was observed that the near-band-edge emission [NBE] was same to that of zinc acetate seed layer, however the green emission and orange/red emission peaks were slightly raised due to possible higher level of defects in the cerium oxide seeded ZnO nanorods. This study provides an alternative approach for the synthesis of controlled ZnO nanorods using cerium oxide nanoparticles as seed nucleation layer which in reverse describe the application of these nanoparticles as well as due to controlled morphology of ZnO nanorods the performance of nanodevices based on ZnO can be increased using these particles as seed.

  11. Fabrication and characterizations of ZnO nanorods/Au nanoparticle composites on the electropolished Ti substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Hsiang, E-mail: hchen@ncnu.edu.tw [National Chi Nan University, No.1, Daxue Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545, Taiwan, ROC (China); Yeh, Yih-Min [WuFeng University, No. 117, Sec 2, Chiankuo Rd, Minhsiung, Chiayi County 62153, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Jian-Zhi [National Chi Nan University, No.1, Daxue Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Song-Ming [WuFeng University, No. 117, Sec 2, Chiankuo Rd, Minhsiung, Chiayi County 62153, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Bo Yun; Wu, Zhi-Huei; Tsai, Shaung-Lin; Chang, Hung-Wei; Chu, Yu-Cheng; Liao, Chuan Hao [National Chi Nan University, No.1, Daxue Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2013-12-31

    Au nanoparticles (NPs) were spread on ZnO nanorods (NRs) on the polished Ti substrate to form Au/ZnO nanocomposites. Multiple material analyses including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and images taken by optical microscope were performed on Au NPs of 2 nm and 20 nm on ZnO NRs. The FESEM and optical images under optical microscope indicate that 20 nm NPs can form more and larger clusters than 2 nm NPs on ZnO nanorod. Furthermore, more Au can be detected by EDS and XRD. We studied the behaviors of Au NPs on ZnO NR applications for future potential biosensing and antiseptic devices. - Highlights: • Nanocomposites of Au nanoparticles were spread on ZnO nanorods on Ti substrate. • Multiple material analyses were performed on 2 nm and 20 nm nanoparticles. • 20 nm nanoparticles formed more and larger clusters. • Optical images show well-distributed nanoparticle ZnO nanorods.

  12. Anionic 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid capped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Šimšíková, Michaela, E-mail: michaela.simsikova@ceitec.vutbr.cz [CEITEC BUT, Brno University of Technology, Technická 10, 616 69 Brno (Czech Republic); Antalík, Marián [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, P.J. Šafárik University, Šrobárova 2, 041 54 Košice (Slovakia); Department of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, SAS, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice (Slovakia); Kaňuchová, Mária; Škvarla, Jiří [Institute of Montaneous Sciences and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Mining, Ecology, Process Control and Geotechnologies, Technical University of Košice, Park Komenského 19, 043 84 Košice (Slovakia)

    2013-10-01

    The anionic zinc oxide nanoparticles have been prepared at room temperature by a precipitation method using ZnCl{sub 2} and NaOH and surface modification with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used for definition of morphology and size of prepared nanoparticles which was proved by measurements of particle size distribution using Zetasizer. Successful coating with MUA as surfactant was acknowledged by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ATR FT-IR spectroscopy. The isoelectric point (IEP) of ZnO–MUA nanoparticles was obtained by measurements of zeta potential and FT-IR dependence on pH; the obtained value was approximately 3.58. The value of exchanged protons was 2.88 which indicates a positive binding cooperativity of modified nanoparticles.

  13. Rapid green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using a hydroelectric cell without an electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Jyoti; Kumar Kotnala, Ravinder

    2017-09-01

    In this study, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized using a novel environmentally friendly hydroelectric cell without an electrolyte or external current source. The hydroelectric cell comprised a nanoporous Li substituted magnesium ferrite pellet in contact with two electrodes, with zinc as the anode and silver as an inert cathode. The surface unsaturated cations and oxygen vacancies in the nanoporous ferrite dissociated water molecules into hydronium and hydroxide ions when the hydroelectric cell was dipped into deionized water. Hydroxide ions migrated toward the zinc electrode to form zinc hydroxide and the hydronium ions were evolved as H2 gas at the silver electrode. The zinc hydroxide collected as anode mud was converted into ZnO nanoparticles by heating at 250 °C. Structural analysis using Raman spectroscopy indicated the good crystallinity of the ZnO nanoparticles according to the presence of a high intensity E2-(high) mode. The nanoparticle size distribution was 5-20 nm according to high resolution transmission electron microscopy. An indirect band gap of 2.75 eV was determined based on the Tauc plot, which indicated the existence of an interstitial cation level in ZnO. Near band edge and blue emissions were detected in photoluminescence spectral studies. The blue emissions obtained from the ZnO nanoparticles could potentially have applications in blue lasers and LEDs. The ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using this method had a high dielectric constant value of 5 at a frequency of 1 MHz, which could be useful for fabricating nano-oscillators. This facile, clean, and cost-effective method obtained a significant yield of 0.017 g for ZnO nanoparticles without applying an external current source.

  14. Photoluminescent ZnO Nanoparticles and Their Biological Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheng-Yong Zhang

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available During the past decades, numerous achievements concerning luminescent zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs have been reported due to their improved luminescence and good biocompatibility. The photoluminescence of ZnO NPs usually contains two parts, the exciton-related ultraviolet (UV emission and the defect-related visible emission. With respect to the visible emission, many routes have been developed to synthesize and functionalize ZnO NPs for the applications in detecting metal ions and biomolecules, biological fluorescence imaging, nonlinear multiphoton imaging, and fluorescence lifetime imaging. As the biological applications of ZnO NPs develop rapidly, the toxicity of ZnO NPs has attracted more and more attention because ZnO can produce the reactive oxygen species (ROS and release Zn2+ ions. Just as a coin has two sides, both the drug delivery and the antibacterial effects of ZnO NPs become attractive at the same time. Hence, in this review, we will focus on the progress in the synthetic methods, luminescent properties, and biological applications of ZnO NPs.

  15. Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by Aspalathus linearis: Structural & optical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diallo, A.; Ngom, B.D.; Park, E.; Maaza, M.

    2015-01-01

    This contribution reports for the 1st time on the synthesis and the main physical properties of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by an entirely green physical-chemistral process using Aspalathus linearis's natural extract as an efficient reduction/oxidizing agent. Their structural and optical properties by electron microscopy, X-rays diffraction, Raman and X-rays photoemission spectroscopies as well as room temperature photoluminescence are reported. - Highlights: • 1st time report on synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by a green process via Aspalathus linearis extract. • A. linearis's natural extract was used as an effective reduction/oxidizing agent. • Wurtzite nature of ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed via XRD, Raman, XPS and PL

  16. Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by Aspalathus linearis: Structural & optical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diallo, A.; Ngom, B.D. [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape (South Africa); Park, E. [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape (South Africa); Nelson Mandela African Institute for Science & Technology, Arusha (Tanzania, United Republic of); Maaza, M., E-mail: Maaza@tlabs.ac.za [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape (South Africa)

    2015-10-15

    This contribution reports for the 1st time on the synthesis and the main physical properties of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by an entirely green physical-chemistral process using Aspalathus linearis's natural extract as an efficient reduction/oxidizing agent. Their structural and optical properties by electron microscopy, X-rays diffraction, Raman and X-rays photoemission spectroscopies as well as room temperature photoluminescence are reported. - Highlights: • 1st time report on synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles by a green process via Aspalathus linearis extract. • A. linearis's natural extract was used as an effective reduction/oxidizing agent. • Wurtzite nature of ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed via XRD, Raman, XPS and PL.

  17. Microwave assisted synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for lighting and dye removal application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumar, Vijay, E-mail: vijays_phy@rediffmail.com [Department of Physics, University of Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, ZA 9300 (South Africa); Gohain, M. [Department of Chemistry, University of Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, ZA 9300 (South Africa); Som, S.; Kumar, Vinod [Department of Physics, University of Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, ZA 9300 (South Africa); Bezuindenhoudt, B.C.B. [Department of Chemistry, University of Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, ZA 9300 (South Africa); Swart, Hendrik C., E-mail: swarthc@ufs.ac.za [Department of Physics, University of Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, ZA 9300 (South Africa)

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we report on the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) via the microwave-assisted technique. The as-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were annealed at 500 °C for three hours. The ZnO NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopic techniques. XRD results confirmed the formation of as-synthesized ZnO powder oriented along the (101) direction. The Kubelka–Munk function has been employed to determine the band gap of the ZnO powder. ZnO powder has been studied by photoluminescence (PL) before and after annealing to identify the emission of defects in the visible range. The intensity of the PL emission has decreased after annealing. The synthesized ZnO samples were also studied for methyl orange dye removal from waste water. It has been found that the as-synthesized ZnO shows better adsorption behaviour as compared to the annealed sample.

  18. Antitubercular activity of ZnO nanoparticles prepared by solution combustion synthesis using lemon juice as bio-fuel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopala Krishna, Prashanth; Paduvarahalli Ananthaswamy, Prashanth; Trivedi, Priyanka; Chaturvedi, Vinita; Bhangi Mutta, Nagabhushana; Sannaiah, Ananda; Erra, Amani; Yadavalli, Tejabhiram

    2017-06-01

    In this study, we report the synthesis, structural and morphological characteristics of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using solution combustion synthesis method where lemon juice was used as the fuel. In vitro anti-tubercular activity of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles and their biocompatibility studies, both in vitro and in vivo were carried out. The synthesized nanoparticles showed inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra strain at concentrations as low as 12.5μg/mL. In vitro cytotoxicity study performed with normal mammalian cells (L929, 3T3-L1) showed that ZnO nanoparticles are non-toxic with a Selectivity Index (SI) >10. Cytotoxicity performed on two human cancer cell lines DU-145 and Calu-6 indicated the anti-cancer activity of ZnO nanoparticles at varied concentrations. Results of blood hemolysis indicated the biocompatibility of ZnO nanoparticles. Furthermore, in vivo toxicity studies of ZnO nanoparticles conducted on Swiss albino mice (for 14days as per the OECD 423 guidelines) showed no evident toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Sorption of Th(IV) onto ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite-supported ZnO nanocomposite. Kinetics, mechanism and activation parameters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yusan, Sabriye; Aslani, Mahmut A.A.; Aytas, Sule [Ege Univ., Izmir (Turkey). Inst. of Nuclear Sciences; Bampaiti, Anastasia; Noli, Fotini [Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece). Dept. of Chemistry; Erenturk, Sema [Istanbul Technical Univ., Ayazaga Campus, Maslak-Istanbul (Turkey). Energy Inst.

    2016-11-01

    In this study, for the first time ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite-supported ZnO nanocomposite have been utilized as adsorbent for the removal of Th(IV) ions from aqueous solutions under different experimental conditions. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin and Dubinin- Radushkevich (D-R) isotherms were used to analyze the equilibrium data. The sorption equilibrium data were fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm with maximum sorption capacities values was found to be 1.105 mmol/g and 0.320 mmol/g for ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite supported ZnO nanocomposite, respectively. Pseudo-first and pseudo-second order equations, Intraparticle diffusion and Bangham's models were considered to evaluate the rate parameters and sorption mechanism. Sorption kinetics were better reproduced by the pseudo-second order model (R{sup 2} > 0.999), with an activation energy (E{sub a}) of +99.74 kJ/mol and +62.95 kJ/mol for ZnO nanoparticles and diatomite-supported ZnO nanocomposite, respectively. In order to specify the type of sorption reaction, thermodynamic parameters were also determined. The evaluated ΔG* and ΔH* indicate the non-spontaneous and endothermic nature of the reactions. The results of this work suggest that both of the used materials are fast and effective adsorbents for removing Th(IV) from aqueous solutions and chemical sorption plays a role in controlling the sorption rate.

  20. Synthesis and physicochemical characterizations and antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Bhumika K.; Patel, Kinjal; Roy, Debesh R.

    2018-05-01

    Nanoparticles exhibit very interesting and useful physicochemical properties when they interact with substrates and goes through some physicochemical and/or biological processes. ZnO is known to be a highly demanding nanomaterial due to its discreet properties, shapes and sizes. A detail experimental study on the synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) is performed. ZnO NPs are synthesized using chemical precipitation method. The understanding of crystal structure, morphology and elemental compositions are explained using Powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM) respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is performed to achieve the information on the presence of various functional groups. The antibacterial activity of these ZnO NPs is investigated in terms of Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) against Escherichia coli (Gram negative) microorganisms.

  1. Interaction and photodegradation characteristics of fluorescein dye in presence of ZnO nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bardhan, Munmun; Mandal, Gopa; Ganguly, Tapan

    2011-04-01

    The interaction between xanthene dye Fluorescein (Fl) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles is investigated under physiological conditions. From the analysis of the steady state and time resolved spectroscopic studies in aqueous solution static mode is found to be responsible in the mechanism of fluorescence quenching of the dye Fl in presence of ZnO. ZnO nanoparticles are used as photocatalyst in order to degrade Fl dye. At pH 7, a maximum degradation efficiency of 44.4% of the dye has been achieved in presence of ZnO as a nanophotocatalyst and the photodegradation follows second-order kinetics.

  2. Characterization of spatial manipulation on ZnO nanocomposites consisting of Au nanoparticles, a graphene layer, and ZnO nanorods

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shen-Che; Lu, Chien-Cheng; Su, Wei-Ming; Weng, Chen-Yuan; Chen, Yi-Cian; Wang, Shing-Chung; Lu, Tien-Chang; Chen, Ching-Pang; Chen, Hsiang

    2018-01-01

    Three types of ZnO-based nanocomposites were fabricated consisting of 80-nm Au nanoparticles (NPs), a graphene layer, and ZnO nanorods (NRs). To investigate interactions between the ZnO NRs and Au nanoparticle, multiple material analysis techniques including field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), surface contact angle measurements, secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopic characterizations were performed. Results indicate that incorporating a graphene layer could block the interaction between the ZnO NRs and the Au NPs. Furthermore, the Raman signal of the Au NPs could be enhanced by inserting a graphene layer on top of the ZnO NRs. Investigation of these graphene-incorporated nanocomposites would be helpful to future studies of the physical properties and Raman analysis of the ZnO-based nanostructure design.

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2016-05-25

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

  4. Enhancing the Antibacterial Activity of Light-Activated Surfaces Containing Crystal Violet and ZnO Nanoparticles: Investigation of Nanoparticle Size, Capping Ligand, and Dopants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sehmi, Sandeep K; Noimark, Sacha; Pike, Sebastian D; Bear, Joseph C; Peveler, William J; Williams, Charlotte K; Shaffer, Milo S P; Allan, Elaine; Parkin, Ivan P; MacRobert, Alexander J

    2016-09-30

    Healthcare-associated infections pose a serious risk for patients, staff, and visitors and are a severe burden on the National Health Service, costing at least £1 billion annually. Antimicrobial surfaces significantly contribute toward reducing the incidence of infections as they prevent bacterial adhesion and cause bacterial cell death. Using a simple, easily upscalable swell-encapsulation-shrink method, novel antimicrobial surfaces have been developed by incorporating metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) and crystal violet (CV) dye into medical-grade polyurethane sheets. This study compares the bactericidal effects of polyurethane incorporating ZnO, Mg-doped ZnO, and MgO. All metal oxide NPs are well defined, with average diameters ranging from 2 to 18 nm. These materials demonstrate potent bactericidal activity when tested against clinically relevant bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . Additionally, these composites are tested against an epidemic strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that is rife in hospitals throughout the UK. Furthermore, we have tested these materials using a low light intensity (∼500 lx), similar to that present in many clinical environments. The highest activity is achieved from polymer composites incorporating CV and ∼3 nm ZnO NPs, and the different performances of the metal oxides have been discussed.

  5. Water-repellent coatings prepared by modification of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakradhar, R. P. S.; Dinesh Kumar, V.

    Superhydrophobic coatings with a static water contact angle (WCA) > 150° were prepared by modifying ZnO nanoparticles with stearic acid (ZnO@SA). ZnO nanoparticles of size ˜14 nm were prepared by solution combustion method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies reveal that as prepared ZnO has hexagonal wurtzite structure whereas the modified coatings convert to zinc stearate. Field emission scanning electron micrographs (FE-SEM) show the dual morphology of the coatings exhibiting both particles and flakes. The flakes are highly fluffy in nature with voids and nanopores. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrum shows the stearate ion co-ordinates with Zn2+ in the bidentate form. The surface properties such as surface free energy (γp) and work of adhesion (W) of the unmodified and modified ZnO coatings have been evaluated. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy reveals that surface defects play a major role in the wetting behavior.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-09-01

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

  7. A dual-colored bio-marker made of doped ZnO nanocrystals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Y L; Zeng, X T [Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, 638075 (Singapore); Fu, S; Kwek, L C [National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, 637616 (Singapore); Tok, A I Y; Boey, F C Y [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore); Lim, C S [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore)

    2008-08-27

    Bio-compatible ZnO nanocrystals doped with Co, Cu and Ni cations, surface capped with two types of aminosilanes and titania are synthesized by a soft chemical process. Due to the small particle size (2-5 nm), surface functional groups and the high photoluminescence emissions at the UV and blue-violet wavelength ranges, bio-imaging on human osteosarcoma (Mg-63) cells and histiocytic lymphoma U-937 monocyte cells showed blue emission at the nucleus and bright turquoise emission at the cytoplasm simultaneously. This is the first report on dual-color bio-images labeled by one semiconductor nanocrystal colloidal solution. Bright green emission was detected on mung bean seedlings labeled by all the synthesized ZnO nanocrystals. Cytotoxicity tests showed that the aminosilanes capped nanoparticles are non-toxic. Quantum yields of the nanocrystals varied from 79% to 95%. The results showed the potential of the pure ZnO and Co-doped ZnO nanocrystals for live imaging of both human cells and plant systems.

  8. Solar-assisted synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using lime juice: a green approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinge, Shruti P.; Pandit, Aniruddha B.

    2017-12-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are those nanoparticles which have been synthesized in various morphologies and shapes. Their size and shape dependent properties and their applications in vivid sectors of science and technology make them interesting to synthesize. Present work reports a green method for ZnO nanoparticle synthesis using lime juice and sunlight. ZnO nanoparticles were also synthesized by conventionally used methods like heating, stirring or no heating and/or stirring. The nanoparticles were characterized using different techniques like UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) was also carried out for the intermediate product to select the calcination temperature. Stoichiometric study reveals that the intermediate product formed is zinc citrate dihydrate. The synthesized calcined nanoparticles have good crystallinity, uniform shape, and high purity and were in the size range of 20-30 nm. These nanoparticles formed agglomerates of various shapes in the size range of 200-750 nm. This process is ecofriendly and is amiable for easy scale up.

  9. Magnetically separable core–shell ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO nanoparticles for visible light photodegradation of methyl orange

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kulkarni, Suresh D.; Kumbar, Sagar; Menon, Samvit G.; Choudhari, K.S.; Santhosh, C.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Phase pure, magnetic ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO nanoparticles synthesized with excellent yield. • ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO displayed higher UV photocatalytic efficiency than ZnO nanoparticles. • First report on visible light photodegradation of methyl orange by ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO. • Excellent reusability of ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO nanoparticles observed for azo dye removal. - Abstract: Visible light photodegradation of aqueous methyl orange using magnetically separable core–shell ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO nanoparticles is reported. A combination of low temperature (190 °C) microwave synthesis and hydrothermal method were used to prepare phase pure material with excellent yield (95%). The magnetic separability, surface area of 41 m"2/g and visible light absorption make ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO nanoparticles a good solar photocatalyst. ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO displayed greater UV photocatalytic efficiency than ZnO owing to the generation of large number of electron-hole pairs. Visible light photodegradation of MO using ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO nanoparticles is reported for the first time. Higher first order rate constants under both UV and visible light for core-shell nanoparticles suggested their superiority over its individual oxides. The ZnFe_2O_4@ZnO showed excellent reusability with high photocatalytic efficiencies suggesting its suitability for solar photocatalytic applications.

  10. Annealing Heat Treatment of ZnO Nanoparticles Grown on Porous Si Substrate Using Spin-Coating Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. A. Eswar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available ZnO nanoparticles were successfully deposited on porous silicon (PSi substrate using spin-coating method. In order to prepare PSi, electrochemical etching was employed to modify the Si surface. Zinc acetate dihydrate was used as a starting material in ZnO sol-gel solution preparation. The postannealing treatments were investigated on morphologies and photoluminescence (PL properties of the ZnO thin films. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM results indicate that the thin films composed by ZnO nanoparticles were distributed uniformly on PSi. The average sizes of ZnO nanoparticle increase with increasing annealing temperature. Atomic force microscopic (AFM analysis reveals that ZnO thin films annealed at 500°C had the smoothest surface. PL spectra show two peaks that completely correspond to nanostructured ZnO and PSi. These findings indicate that the ZnO nanostructures grown on PSi are promising for application as light emitting devices.

  11. Effects of subtoxic concentrations of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles on human lymphocytes, dendritic cells and exosome production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson-Willman, Britta; Gehrmann, Ulf; Cansu, Zekiye; Buerki-Thurnherr, Tina; Krug, Harald F.; Gabrielsson, Susanne; Scheynius, Annika

    2012-01-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles are widely used in the paint and coating industry as well as in cosmetics, but the knowledge of their possible interactions with the immune system is very limited. Our aims were to investigate if commercially available TiO 2 and ZnO nanoparticles may affect different human immune cells and their production of exosomes, nano-sized vesicles that have a role in cell to cell communication. We found that the TiO 2 or ZnO nanoparticles at concentrations from 1 to 100 μg/mL did not affect the viability of primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In contrast, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC) reacted with a dose dependent increase in cell death and caspase activity to ZnO but not to TiO 2 nanoparticles. Non-toxic exposure, 10 μg/mL, to TiO 2 and ZnO nanoparticles did not significantly alter the phenotype of MDDC. Interestingly, ZnO but not TiO 2 nanoparticles induced a down regulation of FcγRIII (CD16) expression on NK-cells in the PBMC population, suggesting that subtoxic concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles might have an effect on FcγR-mediated immune responses. The phenotype and size of exosomes produced by PBMC or MDDC exposed to the nanoparticles were similar to that of exosomes harvested from control cultures. TiO 2 or ZnO nanoparticles could not be detected within or associated to exosomes as analyzed with TEM. We conclude that TiO 2 and ZnO nanoparticles differently affect immune cells and that evaluations of nanoparticles should be performed even at subtoxic concentrations on different primary human immune cells when investigating potential effects on immune functions. -- Highlights: ► ZnO nanoparticles induce cell death of MDDC but not of PBMC. ► ZnO nanoparticles induce caspase activation and DNA fragmentation in MDDC. ► TiO 2 nanoparticles are taken up by MDDC but have no effect on their phenotype. ► ZnO nanoparticles induce a significant reduction of CD16 expression on NK cells. ► ZnO and TiO 2

  12. Microwave combustion synthesis of hexagonal prism shaped ZnO nanoparticles and effect of Cr on structural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yathisha, R.O. [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Kuvempu University, Jnanasahyadri, Shankaraghatta 577 451, Karnataka (India); Nayaka, Y. Arthoba, E-mail: drarthoba@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Kuvempu University, Jnanasahyadri, Shankaraghatta 577 451, Karnataka (India); Vidyasagar, C.C. [Department of Chemistry, School of Basic Sciences, Ranichannamma University, Belgaum 591156, Karnataka (India)

    2016-09-15

    The synthesis and study of semiconducting nanostructure materials have become a considerable interdisciplinary area of research over the past few decades. The control of morphologies and effective doping by right dopant are the two tasks for the synthesis of semiconducting nanoparticles. The present work outlines the synthesis of ZnO and Cr-ZnO nanoparticles via microwave combustion method without using any fuel. The crystal morphology, optical and electrical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction study (XRD), UV–Visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive analysis using X-rays (EDAX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Keithley source meter. The crystal size was determined from XRD, whose values were found to be decreased with increase in the concentration of Cr up to 2 wt% and further increase in the dopant concentration resulted the formation secondary phase (ZnCr{sub 2}O{sub 4}). Scanning electron micrographs shows the hexagonal prism structure of ZnO and Cr-ZnO nanoparticles. EDAX shows the existence of Cr ion in the Cr-ZnO. The optical properties and bandgap studies were undertaken by UV–Visible spectroscopy. I-V characterization study was performed to determine the electrical property of ZnO and Cr-ZnO films. - Highlights: • The prism shaped Zn{sub 1−x}Cr{sub x}O (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) was prepared by microwave combustion method. • Effect of Cr on the properties of ZnO was reported. • Change in crystal size was explained by lattice strain and Zener-Pinning effect. • The optical measurements shows up to 8 wt% of Cr doping had more efficient. • Compared to ZnO, Cr doped ZnO enhance the photo voltaic activity.

  13. Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for oil-water interfacial tension reduction in enhanced oil recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soleimani, Hassan; Baig, Mirza Khurram; Yahya, Noorhana; Khodapanah, Leila; Sabet, Maziyar; Demiral, Birol M. R.; Burda, Marek

    2018-02-01

    Nanoparticles show potential use in applications associated with upstream oil and gas engineering to increase the performance of numerous methods such as wettability alteration, interfacial tension reduction, thermal conductivity and enhanced oil recovery operations. Surface tension optimization is an important parameter in enhanced oil recovery. Current work focuses on the new economical method of surface tension optimization of ZnO nanofluids for oil-water interfacial tension reduction in enhanced oil recovery. In this paper, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystallites were prepared using the chemical route and explored for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Adsorption of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on calcite (111) surface was investigated using the adsorption locator module of Materials Studio software. It was found that ZnO nanoparticles show maximum adsorption energy of - 253 kcal/mol. The adsorption of ZnO on the rock surface changes the wettability which results in capillary force reduction and consequently increasing EOR. The nanofluids have been prepared by varying the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles to find the optimum value for surface tension. The surface tension (ST) was calculated with different concentration of ZnO nanoparticles using the pendant drop method. The results show a maximum value of ST 35.57 mN/m at 0.3 wt% of ZnO NPs. It was found that the nanofluid with highest surface tension (0.3 wt%) resulted in higher recovery efficiency. The highest recovery factor of 11.82% at 0.3 wt% is due to the oil/water interfacial tension reduction and wettability alteration.

  14. A role of ZnO nanoparticle electrostatic properties in cancer cell cytotoxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wingett D

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Denise Wingett,1–3 Panagiota Louka,1 Catherine B Anders,2 Jianhui Zhang,4 Alex Punnoose2,41Department of Biological Sciences, 2Biomolecular Sciences PhD Program, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 3Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 4Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA Abstract: ZnO nanoparticles (NPs have previously been shown to exhibit selective cytotoxicity against certain types of cancerous cells suggesting their potential use in biomedical applications. In this study, we investigate the effect of surface modification of ZnO NPs on their cytotoxicity to both cancerous and primary T cells. Our results show that polyacrylic acid capping produces negatively charged ZnO NPs that are significantly more toxic compared to uncapped positively charged NPs of identical size and composition. In contrast, the greatest selectivity against cancerous cells relative to normal cells is observed with cationic NPs. In addition, differences in NP cytotoxicity inversely correlate with NP hydrodynamic size, propensity for aggregation, and dissolution profiles. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS was also observed in the toxicity mechanism with anionic NPs generating higher levels of mitochondrial superoxide without appreciably affecting glutathione levels. Additional experiments evaluated the combined effects of charged ZnO NPs and nontoxic cationic or anionic CeO2 NPs. Results show that the CeO2 NPs offer protective effects against cytotoxicity from anionic ZnO NPs via antioxidant properties. Altogether, study data indicate that surface modification of NPs and resulting changes in their surface charge affect the level of intracellular ROS production, which can be ameliorated by the CeO2 ROS scavenger, suggesting that ROS generation is a dominant mechanism of ZnO NP cytotoxicity. These findings demonstrate the importance of surface electrostatic

  15. Organometallic synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for gas sensing: towards selectivity through nanoparticles morphology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryzhikov, Andrey; Jońca, Justyna; Kahn, Myrtil; Fajerwerg, Katia [Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (LCC), CNRS (France); Chaudret, Bruno [Laboratoire de Physique et de Chimie de Nano-objets (LPCNO), INSA, UPS, CNRS (France); Chapelle, Audrey [Laboratoire d’Analyse et d’Architecture des Systèmes (LAAS), CNRS (France); Ménini, Philippe [Université Toulouse III, Paul Sabatier (France); Shim, Chang Hyun [Laboratoire d’Analyse et d’Architecture des Systèmes (LAAS), CNRS (France); Gaudon, Alain [Alpha M.O.S. SA (France); Fau, Pierre, E-mail: pierre.fau@lcc-toulouse.fr [Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (LCC), CNRS (France)

    2015-07-15

    ZnO nanoparticles (NP) with different morphologies such as nanorods (NR), isotropic NP, and cloud-like (CL) structures have been synthesized by an organometallic route. The prepared ZnO nanostructures have been deposited on miniaturized silicon gas sensor substrates by an inkjet method, and their responses to CO, C{sub 3}H{sub 8}, and NH{sub 3} gases have been studied at different operating temperatures (340–500 °C) and relative humidity of 50 %. It is noteworthy that the morphology of the nanostructure of the sensitive layer is maintained after thermal treatment. The morphology of ZnO NP significantly influences the sensor response level and their selectivity properties to reducing gases. Among the three different ZnO types, sensors prepared with NR show the highest response to both CO and C{sub 3}H{sub 8}. Sensors made of isotropic NP and CL structures show a lower but similar response to CO. From all investigated nanostructures, sensors made of CL structures show the weakest response to C{sub 3}H{sub 8}. With NH{sub 3} gas, no effect of the morphology of the ZnO sensitive layer has been evidenced. These different responses highlight the important role of the nanostructure of the ZnO sensitive layer and the nature of the target gas on the detection properties of the sensors. Graphical Abstract: Three different ZnO nanoparticles morphologies (cloud-like, dots, rods) have been employed as sensitive layers in chemoresistive sensors for the selective detection of CO, C{sub 3}H{sub 8} and NH{sub 3}.

  16. ZnO nanoparticles via Moringa oleifera green synthesis: Physical properties & mechanism of formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matinise, N.; Fuku, X.G.; Kaviyarasu, K.; Mayedwa, N.; Maaza, M.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticlesl by green process using Moringa Oliefera extract. • Electrochemical studies were confirmed by cyclic and Square wave voltammetry. • XRD, HRTEM, TGA/DSC, FTIR were used to characterized the nanoparticles. - Abstract: The research work involves the development of better and reliable method for the bio-fabrication of Zinc oxide nanoparticles through green method using Moringa Oleifera extract as an effective chelating agent. The electrochemical activity, crystalline structure, morphology, isothermal behavior, chemical composition and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles were studied using various characterization techniques i.e. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Selected area electron diffraction (SEAD), Differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric analysis (DSC/TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared analysis (FTIR) and Ultraviolet spectroscopy studies (UV–vis). The electrochemical analysis proved that the ZnO nano has high electrochemical activity without any modifications and therefore are considered as a potential candidate in electrochemical applications. The XRD pattern confirmed the crystallinity and pure phase of the sample. DSC/TGA analysis of ZnO sample (before anneal) revealed three endothermic peaks around 140.8 °C, 223.7 °C and 389.5 °C. These endothermic peaks are attributed to the loss of volatile surfactant, conversion of zinc hydroxide to zinc oxide nanoparticles and transformation of zinc oxide into zinc nanoparticles. Mechanisms of formation of the ZnO nanoparticles via the chemical reaction of the Zinc nitrate precursor with the bioactive compounds of the Moringa oleifera are proposed for each of the major family compounds: Vitamins, Flavonoids, and Phenolic acids.

  17. ZnO nanoparticles via Moringa oleifera green synthesis: Physical properties & mechanism of formation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matinise, N., E-mail: nmatinise@tlabs.ac.za [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Western Cape (South Africa); Fuku, X.G., E-mail: fuku@tlabs.ac.za [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Western Cape (South Africa); Kaviyarasu, K., E-mail: kasinathankariyarasu@gmail.com [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Western Cape (South Africa); Mayedwa, N., E-mail: nmyedi@gmail.com [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Western Cape (South Africa); Maaza, M., E-mail: maaza@tlabs.ac.za [UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanoscience-Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa, Muckleneuk Ridge, PO Box 392, Pretoria (South Africa); Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, PO Box 722, Western Cape (South Africa)

    2017-06-01

    Highlights: • Biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticlesl by green process using Moringa Oliefera extract. • Electrochemical studies were confirmed by cyclic and Square wave voltammetry. • XRD, HRTEM, TGA/DSC, FTIR were used to characterized the nanoparticles. - Abstract: The research work involves the development of better and reliable method for the bio-fabrication of Zinc oxide nanoparticles through green method using Moringa Oleifera extract as an effective chelating agent. The electrochemical activity, crystalline structure, morphology, isothermal behavior, chemical composition and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles were studied using various characterization techniques i.e. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Selected area electron diffraction (SEAD), Differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric analysis (DSC/TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared analysis (FTIR) and Ultraviolet spectroscopy studies (UV–vis). The electrochemical analysis proved that the ZnO nano has high electrochemical activity without any modifications and therefore are considered as a potential candidate in electrochemical applications. The XRD pattern confirmed the crystallinity and pure phase of the sample. DSC/TGA analysis of ZnO sample (before anneal) revealed three endothermic peaks around 140.8 °C, 223.7 °C and 389.5 °C. These endothermic peaks are attributed to the loss of volatile surfactant, conversion of zinc hydroxide to zinc oxide nanoparticles and transformation of zinc oxide into zinc nanoparticles. Mechanisms of formation of the ZnO nanoparticles via the chemical reaction of the Zinc nitrate precursor with the bioactive compounds of the Moringa oleifera are proposed for each of the major family compounds: Vitamins, Flavonoids, and Phenolic acids.

  18. Extracellular biosynthesis of monodispersed gold nanoparticles by a SAM capping route

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Li; Lin Zhonghua; Gu Pingying; Zhou Jianzhang; Yao Bingxing; Chen Guoliang; Fu Jinkun

    2009-01-01

    Monodispersed gold nanoparticles capped with a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol were biosynthesized extracellularly by an efficient, simple, and environmental friendly procedure, which involved the use of Bacillus megatherium D01 as the reducing agent and the use of dodecanethiol as the capping ligand at 26 o C. The kinetics of gold nanoparticle formation was followed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was shown that reaction time was an important parameter in controlling the morphology of gold nanoparticles. The effect of thiol on the shape, size, and dispersity of gold nanoparticles was also studied. The results showed that the presence of thiol during the biosynthesis could induce the formation of small size gold nanoparticles (<2.5 nm), hold the shape of spherical nanoparticles, and promote the monodispersity of nanoparticles. Through the modulation of reaction time and the use of thiol, monodispersed spherical gold nanoparticles capped with thiol of 1.9 ± 0.8 nm size were formed by using Bacillus megatherium D01.

  19. Extracellular biosynthesis of monodispersed gold nanoparticles by a SAM capping route

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen Li [Xiamen University, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China); Lin Zhonghua [Xiamen University, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces (China); Gu Pingying [Xiamen University, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China); Zhou Jianzhang [Xiamen University, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces (China); Yao Bingxing [Xiamen University, School of Life Sciences (China); Chen Guoliang; Fu Jinkun, E-mail: wenli_1976@163.co [Xiamen University, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China)

    2009-02-15

    Monodispersed gold nanoparticles capped with a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol were biosynthesized extracellularly by an efficient, simple, and environmental friendly procedure, which involved the use of Bacillus megatherium D01 as the reducing agent and the use of dodecanethiol as the capping ligand at 26 {sup o}C. The kinetics of gold nanoparticle formation was followed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was shown that reaction time was an important parameter in controlling the morphology of gold nanoparticles. The effect of thiol on the shape, size, and dispersity of gold nanoparticles was also studied. The results showed that the presence of thiol during the biosynthesis could induce the formation of small size gold nanoparticles (<2.5 nm), hold the shape of spherical nanoparticles, and promote the monodispersity of nanoparticles. Through the modulation of reaction time and the use of thiol, monodispersed spherical gold nanoparticles capped with thiol of 1.9 {+-} 0.8 nm size were formed by using Bacillus megatherium D01.

  20. Synthesizing Zno Nanoparticles by High-Energy Milling and Investigating Their Antimicrobial Effect

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N Mohammadi

    2015-07-01

    Results: The study results demonstrated that size of the synthesized nanoparticles was within the range of 20 -90 nm and their morphology was reported as nanorod and nanoparticles with multifaceted cross-section. An increase in the density of nanoparticles resulted in a rise in the antimicrobial effect. Moreover, Staphylococcus aureus bacteria inhibition zone was 3±0.5 and 7±0.5 mm respectively at the density of 6 and 10 mM. The MIC and MBC of ZnO nanoparticles provided for Staphylococcus aureus were observed 3±3 and 2.5±0 mg/ml, whereas they were reported 7.5±0 and 8±0 mg/ml for Escherichia coli bacteria. Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed that ZnO nanomaterials could be synthesized by applying high-energy milling on micron-scaled ZnO particles. In addition, they can be utilized in food packaging and preservation process.

  1. Oleic acid capped PbS nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and tribological properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Shuang; Liu Weimin

    2006-01-01

    Oleic acid (OA) capped PbS nanoparticles were chemically synthesized and characterized by means of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray electron diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The triboligical properties of the capped PbS nanoparticles as additive in liquid paraffin was investigated using a four-ball machine. The lubricating mechanisms were discussed along with the analyses results of XPS and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results show that OA-capped PbS nanoparticles, with an average diameter of about 8 nm, are able to prevent water adsorption, oxidation and are capable of being dispersed stably in organic solvents or mineral oil. OA-capped PbS nanoparticles as an additive in liquid paraffin perform good antiwear and friction-reduction properties owing to the formation of a boundary film

  2. Extracellular biosynthesis of monodispersed gold nanoparticles by a SAM capping route

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Li; Lin, Zhonghua; Gu, Pingying; Zhou, Jianzhang; Yao, Bingxing; Chen, Guoliang; Fu, Jinkun

    2009-02-01

    Monodispersed gold nanoparticles capped with a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiol were biosynthesized extracellularly by an efficient, simple, and environmental friendly procedure, which involved the use of Bacillus megatherium D01 as the reducing agent and the use of dodecanethiol as the capping ligand at 26 °C. The kinetics of gold nanoparticle formation was followed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was shown that reaction time was an important parameter in controlling the morphology of gold nanoparticles. The effect of thiol on the shape, size, and dispersity of gold nanoparticles was also studied. The results showed that the presence of thiol during the biosynthesis could induce the formation of small size gold nanoparticles (gold nanoparticles capped with thiol of 1.9 ± 0.8 nm size were formed by using Bacillus megatherium D01.

  3. Synthesis and Characterization of Antireflective ZnO Nanoparticles Coatings Used for Energy Improving Efficiency of Silicone Solar Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pîslaru-Dǎnescu, Lucian; Chitanu, Elena; El-Leathey, Lucia-Andreea; Marinescu, Virgil; Marin, Dorian; Sbârcea, Beatrice-Gabriela

    2018-03-01

    The paper proposes a new and complex process for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles for antireflective coating corresponding to silicone solar cells applications. The process consists of two major steps: preparation of seed layer and hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanoparticles. Due to the fact that the seed layer morphology influences the ZnO nanoparticles proprieties, the process optimization of the seed layer preparation is necessary. Following the hydrothermal growth of the ZnO nanoparticles, antireflective coating of silicone solar cells is achieved. After determining the functional parameters of the solar cells provided either with glass or with ZnO, it is concluded that all the parameters values are superior in the case of solar cells with ZnO antireflection coating and are increasing along with the solar irradiance.

  4. Controlled synthesis of PbS-Au nanostar-nanoparticle heterodimers and cap-like Au nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Nana; Li, Lianshan; Huang, Teng; Qi, Limin

    2010-11-01

    Uniform PbS-Au nanostar-nanoparticle heterodimers consisting of one Au nanoparticle grown on one horn of a well-defined six-horn PbS nanostar were prepared using the PbS nanostars as growth substrates for the selective deposition of Au nanoparticles. The size of the Au nanoparticles on the horns of the PbS nanostars could be readily adjusted by changing the PbS concentration for the deposition of Au nanoparticles. An optimum cetyltrimethylammonium bromide concentration and temperature were essential for the selective deposition of uniform Au nanoparticles on single horns of the PbS nanostars. Unusual PbS-Au nanoframe-nanoparticle heterodimers were obtained by etching the PbS-Au nanostar-nanoparticle heterodimers with oxalic acid while novel cap-like Au nanoparticles were obtained by etching with hydrochloric acid. The obtained heterodimeric nanostructures and cap-like nanoparticles are promising candidates for anisotropic nanoscale building blocks for the controllable assembly of useful, complex architectures.

  5. Sea-Urchin-Like ZnO Nanoparticle Film for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng-Wen Ma

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We present novel sea-urchin-like ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using a chemical solution method. Solution approaches to synthesizing ZnO nanostructures have several advantages including low growth temperatures and high potential for scaling up. We investigated the influence of reaction times on the thickness and morphology of sea-urchin-like ZnO nanoparticles, and XRD patterns show strong intensity in every direction. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs were developed using the synthesized ZnO nanostructures as photoanodes. The DSSCs comprised a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO glass with dense ZnO nanostructures as the working electrode, a platinized FTO glass as the counter electrode, N719-based dye, and I-/I3-liquid electrolyte. The DSSC fabricated using such nanostructures yielded a high power conversion efficiency of 1.16% with an incident photo-to-current efficiency (IPCE as high as 15.32%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was applied to investigate the characteristics of DSSCs. An improvement in the electron transport in the ZnO photoanode was also observed.

  6. Influence of Nanosized Silicon Oxide on the Luminescent Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitaliy Shvalagin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available For practical use of nanosized zinc oxide as the phosphor its luminescence quantum yields should be maximized. The aim of this work was to enhance luminescent properties of ZnO nanoparticles and obtain high-luminescent ZnO/SiO2 composites using simpler approaches to colloidal synthesis. The luminescence intensity of zinc oxide nanoparticles was increased about 3 times by addition of silica nanocrystals to the source solutions during the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles. Then the quantum yield of luminescence of the obtained ZnO/SiO2 composites is more than 30%. Such an impact of silica is suggested to be caused by the distribution of ZnO nanocrystals on the surface of silica, which reduces the probability of separation of photogenerated charges between the zinc oxide nanoparticles of different sizes, and as a consequence, there is a significant increase of the luminescence intensity of ZnO nanoparticles. This way of increasing nano-ZnO luminescence intensity facilitates its use in a variety of devices, including optical ultraviolet and visible screens, luminescent markers, antibacterial coatings, luminescent solar concentrators, luminescent inks for security printing, and food packaging with abilities of informing consumers about the quality and safety of the packaged product.

  7. In vitro antibacterial activity of ZnO and Nd doped ZnO nanoparticles against ESBL producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hameed, Abdulrahman Syedahamed Haja; Karthikeyan, Chandrasekaran; Ahamed, Abdulazees Parveez; Thajuddin, Nooruddin; Alharbi, Naiyf S.; Alharbi, Sulaiman Ali; Ravi, Ganasan

    2016-04-01

    Pure ZnO and Neodymium (Nd) doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. The synthesized nanoparticles retained the wurtzite hexagonal structure. From FESEM studies, ZnO and Nd doped ZnO NPs showed nanorod and nanoflower like morphology respectively. The FT-IR spectra confirmed the Zn-O stretching bands at 422 and 451 cm-1 for ZnO and Nd doped ZnO NPs respectively. From the UV-VIS spectroscopic measurement, the excitonic peaks were found around 373 nm and 380 nm for the respective samples. The photoluminescence measurements revealed that the broad emission was composed of ten different bands due to zinc vacancies, oxygen vacancies and surface defects. The antibacterial studies performed against extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed that the Nd doped ZnO NPs possessed a greater antibacterial effect than the pure ZnO NPs. From confocal laser scanning microscopic (CLSM) analysis, the apoptotic nature of the cells was confirmed by the cell shrinkage, disorganization of cell wall and cell membrane and dead cell of the bacteria. SEM analysis revealed the existence of bacterial loss of viability due to an impairment of cell membrane integrity, which was highly consistent with the damage of cell walls.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2009-01-01

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

  9. Trioctylphosphine-assisted morphology control of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Yun-Kun; Cho, GeonHee; Park, YoonSu; Oh, Soong Ju; Ha, Don-Hyung

    2018-06-01

    This study investigates the morphological change in colloidal ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized with trioctylphosphine (TOP). The addition of TOP to the synthesis causes an evolution in the shape of ZnO NPs to tadpole-like particles from quasi-spherical particles at 300 °C. The total length of the tadpole-like ZnO NPs can be modified by controlling the molar ratio of TOP to oleylamine (OLAM). The tadpole-like particles are elongated as the concentration of TOP increased but decreased when the addition of TOP is excessive. These tadpole-like ZnO NPs transform to quasi-spherical NPs regardless of the amount of TOP at a reaction time of 3 h at 300 °C. At 200 °C, the effect of TOP on the ZnO NP synthesis differs from that at 300 °C. The ZnO NPs synthesized by controlling the molar ratios of surfactant ligands (TOP:OLAM = 2:100 and 70:100) at 200 °C share similar amorphous structures, while a crystalline ZnO phase is formed when the reaction time is 3 h. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows that TOP influences the oxidation of ZnO and suggests that a combination of OLAM and TOP plays a role in controlling the shape of ZnO NPs. These results provide critical insights to the utilization of TOP for a shape controlling ligand in ZnO NPs and suggest a new route to design oxide NPs.

  10. In situ formation deposited ZnO nanoparticles on silk fabrics under ultrasound irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanjani, Somayeh; Morsali, Ali; Joo, Sang W

    2013-03-01

    Deposition of zinc(II) oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the surface of silk fabrics was prepared by sequential dipping steps in alternating bath of potassium hydroxide and zinc nitrate under ultrasound irradiation. This coating involves in situ generation and deposition of ZnO in a one step. The effects of ultrasound irradiation, concentration and sequential dipping steps on growth of the ZnO nanoparticles have been studied. Results show a decrease in the particles size as increasing power of ultrasound irradiation. Also, increasing of the concentration and sequential dipping steps increase particle size. The physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles were determined by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Synthesis, characteristics and antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janaki, A. Chinnammal; Sailatha, E.; Gunasekaran, S.

    2015-06-01

    The utilization of various plant resources for the bio synthesis of metallic nano particles is called green technology and it does not utilize any harmful protocols. Present study focuses on the green synthesis of ZnO nano particles by Zinc Carbonate and utilizing the bio-components of powder extract of dry ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale). The ZnO nano crystallites of average size range of 23-26 nm have been synthesized by rapid, simple and eco friendly method. Zinc oxide nano particles were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). FTIR spectra confirmed the adsorption of surfactant molecules at the surface of ZnO nanoparticles and the presence of ZnO bonding. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO nano particles was done by well diffusion method against pathogenic organisms like Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans and Penicillium notatum. It is observed that the ZnO synthesized in the process has the efficient antimicrobial activity.

  12. Physico-chemical changes of ZnO nanoparticles with different size and surface chemistry under physiological pH conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gwak, Gyeong-Hyeon; Lee, Won-Jae; Paek, Seung-Min; Oh, Jae-Min

    2015-03-01

    We studied the physico-chemical properties of ZnO nanoparticles under physiological pH conditions (gastric, intestinal and plasma) as functions of their size (20 and 70 nm) and surface chemistry (pristine, L-serine, or citrate coating). ZnO nanoparticles were dispersed in phosphate buffered saline under physiological pH conditions and aliquots were collected at specific time points (0.5, 1, 4, 10 and 24 h) for further characterization. The pH values of the aqueous ZnO colloids at each condition were in the neutral to slightly basic range and showed different patterns depending on the original size and surface chemistry of the ZnO nanoparticles. The gastric pH condition was found to significantly dissolve ZnO nanoparticles up to 18-30 wt%, while the intestinal or plasma pH conditions resulted in much lower dissolution amounts than expected. Based on the X-ray diffraction patterns and X-ray absorption spectra, we identified partial phase transition of the ZnO nanoparticles from wurtzite to Zn(OH)2 under the intestinal and plasma pH conditions. Using scanning electron microscopy, we verified that the overall particle size and morphology of all ZnO nanoparticles were maintained regardless of the pH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Simulation studies on structural and thermal properties of alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Devi, J Meena

    2017-06-01

    The structural and thermal properties of the passivated gold nanoparticles were explored employing molecular dynamics simulation for the different surface coverage densities of the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of alkane thiol. The structural properties of the monolayer protected gold nanoparticles such us overall shape, organization and conformation of the capping alkane thiol chains were found to be influenced by the capping density. The structural order of the thiol capped gold nanoparticles enhances with the increase in the surface coverage density. The specific heat capacity of the alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles was found to increase linearly with the thiol coverage density. This may be attributed to the enhancement in the lattice vibrational energy. The present simulation results suggest, that the structural and thermal properties of the alkane thiol capped gold nanoparticles may be modified by the suitable selection of the SAM coverage density. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Preferential killing of cancer cells and activated human T cells using ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hanley, Cory; Layne, Janet; Feris, Kevin; Wingett, Denise [Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725 (United States); Punnoose, Alex; Reddy, K M; Coombs, Isaac; Coombs, Andrew [Department of Physics, Boise State University, Boise, ID 83725 (United States)], E-mail: denisewingett@boisestate.edu

    2008-07-23

    Nanoparticles are increasingly being recognized for their potential utility in biological applications including nanomedicine. Here we examine the response of normal human cells to ZnO nanoparticles under different signaling environments and compare it to the response of cancerous cells. ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a strong preferential ability to kill cancerous T cells ({approx}28-35 x) compared to normal cells. Interestingly, the activation state of the cell contributes toward nanoparticle toxicity, as resting T cells display a relative resistance while cells stimulated through the T cell receptor and CD28 costimulatory pathway show greater toxicity in direct relation to the level of activation. Mechanisms of toxicity appear to involve the generation of reactive oxygen species, with cancerous T cells producing higher inducible levels than normal T cells. In addition, nanoparticles were found to induce apoptosis and the inhibition of reactive oxygen species was found to be protective against nanoparticle induced cell death. The novel findings of cell selective toxicity, towards potential disease causing cells, indicate a potential utility of ZnO nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer and/or autoimmunity.

  15. Preferential killing of cancer cells and activated human T cells using ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanley, Cory; Layne, Janet; Feris, Kevin; Wingett, Denise; Punnoose, Alex; Reddy, K M; Coombs, Isaac; Coombs, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    Nanoparticles are increasingly being recognized for their potential utility in biological applications including nanomedicine. Here we examine the response of normal human cells to ZnO nanoparticles under different signaling environments and compare it to the response of cancerous cells. ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a strong preferential ability to kill cancerous T cells (∼28-35 x) compared to normal cells. Interestingly, the activation state of the cell contributes toward nanoparticle toxicity, as resting T cells display a relative resistance while cells stimulated through the T cell receptor and CD28 costimulatory pathway show greater toxicity in direct relation to the level of activation. Mechanisms of toxicity appear to involve the generation of reactive oxygen species, with cancerous T cells producing higher inducible levels than normal T cells. In addition, nanoparticles were found to induce apoptosis and the inhibition of reactive oxygen species was found to be protective against nanoparticle induced cell death. The novel findings of cell selective toxicity, towards potential disease causing cells, indicate a potential utility of ZnO nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer and/or autoimmunity

  16. Light-induced antifungal activity of TiO2 nanoparticles/ZnO nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haghighi, N.; Abdi, Y.; Haghighi, F.

    2011-01-01

    Antifungal activity of TiO 2 /ZnO nanostructures under visible light irradiation was investigated. A simple chemical method was used to synthesize ZnO nanowires. Zinc acetate dihydrate, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone and deionized water were used as precursor, capping and solvent, respectively. TiO 2 nanoparticles were deposited on ZnO nanowires using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition system. X-ray diffraction pattern of TiO 2 /ZnO nano-composite has represented the diffraction peaks relating to the crystal planes of the TiO 2 (anatase and rutile) and ZnO. TiO 2 /ZnO nanostructure antifungal effect on Candida albicans biofilms was studied and compared with the activity of TiO 2 nanoparticles and ZnO nanowires. The high efficiency photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 nanoparticles leads to increased antifungal activity of ZnO nanowires. Scanning electron microscope was utilized to study the morphology of the as prepared nanostructures and the degradation of the yeast.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2015-09-01

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

  18. ZnO Nanoparticles Affect Bacillus subtilis Cell Growth and Biofilm Formation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Huang Hsueh

    Full Text Available Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs are an important antimicrobial additive in many industrial applications. However, mass-produced ZnO NPs are ultimately disposed of in the environment, which can threaten soil-dwelling microorganisms that play important roles in biodegradation, nutrient recycling, plant protection, and ecological balance. This study sought to understand how ZnO NPs affect Bacillus subtilis, a plant-beneficial bacterium ubiquitously found in soil. The impact of ZnO NPs on B. subtilis growth, FtsZ ring formation, cytosolic protein activity, and biofilm formation were assessed, and our results show that B. subtilis growth is inhibited by high concentrations of ZnO NPs (≥ 50 ppm, with cells exhibiting a prolonged lag phase and delayed medial FtsZ ring formation. RedoxSensor and Phag-GFP fluorescence data further show that at ZnO-NP concentrations above 50 ppm, B. subtilis reductase activity, membrane stability, and protein expression all decrease. SDS-PAGE Stains-All staining results and FT-IR data further demonstrate that ZnO NPs negatively affect exopolysaccharide production. Moreover, it was found that B. subtilis biofilm surface structures became smooth under ZnO-NP concentrations of only 5-10 ppm, with concentrations ≤ 25 ppm significantly reducing biofilm formation activity. XANES and EXAFS spectra analysis further confirmed the presence of ZnO in co-cultured B. subtilis cells, which suggests penetration of cell membranes by either ZnO NPs or toxic Zn+ ions from ionized ZnO NPs, the latter of which may be deionized to ZnO within bacterial cells. Together, these results demonstrate that ZnO NPs can affect B. subtilis viability through the inhibition of cell growth, cytosolic protein expression, and biofilm formation, and suggest that future ZnO-NP waste management strategies would do well to mitigate the potential environmental impact engendered by the disposal of these nanoparticles.

  19. Methodology for sample preparation and size measurement of commercial ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pei-Jia Lu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This study discusses the strategies on sample preparation to acquire images with sufficient quality for size characterization by scanning electron microscope (SEM using two commercial ZnO nanoparticles of different surface properties as a demonstration. The central idea is that micrometer sized aggregates of ZnO in powdered forms need to firstly be broken down to nanosized particles through an appropriate process to generate nanoparticle dispersion before being deposited on a flat surface for SEM observation. Analytical tools such as contact angle, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential have been utilized to optimize the procedure for sample preparation and to check the quality of the results. Meanwhile, measurements of zeta potential values on flat surfaces also provide critical information and save lots of time and efforts in selection of suitable substrate for particles of different properties to be attracted and kept on the surface without further aggregation. This simple, low-cost methodology can be generally applied on size characterization of commercial ZnO nanoparticles with limited information from vendors. Keywords: Zinc oxide, Nanoparticles, Methodology

  20. ZnO nanoparticle as catalyst for efficient green one-pot synthesis of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles functions as highly effective catalyst for the reactions of various o-hydroxy ... the synthesis of relatively large and complex molecules .... of ethylene diamine in hydrothermal ZnO nanorod syn- thesis. Di- and ...

  1. Influence of thiol capping on the photoluminescence properties of L-cysteine-, mercaptoethanol- and mercaptopropionic acid-capped ZnS nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiwari, A; Dhoble, S J; Kher, R S

    2015-11-01

    Mercaptoethanol (ME), mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and L-cysteine (L-Cys) having -SH functional groups were used as surface passivating agents for the wet chemical synthesis of ZnS nanoparticles. The effect of the thiol group on the optical and photoluminescence (PL) properties of ZnS nanoparticles was studied. L-Cysteine-capped ZnS nanoparticles showed the highest PL intensity among the studied capping agents, with a PL emission peak at 455 nm. The PL intensity was found to be dependent on the concentration of Zn(2+) and S(2-) precursors. The effect of buffer on the PL intensity of L-Cys-capped ZnS nanoparticles was also studied. UV/Vis spectra showed blue shifting of the absorption edge. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Room-temperature ferromagnetism in hydrogenated ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Xudong; Liu, Liangliang; Wang, Zhu; Wu, Yichu

    2014-01-01

    The effect of hydrogen doping on the magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. Hydrogen was incorporated by annealing under 5% H2 in Ar ambient at 700 °C. Room-temperature ferromagnetism was induced in hydrogenated ZnO nanoparticles, and the observed ferromagnetism could be switched between "on" and "off" states through hydrogen annealing and oxygen annealing process, respectively. It was found that Zn vacancy and OH bonding complex (VZn + OH) was crucial to the observed ferromagnetism by using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy analysis. Based on first-principles calculations, VZn + OH was favorable to be presented due to the low formation energy. Meanwhile, this configuration could lead to a magnetic moment of 0.57 μB. The Raman and photoluminescence measurements excluded the possibility of oxygen vacancy as the origin of the ferromagnetism.

  3. Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells based on ZnO nanoparticle and nanorod array hybrid photoanodes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sue Hung-Jue

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The effect of ZnO photoanode morphology on the performance of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs is reported. Four different structures of dye-loaded ZnO layers have been fabricated in conjunction with poly(3-hexylthiophene. A significant improvement in device efficiency with ZnO nanorod arrays as photoanodes has been achieved by filling the interstitial voids of the nanorod arrays with ZnO nanoparticles. The overall power conversion efficiency increases from 0.13% for a nanorod-only device to 0.34% for a device with combined nanoparticles and nanorod arrays. The higher device efficiency in solid-state DSSCs with hybrid nanorod/nanoparticle photoanodes is originated from both large surface area provided by nanoparticles for dye adsorption and efficient charge transport provided by the nanorod arrays to reduce the recombinations of photogenerated carriers.

  4. ZnO nanoparticles via Moringa oleifera green synthesis: Physical properties & mechanism of formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matinise, N.; Fuku, X. G.; Kaviyarasu, K.; Mayedwa, N.; Maaza, M.

    2017-06-01

    The research work involves the development of better and reliable method for the bio-fabrication of Zinc oxide nanoparticles through green method using Moringa Oleifera extract as an effective chelating agent. The electrochemical activity, crystalline structure, morphology, isothermal behavior, chemical composition and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles were studied using various characterization techniques i.e. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Selected area electron diffraction (SEAD), Differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetric analysis (DSC/TGA), Fourier Transform Infrared analysis (FTIR) and Ultraviolet spectroscopy studies (UV-vis). The electrochemical analysis proved that the ZnO nano has high electrochemical activity without any modifications and therefore are considered as a potential candidate in electrochemical applications. The XRD pattern confirmed the crystallinity and pure phase of the sample. DSC/TGA analysis of ZnO sample (before anneal) revealed three endothermic peaks around 140.8 °C, 223.7 °C and 389.5 °C. These endothermic peaks are attributed to the loss of volatile surfactant, conversion of zinc hydroxide to zinc oxide nanoparticles and transformation of zinc oxide into zinc nanoparticles. Mechanisms of formation of the ZnO nanoparticles via the chemical reaction of the Zinc nitrate precursor with the bioactive compounds of the Moringa oleifera are proposed for each of the major family compounds: Vitamins, Flavonoids, and Phenolic acids.

  5. Effects of subtoxic concentrations of TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles on human lymphocytes, dendritic cells and exosome production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Andersson-Willman, Britta; Gehrmann, Ulf; Cansu, Zekiye [Translational Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden); Buerki-Thurnherr, Tina; Krug, Harald F. [Laboratory for Materials — Biology Interactions, Swiss Federal Laboratories of Materials Testing and Research, St. Gallen (Switzerland); Gabrielsson, Susanne [Translational Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden); Scheynius, Annika, E-mail: annika.scheynius@ki.se [Translational Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden)

    2012-10-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles are widely used in the paint and coating industry as well as in cosmetics, but the knowledge of their possible interactions with the immune system is very limited. Our aims were to investigate if commercially available TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles may affect different human immune cells and their production of exosomes, nano-sized vesicles that have a role in cell to cell communication. We found that the TiO{sub 2} or ZnO nanoparticles at concentrations from 1 to 100 μg/mL did not affect the viability of primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In contrast, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC) reacted with a dose dependent increase in cell death and caspase activity to ZnO but not to TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Non-toxic exposure, 10 μg/mL, to TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles did not significantly alter the phenotype of MDDC. Interestingly, ZnO but not TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles induced a down regulation of FcγRIII (CD16) expression on NK-cells in the PBMC population, suggesting that subtoxic concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles might have an effect on FcγR-mediated immune responses. The phenotype and size of exosomes produced by PBMC or MDDC exposed to the nanoparticles were similar to that of exosomes harvested from control cultures. TiO{sub 2} or ZnO nanoparticles could not be detected within or associated to exosomes as analyzed with TEM. We conclude that TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles differently affect immune cells and that evaluations of nanoparticles should be performed even at subtoxic concentrations on different primary human immune cells when investigating potential effects on immune functions. -- Highlights: ► ZnO nanoparticles induce cell death of MDDC but not of PBMC. ► ZnO nanoparticles induce caspase activation and DNA fragmentation in MDDC. ► TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles are taken up by MDDC but have no effect on their phenotype. ► ZnO nanoparticles induce a significant reduction of CD16

  6. Light-induced antifungal activity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles/ZnO nanowires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haghighi, N. [Nano-Physics Research Lab., Department of Physics, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Abdi, Y., E-mail: y.abdi@ut.ac.ir [Nano-Physics Research Lab., Department of Physics, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Haghighi, F. [Department of Medical Mycology, School of Medical sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2011-09-15

    Antifungal activity of TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nanostructures under visible light irradiation was investigated. A simple chemical method was used to synthesize ZnO nanowires. Zinc acetate dihydrate, Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone and deionized water were used as precursor, capping and solvent, respectively. TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were deposited on ZnO nanowires using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition system. X-ray diffraction pattern of TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nano-composite has represented the diffraction peaks relating to the crystal planes of the TiO{sub 2} (anatase and rutile) and ZnO. TiO{sub 2}/ZnO nanostructure antifungal effect on Candida albicans biofilms was studied and compared with the activity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles and ZnO nanowires. The high efficiency photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles leads to increased antifungal activity of ZnO nanowires. Scanning electron microscope was utilized to study the morphology of the as prepared nanostructures and the degradation of the yeast.

  7. Structural, spectroscopic and biological investigation of copper oxides nanoparticles with various capping agents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nowak, A., E-mail: ana.maria.nowak@gmail.com [A. Chelkowski Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Katowice (Poland); Szade, J.; Talik, E.; Ratuszna, A. [A. Chelkowski Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Katowice (Poland); Ostafin, M. [Agricultural University of Cracow, Department of Microbiology, Krakow (Poland); Peszke, J. [A. Chelkowski Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Katowice (Poland)

    2014-06-01

    Powder composed of copper oxides nanoparticles with various capping agents has been synthesized and characterized with the use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), glycol propylene, glycerin and glycerin plus ammonia were used as capping agents. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies showed that nanoparticles form agglomerates with the size from 80 to 120 nm while particles size determined from the XRD experiment was in the range from 7 to 21 nm. XPS and XRD experiments revealed that depending on capping and reducing agents used in the synthesis nanoparticles are composed of Cu{sub 2}O, CuO or a mixture of them. The biological activity test performed for a selected sample where the capping agent was glycerin plus ammonia has shown promising killing/inhibiting behavior, very effective especially for Gram negatives bacteria. - Highlights: • We obtained copper oxide nanoparticles in a powder form. • Several capping agents were tested. • Structural and chemical tests showed that the main component were Cu{sub 2}O and CuO. • The size of nanoparticles was in the range 7–21 nm. • Nanoparticles with glycerin and ammonia capping agent showed good antibacterial properties.

  8. Maple leaf (Acer sp.) extract mediated green process for the functionalization of ZnO powders with silver nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivekanandhan, Singaravelu; Schreiber, Makoto; Mason, Cynthia; Mohanty, Amar Kumar; Misra, Manjusri

    2014-01-01

    The functionalization of ZnO powders with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) through a novel maple leaf extract mediated biological process was demonstrated. Maple leaf extract was found to be a very effective bioreduction agent for the reduction of silver ions. The reduction rate of Ag(+) into Ag(0) was found to be much faster than other previously reported bioreduction rates and was comparable to the reduction rates obtained through chemical means. The functionalization of ZnO particles with silver nanoparticles through maple leaf extract mediated bioreduction of silver was investigated through UV-visible spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was found that the ZnO particles were coated with silver nanoparticles 5-20 nm in diameter. The photocatalytic ability of the ZnO particles functionalized with silver nanoparticles was found to be significantly improved compared to the photocatalytic ability of the neat ZnO particles. The silver functionalized ZnO particles reached 90% degradation of the dye an hour before the neat ZnO particles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Nanoscaled Electrocatalytic Optically Modulated ZnO Nanoparticles through Green Process of Punica granatum L. and Their Antibacterial Activities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xolile Fuku

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Most recently, green synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles has become an interesting subject of the nanoscience and nanotechnology. The use of plant systems has been deemed a green route and a dependable method for nanoparticle biosynthesis, owing to its environmental friendly nature. The present work demonstrates the bioreductive green synthesis of nanosized zinc oxide (ZnO using peel extracts of pomegranate. Highly crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs which are 5 nm in particle size were characterised by HRTEM and XRD. FT-IR spectra confirmed the presence of the biomolecules and formation of plant protein-coated ZnO NPs and also the pure ZnO NPs. Electrochemical investigation revealed the redox properties and the conductivity of the as-prepared ZnO nanoparticles. The optical band gap of ZnO NPs was calculated to be 3.48 eV which indicates that ZnO NPs can be used in metal oxide semiconductor-based devices. Further, the nanomaterials were also found to be good inhibitors of bacterial strains at both low and high concentrations of 5–10 mg mL−1.

  10. Oxygen vacancy induced by La and Fe into ZnO nanoparticles to modify ferromagnetic ordering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verma, Kuldeep Chand; Kotnala, R.K.

    2016-01-01

    We reported long-range ferromagnetic interactions in La doped Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O nanoparticles that mediated through lattice defects or vacancies. Zn 0.92 Fe 0.05 La 0.03 O (ZFLaO53) nanoparticles were synthesized by a sol–gel process. X-ray fluorescence spectrum of ZFLaO53 detects the weight percentage of Zn, Fe, La and O. X-ray diffraction shows the hexagonal Wurtzite ZnO phase. The Rietveld refinement has been used to calculate the lattice parameters and the position of Zn, Fe, La and O atoms in the Wurtzite unit cell. The average size of ZFLaO53 nanoparticles is 99 nm. The agglomeration type product due to OH ions with La results into ZnO nanoparticles than nanorods that found in pure ZnO and Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O sample. The effect of doping concentration to induce Wurtzite ZnO structure and lattice defects has been analyzed by Raman active vibrational modes. Photoluminescence spectra show an abnormal emission in both UV and visible region, and a blue shift at near band edge is formed with doping. The room temperature magnetic measurement result into weak ferromagnetism but pure ZnO is diamagnetic. However, the temperature dependent magnetic measurement using zero-field and field cooling at dc magnetizing field 500 Oe induces long-range ferromagnetic ordering. It results into antiferromagnetic Neel temperature of ZFLaO53 at around 42 K. The magnetic hysteresis is also measured at 200, 100, 50 and 10 K measurement that indicate enhancement in ferromagnetism at low temperature. Overall, the La doping into Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O results into enhanced antiferromagnetic interaction as well as lattice defects/vacancies. The role of the oxygen vacancy as the dominant defects in doped ZnO must form Bound magnetic polarons has been described. - Graphical abstract: The long-range ferromagnetic order in Zn 0.92 Fe 0.05 La 0.03 O nanoparticles at low temperature measurements involves oxygen vacancy as the medium of magnetic interactions. - Highlights: • The La and Fe doping

  11. Hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain functional polythiophenes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Fan; Du, Yanhui; Chen, Yiwang

    2012-01-01

    We report the investigation of the hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells based on the blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and ZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain thiol functional poly(3-thiophenehexanethiol) (P3HT-SH). Grafting of P3HT-SH onto ZnO nanoparticles can promote the dispersion of ZnO nanoparticles within P3HT matrix and facilitate electron injection process into ZnO nanoparticles, resulting in a more efficient photoinduced charge transfer than that in simple physical mixture of P3HT and non-modified ZnO nanoparticles (P3HT/ZnO). Furthermore, the performance of hybrid photovoltaic device based on P3HT/P3HT-SH-modified ZnO blend exhibits an improved device efficiency compared with P3HT/ZnO even before thermal treatment. After being annealed at 80 °C, the P3HT/P3HT-SH-modified ZnO device shows the power conversion efficiency as high as 0.68%, with the short-circuit current density of 1.89 mA/cm 2 , the open-circuit voltage of 0.599 V and a fill factor of 60.5% under AM 1.5 G illumination with 100 mW/cm 2 light intensity. - Highlights: ► Hybrid solar cells based on poly(3-hexylthiophene) and modified ZnO nanoparticlesZnO nanoparticles modified by side-chain functional polythiophenes ► Uniform dispersion and intimate contact between polymers and nanoparticles ► Efficient charge transfer leading to the improvement of device efficiency

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2016-09-15

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

  13. Hierarchical nanoflowers assembled with Au nanoparticles decorated ZnO nanosheets toward enhanced photocatalytic properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yu, Cuiyan; Yu, Yanlong; Xu, Tao

    2017-01-01

    Hierarchical nanoflowers assembled with Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated ZnO nanosheets (Au-ZnO nanosheet flowers, AZNSFs) were successful synthesized. The AZNSFs showed more efficient activity to photodegradation of RhB than that of pure ZnO nanosheet flowers and commercial ZnO nanopowders. The ...

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2016-01-01

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

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2016-08-15

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

  16. Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanus cajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Manjunath, K.; Ravishankar, T.N. [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura Talluk (India); Kumar, Dhanith [Department of Chemistry, B.M.S. Instsitute of Technology, Yelahanka, Bangalore (India); Priyanka, K.P; Varghese, Thomas [Nanoscience Research Centre, Department of Physics, Nirmala College, Muvattupuzha, Kerala (India); Naika, H.Raja [Department of Studies and Research in Environmental Science, Tumkur University, Tumkur (India); Nagabhushana, H. [CNR Rao Center for Advanced Materials, Tumkur University, Tumkur (India); Sharma, S.C. [Chattisgarh Swami Vivekananda Technical University, Bhilai (India); Dupont, J. [Institute of Chemistry, Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis, UFRGS, Porto Alegre (Brazil); Ramakrishnappa, T. [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura Talluk (India); Nagaraju, G., E-mail: nagarajugn@rediffmail.com [Department of Chemistry, B.M.S. Instsitute of Technology, Yelahanka, Bangalore (India)

    2014-09-15

    Graphical abstract: Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanuscajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications.Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a combustible fuel for the first time. The as-prepared product shows good photocatalytic, dielectric, antibacterial, electrochemical properties. - Highlights: • ZnO Nps were synthesized via combustion method using pigeon pea as a fuel. • The structure of the product was confirmed by XRD technique. • The morphology was confirmed by SEM and TEM images. • The as-prepared product shown good photocatalytic activity, dielectric property. • It has also shown good antibacterial and electrochemical properties. - Abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Nps) were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a fuel for the first time. X-Ray diffraction pattern reveals that the product belongs to hexagonal system. FTIR spectrum of ZnO Nps shows the band at 420 cm{sup −1} associated with the characteristic vibration of Zn–O. TEM images show that the nanoparticles are found to be ∼40–80 nm. Furthermore, the as-prepared ZnO Nps exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB), indicating that they are indeed a promising photocatalytic semiconductor. The antibacterial properties of ZnO nanopowders were investigated by their bactericidal activity against four bacterial strains.

  17. Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanus cajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manjunath, K.; Ravishankar, T.N.; Kumar, Dhanith; Priyanka, K.P; Varghese, Thomas; Naika, H.Raja; Nagabhushana, H.; Sharma, S.C.; Dupont, J.; Ramakrishnappa, T.; Nagaraju, G.

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Facile combustion synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using Cajanuscajan (L.) and its multidisciplinary applications.Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a combustible fuel for the first time. The as-prepared product shows good photocatalytic, dielectric, antibacterial, electrochemical properties. - Highlights: • ZnO Nps were synthesized via combustion method using pigeon pea as a fuel. • The structure of the product was confirmed by XRD technique. • The morphology was confirmed by SEM and TEM images. • The as-prepared product shown good photocatalytic activity, dielectric property. • It has also shown good antibacterial and electrochemical properties. - Abstract: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Nps) were successfully synthesized by solution combustion method (SCM) using pigeon pea as a fuel for the first time. X-Ray diffraction pattern reveals that the product belongs to hexagonal system. FTIR spectrum of ZnO Nps shows the band at 420 cm −1 associated with the characteristic vibration of Zn–O. TEM images show that the nanoparticles are found to be ∼40–80 nm. Furthermore, the as-prepared ZnO Nps exhibits good photocatalytic activity for the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB), indicating that they are indeed a promising photocatalytic semiconductor. The antibacterial properties of ZnO nanopowders were investigated by their bactericidal activity against four bacterial strains

  18. Room-temperature ferromagnetism in hydrogenated ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xue, Xudong; Liu, Liangliang; Wang, Zhu; Wu, Yichu

    2014-01-01

    The effect of hydrogen doping on the magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. Hydrogen was incorporated by annealing under 5% H 2 in Ar ambient at 700 °C. Room-temperature ferromagnetism was induced in hydrogenated ZnO nanoparticles, and the observed ferromagnetism could be switched between “on” and “off” states through hydrogen annealing and oxygen annealing process, respectively. It was found that Zn vacancy and OH bonding complex (V Zn  + OH) was crucial to the observed ferromagnetism by using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy analysis. Based on first-principles calculations, V Zn  + OH was favorable to be presented due to the low formation energy. Meanwhile, this configuration could lead to a magnetic moment of 0.57 μ B . The Raman and photoluminescence measurements excluded the possibility of oxygen vacancy as the origin of the ferromagnetism

  19. Kinetics activity of Yersinia Intermedia Against ZnO Nanoparticles Either Synergism Antibiotics by Double-Disc Synergy Test Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fathi Azar Khavarani, Motahareh; Najafi, Mahla; Shakibapour, Zahra; Zaeifi, Davood

    2016-03-01

    Bacterial resistance to the commonly used antibacterial agents is an increasing challenge in the medicine, and a major problem for the health care systems; the control of their spread is a constant challenge for the hospitals. In this study, we have investigated the antimicrobial activity of the Zinc Oxide nanoparticles against clinical sample; Yersinia intermedia bacteria. Nanoparticle susceptibility constants and death kinetic were used to evaluate the antimicrobial characteristics of the Zinc Oxide (ZnO) against the bacteria. Antimicrobial tests were performed with 10 8 cfu.mL -1 at baseline. At first, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of ZnO was determined and then nanoparticle suspension at one and two times of the MIC was used for death kinetic and susceptibility constant assay at 0 to 360 min treatment time. ZnO nanoparticles with size ranging from 10 to 30 nm showed the highest susceptibility reaction against Y. intermedia (Z=39.06 mL.μg -1 ). The process of Y. intermedia death in ZnO suspension was assumed to follow the first-order kinetics and the survival ratio of bacteria decreased with the increasing treatment time. An increased concentration of the nanoparticle was seen to enhance the bactericidal action of the nanoparticle. Then we performed the best ratio of the nanoparticles on semi-sensitive and resistance antibiotic for the bacteria. However, based on experimental results, synergy of ZnO nanoparticles and Oxacilin was determined and Y. intermedia showed a higher sensitivity compared to the ZnO nanoparticles alone. The results of the present study illustrates that ZnO has a strong antimicrobial effect and could potentially be employed to aid the bacterial control. It could also improve- antibacterial effects in combination with the antibiotics.

  20. Effects of subtoxic concentrations of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles on human lymphocytes, dendritic cells and exosome production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson-Willman, Britta; Gehrmann, Ulf; Cansu, Zekiye; Buerki-Thurnherr, Tina; Krug, Harald F; Gabrielsson, Susanne; Scheynius, Annika

    2012-10-01

    Metal oxide nanoparticles are widely used in the paint and coating industry as well as in cosmetics, but the knowledge of their possible interactions with the immune system is very limited. Our aims were to investigate if commercially available TiO(2) and ZnO nanoparticles may affect different human immune cells and their production of exosomes, nano-sized vesicles that have a role in cell to cell communication. We found that the TiO(2) or ZnO nanoparticles at concentrations from 1 to 100μg/mL did not affect the viability of primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In contrast, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC) reacted with a dose dependent increase in cell death and caspase activity to ZnO but not to TiO(2) nanoparticles. Non-toxic exposure, 10μg/mL, to TiO(2) and ZnO nanoparticles did not significantly alter the phenotype of MDDC. Interestingly, ZnO but not TiO(2) nanoparticles induced a down regulation of FcγRIII (CD16) expression on NK-cells in the PBMC population, suggesting that subtoxic concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles might have an effect on FcγR-mediated immune responses. The phenotype and size of exosomes produced by PBMC or MDDC exposed to the nanoparticles were similar to that of exosomes harvested from control cultures. TiO(2) or ZnO nanoparticles could not be detected within or associated to exosomes as analyzed with TEM. We conclude that TiO(2) and ZnO nanoparticles differently affect immune cells and that evaluations of nanoparticles should be performed even at subtoxic concentrations on different primary human immune cells when investigating potential effects on immune functions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Modulation of defect-mediated energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of bilirubin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanujjal Bora

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, nanotechnology has gained significant interest for applications in the medical field. In this regard, a utilization of the ZnO nanoparticles for the efficient degradation of bilirubin (BR through photocatalysis was explored. BR is a water insoluble byproduct of the heme catabolism that can cause jaundice when its excretion is impaired. The photocatalytic degradation of BR activated by ZnO nanoparticles through a non-radiative energy transfer pathway can be influenced by the surface defect-states (mainly the oxygen vacancies of the catalyst nanoparticles. These were modulated by applying a simple annealing in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The mechanism of the energy transfer process between the ZnO nanoparticles and the BR molecules adsorbed at the surface was studied by using steady-state and picosecond-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. A correlation of photocatalytic degradation and time-correlated single photon counting studies revealed that the defect-engineered ZnO nanoparticles that were obtained through post-annealing treatments led to an efficient decomposition of BR molecules that was enabled by Förster resonance energy transfer.

  2. Characterization and photocatalytic properties of cotton fibers modified with ZnO nanoparticles using sol–gel spin coating technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohamed Shaban

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs were prepared using the sol–gel method. Cotton fibers were loaded with ZnO nanoparticles using sol–gel spin coating technique. The prepared ZnO NPs and ZnO-coated cotton were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX. The self-cleaning property of ZnO-coated cotton and the photocatalytic removal of methyl orange dye from the contaminated water and cotton fibers were studied by measuring the optical absorbance after exposure to sunlight and Philips 200W lamp illumination. The results showed that the cotton loaded with ZnO nanoparticles could efficiently decompose 73% of methyl orange dye in the sunlight and 30.7% in the lamp illumination after 12 hours. ZnO nanoparticles decomposed methyl orange dye by 92.7% in the sunlight and 26.4% in the lamp illumination after 7 hours.

  3. Initial transport and retention behaviors of ZnO nanoparticles in quartz sand porous media coated with Escherichia coli biofilm

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Xujia; Wang, Xueting; Tong, Meiping; Kim, Hyunjung

    2013-01-01

    The significance of biofilm on the transport and deposition behaviors of ZnO nanoparticles were examined under a series of environmentally relevant ionic strength at two fluid velocities of 4 m-d −1 and 8 m-d −1 . Biofilm enhanced nanoparticles retention in porous media under all examined conditions. The greater deposition was also observed in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) coated surfaces by employment of quartz microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) system. Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) failed to interpret more ZnO nanoparticles deposition on biofilm (EPS) coated silica surfaces. Chemical interaction and physical morphology of biofilm contributed to this greater deposition (retention). Biofilm affected the spacial distribution of retained ZnO nanoparticles as well. Relatively steeper slope of retained profiles were observed in the presence of biofilm, corresponding to the greater deviation from colloid filtration theory (CFT). Pore space constriction via biofilm induced more nanoparticle trapped in the column inlet, leading to greater deviations (σln k f ) from the CFT. Highlights: ► Biofilm reduced the mobility of ZnO nanoparticles in column. ► DLVO and non-DLVO interactions contributed the more nanoparticles deposition. ► Biofilm also affected the spacial distribution of ZnO nanoparticles in column. ► Greater deviation from classic filtration theory was observed with biofilm. ► Physical structure of biofilm induced greater deviation from log-linear prediction. -- Biofilm enhanced ZnO nanoparticle deposition and altered spacial distribution in porous media

  4. Spectroscopic characterization and docking studies of ZnO nanoparticle modified with BSA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ledesma, Ana E.; Chemes, Doly María; Frías, María de los Angeles; Guauque Torres, Maria del Pilar

    2017-08-01

    Nanoparticles (NP) into a biological environment are an interesting topic for diagnosis and therapy in applications for medicine or environment and the knowledge about this interaction is important from the perspective of safe use of nanomaterials. In the current study, we characterized the type of interaction and the orientation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces as a function of size, using molecular docking. To probe experimentally different theoretical hypothesis about the interaction, ZnO-NPs were prepared in aqueous solution, and then were bioconjugated with BSA. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy confirm the spherical shape of NP and the irreversible adsorption of BSA on NP surface. Raman and Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveal that BSA interaction with ZnO nanoparticle produced a conformational rearrangement into protein, observing changes in Tyr and Trp environment, a minor percentage of α-helix structure and a more extended chain. The fluorescence analysis demonstrated that when BSA concentration higher than 30 μM is used the signal due to the self-oligomerization of protein overlaps with the ZnO nanoparticle emission. The results predicted that the most probable interaction site is near to domain IB and IIA and ionic interactions are the major responsible for the binding. Thermal stability studies reveals that the denaturalization temperature of BSA increase from 57 °C to 65 °C in presence of ZnO NP and their esterase-like activity was improved.

  5. Synthesis of isotopically modified ZnO nanoparticles and their potential as nanotoxicity tracers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dybowska, Agnieszka D.; Croteau, Marie-Noele; Misra, Superb K.; Berhanu, Deborah; Luoma, Samuel N.; Christian, Paul; O'Brien, Paul; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia

    2011-01-01

    Understanding the behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment and within organisms is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the safe development of nanotechnologies. Reliable tracing is a particular issue for nanoparticles such as ZnO, because Zn is an essential element and a common pollutant thus present at elevated background concentrations. We synthesized isotopically enriched (89.6%) with a rare isotope of Zn ( 67 Zn) ZnO nanoparticles and measured the uptake of 67 Zn by L. stagnalis exposed to diatoms amended with the particles. Stable isotope technique is sufficiently sensitive to determine the uptake of Zn at an exposure equivalent to lower concentration range ( -1 ). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Zn is significant at Zn exposure concentration only above 5000 μg g -1 which represents some of the most contaminated Zn conditions. Only by using a tracer we can study Zn uptake at a range of environmentally realistic exposure conditions. - ZnO nanoparticles with distinct isotopic composition can be tailor synthesized to be used as tracers of environmental fate and uptake by organisms.

  6. Sparking deposited ZnO nanoparticles as double-layered photoelectrode in ZnO dye-sensitized solar cell

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hongsith, Kritsada [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (ThEP center), CHE, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand); Hongsith, Niyom [Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (ThEP center), CHE, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand); School of Science, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000 (Thailand); Wongratanaphisan, Duangmanee; Gardchareon, Atcharawon; Phadungdhitidhada, Surachet [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (ThEP center), CHE, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand); Singjai, Pisith [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Choopun, Supab, E-mail: supab99@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics (ThEP center), CHE, Bangkok 10400 (Thailand)

    2013-07-31

    The semiconducting layers of ZnO nanoparticles (ZN), ZnO powder (ZP) and ZnO nanopowder (ZNP) were designed and fabricated for double-layered semiconducting photoelectrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The under-layer was ZN, which was prepared by simple and cost-effective sparking technique onto F-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate and its thickness was controlled by number of sparking cycles for 0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 rounds under atmospheric pressure. Then, ZP or ZNP was screened on to ZN to form double-layered photoelectrode. Here, the DSSC structures were FTO/double-layered ZnO/Eosin Y/electrolyte/Pt counterelectrode. The best results of DSSCs were observed with J{sub sc} of 4.71 mA/cm{sup 2} and 5.56 mA/cm{sup 2} and photoconversion efficiency of 1.11% and 1.14% at 50 sparking cycles for ZP and ZNP over-layers, respectively. The efficiency enhancement can be explained by combination effects of electron and light scattering. Moreover, the modified equation of short circuit current density was developed and effectively used to explain the efficiency enhancement. - Highlights: • Effect of under-layer thickness is investigated. • Simple and cost-effective sparking technique is used for ZnO nanoparticles. • Efficiency enhancement can be explained by both electron and light scattering. • Modified equation of short circuit current density was developed for enhancement.

  7. Sparking deposited ZnO nanoparticles as double-layered photoelectrode in ZnO dye-sensitized solar cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hongsith, Kritsada; Hongsith, Niyom; Wongratanaphisan, Duangmanee; Gardchareon, Atcharawon; Phadungdhitidhada, Surachet; Singjai, Pisith; Choopun, Supab

    2013-01-01

    The semiconducting layers of ZnO nanoparticles (ZN), ZnO powder (ZP) and ZnO nanopowder (ZNP) were designed and fabricated for double-layered semiconducting photoelectrode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The under-layer was ZN, which was prepared by simple and cost-effective sparking technique onto F-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate and its thickness was controlled by number of sparking cycles for 0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 rounds under atmospheric pressure. Then, ZP or ZNP was screened on to ZN to form double-layered photoelectrode. Here, the DSSC structures were FTO/double-layered ZnO/Eosin Y/electrolyte/Pt counterelectrode. The best results of DSSCs were observed with J sc of 4.71 mA/cm 2 and 5.56 mA/cm 2 and photoconversion efficiency of 1.11% and 1.14% at 50 sparking cycles for ZP and ZNP over-layers, respectively. The efficiency enhancement can be explained by combination effects of electron and light scattering. Moreover, the modified equation of short circuit current density was developed and effectively used to explain the efficiency enhancement. - Highlights: • Effect of under-layer thickness is investigated. • Simple and cost-effective sparking technique is used for ZnO nanoparticles. • Efficiency enhancement can be explained by both electron and light scattering. • Modified equation of short circuit current density was developed for enhancement

  8. Photocatalytic degradation of some organic dyes under solar light irradiation using TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojtaba Amini

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoparticles of the ZnO and TiO2 were synthesized and the physicochemical properties of the compounds were characterized by IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The XRD patterns of the ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles could be indexed to hexagonal and rutile phase, respectively. Aggregated nanoparticles of ZnO and TiO2 with spherical-like shapes were observed with particle diameter in the range of 80-100 nm. These nanoparticles were used for photocatalytic degradation of various dyes, Rhodamine B (RhB, Methylene blue (MB and Acridine orange (AO under solar light irradiation at room temperature. Effect of the amount of catalyst on the rate of photodegradation was investigated. In general, because ZnO is unstable, due to incongruous dissolution to yield Zn(OH2 on the ZnO particle surfaces and thus leading to catalyst inactivation,the catalytic activity of the system for photodegradation of dyes decreased dramatically when TiO2 was replaced by ZnO.

  9. Surface strain engineering through Tb doping to study the pressure dependence of exciton-phonon coupling in ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, A.; Dhar, S.; Singh, B. P.; Nayak, C.; Bhattacharyya, D.; Jha, S. N.

    2013-01-01

    A compressive hydrostatic strain has been found to develop in the ZnO lattice as a result of accumulation of Tb ions on the surface of the nanoparticles for Tb mole-fraction less than 0.04. This hydrostatic strain can be controlled up to ≈14 GPa by varying the Tb mole-fraction. Here, we have utilized this novel technique of surface strain engineering through Tb doping for introducing hydrostatic compressive strain in the lattice to study the pressure dependent electronic and vibrational properties of ZnO nanoparticles. Our study reveals that when subjected to pressure, nanoparticles of ZnO behave quite differently than bulk in many aspects. Unlike bulk ZnO, which is reported to go through a wurtzite to rock-salt structural phase transition at ≈8 GPa, ZnO nanoparticles do not show such transition and remain in wurtzite phase even at 14 GPa of pressure. Furthermore, the Grüneisen parameters for the optical phonon modes are found to be order of magnitude smaller in ZnO nanoparticles as compared to bulk. Our study also suggests an increase of the dielectric constant with pressure, which is opposite to what has been reported for bulk ZnO. Interestingly, it has also been found that the exciton-phonon interaction depends strongly upon pressure in this system. The exciton-phonon coupling has been found to decrease as pressure increases. A variational technique has been adopted to theoretically calculate the exciton-LO phonon coupling coefficient in ZnO nanoparticles as a function of pressure, which shows a good agreement with the experimental results. These findings imply that surface engineering of ZnO nanoparticles with Tb could indeed be an efficient tool to enhance and control the optical performance of this material

  10. Surface strain engineering through Tb doping to study the pressure dependence of exciton-phonon coupling in ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, A.; Dhar, S., E-mail: dhar@phy.iitb.ac.in; Singh, B. P. [Physics Department, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076 (India); Nayak, C.; Bhattacharyya, D. [Applied Spectroscopy Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai-400085 (India); Jha, S. N. [Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore (India)

    2013-12-07

    A compressive hydrostatic strain has been found to develop in the ZnO lattice as a result of accumulation of Tb ions on the surface of the nanoparticles for Tb mole-fraction less than 0.04. This hydrostatic strain can be controlled up to ≈14 GPa by varying the Tb mole-fraction. Here, we have utilized this novel technique of surface strain engineering through Tb doping for introducing hydrostatic compressive strain in the lattice to study the pressure dependent electronic and vibrational properties of ZnO nanoparticles. Our study reveals that when subjected to pressure, nanoparticles of ZnO behave quite differently than bulk in many aspects. Unlike bulk ZnO, which is reported to go through a wurtzite to rock-salt structural phase transition at ≈8 GPa, ZnO nanoparticles do not show such transition and remain in wurtzite phase even at 14 GPa of pressure. Furthermore, the Grüneisen parameters for the optical phonon modes are found to be order of magnitude smaller in ZnO nanoparticles as compared to bulk. Our study also suggests an increase of the dielectric constant with pressure, which is opposite to what has been reported for bulk ZnO. Interestingly, it has also been found that the exciton-phonon interaction depends strongly upon pressure in this system. The exciton-phonon coupling has been found to decrease as pressure increases. A variational technique has been adopted to theoretically calculate the exciton-LO phonon coupling coefficient in ZnO nanoparticles as a function of pressure, which shows a good agreement with the experimental results. These findings imply that surface engineering of ZnO nanoparticles with Tb could indeed be an efficient tool to enhance and control the optical performance of this material.

  11. Responses of human cells to ZnO nanoparticles: a gene transcription study†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moos, Philip J.; Olszewski, Kyle; Honeggar, Matthew; Cassidy, Pamela; Leachman, Sancy; Woessner, David; Cutler, N. Shane; Veranth, John M.

    2013-01-01

    The gene transcript profile responses to metal oxide nanoparticles was studied using human cell lines derived from the colon and skin tumors. Much of the research on nanoparticle toxicology has focused on models of inhalation and intact skin exposure, and effects of ingestion exposure and application to diseased skin are relatively unknown. Powders of nominally nanosized SiO2, TiO2, ZnO and Fe2O3 were chosen because these substances are widely used in consumer products. The four oxides were evaluated using colon-derived cell lines, RKO and CaCo-2, and ZnO and TiO2 were evaluated further using skin-derived cell lines HaCaT and SK Mel-28. ZnO induced the most notable gene transcription changes, even though this material was applied at the lowest concentration. Nano-sized and conventional ZnO induced similar responses suggesting common mechanisms of action. The results showed neither a non-specific response pattern common to all substances nor synergy of the particles with TNF-α cotreatment. The response to ZnO was not consistent with a pronounced proinflammatory signature, but involved changes in metal metabolism, chaperonin proteins, and protein folding genes. This response was observed in all cell lines when ZnO was in contact with the human cells. When the cells were exposed to soluble Zn, the genes involved in metal metabolism were induced but the genes involved in protein refoldling were unaffected. This provides some of the first data on the effects of commercial metal oxide nanoparticles on human colon-derived and skin-derived cells. PMID:21769377

  12. Bactericidal, structural and morphological properties of ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesized under UV or ultrasound irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colonia, R; Solís, J L; Gómez, M

    2014-01-01

    Nanoparticles of ZnO 2 were synthesized by a sol–gel method using Zn(CH 3 COO) 2 and H 2 O 2 in an aqueous solution exposed to either ultraviolet (UV) or ultrasound irradiation. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy showed that the nanostructures consisted of spherical blackberry-like clusters. Nanoparticles fabricated by using UV irradiation had smaller sizes and narrower size distributions than nanoparticles prepared by using ultrasound. Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were used as test microorganisms, and the antibacterial activity of the ZnO 2 nanoparticles was studied by use of the well diffusion agar bacteriological test. ZnO 2 nanoparticles synthetized using UV had the best antibacterial properties. The inhibition zone was largest for B. subtilis but was present also for S. aureus and E. coli. (paper)

  13. Spectroscopic characterization and docking studies of ZnO nanoparticle modified with BSA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ledesma, Ana E.; Chemes, Doly María; Frías, María de los Angeles; Guauque Torres, Maria del Pilar

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • The ZnO NPs have synthesized at moderate temperature and conjugated with BSA to elucidate the characteristics of best binding site in the protein cavity. • The Docking studies have successfully applied to identify the amino acids residues involved in the interaction. • The cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs and ZnO-BSA NPs and esterase-like activity of the protein have evaluated, with very promising results for medical applications. - Abstract: Nanoparticles (NP) into a biological environment are an interesting topic for diagnosis and therapy in applications for medicine or environment and the knowledge about this interaction is important from the perspective of safe use of nanomaterials. In the current study, we characterized the type of interaction and the orientation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces as a function of size, using molecular docking. To probe experimentally different theoretical hypothesis about the interaction, ZnO-NPs were prepared in aqueous solution, and then were bioconjugated with BSA. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy confirm the spherical shape of NP and the irreversible adsorption of BSA on NP surface. Raman and Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveal that BSA interaction with ZnO nanoparticle produced a conformational rearrangement into protein, observing changes in Tyr and Trp environment, a minor percentage of α-helix structure and a more extended chain. The fluorescence analysis demonstrated that when BSA concentration higher than 30 μM is used the signal due to the self-oligomerization of protein overlaps with the ZnO nanoparticle emission. The results predicted that the most probable interaction site is near to domain IB and IIA and ionic interactions are the major responsible for the binding. Thermal stability studies reveals that the denaturalization temperature of BSA increase from 57 °C to 65 °C in presence of ZnO NP and their esterase-like activity was

  14. Spectroscopic characterization and docking studies of ZnO nanoparticle modified with BSA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ledesma, Ana E., E-mail: anael@unse.edu.ar [CITSE-UNSE, CONICET, FCEyT, RN 9, km 1125, 4206 Santiago del Estero (Argentina); Chemes, Doly María [INQUINOA, UNT, CONICET, FBQyF, San Lorenzo 456, San Miguel de Tucumán CPA T4000ILI, Tucumán (Argentina); Frías, María de los Angeles [Laboratory of Biointerphases and Biomimetic Systems, (CITSE) National University of Santiago del Estero and CONICET, 4206, RN 9- Km 1125, Santiago del Estero (Argentina); Guauque Torres, Maria del Pilar [CITSE-UNSE, CONICET, FCEyT, RN 9, km 1125, 4206 Santiago del Estero (Argentina)

    2017-08-01

    Highlights: • The ZnO NPs have synthesized at moderate temperature and conjugated with BSA to elucidate the characteristics of best binding site in the protein cavity. • The Docking studies have successfully applied to identify the amino acids residues involved in the interaction. • The cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs and ZnO-BSA NPs and esterase-like activity of the protein have evaluated, with very promising results for medical applications. - Abstract: Nanoparticles (NP) into a biological environment are an interesting topic for diagnosis and therapy in applications for medicine or environment and the knowledge about this interaction is important from the perspective of safe use of nanomaterials. In the current study, we characterized the type of interaction and the orientation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorbed on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces as a function of size, using molecular docking. To probe experimentally different theoretical hypothesis about the interaction, ZnO-NPs were prepared in aqueous solution, and then were bioconjugated with BSA. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy confirm the spherical shape of NP and the irreversible adsorption of BSA on NP surface. Raman and Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) reveal that BSA interaction with ZnO nanoparticle produced a conformational rearrangement into protein, observing changes in Tyr and Trp environment, a minor percentage of α-helix structure and a more extended chain. The fluorescence analysis demonstrated that when BSA concentration higher than 30 μM is used the signal due to the self-oligomerization of protein overlaps with the ZnO nanoparticle emission. The results predicted that the most probable interaction site is near to domain IB and IIA and ionic interactions are the major responsible for the binding. Thermal stability studies reveals that the denaturalization temperature of BSA increase from 57 °C to 65 °C in presence of ZnO NP and their esterase-like activity was

  15. Room-temperature ferromagnetism in hydrogenated ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xue, Xudong; Liu, Liangliang; Wang, Zhu; Wu, Yichu, E-mail: ycwu@whu.edu.cn [School of Physics and Technology, Hubei Nuclear Solid Physics Key Laboratory, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

    2014-01-21

    The effect of hydrogen doping on the magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. Hydrogen was incorporated by annealing under 5% H{sub 2} in Ar ambient at 700 °C. Room-temperature ferromagnetism was induced in hydrogenated ZnO nanoparticles, and the observed ferromagnetism could be switched between “on” and “off” states through hydrogen annealing and oxygen annealing process, respectively. It was found that Zn vacancy and OH bonding complex (V{sub Zn} + OH) was crucial to the observed ferromagnetism by using the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and positron annihilation spectroscopy analysis. Based on first-principles calculations, V{sub Zn} + OH was favorable to be presented due to the low formation energy. Meanwhile, this configuration could lead to a magnetic moment of 0.57 μ{sub B}. The Raman and photoluminescence measurements excluded the possibility of oxygen vacancy as the origin of the ferromagnetism.

  16. Protein capped nanosilver free radical oxidation: role of biomolecule capping on nanoparticle colloidal stability and protein oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahumada, Manuel; Bohne, Cornelia; Oake, Jessy; Alarcon, Emilio I

    2018-05-03

    We studied the effect of human serum albumin protein capped spherical nanosilver on the nanoparticle stability upon peroxyl radical oxidation. The nanoparticle-protein composite is less prone to oxidation compared to the individual components. However, higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide were formed in the nanoparticle-protein system.

  17. The Influences of Cell Type and ZnO Nanoparticle Size on Immune Cell Cytotoxicity and Cytokine Induction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thurber Aaron

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Nanotechnology represents a new and enabling platform that promises to provide a range of innovative technologies for biological applications. ZnO nanoparticles of controlled size were synthesized, and their cytotoxicity toward different human immune cells evaluated. A differential cytotoxic response between human immune cell subsets was observed, with lymphocytes being the most resistant and monocytes being the most susceptible to ZnO nanoparticle-induced toxicity. Significant differences were also observed between previously activated memory lymphocytes and naive lymphocytes, indicating a relationship between cell-cycle potential and nanoparticle susceptibility. Mechanisms of toxicity involve the generation of reactive oxygen species, with monocytes displaying the highest levels, and the degree of cytotoxicity dependent on the extent of nanoparticle interactions with cellular membranes. An inverse relationship between nanoparticle size and cytotoxicity, as well as nanoparticle size and reactive oxygen species production was observed. In addition, ZnO nanoparticles induce the production of the proinflammatory cytokines, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-12, at concentrations below those causing appreciable cell death. Collectively, these results underscore the need for careful evaluation of ZnO nanoparticle effects across a spectrum of relevant cell types when considering their use for potential new nanotechnology-based biological applications.

  18. Effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on physiology and steviol glycosides production in micropropagated shoots of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javed, Rabia; Usman, Muhammad; Yücesan, Buhara; Zia, Muhammad; Gürel, Ekrem

    2017-01-01

    This study aims to address the effects of different concentrations (0, 0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 or 1000 mg L -1 ) of engineered zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (34 nm in size) on growth parameters, steviol glycosides (rebaudioside A and stevioside) production and antioxidant activities in the tissue culture grown shoots of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The highest percentage of shoot formation (89.6%) at 1 mg L -1 of ZnO nanoparticles concentration suggests a positive influence of ZnO nanoparticles on S. rebaudiana growth as compared to other treatments with or without ZnO nanoparticles. Additionally, HPLC results illustrate a significant enhancement of steviol glycosides (almost doubled as compared to the control) in micropropagated shoots grown under an oxidative stress of 1 mg L -1 of ZnO nanoparticles. This finding is further affirmed by an increased 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, total anti-oxidant capacity, total reducing power, total flavonoid content and total phenolic content, with an ascending oxidative pressure and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the antioxidant activities, formation of secondary metabolites and the physiological parameters showed a sudden decline after crossing a threshold of 1 mg L -1 concentration of ZnO nanoparticles and falls to a minimum at 1000 mg L -1 , elucidating maximum phytotoxic effect of ZnO nanoparticles at this concentration. This is the first study evaluating both the favorable and adverse effects of ZnO nanoparticles employed to a highly valuable medicinal plant, S. rebaudiana. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Antibacterial Composite Layers on Ti: Role of ZnO Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roguska A.

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Problem of Post-operative infections of implant materials caused by bacterial adhesion to their surfaces is very serious. Enhancement of antibacterial properties is potentially beneficial for biomaterials value. Therefore, the metallic and metallic oxide nanoparticles attract particular attention as antimicrobial factors. The aim of this work was to create nanotubular (NT oxide layers on Ti with the addition of ZnO nanoparticles, designed for antibacterial biomedical coatings. Antimicrobial activities of titanium, TiO2 NT and ZnO/TiO2 NT surfaces were evaluated against bacterial strain typical for orthopaedic infections: S. epidermidis. TiO2 NT alone killed the free bacterial cells significantly but promoted their adhesion to the surfaces. The presence of moderate amount of ZnO nanoparticles significantly reduced the S. epidermidis cells adhesion and viability of bacterial cells in contact with modified surfaces. However, higher amount of loaded nanoZnO showed the reduced antimicrobial properties than the medium amount, suggesting the overdose effect.

  20. Synthesis and their enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of ZnO nanoparticle-loaded CuO dandelion heterostructures under solar light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dong, Guanying; Du, Bin; Liu, Lei; Zhang, Weiwei; Liang, Yujie; Shi, Honglong; Wang, Wenzhong, E-mail: wzhwangmuc@163.com

    2017-03-31

    Highlights: • ZnO/CuO nanoparticle/dandelion heterostructures were fabricated for the first time. • ZnO/CuO nanoparticle/dandelion heterostructures show enhanced PEC activity. • ZnO nanoparticle loading contents have significant effect on PEC water splitting. • Interaction, charge transfer and enhanced mechanism of photocatalyst were proposed. • p-n junction drives the photoexcited charges efficient separation. - Abstract: Here we report an easy and large-scale synthesis of three-dimensional (3D) ZnO nanoparticle-loaded CuO dandelion (denoted as n-ZnO/p-CuO nanoparticle/dandelion) heterostructures and their photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting under simulated solar light illumination. CuO dandelions were fabricated by a facile and cost-effective chemical strategy, in which the ribbon-like CuO nanoplates were first formed and then assembled into dandelion-like architectures. ZnO nanoparticle-loaded CuO dandelion heterostructures were fabricated by calcining Zn(Ac){sub 2}-loaded CuO dandelions. High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) studies demonstrate that intimate p-n junction is built between p-CuO and n-ZnO interface. The n-ZnO/p-CuO nanoparticle/dandelion photoelectrodes exhibit significant improvement in PEC water splitting to CuO dandelion photoelectrodes. The correlation between photocurrents and different loading contents of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) is studied in which the n-ZnO/p-CuO nanoparticle/dandelion heterostructures with loading 4.6 wt% ZnO NPs show higher photocathodic current. The efficient separation of the photogenerated electrons and holes driven by the intimate p-n junction between p-type CuO and n-type ZnO interface is mainly contributed to the enhanced photoanode current. The achieved results in the present study offer a very useful strategy for designing p-n junction photoelectrodes for efficiency and low-cost PEC cells for clean solar hydrogen production.

  1. Hydrothermal Growth of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Biocomposite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Khun, Kimleang; Eriksson, Martin; AlSalhi, Mohammad; Atif, Muhammad; Ansari, Anees; Willander, Magnus

    2013-08-19

    Well aligned ZnO nanorods have been prepared by a low temperature aqueous chemical growth method, using a biocomposite seed layer of ZnO nanoparticles prepared in starch and cellulose bio polymers. The effect of different concentrations of biocomposite seed layer on the alignment of ZnO nanorods has been investigated. ZnO nanorods grown on a gold-coated glass substrate have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) techniques. These techniques have shown that the ZnO nanorods are well aligned and perpendicular to the substrate, and grown with a high density and uniformity on the substrate. Moreover, ZnO nanorods can be grown with an orientation along the c -axis of the substrate and exhibit a wurtzite crystal structure with a dominant (002) peak in an XRD spectrum and possessed a high crystal quality. A photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy study of the ZnO nanorods has revealed a conventional near band edge ultraviolet emission, along with emission in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum due to defect emission. This study provides an alternative method for the fabrication of well aligned ZnO nanorods. This method can be helpful in improving the performance of devices where alignment plays a significant role.

  2. Hydrothermal Growth of Vertically Aligned ZnO Nanorods Using a Biocomposite Seed Layer of ZnO Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zafar Hussain Ibupoto

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Well aligned ZnO nanorods have been prepared by a low temperature aqueous chemical growth method, using a biocomposite seed layer of ZnO nanoparticles prepared in starch and cellulose bio polymers. The effect of different concentrations of biocomposite seed layer on the alignment of ZnO nanorods has been investigated. ZnO nanorods grown on a gold-coated glass substrate have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM techniques. These techniques have shown that the ZnO nanorods are well aligned and perpendicular to the substrate, and grown with a high density and uniformity on the substrate. Moreover, ZnO nanorods can be grown with an orientation along the c-axis of the substrate and exhibit a wurtzite crystal structure with a dominant (002 peak in an XRD spectrum and possessed a high crystal quality. A photoluminescence (PL spectroscopy study of the ZnO nanorods has revealed a conventional near band edge ultraviolet emission, along with emission in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum due to defect emission. This study provides an alternative method for the fabrication of well aligned ZnO nanorods. This method can be helpful in improving the performance of devices where alignment plays a significant role.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Venkatesan

    2012-01-01

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

  4. Enhancing Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Blue Using PVP-Capped and Uncapped CdSe Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kgobudi Frans Chepape

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Quantum confinement of semiconductor nanoparticles is a potential feature which can be interesting for photocatalysis, and cadmium selenide is one simple type of quantum dot to use in the following photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. CdSe nanoparticles capped with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP in various concentration ratios were synthesized by the chemical reduction method and characterized. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM analysis of the samples showed that 50% PVP-capped CdSe nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in size with an average of 2.7 nm and shape which was spherical-like. The photocatalytic degradation of methyl blue (MB in water showed efficiencies of 31% and 48% when using uncapped and 50% PVP-capped CdSe nanoparticles as photocatalysts, respectively. The efficiency of PVP-capped CdSe nanoparticles indicated that a complete green process can be utilized for photocatalytic treatment of water and waste water.

  5. Synthesis of isotopically modified ZnO nanoparticles and their potential as nanotoxicity tracers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dybowska, Agnieszka D., E-mail: a.dybowska@nhm.ac.u [Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD (United Kingdom); Croteau, Marie-Noele [U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS 496, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Misra, Superb K.; Berhanu, Deborah [Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD (United Kingdom); Luoma, Samuel N. [Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD (United Kingdom); U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Road, MS 496, Menlo Park, CA 94025 (United States); Christian, Paul; O' Brien, Paul [School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, M13 9PL, Manchester (United Kingdom); Valsami-Jones, Eugenia [Department of Mineralogy, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD (United Kingdom)

    2011-01-15

    Understanding the behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment and within organisms is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the safe development of nanotechnologies. Reliable tracing is a particular issue for nanoparticles such as ZnO, because Zn is an essential element and a common pollutant thus present at elevated background concentrations. We synthesized isotopically enriched (89.6%) with a rare isotope of Zn ({sup 67}Zn) ZnO nanoparticles and measured the uptake of {sup 67}Zn by L. stagnalis exposed to diatoms amended with the particles. Stable isotope technique is sufficiently sensitive to determine the uptake of Zn at an exposure equivalent to lower concentration range (<15 {mu}g g{sup -1}). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Zn is significant at Zn exposure concentration only above 5000 {mu}g g{sup -1} which represents some of the most contaminated Zn conditions. Only by using a tracer we can study Zn uptake at a range of environmentally realistic exposure conditions. - ZnO nanoparticles with distinct isotopic composition can be tailor synthesized to be used as tracers of environmental fate and uptake by organisms.

  6. ZnO nanoparticles obtained by ball milling technique: Structural, micro-structure, optical and photo-catalytic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balamurugan, S., E-mail: scandium.chemistry@gmail.com; Joy, Josny; Godwin, M. Anto; Selvamani, S.; Raja, T. S. Gokul [Advanced Nanomaterials Research Laboratory, Department of Nanotechnology, Noorul Islam Centre for Higher Education, Thuckalay, Kumaracoil - 629 180 (India)

    2016-05-23

    The ZnO nanoparticles were obtained by ball milling of commercial grade ZnO powder at 250 rpm for 20 h and studied their structural, micro-structure, optical and photo-catalytic properties. Due to ball milling significant decrease in lattice parameters and average crystalline size is noticed for the as-milled ZnO nano powder. The HRSEM images of the as-milled powder consist of agglomerated fine spherical nanoparticles in the range of ~10-20 nm. The room temperature PL spectrum of as-milled ZnO nano powder excited under 320 nm reveals two emission bands at ~406 nm (violet emission) and ~639 nm (green emission). Interestingly about 98 % of photo degradation of methylene (MB) by the ZnO catalyst is achieved at 100 minutes of solar light irradiation.

  7. Attenuated effects of chitosan-capped gold nanoparticles on LPS-induced toxicity in laboratory rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stefan, Marius; Melnig, Viorel; Pricop, Daniela; Neagu, Anca; Mihasan, Marius; Tartau, Liliana; Hritcu, Lucian

    2013-01-01

    The impact of nanoparticles in medicine and biology has increased rapidly in recent years. Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) have advantageous properties such as chemical stability, high electron density and affinity to biomolecules. However, the effects of AuNP on human body after repeated administration are still unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of gold-11.68 nm (AuNP1, 9.8 μg) and gold-22.22 nm (AuNP2, 19.7 μg) nanoparticles capped with chitosan on brain and liver tissue reactivity in male Wistar rats exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS from Escherichia coli serotype 0111:B4, 250 μg) upon 8 daily sessions of intraperitoneal administration. Our results suggest that the smaller size of chitosan-capped AuNP shows the protective effects against LPS-induced toxicity, suggesting a very high potential for biomedical applications. - Highlights: ► Smaller size of chitosan-capped gold nanoparticles acts against LPS-induced toxicity. ► Larger size of chitosan-capped gold nanoparticles agglomerated inside neurons and induced toxicity in combination with LPS. ► Chitosan has excellent biocompatible proprieties. ► Smaller size of chitosan-capped gold nanoparticles demonstrates great potential in biomedical applications.

  8. PEG capped CaS nanoparticles synthesized by wet chemical co-precipitation method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rekha, S.; Anila, E. I.

    2018-04-01

    Calcium sulfide (CaS) nanoparticles capped with polyethyleneglycol (PEG) were synthesized using wet chemical co-precipitation method. The structural and optical properties of the prepared sample were studied by X-ray diffractogram (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffuse reflectance spectrum (DRS) and photoluminescence (PL) spectrum. The structure of CaS nanoparticles is cubic as demonstrated by the X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) analysis. TEMimage revealed the spherical morphology of the particles with diameter in the range 15-20 nm. The optical band gap of the prepared sample was determined from the DRS and its value was found to be 4.1 eV. The PL studies showed that the relative intensity of the PEG capped CaS nanoparticles was higher than that of uncapped CaS nanoparticles. The presence of various functional groups in the capped samples were examined by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

  9. Carrier transport in flexible organic bistable devices of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in an insulating poly(methyl methacrylate) polymer layer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, Dong-Ick; Park, Dong-Hee; Choi, Won Kook; Cho, Sung-Hwan; Kim, Won-Tae; Kim, Tae Whan

    2009-01-01

    The bistable effects of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in an insulating poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer single layer by using flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that ZnO nanoparticles were formed inside the PMMA polymer layer. Current-voltage (I-V) measurement on the Al/ZnO nanoparticles embedded in an insulating PMMA polymer layer/ITO/PET structures at 300 K showed a nonvolatile electrical bistability behavior with a flat-band voltage shift due to the existence of the ZnO nanoparticles, indicative of trapping, storing, and emission of charges in the electronic states of the ZnO nanoparticles. The carrier transport mechanism of the bistable behavior for the fabricated organic bistable device (OBD) structures is described on the basis of the I-V results by analyzing the effect of space charge.

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2013-03-05

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

  11. Controllable synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles with high intensity visible photoemission and investigation of its mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lv Yunbo; Xiao Wen; Li Weiyan; Xue Junmin; Ding Jun

    2013-01-01

    ZnO is known as a good photoluminescent semiconductor due to its ability to emit visible light. However, the visible emission mechanism is still under debate. In this work, we have successfully synthesized nanoparticles using LiOH, KOH and NaOH as bases and have achieved visible emission of various colours, such as blue, cyan, green and orange. We demonstrate that LiOH is the most efficient base to control the properties of ZnO nanoparticle emission by varying LiOH concentration. Moreover, detailed studies by TEM, UV and XRD show that ZnO particle size plays an important role in the colour of the emitted light and smaller particles tend to emit shorter wavelength photons. The visible emission is suggested to arise from an electron transition from the conduction band to a deep-trapped defect state. Our experimental results suggest the presence of oxygen vacancies on the ZnO nanoparticle surface. (paper)

  12. Variation in Structural and Optical Properties of Al Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized by Sol-gel Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanaja Aravapalli

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available This article focuses on analyzing structural and optical properties of Al doped ZnO (AZO synthesized with two different precursors aluminum chloride and aluminum nitrate. The nanoparticles were successfully fabricated and characterized at room temperature by sol-gel process. The objective of improving properties of ZnO nanoparticles by introducing dopants was successful with formation of nanoparticles having different crystalline sizes, optical absorption and luminescence properties. The two different sources influenced properties of ZnO. The particles with less crystalline size obtained from aluminum nitrate. Change in morphology from spherical to bar like morphology proved from SEM spectra. Presence of functional groups predicted from FTIR spectra. PL spectra proved UV emission and visible emission for AZO nanoparticles synthesized using dopant sources aluminum chloride and aluminum nitrate respectively. The obtained properties prove successful utilization of AZO nanoparticles as building materials in fabrication of optoelectronic devices.

  13. Functionalized ZnO Nanoparticles with Gallic Acid for Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity against Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joomin Lee

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we report a new multifunctional nanoparticle with antioxidative and antibacterial activities in vitro. ZnO@GA nanoparticles were fabricated by coordinated covalent bonding of the antioxidant gallic acid (GA on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. This addition imparts both antioxidant activity and high affinity for the bacterial cell membrane. Antioxidative activities at various concentrations were evaluated using a 2,2′-azino-bis(ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS radical scavenging method. Antibacterial activities were evaluated against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus: S. aureus, including several strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA, and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli. The functionalized ZnO@GA nanoparticles showed good antioxidative activity (69.71%, and the bactericidal activity of these nanoparticles was also increased compared to that of non-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles, with particularly effective inhibition and high selectivity for MRSA strains. The results indicate that multifunctional ZnO nanoparticles conjugated to GA molecules via a simple surface modification process displaying both antioxidant and antibacterial activity, suggesting a possibility to use it as an antibacterial agent for removing MRSA.

  14. The effects of Mg incorporation and annealing temperature on the physicochemical properties and antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadan, Nima; Ziabari, Ali Abdolahzadeh; Meraat, Rafieh; Jalali, Kamyar Mazloum

    2017-02-01

    In this paper, Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the facile sol-gel method. The crystalline structure, characteristic absorption bands and morphology of the obtained Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles were studied by XRD, FTIR and TEM. The thermal degradation behaviour of the samples was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). The effect of Mg concentrations and annealing temperatures on the antibacterial properties of the obtained nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The results indicated that doping Mg ions into ZnO lattice could enhance its antibacterial activity. Antibacterial assay demonstrated that Mg-doped ZnO with 7% Mg content annealed at 400 ∘C had the strongest antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes (98.7%). This study indicated that the inhibition rate of ZnO nanoparticles increased with the formation of granular structure and the decrease of ZnO size due to the doping of Mg ions into the ZnO lattice.

  15. The effect of ZnO nanoparticles on improved oil recovery in spontaneous imbibition mechanism of heavy oil production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajmiri, M.; Ehsani, M. R.; Mousavi, S. M.; Roayaei, E.; Emadi, A.

    2015-07-01

    Spontaneous imbibition (SI) gets a controversial subject in oil- wet carbonate reservoirs. The new concept of nanoparticles applications in an EOR area have been recently raised by researches about oil viscosity reduction and generate emulsion without surfactant. But a lot of questions have been remained about which nanoparticles can alter wettability from oil- wet to water- wet to improve oil recovery. This study introduces the new idea of adding ZnO nanoparticles (0.2%wt concentration) by experimental work on oil recovery. The main goals of this research were to prove that ZnO nanoparticles have the ability to reduce viscosity and also alter wettability. The ultimate objective was to determine the potential of these nanoparticles to imbibe into and displace oil. Through the use of Amott- cell, laboratory tests were conducted in two experiments on four cylindrical core samples (three sandstones and one carbonate) were taken from real Iranian heavy oil reservoir. In the first experiment, core samples were saturated by crude oil and in the second experiment, nanoparticles were flooding into core samples and then saturated by crude oil for about two weeks and after that they were immersed in distilled water and the amount of recovery was monitored during 30 days for both tests. We expected that ZnO nanoparticles decreased the surface tension which reduced the capillary forces through SI and wettability alteration took place towards a more water-wet system and caused the oil relative permeability to increase which dominated the gravitational forces to pull out the oil. Our results proved this expectation from ZnO nanoparticles clearly because carbonate core was oil- wet and the capillary pressure was high and negative to push water into the core so the original oil in place (OOIP) was zero whereas by adding ZnO nanoparticles OOIP was increased to 8.89%. SI yielded recovery values from 17.3, 2 and 15 without nanoparticles to 20.68, 17.57 and 36.2 % OOIP with

  16. In-situ PXRD studies of ZnO nanoparticle growth: How do various salts influence the hydrothermal growth of ZnO?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bøjesen, Espen Drath

    ZnO is a material of great scientific and everyday relevance; it is used widely in all sorts of application. Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles can be performed by a wide assortment of methods and a tremendous variety of sizes and shapes, it has been suggested that ZnO is the one known compound showing...... the broadest range of nanostructures. Previously many different in-situ characterization methods have been used to investigate the ZnO formation under various synthesis conditions; these include UV-VIS and SAXS. These methods were primarily used to give information on particle size of ZnO formed using soft...... chemical methods and non-aqueous solvents. In our work we have studied the formation of ZnO during hydrothermal syntheses using in-situ powder X-ray diffraction, thus enabling us to extract crystallographic as well as microstructural information. The data was analyzed using Rietveld refinement and whole...

  17. Local piezoelectric response of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a photosensitive polymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prashanthi, K.; Zhang, H.; Thundat, T. [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Ramgopal Rao, V. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Mumbai (India)

    2012-02-15

    Local piezoelectric properties of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a photo-epoxy polymer are investigated by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). Integrating ZnO NPs into a photosensitive SU-8 polymer matrix not only retains the highly desired piezoelectric properties of the ZnO, but also preserves photosensitivity and optical transparency of the SU-8 polymer. These results have strong implications for simple photolithography based low-cost fabrication of piezoelectric microelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanicalsystems (NEMS) in both sensing and energy harvesting applications. (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  18. Vertically aligned ZnO nanorods via self-assembled spray pyrolyzed nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dwivedi, Charu; Dutta, V

    2012-01-01

    Well-aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods are fabricated on indium-tin-oxide (ITO) coated glass substrates via self-assembly of ZnO nanoparticles created using continuous spray pyrolysis (CoSP) technique. The method involves pre-treatment by dip-coating the substrate with a solution comprising of zinc salt for creating a seed layer, and then spray-pyrolyzed ZnO nanoparticles self-assemble on the pre-treated substrate. The effect of the substrate pre-treatment and the deposition time (t dep ) of nanoparticles is investigated. The results show that the substrate pre-treatment influences the growth of ZnO nanorods which are absent without the pre-treatment. Nanoparticle collection and nanorod growth on different substrates are done simultaneously. The thin films of as-grown nanorods are used as photoelectrode materials to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and the effect of nanorods grown for different times has been studied. The best performance with this cell structure is found for the layer with t dep =15 min, which showed a conversion efficiency of 1.77% for the cell area of 0.25 cm 2

  19. Highly stable, protein capped gold nanoparticles as effective drug delivery vehicles for amino-glycosidic antibiotics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rastogi, Lori; Kora, Aruna Jyothi; Arunachalam, J.

    2012-01-01

    A method for the production of highly stable gold nanoparticles (Au NP) was optimized using sodium borohydride as reducing agent and bovine serum albumin as capping agent. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and dynamic light scattering techniques. The formation of gold nanoparticles was confirmed from the appearance of pink colour and an absorption maximum at 532 nm. These protein capped nanoparticles exhibited excellent stability towards pH modification and electrolyte addition. The produced nanoparticles were found to be spherical in shape, nearly monodispersed and with an average particle size of 7.8 ± 1.7 nm. Crystalline nature of the nanoparticles in face centered cubic structure is confirmed from the selected‐area electron diffraction and XRD patterns. The nanoparticles were functionalized with various amino-glycosidic antibiotics for utilizing them as drug delivery vehicles. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the possible functional groups of antibiotics bound to the nanoparticle surface have been examined. These drug loaded nanoparticle solutions were tested for their antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains, by well diffusion assay. The antibiotic conjugated Au NP exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity, compared to pure antibiotic at the same concentration. Being protein capped and highly stable, these gold nanoparticles can act as effective carriers for drugs and might have considerable applications in the field of infection prevention and therapeutics. - Highlights: ► Method for NaBH 4 reduced and BSA capped gold nanoparticle was standardized. ► Nanoparticles were spherical and nearly monodispersed with a size of 7.8 nm. ► Nanoparticles are extremely stable towards pH modification and electrolyte addition. ► Antibiotic conjugated nanoparticles exhibited enhanced antibacterial activity

  20. Gel-combustion-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles for visible light ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) synthesized by the gel combustion technique using a bio-fuel, cassava starch (root tubers of Manihot esculenta), have been characterized by various techniques. The X-ray diffractionpattern reveals hexagonal wurtzite structure. The particle size averaged around 45nm with an excellent ...

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2014-01-01

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

  2. Dye-sensitized solar cells with ZnO nanoparticles fabricated at low temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Sungjae; Moon, Byungjoon; Son, Dongick [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Wanju (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Byoungwook; Choi, Wonkook [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-11-15

    The authors investigated the microstructural and the electrical properties of ZnO based dyesensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated using a low-temperature-processed(200 .deg. C) dye-sensitized ZnO-nanoparticle thin film and a Pt catalyst deposited on ITO/glass by using RF magnetron sputtering. A hydropolymer containing PEG (poly(ethylene glycol)) and PEO (poly ethylene oxide) was used to make uniformly-distributed ZnO nanoparticle layer that form a nano-porous ZnO network after heat treatment and was then dye sensitized and sandwiched between two electrodes in an electrolyte to make a DSSC device. The highest measured parameters, the short circuit current density (J{sub sc}), the open circuit potential(V{sub oc}), the fill factor(FF), and the power conversion efficiency (η), of the DSSC fabricated under optimized conditions were observed to be 4.93 mA/cm{sup 2}, 0.56 V, 0.40, and 1.12%, respectively.

  3. Photoluminescence of urea- and urea/rhodamine B-capped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonzalo-Juan, I., E-mail: gonzalo@materials.tu-darmstadt.de; Macé, L.; Tengeler, S.; Mosallem, A.; Nicoloso, N.; Riedel, R.

    2016-07-01

    Urea- and rhodamine B (RhB)-capped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared by solvothermal synthesis and characterized by HRTEM, XRD, FTIR, XPS, optical absorption and photoemission. The urea and urea/RhB ligands are capped to the surface of the TiO{sub 2} NPs for the first time through carbamate bonding. The band gap of TiO{sub 2} is slightly reduced from 3.1 eV to 3.0 eV in the urea capped TiO{sub 2} NPs (TU) and 2.9 eV for the NPs capped with urea/RhB (TUR). The generation of new trapping states in TU and TUR at the conduction band edges (surface oxygen vacancies) has been confirmed by the Urbach law providing tail state energies of 180 meV and 270 meV, respectively. These tail states are considered to be responsible for the strong reduction of the photoluminescence at ≈400 nm and the increased emission at ≈600 nm in TU and TUR. The findings suggest that urea- and RhB-capped TiO{sub 2} NPs could have potential applications as photocatalysts, opto-electronic devices, sensors, biological labels and anti-bacterial agents. - Highlights: • Urea- and urea/rhodamine B (RhB)-capped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles preparation. • Characterization of optical properties of urea- and urea/rhodamine B (RhB)-capped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • The recombination of electrons and holes is significantly reduced in the capped TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, in comparison with TiO{sub 2}.

  4. The toxic effects of l-Cysteine-capped cadmium sulfide nanoparticles on the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrrhiza

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khataee, Alireza; Movafeghi, Ali; Nazari, Fatemeh; Vafaei, Fatemeh; Dadpour, Mohammad Reza; Hanifehpour, Younes; Joo, Sang Woo

    2014-01-01

    Plants play an important role in the fate of nanoparticles in the environment through their uptake, bioaccumulation, and transfer to trophic chains. However, the impacts of nanoparticles on plants as essential components of all ecosystems are not well documented. In the present study, the toxic effects of l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles on Spirodela polyrrhiza as an aquatic higher plant species were studied. l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles were synthesized using hydrothermal method and their characteristics were determined by XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, and FT-IR techniques. The diameter of majority of synthesized nanoparticles was about 15–20 nm. Subsequently, the uptake of l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles by the plant species was confirmed using epifluorescence microscopy. The activity of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase as antioxidant enzymes was assayed and the relative frond number was calculated in the presence of different concentrations of l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles. The obtained results revealed the toxic effects of the synthesized nanoparticles on S. polyrrhiza, leading to growth reduction and significant changes in antioxidant enzymes’ activity.Graphical Abstract

  5. The toxic effects of l-Cysteine-capped cadmium sulfide nanoparticles on the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrrhiza

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khataee, Alireza, E-mail: ar_khataee@yahoo.com [University of Tabriz, Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Movafeghi, Ali [University of Tabriz, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nazari, Fatemeh [University of Tabriz, Research Laboratory of Advanced Water and Wastewater Treatment Processes, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Vafaei, Fatemeh [University of Tabriz, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Dadpour, Mohammad Reza [University of Tabriz, Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Hanifehpour, Younes; Joo, Sang Woo, E-mail: swjoo@yu.ac.kr [Yeungnam University, School of Mechanical Engineering (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-12-15

    Plants play an important role in the fate of nanoparticles in the environment through their uptake, bioaccumulation, and transfer to trophic chains. However, the impacts of nanoparticles on plants as essential components of all ecosystems are not well documented. In the present study, the toxic effects of l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles on Spirodela polyrrhiza as an aquatic higher plant species were studied. l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles were synthesized using hydrothermal method and their characteristics were determined by XRD, SEM, HR-TEM, and FT-IR techniques. The diameter of majority of synthesized nanoparticles was about 15–20 nm. Subsequently, the uptake of l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles by the plant species was confirmed using epifluorescence microscopy. The activity of peroxidase and superoxide dismutase as antioxidant enzymes was assayed and the relative frond number was calculated in the presence of different concentrations of l-Cysteine-capped CdS nanoparticles. The obtained results revealed the toxic effects of the synthesized nanoparticles on S. polyrrhiza, leading to growth reduction and significant changes in antioxidant enzymes’ activity.Graphical Abstract.

  6. Degradation of 4-Chlorophenol Under Sunlight Using ZnO Nanoparticles as Catalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajar, Kausar; Sirajuddin; Balouch, Aamna; Bhanger, M. I.; Sherazi, Tufail H.; Kumar, Raj

    2018-03-01

    Herein we demonstrate a simplistic microwave assisted chemical precipitation approach regarding the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles. As-prepared ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffractometry and scrutinized as photo-catalysts for degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) under sunlight. The study substantiated that 98.5% of 4-CP was degraded within 20 min in the absence of initiator like H2O2 which reflects an outstanding prospective use for ZnO NPs as photo-catalysts. The nanocatalysts were recycled four times and still showed catalytic efficiency up to 95.5% for degradation of 4-CP in the specified 20 min.

  7. Effect of the pillar ligand on preventing agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles prepared from Zn(II metal-organic frameworks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Moeinian

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs represent a new class of highly porous materials. On this regard,  two nano porous metal-organic frameworks of [Zn2(1,4-bdc2(H2O2∙(DMF2]n (1 and [Zn2(1,4-bdc2(dabco]·4DMF·1⁄2H2O (2, (1,4-bdc = benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate, dabco = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide were synthesized and characterized. They were used for preparation of ZnO nanomaterials. With calcination of 1, agglomerated ZnO nanoparticles could be fabricated, but by the same process on 2, the tendency of ZnO nanoparticles to agglomeration was decreased. In addition, the ZnO nanoparticles prepared from compound 2 had smaller diameter than those obtained from compound 1. In fact, the role of organic dabco ligands in 2 is similar to the role of polymeric stabilizers in formation of nanoparticles. Finally, considering the various applications of ZnO nanomaterials such as light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, photodiodes, gas sensors and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs, it seems that preparation of ZnO nanomaterials from their MOFs could be one of the simple and effective methods which may be applied for preparation of them.

  8. Efficient photocatalytic performance enhancement in Co-doped ZnO nanowires coupled with CuS nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Wang, Guojing; Feng, Yimeng; Li, Zhengcao

    2018-01-01

    In this research, a kind of highly efficient semiconductor photocatalyst was fabricated by depositing CuS nanoparticles uniformly on the surface of Co-doped ZnO nanowires. ZnO nanowires were synthesized by hydrothermal method and CuS nanoparticles were modified by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). By conducting methyl orange (MO) degradation experiments under the illumination of visible light, the photocatalytic activity of Co-doped ZnO nanowires modified with CuS nanoparticles was found to be nearly three times active when compared to bare ZnO nanowires. Its superior photocatalytic performance has two main reasons. The doped Co2+ ions can inhibit the recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs and decrease the optical bandgap, while the p-n heterostructure can enhance the visible light absorption ability and promote the separation of photo-excited charge carriers. Furthermore, the effect of the amount of deposited CuS nanoparticles on the photocatalysis was also investigated. The photocatalytic efficiency firstly raised along with the increment of SILAR cycle times and reached a maximum at 10 cycles but then decreased as the cycle times continue to increase. This originates from that an excessive amount of CuS would not only cover the active reacting sites, but also serve as recombination centers. Overall, this new nanostructure is expected to work as an efficient photocatalyst.

  9. Adsorption kinetics of alkanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane–water interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferdous, Sultana; Ioannidis, Marios A.; Henneke, Dale

    2011-01-01

    The pendant drop technique was used to characterize the adsorption behavior of n-dodecane-1-thiol and n-hexane-1-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at the hexane–water interface. The adsorption process was studied by analyzing the dynamic interfacial tension versus nanoparticle concentration, both at early times and at later stages (i.e., immediately after the interface between the fluids is made and once equilibrium has been established). A series of gold colloids were made using nanoparticles ranging in size from 1.60 to 2.85 nm dissolved in hexane for the interfacial tension analysis. Following free diffusion of nanoparticles from the bulk hexane phase, adsorption leads to ordering and rearrangement of the nanoparticles at the interface and formation of a dense monolayer. With increasing interfacial coverage, the diffusion-controlled adsorption for the nanoparticles at the interface was found to change to an interaction-controlled assembly and the presence of an adsorption barrier was experimentally verified. At the same bulk concentration, different sizes of n-dodecane-1-thiol nanoparticles showed different absorption behavior at the interface, in agreement with the findings of Kutuzov et al. (Phys Chem Chem Phys 9:6351–6358, 2007). The experiments additionally demonstrated the important role played by the capping agent. At the same concentration, gold nanoparticles stabilized by n-hexane-1-thiol exhibited greater surface activity than gold nanoparticles of the same size stabilized by n-dodecane-1-thiol. These findings contribute to the design of useful supra-colloidal structures by the self-assembly of alkane-thiol-capped gold nanoparticles at liquid–liquid interfaces.

  10. On the state of Mn in Mn{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O nanoparticles and their surface modification with isonipecotic acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiménez-Hernández, L.; Estévez-Hernández, O. [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología de Avanzada, Unidad Legaria, Ciudad México, México (Mexico); Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (IMRE), Universidad de La Habana (Cuba); Hernández, M.P. [Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales (IMRE), Universidad de La Habana (Cuba); Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología (CNyN), Ensenada, Baja California, México (Mexico); Díaz, J.A.; Farías, M.F. [Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología (CNyN), Ensenada, Baja California, México (Mexico); Reguera, E., E-mail: edilso.reguera@gmail.com [Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro de Investigación en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnología de Avanzada, Unidad Legaria, Ciudad México, México (Mexico)

    2017-03-15

    Mn-doped ZnO (Mn{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O) nanoparticles were synthesized by the co-precipitation method and coated with isonipecotic acid as capping ligand. The structure, composition and morphology of the resulting nanomaterial were investigated by energy disperse X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy data. Such measurements showed that the solid obtained contains 6 at% of Mn and it is formed by a highly crystalline material with 3–5 nm range of crystallite size, and only a small elongation of its cell parameter with respect to undoped ZnO wurtzite unit cell. Information on the state of manganese atom in the Mn{sub x}Zn{sub 1−x}O nanostructures formed was obtained from X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and electron energy loss (EELS) spectroscopies. XPS and EELS spectra are composed of four peaks, corresponding to two species of Mn(II) and signals from Mn(III) and Mn(IV). Such spectral data on the state of Mn in the material studied is consistent with the mapping of Mn distribution observed in recorded transmission electron microscopy images, which reveal presence of clusters of Mn atoms. Only a fraction of doping Mn atoms were found forming a solid solution with the host ZnO structure. The functionalization of the nanoparticles system with Isonipecotic acid shows that this molecule remains anchored to the nanoparticles surface mainly through its N basic site. The availability of free carboxylate groups in the capping molecule was tested by conjugation to type IV horseradish peroxidase. - Graphical abstract: State of Mn atoms in Mn-doped ZnO nanostructures prepared by the precipitation method, their capping with isonipecotic acid and subsequent conjugation to peroxidase. - Highlights: • State of manganese in manganese-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles. • Isonipecotic acid as surface modifier of ZnO nanoparticles. • Peroxidase conjugation to ZnO nanoparticles modified with isonipecotic acid.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaneva, N; Bojinova, A; Papazova, K

    2016-01-01

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

  12. Effects of ZnO nanoparticles and microwave heating on the sterilization and product quality of vacuum-packaged Caixin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qian; Zhang, Min; Fang, Zhong-xiang; Rong, Xiao-hong

    2014-09-01

    The sterilization of vacuum-packaged Caixin (Brassica chinensis L.), which is a green-leafy vegetable and also a low-acid food, remains a difficult problem. In this study, effects of ZnO nanoparticles and microwave heating on the sterilization and product quality of vacuum-packaged Caixin were investigated. Addition of ZnO nanoparticle suspension at 0.01-0.02 g kg(-1) reduced the number of bacterial colonies. The antibacterial activity was enhanced with the increased amount of ZnO nanoparticles. Microwave heating (915 and 2450 MHz) was used to sterilize Caixin samples. Samples had good product quality (better greenness, chroma and hue angle values, lower browning index and acceptable texture) and the lowest total colony number under the microwave heating condition of 400 W 150 s (2450 MHz). The best sterilization condition was observed under 2450 MHz microwave (400 W 150 s) heating combined with 0.02 g kg(-1) ZnO nanoparticle addition, which led to a total colony number of <1 log CFU g(-1) in Caixin samples within 7 days. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  13. Rapid thermal melted TiO2 nano-particles into ZnO nano-rod and its application for dye sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chao, Ching-Hsun; Chang, Chi-Lung; Chan, Chien-Hung; Lien, Shui-Yang; Weng, Ko-Wei; Yao, Kuo-Shan

    2010-01-01

    TiO 2 nano-particles with an anchored ZnO nano-rod structure were synthesized using the hydrothermal method to grow ZnO nano-rods and coated TiO 2 nano-particles on ZnO nano-rods using the rapid thermal annealing method on ITO conducting glass pre-coated with nano porous TiO 2 film. The XRD study showed that there was little difference in crystal composition for various types of TiO 2 nano-particles anchored to ZnO nano-rods. The as-prepared architecture was characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Films with TiO 2 nano-particles anchored to ZnO nano-rods were used as electrode materials to fabricate dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The best solar energy conversion efficiency of 2.397% was obtained by modified electrode material, under AM 1.5 illumination, achieved up to J sc = 15.382 mA/cm 2 , V oc = 0.479 V and fill factor = 32.8%.

  14. Effect of ZnO nanoparticles to mechanical properties of thixoformed Mg-Al-Zn alloy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusharjanto; Soepriyanto, Syoni; Ardian Korda, Akhmad; Adi Dwiwanto, Supono

    2018-03-01

    Magnesium alloys are lightweight metallic materials with low mechanical properties. Therefore, in order to meet the requirements in various industrial sector applications such as automotive, aerospace and electronic frame, improvement strength and ductility is required. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of adding ZnO nanoparticles to changes in microstructure, hardness, mechanical properties regarding with yield and ultimate strength. In this research, the molten Mg-Al-Zn alloy is added ZnO nanoparticles with a various range of 0, 1; 3 and 5 wt% and then cooling in the room temperature. Futhermore, Mg-Al-Zn-ZnO is heated at a temperature of 530 °C (in the semi-solid temperature range 470 °C–595 °C or 53% solid fraction) and then thixoforming process is performed. The characterization results of the thixoforming product show that, the microstructure is globular in shape with maximum hardness value of 107.14 VHN, the yield strength of 214.87 MPa, and the ultimate tensile strength of 311.25 MPa in 5 wt% ZnO nanoparticles.

  15. Structural characteristics and UV-light enhanced gas sensitivity of La-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ge Chunqiao; Xie Changsheng; Hu Mulin; Gui Yanghai; Bai Zikui; Zeng Dawen

    2007-01-01

    La-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method starting from zinc acetate dihydrate, lanthanum sesquioxide, alcohol and nitric acid. The crystal structure and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FESEM, respectively. The thermal decomposition behavior of the the ZnO-based xerogel was detected by TG-DSC. The results show that as-prepared nanoparticles with the hexagonal wurtzite contain the adsorbed water and some organic compounds below 300 o C, which is the key to the calcinations of the ZnO-based xerogel. Pure ZnO and La-doped ZnO thick film sensors were prepared and tested for specific sensitivity to alcohol and benzene with (and without) UV-light excitation. Among all, 10 at.%La-ZnO-based sensors are significantly sensitive to 100 ppm alcohol and 100 ppm benzene. There is an obvious enhancement of the gas-sensing performances with UV-light excitation. That is, the sensitivity to 100 ppm benzene rises twice. The observed sensitivity to alcohol and benzene could be explained with the surface adsorption theory and the conduction-band theory

  16. Effect of ZnO nanoparticles in the oxygen uptake during aerobic wastewater treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cervantes-Avilés, Pabel; Brito, Elcia M. S. [University of Guanajuato, Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering & Environmental Engineering (Mexico); Duran, Robert [Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Equipe Environment et Microbiologie (France); Martínez, Arodí Bernal; Cuevas-Rodríguez, Germán, E-mail: german28@ugto.mx [University of Guanajuato, Engineering Division, Department of Civil Engineering & Environmental Engineering (Mexico)

    2016-07-15

    The increased use of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in everyday products indicates the importance of studying NPs release to the wastewater and its possible effect on biological process for wastewater treatment. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the effect of the presence of ZnO NPs in aerobic wastewater treatment. The results indicated that the oxygen uptake rate of microorganisms is inhibited for concentrations higher than 473 mg L{sup −1} of ZnO NPs. The diversity of microorganisms involved in wastewater treatment was reduced in presence of ZnO NPs. Related to morphological interaction between ZnO NPs and suspended biomass, physical damage in flocs structure were observed in presence of ZnO NPs. However, the internalization of Zn compounds in microorganisms not presented mechanical damage in the membrane cell. These findings suggest that inhibition in oxygen uptake was caused for negative effect that ZnO NPs induces in aerobic microorganisms involved in wastewater treatment.

  17. Effect of calcination temperature on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of pure and Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pal Singh Raminder Preet

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, pure ZnO and Fe-doped ZnO (Zn0.97Fe0.03O nanoparticles were synthesized by simple coprecipitation method with zinc acetate, ferric nitrate and sodium hydroxide precursors. Pure ZnO and Fe-doped ZnO were further calcined at 450 °C, 600 °C and 750 °C for 2 h. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the as-synthesized pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The average crystallite size was calculated using Debye-Scherrer’s formula. The particle size was found to be in nano range and increased with an increase in calcination temperature. SEM micrographs confirmed the formation of spherical nanoparticles. Elemental compositions of various elements in pure and doped ZnO nanoparticles were determined by EDX spectroscopy. UV-Vis absorption spectra showed red shift (decrease in band gap with increasing calcination temperature. Effect of calcination on the magnetic properties of Fe-doped ZnO sample was also studied using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM. M-H curves at room temperature revealed that coercivity and remanent polarization increase with an increase in calcination temperature from 450 °C to 750 °C, whereas reverse effect was observed for magnetization saturation.

  18. Synthesis of Stabilized Myrrh-Capped Hydrocolloidal Magnetite Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayman M. Atta

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Herein we report a new method for synthesizing stabilized magnetic nanoparticle (MNP colloids. A new class of monodisperse water-soluble magnetite nano-particles was prepared by a simple and inexpensive co-precipitation method. Iron ions and iodine were prepared by the reaction between ferric chloride and potassium iodide. The ferrous and ferric ions were hydrolyzed at low temperature at pH 9 in the presence of iodine to produce iron oxide nanoparticles. The natural product myrrh gum was used as capping agent to produce highly dispersed coated magnetite nanoparticles. The structure and morphology of the magnetic nanogel was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and X-ray diffraction (XRD was used to examine the crystal structure of the produced magnetite nanoparticles.

  19. Synthesis and characterization of rod-like ZnO decorated with γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles monolayer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balti, Imen, E-mail: imenbalti12@yahoo.fr [Unité de Recherche 99/UR12-30, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna (Tunisia); Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et Matériaux, LSPM, CNRS, UPR 3407, Université Paris XIII, 99 Avenue J.B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse (France); Smiri, Laila Samia [Unité de Recherche 99/UR12-30, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna (Tunisia); Rabu, Pierre [Département de Chimie des Matériaux Inorganiques, IPCMS, UMR 7504, CNRS–UDS, 23, rue du Loess, BP 43, Strasbourg Cedex 2 (France); Gautron, Eric [Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel (IMN)-UMR 6502, Université de Nantes, CNRS, 2 rue de la Houssinière, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Viana, Bruno [LCMCP, Chimie-Paristech, UPMC, Collège de France, UMR CNRS 7574, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris (France); Jouini, Noureddine [Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et Matériaux, LSPM, CNRS, UPR 3407, Université Paris XIII, 99 Avenue J.B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse (France)

    2014-02-15

    Highlights: ► Rod-like ZnO decorated with γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles have been prepared using forced hydrolysis in polyol medium. ► The system presents excellent UV photoluminescence properties along with superparamagnetic behavior. -- Abstract: Decorated rod-like ZnO particles with γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles monolayer (ZnO@γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) were prepared via a simple route using forced hydrolysis of metal acetates in a polyol medium. The phases and purity of the as-prepared particles were established by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the ZnO particles present a typical rod-like morphology with ∼80 nm diameter and ∼200–400 nm length. These nanorods are decorated with well-organized γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} spherical nanoparticles showing a narrow size distribution around 5 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the bare ZnO particles show predominant UV-excitonic and weak visible emission. The latter vanishes after covering the surface with the γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles suggesting an effect on the oxygen stoichiometry at the surface of the ZnO nanorods. The decorated nanoparticles exhibit magnetic response to an external magnetic field at room temperature and a superparamagnetic character with very low blocking temperature likely related to the organisation of γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles as monolayer.

  20. The effects of ZnO2 nanoparticles on properties of concrete using ground granulated blast furnace Slag as binder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Nazari

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, flexural strength together with pore structure, thermal behavior and microstructure of concrete containing ground granulated blast furnace slag with different amount of ZnO2 nanoparticles has been investigated. Portland cement was replaced by different amounts of ground granulated blast furnace slag and the properties of concrete specimens were investigated. Although it negatively impact the properties of concrete, ground granulated blast furnace slag was found to improve the physical and mechanical properties of concrete up to 45 wt. (%. ZnO2 nanoparticles with the average particle size of 15 nm were added partially to concrete with the optimum content of 45 wt. (% of ground granulated blast furnace slag and physical and mechanical properties of the specimens was measured. ZnO2 nanoparticle as a partial replacement of cement up to 3 wt. (% could accelerate C-S-H gel formation as a result of increased crystalline Ca(OH2 amount at the early age of hydration and hence increase flexural strength of concrete. The increased the ZnO2 nanoparticles' content more than 3 wt. (%, causes the reduced the flexural strength because of the decreased crystalline Ca(OH2 content required for C-S-H gel formation together with unsuitable dispersion of nanoparticles in the concrete matrix. ZnO2 nanoparticles could improve the pore structure of concrete and shift the distributed pores to harmless and few-harm pores.

  1. Electrochemical Sensing, Photocatalytic and Biological Activities of ZnO Nanoparticles: Synthesis via Green Chemistry Route

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, L. S. Reddy; Archana, B.; Lingaraju, K.; Kavitha, C.; Suresh, D.; Nagabhushana, H.; Nagaraju, G.

    2016-05-01

    In this paper, we have successfully synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (Nps) via solution combustion method using sugarcane juice as the novel fuel. The structure and morphology of the synthesized ZnO Nps have been analyzed using various analytical tools. The synthesized ZnO Nps exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye, indicating that the ZnO Nps are potential photocatalytic semiconductor materials. The synthesized ZnO Nps also show good electrochemical sensing of dopamine. ZnO Nps exhibit significant bactericidal activity against Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Eschesichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus using agar well diffusion method. Furthermore, the ZnO Nps show good antioxidant activity by potentially scavenging 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The above studies clearly demonstrate versatile applications of ZnO synthesized by simple eco-friendly route.

  2. Facially amphiphilic thiol capped gold and silver nanoparticles

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Wintec

    *For correspondence. Also at the Chemical Biology Unit,. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research,. Bangalore 560 064. Facially amphiphilic thiol capped gold and silver nanoparticles. †. SHREEDHAR BHAT a and UDAY MAITRA*. Department of Organic Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore ...

  3. xanthen-11-ones by ZnO Nanoparticles Catalyzed Three Co

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    NICO

    Highly effective zinc oxide nanoparticles catalyzed solvent-free synthesis of some tetrahydrobenzo[a]xanthen-11-one derivatives ... efficient, green and simple method for the preparation of ... Characterization of ZnO NPs structure was continued by SEM ... catalysts may be related to higher surface area available for.

  4. Synthesis of organically-capped metallic zinc nanoparticles using electrical explosion of wires (EEW) coupled with PIERMEN

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdelkader, Elseddik M.; Jelliss, Paul A., E-mail: jellissp@slu.edu; Buckner, Steven W., E-mail: buckners@slu.edu

    2015-01-15

    In this study zinc nanoparticles (ZNPs) were produced using electrical explosion of wires (EEW) with NP size around 100 nm. The explosion chamber was constructed from Teflon to withstand the shockwave, to allow growth and reaction of the incipient ZNPs in various organic solvents, and to allow a constant flow of argon creating an inert atmosphere. We utilized polymerization initiation by electron-rich metallic nanoparticles (PIERMEN) as the capping technique for the reactive ZNPs. Epoxides and alkenes served as the capping monomers. Epoxide caps underwent oligomerization on the surface of the NPs to form a protective polyether cap which renders the particles stable, non-pyrophoric in air, and dispersible in organic solvents. We investigated various Zn to monomer molar ratios varying from 1:1 to 10:1. Polyethylene glycol was also used as a capping agent and was found to give the smallest average Zn core sizes with the metal core diameters varying from 15 to 20 nm. Several solvents were used to study differences in resultant particle size and we observe toluene to give the smallest metal cores. Transmission electron microscopy shows the spherical particles with the metallic core embedded in a polymer matrix. The sample consists of predominantly smaller particles, but there was also a broad size distribution giving a range of 20–150 nm. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) was used to confirm the identity of the metallic NPs. The capping agents were characterized using both attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infra-red (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies. There was no evidence for formation of zinc oxide with appropriate organic capping agents and solvent combinations; thus, this is the first report of production of pure metallic zinc nanoparticles with an organic cap using EEW. - Highlights: • Organically-capped Zn metal nanoparticles are produced by EEW in organic solution. • Incipient Zn metal nanoparticles initiate oligomerization of epoxide and

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

    KAUST Repository

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

    2013-01-01

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

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

    KAUST Repository

    Omri, Karim

    2013-08-01

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

  7. Antibacterial activity and inflammation inhibition of ZnO nanoparticles embedded TiO2 nanotubes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Shenglian; Feng, Xujia; Lu, Jiaju; Zheng, Yudong; Wang, Xiumei; Volinsky, Alex A.; Wang, Lu-Ning

    2018-06-01

    Titanium (Ti) with nanoscale structure on the surface exhibits excellent biocompatibility and bone integration. Once implanted, the surgical implantation may lead to bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction, which cause the implant failure. In this work, irregular and nanorod-shaped ZnO nanoparticles were doped into TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs) with inner diameter of about 50 nm by electro-deposition. The antibacterial properties of ZnO incorporated into TiO2 nanotubes (TNTs/ZnO) were evaluated using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Zn ions released from the nanoparticles and the morphology could work together, improving antibacterial effectiveness up to 99.3% compared with the TNTs. Macrophages were cultured on the samples to determine their respective anti-inflammatory properties. The proliferation and viability of macrophages were evaluated by the CCK-8 method and Live&Dead stain, and the morphology of the cells was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Results indicated that TNTs/ZnO has a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation and adhesion of macrophages, which could be used to prevent chronic inflammation and control the inflammatory reaction. Besides, the release of Zn ions from the ZnO nanoparticles is a long-term process, which could be beneficial for bone integration. Results demonstrate that ZnO deposited into TNTs improved the antibacterial effectiveness and weakened the inflammatory reaction of titanium-based implants, which is a promising approach to enhance their bioactivity.

  8. Parametric analysis of the growth of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in alcoholic medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonseca, A. S.; Figueira, P. A.; Pereira, A. S.; Santos, R. J.; Trindade, T.; Nunes, M. I.

    2017-01-01

    The growth kinetics of nanosized ZnO was studied considering the influence of different parameters (mixing degree, temperature, alcohol chain length, reactant concentration and Zn/OH ratios) on the synthesis reaction and modelling the outputs using typical kinetic growth models, which were then evaluated by means of a sensitivity analysis. The Zn/OH ratio, the temperature and the alcohol chain length were found to be essential parameters to control the growth of ZnO nanoparticles, whereas zinc acetate concentration (for Zn/OH = 0.625) and the stirring during the ageing stage were shown to not have significant influence on the particle size growth. This last operational parameter was for the first time investigated for nanoparticles synthesized in 1-pentanol, and it is of outmost importance for the implementation of continuous industrial processes for mass production of nanosized ZnO and energy savings in the process. Concerning the nanoparticle growth modelling, the results show a different pattern from the more commonly accepted diffusion-limited Ostwald ripening process, i.e. the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner (LSW) model. Indeed, this study shows that oriented attachment occurs during the early stages whereas for the later stages the particle growth is well represented by the LSW model. This conclusion contributes to clarify some controversy found in the literature regarding the kinetic model which better represents the ZnO NPs’ growth in alcoholic medium.

  9. Parametric analysis of the growth of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles synthesized in alcoholic medium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fonseca, A. S. [National Research Centre for the Working Environment (Denmark); Figueira, P. A.; Pereira, A. S. [Universidade de Aveiro, Departamento de Química—CICECO (Portugal); Santos, R. J. [Universidade do Porto, Laboratory of Separation and Reaction Engineering-Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials (LSRE-LCM), Faculdade de Engenharia (Portugal); Trindade, T. [Universidade de Aveiro, Departamento de Química—CICECO (Portugal); Nunes, M. I., E-mail: isanunes@ua.pt [Universidade de Aveiro, Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Dep. de Ambiente e Ordenamento (Portugal)

    2017-02-15

    The growth kinetics of nanosized ZnO was studied considering the influence of different parameters (mixing degree, temperature, alcohol chain length, reactant concentration and Zn/OH ratios) on the synthesis reaction and modelling the outputs using typical kinetic growth models, which were then evaluated by means of a sensitivity analysis. The Zn/OH ratio, the temperature and the alcohol chain length were found to be essential parameters to control the growth of ZnO nanoparticles, whereas zinc acetate concentration (for Zn/OH = 0.625) and the stirring during the ageing stage were shown to not have significant influence on the particle size growth. This last operational parameter was for the first time investigated for nanoparticles synthesized in 1-pentanol, and it is of outmost importance for the implementation of continuous industrial processes for mass production of nanosized ZnO and energy savings in the process. Concerning the nanoparticle growth modelling, the results show a different pattern from the more commonly accepted diffusion-limited Ostwald ripening process, i.e. the Lifshitz–Slyozov–Wagner (LSW) model. Indeed, this study shows that oriented attachment occurs during the early stages whereas for the later stages the particle growth is well represented by the LSW model. This conclusion contributes to clarify some controversy found in the literature regarding the kinetic model which better represents the ZnO NPs’ growth in alcoholic medium.

  10. Mechanism of oxidative stress involved in the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against eukaryotic cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Saliani

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available ZnO NPs (zinc oxide nanoparticles has generated significant scientific interest as a novel antibacterial and anticancer agent. Since oxidative stress is a critical determinant of ZnO NPs-induced damage, it is necessary to characterize their underlying mode of action. Different structural and physicochemical properties of ZnO NPs such as particle surface, size, shape, crystal structure, chemical position, and presence of metals can lead to changes in biological activities including ROS (reactive oxygen species production. However, there are some inconsistencies in the literature on the relation between the physicochemical features of ZnO NPs and their plausible oxidative stress mechanism. Herein, the possible oxidative stress mechanism of ZnO NPs was reviewed. This is worthy of further detailed evaluations in order to improve our understanding of vital NPs characteristics governing their toxicity. Therefore, this study focuses on the different reported oxidative stress paradigms induced by ZnO NPs including ROS generated by NPs, oxidative stress due to the NPs-cell interaction, and role of the particle dissolution in the oxidative damage. Also, this study tries to characterize and understand the multiple pathways involved in oxidative stress induced by ZnO NPs. Knowledge about different cellular signaling cascades stimulated by ZnO NPs lead to the better interpretation of the toxic influences induced by the cellular and acellular parameters. Regarding the potential benefits of toxic effects of ZnO NPs, in-depth evaluation of their toxicity mechanism and various effects of these nanoparticles would facilitate their implementation for biomedical applications.

  11. Precipitated nickel doped ZnO nanoparticles with enhanced low temperature ethanol sensing properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Umadevi Godavarti

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The Zn1-xNixO nanoparticles have been synthesized by novel co-precipitation method and systematically characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and photo luminescence. The XRD patterns confirm the hexagonal wurzite structure without secondary phases in Ni substituted ZnO samples. SEM and TEM are used for the estimation of particle shape and size. In PL study there is a peak in the range of 380–390 nm in all samples that is attributed to the oxygen vacancies. Gas sensing tests reveal that Ni doped ZnO sensor has remarkably enhanced performance compared to pure ZnO detected at an optimum temperature 100 °C. It could detect ethanol gas in a wide concentration range with very high response, fast response–recovery time, good selectivity and stable repeatability. The possible sensing mechanism is discussed. The high response of ZnO Nanoparticles was attributed to large contacting surface area for electrons, oxygen, target gas molecule, and abundant channels for gas diffusion. The superior sensing features indicate the present Ni doped ZnO as a promising nanomaterial for gas sensors. The response time and recovery time of undoped is 75 s and 60 s and 0.25 at% Ni are found to be 60 s and 45 s at 100 °C respectively.

  12. In vitro toxicity of different-sized ZnO nanoparticles in Caco-2 cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Tianshu; Guan, Rongfa; Chen, Xiaoqiang; Song, Yijuan; Jiang, Han; Zhao, Jin

    2013-11-01

    There has been rapid growth in nanotechnology in both the public and private sectors worldwide, but concern about nanosafety exists. To assess size-dependent cytotoxicity on human cancer cells, we studied the cytotoxic effect of three kinds of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cells. Nanoparticles were first characterized by size, distribution, and intensity. Multiple assays have been adopted to measure the cell activity and oxidative stress. The cytotoxicity of ZnO NPs was time dependent and dose dependent. The 24-h exposure was chosen to confirm the viability and accessibility of the cells and taken as the appropriate time for the following test system. The IC50 value was found at a low concentration. The oxidative stress elicited a significant reduction in glutathione with increase in reactive oxygen species and lactate dehydrogenase. The toxicity resulted in a deletion of cells in the G1 phase and an accumulation of cells in the S and G2/M phases. One type of metallic oxide (ZnO) exerted different cytotoxic effects according to different particle sizes. Data from the previous experiments showed that 26-nm ZnO NPs appeared to have the highest toxicity to Caco-2 cells. The study demonstrated the toxicity of ZnO NPs to Caco-2 cells and the impact of particle size, which could be useful in the medical applications.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of organically linked ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chory, Christine; Riedel, Ingo; Parisi, Juergen [Energy and Semiconductor Research Laboratory (EHF), University of Oldenburg, Carl-von Ossietzky-Strasse 9-11, 26129 Oldenburg (Germany); Kruska, Carsten; Heimbrodt, Wolfram [Department of Physics and Material Sciences Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Renthof 5, 35032 Marburg (Germany); Feser, Clemens [NEXT ENERGY - EWE Research Centre for Energy Technology e.V., Carl-von Ossietzky-Strasse 15, 26129 Oldenburg (Germany); Beenken, Wichard J.D. [Department of Theoretical Physics I, Ilmenau University of Technology, Weimarer Strasse 25, 98693 Ilmenau (Germany); Hoppe, Harald [Department of Experimental Physics I, Ilmenau University of Technology, Weimarer Strasse 32, 98693 Ilmenau (Germany)

    2012-11-15

    We report on the solution-based synthesis and characterization of three-dimensional networks of ZnO nanoparticles where the formation of structures is achieved by covalently linking the nanocrystals with bifunctional organic ligands. The colloidal synthesis will be presented with application of two ligands that vary in size and binding sites. Furthermore we report on structural characterization of dried powders and thin films by means of X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in order to examine the regularity of the structures. We also present first investigations of the optical properties and electrical conductance behavior in lateral direction of the differently linked hybrid ZnO networks. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  14. Synthesis and characterization of organically linked ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chory, Christine; Riedel, Ingo; Parisi, Juergen; Kruska, Carsten; Heimbrodt, Wolfram; Feser, Clemens; Beenken, Wichard J.D.; Hoppe, Harald

    2012-01-01

    We report on the solution-based synthesis and characterization of three-dimensional networks of ZnO nanoparticles where the formation of structures is achieved by covalently linking the nanocrystals with bifunctional organic ligands. The colloidal synthesis will be presented with application of two ligands that vary in size and binding sites. Furthermore we report on structural characterization of dried powders and thin films by means of X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy in order to examine the regularity of the structures. We also present first investigations of the optical properties and electrical conductance behavior in lateral direction of the differently linked hybrid ZnO networks. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  15. Robust Synthesis of Ciprofloxacin-Capped Metallic Nanoparticles and Their Urease Inhibitory Assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nisar, Muhammad; Khan, Shujaat Ali; Qayum, Mughal; Khan, Ajmal; Farooq, Umar; Jaafar, Hawa Z E; Zia-Ul-Haq, Muhammad; Ali, Rashid

    2016-03-25

    The fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug ciprofloxacin (cip) has been used to cap metallic (silver and gold) nanoparticles by a robust one pot synthetic method under optimized conditions, using NaBH₄ as a mild reducing agent. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) showed constancy against variations in pH, table salt (NaCl) solution, and heat. Capping with metal ions (Ag/Au-cip) has significant implications for the solubility, pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of fluoroquinolone molecules. The metallic nanoparticles were characterized by several techniques such as ultraviolet visible spectroscopy (UV), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) methods. The nanoparticles synthesized using silver and gold were subjected to energy dispersive X-ray tests in order to show their metallic composition. The NH moiety of the piperazine group capped the Ag/Au surfaces, as revealed by spectroscopic studies. The synthesized nanoparticles were also assessed for urease inhibition potential. Fascinatingly, both Ag-cip and Au-cip NPs exhibited significant urease enzyme inhibitory potential, with IC50 = 1.181 ± 0.02 µg/mL and 52.55 ± 2.3 µg/mL, compared to ciprofloxacin (IC50 = 82.95 ± 1.62 µg/mL). MNPs also exhibited significant antibacterial activity against selected bacterial strains.

  16. Quaternized Chitosan-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Nanocarriers for Controlled Pesticide Release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Lidong; Zhang, Huirong; Cao, Chong; Zhang, Jiakun; Li, Fengmin; Huang, Qiliang

    2016-06-28

    Nanotechnology-based pesticide formulations would ensure effective utilization of agricultural inputs. In the present work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with particle diameters of ~110 nm and pore sizes of ~3.7 nm were synthesized via a liquid crystal templating mechanism. A water-soluble chitosan (CS) derivative ( N -(2-hydroxyl)propyl-3-trimethyl ammonium CS chloride, HTCC) was successfully capped on the surface of pyraclostrobin-loaded MSNs. The physicochemical and structural analyses showed that the electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding were the major forces responsible for the formation of HTCC-capped MSNs. HTCC coating greatly improved the loading efficiency (LC) (to 40.3%) compared to using bare MSNs as a single encapsulant (26.7%). The microstructure of the nanoparticles was revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The pyraclostrobin-loaded nanoparticles showed an initial burst and subsequent sustained release behavior. HTCC-capped MSNs released faster than bare MSNs in the initial stage. Pyraclostrobin-loaded HTCC-capped MSNs with half doses of pyraclostrobin technical demonstrated almost the same fungicidal activity against Phomopsis asparagi (Sacc.), which obviously reduced the applied pesticide and enhanced the utilization efficiency. Therefore, HTCC-decorated MSNs demonstrated great potential as nanocarriers in agrochemical applications.

  17. Synthesis of Colloidal ZnO Nanoparticles and Deposit of Thin Films by Spin Coating Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Alberto Alvarado

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available ZnO colloidal nanoparticles were synthesized, the average size of these nanoparticles is around 25 nm with hexagonal form. It was noted that stabilization depends directly on the purifying process; in this work we do not change the nature of the solution as a difference from Meulekamp's method, and we do not use any alkanes to remove the byproducts; only a centrifuge to remove those ones was used, thereby the stabilization increases up to 24 days. It is observed from the results that only three times of washing is enough to prevent the rapid aging process. The effect of annealing process on the composition, size, and geometrical shape of ZnO nanoparticles was studied in order to know whether the annealing process affects the crystallization and growth of the nanoparticles. After the synthesis, the colloidal nanoparticles were deposited by spin coating technique showing that the formed nanoparticles have no uniformly deposition pattern. But is possible to deposit those ones in glass substrates. A possible deposition process of the nanoparticles is proposed.

  18. Positron annihilation studies in ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, S. K.; Pujari, P. K.; Sudarshan, K.; Dutta, D.; Mahapatra, M.; Godbole, S. V.; Jayakumar, O. D.; Tyagi, A. K.

    2009-04-01

    We report results on positron annihilation spectroscopic (PAS) studies using lifetime and coincidence Doppler broadening techniques in zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (4 to 40 nm) synthesized by solid state pyrolytic reaction followed by annealing in the temperature range of 200 ∘C to 800 ∘C. Positron lifetime in the nanoparticles are observed to be higher than bulk lifetime in all the cases. Theoretical calculation of lifetime indicates the presence of either Zn or (Zn, O) vacancy clusters which migrate and anneal out at high temperature. Comparison of ratio spectra from coincidence Doppler broadening measurement and calculated electron momentum distribution indicates the presence of either Zn or (Zn, O) vacancies. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) measurements have been carried out to examine the role of defects on the intensity of emission in the visible region.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2016-01-01

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

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2016-11-01

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

  1. Site specific interaction between ZnO nanoparticles and tyrosine: A density functional theory study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Satvinder; Singh, Janpreet; Singh, Baljinder; Singh, Gurinder; Kaura, Aman; Tripathi, S. K.

    2018-05-01

    First Principles Calculations have been performed on ZnO/Tyrosine atomic complex to study site specific interaction of Tyrosine and ZnO nanoparticles. Calculated results shows that -COOH group present in Tyrosine is energetically more favorable than -NH2 group. Interactions show ionic bonding between ZnO and Tyrosine. All the calculations have been performed under the Density Functional Theory (DFT) framework. Structural and electronic properties of (ZnO)3/Tyrosine complex have been studied. Gaussian basis set approach has been adopted for the calculations. A ring type most stable (ZnO)3 atomic cluster has been modeled, analyzed and used for the calculations.

  2. Cytotoxicity of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles is influenced by cell density and culture format.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heng, Boon Chin; Zhao, Xinxin; Xiong, Sijing; Ng, Kee Woei; Boey, Freddy Yin-Chiang; Loo, Joachim Say-Chye

    2011-06-01

    A parameter that has often been overlooked in cytotoxicity assays is the density and confluency of mammalian cell monolayers utilized for toxicology screening. Hence, this study investigated how different cell seeding densities influenced their response to cytotoxic challenge with ZnO nanoparticles. Utilizing the same volume (1 ml per well) and concentration range (5-40 μg/ml) of ZnO nanoparticles, contradictory results were observed with higher-density cell monolayers (BEAS-2B cells) obtained either by increasing the number of seeded cells per well (50,000 vs. 200,000 cells per well of 12-well plate) or by seeding the same numbers of cells (50,000) within a smaller surface area (12-well vs. 48-well plate, 4.8 vs. 1.2 cm(2), respectively). Further experiments demonstrated that the data may be skewed by inconsistency in the mass/number of nanoparticles per unit area of culture surface, as well as by inconsistent nanoparticle to cell ratio. To keep these parameters constant, the same number of cells (50,000 per well) were seeded on 12-well plates, but with the cells being seeded at the edge of the well for the experimental group (by tilting the plate) to form a dense confluent monolayer, as opposed to a sparse monolayer for the control group seeded in the conventional manner. Utilizing such an experimental set-up for the comparative evaluation of four different cell lines (BEAS-2B, L-929, CRL-2922 and C2C12), it was observed that the high cell density monolayer was consistently more resistant to the cytotoxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles compared to the sparse monolayer for all four different cell types, with the greatest differences being observed above a ZnO concentration of 10 μg/ml. Hence, the results of this study demonstrate the need for the standardization of cell culture protocols utilized for toxicology screening of nanoparticles, with respect to cell density and mass/number of nanoparticles per unit area of culture surface.

  3. Enhancement of the corrosion protection of electroless Ni–P coating by deposition of sonosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharifalhoseini, Zahra [Sonochemical Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, 91779 Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Entezari, Mohammad H., E-mail: entezari@um.ac.ir [Sonochemical Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, 91779 Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Environmental Chemistry Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, 91779 Mashhad (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-10-01

    Graphical abstract: Enhancement of the corrosion protection of electroless Ni–P layer by ZnO nanoparticles deposition and the comparison with the classical and sonochemical Ni–P coatings. - Highlights: • Unique effects of ultrasound were investigated on the anticorrosive performance of electroless Ni–P coating. • Sonoynthesis of ZnO NPs and its deposition were performed on the surface of Ni–P coating. • ZnO as an anticorrosive has a critical role in the multifunctional surfaces. • Electrochemical properties of all fabricated samples were compared with each other. - Abstract: Ni–P coatings were deposited through electroless nickel plating in the presence and absence of ultrasound. The simultaneous synthesis of ZnO nanoparticle and its deposition under ultrasound were also carried out on the surface of Ni–P layer prepared by the classical method. The morphology of the surfaces and the chemical composition were determined by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. Electrochemical techniques were applied for the corrosion behavior studies. The Ni–P layer deposited by ultrasound showed a higher anticorrosive property than the layer deposited by the classical method. The ZnO nanoparticles deposited on the surface of Ni–P layer significantly improved the corrosion resistance.

  4. Nanoparticles of ZnO doped with Mn: structural and morphological characteristics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bonifacio, Maria Aparecida Ribeiro; Lira, Helio de Lucena; Gama, Lucianna, E-mail: m_aparecidaribeiro@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais; Neiva, Laedna Souto [Universidade Federal do Cariri (UFCA), Juazeiro do Norte, CE (Brazil). Unidade Academica de Materiais; Kiminami, Ruth H. G. A. [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (USCar), SP (Brazil). Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais

    2017-07-15

    In this study, the effects of dopant concentrations on the structural and morphological characteristics of Zn{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x} O powders (x= 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1 mole) synthesized by the Pechini method has been investigated. The powder was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) specific surface, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Spectroscopy with Fourier transform (FTIR). An XRD analysis of the powder showed the formation of ZnO phase with a typical single phase wurtzite structure. The EDX analysis revealed Mn incorporated in the ZnO structure. The particle size calculated by BET ranged from 24 to 63 nm, confirming the nanometric size of the powder particles. The SEM analysis revealed irregular shaped particle agglomerates and the presence of nanosheets. From FTIR it was confirmed the wurtzite structure in ZnO and ZnO nanoparticles doped with Mn. (author)

  5. Microwave assisted biosynthesis of rice shaped ZnO nanoparticles using Amorphophallus konjac tuber extract and its application in dye sensitized solar cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naresh Kumar P.

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Rice shaped ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized for the first time by a biological process using Amorphophallus konjac tuber extract and used as a photoanode in a dye sensitized solar cell. The glucomannan present in aqueous tuber extract acted as a reducing agent in the synthesis process, further it also acted as a template which modified and controlled the shape of the nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were dried by microwave irradiation followed by annealing at 400 °C. The FESEM and TEM images confirmed that the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles had rice shaped morphology. Furthermore, the X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the prepared ZnO nanoparticles exhibited wurtzite phase with average particle size of 17.9 nm. The UV-Vis spectroscopy studies confirmed the value of band gap energy of biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles as 3.11 eV. The photoelectrodes for dye sensitized solar cells were prepared with the biosynthesized ZnO nanoparticles using doctor blade method. The photoelectrode was sensitized using the fruit extract of Terminalia catappa, flower extracts of Callistemon citrinus and leaf extracts of Euphorbia pulcherrima. The dye sensitized solar cells were fabricated using the sensitized photoelectrode and their open circuit voltages and short circuit current densities were found to be in the range of 0.45 V to 0.55 V and 5.6 mA/cm2 to 6.8 mA/cm2, respectively. Thus, the photovoltaic performances of all the natural dye sensitized ZnO solar cells show better conversion efficiencies due to the morphology and preparation technique.

  6. Pseudorotaxane capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) detection in water

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lozano-Torres, Beatriz; Pascual, Lluís; Bernardos, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with fluorescein and capped by a pseudorotaxane, formed between a naphthalene derivative and cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+), were used for the selective and sensitive fluorogenic detection of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA).......Mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with fluorescein and capped by a pseudorotaxane, formed between a naphthalene derivative and cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) (CBPQT4+), were used for the selective and sensitive fluorogenic detection of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)....

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2018-06-01

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

  8. Band gap tuning of ZnO nanoparticles via Mg doping by femtosecond laser ablation in liquid environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chelnokov, E.; Rivoal, M.; Colignon, Y.; Gachet, D.; Bekere, L.; Thibaudau, F.; Giorgio, S.; Khodorkovsky, V.; Marine, W.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Femtosecond laser ablation synthesis of Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles. ► Electronic properties of ZnO are modified by Mg. ► Band gap and exciton energy shifts to the blue. ► The exciton energy shift is saturated at Mg content of about 20%. ► Phase separation at Mg content is at more than 25%. ► Mechanism of exciton pinning – recombination via new surface states. - Abstract: We use multiphoton IR femtosecond laser ablation to induce non-thermal non-equilibrium conditions of the nanoparticle growth in liquids. Modifications of the electronic properties of ZnO NP were achieved by Mg ion doping of targets prepared from mixtures of Zn and Mg acetylacetonates. The nanoparticle sizes were 3–20 nm depending on the ablation conditions. X-ray fluorescence indicates that stoichiometric ablation and incorporation of Mg in nanocrystalline ZnO occurs. HRTEM observations show that nanoparticles retain their wurtzite structure, while at high Mg concentrations we detect the MgO rich domains. Exciton emissions exhibit relatively narrow bands with progressive and controlled blue shifts up to 184 meV. The exciton energy correlates to band edge absorption indicating strong modification of the NP band gaps. Stabilisation of the exciton blue shift is observed at high Mg concentration. It is accompanied by the formation of structure defects and ZnO/MgO phase separation within the nanoparticles.

  9. Production of putrescine-capped stable silver nanoparticle: its characterization and antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant bacterial strains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Saswati; Gupta, Bhaskar; Gupta, Kamala; Chaudhuri, Mahua Ghosh

    2016-11-01

    Integration of biology with nanotechnology is now becoming attention-grabbing area of research. The antimicrobial potency of silver has been eminent from antiquity. Due to the recent desire for the enhancement of antibacterial efficacy of silver, various synthesis methods of silver in their nano dimensions are being practiced using a range of capping material. The present work highlights a facile biomimetic approach for production of silver nanoparticle being capped and stabilized by putrescine, possessing a diameter of 10-25 ± 1.5 nm. The synthesized nanoparticles have been analyzed spectrally and analytically. Morphological studies are carried out by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and crystallinity by selected area electron diffraction patterns. Moreover, the elemental composition of the capped nanoparticles was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. A comparative study (zone of inhibition and minimum inhibitory concentration) regarding the interactions and antibacterial potentiality of the capped silver nanoparticles with respect to the bare ones reveal the efficiency of the capped one over the bare one. The bacterial kinetic study was executed to monitor the interference of nanoparticles with bacterial growth rate. The results also highlight the efficacy of putrescine-capped silver nanoparticles as effective growth inhibitors against multi-drug resistant human pathogenic bacterial strains, which may, thus, potentially be applicable as an effective antibacterial control system to fight diseases.

  10. Cytotoxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles on mouse testicular cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Han Z

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Zhe Han,1,* Qi Yan,1,* Wei Ge,2 Zhi-Guo Liu,1 Sangiliyandi Gurunathan,3 Massimo De Felici,4 Wei Shen,2 Xi-Feng Zhang1 1College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China; 2Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, College of Animal Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 4Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Nanoscience and nanotechnology are developing rapidly, and the applications of nanoparticles (NPs have been found in several fields. At present, NPs are widely used in traditional consumer and industrial products, however, the properties and safety of NPs are still unclear and there are concerns about their potential environmental and health effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential toxicity of ZnO NPs on testicular cells using both in vitro and in vivo systems in a mouse experimental model. Methods: ZnO NPs with a crystalline size of 70 nm were characterized with various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The cytotoxicity of the ZnO NPs was examined in vitro on Leydig cell and Sertoli cell lines, and in vivo on the testes of CD1 mice injected with single doses of ZnO NPs.Results: ZnO NPs were internalized by Leydig cells and Sertoli cells, and this resulted in cytotoxicity in a time- and dose-dependent manner through the induction of apoptosis. Apoptosis likely occurred as a consequence of DNA damage (detected as γ-H2AX and RAD51 foci caused by increase in reactive oxygen

  11. An alternative approach to studying the effects of ZnO nanoparticles in cultured human lymphocytes: combining electrochemistry and genotoxicity tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branica, Gina; Mladinić, Marin; Omanović, Dario; Želježić, Davor

    2016-12-01

    Nanoparticle use has increased radically raising concern about possible adverse effects in humans. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are among the most common nanomaterials in consumer and medical products. Several studies indicate problems with their safe use. The aim of our study was to see at which levels ZnO NPs start to produce adverse cytogenetic effects in human lymphocytes as an early attempt toward establishing safety limits for ZnO NP exposure in humans. We assessed the genotoxic effects of low ZnO NP concentrations (1.0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 μg mL-1) in lymphocyte cultures over 14 days of exposure. We also tested whether low and high-density lymphocytes differed in their ability to accumulate ZnO NPs in these experimental conditions. Primary DNA damage (measured with the alkaline comet assay) increased with nanoparticle concentration in unseparated and high density lymphocytes. The same happened with the fragmentation of TP53 (measured with the comet-FISH). Nanoparticle accumulation was significant only with the two highest concentrations, regardless of lymphocyte density. High-density lymphocytes had significantly more intracellular Zn2+ than light-density ones. Our results suggest that exposure to ZnO NPs in concentrations above 5 μg mL-1 increases cytogenetic damage and intracellular Zn2+ levels in lymphocytes.

  12. Synthesis of ZNO nanoparticles by Sol-Gel processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savi, B.M.; Rodrigues, L.; Uggioni, E.; Bernardin, A.M.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to obtain and characterize ZnO nanoparticles by Sol-Gel technique. ZnCl 2 , Zn(NO 3 ) 2 , NaOH were used as precursors for the synthesis. NaOH was dissolved in distilled water at a concentration of 1.0 M with agitation to the desired reaction temperature (50°C and 90°C). 0.5 M ZnCl 2 and 0.5 M Zn(NO3)2 were added by dripping (60 and 30 min). The powder was characterized by XRD (Cu Kα), UV-Vis, and HR-TEM. Nano ZnO particles were obtained with crystallite size between 20 and 40 nm (HR-TEM and XRD). The results of UV-Vis spectrometry show that the band gap energy, given by the absorbance at 300 nm depends on the precursor used. (author)

  13. Drastic nickel ion removal from aqueous solution by curcumin-capped Ag nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bettini, S.; Pagano, R.; Valli, L.; Giancane, G.

    2014-08-01

    A completely green synthesis protocol has been adopted to obtain silver nanoaggregates capped by the natural compound (1E, 6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-diene), also known as curcumin. The synthesis has been monitored by infrared, Raman, visible and fluorescence spectroscopies. Characterization confirms that curcumin reduces and caps the nanoparticles, and such a procedure allows its solubility in water and drastically increases curcumin stability. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/curcumin complex has been dispersed in a water solution containing a known nickel ion concentration. After three days, a grey precipitate is observed and nickel concentration in the solution is reduced by about 70%.A completely green synthesis protocol has been adopted to obtain silver nanoaggregates capped by the natural compound (1E, 6E)-1,7-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-diene), also known as curcumin. The synthesis has been monitored by infrared, Raman, visible and fluorescence spectroscopies. Characterization confirms that curcumin reduces and caps the nanoparticles, and such a procedure allows its solubility in water and drastically increases curcumin stability. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/curcumin complex has been dispersed in a water solution containing a known nickel ion concentration. After three days, a grey precipitate is observed and nickel concentration in the solution is reduced by about 70%. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr02583k

  14. Photoreactivity of ZnO nanoparticles in visible light: Effect of surface states on electron transfer reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baruah, Sunandan; Dutta, Joydeep; Sinha, Sudarson Sekhar; Ghosh, Barnali; Pal, Samir Kumar; Raychaudhuri, A. K.

    2009-01-01

    Wide band gap metal oxide semiconductors such as zinc oxide (ZnO) show visible band photolysis that has been employed, among others, to degrade harmful organic contaminants into harmless mineral acids. Metal oxides show enhanced photocatalytic activity with the increase in electronic defects in the crystallites. By introducing defects into the crystal lattice of ZnO nanoparticles, we observe a redshift in the optical absorption shifting from the ultraviolet region to the visible region (400-700 nm), which is due to the creation of intermediate defect states that inhibit the electron hole recombination process. The defects were introduced by fast nucleation and growth of the nanoparticles by rapid heating using microwave irradiation and subsequent quenching during the precipitation reaction. To elucidate the nature of the photodegradation process, picosecond resolved time correlated single photon count (TCSPC) spectroscopy was carried out to record the electronic transitions resulting from the de-excitation of the electrons to their stable states. Photodegradation and TCSPC studies showed that defect engineered ZnO nanoparticles obtained through fast crystallization during growth lead to a faster initial degradation rate of methylene blue as compared to the conventionally synthesized nanoparticles

  15. Preparation of ZnO Nanoparticles and Photocatalytic H2 Production Activity from Different Sacrificial Reagent Solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Tian-you; Lv, Hong-jin; Zeng, Peng; Zhang, Xiao-hu

    2011-08-01

    ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized via a direct precipitation method followed by a heterogeneous azeotropic distillation and calcination processes, and then characterized by X-ray power diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement. The effects of Pt-loading amount, calcination temperature, and sacrificial reagents on the photocatalytic H2 evolution efficiency from the present ZnO suspension were investigated. The experimental results indicate that ZnO nanoparticles calcined at 400 °C exhibit the best photoactivity for the H2 production in comparison with the samples calcined at 300 and 500 °C, and the photocatalytic H2 production efficiency from a methanol solution is much higher than that from a triethanolamine solution. It can be ascribed to the oxidization of methanol also contributes to the H2 production during the photochemical reaction process. Moreover, the photocatalytic mechanism for the H2 production from the present ZnO suspension system containing methanol solution is also discussed in detail.

  16. Impact of solar UV radiation on toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles through photocatalytic reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and photo-induced dissolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    The present study investigated the impact of solar UV radiation on ZnO nanoparticle toxicity through photocatalytic ROS generation and photo-induced dissolution. Toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles to Daphnia magna was examined under laboratory light versus simulated solar UV radiatio...

  17. Quaternized Chitosan-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as Nanocarriers for Controlled Pesticide Release

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidong Cao

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Nanotechnology-based pesticide formulations would ensure effective utilization of agricultural inputs. In the present work, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs with particle diameters of ~110 nm and pore sizes of ~3.7 nm were synthesized via a liquid crystal templating mechanism. A water-soluble chitosan (CS derivative (N-(2-hydroxylpropyl-3-trimethyl ammonium CS chloride, HTCC was successfully capped on the surface of pyraclostrobin-loaded MSNs. The physicochemical and structural analyses showed that the electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding were the major forces responsible for the formation of HTCC-capped MSNs. HTCC coating greatly improved the loading efficiency (LC (to 40.3% compared to using bare MSNs as a single encapsulant (26.7%. The microstructure of the nanoparticles was revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The pyraclostrobin-loaded nanoparticles showed an initial burst and subsequent sustained release behavior. HTCC-capped MSNs released faster than bare MSNs in the initial stage. Pyraclostrobin-loaded HTCC-capped MSNs with half doses of pyraclostrobin technical demonstrated almost the same fungicidal activity against Phomopsis asparagi (Sacc., which obviously reduced the applied pesticide and enhanced the utilization efficiency. Therefore, HTCC-decorated MSNs demonstrated great potential as nanocarriers in agrochemical applications.

  18. Fullerenol-Capped Porous Silica Nanoparticles for pH-Responsive Drug Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikola Ž. Knežević

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Novel nanocomposite containing fullerenol nanoparticles (FNP and porous silica nanoparticles (PSNs was constructed and characterized. The capability of FNP to serve as a pore-capping agent and for entrapping 9-aminoacridine (9-AA inside the pores of the PSN material was also demonstrated. Nitrogen sorption measurements evidence the successful capping of the silica pores while thermogravimetric analysis of FNP loaded PSN indicates the existence of pore-loaded fullerenol molecules. Higher amount of the drug release was noted by exposing the material to weakly acidic conditions in comparison to physiological pH, which may find application in targeted treatment of weakly acidic tumor tissues.

  19. Synthesis of isotopically modified ZnO nanoparticles and their potential as nanotoxicity tracers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dybowska, Agnieszka D; Croteau, Marie-Noele; Misra, Superb K; Berhanu, Deborah; Luoma, Samuel N; Christian, Paul; O'Brien, Paul; Valsami-Jones, Eugenia

    2011-01-01

    Understanding the behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment and within organisms is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the safe development of nanotechnologies. Reliable tracing is a particular issue for nanoparticles such as ZnO, because Zn is an essential element and a common pollutant thus present at elevated background concentrations. We synthesized isotopically enriched (89.6%) with a rare isotope of Zn (67Zn) ZnO nanoparticles and measured the uptake of 67Zn by L. stagnalis exposed to diatoms amended with the particles. Stable isotope technique is sufficiently sensitive to determine the uptake of Zn at an exposure equivalent to lower concentration range (<15 μg g(-1)). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Zn is significant at Zn exposure concentration only above 5000 μg g(-1) which represents some of the most contaminated Zn conditions. Only by using a tracer we can study Zn uptake at a range of environmentally realistic exposure conditions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Synthesis of isotopically modified ZnO nanoparticles and their potential as nanotoxicity tracers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dybowska, A.D.; Croteau, M.-N.; Misra, S.K.; Berhanu, D.; Luoma, S.N.; Christian, P.; O'Brien, P.; Valsami-Jones, E.

    2011-01-01

    Understanding the behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment and within organisms is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the safe development of nanotechnologies. Reliable tracing is a particular issue for nanoparticles such as ZnO, because Zn is an essential element and a common pollutant thus present at elevated background concentrations. We synthesized isotopically enriched (89.6%) with a rare isotope of Zn (67Zn) ZnO nanoparticles and measured the uptake of 67Zn by L. stagnalis exposed to diatoms amended with the particles. Stable isotope technique is sufficiently sensitive to determine the uptake of Zn at an exposure equivalent to lower concentration range (<15 ??g g-1). Without a tracer, detection of newly accumulated Zn is significant at Zn exposure concentration only above 5000 ??g g-1 which represents some of the most contaminated Zn conditions. Only by using a tracer we can study Zn uptake at a range of environmentally realistic exposure conditions. ?? 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. In vitro cytotoxicity of SiO2 or ZnO nanoparticles with different sizes and surface charges on U373MG human glioblastoma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim JE

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Jung-Eun Kim,1,* Hyejin Kim,1,* Seong Soo A An,2 Eun Ho Maeng,3 Meyoung-Kon Kim,4 Yoon-Jae Song1 1Department of Life Science, 2Department of Bionano Technology, Gachon University, Seongnam-Si, South Korea; 3Korea Testing and Research Institute, Seoul, South Korea; 4Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Korea University Medical School and College, Seoul, South Korea *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Silicon dioxide (SiO2 and zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles are widely used in various applications, raising issues regarding the possible adverse effects of these metal oxide nanoparticles on human cells. In this study, we determined the cytotoxic effects of differently charged SiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles, with mean sizes of either 100 or 20 nm, on the U373MG human glioblastoma cell line. The overall cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles against U373MG cells was significantly higher than that of SiO2 nanoparticles. Neither the size nor the surface charge of the ZnO nanoparticles affected their cytotoxicity against U373MG cells. The 20 nm SiO2 nanoparticles were more toxic than the 100 nm nanoparticles against U373MG cells, but the surface charge had little or no effect on their cytotoxicity. Both SiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles activated caspase-3 and induced DNA fragmentation in U373MG cells, suggesting the induction of apoptosis. Thus, SiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles appear to exert cytotoxic effects against U373MG cells, possibly via apoptosis. Keyword: apoptosis

  2. Direct growth of CdSe nanorods on ITO substrates by co-anchoring of ZnO nanoparticles and ethylenediamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Shangke; Xu Tingting; Venkatesan, Swaminathan; Qiao Qiquan

    2012-01-01

    To grow CdSe nanorods directly onto indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates, a ZnO buffer layer composed of nanoparticles with diameter of ∼30–40 nm was prepared by spin coating ZnO sol–gel solution onto the ITO substrates. CdSe nanorods were then successfully in situ grown onto ITO substrates with diameter of ∼30–40 nm and length of ∼120–160 nm using solvothermal method in which CdSe·0.5en (en = ethylenediamine) acted as solution precursor. The in situ synthesized CdSe nanorods were conformed and characterized by atomic force microscope and electron microscopy. The mechanism of such in situ CdSe growth was understood as ZnO nanoparticles anchored en onto ITO substrates, while en linked CdSe with ZnO.

  3. ZnO nanoparticles sensitized by CuInZnxS2+x quantum dots as highly efficient solar light driven photocatalysts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Donat

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Alloyed CuInZnxS2+x (ZCIS quantum dots (QDs were successfully associated to ZnO nanoparticles by a thermal treatment at 400 °C for 15 min. The ZnO/ZCIS composite was characterized by TEM, SEM, XRD, XPS and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. ZCIS QDs, with an average diameter of ≈4.5 nm, were found to be homogeneously distributed at the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. ZCIS-sensitized ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a high photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light irradiation for the degradation of Orange II dye (>95% degradation after 180 min of irradiation at an intensity of 5 mW/cm2. The heterojunction built between the ZnO nanoparticle and ZCIS QDs not only extends the light adsorption range by the photocatalyst but also acts to decrease electron/hole recombination. Interestingly, the ZnO/ZCIS composite was found to produce increased amounts of H2O2 and singlet oxygen 1O2 compared to ZnO, suggesting that these reactive oxygen species play a key role in the photodegradation mechanism. The activity of the ZnO/ZCIS composite is retained at over 90% of its original value after ten successive photocatalytic runs, indicating its high stability and its potential for practical photocatalytic applications.

  4. Effect of temperature on structural, optical and photoluminescence studies on ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the standard co-precipitation method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Raj, K. Pradeev [Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641046, Tamil Nadu (India); Department of Physics, CSI College of Engineering, Ooty 643215, Tamil Nadu (India); Sadayandi, K. [Department of Physics, Alagappa Government Arts College, Karaikudi, Sivagangai 630003, Tamil Nadu (India)

    2016-04-15

    This present study brings the synthesis of Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) by the standard aqueous chemical route technique. The impact of calcination temperature on the extent of the ZnO nanoparticles is studied for its lattice constraints. X-ray diffraction (XRD) affirms the hexagonal Wurtzite structure of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. From the Williamson–Hall (W–H) plot, positive slope is inferred for pure and calcined ZnO NPs and confirms the presence of tensile strain. From the SEM images it is found that the crystallinity enhances with calcination temperature. From the optical studies, it is found that the band gap energy decreases with improved transmission. The Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum reveals the UV emission is strong near the band-edge. The emission peaks around 400–480 nm result in blue emission and the peaks around 540–560 nm result in green emission. Decrease in band gap energy and enhancement in PL studies reveal the red shift of the calcined ZnO exhibiting solid quantum confinements.

  5. Experimental and numerical optical characterization of plasmonic copper nanoparticles embedded in ZnO fabricated by ion implantation and annealing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Le, Khai Q. [Faculty of Science and Technology, Hoa Sen University, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, 45142 Jazan (Saudi Arabia); Nguyen, Hieu P.T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, NJ 07102 (United States); Ngo, Quang Minh [Institute of Material Sciences, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet Road, Cau Giay, Hanoi (Viet Nam); Canimoglu, Adil [Nigde University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Physics Department, Nigde (Turkey); Can, Nurdogan, E-mail: cannurdogan@yahoo.com [Celal Bayar University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Department of Physics, Muradiye, Manisa (Turkey); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Jazan University, P.O. Box 114, 45142 Jazan (Saudi Arabia)

    2016-06-05

    Here we describe the successfully fabrication of metal nanoparticle crystals by implanting copper (Cu) ions into single zinc oxide (ZnO) crystals with ion energy of 400 keV at ion doses of 1 × 10{sup 16} to 1 × 10{sup 17} ions/cm{sup 2}. After implantation and post-annealing treatment, the Cu implanted ZnO produces a broad range of luminescence emissions, ranging from green to yellow. A green luminescence peak at 550 nm could be ascribed to the isolated Cu ions. The changes in luminescence emission bands between the initial implant and annealed suggest that the implants give rise to clustering Cu nanoparticles in the host matrix but that the annealing process dissociates these. Numerical modelling of the Cu nanoparticles was employed to simulate their optical properties including the extinction cross section, electron energy loss spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence. We demonstrate that the clustering of nanoparticles generates Fano resonances corresponding to the generation of multiple resonances, while the isolation of nanoparticles results in intensity amplification. - Highlights: • We present the fabrication of metal nanoparticle crystals by implanting Cu into ZnO. • The luminescence properties were studied at different annealing temperature. • Numerical modelling of the Cu nanoparticles was employed. • We demonstrate that the clustering of nanoparticles generates Fano resonances.

  6. Formation of CdS nanoparticles using starch as capping agent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodriguez, P. [Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada-IPN, Legaria 694, Col. Irrigacion 11500, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Munoz-Aguirre, N. [Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, ESIME-IPN Azcapotzalco, Av. Las Granjas 682, Col. Santa Catarina, 02550 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Martinez, E. San-Martin [Centro de Investigacion en Ciencia Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada-IPN, Legaria 694, Col. Irrigacion 11500, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, ESIME-IPN Azcapotzalco, Av. Las Granjas 682, Col. Santa Catarina, 02550 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Departamento de Fisica, CINVESTAV-IPN, Apartado Postal 14-740, 07000 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Gonzalez, G. [Departamento de Fisica, CINVESTAV-IPN, Apartado Postal 14-740, 07000 Mexico D.F. (Mexico)], E-mail: bato@fis.cinvestav.mx; Zelaya, O.; Mendoza, J. [Departamento de Fisica, CINVESTAV-IPN, Apartado Postal 14-740, 07000 Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

    2008-11-30

    CdS nanoparticles have been synthesized using starch as capping agent in aqueous solution. The morphology and crystalline structure of such samples were measured by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The average grain size of the nanoparticles determined by these techniques was of the order of 5 nm. Photoluminescence of CdS nanoparticles shows a strong emission peak below to the band gap bulk semiconductor attributed to center trap states, also the broadening peak was interpreted in terms of electron-phonon interaction.

  7. Enhancing Photocatalytic Degradation of Methyl Blue Using PVP-Capped and Uncapped CdSe Nanoparticles

    OpenAIRE

    Chepape, Kgobudi Frans; Mofokeng, Thapelo Prince; Nyamukamba, Pardon; Mubiayi, Kalenga Pierre; Moloto, Makwena Justice

    2017-01-01

    Quantum confinement of semiconductor nanoparticles is a potential feature which can be interesting for photocatalysis, and cadmium selenide is one simple type of quantum dot to use in the following photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. CdSe nanoparticles capped with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) in various concentration ratios were synthesized by the chemical reduction method and characterized. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the samples showed that 50% PVP-capped Cd...

  8. Enhancement of the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles by surface-capping DBS groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Baiqi; Jing Liqiang; Qu Yichun; Li Shudan; Jiang Baojiang; Yang Libin; Xin Baifu; Fu Honggang

    2006-01-01

    TiO 2 nanoparticles capped with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS) are synthesized by a sol-hydrothermal process using tetrabutyl titanate and DBS as raw materials. The effects of surface-capping DBS on the surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS), photoluminescence (PL) and photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 nanoparticles are principally investigated together with their relationships. The results show that the surface of TiO 2 nanoparticles can be well capped by DBS groups while the pH value and added DBS amount are controlled at 5.0 and 2% of TiO 2 mass weight, respectively, and the linkage between DBS groups and TiO 2 surfaces is mainly by means of quasi-sulphonate bond. The intensities of SPS and PL spectra of TiO 2 obviously decrease after DBS-capping, while the activity can greatly increase during the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) solution, which are mainly attributed to the electron-withdrawing character of the DBS groups. Moreover, the enhancement of photocatalytic activity of DBS-capped TiO 2 is also related to the increase in the capability for adsorbing RhB

  9. Reversible low adhesive to high adhesive superhydrophobicity transition on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jian; Jing, Zhijiao; Yang, Yaoxia; Zha, Fei; Yan, Long; Lei, Ziqiang

    2014-01-01

    Superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces with water contact angle of 162° and sliding angle of 2° were fabricated successfully by spraying hydrophobic ZnO nanoparticle suspensions without limitations the shape and size of substrates. The as-prepared superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces are low adhesive and a water droplet easily rolls off with the surface slightly tilted. However, after being irradiated by UV light through a photomask, it becomes highly adhesive, on which a water droplet is firmly pinned without any movement. Further annealing the irradiated film, water droplets can roll off the surface again. Reversible transition between the low adhesive rolling state and high adhesive pinning state can be realized simply by UV illumination and heat treatment alternately. At the same time, the maximum adhesive force between the superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces and the water droplet changes from extreme low (∼5.1 μN) to very high (∼136.1 μN). When irradiated without a photomask, the surface became hydrophilic. Additionally, a water droplet can be transfered from the low adhesive superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces to the hydrophilic ZnO surfaces using the high adhesive superhydrophobic ZnO surfaces as a mechanical hand.

  10. Acute and subacute pulmonary toxicity and mortality in mice after intratracheal instillation of ZnO nanoparticles in three laboratories

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Nicklas Raun; Stoeger, Tobias; van den Brule, Sybille

    2015-01-01

    Inhalation is the main pathway of ZnO exposure in the occupational environment but only few studies have addressed toxic effects after pulmonary exposure to ZnO nanoparticles (NP). Here we present results from three studies of pulmonary exposure and toxicity of ZnO NP in mice. The studies were...

  11. Comparison of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and the correlated inactivation of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnes, Robert J.; Molina, Rodrigo; Xu Jianbin; Dobson, Peter J.; Thompson, Ian P.

    2013-01-01

    Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles are important photocatalysts and as such have been extensively studied for the removal of organic compounds from contaminated air and water and for microbial disinfection. Despite much research on the effect of TiO 2 and ZnO nanoparticles on different bacterial species, uncertainties remain about which bacteria are more sensitive to these compounds. Very few studies have directly compared the toxicity of ZnO to TiO 2 under both light and dark conditions. In addition, authors investigating the photocatalytic inactivation of TiO 2 and ZnO nanoparticles on bacteria have failed to investigate the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of the nanoparticles, making it difficult to correlate killing action with the generation of ROS. In this study, three types of metal nanoparticle (ZnO 2 ) have been characterised and ROS production assessed through the degradation of methylene blue (MB). The photocatalytic killing potential of three nanoparticle concentrations (0.01, 0.1 and 1 g/L) was then assessed on four representative bacteria: two gram-positive (S. aureus and B. subtilis) and two gram-negative (E. coli and P. aeruginosa). Results showed that out of the three nanoparticles tested, the TiO 2 nanoparticles generated more ROS than the ZnO nanoparticles, corresponding to a greater photocatalytic inactivation of three of the four species of bacteria examined. The MB decomposition results correlated well with the bacterial inactivation results with higher TiO 2 nanoparticle concentrations leading to greater ROS production and increased loss of cell viability. Although producing less ROS than the TiO 2 nanoparticles under ultraviolet light, the ZnO nanoparticles were toxic to two of the bacterial species even under dark conditions. In this study, no correlation between cell wall type and bacterial inactivation was observed for any of the nanoparticles tested although both gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to

  12. Development of silane grafted ZnO core shell nanoparticles loaded diglycidyl epoxy nanocomposites film for antimicrobial applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suresh, S; Saravanan, P; Jayamoorthy, K; Ananda Kumar, S; Karthikeyan, S

    2016-07-01

    In this article a series of epoxy nanocomposites film were developed using amine functionalized (ZnO-APTES) core shell nanoparticles as the dispersed phase and a commercially available epoxy resin as the matrix phase. The functional group of the samples was characterized using FT-IR spectra. The most prominent peaks of epoxy resin were found in bare epoxy and in all the functionalized ZnO dispersed epoxy nanocomposites (ZnO-APTES-DGEBA). The XRD analysis of all the samples exhibits considerable shift in 2θ, intensity and d-spacing values but the best and optimum concentration is found to be 3% ZnO-APTES core shell nanoparticles loaded epoxy nanocomposites supported by FT-IR results. From TGA measurements, 100wt% residue is obtained in bare ZnO nanoparticles whereas in ZnO core shell nanoparticles grafted DGEBA residue percentages are 37, 41, 45, 46 and 52% for 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7% ZnO-APTES-DGEBA respectively, which is confirmed with ICP-OES analysis. From antimicrobial activity test, it was notable that antimicrobial activity of 7% ZnO-APTES core shell nanoparticles loaded epoxy nanocomposite film has best inhibition zone effect against all pathogens under study. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Formation of zinc-containing nanoparticles from Zn²⁺ ions in cell culture media: implications for the nanotoxicology of ZnO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turney, Terence W; Duriska, Martin B; Jayaratne, Vidura; Elbaz, Abdulkareem; O'Keefe, Sean J; Hastings, Andrew S; Piva, Terrence J; Wright, Paul F A; Feltis, Bryce N

    2012-10-15

    Zinc ions generate a range of poorly soluble Zn-containing nanoparticles when added to commonly used mammalian cell culture media. The formation of these nanoparticles confounds the use of soluble Zn salts as positive controls during cytotoxicity testing of other Zn-containing nanoparticles, such as ZnO. These nanoprecipitates can either be crystalline or amorphous and vary in composition depending upon the concentration of Zn(II) within the medium. The cytotoxicity and immune system response of these nanoparticles in situ are similar to those of 30 nm ZnO nanoparticles. The low residual level of truly soluble Zn species (taken as species passing through a 2 kDa membrane) in cell culture media with serum is insufficient to elicit any appreciable cytotoxicity. These observations highlight the importance of employing appropriate controls when studying ZnO nanoparticle toxicity and suggest a re-evaluation of the conclusions drawn in some previous cytotoxicity studies.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravindranadh K.

    2017-07-01

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

  15. Two-phase synthesis of hydrophobic ionic liquid-capped gold nanoparticles and their application for sensing cholesterol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Mingjun; Nan, Zhihan; Liu, Panpan; Zhang, Yanjun; Xue, Zhonghua; Lu, Xiaoquan; Liu, Xiuhui

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A novel cholesterol biosensor was constructed based on ChOx-IL-capped-AuNPs/GCE. • IL-capped-AuNPs was synthesized using two-phase synthesis and employed as a conducting matrix to immobilize ChOx. • Direct electrochemistry of ChOx on the electrode was obtained. • The ChOx-IL-capped-AuNPs/GCE exhibit remarkable performance for cholesterol detection. - Abstract: A novel scheme for fabrication of hydrophobic ionic liquid-capped gold nanoparticles (IL-capped AuNPs) modified electrode is presented and its application potential for cholesterol biosensor is investigated. Highly stable gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicated that IL-capped AuNPs nanocomposites showed excellent electrical conductivity. Furthermore, cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) was directly immobilized on the IL-capped AuNPs nanocomposite, and then the direct electrochemistry of ChOx on the modified glass carbon electrode (GCE) was obtained. As a new platform in cholesterol analysis, ChOx-IL-capped AuNPs/GCE exhibited a linear response to cholesterol in the range of 0.1–50 μM with a detection limit of 0.033 μM. Therefore, hydrophobic ionic liquid-capped gold nanoparticles would serve as a good candidate material to construct the related enzyme biosensors

  16. Wettability Alteration of Sandstone and Carbonate Rocks by Using ZnO Nanoparticles in Heavy Oil Reservoirs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoumeh Tajmiri

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Efforts to enhance oil recovery through wettability alteration by nanoparticles have been attracted in recent years. However, many basic questions have been ambiguous up until now. Nanoparticles penetrate into pore volume of porous media, stick on the core surface, and by creating homogeneous water-wet area, cause to alter wettability. This work introduces the new concept of adding ZnO nanoparticles by an experimental work on wettability alteration and oil recovery through spontaneous imbibition mechanism. Laboratory tests were conducted in two experimental steps on four cylindrical core samples (three sandstones and one carbonate taken from a real Iranian heavy oil reservoir in Amott cell. In the first step, the core samples were saturated by crude oil. Next, the core samples were flooded with nanoparticles and saturated by crude oil for about two weeks. Then, the core samples were immersed in distilled water and the amount of recovery was monitored during 30 days for both steps. The experimental results showed that oil recovery for three sandstone cores changed from 20.74, 4.3, and 3.5% of original oil in place (OOIP in the absence of nanoparticles to 36.2, 17.57, and 20.68% of OOIP when nanoparticles were added respectively. Moreover, for the carbonate core, the recovery changed from zero to 8.89% of OOIP by adding nanoparticles. By the investigation of relative permeability curves, it was found that by adding ZnO nanoparticles, the crossover-point of curves shifted to the right for both sandstone and carbonate cores, which meant wettability was altered to water- wet. This study, for the first time, illustrated the remarkable role of ZnO nanoparticles in wettability alteration toward more water-wet for both sandstone and carbonate cores and enhancing oil recovery.

  17. Photovoltage method for the research of CdS and ZnO nanoparticles and hybrid MEH-PPV/nanoparticle structures

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Toušková, J.; Toušek, J.; Rohovec, Jan; Růžička, A.; Polonskyi, O.; Urbánek, P.; Kuřitka, I.

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 3 (2014), Art. 2314 ISSN 1388-0764 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : CdS * energy conversion * MEH-PPV * nanoparticles * photovoltage spectra * transmission electron microscopy * ZnO Subject RIV: DD - Geochemistry Impact factor: 2.184, year: 2014

  18. Oxygen Vacancy-Mediated ZnO Nanoparticle Photocatalyst for Degradation of Methylene Blue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiuping Zhang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available ZnO nanoparticles (NPs are synthesized by deoxidizing ZnO powder in a vacuum drying process. This process reduces the size of the NPs and increases the concentration of oxygen vacancies on their surfaces. ZnO NPs with sufficient oxygen vacancies are highly effective for the photodecomposition of methylene blue (MB dye in water under ultraviolet irradiation. The MB degradation efficiency exceeds 99 percent after 50 min of light irradiation, and the catalytic property of the NPs remains stable over several complete degradation cycles. It is revealed that the concentration of oxygen vacancies on the surface, and the photocatalytic activity, are both higher for smaller NPs. Oxygen vacancies reduce the recombination rate of photo-generated charge carriers by capturing the electrons and hence, improve the efficiency of redox reactions. In addition, a smaller particle size leads to a larger specific surface area and a higher photonic efficiency for the ZnO NPs.

  19. 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

  20. Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for the Selective and Sensitive Detection of Cyanide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayed, Sameh El; Licchelli, Maurizio; Martínez-Máñez, Ramón; Sancenón, Félix

    2017-10-18

    The development of easy and affordable methods for the detection of cyanide is of great significance due to the high toxicity of this anion and the potential risks associated with its pollution. Herein, optical detection of cyanide in water has been achieved by using a hybrid organic-inorganic nanomaterial. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles were loaded with [Ru(bipy) 3 ] 2+ , functionalized with macrocyclic nickel(II) complex subunits, and capped with a sterically hindering anion (hexametaphosphate). Cyanide selectively induces demetallation of nickel(II) complexes and the removal of capping anions from the silica surface, allowing the release of the dye and the consequent increase in fluorescence intensity. The response of the capped nanoparticles in aqueous solution is highly selective and sensitive towards cyanide with a limit of detection of 2 μm. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Efficient light extraction from GaN LEDs using gold-coated ZnO nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Alhadidi, A.

    2015-11-01

    We experimentally demonstrate the effect of depositing gold-coated ZnO nanoparticles on the surface of GaN multi-quantum well LED structures. We show that this method can significantly increase the amount of extracted light.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haipeng Li

    2017-09-01

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

  3. Anti-microbial surfaces: An approach for deposition of ZnO nanoparticles on PVA-Gelatin composite film by screen printing technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meshram, J.V.; Koli, V.B.; Phadatare, M.R.; Pawar, S.H., E-mail: shpawar1946@gmail.com

    2017-04-01

    Initially micro-organisms get exposed to the surfaces, this demands development of anti-microbial surfaces to inhibit their proliferation. Therefore, herein, we attempt screen printing technique for development of PVA-GE/ZnO nanocomposite (PG/ZnO) films. The synthesis of PG/ZnO nanocomposite includes two steps as: (i) Coating of Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) by poly ethylene glycol in order to be compatible with organic counterparts. (ii) Deposition of coated nanoparticles on the PG film surface. The results suggest the enhancement in anti-microbial activity of PG/ZnO nanocomposite over pure ZnO NPs against both Gram positive Bacillus subtilis and Gram negative Escherichia coli from zone of inhibition. The uniformity in deposition is further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The phase identification of ZnO NPs and formation of PG/ZnO nanocomposite has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–vis). The Attenuated total reflection Spectroscopy (ATR) analysis indicates the ester bond between PVA and gelatin molecules. The thermal stability of nanocomposite is studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealing increase in crystallinity due to ZnO NPs which could be utilized to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms. The tensile strength is found to be higher and percent elongation is double of PG/ZnO nanocomposite than PG composite film. - Highlights: • Synthesis of PG/ZnO nanocomposite by screen printing technique • Antimicrobial activity is due presence of ZnO nanoparticles on PG composite. • Improved tensile strength due to ZnO nanoparticles.

  4. Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles for photocatalysis application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mazzo, Tatiana Martelli; Minervino, Gabriela Bosco; Medalha Filho, Carlos Alberto, E-mail: tatimazzo@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Baixada Santista, SP (Brazil); Oliveira, Regiane Cristina; Longo, Elson [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil)

    2016-07-01

    Full text: The search for more effective ways to prevent and remedy environmental problems has a strong academic and technological appeal. Based on the study of a variety of compounds, zinc oxide (ZnO) is an excellent candidate for the synthesis of multifunctional nanoparticles due to their potential technological application in various fields [1]. In this work, we were synthesized flowers-like ZnO by coprecipitation and hydrothermal microwave methods. All materials were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction, Micro-Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. All XRD patterns correspond to hexagonal structure, which is in agreement with the respective JCPDS card no. 36-1451 for pure ZnO phase with group space group (P63mc) and two molecular formula units per unit cell (Z = 2). Analysis of Micro-Raman spectroscopy showed the presence of vibrational modes in all samples and confirmed the hexagonal ZnO structure. The microscopy images clearly show a change of the morphology of the sample obtained by the co- precipitation method in comparison with those obtained by hydrothermal microwave method. In accordance with the photodegradation the results revealed that the ZnO processed at 140 deg C for 32 minutes have higher photocatalytic efficiency degradation. The Rodamine B dye was completely decolorized at 30 minutes. The pseudo-first order model indicate an increasing in the (k) values with the increase microwave processing time and that improve the ZnO photocatalytic performance. In this work we reported a low-temperature way to prepare the ZnO photocatalytic semiconductor and the results showed a great potential of this material for that application. References: [1] Pearton, S. J; Norton, D. P; et al, Journal of Science and Technology. 22 (2004) 932-948 [2] Kansal, S. K.; Kaur, N. Nanoscale Research Letters 4 (2009) 709-716. (author)

  5. Multiphonon scattering and non-radiative decay in ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Senthilkumar, K.; Tokunaga, M.; Okamoto, H.; Fujita, Y. [Interdisciplinary Faculty of Science and Engineering, Shimane University, Matsue 690-8504 (Japan); Senthilkumar, O. [Research Project Promotion Institute, Shimane University, Matsue 690-8504 (Japan); Lin, J.; Urban, B.; Neogi, A. [Department of Physics, University of North Texas, Denton 76203 (United States)

    2010-06-15

    ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using a simple evaporation technique at pressures of 75 and 760 torr. A wide visible emission was recorded from both samples using photoluminescence spectroscopy. The presence of green emission at 530 nm is due to deep level defects of vacant zinc V{sub Zn}, and/or their complexes in the ZnO band gap. The fundamental optical phonon modes were identified in addition to multiphonon combination of optical and acoustical overtones and nitrogen related local vibrational modes using Raman backscattering. The existence of multiphonons induces the non-radiative processes. The life time of both the radiative and non-radiative processes is discussed using time resolved photoluminescence spectroscopic results (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  6. Size control synthesis of starch capped-gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tajammul Hussain, S.; Iqbal, M.; Mazhar, M.

    2009-01-01

    Metallic gold nanoparticles have been synthesized by the reduction of chloroaurate anions [AuCl 4 ] - solution with hydrazine in the aqueous starch and ethylene glycol solution at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure. The characterization of synthesized gold nanoparticles by UV-vis spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron diffraction analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that average size of pure gold nanoparticles is 3.5 nm, they are spherical in shape and are pure metallic gold. The concentration effects of [AuCl 4 ] - anions, starch, ethylene glycol, and hydrazine, on particle size, were investigated, and the stabilization mechanism of Au nanoparticles by starch polymer molecules was also studied by FT-IR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FT-IR and TGA analysis shows that hydroxyl groups of starch are responsible of capping and stabilizing gold nanoparticles. The UV-vis spectrum of these samples shows that there is blue shift in surface plasmon resonance peak with decrease in particle size due to the quantum confinement effect, a supporting evidence of formation of gold nanoparticles and this shift remains stable even after 3 months.

  7. Enhanced photoelectric performance in self-powered UV detectors based on ZnO nanowires with plasmonic Au nanoparticles scattered electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yiyu; Ye, Zhizhen; Lu, Bin; Dai, Wei; Pan, Xinhua

    2016-04-01

    Vertically aligned ZnO nanowires (NWs) were grown on a fluorine-doped tin-oxide-coated glass substrate by a hydrothermal method. Au nanoparticles were well dispersed in the mixed solution of ethanol and deionized water. A simple self-powered ultraviolet detector based on solid-liquid heterojunction was fabricated, utilizing ZnO NWs as active photoanode and such prepared mixed solution as electrolyte. The introduction of Au nanoparticles results in considerable improvements in the responsivity and sensitivity of the device compared with the one using deionized water as electrolyte, which is attributed to the enhanced light harvesting by Au nanoparticles.

  8. Effects of ZnO nanoparticles and Zn"2"+ on fluvial biofilms and the related toxicity mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao; Hou, Jun; Dai, Shanshan; Wang, Peifang; Miao, Lingzhan; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang; You, Guoxiang

    2016-01-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) used in consumer products are largely released into the environment through the wastewater stream. The health hazard of ZnO NPs and the contribution of dissolved Zn"2"+ in toxicity of ZnO NPs has attracted extensive worldwide attention. In this study, the toxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and the effects of dissolved Zn"2"+ on fluvial biofilms were investigated. At the end of the exposure time (21 days), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and bioaccumulation experiments revealed that large quantities of ZnO NPs were adsorbed on the biofilm. The algal biomasses were significantly decreased by six- and eleven-fold compared with the control (1.43 μg/L) by exposure to concentrations of 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn"2"+, respectively. Moreover, under the same exposure conditions, the quantum yields presented contents of 53.33 and 33.33% relative to the control, and a shift in the community composition that manifested as a strong reduction in diatoms was observed from 7 days and reached 15.63 and 6.25% of the control after 21 days of exposure, respectively. The reductions in bacteria viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were noticeably enhanced following exposure to 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn"2"+, respectively. Additionally, the acute and rapid toxicity of Zn"2"+ and the increasing toxicity of the ZnO NPs with increased bioaccumulation were noted in the exposure experiment. - Highlights: • Fluvial biofilm was exposed to ZnO NPs and the dissolved Zn"2"+. • Chl-a and Φ_M decreased at high doses (100 and 7.85 mg/L of ZnO NPs and Zn"2"+). • A shift in the algae community composition was observed at high dosage levels. • The enhanced production of ROS declined the bacteria viability. • Zn"2"+ was more toxic than that of the ZnO-NPs.

  9. ZnO nanoparticles obtained by pulsed laser ablation and their composite with cotton fabric: Preparation and study of antibacterial activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Svetlichnyi, Valery; Shabalina, Anastasiia, E-mail: shabalinaav@gmail.com; Lapin, Ivan; Goncharova, Daria; Nemoykina, Anna

    2016-05-30

    Highlights: • ZnO nanoparticles obtained by pulsed laser ablation exhibit antibacterial activity. • H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and Zn{sup 2+} are not responsible for antibacterial activity of obtained zinc oxide. • Nano-ZnO/cotton fabric composite is a promising material for antibacterial bandage. - Abstract: A simple deposition method was used to prepare a ZnO/cotton fabric composite from water and ethanol dispersions of ZnO nanoparticles obtained by the pulsed laser ablation method. The structure and composition of the nanoparticles from dispersions and as-prepared composites were studied using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and spectroscopy. The nanoparticles and composite obtained exhibited antibacterial activity to three different pathogenic microorganisms—Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis. An attempt to understand a mechanism of bactericidal effect of ZnO nanoparticles was made. It was shown that zinc ions and hydrogen peroxide were not responsible for antibacterial activity of the particles and the composite, and surface properties of nanoparticles played an important role in antibacterial activity of zinc oxide. The proposed composite is a promising material for use as an antibacterial bandage.

  10. Antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and characterization of ZnO and ZnO–Al2O3 mixed oxide nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ertan Şahin

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available In order to achieve better antibacterial water insoluble nanoparticles (Nanoparticles of ZnO and ZnO–Al2O3 were studied. ZnO–Al2O3 mixed oxide nanoparticles were produced from a solution containing Zn(AC2⋅2H2O and AlCl3 by Solvothermal method. The calcination process of the ZnO–Al2O3 composite nanoparticles brought forth polycrystalline one phase ZnO–Al2O3 nanoparticles of 30–50 nm in diameters. ZnO and ZnO–Al2O3 were crystallized into würtzite and rock salt structures, respectively. The structural properties of this sample were analyzed by XRD and compared with bulk case of these samples. Antibacterial effectiveness of the ZnO and ZnO–Al2O3 nanoparticles were tested against general Escherichia coli (E. coli ATCC 25922 and E. coli O157:H7 by measuring the growth through optical density and digital counting of live–dead cells. Minimum inhibitory concentration values against four representative bacteria along with E. coli O157:H7 were also obtained.

  11. Structural, morphological and electroluminescence studies of Zno:Co nanophosphor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Anju; Vishwakarma, H. L.

    2016-09-01

    The nanoparticles of zinc oxide (ZnO) doped with various concentrations of cobalt (Co) were synthesized by chemical precipitation method in the presence of capping agent polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The effect of doping concentration on structural and morphological properties has been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cell volume, bond length, texture coefficient, lattice constants and dislocation density are also studied. Here, we also compared the interplaner spacing and relative peak intensities from their standard values with different angles. Crystallite sizes have been calculated by Debye-Scherrer's formula whose values are decreasing with increase in cobalt content up to 3 %. It has been seen that the growth orientation of the prepared ZnO nanorods was (101). The XRD analysis also ensures that ZnO has a hexagonal (wurtzite) crystal structure. The electroluminescence (EL) cells were prepared by placing pure and cobalt-doped ZnO nanoparticles between ITO-coated conducting glass plate and aluminium foil. Alternating voltage of various frequencies was applied, and EL brightness at different voltages was measured and corresponding current was also recorded. The voltage dependence of electroluminescence (EL) brightness of the ZnO:Co shows exponential increase. The linear voltage-current characteristic indicates ohmic nature. The EL brightness at a particular voltage is found to increase by increasing Co doping, but for higher percentage of Co the EL brightness is reduced. It is also seen that Co does not influence the threshold voltage. The brightness is also affected by increasing the frequency of AC signal.

  12. Improving the selective cancer killing ability of ZnO nanoparticles using Fe doping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurber, Aaron; Wingett, Denise G; Rasmussen, John W; Layne, Janet; Johnson, Lydia; Tenne, Dmitri A; Zhang, Jianhui; Hanna, Charles B; Punnoose, Alex

    2012-06-01

    This work reports a new method to improve our recent demonstration of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) selectively killing certain human cancer cells, achieved by incorporating Fe ions into the NPs. Thoroughly characterized cationic ZnO NPs (∼6 nm) doped with Fe ions (Zn(1-x )Fe (x) O, x = 0-0.15) were used in this work, applied at a concentration of 24 μg/ml. Cytotoxicity studies using flow cytometry on Jurkat leukemic cancer cells show cell viability drops from about 43% for undoped ZnO NPs to 15% for ZnO NPs doped with 7.5% Fe. However, the trend reverses and cell viability increases with higher Fe concentrations. The non-immortalized human T cells are markedly more resistant to Fe-doped ZnO NPs than cancerous T cells, confirming that Fe-doped samples still maintain selective toxicity to cancer cells. Pure iron oxide samples displayed no appreciable toxicity. Reactive oxygen species generated with NP introduction to cells increased with increasing Fe up to 7.5% and decreased for >7.5% doping.

  13. ZnO nanoparticle effects on hormonal pools in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vaňková, Radomíra; Landa, Přemysl; Podlipná, Radka; Dobrev, Petre; Přerostová, Sylva; Langhansová, Lenka; Gaudinová, Alena; Moťková, Kateřina; Knirsch, Vojtěch; Vaněk, Tomáš

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 593, SEP 1 (2017), s. 535-542 ISSN 0048-9697 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LD14125; GA MŠk LD14120; GA MŠk 8G15003 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Abscisic acid * Cytokinin * Plant hormone * ZnO nanoparticle Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 4.900, year: 2016

  14. ZnO Nanoparticles Protect RNA from Degradation Better than DNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayden McCall

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Gene therapy and RNA delivery require a nanoparticle (NP to stabilize these nucleic acids when administered in vivo. The presence of degradative hydrolytic enzymes within these environments limits the nucleic acids’ pharmacologic activity. This study compared the effects of nanoscale ZnO and MgO in the protection afforded to DNA and RNA from degradation by DNase, serum or tumor homogenate. For double-stranded plasmid DNA degradation by DNase, our results suggest that the presence of MgO NP can protect DNA from DNase digestion at an elevated temperature (65 °C, a biochemical activity not present in ZnO NP-containing samples at any temperature. In this case, intact DNA was remarkably present for MgO NP after ethidium bromide staining and agarose gel electrophoresis where these same stained DNA bands were notably absent for ZnO NP. Anticancer RNA, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C is now considered an anti-metastatic RNA targeting agent and as such there is great interest in its delivery by NP. For it to function, the NP must protect it from degradation in serum and the tumor environment. Surprisingly, ZnO NP protected the RNA from degradation in either serum-containing media or melanoma tumor homogenate after gel electrophoretic analysis, whereas the band was much more diminished in the presence of MgO. For both MgO and ZnO NP, buffer-dependent rescue from degradation occurred. These data suggest a fundamental difference in the ability of MgO and ZnO NP to stabilize nucleic acids with implications for DNA and RNA delivery and therapy.

  15. Reusability of photocatalytic TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles immobilized in poly(vinylidene difluoride)-co-trifluoroethylene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Teixeira, Sara, E-mail: sara.teixeira@nano.tu-dresden.de [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Martins, P.M. [Centro/Departamento de Física da Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Centro de Engenharia Biológica, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Lanceros-Méndez, S. [Centro/Departamento de Física da Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); BCMaterials, Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia, 48160 Derio (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao (Spain); Kühn, Klaus [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Cuniberti, Gianaurelio [Institute for Materials Science and Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Dresden Center for Computational Materials Science (DCCMS), TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, TU Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany)

    2016-10-30

    Highlights: • Performance of immobilized TiO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles in P(VDF-TrFE) membranes. • Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under UV radiation. • Assessment of the reusability of the nanocomposites. • Ecofriendly and cost-effective process for water treatment. - Abstract: Pollutants present in water are increasingly becoming an important public health issue. After their transportation across the sewer network they can pass through the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) mostly unchanged because WWTPs are not designed to remove pollutants present at trace levels. Conventional treatments are therefore ineffective. Immobilized photocatalytic systems are thus an advantage for the treatment of contaminated water, because they are ecofriendly, cost-effective and allow reusability. This work reports on TiO{sub 2} and ZnO commercial nanoparticles immobilized in poly(vinylidene difluoride)-co-trifluoroethylene (P(VDF-TrFE)). Nanocomposites of P(VDF-TrFE) with different concentrations of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles (5, 10, and 15 wt.%) and ZnO nanoparticles (15 wt.%) were produced by solvent casting and tested on the degradation of methylene blue, a model organic dye. Each nanocomposite was tested three times to assess its reusability. It is shown that increasing the photocatalyst concentration results in higher photocatalytic efficiencies; the degradation rates of 15% of TiO{sub 2} and ZnO are similar; and the photoactivity decreases 6%, 16%, 13%, and 11% after three utilizations, for TiO{sub 2} 5%, TiO{sub 2} 10%, TiO{sub 2} 15%, and ZnO 15%, respectively. Thus, the low decrease in the photocatalytic activity after three uses makes the nanocomposites suitable for applications in which reusability is an important key factor.

  16. Towards single crystalline, highly monodisperse and catalytically active gold nanoparticles capped with probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum derived lipase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Imran; Nagarjuna, Ravikiran; Ray Dutta, Jayati; Ganesan, Ramakrishnan

    2018-03-01

    Owing to the eco-friendly nature of biomolecules, there lies a huge interest in exploring them as capping agents for nanoparticles to achieve stability and biocompatibility. Lipase extracted from the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum is utilized for the first time to study its efficacy in capping gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in the room temperature synthesis using HAuCl4. The synthesized lipase-capped GNPs are characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy, FT-IR, HR-TEM, DLS and zeta potential measurements. Importantly, selected area electron diffraction (SAED) studies with HR-TEM have revealed the effect of lipase capping in tuning the polycrystallinity of the GNPs. The lipase-capped GNPs are explored for their catalytic efficiency towards an environmentally and industrially important conversion of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. Exploiting the amine functional groups in the protein, the recoverability and reusability of the GNPs have been demonstrated through immobilization over amine-functionalized Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

  17. Phytotoxic and genotoxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles on garlic (Allium sativum L.): a morphological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaymurat, Talgar; Gu, Jianxiu; Xu, Changshan; Yang, Zhikun; Zhao, Qing; Liu, Yuxue; Liu, Yichun

    2012-05-01

    The effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on the root growth, root apical meristem mitosis and mitotic aberrations of garlic (Allium sativum L.) were investigated. ZnO NPs caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of root length. When treated with 50 mg/L ZnO NPs for 24 h, the root growth of garlic was completely blocked. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) was estimated to be 15 mg/L. The mitosis index was also decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. ZnO NPs also induced several kinds of mitotic aberrations, mainly consisted of chromosome stickiness, bridges, breakages and laggings. The total percentage of abnormal cells increased with the increase of ZnO NPs concentration and the prolongation of treatment time. The investigation provided new information for the possible genotoxic effects of ZnO NPs on plants.

  18. Single-Step Antimicrobial And Moisture Management Finishing Of Pc Fabric Using Zno Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashraf Munir

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Functionalization of textile fabrics with metal oxide nanoparticles can be used to add antibacterial and moisture management properties to them. Current work focuses on the development of these properties on polyester/cotton woven fabrics by treating them with zinc oxide nanoparticles for workwear and sportswear applications. Zinc oxide nanoparticles, prepared by sol-gel method, were applied on fabric samples, which were then tested for antibacterial and moisture management properties using standard test methods AATCC 147 with Staphylococcus aureus and AATCC 195, respectively. It was found that application of ZnO nanoparticles improved both these properties with smaller particle imparting larger effects on both of them.

  19. Influence of Fe-doping on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Changzhen; Meng Dawei; Pang Haixia; Wu Xiuling; Xie Jing; Yu Xiaohong; Chen Long; Liu Xiaoyang

    2012-01-01

    Zn 1–x Fe x O (x=0–0.05) nanoparticles were synthesized without a catalyst by a two-step method. Fe was doped into ZnO by a source of metallic Fe sheets in a solid–liquid system at 80 °C, and the Zn 1−x Fe x O nanoparticles were obtained by annealing at 300 °C. X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the structural properties of the as-grown Zn 1−x Fe x O. The optical properties were determined by Infrared and Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The results confirm that the crystallinity of the ZnO is deteriorated due to Fe-doping. XPS results show that there is a mixture of Fe 0+ and the Fe 3+ in the representative Zn 0.95 Fe 0.05 O sample. The optical band gap of Zn 1−x Fe x O is enhanced with increasing of Fe-doping. Room temperature ferromagnetism was observed in all the Fe-doped ZnO samples. - Highlights: ► Zn 1−x Fe x O nanoparticles were synthesized with a simple two-step method. ► The Zn 1−x Fe x O predecessors were synthesized at a low temperature. ► Fe element was readily doped from the source of metallic Fe sheet. ► All the Fe doping ZnO samples have room temperature ferromagnetism. ► The structural and properties of the Zn 1−x Fe x O are regular with different x.

  20. ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) and their antifungal activity against coffee fungus Erythricium salmonicolor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arciniegas-Grijalba, P. A.; Patiño-Portela, M. C.; Mosquera-Sánchez, L. P.; Guerrero-Vargas, J. A.; Rodríguez-Páez, J. E.

    2017-06-01

    In this work, a methodology of synthesis was designed to obtain ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in a controlled and reproducible manner. The nanoparticles obtained were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Also, we determined the antifungal capacity in vitro of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized, examining their action on Erythricium salmonicolor fungy causal of pink disease. To determine the effect of the quantity of zinc precursor used during ZnO NPs synthesis on the antifungal capacity, 0.1 and 0.15 M concentrations of zinc acetate were examined. To study the inactivation of the mycelial growth of the fungus, different concentrations of ZnO NPs of the two types of synthesized samples were used. The inhibitory effect on the growth of the fungus was determined by measuring the growth area as a function of time. The morphological change was observed with high-resolution optical microscopy (HROM), while TEM was used to observe changes in its ultrastructure. The results showed that a concentration of 9 mmol L-1 for the sample obtained from the 0.15 M and at 12 mmol L-1 for the 0.1 M system significantly inhibited growth of E. salmonicolor. In the HROM images a deformation was observed in the growth pattern: notable thinning of the fibers of the hyphae and a clumping tendency. The TEM images showed a liquefaction of the cytoplasmic content, making it less electron-dense, with the presence of a number of vacuoles and significant detachment of the cell wall.

  1. The optical absorption of metal nanoparticles deposited on ZnO films

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Remeš, Zdeněk; Kromka, Alexander; Vaněček, Milan; Babchenko, Oleg; Stuchlíková, The-Ha; Červenka, Jiří; Hruška, Karel; Trung, T. Q.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 207, č. 7 (2010), s. 1722-1725 ISSN 1862-6300 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC510 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 19670 - ATHLET Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : metal nanoparticles * morphology * optical properties * plasmons * ZnO Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.458, year: 2010

  2. Structural, optical, thermal and Photocatalytic properties of ZnO nanoparticles of Betel Leave by using Green synthesis method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Rajesh

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In this present study reports the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Betel leaf extracts and zinc acetate. The functionalization of ZnO particles through Betel leaf extract mediated bio reduction of ZnO was investigated through X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, photoluminescence, thermal gravimetric-differential thermal analysis, hexagonal shaped ZnO-nanoparticles  with  size  about  50 nm  were synthesized and characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis. The diameter of the nanoparticles in the range of 50 nm was found from scanning electron microscopy study. Photo luminescence study reveals the blue emission at 463nm respectively. hermal gravimetric-differential thermal analysis show that the observed at 480oC, indicating that no decomposition occurs above this temperature. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye was examined using ZnO nanoparticles under solar as well as ultra violet light irradiation of the MB dye. The  method  stands out primarily due to the fact that it is eco-friendly and shuts down the demerits of conventional  physical  and  chemical  methods. These particles are anticipated to have extensive applications in various industries.

  3. Novel ferrocene-anchored ZnO nanoparticle/carbon nanotube assembly for glucose oxidase wiring: application to a glucose/air fuel cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haddad, Raoudha; Mattei, Jean-Gabriel; Thery, Jessica; Auger, Aurélien

    2015-06-28

    Glucose oxidase (GOx) is immobilized on ZnO nanoparticle-modified electrodes. The immobilized glucose oxidase shows efficient mediated electron transfer with ZnO nanoparticles to which the ferrocenyl moiety is π-stacked into a supramolecular architecture. The constructed ZnO-Fc/CNT modified electrode exhibits high ferrocene surface coverage, preventing any leakage of the π-stacked ferrocene from the newly described ZnO hybrid nanoparticles. The use of the new architecture of ZnO supported electron mediators to shuttle electrons from the redox centre of the enzyme to the surface of the working electrode can effectively bring about successful glucose oxidation. These modified electrodes evaluated as a highly efficient architecture provide a catalytic current for glucose oxidation and are integrated in a specially designed glucose/air fuel cell prototype using a conventional platinum-carbon (Pt/C) cathode at physiological pH (7.0). The obtained architecture leads to a peak power density of 53 μW cm(-2) at 300 mV for the Nafion® based biofuel cell under "air breathing" conditions at room temperature.

  4. Photocatalytic antibacterial effect of ZnO nanoparticles into coaxial electrospun PCL fibers to prevent infections from skin injuries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prado-Prone, G.; Silva-Bermúdez, P.; García-Macedo, J. A.; Almaguer-Flores, A.; Ibarra, C.; Velasquillo-Martínez, C.

    2017-02-01

    Antibacterial studies of inorganic nanoparticles (nps) have become important due to the increased bacterial resistance against antibiotics. We used Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO nps), which possess excellent photocatalytic properties with a wide band gap (Eg), are listed as "generally recognized as safe" by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have shown antibacterial activity (AA) against many bacterial strains. The AA of ZnO nps is partly attributed to the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by photocatalysis. When ZnO nps in aqueous media are illuminated with an energy water and Oxygen molecules to generate hydroxyl-radical (OH• ), superoxide-radical (O2 •- ) and hydrogen-peroxide (H2O2). These ROS induce cell membrane damage resulting in cell death. However, the application of inorganic nps in medical treatments is limited due to the possible long-term side effects of nps release. To prevent its release, ZnO nps were dispersed into Polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers obtained by electrospinning technique. To optimize the use of ZnO nps concentration, we developed coreshell coaxial electrospun fibers where the core corresponded to PCL and the shell to a mixture of ZnO nps/PCL. Thus, ZnO nps were only dispersed on the surface of the fibers increasing its superficial contact area. We evaluated the AA against E. coli of different electrospun ZnO nps/PCL fibers under two different conditions: UVA pre-illumination and darkness. Preliminary results suggest that the AA against E. coli is better when electrospun ZnO nps/PCL were preilluminated with UVA than under darkness conditions.

  5. Facile biosynthesis, characterization, and solar assisted photocatalytic effect of ZnO nanoparticles mediated by leaves of L. speciosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sai Saraswathi, V; Tatsugi, J; Shin, Paik-Kyun; Santhakumar, K

    2017-02-01

    Synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles using novel methodologies always attracts great importance in research. The use of plant extract to synthesize nano-particle has been considered as one of the eco-friendly methods. This paper describes the biosynthetic route of preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from the Lagerstroemia speciosa leaf extract. This approach appears to be low-cost preparation and alternative method to conventional methods. Highly stable and hexagonal phase ZnO NPs with average particle size of 40nm were synthesized and characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy (surface Plasmon resonance), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (surface functionalities), X-ray Diffraction analysis (crystallinity), TEM and SEM (size and morphology), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (elemental composition), Thermogravimetric analysis (weight loss) and Zeta potential (stability). The preliminary phytochemical experiments identify the possible chemical groups present in leaves extract. The photocatalytic properties of ZnO NPs were studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy by exposing methyl orange to sunlight and it is found to be degraded up to 93.5% within 2h. The COD values were significantly reduced from 5600mg/L to 374mg/L after 100min of solar radiation. The hemolytic activity of synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles was performed on human erythrocyte cells. Thus the present study provides a simple and eco-friendly method for the preparation of multifunctional property of ZnO NPs utilizing the biosynthetic route. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Surface nanostructuring of thin film composite membranes via grafting polymerization and incorporation of ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isawi, Heba; El-Sayed, Magdi H.; Feng, Xianshe; Shawky, Hosam; Abdel Mottaleb, Mohamed S.

    2016-11-01

    A new approach for modification of polyamid thin film composite membrane PA(TFC) using synthesized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) was shown to enhance the membrane performances for reverse osmosis water desalination. First, active layer of synthesis PA(TFC) membrane was activated with an aqueous solution of free radical graft polymerization of hydrophilic methacrylic acid (MAA) monomer onto the surface of the PA(TFC) membrane resulting PMAA-g-PA(TFC). Second, the PA(TFC) membrane has been developed by incorporation of ZnO NPs into the MAA grafting solution resulting the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane. The surface properties of the synthesized nanoparticles and prepared membranes were investigated using the FTIR, XRD and SEM. Morphology studies demonstrated that ZnO NPs have been successfully incorporated into the active grafting layer over PA(TFC) composite membranes. The zinc leaching from the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) was minimal, as shown by batch tests that indicated stabilization of the ZnO NPs on the membrane surfaces. Compared with the a pure PA(TFC) and PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membranes, the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) was more hydrophilic, with an improved water contact angle (∼50 ± 3°) over the PMAA-g-PA(TFC) (63 ± 2.5°). The ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane showed salt rejection of 97% (of the total groundwater salinity), 99% of dissolved bivalent ions (Ca2+, SO42-and Mg2+), and 98% of mono valent ions constituents (Cl- and Na+). In addition, antifouling performance of the membranes was determined using E. coli as a potential foulant. This demonstrates that the ZnO NPs modified PMAA-g-PA(TFC) membrane can significantly improve the membrane performances and was favorable to enhance the selectivity, permeability, water flux, mechanical properties and the bio-antifouling properties of the membranes for water desalination.

  7. Low-temperature-fabricated ZnO, AZO, and SnO{sub 2} nanoparticle-based dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Hong Hee; Park, Cheolmin; Choi, Wonkook; Cho, Sungjae; Moon, Byungjoon; Son, Dongick [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-11-15

    The authors investigated the microstructural and the electrical properties of ZnO, AZO, and SnO{sub 2} based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) fabricated using a low-temperature-processed (200 .deg. C) dyesensitized ZnO, AZO, and SnO{sub 2} nanoparticle thin film and a Pt catalyst deposited on ITO/glass by RF magnetron sputtering. A hydropolymer containing PEG (poly ethylene glycol) and PEO (poly ethylene oxide) is used to make uniformly-distributed ZnO, AZO, and SnO{sub 2} nanoparticle layer which forms a nano porous ZnO, AZO, and SnO{sub 2} network after heat treatment. The layer is then dye sensitized and sandwiched between two electrodes in an electrolyte to make a DSSC device. The highest measured parameters, the short-circuit current density (J{sub sc}), the open circuit potential (V{sub oc}), the fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η), of the DSSC fabricated wander optimized conditions were observed to be 5.10 mA/cm{sup 2}, 0.61 V, 0.46, and 1.43%, respectively.

  8. Photoluminescence quenching and enhanced spin relaxation in Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ovhal, Manoj M.; Santhosh Kumar, A. [Department of Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Girinagar, Pune 411025 (India); Khullar, Prerna [School of Materials Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi 221005 (India); Kumar, Manjeet [Department of Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Girinagar, Pune 411025 (India); Abhyankar, A.C., E-mail: ashutoshabhyankar@gmail.com [Department of Materials Engineering, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Girinagar, Pune 411025 (India)

    2017-07-01

    Cost-effective ultrasonically assisted precipitation method is utilized to synthesize Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) at room temperature and the effect of Iron (Fe) doping on structural, optical and spin relaxation properties also presented. As-synthesized pure and Fe doped ZnO NPs possess a perfect hexagonal growth habit of wurtzite zinc oxide, along the (101) direction of preference. With Fe doping, ‘c/a’ ratio and compressive lattice strain in ZnO NPs are found to reduce and increase, respectively. Raman studies demonstrate that the E{sub 1} longitudinal optical (LO) vibrational mode is very weak in pure which remarkably enhanced with Fe doping into ZnO NPs. The direct band gap energy (E{sub g}) of the ZnO NPs has been increased from 3.02 eV to 3.11 eV with Fe doping. A slight red-shift observed with strong green emission band, in photoluminescence spectra, is strongly quenched in 6 wt.% Fe doped ZnO NPs. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals spherical shape of ZnO NPs with 60–70 nm, which reduces substantially on Fe doping. The energy dispersive X-ray spectrum and elemental mapping confirms the homogeneous distribution of Fe in ZnO NPs. Moreover, the specific relaxation rate (R{sub 2sp} = 1/T{sub 2}) has been measured using Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) method and found to be maximum in 6 wt.% Fe doped ZnO NPs. Further, the correlation of structural, optical and dynamic properties is proposed. - Highlights: • Pure ZnO and Fe doped ZnO NPs were successfully prepared by cost effective ultrasonically assisted precipitation method. • The optical band gap of ZnO has been enhanced form 3.02–3.11 eV with Fe doping. • PL quenching behaviour has been observed with Fe{sup 3+} ions substitution in ZnO lattice. • Specific relaxation rate (R{sub 2sp} = 1/T{sub 2}) has been varied with Fe doping and found to be maximum in 6 wt.% Fe doped ZnO NPs.

  9. Structural and room temperature ferromagnetic properties of Ni doped ZnO nanoparticles via low-temperature hydrothermal method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Kun; Liu, Changzhen, E-mail: liuchangzhen94@163.com; Chen, Rui; Fang, Xiaoxiang; Wu, Xiuling; Liu, Jie

    2016-12-01

    A series of Zn{sub 1−x}Ni{sub x}O (x=0, 1%, 3%, 5%) nanoparticles have been synthesized via a low-temperature hydrothermal method. Influence of Ni doping concentration on the structure, morphology, optical properties and magnetism of the samples was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, UV–vis spectrophotometer and vibrating sample magnetometer instruments. The results show that the undoped and doped ZnO nanoparticles are both hexagonal wurtzite structures. The surface analysis was performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies. The images of SEM reveal that the structure of pure ZnO and Ni doped samples are nanoparticles which intended to form flakes with thickness of few nanometers, being overlain with each one to develop the network with some pores and voids. Based on the ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy analysis, it indicates that the band gap energy decreases with the increasing concentration of Ni. Furthermore, The Ni doped ZnO samples didn't exhibit higher ultraviolet-light-driven photocatalytic activity compared to the undoped ZnO sample. Vibrating sample magnetometer was used for the magnetic property investigations, and the result indicates that room temperature ferromagnetism property of 3% Ni doped sample is attributed to oxygen vacancy and interaction between doped ions.

  10. Electrostatic assembly of CTAB-capped silver nanoparticles along predefined λ-DNA template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei Gang; Wang Li; Zhou Hualan; Liu Zhiguo; Song Yonghai; Li Zhuang

    2005-01-01

    Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-capped positively-charged silver nanoparticles synthesized in water-ethanol system was electrostatic assembled on predefined aligned λ-DNA template. Silver nanowire can be obtained by changing the reaction time and the particles concentration. In our work, the length of the silver nanowire obtained is about 10 μm, and the dimension of the wires is about 20 nm. AFM data reveal that the assembly of CTAB-capped silver nanoparticles on DNA is ordered, but there is space between two particles absorbed on the DNA template. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was applied to characterize the linear silver clusters, which provides an additional proof that the silver particles were assembled onto DNA template with fine order

  11. Enzymatic glucose sensor based on Au nanoparticle and plant-like ZnO film modified electrode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tian, Kun [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Alex, Saji [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Department of Chemistry, Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695014 (India); Siegel, Gene [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States); Tiwari, Ashutosh, E-mail: tiwari@eng.utah.edu [Nanostructured Materials Research Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 (United States)

    2015-01-01

    A novel electrochemical glucose sensor was developed by employing a composite film of plant-like Zinc oxide (ZnO) and chitosan stabilized spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on which Glucose oxidaze (GOx) was immobilized. The ZnO was deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass and the AuNPs of average diameter of 23 nm were loaded on ZnO as the second layer. The prepared ITO/ZnO/AuNPs/GOx bioelectrode exhibited a low value of Michaelis–Menten constant of 1.70 mM indicating a good bio-matrix for GOx. The studies of electrochemical properties of the electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that, the presence of AuNPs provides significant enhancement of the electron transfer rate during redox reactions. The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) shows that the ITO/ZnO/AuNPs/GOx based sensor has a high sensitivity of 3.12 μA·mM{sup −1}·cm{sup −2} in the range of 50 mg/dL to 400 mg/dL glucose concentration. The results show promising application of the gold nanoparticle modified plant-like ZnO composite bioelectrode for electrochemical sensing of glucose.

  12. A novel flexible nanogenerator made of ZnO nanoparticles and multiwall carbon nanotube

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Hui; Tian, He; Yang, Yi; Xie, Dan; Zhang, Yu-Chi; Liu, Xuan; Ma, Shuo; Zhao, Hai-Ming; Ren, Tian-Ling

    2013-06-01

    In this paper, a novel flexible nanogenerator (FNG) made of zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) and multiwall-carbon nanotubes (MW-CNTs) is presented. In this structure, ZnO NPs and MW-CNTs are mixed with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) uniformly to form an entire flexible nanogenerator. Serial tests illustrate that the output voltage and power density are as high as 7.5 V and 18.75 μW per cycle, respectively. Furthermore, by foot stamp on the FNG, a peak voltage as high as 30 V can be generated. Comparing to the control samples, it is also proved that adding MW-CNTs into the matrix could significantly enhance the output voltage from 0.8 to 7.5 V. In summary, our work indicates that the realization of flexible nanogenerators made of ZnO NPs and MW-CNTs is technologically feasible, which may bring out some important and interesting applications in energy harvesting.In this paper, a novel flexible nanogenerator (FNG) made of zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) and multiwall-carbon nanotubes (MW-CNTs) is presented. In this structure, ZnO NPs and MW-CNTs are mixed with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) uniformly to form an entire flexible nanogenerator. Serial tests illustrate that the output voltage and power density are as high as 7.5 V and 18.75 μW per cycle, respectively. Furthermore, by foot stamp on the FNG, a peak voltage as high as 30 V can be generated. Comparing to the control samples, it is also proved that adding MW-CNTs into the matrix could significantly enhance the output voltage from 0.8 to 7.5 V. In summary, our work indicates that the realization of flexible nanogenerators made of ZnO NPs and MW-CNTs is technologically feasible, which may bring out some important and interesting applications in energy harvesting. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00866e

  13. Phytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles and the released Zn(II) ion to corn (Zea mays L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) during germination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ruichang; Zhang, Haibo; Tu, Chen; Hu, Xuefeng; Li, Lianzhen; Luo, Yongming; Christie, Peter

    2015-07-01

    Toxicity of engineered nanoparticles on organisms is of concern worldwide due to their extensive use and unique properties. The impacts of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on seed germination and root elongation of corn (Zea mays L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) were investigated in this study. The role of seed coats of corn in the mitigation toxicity of nanoparticles was also evaluated. ZnO NPs (1,000 mg L(-1)) reduced root length of corn and cucumber by 17 % (p < 0.05) and 51 % (p < 0.05), respectively, but exhibited no effects on germination. In comparison with Zn(2+), toxicity of ZnO NPs on the root elongation of corn could be attributed to the nanoparticulate ZnO, while released Zn ion from ZnO could solely contribute to the inhibition of root elongation of cucumber. Zn uptake in corn exposed to ZnO NPs during germination was much higher than that in corn exposed to Zn(2+), whereas Zn uptake in cucumber was significantly correlated with soluble Zn in suspension. It could be inferred that Zn was taken up by corn and cucumber mainly in the form of ZnO NPs and soluble Zn, respectively. Transmission electron microscope confirmed the uptake of ZnO NPs into root of corn. Although isolation of the seed coats might not be the principal factor that achieved avoidance from toxicity on germination, seed coats of corn were found to mitigate the toxicity of ZnO NPs on root elongation and prevent approximately half of the Zn from entering into root and endosperm.

  14. Visible light photocatalytic activities of ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of organic pollutants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rameshbabu, R.; Kumar, Niraj; Karthigeyan, A.; Neppolian, B.

    2016-01-01

    ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as surfactant. The phase formation of synthesized products was systematically investigated from powder X-ray diffraction. Cubic ZnFe_2O_4 and hexagonal ZnO were identified in accordance with different molar concentrations of Fe"3"+ ions. The morphology and functionality were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The optical properties and change in the band gap from UV to visible region upon increasing molar concentration of Fe"3"+ ions were analyzed from diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Superparamagnetic property was observed for synthesized ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The methylene blue and methyl orange were taken as model dyes to illustrate the photocatalytic activity of synthesized products under visible light irradiation. Maximum degradation of 99% for methyl orange (MO) was achieved by the use of 13 nm sized ZnFe_2O_4/ZnO nanoparticles as catalyst and a minutely less activity was observed for the methylene blue (MB) degradation (98%), when the photocatalytic processes were carried out for 5 h and 6 h, respectively. - Highlights: • Co-precipitation method is proposed to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles. • Modifications in the molar concentration lead to the shift in absorption edge. • Superparamagnetic property is demonstrated for the nanoparticles. • Two dye pollutants are utilized to demonstrate the photocatalytic activity.

  15. Fabrication and characterization of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siswanto; Akwalia, Putri Riski; Rochman, Nurul T.

    2017-01-01

    Currently, nanomaterial is an interestingfield of study. This is due to its chemical and physical properties that are superior to that of large-sized materials. One nanomaterial widely studied is zinc oxide (ZnO). In this study, a synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles made by Sol-Gel method was conducted. The process parameters used are variations in pH, in increasing order, of 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; and 12. There are two principal reactions to produce a compound oxide, namely hydrolysis and condensation. NaOH is an agent for the hydrolysis of (CH 3 COO) 2 Zn resultingin Zn (OH) 2 . Subsequently, condensation produces ZnO. Calcination was carried out at a temperature of 80 ° C for 1 hour. The ccharacterization of the samples showed that the condition of pH 12 produced the best sample with a size of 73.8 nm and ZnO percentage of 100%. Although pH 7 produced a particle size of 1.3 nm, the percentage of ZnO formed was only 42.9%. The calcination process was performed to remove CH 3 COONa. However, the process can lead to aggregation of ZnO particles to each other, which increases the particle size. (paper)

  16. Potato extract as reducing agent and stabiliser in a facile green one-step synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buazar, Foad; Bavi, M.; Kroushawi, Feisal

    2016-01-01

    A facile green recipe was developed to synthesise highly pure, safe and durable zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO Nps) using homemade starch-rich potato extract. The ZnO Nps were synthesised using zinc nitrate and potato extract, and the whole reaction is carried out for 30 min at 80 °C...

  17. Speciation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles exposed to culture medium and lymphocyte cells

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — Spectral fits and linear combination data for ZnO and CuO nanoparticles exposure during toxicity testing. This dataset is associated with the following publication:...

  18. Effects of ZnO nanoparticles and Zn{sup 2+} on fluvial biofilms and the related toxicity mechanisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Yi; Wang, Chao [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Hou, Jun, E-mail: hhuhjyhj@126.com [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Dai, Shanshan [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Wang, Peifang, E-mail: pfwang2005@hhu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); Miao, Lingzhan; Lv, Bowen; Yang, Yangyang; You, Guoxiang [Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resources Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China); College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098 (China)

    2016-02-15

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) used in consumer products are largely released into the environment through the wastewater stream. The health hazard of ZnO NPs and the contribution of dissolved Zn{sup 2+} in toxicity of ZnO NPs has attracted extensive worldwide attention. In this study, the toxic effects of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and the effects of dissolved Zn{sup 2+} on fluvial biofilms were investigated. At the end of the exposure time (21 days), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and bioaccumulation experiments revealed that large quantities of ZnO NPs were adsorbed on the biofilm. The algal biomasses were significantly decreased by six- and eleven-fold compared with the control (1.43 μg/L) by exposure to concentrations of 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn{sup 2+}, respectively. Moreover, under the same exposure conditions, the quantum yields presented contents of 53.33 and 33.33% relative to the control, and a shift in the community composition that manifested as a strong reduction in diatoms was observed from 7 days and reached 15.63 and 6.25% of the control after 21 days of exposure, respectively. The reductions in bacteria viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were noticeably enhanced following exposure to 100 mg/L ZnO NPs and 7.85 mg/L Zn{sup 2+}, respectively. Additionally, the acute and rapid toxicity of Zn{sup 2+} and the increasing toxicity of the ZnO NPs with increased bioaccumulation were noted in the exposure experiment. - Highlights: • Fluvial biofilm was exposed to ZnO NPs and the dissolved Zn{sup 2+}. • Chl-a and Φ{sub M} decreased at high doses (100 and 7.85 mg/L of ZnO NPs and Zn{sup 2+}). • A shift in the algae community composition was observed at high dosage levels. • The enhanced production of ROS declined the bacteria viability. • Zn{sup 2+} was more toxic than that of the ZnO-NPs.

  19. Studies on L-histidine capped Ag and Au nanoparticles for dopamine detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nivedhini Iswarya, Chandrasekaran; Kiruba Daniel, S.C.G. [Division of Nanoscience and Technology, Anna University-BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli 620024 (India); Sivakumar, Muthusamy, E-mail: muthusiva@gmail.com [Division of Nanoscience and Technology, Anna University-BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli 620024 (India); Department of Chemistry, Anna University-BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli 620024 (India)

    2017-06-01

    This work demonstrates the effective surface functionalization of Ag, Au and bimetallic Ag-Au nanoparticles using L-histidine for colorimetric detection of dopamine (DA) which plays majorly in recognizing the neurological disorder. L-Histidine (L-His) capped Ag, Au, and bimetallic Ag-Au nanoparticles are characterized using physico-chemical techniques. The optical behaviour of nanoparticles has been analysed at various time intervals using UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. FT-IR results provide the evidence of chemical bonding between L-histidine and metal nanoparticles. Its structure with the capping of L-His was clearly shown in HR-TEM images. The average size of nanoparticles has calculated from TEM image fringes are 11 nm, 5 nm and 6.5 nm respectively, matches with crystals size calculated from X-ray diffraction pattern. Enhanced optical nature of nanoparticles provides the best platform to develop a colorimetric-based biosensor for DA detection. After addition of DA, a rapid colour change has been noted in colloids of nanoparticles. The substantial changes in absorbance and λ{sub max} in metal nanoparticles respect to DA concentration have been observed and formulated. This is one of the successive methods for trace level determination of DA and will be going to a significant material for designing biosensor to determine DA in real extracellular body fluids. - Highlights: • L-His functionalized Ag, Au and bimetallic Ag-Au nanoparticles were prepared and its properties were studied. • L-His based Ag, Au, Ag-Au nanoparticles have characterized by spectroscopy, XRD and microscopic studies. • Enhanced optical nature of nanoparticles delivers the best platform to develop a biosensor for DA detection. • For qualitative determination of dopamine, SPR of metal nanoparticles plays a major role in dopamine determination. • This basic finding can be utilized for further identification of imbalanced DA concentration in body fluids.

  20. Fabrication of Ag/ZnO heterostructure and the role of surface coverage of ZnO microrods by Ag nanoparticles on the photophysical and photocatalytic properties of the metal-semiconductor system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarma, Bikash; Sarma, Bimal K., E-mail: sarmabimal@gmail.com

    2017-07-15

    Highlights: • Fabrication of Ag/ZnO heterostructure by facile chemical processes. • Decoration of plasmonic Ag nanoparticles on ZnO microrods through direct attachment. • Quenching of photoluminescence is observed in Ag/ZnO heterostructure. • Extent of surface coverage governs photophysical and photochemical properties. - Abstract: This report presents findings on microstructural, photophysical, and photocatalytic properties of Ag/ZnO heterostructure grown on flexible and silicon substrates. ZnO microrods are prepared by thermal decomposition method for different solute concentrations and Ag/ZnO heterostructure are fabricated by photo-deposition of Ag nanoparticles on ZnO microrods. X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy studies confirm that ZnO microrods belong to the hexagonal wurtzite structure and grown along [001] direction with random alignment showing that majority microrods are aligned with (100) face parallel to the sample surface. Plasmonic Ag nanoparticles are attached to different faces of ZnO. In the optical reflection spectra of Ag/ZnO heterostructure, the surface plasmon resonance peak due to Ag nanoparticles appears at 445 nm. Due to the oxygen vacancies the band gaps of ZnO microrods turn out to be narrower compared to that of bulk ZnO. The presence of Ag nanoparticles decreases the photoluminescence intensity which might be attributed to the non-radiative energy and direct electron transfer in the plasmon–exciton system. The quenching of photoluminescence in Ag/ZnO heterostructure at different growth conditions depend on the extent of surface coverage of ZnO by plasmonic Ag nanoparticles. Photocatalytic degradation efficiency of Ag/ZnO heterostructure is higher than that of ZnO microrods. The extent of surface coverage of ZnO microrods by Ag nanoparticles is crucial for the observed changes in photophysical and photochemical properties.

  1. Carbon doped ZnO: Synthesis, characterization and interpretation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2013-01-01

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

  2. Biocompatibility study of protein capped and uncapped silver nanoparticles on human hemoglobin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhunia, Amit Kumar; Kanti Samanta, Pijus; Aich, Debasish; Saha, Satyajit; Kamilya, Tapanendu

    2015-06-01

    The interactions of human hemoglobin with protein capped silver nanoparticles and bare silver nanoparticles were studied to understand fundamental perspectives about the biocompatibility of protein capped silver nanoparticles compared with bare silver nanoparticles. Bare silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by the chemical reduction method. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis along with absorption at ~390 nm indicated the formation of bare Ag NPs. Protein coated Ag NPs were prepared by a green synthesis method. Absorption at ~440 nm along with ~280 nm indicated the formation of protein coated Ag NPs. The biocompatibility of the above mentioned Ag NPs was studied by interaction with human hemoglobin (Hb) protein. In presence of bare Ag NPs, the Soret band of Hb was red shifted. This revealed the distortion of iron from the heme pockets of Hb. Also, the fluorescence peak of Hb was quenched and red shifted which indicated that Hb became unfolded in the presence of bare Ag NPs. No red shift of the absorption of Soret, along with no shift and quenching of the fluorescence peak of Hb were observed in the presence of protein coated Ag NPs. A hemolysis assay suggested that protein coated Ag NPs were more biocompatible than bare one.

  3. Biosynthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using rambutan (Nephelium lappaceumL.) peel extract and their photocatalytic activity on methyl orange dye

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karnan, Thenmozhi; Selvakumar, Stanly Arul Samuel

    2016-12-01

    In the present study, describes the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles from rambutan (Nephelium lappaceumL.) peel extract via bio synthesis method and developed a new low cost technology to prepare ZnO nanoparticles. During the synthesis, fruit peel extract act as a natural ligation agent. The successfully prepared product was analyzed with some standard characterization studies like X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), UV-VIS Diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), High resolution transmittance electron microscope (HR-TEM), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and UV-Vis absorption Spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles was evaluated by photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) dye under UV light and the result depicts around 83.99% decolorisation efficiency at 120 min of illumination. In addition with photodecolorisation, mineralization was also achieved. The mineralization has been confirmed by measuring Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) values.

  4. Growth and optical characterization of colloidal CdTe nanoparticles capped by a bifunctional molecule

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abd El-sadek, M.S., E-mail: el_sadek_99@email.co [Nanomaterial Laboratory, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena-83523 (Egypt); Crystal Growth Centre, Anna University Chennai, Chennai-600025 (India); Moorthy Babu, S. [Crystal Growth Centre, Anna University Chennai, Chennai-600025 (India)

    2010-08-15

    Thiol-capped CdTe nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous solution by wet chemical route. CdTe nanoparticles with bifunctional molecule mercaptoacetic acid as a stabilizer were synthesized at pH{approx}11.2 and using potassium tellurite as tellurium source. The effect of refluxing time on the preparation of these samples was measured using UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence analysis. By increasing the refluxing time the UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence results show that the band edge emission is redshifted. The synthesized thiol-capped CdTe were characterized with FT-IR, TEM and TG-DTA. The particle size was calculated by the effective mass approximation (EMA). The role of precursors, their composition, pH and reaction procedure on the development of nanoparticles are analyzed.

  5. The effect of ZnO nanoparticle coating on the frictional resistance between orthodontic wires and ceramic brackets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background. Any decrease in friction between orthodontic wire and bracket can accelerate tooth movement in the sliding technique and result in better control of anchorage. This study was carried out to evaluate frictional forces by coating orthodontic wires and porcelain brackets with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO. Methods. In this in vitro study, we evaluated a combination of 120 samples of 0.019×0.025 stainless steel (SS orthodontic wires and 22 mil system edgewise porcelain brackets with and without spherical zinc oxide nanoparticles. Spherical ZnO nanoparticles were deposited on wires and brackets by immersing them in ethanol solution and SEM (scanning electron microscope evaluation confirmed the presence of the ZnO coating. The frictional forces were calculated between the wires and brackets in four groups: group ZZ (coated wire and bracket, group OO (uncoated wire and bracket, group ZO (coated wire and uncoated bracket and group OZ (uncoated wire and coated bracket. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis. Results. The frictional force in ZZ (3.07±0.4 N was the highest (P <0.05, and OZ (2.18±0.5 N had the lowest amount of friction (P <0.05 among the groups. There was no significant difference in frictional forces between the ZO and OO groups (2.65±0.2 and 2.70±0.2 N, respectively. Conclusion. Coating of porcelain bracket surfaces with ZnO nanoparticles can decrease friction in the sliding technique, and wire coating combined with bracket coating is not recommended due to its effect on friction.

  6. Enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism in Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by auto-combustion method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haq, Khizar-ul; Irfan, M.; Masood, Muhammad; Saleem, Murtaza; Iqbal, Tahir; Ahmad, Ishaq; Khan, M. A.; Zaffar, M.; Irfan, Muhammad

    2018-04-01

    Zn1‑x Cr x O (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.09) nanoparticles were synthesized, by an auto-combustion method. Structural, optical, and magnetic characteristics of Cr-doped ZnO samples calcined at 600 °C have been analyzed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), UV–Vis spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The XRD data confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of pure and Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The calculated values of grain size using Scherrer's formula are in the range of 30.7–9.2 nm. The morphology of nanopowders has been observed by FESEM, and EDS results confirmed a systematic increase of Cr content in the samples and clearly indicate with no impurity element. The band gaps, computed by UV–Vis spectroscopy, are in the range of 2.83–2.35 eV for different doping concentrations. By analyzing VSM data, significantly enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism is identified in Cr-doped ZnO samples. The value of magnetization is a 12 times increased of the value reported by Daunet al. (2010). Room temperature ferromagnetism of the nanoparticles is of vital prominence for spintronics applications. Project supported by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (ORIC), MUST Mirpur (AJK).

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2016-01-01

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

  8. Investigation on structural and electrical properties of Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by solution combustion method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ram, Mast; Bala, Kanchan; Sharma, Hakikat; Kumar, Arun; Negi, N. S.

    2016-01-01

    In the present study, nanoparticles of Fe doped zinc oxide (ZnO) [Zn_1_-_xFe_xO where x=0.0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05] were prepared by cost effective solution combustion method. The powder X-ray diffractometry confirms the formation of single phase wurtzite structure. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate the micrsostructure of Fe-doped ZnO nanoparticles. The DC electrical conductivity was found to increase with temperature and measurement was carried out in the temperature range of 300-473K. DC electrical conductivity increases with temperature and decreases with Fe doping concentration.

  9. Uncaria gambir Roxb. mediated green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using diethanolamine as capping agent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labanni, A.; Zulhadjri; Handayani, D.; Arief, S.

    2018-01-01

    Studies of silver nanoparticles preparation has been developed increasingly due to the wide application in various areas and field, such as medicine, energy, catalysis, and electronic. An environmental-friendly method is needed to fabricate biocompatible silver nanoparticles without producing hazardous materials to the environment. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles by green synthesis method, using leaf extract of gambir (Uncaria gambir Roxb.) as bioreducing agent and aqueous diethanolamine (DEA) solution as capping agents. The AgNO3/DEA molar ratio was varied to investigate the effect of DEA concentration to the properties of silver nanoparticles. The formation of silver nanoparticles was indicated by colour changes to yellowish brown and confirmed by result of UV-Vis spectrophotometer analysis which shown absorption band at 400 to 410 nm. The absorbance was increased to the reaction time of 24 hours, and was decrease by the increasing of DEA concentration in reaction. TEM analysis showed that prepared silver nanoparticles were spherical in shape with diameter of 3,5 - 45,5 nm. The diameter of DEA capped silver nanoparticles was 13 nm, smaller than uncapped silver nanoparticles which was 26 nm It exhibited good stability to time reaction of one month which was potential to be developed in some fields.

  10. Comparative study on toxicity of ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles on Artemia salina: effect of pre-UV-A and visible light irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhuvaneshwari, M; Sagar, Bhawana; Doshi, Siddharth; Chandrasekaran, N; Mukherjee, Amitava

    2017-02-01

    This study evaluated the toxicity potential of ZnO and TiO 2 nanoparticles under pre-UV-A irradiation and visible light condition on Artemia salina. The nanoparticle suspension was prepared in seawater medium and exposed under pre-UV-A (0.23 mW/cm 2 ) and visible light (0.18 mW/cm 2 ) conditions. The aggregation profiles of both nanoparticles (NPs) and dissolution of ZnO NPs under both irradiation conditions at various kinetic intervals (1, 24, 48 h) were studied. The 48-h LC 50 values were found to be 27.62 and 71.63 mg/L for ZnO NPs and 117 and 120.9 mg/L for TiO 2 NPs under pre-UV-A and visible light conditions. ZnO NPs were found to be more toxic to A. salina as compared to TiO 2 NPs. The enhanced toxicity was observed under pre-UV-A-irradiated ZnO NPs, signifying its phototoxicity. Accumulation of ZnO and TiO 2 NPs into A. salina depends on the concentration of particles and type irradiations. Elimination of accumulated nanoparticles was also evident under both irradiation conditions. Other than ZnO NPs, the dissolved Zn 2+ also had a significant effect on toxicity and accumulation in A. salina. Increased catalase (CAT) activity in A. salina indicates the generation of oxidative stress due to NP interaction. Thus, this study provides an understanding of the toxicity of photoreactive ZnO and TiO 2 NPs as related to the effects of pre-UV-A and visible light irradiation.

  11. Synthesis and characterization of TGA-capped CdTe nanoparticles embedded in PVA matrix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tripathi, S.K.; Kaur, Ramneek; Sharma, Mamta [Panjab University, Department of Physics, Center of Advanced Study in Physics, Chandigarh (India)

    2014-10-25

    This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of TGA-capped CdTe nanoparticles and its nanocomposite in a PVA matrix prepared by ex situ technique. The crystallite sizes of the CdTe nanoparticles and nanocomposite calculated from X-ray diffraction patterns are 6.07 and 7.75 nm with hexagonal structure, respectively. The spherical nature of the CdTe nanoparticles is confirmed from transmission electron microscopy measurements. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows good interaction between the CdTe nanoparticles and PVA matrix. The absorption and emission spectra have also been studied. The stability of the TGA-capped CdTe nanoparticles increases after dispersion in a PVA matrix. In electrical measurements, the dark conductivity and the steady-state photoconductivity of CdTe nanocomposite thin films have been studied. The effect of temperature and intensity on the transient photoconductivity of CdTe nanocomposite is also studied. The values of differential life time have been calculated from the decay of photocurrent with time. The non-exponential decay of photoconductivity is observed indicating that the traps exist at all the energies in the band gap, making these materials suitable for various optoelectronic devices. (orig.)

  12. Synthesis and characterization of TGA-capped CdTe nanoparticles embedded in PVA matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tripathi, S.K.; Kaur, Ramneek; Sharma, Mamta

    2015-01-01

    This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of TGA-capped CdTe nanoparticles and its nanocomposite in a PVA matrix prepared by ex situ technique. The crystallite sizes of the CdTe nanoparticles and nanocomposite calculated from X-ray diffraction patterns are 6.07 and 7.75 nm with hexagonal structure, respectively. The spherical nature of the CdTe nanoparticles is confirmed from transmission electron microscopy measurements. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows good interaction between the CdTe nanoparticles and PVA matrix. The absorption and emission spectra have also been studied. The stability of the TGA-capped CdTe nanoparticles increases after dispersion in a PVA matrix. In electrical measurements, the dark conductivity and the steady-state photoconductivity of CdTe nanocomposite thin films have been studied. The effect of temperature and intensity on the transient photoconductivity of CdTe nanocomposite is also studied. The values of differential life time have been calculated from the decay of photocurrent with time. The non-exponential decay of photoconductivity is observed indicating that the traps exist at all the energies in the band gap, making these materials suitable for various optoelectronic devices. (orig.)

  13. Effects of hydrogen annealing on the room temperature ferromagnetism and optical properties of Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tong Liuniu; Wang Yichao; He Xianmei; Han Huaibin; Xia Ailin; Hu Jinlian

    2012-01-01

    We explore the effects of hydrogen annealing on the room temperature ferromagnetism and optical properties of Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the sol-gel method. X-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data show evidence that Cr has been incorporated into the wurtzite ZnO lattice as Cr 2+ ions substituting for Zn 2+ ions without any detectable secondary phase in as-synthesized Zn 0.97 Cr 0.03 O nanopowders. The room temperature magnetization measurements reveal a large enhancement of saturation magnetization M s as well as an increase of coercivity of H 2 -annealed Zn 0.97 Cr 0.03 O:H samples. It is found that the field-cooled magnetization curves as a function of temperature from 40 to 400 K can be well fitted by a combination of a standard Bloch spin-wave model and Curie–Weiss law. The values of the fitted parameters of the ferromagnetic exchange interaction constant a and the Curie constant C of H 2 -annealed Zn 0.97 Cr 0.03 O:H nanoparticles are almost doubled upon H 2 -annealing. Photoluminescence measurements show evidence that the shallow donor defect or/and defect complexes such as hydrogen occupying an oxygen vacancy H o may play an important role in the origin of H 2 -annealing induced enhancement of ferromagnetism in Cr-H codoped ZnO nanoparticles. - Graphical Abstract: The H 2 -annealing induced enhancement of room temperature ferromagnetism in Cr-doped ZnO nanoparticles is observed. It is found that the field-cooled M-T curves can be well fitted by a combination of a standard Bloch spin-wave model and Curie–Weiss law. The values of the fitted parameters of the ferromagnetic exchange interaction constant a and the Curie constant C of H 2 -annealed Zn 0.97 Cr 0.03 O:H nanoparticles are almost doubled upon H 2 -annealing. The PL data show evidence that the hydrogen related shallow donor defect or/and defect complexes may be responsible for it. Display Omitted Highlights: ► The H 2 -annealing induced a large enhancement of

  14. Characterization of size and morphology of ZnO and Fe2O3 nanoparticles in dispersive media by SAXS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Bing; Wang Meng; Zhu Motao; Zhao Yuliang; Wu Zhonghua

    2007-01-01

    The size and shape of ZnO and Fe 2 O 3 nano-particles in 1% sodium carboxy methyl cellulose were measured by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) of synchrotron radiation. Compared with the TEM results, the SAXS results indicated that the ZnO and Fe 2 O 3 nano-particles in 1% sodium carboxy methyl cellulose were agglomerated. However, the size and shape of the agglomerated particles were almost unchanged along with the increase of particle concentration, indicating that the particles in 1% sodium carboxy methyl cellulose were stable. (authors)

  15. Tapioca starch: An efficient fuel in gel-combustion synthesis of photocatalytically and anti-microbially active ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ramasami, Alamelu K. [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura (T) (India); Raja Naika, H. [Dept. of Biotechnology, University College of Science, Tumkur University, Tumkur (India); Nagabhushana, H. [CNR Rao Centre for Advanced Materials, Tumkur University, Tumkur (India); Ramakrishnappa, T.; Balakrishna, Geetha R. [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura (T) (India); Nagaraju, G., E-mail: nagarajugn@rediffmail.com [Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain University, Jakkasandra, Kanakapura (T) (India); Dept. of Chemistry, Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumkur (India)

    2015-01-15

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by gel-combustion method using novel bio-fuel tapioca starch pearls, derived from the tubers of Manihotesculenta. The product is characterized using various techniques. The X-ray diffraction pattern correspond to a hexagonal zincite structure. Fourier transform infrared spectrum showed main absorption peaks at 394 and 508 cm{sup −} {sup 1} due to stretching vibration of Zn–O. Ultravoilet–visible spectrum of zinc oxide nanoparticles showed absorption maximum at 373 nm whereas the maximum of the bulk zinc oxide was 377 nm. The morphology of the product was studied using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The scanning electron microscopic images showed that the products are agglomerated and porous in nature. The transmission electron microscopic images revealed spherical particles of 40–50 nm in diameter. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was examined using zinc oxide nanoparticles and found more efficient in sunlight than ultra-violet light due to reduced band gap. The antibacterial properties of zinc oxide nanoparticles were investigated against four bacterial strains Klebsiella aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aereus, where Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aereus exhibited significant antibacterial activity in agar well diffusion method when compared to positive control. - Highlights: • ZnO nanoparticles have been prepared from a new bio-fuel, tapioca starch by gel combustion method. • XRD pattern revealed hexagonal zincite crystal structure with crystallite size 33 nm. • ZnO nanoparticles exhibited a band gap of 2.70 eV. • The ZnO nanoparticles exhibited superior degradation in sunlight in comparison with UV light. • The product showed a good anti-bacterial activity against two bacterial strains.

  16. Comparison of Antibacterial Effects of ZnO and CuO Nanoparticles Coated Brackets against Streptococcus Mutans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramazanzadeh, Baratali; Jahanbin, Arezoo; Yaghoubi, Masoud; Shahtahmassbi, Nasser; Ghazvini, Kiarash; Shakeri, Mohammadtaghi; Shafaee, Hooman

    2015-09-01

    During the orthodontic treatment, microbial plaques may accumulate around the brackets and cause caries, especially in high-risk patients. Finding ways to eliminate this microbial plaque seems to be essential. The aim of this study was to compare the antibacterial effects of nano copper oxide (CuO) and nano zinc oxide (ZnO) coated brackets against Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) in order to decrease the risk of caries around the orthodontic brackets during the treatment. Sixty brackets were coated with nanoparticles of ZnO (n=20), CuO (n=20) and CuO-ZnO (n=20). Twelve uncoated brackets constituted the control group. The brackets were bonded to the crowns of extracted premolars, sterilized and prepared for antimicrobial tests (S.mutans ATCC35668). The samples taken after 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours were cultured on agar plates. Colonies were counted 24 hours after incubation. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for statistical analysis. In CuO and CuO-ZnO coated brackets, no colony growth was seen after two hours. Between 0-6 hours, the mean colony counts were not significantly different between the ZnO and the control group (p>0.05). During 6-24 hours, the growth of S.mutans was significantly reduced by ZnO nanoparticles in comparison with the control group (pbrackets have better antimicrobial effect on S.mutans than ZnO coated brackets.

  17. Sum frequency generation and catalytic reaction studies of the removal of the organic capping agents from Pt nanoparticles by UV-ozone treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aliaga, Cesar; Park, Jeong Y.; Yamada, Yusuke; Lee, Hyun Sook; Tsung, Chia-Kuang; Yang, Peidong; Somorjai, Gabor A.

    2009-12-10

    We report the structure of the organic capping layers of platinum colloid nanoparticles and their removal by UV-ozone exposure. Sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFGVS) studies identify the carbon-hydrogen stretching modes on poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and tetradecyl tributylammonium bromide (TTAB)-capped platinum nanoparticles. We found that the UV-ozone treatment technique effectively removes the capping layer on the basis of several analytical measurements including SFGVS, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The overall shape of the nanoparticles was preserved after the removal of capping layers, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SFGVS of ethylene hydrogenation on the clean platinum nanoparticles demonstrates the existence of ethylidyne and di-{sigma}-bonded species, indicating the similarity between single-crystal and nanoparticle systems.

  18. Bioavailability of Zn in ZnO nanoparticle-spiked soil and the implications to maize plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Xueqin; Wang, Fayuan; Shi, Zhaoyong; Tong, Ruijian; Shi, Xiaojun

    2015-01-01

    Little is known about the relationships between Zn bioavailability in ZnO nanoparticle (NP)-spiked soil and the implications to crops. The present pot culture experiment studied Zn bioavailability in soil spiked with different doses of ZnO NPs, using the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) extraction method, as well as the toxicity and Zn accumulation in maize plants. Results showed that ZnO NPs exerted dose-dependent effects on maize growth and nutrition, photosynthetic pigments, and root activity (dehydrogenase), ranging from stimulatory (100–200 mg/kg) through to neutral (400 mg/kg) and toxic effect (800–3200 mg/kg). Both Zn concentration in shoots and roots correlated positively (P < 0.01) with ZnO NPs dose and soil DTPA-extractable Zn concentration. The BCF of Zn in shoots and roots ranged from 1.02 to 3.83 when ZnO NPs were added. In most cases, the toxic effects on plants elicited by ZnO NPs were overall similar to those caused by bulk ZnO and soluble Zn (ZnSO 4 ) at the same doses, irrespective of some significant differences suggesting a higher toxicity of ZnO NPs. Oxidative stress in plants via superoxide free radical production was induced by ZnO NPs at 800 mg/kg and above, and was more severe than the same doses of bulk ZnO and ZnSO 4 . Although significantly lower compared to bulk ZnO and ZnSO 4 , at least 16 % of the Zn from ZnO NPs was converted into DTPA-extractable (bioavailable) forms. The dissolved Zn 2+ from ZnO NPs may make a dominant contribution to their phytotoxicity. Although low amounts of ZnO NPs exhibited some beneficial effects, the accumulation of Zn from ZnO NPs into maize tissues could pose potential health risks for both plants and human

  19. Spectroscopic characterization approach to study surfactants effect on ZnO 2 nanoparticles synthesis by laser ablation process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drmosh, Q. A.; Gondal, M. A.; Yamani, Z. H.; Saleh, T. A.

    2010-05-01

    Zinc peroxide nanoparticles having grain size less than 5 nm were synthesized using pulsed laser ablation in aqueous solution in the presence of different surfactants and solid zinc target in 3% H 2O 2. The effect of surfactants on the optical and structure of ZnO 2 was studied by applying different spectroscopic techniques. Structural properties and grain size of the synthesized nanoparticles were studied using XRD method. The presence of the cubic phase of zinc peroxide in all samples was confirmed with XRD, and the grain sizes were 4.7, 3.7, 3.3 and 2.8 nm in pure H 2O 2, and H 2O 2 mixed with SDS, CTAB and OGM respectively. For optical characterization, FTIR transmittance spectra of ZnO 2 nanoparticles prepared with and without surfactants show a characteristic ZnO 2 absorption at 435-445 cm -1. FTIR spectrum revealed that the adsorbed surfactants on zinc peroxide disappeared in case of CTAB and OGM while it appears in case of SDS. This could be due to high critical micelles SDS concentration comparing with others which is attributed to the adsorption anionic nature of this surfactant. Both FTIR and UV-vis spectra show a red shift in the presence of SDS and blue shift in the presence of CTAB and OGM. The blue shift in the absorption edge indicates the quantum confinement property of nanoparticles. The zinc peroxide nanoparticles prepared in additives-free media was also characterized by Raman spectra which show the characteristic peaks at 830-840 and 420-440 cm -1.

  20. Spectroscopic characterization approach to study surfactants effect on ZnO2 nanoparticles synthesis by laser ablation process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drmosh, Q.A.; Gondal, M.A.; Yamani, Z.H.; Saleh, T.A.

    2010-01-01

    Zinc peroxide nanoparticles having grain size less than 5 nm were synthesized using pulsed laser ablation in aqueous solution in the presence of different surfactants and solid zinc target in 3% H 2 O 2 . The effect of surfactants on the optical and structure of ZnO 2 was studied by applying different spectroscopic techniques. Structural properties and grain size of the synthesized nanoparticles were studied using XRD method. The presence of the cubic phase of zinc peroxide in all samples was confirmed with XRD, and the grain sizes were 4.7, 3.7, 3.3 and 2.8 nm in pure H 2 O 2 , and H 2 O 2 mixed with SDS, CTAB and OGM respectively. For optical characterization, FTIR transmittance spectra of ZnO 2 nanoparticles prepared with and without surfactants show a characteristic ZnO 2 absorption at 435-445 cm -1 . FTIR spectrum revealed that the adsorbed surfactants on zinc peroxide disappeared in case of CTAB and OGM while it appears in case of SDS. This could be due to high critical micelles SDS concentration comparing with others which is attributed to the adsorption anionic nature of this surfactant. Both FTIR and UV-vis spectra show a red shift in the presence of SDS and blue shift in the presence of CTAB and OGM. The blue shift in the absorption edge indicates the quantum confinement property of nanoparticles. The zinc peroxide nanoparticles prepared in additives-free media was also characterized by Raman spectra which show the characteristic peaks at 830-840 and 420-440 cm -1 .

  1. Influence of solvents on the changes in structure, purity, and in vitro characteristics of green-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles from Costus igneus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nandhini, G.; Suriyaprabha, R.; Maria Sheela Pauline, W.; Rajendran, V.; Aicher, Wilhelm Karl; Awitor, Oscar Komla

    2018-05-01

    The present study is intended to produce high-purity zinc oxide nanoparticles from the leaves of Costus igneus and zinc acetate precursor via sustainable methods by the tribulation with three different solvents (hot water, methanol, and acetone) for the extraction of plant compounds. While examining the physico-chemical characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles incurred by the catalysis of plant bioactive compounds extracted from different solvents, the hot water extract-based green synthesis process yields higher purity (99.89%) and smaller particle size (94 nm) than other solvents. The optimization of the solvents used for the green synthesis of nanoparticles renders key identification in appropriate extraction of bioactive compounds suitable for the nucleation/production of nanoparticles in addition to annealing temperature. The impregnable usage of ZnO nanoparticles in clinical applications is further confirmed based on the treatment of particles (1-10 mg ml-1) against Gram-positive (S. aureus and S. epidermis) and Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli and K. pneumoniae) with respect to their growth inhibition. An in-force growth inhibition against particular S. aureus and S. epidermis imparted by the low concentration of ZnO nanoparticles signifies the utilization and consumption of green-synthesized high-purity nanoparticles for therapeutic and cosmetic applications.

  2. Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles via complex formation by using Curcuma longa extract

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fatimah, Is, E-mail: isfatimah@uii.ac.id; Yudha, Septian P.; Mutiara, Nur Afisa Lintang [Chemistry Department, Islamic University of Indonesia Kampus Terpadu UII, Jl. Kaliurang Km 14, Sleman, Yogyakarta (Indonesia)

    2016-02-08

    Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles(NPs) were conducted via Zn(II) complex formation by using Curcuma longa extract as template. Curcuma longa extract has the ability to form zinc ions complex with curcumin as ligating agent. Study on synthesis was conducted by monitoring thermal degradation of the material. Successful formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by employing x-ray diffraction, surface area analysis and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) studies. From the XRD analysis it is denoted that ZnO in hexagonal wurtzite phase was formed and particle size was varied as varied temperature. The data are also confirmed by TEM analysis which shows the particle sie at the range 20-80nm. The NPs exhibited excelent photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation and also significant antibacterial activity for Eschericia coli. The activity in methylene blue degradation was also confirmed from fast chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction.

  3. Application of ZnO Nanoparticle as Sulphide Gas Sensor Using UV/VIS/NIR-Spectrophotometer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Juliasih, N; Buchari; Noviandri, I

    2017-01-01

    The nanoparticle of metal oxides has great unique characteristics that applicable to the wide industrial as sensors and catalysts for reducing environmental pollution. Sulphide gas monitors and detectors are required for assessing safety aspects, due to its toxicity level. A thin film of ZnO as the sulphide gas sensor was synthesised by the simple method of chemical liquid deposition with variation of annealing temperature from 200 ºC to 500 ºC, and characterised by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and UV/VIS/NIR-Spectrophotometer. Characterization studies showed nanoparticle size from the range 62 – 92 nm of diameters. The application this ZnO thin film to sulfide gas, detected by UV/VIS/NIR Spectrophotometer with diffuse reflectance, showed specific chemical reaction by the shifting of maximum % Reflectance peak. The gas sensing using this method is applicable at room. (paper)

  4. Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles via complex formation by using Curcuma longa extract

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fatimah, Is; Yudha, Septian P.; Mutiara, Nur Afisa Lintang

    2016-01-01

    Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles(NPs) were conducted via Zn(II) complex formation by using Curcuma longa extract as template. Curcuma longa extract has the ability to form zinc ions complex with curcumin as ligating agent. Study on synthesis was conducted by monitoring thermal degradation of the material. Successful formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by employing x-ray diffraction, surface area analysis and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) studies. From the XRD analysis it is denoted that ZnO in hexagonal wurtzite phase was formed and particle size was varied as varied temperature. The data are also confirmed by TEM analysis which shows the particle sie at the range 20-80nm. The NPs exhibited excelent photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation and also significant antibacterial activity for Eschericia coli. The activity in methylene blue degradation was also confirmed from fast chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction

  5. Green synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles via complex formation by using Curcuma longa extract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatimah, Is; Yudha, Septian P.; Mutiara, Nur Afisa Lintang

    2016-02-01

    Synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles(NPs) were conducted via Zn(II) complex formation by using Curcuma longa extract as template. Curcuma longa extract has the ability to form zinc ions complex with curcumin as ligating agent. Study on synthesis was conducted by monitoring thermal degradation of the material. Successful formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was confirmed by employing x-ray diffraction, surface area analysis and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) studies. From the XRD analysis it is denoted that ZnO in hexagonal wurtzite phase was formed and particle size was varied as varied temperature. The data are also confirmed by TEM analysis which shows the particle sie at the range 20-80nm. The NPs exhibited excelent photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation and also significant antibacterial activity for Eschericia coli. The activity in methylene blue degradation was also confirmed from fast chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction.

  6. Ultra-high sensitive hydrazine chemical sensor based on low-temperature grown ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehta, S.K.; Singh, Kulvinder; Umar, Ahmad; Chaudhary, G.R.; Singh, Sukhjinder

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Systematic representation of the fabricated amperometric hydrazine chemical sensor based on ZnO NPs/Au modified electrode. Highlights: ► Synthesis of well-crystalline ZnO NPs has been achieved in aqueous solution. ► ZnO NPs act as efficient electron mediators for hydrazine sensor. ► Extremely high sensitivity and low-detection limit have been obtained. - Abstract: Using well-crystalline ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), an ultra high sensitive hydrazine amperometric sensor has been fabricated and reported in this paper. The ZnO NPs have been synthesized by very simple aqueous solution process at 90 °C and characterized in detail in terms of their morphological, compositional, structural and optical properties. The detailed investigations reveal that the synthesized products are well-crystalline NPs, possessing wurtzite hexagonal phase and exhibit good optical properties. The fabricated amperometric hydrazine sensor exhibits ultra-high sensitivity of ∼97.133 μA cm −2 μM −1 and very low-detection limit of 147.54 nM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in which an ultra-high sensitivity and low-detection limit have been obtained for the hydrazine chemical sensor based on ZnO nanostructures.

  7. The influence of vacuum and annealing on the visible luminescence in ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    P R, Chithira; Theresa John, Teny, E-mail: teny@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in

    2017-05-15

    The ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by a simple solution based chemical bath deposition method were characterized using different experimental techniques. Photoluminescence (PL) studies were performed in ambient as well as in vacuum conditions. The emission spectra exhibit two bands corresponding to UV emission at 380 nm and a wide visible luminescence centered at 571 nm due to surface defects in ambient conditions. Under vacuum condition, the spectra show a reduction in the intensity of the wide visible luminescence and an enhancement in the UV emission. These nanoparticles were annealed at high temperatures in air. The wide visible luminescence remains at the same intensity in both ambient and in vacuum condition for the annealed samples indicating that some of the surface adsorbed defects are removed due to annealing. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) results reveal the presence of [OH{sup -}] related groups on the surface of the samples. An analysis of the O1s peak in ZnO using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) measurement confirms the presence of intrinsic defects such as oxygen related vacancies and adsorbed oxygen species in the sample. Our investigation shows that the green emission observed in ZnO samples is primarily due to oxygen vacancies.

  8. The influence of vacuum and annealing on the visible luminescence in ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    P R, Chithira; Theresa John, Teny

    2017-01-01

    The ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by a simple solution based chemical bath deposition method were characterized using different experimental techniques. Photoluminescence (PL) studies were performed in ambient as well as in vacuum conditions. The emission spectra exhibit two bands corresponding to UV emission at 380 nm and a wide visible luminescence centered at 571 nm due to surface defects in ambient conditions. Under vacuum condition, the spectra show a reduction in the intensity of the wide visible luminescence and an enhancement in the UV emission. These nanoparticles were annealed at high temperatures in air. The wide visible luminescence remains at the same intensity in both ambient and in vacuum condition for the annealed samples indicating that some of the surface adsorbed defects are removed due to annealing. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) results reveal the presence of [OH - ] related groups on the surface of the samples. An analysis of the O1s peak in ZnO using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) measurement confirms the presence of intrinsic defects such as oxygen related vacancies and adsorbed oxygen species in the sample. Our investigation shows that the green emission observed in ZnO samples is primarily due to oxygen vacancies.

  9. Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy of Colloidal Platinum Nanoparticle Catalysts: Disordering versus Removal of Organic Capping

    KAUST Repository

    Krier, James M.

    2012-08-23

    Recent work with nanoparticle catalysts shows that size and shape control on the nanometer scale influences reaction rate and selectivity. Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful tool for studying heterogeneous catalysis because it enables the observation of surface intermediates during catalytic reactions. To control the size and shape of catalytic nanoparticles, an organic ligand was used as a capping agent to stabilize nanoparticles during synthesis. However, the presence of an organic capping agent presents two major challenges in SFG and catalytic reaction studies: it blocks a significant fraction of active surface sites and produces a strong signal that prevents the detection of reaction intermediates with SFG. Two methods for cleaning Pt nanoparticles capped with poly (vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) are examined in this study: solvent cleaning and UV cleaning. Solvent cleaning leaves more PVP intact and relies on disordering with hydrogen gas to reduce the SFG signal of PVP. In contrast, UV cleaning depends on nearly complete removal of PVP to reduce SFG signal. Both UV and solvent cleaning enable the detection of reaction intermediates by SFG. However, solvent cleaning also yields nanoparticles that are stable under reaction conditions, whereas UV cleaning results in aggregation during reaction. The results of this study indicate that solvent cleaning is more advantageous for studying the effects of nanoparticle size and shape on catalytic selectivity by SFG vibrational spectroscopy. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  10. New vision to CuO, ZnO, and TiO2 nanoparticles: their outcome and effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chibber, Sandesh; Ansari, Shakeel Ahmed; Satar, Rukhsana

    2013-04-01

    Nanomaterials and nanotechnology have attracted more and more attention due to their wide ranges of applications in various fields. With a high level of surface energy, high magnetism, high surface area, and low melting point, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) has been widely used in industry for various applications. Metal nanoparticles, in particular, have been shown to cause significant biological effects. Review discusses cytotoxic to neurotoxic effects of CuO, ZnO, and TiO2 nanoparticles based on the scenario drawn from various in vitro and in vivo studies. ENPs such as TiO2 and ZnO NPs have great practical importance in industrial applications. CuO NPs is also widely used in biomedical applications as catalyst supports, drug carriers, and gene delivery. However, study conducted on TiO2 NPs have forecast that oxidative DNA damage could be attributed due to reduced glutathione levels with concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation. Moreover, there are many evidences showing that ZnO NP and CuO NPs generates ROS production and can cause cell death in different types of cultured cell. Nanoparticle toxicity is assessed by set of tests designed to characterize a given risk and also the mechanism for related outcomes. Conclusively, it becomes more and more important for nanotechnologist to understand the potential health effects of ENPs and what new methodology can be applied to reveal problems like gene silencing and inhibition in antioxidant defense mechanism which can be occurred on severe effects to oxidative stress by ENPs.

  11. New vision to CuO, ZnO, and TiO2 nanoparticles: their outcome and effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chibber, Sandesh; Ansari, Shakeel Ahmed; Satar, Rukhsana

    2013-01-01

    Nanomaterials and nanotechnology have attracted more and more attention due to their wide ranges of applications in various fields. With a high level of surface energy, high magnetism, high surface area, and low melting point, engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) has been widely used in industry for various applications. Metal nanoparticles, in particular, have been shown to cause significant biological effects. Review discusses cytotoxic to neurotoxic effects of CuO, ZnO, and TiO 2 nanoparticles based on the scenario drawn from various in vitro and in vivo studies. ENPs such as TiO 2 and ZnO NPs have great practical importance in industrial applications. CuO NPs is also widely used in biomedical applications as catalyst supports, drug carriers, and gene delivery. However, study conducted on TiO 2 NPs have forecast that oxidative DNA damage could be attributed due to reduced glutathione levels with concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species generation. Moreover, there are many evidences showing that ZnO NP and CuO NPs generates ROS production and can cause cell death in different types of cultured cell. Nanoparticle toxicity is assessed by set of tests designed to characterize a given risk and also the mechanism for related outcomes. Conclusively, it becomes more and more important for nanotechnologist to understand the potential health effects of ENPs and what new methodology can be applied to reveal problems like gene silencing and inhibition in antioxidant defense mechanism which can be occurred on severe effects to oxidative stress by ENPs.

  12. Effect of capping agent on the morphology, size and optical properties of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Latha, Ch. Kanchana; Aparna, Y. [Department of Physics, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH), College of Engineering Hyderabad (CEH), Telangana (India); Raghasudha, Mucherla; Veerasomaiah, P., E-mail: raghasudha_m@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana (India); Ramchander, M. [Department of Bio Chemistry, Mahatma Gandhi University, Nalgonda, Telangana (India); Ravinder, D. [Department of Physics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana (India); Jaipal, K. [Inorganic & Physical Chemistry Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, Telangana (India); Shridhar, D. [Department of Physics, Khairatabad Government Degree College, Hyderabad, Telangana (India)

    2017-01-15

    The Indium Oxide (In{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanoparticles were synthesized through Acacia gum mediated method with the surfactants CTAB (Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide) and SDBS (Sodium Docecyl Benzene Sulfonate). The characterization of the synthesized In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles was carried out by XRD, FTIR, RAMAN, TEM, SEM, EDAX, UV-Vis and PL techniques. TG-DTA analysis was performed to know the calcination temperature of In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline nature of the synthesized In{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. The morphology and chemical composition were characterized by TEM, SEM and EDAX respectively. It was observed that morphology and size of synthesized nanoparticles measured by TEM and SEM analysis were dependent on the type of capping agent (surfactant) used. Raman and UV-Vis spectral analysis confirmed that the band gap value of CTAB capped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles were larger than the SDBS capped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles. FTIR analysis indicated that the bands were stretched in In{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles capped by SDBS than by CTAB. From the photoluminescence studies (PL technique), a blue shift in the emission peaks of CTAB and SDBS capped In{sub 2}O{sub 3} particles was observed that indicates larger optical band gap than the bulk. (author)

  13. Assessing Germination Response of Wheat and Wild Oat to Different Levels of ZnO Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ehsan Zeidali

    2018-02-01

    variations within a species are essential for seedling establishment at different habitats (Grundy et al., 1996. Germination of various plants has a different response to nanoparticles. Application of nanoparticles that have a positive effect on germination and growth of crop and a negative effect on weed can be useful in weed control. Materials and Methods: In order to study the effect of different concentrations of ZnO on germination characteristics of wild oat and two genotypes of wheat, an experiment was conducted with a factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design with four replications in research laboratory of Ilam University. The experimental treatments were plant genotypes (wild oat and Behrang and Sivand genotypes of wheat and different concentrations of ZnO (0, 10, 100 and 500 ppm. Germination of seeds was determined by placing 30 seed in a 9-cm-diam Petri dish containing two layers of Whatman No. 1 filter paper, moistened with 5 ml of distilled water or a treatment solution. The treatments of ZnO were applied in Agar complex. After treatment, the dishes were sealed with paraffin tape, and placed in the dark in an incubator at 25 °C. The number of seeds germinated was counted every day. Seedling and radicle length, seedling and radicle dry weight and germination rate were measured. Data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA and the difference between treatment means was separated using Duncan test. A significance level of 95% was applied by SAS 9.2. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the simple and interaction effects of genotype and ZnO had a significant effect (P ≤ 0.01 on all studied traits. The plumule length of both wheat genotypes was increased to 100 ppm ZnO concentration and then was decreased. The plumule length of oat wild was increased by increasing ZnO concentration. Increase in ZnO concentration to 10 ppm caused a significant increment in the radical length of sivand genotype and wild oat, and the trait

  14. Synthesis, characterization and photocatalysis enhancement of Eu2O3-ZnO mixed oxide nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, W. S.; Abu-Dief, Ahmed M.

    2018-05-01

    Pure ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs with different Eu2O3 ratios (5%, 10%, and 15%) were synthesized by a precipitation method under optimum conditions. The synthesized samples were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The as-synthesized ZnO NPs exhibit high phase purity and a highly crystalline wurtzite ZnO structure. The mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs exhibit a Eu2O3 zinc blend phase in addition to the wurtzite phase of pure ZnO, confirming the high purity and good crystallinity of the as-synthesized samples. The high-purity formation of ZnO and Eu2O3 phases was confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectra. Microstructural analysis by SEM and TEM confirmed the sphere-like morphology with different particle sizes (29-40 nm) of the as-synthesized samples. The photocatalytic activities of pure ZnO NPs and mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs for the degradation of methylene blue were evaluated under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The results show that Eu2O3 plays an important role in the enhancement of the photocatalytic properties of ZnO NPs. We found that mixed 5% Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity (degradation efficiency of 96.5% after 180 min of UV irradiation) as compared with pure ZnO NPs (degradation efficiency of 80.3% after 180 min of UV irradiation). The increased photocatalytic activity of the optimum mixed Eu2O3 and ZnO NPs is due to the high crystallinity, high surface area with small particle size, and narrow energy gap.

  15. Photodegradation of luminescence in organic-ligand-capped Eu3+:LaF3 nano-particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    King, Gavin G. G.; Taylor, Luke R.; Longdell, Jevon J.; Clarke, David J.; Quilty, J. W.

    2014-01-01

    The luminescence from europium doped lanthanum trifluoride (Eu 3+ :LaF 3 ) nano-crystals can be greatly enhanced by capping with β-diketonate organic ligands. Here, we report on photo-stability measurements for the case of nano-crystals capped with thenoyltrifluroacetone (TTA) and compared with those capped with an inactive ligand, oleic acid. With exposure to UV pump light, we observed significant decrease in fluorescence and change in emission spectrum of the TTA-capped nano-particles whilst the fluorescence lifetime remained approximately constant. After a dose of order 70 kJ cm −2 , the luminescence level was similar to that of oleic acid capped nano-crystals. We discuss possible mechanisms

  16. Solvent-assisted in situ synthesis of cysteamine-capped silver nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliva, José M.; Ríos de la Rosa, Julio M.; Sayagués, María J.; Sánchez-Alcázar, José A.; Merkling, Patrick J.; Zaderenko, Ana P.

    2018-03-01

    Silver nanoparticles offer a huge potential for biomedical applications owing to their exceptional properties and small size. Specifically, cysteamine-capped silver nanoparticles could form the basis for new anticancer therapies combining the cytotoxic effect of the silver core with the inherent antitumor activity of cysteamine, which inhibit cancer cell proliferation and suppress invasion and metastasis. In addition, the capability of the cysteamine coating monolayer to couple a variety of active principles and targeting (bio)molecules of interest proves key to the tailoring of this platform in order to exploit the pathophysiology of specific tumor types. Nevertheless, the chain length and conformational flexibility of cysteamine, together with its ability to attach to the surface of silver nanoparticles via both the thiol and the amine group, have made the in situ synthesis of these particles an especially challenging task. Herein we report a solvent-assisted in situ synthesis method that solves this problem. The obtained nanoparticles have been fully characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction measurement, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy nanoanalysis, and dynamic light scattering measurement. Our synthesis method achieves extremely high yield and surface coating ratio, and colloidal stability over a wide range of pH values including physiological pH. Additionally, we have demonstrated that cysteamine-capped nanoparticles obtained by this method can be conjugated to an antibody for active targeting of the epidermal growth factor receptor, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of a wide variety of tumors, and induce cell death in human squamous carcinoma cells. We believe this method can be readily extended to combinations of noble

  17. Toxicity of nanoparticles of CuO, ZnO and TiO2 to microalgae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aruoja, Villem; Dubourguier, Henri-Charles; Kasemets, Kaja; Kahru, Anne

    2009-02-01

    Toxicities of ZnO, TiO2 and CuO nanoparticles to Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata were determined using OECD 201 algal growth inhibition test taking in account potential shading of light. The results showed that the shading effect by nanoparticles was negligible. ZnO nanoparticles were most toxic followed by nano CuO and nano TiO2. The toxicities of bulk and nano ZnO particles were both similar to that of ZnSO4 (72 h EC50 approximately 0.04 mg Zn/l). Thus, in this low concentration range the toxicity was attributed solely to solubilized Zn2+ ions. Bulk TiO2 (EC50=35.9 mg Ti/l) and bulk CuO (EC50=11.55 mg Cu/l) were less toxic than their nano formulations (EC50=5.83 mg Ti/l and 0.71 mg Cu/l). NOEC (no-observed-effect-concentrations) that may be used for risk assessment purposes for bulk and nano ZnO did not differ (approximately 0.02 mg Zn/l). NOEC for nano CuO was 0.42 mg Cu/l and for bulk CuO 8.03 mg Cu/l. For nano TiO2 the NOEC was 0.98 mg Ti/l and for bulk TiO2 10.1 mg Ti/l. Nano TiO2 formed characteristic aggregates entrapping algal cells that may contribute to the toxic effect of nano TiO2 to algae. At 72 h EC50 values of nano CuO and CuO, 25% of copper from nano CuO was bioavailable and only 0.18% of copper from bulk CuO. Thus, according to recombinant bacterial and yeast Cu-sensors, copper from nano CuO was 141-fold more bioavailable than from bulk CuO. Also, toxic effects of Cu oxides to algae were due to bioavailable copper ions. To our knowledge, this is one of the first systematic studies on effects of metal oxide nanoparticles on algal growth and the first describing toxic effects of nano CuO towards algae.

  18. Synthesis of PEG-Iodine-Capped Gold Nanoparticles and Their Contrast Enhancement in In Vitro and In Vivo for X-Ray/CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun-Hee, K.; Eun-Mi, K.; Chang-Moon, L.; Dong, W.K.; Seok, T.L.; Myung-Hee, S.; Hwan-Jeong, J.

    2012-01-01

    We designed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) capped with iodine and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to provide effective enhancement for X-ray CT imaging. The methoxy PEG-iodine-capped AuNPs were prepared through the chemisorption of iodine and substitution of methoxy PEG-SH onto the surface of gold nanoparticles, and severe aggregation in TEM was not observed. The binding energies of Au 4f 7/2 and I 3d 5/2 of the methoxy PEG-iodine-capped AuNPs were obtained as 84.1 eV and 619.3 eV, respectively. The binding energy shift of methoxy PEG-iodine-capped AuNPs would be resulted from the chemisorption between gold nanoparticles and iodine atoms. The methoxy PEG-iodine-capped AuNPs have higher enhancement compared to PEG-capped gold nanoparticles in the same amount of gold in vitro. After postinjection of methoxy PEG-iodine-capped AuNPs into the mice, dramatic contrast enhancement at the heart, aorta, liver, and kidney was observed, this was maintained up to 5 days, and there was no evidence of apparent toxicity. In conclusion, methoxy PEG-iodine-capped AuNPs might be a good candidate as a CT contrast agent for blood pool imaging, and this will also contribute to the prolongation of a blood circulation time for X-ray CT imaging.

  19. Photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin drug in water using ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Kemary, Maged, E-mail: elkemary@yahoo.co [Photo- and Nanochemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516 Kafr ElSheikh (Egypt); El-Shamy, Hany; El-Mehasseb, Ibrahim [Photo- and Nanochemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh University, 33516 Kafr ElSheikh (Egypt)

    2010-12-15

    We report the synthesis of nanostructure ZnO semiconductor with {approx}2.1 nm diameter using a chemical precipitation method. The resulting nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The optical properties were investigated by UV-vis and fluorescence techniques. The absorption spectra exhibit a sharp absorption edge at {approx}334 nm corresponding to band gap of {approx}3.7 eV. The fluorescence spectra displayed a near-band-edge ultraviolet excitonic emission at {approx}410 nm and a green emission peak at {approx}525 nm, due to a transition of a photo-generated electron from the conduction band to a deeply trapped hole. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared ZnO nanoparticles has been investigated for the degradation of ciprofloxacin drug under UV light irradiation in aqueous solutions of different pH values. The results showed that the photocatalytic degradation process is effective at pH 7 and 10, but it is rather slow at pH 4. Higher degradation efficiency ({approx}50%) of the drug was observed at pH 10 after 60 min. Photodegradation of the drug follows a pseudo-first-order kinetics.

  20. Visible light photocatalytic activities of ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles for the degradation of organic pollutants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rameshbabu, R. [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Kumar, Niraj [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Centre for Materials Science and Nano Devices, Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Karthigeyan, A., E-mail: karthigeyan.a@ktr.srmuniv.ac.in [Centre for Materials Science and Nano Devices, Department of Physics and Nanotechnology, SRM University Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India); Neppolian, B., E-mail: neppolian.b@res.srmuniv.ac.in [SRM Research Institute, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kanchipuram 603203, Tamil Nadu (India)

    2016-09-15

    ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by co-precipitation method using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as surfactant. The phase formation of synthesized products was systematically investigated from powder X-ray diffraction. Cubic ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} and hexagonal ZnO were identified in accordance with different molar concentrations of Fe{sup 3+} ions. The morphology and functionality were analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The optical properties and change in the band gap from UV to visible region upon increasing molar concentration of Fe{sup 3+} ions were analyzed from diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). Superparamagnetic property was observed for synthesized ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The methylene blue and methyl orange were taken as model dyes to illustrate the photocatalytic activity of synthesized products under visible light irradiation. Maximum degradation of 99% for methyl orange (MO) was achieved by the use of 13 nm sized ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/ZnO nanoparticles as catalyst and a minutely less activity was observed for the methylene blue (MB) degradation (98%), when the photocatalytic processes were carried out for 5 h and 6 h, respectively. - Highlights: • Co-precipitation method is proposed to synthesize magnetic nanoparticles. • Modifications in the molar concentration lead to the shift in absorption edge. • Superparamagnetic property is demonstrated for the nanoparticles. • Two dye pollutants are utilized to demonstrate the photocatalytic activity.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2009-01-01

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

  2. Synthesis and characterization of magnetic Co nanoparticles: A comparison study of three different capping surfactants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Yu; Lu Xianmao; Mayers, Brian T.; Herricks, Thurston; Xia Younan

    2008-01-01

    This paper compares the performance of three long-chain acids-oleic and elaidic (both olefinic) and stearic (aliphatic)-as a capping agent in the synthesis of magnetic Co nanoparticles. The particles were formed through thermal decomposition of dicobalt octacarbonyl in toluene in the presence of the long-chain acid, and characterized by TEM, high-resolution TEM, and SQUID measurements. Infrared spectra revealed that some of the added olefinic acid was transformed from cis- to trans-configuration (for oleic acid) or from trans- to cis- (for elaidic acid) to facilitate the formation of a densely packed monolayer on the surface of Co nanoparticles. As compared to aliphatic acids, olefinic acids are advantageous for dense packing on small particles with high surface curvatures due to a bent shape of the cis-isomer. The presence of an olefinic acid is able to control particle growth, stabilize the colloidal suspension, and prevent the final product from oxidation by air. Our results indicate that oleic acid, elaidic acid, and a mixture of oleic/stearic acids or elaidic/stearic acids have roughly the same performance in serving as a capping agent for the synthesis of Co nanoparticles with a spherical shape and narrow size distribution. - Graphical abstract: Magnetic Co nanoparticles were synthesized in the presence of different capping agents and the effect of their molecular structures on the morphology of Co nanoparticles was analyzed. The transformation between cis- and trans-isomers of olefinic acids was critical to the formation of a densely packed monolayer on the surface of small nanoparticles characterized by high curvatures

  3. An Experimental and Computational Approach to the Development of ZnO Nanoparticles that are Safe by Design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Tu C; Yin, Hong; Chen, Rui; Chen, Yandong; Zhao, Lin; Casey, Philip S; Chen, Chunying; Winkler, David A

    2016-07-01

    Zinc oxide nanoparticles have found wide application due to their unique optoelectronic and photocatalytic characteristics. However, their safety aspects remain of critical concern, prompting the use of physicochemical modifications of pristine ZnO to reduce any potential toxicity. However, the relationships between these modifications and their effects on biology are complex and still relatively unexplored. To address this knowledge gap, a library of 45 types of ZnO nanoparticles with varying particle size, aspect ratio, doping type, doping concentration, and surface coating is synthesized, and their biological effects measured. Three biological assays measuring cell damage or stress are used to study the responses of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) or human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cells (HepG2) to the nanoparticles. These experimental data are used to develop quantitative and predictive computational models linking nanoparticle properties to cell viability, membrane integrity, and oxidative stress. It is found that the concentration of nanoparticles the cells are exposed to, the type of surface coating, the nature and extent of doping, and the aspect ratio of the particles make significant contributions to the cell toxicity of the nanoparticles tested. Our study shows that it is feasible to generate models that could be used to design or optimize nanoparticles with commercially useful properties that are also safe to humans and the environment. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoparticles and Nanocomposite of ZnO and MgO by Sonochemical Method and their Application for Zinc Polycarboxylate Dental Cement Preparation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Ali Karimi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper discusses the synthesis of nanoparticles of ZnO and MgO and ZnO/MgO nanocomposite by the sonochemical method. At first, nanoparticles were synthesized by the reaction of Zn(CHCOO32 and Mg(CHCOO32 with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP and constant frequency ultrasonic waves (sonochemical method. Then, ZnO/MgO nanocomposite was prepared through reaction of magnesium acetate with TMAH in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles and PVP as structure director using ultrasonic assisted method. After filtration, the synthesized solution was obtained containing magnesium hydroxide in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles. It was calcinated at the temperature of 550 ºC, so that ZnO/MgO nanocomposite could be produced. The effects of different parameters on particle size and morphology of final ZnO and MgO powders and ZnO/MgO nanocomposite were optimized by ‘‘one at a time’’ method. Under optimum conditions, spongy shaped, uniformed and homogeneous nanostructured zinc oxide and magnesium oxide powders were obtained with particle sizes of 25–50 and 30-60 nm, respectively. ZnO/MgO nanocomposite was also obtained with more spongy morphology and particle size about 65 nm. Both synthesized ZnO and MgO nanoparticles and ZnO/MgO nanocomposite were successfully applied to the preparation of zinc polycarboxylate dental cement.

  5. SILAR controlled CdSe nanoparticles sensitized ZnO nanorods photoanode for solar cell application: Electrolyte effect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikam, Pratibha R; Baviskar, Prashant K; Majumder, Sutripto; Sali, Jaydeep V; Sankapal, Babasaheb R

    2018-08-15

    Controlled growth of different sizes of cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoparticles over well aligned ZnO nanorods have been performed using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique at room temperature (27 °C) in order to form nano heterostructure solar cells. Deposition of compact layer of zinc oxide (ZnO) by SILAR technique on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate followed by growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods array using chemical bath deposition (CBD) at low temperature (SILAR cycles for CdSe and with use of different electrolytes have been recorded as J-V characteristics and the maximum conversion efficiency of 0.63% have been attained with ferro/ferri cyanide electrolyte for 12 cycles CdSe coating over 1-D ZnO nanorods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Ultrasonic vibration imposed on nanoparticle-based ZnO film improves the performance of the ensuing perovskite solar cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Yihe; Du, Peng; Wang, Zhiyu; Chen, Qianli; Eslamian, Morteza

    2018-02-01

    This work focuses on the development of nearly annealing-free ZnO-based perovskite solar cells (PSCs), suitable for low-cost manufacturing of PSCs on flexible substrates. To this end, thin film of ZnO nanoparticles is employed as the electron transporting layer (ETL), because of its low-temperature solution-processability and high electron mobility. In order to remove the structural and surface defects, ultrasonic vibration is imposed on the substrate of the as-spun wet ZnO films for a short duration of 3 min. It is shown that the ultrasonic excitation bridges the ZnO nanoparticles (cold sintering), and brings about significant improvement in the ZnO film nanostructure and functionality. In addition, ethyl acetate (EA), as an emerging volatile anti-solvent, is employed to deposit the methylammonium (MA) lead halide perovskite thin film atop the ZnO ETL, in order to prepare perovskite layers that only need an annealing time of 30 s. The ZnO-based PSCs, with a simple structure and free of additional treatments, except for the ultrasonic vibration, exhibit a promising performance with a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 11%, 40% higher than that of the control device. The ultrasonic vibration treatment is facile, low-cost, environmentally friendly, and compatible with the scalable coating and printing techniques, such as spray and blade coating.

  7. Bioavailability of Zn in ZnO nanoparticle-spiked soil and the implications to maize plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Xueqin [Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment (China); Wang, Fayuan, E-mail: wfy1975@163.com; Shi, Zhaoyong [Henan University of Science and Technology, Agricultural College (China); Tong, Ruijian [Luoyang Normal University, Life Science Department (China); Shi, Xiaojun, E-mail: shixj@swu.edu.cn [Southwest University, College of Resources and Environment (China)

    2015-04-15

    Little is known about the relationships between Zn bioavailability in ZnO nanoparticle (NP)-spiked soil and the implications to crops. The present pot culture experiment studied Zn bioavailability in soil spiked with different doses of ZnO NPs, using the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) extraction method, as well as the toxicity and Zn accumulation in maize plants. Results showed that ZnO NPs exerted dose-dependent effects on maize growth and nutrition, photosynthetic pigments, and root activity (dehydrogenase), ranging from stimulatory (100–200 mg/kg) through to neutral (400 mg/kg) and toxic effect (800–3200 mg/kg). Both Zn concentration in shoots and roots correlated positively (P < 0.01) with ZnO NPs dose and soil DTPA-extractable Zn concentration. The BCF of Zn in shoots and roots ranged from 1.02 to 3.83 when ZnO NPs were added. In most cases, the toxic effects on plants elicited by ZnO NPs were overall similar to those caused by bulk ZnO and soluble Zn (ZnSO{sub 4}) at the same doses, irrespective of some significant differences suggesting a higher toxicity of ZnO NPs. Oxidative stress in plants via superoxide free radical production was induced by ZnO NPs at 800 mg/kg and above, and was more severe than the same doses of bulk ZnO and ZnSO{sub 4}. Although significantly lower compared to bulk ZnO and ZnSO{sub 4}, at least 16 % of the Zn from ZnO NPs was converted into DTPA-extractable (bioavailable) forms. The dissolved Zn{sup 2+} from ZnO NPs may make a dominant contribution to their phytotoxicity. Although low amounts of ZnO NPs exhibited some beneficial effects, the accumulation of Zn from ZnO NPs into maize tissues could pose potential health risks for both plants and human.

  8. Understanding lattice defects to influence ferromagnetic order of ZnO nanoparticles by Ni, Cu, Ce ions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Verma, Kuldeep Chand, E-mail: dkuldeep.physics@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014 (India); Kotnala, R.K., E-mail: rkkotnala@gmail.com [CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India)

    2017-02-15

    Future spintronics technologies based on diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) will rely heavily on a sound understanding of the microscopic origins of ferromagnetism in such materials. It remains unclear, however, whether the ferromagnetism in DMS is intrinsic - a precondition for spintronics - or due to dopant clustering. For this, we include a simultaneous doping from transition metal (Ni, Cu) and rare earth (Ce) ions in ZnO nanoparticles that increase the antiferromagnetic ordering to achieve high-T{sub c} ferromagnetism. Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns indicate that the dopant ions in ZnO had a wurtzite structure and the dopants, Ni{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ce{sup 3+} ions, are highly influenced the lattice constants to induce lattice defects. The Ni, Cu, Ce ions in ZnO have nanoparticles formation than nanorods was observed in pure sample. FTIR involve some organic groups to induce lattice defects and the metal-oxygen bonding of Zn, Ni, Cu, Ce and O atoms to confirm wurtzite structure. Raman analysis evaluates the crystalline quality, structural disorder and defects in ZnO lattice with doping. Photoluminescence spectra have strong near-band-edge emission and visible emission bands responsible for defects due to oxygen vacancies. The energy band gap is calculated using Tauc relation. Room temperature ferromagnetism has been described due to bound magnetic polarons formation with Ni{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ce{sup 3+} ions in ZnO via oxygen vacancies. The zero field and field cooling SQUID measurement confirm the strength of antiferromagnetism in ZnO. The field cooling magnetization is studied by Curie-Weiss law that include antiferromagnetic interactions up to low temperature. The XPS spectra have involve +3/+4 oxidation states of Ce ions to influence the observed ferromagnetism. - Graphical abstract: The lattice defects/vacancies attributed by Ni and Ce ions in the wurtzite ZnO structure are responsible in high T{sub c} -ferromagnetism due to long-range magnetic

  9. Photochemical events during photosensitization of colloidal ZnO ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The photosensitization of colloidal ZnO nanoparticles with riboflavin (RF) was investigated using absorption, fluorescence spectroscopic measurements and time resolved fluorescence measurements. Riboflavin adsorbed strongly on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. Apparent association constant was obtained from the ...

  10. Low Temperature Ferromagnetism and Optical Properties of Fe Doped ZnO Nanoparticles Synthesized by Sol-Gel Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Sathya

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this present investigation, pure and Fe doped Zinc oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by sol gel method.The structural and optical properties were examined by using X-ray diffraction (XRD, Scanning electron microscope (SEM, Transmission electron microscope (TEM, Ultraviolet spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL techniques.The structural characterization of XRD analysis confirmed the phase purity of the samples and crystallite size can be decreased with increasing doping concentrations.SEM image show that nanoparticles in spherical shape. The optical band gap calculated through UV-visible spectroscopy is found to be increasing from 3.48 to 3.57eV. TEM analysis depicted the crystallinity of nanoparticles prepared and chemical composition conformed the EDAX analysis. The PL spectra reveal that, Fe doped ZnO exhibit a decrease in intensity of the band edge emission peak while the intensity of the deep level emission peak increases.The enhancement of low temperature ferromagnetism in ZnO: Fe was achieved.

  11. Antifungal activity of wide band gap Thioglycolic acid capped ZnS:Mn semiconductor nanoparticles against some pathogenic fungi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibrahim, Isam M.; Ali, Iftikhar M.; Dheeb, Batol Imran; Abas, Qayes A.; Asmeit Ramizy; Eisa, M.H.; Aljameel, A.I.

    2017-01-01

    The manganese doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles were synthesized by simple aqueous chemical reaction of manganese chloride, zinc acetate and thioacitamide in aqueous solution. Thioglycolic acid is used as capping agent for controlling the nanoparticle size. The main advantage of the ZnS:Mn nanoparticles of diameter ~ 2.73 nm is that the sample is prepared by using non-toxic precursors in a cost effective and eco-friendly way. The structural, morphological and chemical composition of the nanoparticles have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The nanosize of the prepared nanoparticles was elucidated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). FTIR result ensures that Thioglycolic acid is well bonded on the surface of ZnS:Mn NPs. The antifungal effects of Thioglycolic acid capped ZnS:Mn nanoparticles exhibited a potent antifungal activity against tested fungal strains, so deserving further investigation for clinical applications. The antifungal property of manganese doped zinc sulphide nanoparticles is attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen species due to the interaction of nanoparticles with water. Additionally, the presence of Zn and S in the zone of inhibition area leads to perturbation of fungi cell membranes resulting in growth inhibition. - Highlights: • The manganese doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles were synthesized. • Thioglycolic acid is used as capping agent for controlling the nanoparticle size. • The structural, morphological and chemical composition of the nanoparticles has been investigated. • The presence of Zn and S in the zone of inhibition area leads to perturbation of fungi cell membranes.

  12. Antifungal activity of wide band gap Thioglycolic acid capped ZnS:Mn semiconductor nanoparticles against some pathogenic fungi

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ibrahim, Isam M.; Ali, Iftikhar M. [Department of physics, College of Science, Baghdad University, Baghdad (Iraq); Dheeb, Batol Imran [Department of Biology, College of Education, Iraqia University, Baghdad (Iraq); Abas, Qayes A. [Department of physics, College of Education, University of Anbar, Anbar (Iraq); Asmeit Ramizy, E-mail: asmat_hadithi@yahoo.com [Department of physics, College of Science, University of Anbar, Anbar (Iraq); Renewable energy Research Center, University of Anbar, Anbar (Iraq); Eisa, M.H. [Department of physics, College of Science, Sudan University of Science Technology, Khartoum 11113 (Sudan); Department of physics, College of Science, Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623 (Saudi Arabia); Aljameel, A.I. [Department of physics, College of Science, Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623 (Saudi Arabia)

    2017-04-01

    The manganese doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles were synthesized by simple aqueous chemical reaction of manganese chloride, zinc acetate and thioacitamide in aqueous solution. Thioglycolic acid is used as capping agent for controlling the nanoparticle size. The main advantage of the ZnS:Mn nanoparticles of diameter ~ 2.73 nm is that the sample is prepared by using non-toxic precursors in a cost effective and eco-friendly way. The structural, morphological and chemical composition of the nanoparticles have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The nanosize of the prepared nanoparticles was elucidated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). FTIR result ensures that Thioglycolic acid is well bonded on the surface of ZnS:Mn NPs. The antifungal effects of Thioglycolic acid capped ZnS:Mn nanoparticles exhibited a potent antifungal activity against tested fungal strains, so deserving further investigation for clinical applications. The antifungal property of manganese doped zinc sulphide nanoparticles is attributed to the generation of reactive oxygen species due to the interaction of nanoparticles with water. Additionally, the presence of Zn and S in the zone of inhibition area leads to perturbation of fungi cell membranes resulting in growth inhibition. - Highlights: • The manganese doped zinc sulfide nanoparticles were synthesized. • Thioglycolic acid is used as capping agent for controlling the nanoparticle size. • The structural, morphological and chemical composition of the nanoparticles has been investigated. • The presence of Zn and S in the zone of inhibition area leads to perturbation of fungi cell membranes.

  13. Fabrication of highly dispersed ZnO nanoparticles embedded in graphene nanosheets for high performance supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Linxia; Zhang, Baoliang; Li, Wei; Zhang, Jizhong; Huang, Kejing; Zhang, Qiuyu

    2014-01-01

    We report a facile strategy to synthesize ZnO-graphene nanocomposites as an advanced electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors. The ZnO-graphene nanocomposites have been fabricated via a facile, low-temperature in situ wet chemistry process. During this process, high dispersed ZnO nanoparticles are embedded in graphene nanosheets, leading to sandwich-structured ZnO-graphene nanocomposites. Thus, intimate interfacial contact between ZnO nanoparticles and graphene nanosheets are achieved, which facilitates electrochemical activity and enhance electrochemical properties due to fast electron transfer. The as-prepared ZnO-graphene nanocomposites exhibit a maximum specific capacitance of 786 F g −1 and excellent cycle life with capacity retention of about 92% after 500 cycles. This facile design and rational synthesis offers an effective strategy to enhance the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors and shows promising potential for large-scale application in energy storage

  14. Effect of solvent medium on the structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the sol–gel method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ungula, J., E-mail: ungulaj@qwa.ufs.ac.za; Dejene, B.F.

    2016-01-01

    ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a sol–gel method. The effect of solvent medium on the structural, morphological and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–vis) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ( EDS). The XRD patterns showed single phase hexagonal structure. The crystallite size of as prepared ZnO nanoparticles was found to decrease from 28.1 nm to 10.8 nm with the increase in volume ratio of ethanol in the solvent as peak intensities and sharpness increase with corresponding increase in volume ratio of water. SEM micrographs showed that samples prepared in water medium are fairly spherical which turned to tiny rods with increasing volume ratios of ethanol. A sharp ultraviolet (UV) emission peak centred about 385 nm and a broad green–yellow emission at about 550 nm are observed with PL measurements. The band gap of ZnO decreased from 3.31 to 3.17 eV with an increase in the ethanol composition in the solvent, implying that the optical properties of these materials are clearly affected by the synthesis medium.

  15. Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Co doped ZnO DMS nanoparticles by microwave irradiation method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guruvammal, D.; Selvaraj, S.; Meenakshi Sundar, S.

    2018-04-01

    Microwave irradiation method is employed to synthesis of Zn1-xCoxO (x = 0.001-0.004) nanoparticles and investigate their structural, optical and magnetic properties using various characterization techniques. Structural studies reveal single phase hexagonal structure with average crystallite size 18-28 nm. FTIR study identifies the functional group present in the samples. The incorporation of Co2+ ions into the ZnO lattice is confirmed through XRD and UV-Vis studies. PL spectra exhibit a strong emission peak in UV region and a defect related visible emission peak in orange red region. These peaks are attributed to near band edge emission and the presence of oxygen related defects in the samples respectively. The blue shift observed in the UV emission peak shows an increase in the carrier concentration caused by the interstitial incorporation of ions into the ZnO lattice. The oxygen related defect is also confirmed through a peak obtained around g factor 1.9933 in ESR studies. Further, the number of spin contributing the ESR signal demonstrates the dependence of the strength of ferromagnetism on the concentration of oxygen ion vacancies. The VSM, ESR and PL measurements confirm the origin of RTFM of Co doped ZnO nanoparticles from the exchange interaction between the localized spin moments resulting from oxygen vacancies. The reason for the obtained super paramagnetic nature for x = 0.002 and x = 0.003 may be either due to some of nanoparticles or due to the weakly coupled Co ions in the Zn2+ site in the ZnO lattice. Further, the ferromagnetic behavior arises again for x = 0.004 due to the incorporation of Co2+ ions in the interstitial positions.

  16. The optoelectronic properties and role of Cu concentration on the structural and electrical properties of Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Omri, K.; Bettaibi, A.; Khirouni, K.; El Mir, L.

    2018-05-01

    In the current study, we synthesized a Cu-doped ZnO (CZO) nanoparticles material using a sol-gel method with different doping concentrations of Cu (0, 2, 3 and 4 at.%). The control of the Cu concentration on structural, electrical and optical properties of CZO nanoparticles was investigated in detail. The XRD analysis of the CZO nanoparticles reveals the formation of ZnO hexagonal wurtzite structure for all samples which confirm the incorporation of Cu2+ ions into the ZnO lattice by substitution. Furthermore, CZO nanoparticles showed a small red shift of absorption band with the incorporation of Cu from 0 to 4 at.%; i.e. a decreased band gap value from 3.34 eV to 3.27 eV with increasing of Cu doping content. The frequency dispersion of the electric conductivity were studied using the Jonscher universal power law, according to relation σ(ω) = σDC + A ωs(T). Alternative current conductivity increases with increasing Cu content in spite of the decrease the activation energy with copper loading. It was found that the conductivity reached its maximum value for critical Cu concentration of 3 at.%. The frequency relaxation phenomenon was also investigated and all results were discussed in term of the copper doping concentration.

  17. ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles as novel antimicrobial agents for oral hygiene: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, Shams Tabrez; Al-Khedhairy, Abdulaziz A.; Musarrat, Javed

    2015-01-01

    Oral cavity is inhabited by more than 25,000 different bacterial phylotypes; some of them cause systemic infections in addition to dental and periodontal diseases. Emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance among these bacteria necessitates the development of alternative antimicrobial agents that are safe, stable, and relatively economic. This review focuses on the significance of metal oxide nanoparticles, especially zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles as supplementary antimicrobials for controlling oral infections and biofilm formation. Indeed, the ZnO NPs and TiO 2 NPs have exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against oral bacteria at concentrations which is not toxic in in vivo toxicity assays. These nanoparticles are being produced at an industrial scale for use in a variety of commercial products including food products. Thus, the application of ZnO and TiO 2 NPs as nanoantibiotics for the development of mouthwashes, dental pastes, and other oral hygiene materials is envisaged. It is also suggested that these NPs could serve as healthier, innocuous, and effective alternative for controlling both the dental biofilms and oral planktonic bacteria with lesser side effects and antibiotic resistance

  18. ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles as novel antimicrobial agents for oral hygiene: a review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Shams Tabrez; Al-Khedhairy, Abdulaziz A.; Musarrat, Javed

    2015-06-01

    Oral cavity is inhabited by more than 25,000 different bacterial phylotypes; some of them cause systemic infections in addition to dental and periodontal diseases. Emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance among these bacteria necessitates the development of alternative antimicrobial agents that are safe, stable, and relatively economic. This review focuses on the significance of metal oxide nanoparticles, especially zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles as supplementary antimicrobials for controlling oral infections and biofilm formation. Indeed, the ZnO NPs and TiO2 NPs have exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against oral bacteria at concentrations which is not toxic in in vivo toxicity assays. These nanoparticles are being produced at an industrial scale for use in a variety of commercial products including food products. Thus, the application of ZnO and TiO2 NPs as nanoantibiotics for the development of mouthwashes, dental pastes, and other oral hygiene materials is envisaged. It is also suggested that these NPs could serve as healthier, innocuous, and effective alternative for controlling both the dental biofilms and oral planktonic bacteria with lesser side effects and antibiotic resistance.

  19. Enhanced optical and electrical properties of Y-doped ZnO nanoparticles having different Y concentrations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Üzar, Neslihan

    2018-04-01

    In this study, undoped ZnO and yttrium (Y)-doped ZnO (YZO) nanoparticles having different Y dopant concentrations (Zn1- x Y x O; x = 0.005, 0.01, 0.015, 0.02) were successfully synthesized by sol-gel dip-coating method. Structural characterizations of the obtained samples were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. SEM analysis shows that the synthesized nanoparticles are mostly dot-like structures. The sizes of nanostructures decrease with increasing Y-doping concentration up to 2 mol % Y and XRD results show that all of samples have wurtzite hexagonal structure of ZnO with (002) c-plane orientation. According to EDS results pure YZO samples are obtained. Optical transmittances of all samples were investigated in the range of 350-750 nm at room temperature. The average optical transmittances of YZO samples in the visible region are approximately over 90%, but the transmittance starts to decrease for Zn0.98Y0.02O sample. Also, it was observed that the optical transmittances of Y-doped samples are higher than that of undoped ZnO. The electrical properties of YZO samples were obtained by resistance measurements at room temperature. The resistivity of samples was found to be 2.25 × 10-3, 1.43 × 10-3, 7.8 × 10-3, and 1.3 × 10-3 Ω-cm for Zn0.995Y0.005O, Zn0.99Y0.01O, Zn0.985Y0.015O and Zn0.98Y0.02O, respectively. All these results show that surface, structural, electrical and optical properties of ZnO samples can be improved with doping Y up to 2 mol % concentrations.

  20. Acaricidal, pediculicidal and larvicidal activity of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles using Momordica charantia leaf extract against blood feeding parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandhi, P Rajiv; Jayaseelan, C; Mary, R Regina; Mathivanan, D; Suseem, S R

    2017-10-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the acaricidal, pediculicidal and larvicidal effect of synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Momordica charantia leaf extract against the larvae of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, adult of Pediculus humanus capitis, and the larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus. The ZnO NPs were characterized by using UV, XRD, FTIR and SEM-EDX. The SEM image confirms that the synthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape with a size of 21.32 nm. The results of GC-MS analysis indicates the presence of the major compound of Nonacosane (C 29 H 60 ) in the M. charantia leaf extract. Cattle tick, head lice and mosquito larvae were exposed to a varying concentrations of the synthesized ZnO NPs and M. charantia leaf extract for 24 h. Compared to the leaf aqueous extract, biosynthesized ZnO NPs showed higher toxicity against R. microplus, P. humanus capitis, An. stephensi, and Cx. Quinquefasciatus with the LC 50 values of 6.87, 14.38, 5.42, and 4.87 mg/L, respectively. The findings revealed that synthesized ZnO NPs possess excellent anti-parasitic activity. These results suggest that the green synthesized ZnO NPs has the potential to be used as an ideal ecofriendly approach for the control of R. microplus, P. humanus capitis and the mosquito larvae of An. Stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2016-07-01

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

  2. ZnO Nanoparticles/Reduced Graphene Oxide Bilayer Thin Films for Improved NH3-Sensing Performances at Room Temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tai, Huiling; Yuan, Zhen; Zheng, Weijian; Ye, Zongbiao; Liu, Chunhua; Du, Xiaosong

    2016-03-01

    ZnO nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) thin film were deposited on gold interdigital electrodes (IDEs) in sequence via simple spraying process, which was further restored to ZnO/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) bilayer thin film by the thermal reduction treatment and employed for ammonia (NH3) detection at room temperature. rGO was identified by UV-vis absorption spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) analyses, and the adhesion between ZnO nanoparticles and rGO nanosheets might also be formed. The NH3-sensing performances of pure rGO film and ZnO/rGO bilayer films with different sprayed GO amounts were compared. The results showed that ZnO/rGO film sensors exhibited enhanced response properties, and the optimal GO amount of 1.5 ml was achieved. Furthermore, the optimal ZnO/rGO film sensor showed an excellent reversibility and fast response/recovery rate within the detection range of 10-50 ppm. Meanwhile, the sensor also displayed good repeatability and selectivity to NH3. However, the interference of water molecules on the prepared sensor is non-ignorable; some techniques should be researched to eliminate the effect of moisture in the further work. The remarkably enhanced NH3-sensing characteristics were speculated to be attributed to both the supporting role of ZnO nanoparticles film and accumulation heterojunction at the interface between ZnO and rGO. Thus, the proposed ZnO/rGO bilayer thin film sensor might give a promise for high-performance NH3-sensing applications.

  3. Enormous enhancement of ZnO nanorod photoluminescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Y.H.; Duan, W.J.; Wu, Z.L.; Zheng, D.; Zhou, X.W.; Zhou, B.Y.; Dai, L.J.; Wang, Y.S.

    2012-01-01

    ZnO nanorod arrays were grown on quartz slices in the aqueous solution of zinc acetate and hexamethylenetetramine at 90 °C. Then ZnO:Mg shells were epitaxially grown on the nanorods to form core/shell structures in the aqueous solution of zinc acetate, magnesium acetate and hexamethylenetetramine at the same temperature. Effects of the shells and UV laser beam irradiation on the crystal structure and photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanorods were studied. ZnO:Mg shells suppress the green emission and enhance the UV emission intensity of the nanorods by 38 times. Enhancement of the UV emission depends on the Mg content in the shells. Short time UV laser beam irradiation could improve ZnO nanorod emission efficiently. The UV emission intensity of ZnO nanorods is enhanced by 71 times by capping and subsequent UV laser beam irradiation. - Highlights: ► ZnO nanorod arrays were grown on quartz slices in solution at 90 °C. ► The nanorods were capped by ZnO:Mg layers to form core/shell structures. ► ZnO:MgO shells suppress the green emission and enhance the UV emission intensity by 38 times. ► The enhancement depends on the Mg content in the shells. ► Exposing the nanorods to 325 laser beam improves the UV emission efficiently. ► Capping and 325 nm laser beam irradiation could enhance the nanorod UV emission intensity by 71 times.

  4. Aqueous starch as a stabilizer in zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis via laser ablation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zamiri, Reza; Zakaria, Azmi [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Ahangar, Hossein Abbastabar [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Darroudi, Majid [Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor (Malaysia); Zak, Ali Khorsand [Low Dimensional Material Research Center, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Drummen, Gregor P.C., E-mail: gpcdrummen@bionano-solutions.de [Bionanoscience and Bio-Imaging Program, Cellular Stress and Ageing Program, Bio and Nano-Solutions, D-40472 Duesseldorf (Germany)

    2012-03-05

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via LASiS in aqueous starch solution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanoparticles of {+-}15 nm are produced with a narrow size distribution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Starch can be used as a template to control nanoparticle size. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Starch stabilizes zinc oxide nanoparticles in solution through steric hindrance. - Abstract: Zinc oxide is a semiconductor with exceptional thermal, luminescent and electrical properties, even compared with other semiconducting nanoparticles. Its potential for advanced applications in lasers and light emitting diodes, as bio-imaging agent, in biosensors and as drug delivery vehicles, in ointments, coatings and pigments has pulled zinc oxide into the focus of various scientific and engineering research fields. Recently we started investigating if nanoparticle synthesis via laser ablation in the presence of natural stabilizers allows control over size and shape and constitutes a useful, uncomplicated alternative over conventional synthesis methods. In the current paper, we determined the ability of natural starch to act as a size controller and stabilizer in the preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles via ablation of a ZnO plate in a starch solution with a nanosecond Q-Switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser at its original wavelength ({lambda} = 1064 nm). Our results show that the particle diameter decreases with increasing laser irradiation time to a mean nanoparticle size of approximately 15 nm with a narrow size distribution. Furthermore, the obtained particle size in starch solution is considerably smaller compared with analogous ZnO nanoparticle synthesis in distilled water. The synthesized and capped nanoparticles retained their photoluminescent properties, but showed blue emission rather than the often reported green luminescence. Evaluation of old preparations compared with freshly made samples showed no agglomeration or

  5. Aqueous starch as a stabilizer in zinc oxide nanoparticle synthesis via laser ablation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zamiri, Reza; Zakaria, Azmi; Ahangar, Hossein Abbastabar; Darroudi, Majid; Zak, Ali Khorsand; Drummen, Gregor P.C.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized via LASiS in aqueous starch solution. ► Nanoparticles of ±15 nm are produced with a narrow size distribution. ► Starch can be used as a template to control nanoparticle size. ► Starch stabilizes zinc oxide nanoparticles in solution through steric hindrance. - Abstract: Zinc oxide is a semiconductor with exceptional thermal, luminescent and electrical properties, even compared with other semiconducting nanoparticles. Its potential for advanced applications in lasers and light emitting diodes, as bio-imaging agent, in biosensors and as drug delivery vehicles, in ointments, coatings and pigments has pulled zinc oxide into the focus of various scientific and engineering research fields. Recently we started investigating if nanoparticle synthesis via laser ablation in the presence of natural stabilizers allows control over size and shape and constitutes a useful, uncomplicated alternative over conventional synthesis methods. In the current paper, we determined the ability of natural starch to act as a size controller and stabilizer in the preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles via ablation of a ZnO plate in a starch solution with a nanosecond Q-Switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser at its original wavelength (λ = 1064 nm). Our results show that the particle diameter decreases with increasing laser irradiation time to a mean nanoparticle size of approximately 15 nm with a narrow size distribution. Furthermore, the obtained particle size in starch solution is considerably smaller compared with analogous ZnO nanoparticle synthesis in distilled water. The synthesized and capped nanoparticles retained their photoluminescent properties, but showed blue emission rather than the often reported green luminescence. Evaluation of old preparations compared with freshly made samples showed no agglomeration or flocculation, which was reflected in no significant change in the ZnO nanoparticle size and size distribution. Overall

  6. Programmable Self-assembly of Hydrocarbon-capped Nanoparticles: Role of Chain Conformations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waltmann, Curt; Horst, Nathan; Travesset, Alex

    Nanoparticle superlattices (NPS), i.e. crystalline arrangements of nanoparticles, are materials with fascinating structures, which in many cases are not possible to attain from simple atoms or molecules. They also span a wide range of possible applications such as metamaterials, new energy sources, catalysis, and many others. In this talk, we present a theoretical and computational description of the self-assembly of nanoparticles with hydrocarbons as capping ligands. Usually, these systems have been described with hard sphere packing models. In this talk, we show that the conformations of the hydrocarbon chains play a fundamental role in determining the equilibrium phases, including and especially in binary systems. The work of CW was supported by a DOE-SULI internship from May-December 2016, and by NSF, DMR-CMMT 1606336 CDS&E: Design Principles for Ordering Nanoparticles into Super-crystals after January 1st.

  7. Synthesis and Characterization of Nanoparticles and Nanocomposite of ZnO and MgO by Sonochemical Method and their Application for Zinc Polycarboxylate Dental Cement Preparation

    OpenAIRE

    Mohammad Ali Karimi; Saeed Haghdar Roozbahani; Reza Asadiniya; Abdolhamid Hatefi-Mehrjardi; Mohammad Hossein Mashhadizadeh; Reza Behjatmanesh-Ardakani; Mohammad Mazloum-Ardakani; Hadi Kargar; Seyed Mojtaba Zebarjad

    2011-01-01

    This paper discusses the synthesis of nanoparticles of ZnO and MgO and ZnO/MgO nanocomposite by the sonochemical method. At first, nanoparticles were synthesized by the reaction of Zn(CHCOO3)2 and Mg(CHCOO3)2 with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and constant frequency ultrasonic waves (sonochemical method). Then, ZnO/MgO nanocomposite was prepared through reaction of magnesium acetate with TMAH in the presence of ZnO nanoparticles and PVP as...

  8. Dichloro (bis[diphenylthiourea] cadmium complex as a precursor for HDA-capped CdS nanoparticles and their solubility in water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tshinyadzo R. Tshikhudo

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available A single-source precursor route has been explored by using the diphenylthiourea cadmium complex as the source of cadmium sulphide (CdS nanoparticles. The reaction was carried out using hexadecylamine (HDA as the solvent and stabilising agent for the particles. The phenylthiourea complex was synthesised and characterised by means of a combination of spectroscopic techniques, microanalysis and X-ray crystal structural analysis. The diphenylthiourea complex was thermolysed in HDA at 120 °C for 1 h to produce CdS nanoparticles. The CdS nanoparticles prepared were made water-soluble via a ligand exchange reaction involving the use of pyridine to displace HDA. The pyridine was, in turn, replaced by glucose and glucuronic acid. The absorption and emission spectra showed the typical features of quantum confinement for the nanoparticles for both HDA-capped and glucose- or glucuronic acid-capped CdS nanoparticles. The change in the capping groups, from HDA to glucose and glucuronic acid, resulted in absorption and emission features that were almost similar, with only slight red-shifting and tailing.

  9. Studies on intrinsic defects related to Zn vacancy in ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, V.P.; Das, D.; Rath, Chandana

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Williamson–Hall analysis of ZnO indicates strain in the lattice and size is of 20 nm. ► PL shows a broad emission peak in visible range due to native defects. ► Raman active modes corresponding to P6 3 mc and a few additional modes are observed. ► FTIR detects few local vibrational modes of hydrogen attached to zinc vacancies. ► V Zn -H and Zn + O divacancies are confirmed by PAS. -- Abstract: ZnO being a well known optoelectronic semiconductor, investigations related to the defects are very promising. In this report, we have attempted to detect the defects in ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the conventional coprecipitation route using various spectroscopic techniques. The broad emission peak observed in photoluminescence spectrum and the non zero slope in Williamson–Hall analysis indicate the defects induced strain in the ZnO lattice. A few additional modes observed in Raman spectrum could be due to the breakdown of the translation symmetry of the lattice caused by defects and/or impurities. The presence of impurities can be ruled out as XRD pattern shows pure wurtzite structure. The presence of the vibrational band related to the Zn vacancies (V Zn ), unintentional hydrogen dopants and their complex defects confirm the defects in ZnO lattice. Positron life time components τ 1 and τ 2 additionally support V Zn attached to hydrogen and to a cluster of Zn and O di-vacancies respectively.

  10. Influence of Tb doping on the luminescence characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, A.; Dhar, S.; Singh, B. P.; Kundu, T.; Spasova, M.; Farle, M.

    2012-01-01

    Structural and optical properties of the Tb-doped ZnO nanoparticles with average diameter ≈4 nm have been systematically investigated. Our X-ray diffraction studies show a contraction of the ZnO lattice with the increase of the Tb mole-fraction x for x ≤ 0.02 and an expansion beyond x ≈ 0.02. The photoluminescence spectra are found to be comprised of a near band edge ultra violet luminescence (UVL) and a broad green luminescence (GL) band. Under the atmospheric condition, the intensity of the GL band is found to increase with the Tb mole-fraction over the entire doping range. On the other hand, under the vacuum condition, it has been observed that the GL intensity decreases with the increase of x up to x ≈ 0.02 but further increase of x leads to a gradual revival of the GL emission. Our study suggests that for x ≤ 0.02, GL results due to the physisorption of certain groups on the surface of the nanoparticles (GL-groups). It is also found that in this Tb mole-fraction regime, Tb incorporates mostly on the surface of the nanoparticles and affects the UVL to GL intensity ratio by influencing the attachment of the GL-groups. However, for x > 0.02, GL originates not only from the GL-groups but also from certain point defects, which are likely to be generated due to the incorporation of Tb in the core of the nanoparticles. A simple rate equation model is introduced to get a quantitative understanding about the variation of the density of the centers responsible for the GL emission as a function of x under the atmospheric and the vacuum conditions.

  11. Emission properties of Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles prepared by mechanochemical processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sabri, Nurul Syahidah; Yahya, Ahmad Kamal [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor 40450 (Malaysia); Talari, Mahesh Kumar, E-mail: talari@gmail.com [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor 40450 (Malaysia)

    2012-07-15

    Mechanochemical processing was reported to introduce lot of crystal defects which can significantly influence emission properties. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, there are no reports on effect of mechanochemical processing on emission properties of transition metal ion doped ZnO. In this study, Zn{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}O nanoparticles with different Mn content (x=0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.1) were prepared by mechanochemical processing to study the effect of Mn doping and processing on emission properties. Confirmation of nanoparticles size and nanocrystalline nature of hexagonal wurtzite ZnO structure is carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED), respectively. The samples were also characterized using Fluorescence Spectroscope before and after heat-treatment. The emission studies revealed that blue emission intensity is stronger compared to UV and green emission in contrast to the earlier reports, where other synthesis routes were employed for the ZnO nanoparticles' preparation. The blue emission originates from the zinc interstitial (Zn{sub i}) and oxygen interstitial (O{sub i}) defects, which indicate that the mechanochemical route resulted in more interstitial defects compared to oxygen substitution (O{sub Zn}) and oxygen vacancy (V{sub o}) defects which otherwise would give green emission. Mn doping resulted in shifting of near-band-edge (NBE) emission and the reduction in the intensities of NBE, blue and green emissions. The initial red shift at lower Mn content could be due to s-d and p-d exchange interactions as well as band tailing effect where as the blue shift at higher Mn content can be attributed to the Burstein-Moss shift. The reduction in emission intensity could be due to non-radiative recombination processes promoted by Mn ions with increasing Mn content. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zn{sub 1-x}Mn{sub x}O nanoparticles were prepared by mechanochemical

  12. Defect mediated magnetic interaction and high Tc ferromagnetism in Co doped ZnO nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pal, Bappaditya; Giri, P K

    2011-10-01

    Structural, optical and magnetic studies have been carried out for the Co-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). ZnO NPs are doped with 3% and 5% Co using ball milling and ferromagnetism (FM) is studied at room temperature and above. A high Curie temperature (Tc) has been observed from the Co doped ZnO NPs. X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy analysis confirm the absence of metallic Co clusters or any other phase different from würtzite-type ZnO. UV-visible absorption and photoluminescence studies on the doped samples show change in band structure and oxygen vacancy defects, respectively. Micro-Raman studies of doped samples shows defect related additional strong bands at 547 and 574 cm(-1) confirming the presence of oxygen vacancy defects in ZnO lattice. The field dependence of magnetization (M-H curve) measured at room temperature exhibits the clear M-H loop with saturation magnetization and coercive field of the order of 4-6 emu/g and 260 G, respectively. Temperature dependence of magnetization measurement shows sharp ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition with a high Tc = 791 K for 3% Co doped ZnO NPs. Ferromagnetic ordering is interpreted in terms of overlapping of polarons mediated through oxygen vacancy defects based on the bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model. We show that the observed FM data fits well with the BMP model involving localised carriers and magnetic cations.

  13. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye by zinc oxide nanoparticles obtained from precipitation and sol-gel methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balcha, Abebe; Yadav, Om Prakash; Dey, Tania

    2016-12-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by precipitation and sol-gel methods. The aim of this study was to understand how different synthetic methods can affect the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanoparticles. As-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Visible spectroscopic techniques. XRD patterns of ZnO powders synthesized by precipitation and sol-gel methods revealed their hexagonal wurtzite structure with crystallite sizes of 30 and 28 nm, respectively. Their photocatalytic activities were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue, a common water pollutant, under UV radiation. The effects of operational parameters such as photocatalyst load and initial concentration of the dye on photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue were investigated. While the degradation of dye decreased over the studied dye concentration range of 20 to 100 mg/L, an optimum photocatalyst load of 250 mg/L was needed to achieve dye degradation as high as 81 and 92.5 % for ZnO prepared by precipitation and sol-gel methods, respectively. Assuming pseudo first-order reaction kinetics, this corresponded to rate constants of 8.4 × 10 -3 and 12.4 × 10 -3  min -1 , respectively. Hence, sol-gel method is preferred over precipitation method in order to achieve higher photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanostructures. Photocatalytic activity is further augmented by better choice of capping ligand for colloidal stabilization, starch being more effective than polyethylene glycol (PEG).

  14. Synthesis of S-doped ZnO by the interaction of sulfur with zinc salt in PEG200

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, Xin-Yuan; Zhan, Pei; Li, Li-Yun; Zhou, Dan-Jie; Guo, Dan-Yi; Meng, Jian-Xin; Bai, Yan; Zheng, Wen-Jie

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: S-doped ZnO nanoparticles (S-ZnO) were synthesized via a one-step and green method by using zinc acetate dihydrate as a precursor, S powder as a dopant and PEG200 as a solvent with the number of moles of sulfur (n S ) smaller than that of zinc salt (n Zn ). A possible mechanism was proposed to elucidate the formation of S-ZnO. PL spectra show strong green emission band, which could be applied to ZnO optoelectronic devices that work in the visible spectrum. - Highlights: • A green and one-step method was developed to synthesize S-doped ZnO nanoparticles. • The molar ratio of Zn(II) and S influences the composition of the products greatly. • The interactive mechanism of S with zinc salt in PEG was elucidated. • PL spectra of S-doped ZnO nanoparticles show strong green emission band. - Abstract: S-doped ZnO nanoparticles (S-ZnO) were synthesized via a one-step and green method. In this method, zinc acetate dihydrate was used as a precursor and sulfur was the dopant. The reaction between zinc salt and S occurred in PEG200 media. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy and room temperature photoluminescence were used to characterize the products. The results show that the molar ratio of Zn(II) and S determines the composition, structure, surface morphology, and luminescence properties of the products greatly. When the number of moles of sulfur (n S ) is smaller than that of zinc salt (n Zn ), the products are S-ZnO with diameters of 40–55 nm and they have ultraviolet absorption peaks at 363 nm. The incorporation of S into ZnO is supported by broadening and lower Bragg angle shift in XRD pattern. FTIR spectra show that PEG200 adsorbs onto the surfaces of the S-ZnO as a capping agent. PL spectra show that the effective sulfur doping

  15. Synthesis of ZnO nanorods-Au nanoparticles hybrids via in-situ plasma sputtering-assisted method for simultaneous electrochemical sensing of ascorbic acid and uric acid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hou, Chao [College of Life Information Science & Instrument Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Liu, Hongying, E-mail: liuhongying@hdu.edu.cn [College of Life Information Science & Instrument Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhang, Dan; Yang, Chi [Department of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong 226001 (China); Zhang, Mingzhen [College of Life Information Science & Instrument Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018 (China)

    2016-05-05

    In this study, ZnO nanorods-Au nanoparticles (ZnO NRs-Au NPs) hybrids were prepared using an in-situ plasma sputtering-assisted method without any template. Characterization results from scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that Au NPs are highly dispersed and tightly anchored on the surface of ZnO NRs. The size and surface coverage of Au NPs were well controlled by plasma sputtering time. Moreover, the hybrids exhibited excellent electrocatalytic properties towards oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) due to large surface area of Au NPs and ZnO NRs, and thus can be used as electrochemical sensors. Differential pulse voltammetry results showed that AA and UA could be detected simultaneously by ZnO NRs-Au NPs hybrids modified glassy carbon electrode. The linear ranges for AA and UA are 0.1 to 4 mM and 0.01 to 0.4 mM, respectively. The results suggest promising future applications in clinical diagnosis. - Highlights: • ZnO nanorods-Au nanoparticles were synthesized by in-situ plasma sputtering method. • Influence of sputtering time on the formation of Au nanoparticles was studied. • It exhibited a strong electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of ascorbic acid and uric acid. • A portable and cheap approach for simultaneous detection of ascorbic acid and uric acid was developed.

  16. Synthesis of ZnO nanorods-Au nanoparticles hybrids via in-situ plasma sputtering-assisted method for simultaneous electrochemical sensing of ascorbic acid and uric acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hou, Chao; Liu, Hongying; Zhang, Dan; Yang, Chi; Zhang, Mingzhen

    2016-01-01

    In this study, ZnO nanorods-Au nanoparticles (ZnO NRs-Au NPs) hybrids were prepared using an in-situ plasma sputtering-assisted method without any template. Characterization results from scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that Au NPs are highly dispersed and tightly anchored on the surface of ZnO NRs. The size and surface coverage of Au NPs were well controlled by plasma sputtering time. Moreover, the hybrids exhibited excellent electrocatalytic properties towards oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) due to large surface area of Au NPs and ZnO NRs, and thus can be used as electrochemical sensors. Differential pulse voltammetry results showed that AA and UA could be detected simultaneously by ZnO NRs-Au NPs hybrids modified glassy carbon electrode. The linear ranges for AA and UA are 0.1 to 4 mM and 0.01 to 0.4 mM, respectively. The results suggest promising future applications in clinical diagnosis. - Highlights: • ZnO nanorods-Au nanoparticles were synthesized by in-situ plasma sputtering method. • Influence of sputtering time on the formation of Au nanoparticles was studied. • It exhibited a strong electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of ascorbic acid and uric acid. • A portable and cheap approach for simultaneous detection of ascorbic acid and uric acid was developed.

  17. Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 from CuxSnSy nanoparticle precursors on ZnO nanorod arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kavalakkatt, Jaison; Lin, Xianzhong; Kornhuber, Kai; Kusch, Patryk; Ennaoui, Ahmed; Reich, Stephanie; Lux-Steiner, Martha Ch.

    2013-01-01

    Solar cells with Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 absorber thin films have a potential for high energy conversion efficiencies with earth-abundant and non-toxic elements. In this work the formation of CZTSSe from Cu x SnS y nanoparticles (NPs) deposited on ZnO nanorod (NR) arrays as precursors for zinc is investigated. The NPs are prepared using a chemical route and are dispersed in toluene. The ZnO NRs are grown on fluorine doped SnO 2 coated glass substrates by electro deposition method. A series of samples are annealed at different temperatures between 300 °C and 550 °C in selenium containing argon atmosphere. To investigate the products of the reaction between the precursors the series is analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The morphology is recorded by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of broken cross sections. The XRD measurements and the SEM images show the disappearing of ZnO NRs with increasing annealing temperature. Simultaneously the XRD and Raman measurements show the formation of CZTSSe. The formation of secondary phases and the optimum conditions for the preparation of CZTSSe is discussed. - Highlights: ► Cu x SnS y nanoparticles are deposited on ZnO nanorod arrays. ► Samples are annealed at different temperatures (300–550 °C) in Se/Ar-atmosphere. ► Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy are performed. ► ZnO disappears with increasing annealing temperature. ► With increasing temperature Cu x SnS y and ZnO form Cu 2 ZnSn(S,Se) 4

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2013-11-15

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

  19. Chitosan Capped Silver Nanoparticles as Colorimetric Sensor for the Determination of Iron(III

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javad Tashkhourian

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available A selective, simple and low-cost method for the colorimetric determination of Fe3+ ions based on chitosan capped silver nanoparticles (Chit-AgNPs was presented. Chitosan is a cationic polyelectrolyte and possesses amino and hydroxy groups which make it widely used as a capping agent for Ag NPs. The synthesized chitosan capped silver nanoparticles with excellent colloidal stability were characterized by UV–Visible spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction. Chit-AgNPs exhibit a strong surface plasmon resonance band which disappears in the presence of increasing concentrations of Fe3+ ions. This system showed a visually detectable color change from brownish-yellow to colorless for the selective determination of Fe3+. The method can be applied for the determination of Fe3+ ions in the concentration range of 1.0×10-6 to 5.0×10-4 M. The detection limit was determined from three times the standard deviation of the blank signal (3σ/slope as 5.3 × 10−7 M. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of Fe3+in real samples

  20. Crystal and electronic structure study of Mn doped wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.M. Ozkendir

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available The change in the crystal and electronic structure properties of wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles was studied according to Mn doping in the powder samples. The investigations were conducted by X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopy (XAFS technique for the samples prepared with different heating and doping processes. Electronic analysis was carried out by the collected data from the X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure Spectroscopy (XANES measurements. Additional crystal structure properties were studied by Extended-XAFS (EXAFS analysis. Longer heating periods for the undoped wurtzite ZnO samples were determined to own stable crystal geometries. However, for some doped samples, the distortions in the crystal were observed as a result of the low doping amounts of Mn which was treated as an impurity. Besides, the changes in oxygen locations were determined to create defects and distortions in the samples.

  1. Green mediated synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles using Euphorbia Jatropa latex as reducing agent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.S. Geetha

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Presently the progress of green chemistry in the synthesis of nanoparticles with the use of plants has engrossed a great attention. This study reports the synthesis of ZnO using latex of Euphorbia Jatropa as reducing agent. As prepared product was characterized by powder X-ray diffractometer (PXRD, Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR, scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM–EDS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS, Rietveld refinement, UV–Visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL. The concentration of plant latex plays an important role in controlling the size of the particle and its morphology. PXRD graphs showed the well crystallisation of the particles. The average particle size was calculated using Scherrer equation and advanced Williamson Hall (WH plots. The average particle size was around 15 nm. This result was also supported by SEM and TEM analyses. FTIR shows the characteristic peak of ZnO at 435 cm−1. SEM and TEM micrographs show that the particles were almost hexagonal in nature. EDS of SEM analysis confirmed that the elements are only Zn and O. EDS confirmed purity of ZnO. Atomic states were confirmed by XPS results. Crystal parameters were determined using Rietveld refinement. From UV–Visible spectra average energy gap was calculated which is ∼3.63 eV. PL studies showed UV emission peak at 392 nm and broad band visible emission centred in the range 500–600 nm. The Commission International de I'Eclairage and colour correlated temperature coordinates were estimated for ZnO prepared using 2 ml, 4 ml and 6 ml Jatropa latex. The results indicate that the phosphor may be suitable for white light emitting diode (WLED. The study fruitfully reveals simple, fast, economical and eco friendly method of synthesis of multifunctional ZnO nanoparticles (Nps.

  2. Effects of annealing conditions on the photoelectrochemical properties of dye-sensitized solar cells made with ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Lanlan; Li, Renjie; Fan, Ke [College of Chemistry and Molecular Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Peng, Tianyou [College of Chemistry and Molecular Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Materials Chemistry and Applications, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China)

    2010-05-15

    Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated by using porous ZnO electrodes derived from home-made ZnO nanoparticles. Electrochemical impedance spectra and open-circuit photovoltage decay curves measurements were performed to investigate the photoelectrochemical characteristics of ZnO films annealed at different temperatures. The experimental results indicate that the effects of the bulk traps and the surface states within the ZnO films on the recombination processes of the photoinjected electrons in DSSCs depend on the annealing temperature. The DSSC based on the ZnO electrode annealed at 400 C exhibits an optimal energy conversion efficiency of 3.92% under the illumination of one sun simulated sunlight because the farthest decrease in the effects of both bulk traps and surface states at this film can maintain a lower charge recombination probability. This result indicates that the ZnO film electrode has promising application in the field of DSSCs, and the optimization of porous film fabrication condition is efficient for the improvement of ZnO-based DSSC's performances. (author)

  3. Effect of Particle Size on the Magnetic Properties of Ni Nanoparticles Synthesized with Trioctylphosphine as the Capping Agent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshitaka Ishizaki

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Magnetic cores of passive components are required to have low hysteresis loss, which is dependent on the coercive force. Since it is well known that the coercive force becomes zero at the superparamagnetic regime below a certain critical size, we attempted to synthesize Ni nanoparticles in a size-controlled fashion and investigated the effect of particle size on the magnetic properties. Ni nanoparticles were synthesized by the reduction of Ni acetylacetonate in oleylamine at 220 °C with trioctylphosphine (TOP as the capping agent. An increase in the TOP/Ni ratio resulted in the size decrease. We succeeded in synthesizing superparamagnetic Ni nanoparticles with almost zero coercive force at particle size below 20 nm by the TOP/Ni ratio of 0.8. However, the saturation magnetization values became smaller with decrease in the size. The saturation magnetizations of the Ni nanoparticles without capping layers were calculated based on the assumption that the interior atoms of the nanoparticles were magnetic, whereas the surface-oxidized atoms were non-magnetic. The measured and calculated saturation magnetization values decreased in approximately the same fashion as the TOP/Ni ratio increased, indicating that the decrease could be mainly attributed to increases in the amounts of capping layer and oxidized surface atoms.

  4. Preparation, structural and optical characterization of ZnO, ZnO: Al nanopowder

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohan, R. Raj [Department of ECE, Gojan School of Business and Technology, Chennai (India); Rajendran, K. [Department of Electronics, Government Arts College for Women, Ramanathapuram, TN (India); Sambath, K. [Department of ECS, Sri Krishna Arts and Science College, Coimbatore, TN (India)

    2014-01-28

    In this paper, ZnO and ZnO:Al nanopowders have been synthesized by low cost hydrothermal method. Zinc nitrate, hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) and aluminium nitrate are used as precursors for ZnO and AZO with different molar ratios. The structural and optical characterization of doped and un-doped ZnO powders have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), photoluminescence (PL) and ultra violet visible (UV-Vis) absorption studies. The SEM results show that the hydrothermal synthesis can be used to obtain nanoparticles with different morphology. It is observed that the grain size of the AZO nanoparticles increased with increasing of Al concentration. The PL measurement of AZO shows that broad range of green emission around 550nm with high intensity. The green emission resulted mainly because of intrinsic defects.

  5. Ag nanoparticles-decorated ZnO nanorod array on a mechanical flexible substrate with enhanced optical and antimicrobial properties

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Yi; Tse, Wai Hei; Chen, Longyan; Zhang, Jin

    2015-01-01

    Heteronanostructured zinc oxide nanorod (ZnO NR) array are vertically grown on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a hydrothermal method followed by an in situ deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) through a photoreduction process. The Ag-ZnO heterostructured nanorods on PDMS are measured with an average diameter of 160?nm and an average length of 2??m. ZnO NRs measured by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) shows highly crystalline with a lattice fringe of 0.255?nm...

  6. Interactions between citrate-capped gold nanoparticles and polymersomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaohan; Lopez, Anand; Liu, Yibo; Wang, Feng; Liu, Juewen

    2018-06-01

    Polymersomes are vesicles formed by self-assembled amphiphilic block copolymers. Polymersomes generally have better stability than liposomes and they have been widely used in making drug delivery vehicles. In this work, the interaction between two types of polymersomes and citrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was studied. The following two polymers: poly(2-methyloxazoline-b-dimethylsiloxane-b-2-methyloxazoline) (called P1) and poly(butadiene-b-ethylene oxide) (called P2) were respectively used to form polymersomes. While P1 only formed spherical vesicle structures, worm-like structures were also observed with P2 as indicated by cryo-TEM. Both polymersomes adsorbed AuNPs leading to their subsequent aggregation. A lower polymersome concentration produced more obvious aggregation of AuNPs as judged from the color change. Capping AuNPs with glutathione inhibited adsorption of AuNPs. Considering the surface property of the polymers, the interaction with AuNPs was likely due to van der Waals forces. P1 polymersomes encapsulated calcein stably and AuNPs did not induce leakage. The P1/AuNP complex was more efficiently internalized by HeLa cells compared to free P1 polymersomes, further indicating a stable adsorption under cell culture conditions. In summary, this work indicates citrate-capped AuNPs form stable adsorption complexes with these polymersomes and their interactions have been explored.

  7. A solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell based on a novel ionic liquid gel and ZnO nanoparticles on a flexible polymer substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wei Di; Ryhanen, Tapani [Nokia Research Centre c/o Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge, 11 JJ Thomson Avenue, CB3 0FF, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Unalan, Husnu Emrah; Amaratunga, Gehan [Centre of Advanced Photonics and Electronics, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 9 JJ Thomson Avenue, CB3 0FA, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Han Dongxue; Zhang Qixian; Niu Li [Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Science, 130000 Changchun (China)], E-mail: di.wei@nokia.com

    2008-10-22

    This paper describes a new strategy to make a full solid-state, flexible, dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) based on novel ionic liquid gel, organic dye, ZnO nanoparticles and carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film stamped onto a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The CNTs serve both as the charge collector and as scaffolds for the growth of ZnO nanoparticles, where the black dye molecules are anchored. It opens up the possibility of developing a continuous roll to roll processing for THE mass production of DSSCs.

  8. Studies on ligand exchange reaction of functionalized mercaptothiadiazole compounds onto citrate capped gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalimuthu, Palraj; John, S. Abraham

    2010-01-01

    Mercaptothiadiazole ligands functionalized with thiol (2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (DMT)) and methyl (5-methyl-2-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole (MMT)) groups capped onto citrate capped gold nanoparticles (C-AuNPs) by ligand exchange reaction was investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The surface plasmon resonance band at 522 nm for C-AuNPs was shifted to 530 nm after capping with DMT whereas an additional band was observed at 630 nm due to aggregation in addition to a shift in the band at 522 nm after capping of MMT onto C-AuNPs. Thus, capping of DMT onto C-AuNPs leads to the formation of stable AuNPs while capping of MMT leads to the formation of unstable AuNPs. FT-IR studies show that the citrate ions were completely replaced by both DMT and MMT ligands from the AuNPs. TEM images indicate that the size and shape of the AuNPs remain same after capping of these ligands.

  9. ZnO nanowire/TiO2 nanoparticle photoanodes prepared by the ultrasonic irradiation assisted dip-coating method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gan Xiaoyan; Li Xiaomin; Gao Xiangdong; Zhuge Fuwei; Yu Weidong

    2010-01-01

    Hybrid ZnO/TiO 2 photoanodes for dye-sensitized solar cells were prepared by combining ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays and TiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) with the assistance of the ultrasonic irradiation assisted dip-coating method. Results show that the ultrasonic irradiation was an efficient way to promote the gap filling of TiO 2 NPs in the interstices of ZnO NWs. Hybrid ZnO NW/TiO 2 NP electrodes prepared with ultrasonic treatment exhibited better gap filling efficiency and higher visible absorptance. The overall conversion efficiency of the hybrid electrode was 0.79%, representing 35% improvement compared with that of the traditional one (0.58%). The enlarged surface area and improved attachments of TiO 2 NPs onto the walls of ZnO NWs induced by the application of ultrasonic irradiation may be the underlying reason. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated that hybrid electrodes combined the advantages of improved electron transport along the ZnO NWs and increased surface area provided by infiltrated TiO 2 NPs, both of which are responsible for the improved cell efficiency.

  10. Reducing ZnO nanoparticles toxicity through silica coating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sing Ling Chia

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available ZnO NPs have good antimicrobial activity that can be utilized as agents to prevent harmful microorganism growth in food. However, the use of ZnO NPs as food additive is limited by the perceived high toxicity of ZnO NPs in many earlier toxicity studies. In this study, surface modification by silica coating was used to reduce the toxicity of ZnO NPs by significantly reducing the dissolution of the core ZnO NPs. To more accurately recapitulate the scenario of ingested ZnO NPs, we tested our as synthesized ZnO NPs in ingestion fluids (synthetic saliva and synthetic gastric juice to determine the possible forms of ZnO NPs in digestive system before exposing the products to colorectal cell lines. The results showed that silica coating is highly effective in reducing toxicity of ZnO NPs through prevention of the dissociation of ZnO NPs to zinc ions in both neutral and acidic condition. The silica coating however did not alter the desired antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs to E. coli and S. aureus. Thus, silica coating offered a potential solution to improve the biocompatibility of ZnO NPs for applications such as antimicrobial agent in foods or food related products like food packaging. Nevertheless, caution remains that high concentration of silica coated ZnO NPs can still induce undesirable cytotoxicity to mammalian gut cells. This study indicated that upstream safer-by-design philosophy in nanotechnology can be very helpful in a product development.

  11. In vitro toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles: a review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pandurangan, Muthuraman; Kim, Doo Hwan

    2015-01-01

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

  12. In vitro toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles: a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pandurangan, Muthuraman; Kim, Doo Hwan, E-mail: frenzram1980@gmail.com [Konkuk University, Department of Bioresources and Food Sciences (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-03-15

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

  13. Synthesis and characterization of Mn-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdel-Galil, A. [Solid State Physics and Accelerators Department, NCRRT, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Balboul, M.R., E-mail: m_balboul@yahoo.com [Solid State Physics and Accelerators Department, NCRRT, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Sharaf, A. [Radiation Engineering Department, NCRRT, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

    2015-11-15

    In the present work undoped and Mn doped ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO:Mn), diluted magnetic semiconductors, were successfully synthesized by the sol–gel method at room temperature. The morphology of ZnO nanoparticles constituted by flower-like structures with hexagonal morphologies that changed significantly after the incorporation of Mn. Rietveld refinements results showed that Mn ions are successfully doped into ZnO matrix without altering its wurtzite phase. Meanwhile, Raman spectroscopy analyses confirm the wurtzite structure of undoped ZnO and ZnO:Mn nanoparticles. The lattice parameters increase with increasing Mn content due to the large ionic radius of Mn{sup 2+} compared to that of Zn{sup 2+}. Electron spin resonance measurements were performed to gain information about oxidation state and site occupancy of the magnetic Mn ions in the ZnO lattice. Moreover, UV–vis absorption spectra have been utilized to calculate the optical band gap of the undoped ZnO and ZnO:Mn nanoparticles before and after different γ-irradiation doses. The band gap of ZnO:Mn (2%) is 2.62 eV which is noticeably smaller than the 3.26 eV of undoped ZnO. The thermal decomposition properties of the prepared nanoparticle samples were also studied using simultaneous Thermogravimetric analysis in temperature range from 30 to 500 °C.

  14. Removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions using Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, ZnO, and CuO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahdavi, Shahriar, E-mail: smahdaviha@yahoo.com; Jalali, Mohsen, E-mail: jalali@basu.ac.ir [College of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Department of Soil Science (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Afkhami, Abbas, E-mail: afkhami@basu.ac.ir [College of Chemistry, Bu-Ali Sina University, Department of Analytical Chemistry (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2012-08-15

    This study investigated the removal of Cd{sup 2+}, Cu{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+}, and Pb{sup 2+} from aqueous solutions with novel nanoparticle sorbents (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, ZnO, and CuO) using a range of experimental approaches, including, pH, competing ions, sorbent masses, contact time, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The images showed that Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, ZnO, and CuO particles had mean diameters of about 50 nm (spheroid), 25 nm (rod shape), and 75 nm (spheroid), respectively. Tests were performed under batch conditions to determine the adsorption rate and uptake at equilibrium from single and multiple component solutions. The maximum uptake values (sum of four metals) in multiple component solutions were 360.6, 114.5, and 73.0 mg g{sup -1}, for ZnO, CuO, and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, respectively. Based on the average metal removal by the three nanoparticles, the following order was determined for single component solutions: Cd{sup 2+} > Pb{sup 2+} > Cu{sup 2+} > Ni{sup 2+}, while the following order was determined in multiple component solutions: Pb{sup 2+} > Cu{sup 2+} > Cd{sup 2+} > Ni{sup 2+}. Sorption equilibrium isotherms could be described using the Freundlich model in some cases, whereas other isotherms did not follow this model. Furthermore, a pseudo-second order kinetic model was found to correctly describe the experimental data for all nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray before and after metal sorption, and soil solution saturation indices showed that the main mechanism of sorption for Cd{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} was adsorption, whereas both Cu{sup 2+} and Ni{sup 2+} sorption were due to adsorption and precipitation. These nanoparticles have potential for use as efficient sorbents for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions and ZnO nanoparticles were identified as the most promising sorbent due to their high metal uptake.

  15. Light-controlling, flexible and transparent ethanol gas sensor based on ZnO nanoparticles for wearable devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Z Q; Yao, J D; Wang, B; Yang, G W

    2015-06-16

    In recent years, owing to the significant applications of health monitoring, wearable electronic devices such as smart watches, smart glass and wearable cameras have been growing rapidly. Gas sensor is an important part of wearable electronic devices for detecting pollutant, toxic, and combustible gases. However, in order to apply to wearable electronic devices, the gas sensor needs flexible, transparent, and working at room temperature, which are not available for traditional gas sensors. Here, we for the first time fabricate a light-controlling, flexible, transparent, and working at room-temperature ethanol gas sensor by using commercial ZnO nanoparticles. The fabricated sensor not only exhibits fast and excellent photoresponse, but also shows high sensing response to ethanol under UV irradiation. Meanwhile, its transmittance exceeds 62% in the visible spectral range, and the sensing performance keeps the same even bent it at a curvature angle of 90(o). Additionally, using commercial ZnO nanoparticles provides a facile and low-cost route to fabricate wearable electronic devices.

  16. Development of Multi-functional Properties on Cotton Fabric by In Situ Application of TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butola, B. S.; Garg, Aayush; Garg, Aman; Chauhan, Indu

    2018-06-01

    Cotton fabrics functionalized with different combinations of TiO2 and ZnO were evaluated for multifunctional properties including UV protection, antimicrobial and self-cleaning. The ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using sol gel method were applied on cotton fabric by pad-dry-cure method and TiO2 was deposited in situ. The deposition of both TiO2 and ZnO was examined and confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis. Application of both metal oxides resulted in good improvement in UV protection of treated fabrics. The fabrics which were finished with combination of both Zinc and Titanium oxides, showed UPF rating of 50+ as compared to UPF rating of untreated cotton, which was only 5. The same fabrics also showed higher self-cleaning extent as compared to untreated cotton fabric. It was found that the sequence of application of ZnO and TiO2 affected the antimicrobial activity of the finished fabric and also the durability. When application of TiO2 was followed by ZnO, the combination resulted in development of excellent antimicrobial property against Escherichia coli ( 99% colony reduction) which was retained after 10 wash cycles. However, when application of ZnO nanoparticles was followed by application of TiO2, the improvement in antimicrobial activity was found to be moderate ( 48% colony reduction) and had poor wash durability. Hence, the specific sequence of application of these metals oxides can be utilized for obtaining good durability of the multifunctional properties on cotton fabric.

  17. Development of Multi-functional Properties on Cotton Fabric by In Situ Application of TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butola, B. S.; Garg, Aayush; Garg, Aman; Chauhan, Indu

    2018-05-01

    Cotton fabrics functionalized with different combinations of TiO2 and ZnO were evaluated for multifunctional properties including UV protection, antimicrobial and self-cleaning. The ZnO nanoparticles synthesized using sol gel method were applied on cotton fabric by pad-dry-cure method and TiO2 was deposited in situ. The deposition of both TiO2 and ZnO was examined and confirmed by SEM and EDX analysis. Application of both metal oxides resulted in good improvement in UV protection of treated fabrics. The fabrics which were finished with combination of both Zinc and Titanium oxides, showed UPF rating of 50+ as compared to UPF rating of untreated cotton, which was only 5. The same fabrics also showed higher self-cleaning extent as compared to untreated cotton fabric. It was found that the sequence of application of ZnO and TiO2 affected the antimicrobial activity of the finished fabric and also the durability. When application of TiO2 was followed by ZnO, the combination resulted in development of excellent antimicrobial property against Escherichia coli ( 99% colony reduction) which was retained after 10 wash cycles. However, when application of ZnO nanoparticles was followed by application of TiO2, the improvement in antimicrobial activity was found to be moderate ( 48% colony reduction) and had poor wash durability. Hence, the specific sequence of application of these metals oxides can be utilized for obtaining good durability of the multifunctional properties on cotton fabric.

  18. UV-cured polymeric films containing ZnO and silver nanoparticles with UV–vis light-assisted photocatalytic activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Podasca, Viorica E.; Buruiana, Tinca; Buruiana, Emil C.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Synthesis of photopolymerized films containing ZnO and/or Ag NPs is reported. • Photopolymerization of the acrylic monomers occurred with conversions of 57–90%. • XRD, EDX, and TEM analyses proved the uniform distribution of NPs in the matrix. • MB was photodegradated using the hybrid films under UV–vis irradiation. - Abstract: Hybrid polymer composites incorporating preformed ZnO alone or its mixture with Ag nanoparticles created during UV irradiation of some urethane acrylic monomers including trietoxysilylpropyl carbamoyloxyethyl methacrylate were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic ("1H ("1"3C) NMR, FTIR, UV–vis, fluorescence, X-ray diffraction) and microscopic (AFM, ESEM/EDX, TEM) techniques. The results confirmed that the double bond conversion measured through FTIR spectroscopy varied in the range of 57–90% (after 60 s of irradiation), exhibiting formulation composition dependence. In the crosslinked polymer networks the existence of individual nanoparticles with primarily spherical shape and sizes between 5 and 15 nm for ZnO, and around 3 nm for in situ photogenerated silver nanoparticles was evidenced. Additionally, the photocatalytic effect of the photopolymerized hybrid films was investigated by determining the decomposition rate of the methylene blue (MB) in ethanol (over 90%) under UV (2.7 × 10"−"2 s"−"1) and visible irradiation (2.9 × 10"−"2 min"−"1). It was found that the composite films containing a higher amount of ZnO-Ag nanoparticles placed in water induced the photodecomposition of MB (∼87% after 100 min of visible irradiation; k = 2.1 × 10"−"2 min"−"1). The good efficiency of the NPs from these polymer films make them attractive for applications in photocatalysis of organic dye molecules.

  19. UV-cured polymeric films containing ZnO and silver nanoparticles with UV–vis light-assisted photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Podasca, Viorica E.; Buruiana, Tinca; Buruiana, Emil C., E-mail: emilbur@icmpp.ro

    2016-07-30

    Highlights: • Synthesis of photopolymerized films containing ZnO and/or Ag NPs is reported. • Photopolymerization of the acrylic monomers occurred with conversions of 57–90%. • XRD, EDX, and TEM analyses proved the uniform distribution of NPs in the matrix. • MB was photodegradated using the hybrid films under UV–vis irradiation. - Abstract: Hybrid polymer composites incorporating preformed ZnO alone or its mixture with Ag nanoparticles created during UV irradiation of some urethane acrylic monomers including trietoxysilylpropyl carbamoyloxyethyl methacrylate were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic ({sup 1}H ({sup 13}C) NMR, FTIR, UV–vis, fluorescence, X-ray diffraction) and microscopic (AFM, ESEM/EDX, TEM) techniques. The results confirmed that the double bond conversion measured through FTIR spectroscopy varied in the range of 57–90% (after 60 s of irradiation), exhibiting formulation composition dependence. In the crosslinked polymer networks the existence of individual nanoparticles with primarily spherical shape and sizes between 5 and 15 nm for ZnO, and around 3 nm for in situ photogenerated silver nanoparticles was evidenced. Additionally, the photocatalytic effect of the photopolymerized hybrid films was investigated by determining the decomposition rate of the methylene blue (MB) in ethanol (over 90%) under UV (2.7 × 10{sup −2} s{sup −1}) and visible irradiation (2.9 × 10{sup −2} min{sup −1}). It was found that the composite films containing a higher amount of ZnO-Ag nanoparticles placed in water induced the photodecomposition of MB (∼87% after 100 min of visible irradiation; k = 2.1 × 10{sup −2} min{sup −1}). The good efficiency of the NPs from these polymer films make them attractive for applications in photocatalysis of organic dye molecules.

  20. Synthesis and characterization of surfactant assisted Mn2+ doped ZnO nanocrystals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Shanmugam

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available We report the synthesis and characterization of Mn doped ZnO nanocrystals, both in the free standing and PVP capped particle forms. The nanocrystals size could be controlled by capping them with polyvinylpyrollidone and was estimated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The chemical compositions of the products were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy measurements reveal that the capping of ZnO leads to blue shift due to quantum confinement effect. The morphology of the particles was evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM. Both the Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA curves of the ZnO show no further weight loss and thermal effect at a temperature above 510 °C.

  1. Effect of different spiking procedures on the distribution and toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waalewijn-Kool, Pauline L; Diez Ortiz, Maria; van Gestel, Cornelis A M

    2012-10-01

    Due to the difficulty in dispersing some engineered nanomaterials in exposure media, realizing homogeneous distributions of nanoparticles (NP) in soil may pose major challenges. The present study investigated the distribution of zinc oxide (ZnO) NP (30 nm) and non-nano ZnO (200 nm) in natural soil using two different spiking procedures, i.e. as dry powder and as suspension in soil extract. Both spiking procedures showed a good recovery (>85 %) of zinc and based on total zinc concentrations no difference was found between the two spiking methods. Both spiking procedures resulted in a fairly homogeneous distribution of the ZnO particles in soil, as evidenced by the low variation in total zinc concentration between replicate samples (soil spiked at concentrations up to 6,400 mg Zn kg(-1) d.w. was not affected for both compounds. Reproduction was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner with EC50 values of 3,159 and 2,914 mg Zn kg(-1) d.w. for 30 and 200 nm ZnO spiked as dry powder and 3,593 and 5,633 mg Zn kg(-1) d.w. introduced as suspension. Toxicity of ZnO at 30 and 200 nm did not differ. We conclude that the ZnO particle toxicity is not size related and that the spiking of the soil with ZnO as dry powder or as a suspension in soil extract does not affect its toxicity to F. candida.

  2. Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles: Application to one-pot synthesis of benzo[b][1,5]diazepines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Ali Ghasemzadeh

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The pharmaceutical and biologically active heterocyclic compounds including benzo[b][1,5]diazepines were efficiently synthesized via three-(in situ five- component reactions of aromatic diamines, Meldrum’s acid, and isocyanide derivatives in the presence of zinc oxide nanoparticles at room temperature. ZnO nanoparticles, as an effective, mild, and reusable catalyst, significantly improved the reaction times and also the products were obtained in excellent yields. The prepared zinc oxide nanoparticles were fully characterized by EDX, XRD, BET, SEM, IR, and TEM analyses.

  3. Microwave solvothermal synthesis and characterization of manganese-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacek Wojnarowicz

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Mn-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles were prepared by using the microwave solvothermal synthesis (MSS technique. The nanoparticles were produced from a solution of zinc acetate dihydrate and manganese(II acetate tetrahydrate using ethylene glycol as solvent. The content of Mn2+ in Zn1−xMnxO ranged from 1 to 25 mol %. The following properties of the nanostructures were investigated: skeleton density, specific surface area (SSA, phase purity (XRD, lattice parameters, dopant content, average particle size, crystallite size distribution, morphology. The average particle size of Zn1−xMnxO was determined using Scherrer’s formula, the Nanopowder XRD Processor Demo web application and by converting the specific surface area results. X-ray diffraction of synthesized samples shows a single-phase wurtzite crystal structure of ZnO without any indication of additional phases. Spherical Zn1−xMnxO particles were obtained with monocrystalline structure and average particle sizes from 17 to 30 nm depending on the content of dopant. SEM images showed an impact of the dopant concentration on the morphology of the nanoparticles.

  4. Antifungal mechanisms of ZnO and Ag nanoparticles to Sclerotinia homoeocarpa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Junli; Sang, Hyunkyu; Guo, Huiyuan; Popko, James T.; He, Lili; White, Jason C.; Parkash Dhankher, Om; Jung, Geunhwa; Xing, Baoshan

    2017-04-01

    Fungicides have extensively been used to effectively combat fungal diseases on a range of plant species, but resistance to multiple active ingredients has developed in pathogens such as Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, the causal agent of dollar spot on cool-season turfgrasses. Recently, ZnO and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) have received increased attention due to their antimicrobial activities. In this study, the NPs’ toxicity and mechanisms of action were investigated as alternative antifungal agents against S. homoeocarpa isolates that varied in their resistance to demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides. S. homoeocarpa isolates were treated with ZnO NPs and ZnCl2 (25-400 μg ml-1) and Ag NPs and AgNO3 (5-100 μg ml-1) to test antifungal activity of the NPs and ions. The mycelial growth of S. homoeocarpa isolates regardless of their DMI sensitivity was significantly inhibited on ZnO NPs (≥200 μg ml-1), Ag NPs (≥25 μg ml-1), Zn2+ ions (≥200 μg ml-1), and Ag+ ions (≥10 μg ml-1) amended media. Expression of stress response genes, glutathione S-transferase (Shgst1) and superoxide dismutase 2 (ShSOD2), was significantly induced in the isolates by exposure to the NPs and ions. In addition, a significant increase in the nucleic acid contents of fungal hyphae, which may be due to stress response, was observed upon treatment with Ag NPs using Raman spectroscopy. We further observed that a zinc transporter (Shzrt1) might play an important role in accumulating ZnO and Ag NPs into the cells of S. homoeocarpa due to overexpression of Shzrt1 significantly induced by ZnO or Ag NPs within 3 h of exposure. Yeast mutants complemented with Shzrt1 became more sensitive to ZnO and Ag NPs as well as Zn2+ and Ag+ ions than the control strain and resulted in increased Zn or Ag content after exposure. This is the first report of involvement of the zinc transporter in the accumulation of Zn and Ag from NP exposure in filamentous plant pathogenic fungi. Understanding the molecular

  5. Efficacy of saccharides bio-template on structural, morphological, optical and antibacterial property of ZnO nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhanalakshmi, A; Palanimurugan, A; Natarajan, B

    2018-09-01

    Mono, di and polysaccharides of glucose (C 6 H 12 O 6 ), sucrose (C 12 H 24 O 12 ) and starch (C 6 H 12 O 6 ) n bio-template ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) has prepared by chemical precipitation method. Saccharides bio-template ZnO (SBts-ZnO) NPs were efficiently prepared for their structural and optical properties were examined by using XRD, FE-SEM, AFM, FTIR, UV and PL techniques. All the samples are polycrystalline nature with a preferential orientation depending on the (1 0 1) plane. The reduction of crystalline size by utilizing glucose, sucrose and starch bio-template of ZnO NPs. FE-SEM images revealed that the spherical and nano-rods like morphologies for ZnO and SBts-ZnO NPs respectively. AFM recorded images shows spherical features that confirmed and also the morphological changes were noticed with the addition of polymers. Interaction of bio-templated saccharides (glucose G 1 , sucrose S 2 & starch S n ) molecules was proved by FTIR study. Optical absorbance and emission behaviours were investigated using UV-Vis and photoluminescence techniques. The antibacterial study revealed that SBts-ZnO have excellent antibacterial effect than ZnO. The S n -ZnO sample has potent antibacterial activity against the Proteus vulgaris followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2011-01-01

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

  7. Catalytic degradation of Amlodipine Besylate using ZnO, Cu doped ZnO, and Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles from an aqueous solution: Investigating the effect of different parameters on degradation efficiency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alizadeh, Elahe; Baseri, Hadi

    2018-04-01

    Some common nanoparticles, such as Zinc Oxide have been used as nanocatalysts in many processes, but they also have an important application in water purification processes. In this research, ZnO based nanoparticles were used for the degradation of Amlodipine Besylate (AMB) and the effect of some main parameters, e.g. initial concentration of AMB, nanocatalysts dose, pH of the solution, temperature of the solution, H2O2 dose, and the time of visible light irradiation, were investigated. The destruction amount was determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by FE-SEM, XRD, FT-IR, BET, BJH, EDS, XRF and UV-Vis techniques. The maximum degradation of AMB was about 90% in 60 min of visible light irradiation with 100 μL of H2O2.

  8. Ag nanoparticles-decorated ZnO nanorod array on a mechanical flexible substrate with enhanced optical and antimicrobial properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yi; Tse, Wai Hei; Chen, Longyan; Zhang, Jin

    2015-03-01

    Heteronanostructured zinc oxide nanorod (ZnO NR) array are vertically grown on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through a hydrothermal method followed by an in situ deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) through a photoreduction process. The Ag-ZnO heterostructured nanorods on PDMS are measured with an average diameter of 160 nm and an average length of 2 μm. ZnO NRs measured by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) shows highly crystalline with a lattice fringe of 0.255 nm, which corresponds to the (0002) planes in ZnO crystal lattice. The average diameter of the Ag NPs in situ deposited on the ZnO NRs is estimated at 22 ± 2 nm. As compared to the bare ZnO NRs, the heterostructured Ag-ZnO nanorod array shows enhanced ultraviolet (UV) absorption at 440 nm, and significant emission in the visible region (λem = 542 nm). In addition, the antimicrobial efficiency of Ag-ZnO heterostructured nanorod array shows obvious improvement as compared to bare ZnO nanorod array. The cytotoxicity of ZnO nanorod array with and without Ag NPs was studied by using 3 T3 mouse fibroblast cell line. No significant toxic effect is imposed on the cells.

  9. The effect of ZnO nanoparticle coating on the frictional resistance between orthodontic wires and ceramic brackets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behroozian, Ahmad; Kachoei, Mojgan; Khatamian, Masumeh; Divband, Baharak

    2016-01-01

    Background. Any decrease in friction between orthodontic wire and bracket can accelerate tooth movement in the sliding technique and result in better control of anchorage. This study was carried out to evaluate frictional forces by coating orthodontic wires and porcelain brackets with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO). Methods. In this in vitro study, we evaluated a combination of 120 samples of 0.019×0.025 stainless steel (SS) orthodonticwires and 22 mil system edgewise porcelain brackets with and without spherical zinc oxide nanoparticles. Spherical ZnOnanoparticles were deposited on wires and brackets by immersing them in ethanol solution and SEM (scanning electronmicroscope) evaluation confirmed the presence of the ZnO coating. The frictional forces were calculated between the wiresand brackets in four groups: group ZZ (coated wire and bracket), group OO (uncoated wire and bracket), group ZO (coatedwire and uncoated bracket) and group OZ (uncoated wire and coated bracket). Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney andKruskal-Wallis tests were used for data analysis. Results. The frictional force in ZZ (3.07±0.4 N) was the highest (P <0.05), and OZ (2.18±0.5 N) had the lowest amount of friction (P <0.05) among the groups. There was no significant difference in frictional forces between the ZO and OO groups (2.65±0.2 and 2.70±0.2 N, respectively). Conclusion. Coating of porcelain bracket surfaces with ZnO nanoparticles can decrease friction in the sliding technique,and wire coating combined with bracket coating is not recommended due to its effect on friction. PMID:27429727

  10. Gallotannin-Capped Gold Nanoparticles: Green Synthesis and Enhanced Morphology of AFM Images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jaehyung; Yhim, Won Been; Park, Jong-Won; Lee, Sang-Hyeon; Kim, Tae Yoon; Cha, Song-Hyun; Kim, Hyun-Seok; Jang, Hong-Lae; Cho, Miyeon; Park, Youmie; Cho, Seonho

    2016-06-01

    Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized by a green method using a plant secondary metabolite, gallotannin. Gallotannin was used as a reducing and capping agent to convert gold ions into AuNPs for the generation of gallotannin-capped AuNPs (GT-AuNPs). This synthetic route is ecofriendly and eliminates the use of toxic chemical reducing agents. The characteristic surface plasmon resonance of the GT-AuNPs was observed at 536 nm in the UV-visible spectra. The face-centered cubic structure of GT-AuNPs was verified by X-ray diffraction analysis. The majority of the GT-AuNPs had a spherical shape with an average diameter of 15.93 ± 8.60 nm. Fourier transform infrared spectra suggested that the hydroxyl functional groups of gallotannin were involved in the synthesis of GT-AuNPs. The size and shape of nanoparticles can have a crucial impact on their biological, mechanical, and structural properties. Herein, we developed a modified anisotropic diffusion equation to selectively remove nanoscale experimental noise while preserving nanoscale intrinsic geometry information. To demonstrate the performance of the developed method, the ridge and valley lines were plotted by utilizing the principle curvatures. Compared to the original anisotropic diffusion and raw atomic force microscopy (AFM) experimental data, the developed modified anisotropic diffusion shows excellent performance in nanoscale noise removal while preserving the intrinsic aeometry of the nanoparticles.

  11. Comparative study of Ni and Cu doped ZnO nanoparticles: Structural and optical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakur, Shaveta; Thakur, Samita; Sharma, Jyoti; Kumar, Sanjay

    2018-05-01

    Nanoparticles of undoped and doped (0.1 M Ni2+ and Cu2+) ZnO are synthesized using chemical precipitation method. The crystallite size, morphology, chemical bonding and optical properties of as prepared nanoparticles are determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and UV-visible spectra. XRD analysis shows that the prepared samples are single phase and have hexagonal wurtzite structure. The crystallite size of the doped and undoped nanoparticles is determined using Scherrer method. The crystallite size is found to be increased with concentration of nickel and copper. All stretching and vibrational bands are observed at their specific positions through FTIR. The increase in band gap can be attributed to the different chemical nature of dopant and host cation.

  12. Vegetable Peel Waste for the Production of ZnO Nanoparticles and its Toxicological Efficiency, Antifungal, Hemolytic, and Antibacterial Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surendra, T. V.; Roopan, Selvaraj Mohana; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah; Arasu, Mariadhas Valan; Sarkar, Gargi; Suthindhiran, K.

    2016-12-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are important materials when making different products like sun screens, textiles, and paints. In the current study, the photocatalytic effect of prepared ZnO NPs from Moringa oleifera ( M. oleifera) was evaluated on degradation of crystal violet (CV) dye, which is largely released from textile industries and is harmful to the environment. Preliminarily, ZnO NP formation was confirmed using a double beam ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer; further, the NP size was estimated using XRD analysis and the functional group analysis was determined using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The morphology of the synthesized NPs was found to be a hexagonal shape using SEM and TEM analysis and elemental screening was analyzed using EDX. ZnO NPs were shown sized 40-45 nm and spherical in shape. The degradation percentage of ZnO NPs was calculated as 94% at 70 min and the rate of the reaction -k = 0.0282. The synthesized ZnO NPs were determined for effectiveness on biological activities such as antifungal, hemolytic, and antibacterial activity. ZnO NPs showed good antifungal activity against Alternaria saloni and Sclerrotium rolfii strains. Further, we have determined the hemolytic and antibacterial activity of ZnO NPs and we got successive results in antibacterial and hemolytic activities.

  13. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy of carbon nanoparticles in SiO2, ZnO and NiO matrices

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Katumba, G

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Coatings of carbon nanoparticles dispersed in SiO2, ZnO and NiO matrices on aluminium substrates have been fabricated by a sol–gel technique. Spectrophotometry was used to determine the solar absorptance and the thermal emittance of the composite...

  14. ZnO and TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles as novel antimicrobial agents for oral hygiene: a review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khan, Shams Tabrez, E-mail: shamsalig75@gmail.com; Al-Khedhairy, Abdulaziz A. [King Saud University, Department of Zoology, College of Science (Saudi Arabia); Musarrat, Javed [AMU, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (India)

    2015-06-15

    Oral cavity is inhabited by more than 25,000 different bacterial phylotypes; some of them cause systemic infections in addition to dental and periodontal diseases. Emergence of multiple antibiotic resistance among these bacteria necessitates the development of alternative antimicrobial agents that are safe, stable, and relatively economic. This review focuses on the significance of metal oxide nanoparticles, especially zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles as supplementary antimicrobials for controlling oral infections and biofilm formation. Indeed, the ZnO NPs and TiO{sub 2} NPs have exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against oral bacteria at concentrations which is not toxic in in vivo toxicity assays. These nanoparticles are being produced at an industrial scale for use in a variety of commercial products including food products. Thus, the application of ZnO and TiO{sub 2} NPs as nanoantibiotics for the development of mouthwashes, dental pastes, and other oral hygiene materials is envisaged. It is also suggested that these NPs could serve as healthier, innocuous, and effective alternative for controlling both the dental biofilms and oral planktonic bacteria with lesser side effects and antibiotic resistance.

  15. A residue-free green synergistic antifungal nanotechnology for pesticide thiram by ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Jingzhe; Luo, Zhihui; Li, Ping; Ding, Yaping; Cui, Yi; Wu, Qingsheng

    2014-07-01

    Here we reported a residue-free green nanotechnology which synergistically enhance the pesticides efficiency and successively eliminate its residue. We built up a composite antifungal system by a simple pre-treating and assembling procedure for investigating synergy. Investigations showed 0.25 g/L ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with 0.01 g/L thiram could inhibit the fungal growth in a synergistic mode. More importantly, the 0.25 g/L ZnO NPs completely degraded 0.01 g/L thiram under simulated sunlight irradiation within 6 hours. It was demonstrated that the formation of ZnO-thiram antifungal system, electrostatic adsorption of ZnO NPs to fungi cells and the cellular internalization of ZnO-thiram composites played important roles in synergy. Oxidative stress test indicated ZnO-induced oxidative damage was enhanced by thiram that finally result in synergistic antifungal effect. By reducing the pesticides usage, this nanotechnology could control the plant disease economically, more significantly, the following photocatalytic degradation of pesticide greatly benefit the human social by avoiding negative influence of pesticide residue on public health and environment.

  16. Preparation and Properties of Nanoparticles of Calcium Phosphates With Various Ca/P Ratios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Limin; Chow, Laurence C; Frukhtbeyn, Stanislav A; Bonevich, John E

    2010-01-01

    This study aimed at preparing and studying the properties of nanoparticles of calcium phosphate (nCaP) with Ca/P ratios ranging from 1.0 to 1.67 using a spray-drying technique. Micro-structural analyses suggested that the nCaPs with Ca/P ratios of 1.67 to 1.33 were nano-sized amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) containing varying amounts of acid phosphate and carbonate. The nCaP with Ca/P ratio of 1 contained only nano-sized low crystalline dicalcium phosphate (DCP). BET measurements of the nCaPs showed specific surface areas of (12 ± 2 to 50 ± 1) m(2)/g, corresponding to estimated equivalent spherical diameters of (38 to 172) nm. However, dynamic light scattering measurements revealed much larger particles of (380 ± 49 to 768 ± 111) nm, owing to agglomeration of the smaller primary nano particles as revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Thermodynamic solubility measurements showed that the nCaPs with Ca/P ratio of 1.33 - 1.67 all have similar solubility behavior. The materials were more soluble than the crystalline hydroxyapatite (HA) at pH greater than about 4.7, and more soluble than β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), octacalcium phosphate (OCP) and DCP at pH above 5.5. Their solubility approached that of α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) at about pH 7. These nCaPs, which cannot be readily prepared by other currently available methods for nanoparticle preparation, have potential biomedical applications.

  17. Characterization and development of ZnO nanoparticles as a photosensitizer for diagnostic and treatment of cancer using lasers (abstract)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Firdous, S.

    2011-01-01

    For over ongoing Biophotonics research we have characterized a cost expensive, and noninvasive Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (Np) and NRs of 11-15nm and nanorods (NRs) of 60-120nm diameter to use a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer. Confocal microscopy and light polarization techniques were employed to characterize the samples. Confocal microscopy of well known photosensitizer 5-Aminolavlonic acid (ALA) with ZnO and ALA without ZnO significant changes were seen and verified ZnO is tissue non toxic in dark, but enhances endogenous fluorescence in human cells. The fluorescence of ZnO with ALA is prominent if compared with other images. We observed that in dark ZnO is biosafe, biocompatible but cell toxic in the presence of 635nm laser light. ZnO conjugated photo-sensitizers being toxic under exposure of suitable light for malignant cells, and can be used as cancer cell killing drug. Mechanism of cytotoxicity appears to involve the generation of singlet oxygen inside the cell. The novel findings of cell-localized toxicity indicate a potential application of ZnO NRs with and without ALA can be used as efficient drug carrier, biomarker in diagnostic clinical applications, while ZnO NRs can be an appealing candidate for the PDT treatment of malignant diseases epically cancer. (author)

  18. Cytotoxicity of Ultra-pure TiO{sub 2} and ZnO Nanoparticles Generated by Laser Ablation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Minju; Park, Jeong Min; Lee, Eun Jeong; Cho, Yea Seul; Lee, Chunghyun; Kim, Jeong Moo; Hah, Sang Soo [Kyung Hee Univ., Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-11-15

    This paper aims to address the cellular toxicity of ultra-pure titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) frequently employed in sunscreens as inorganic physical sun blockers to provide protection against adverse effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation including UVB (290-320 nm) and UVA (320-400 nm). In consideration that the production and the use of inorganic NPs have aroused many concerns and controversies regarding their safety and toxicity and that microsized TiO{sub 2} and ZnO have been increasingly replaced by TiO{sub 2} and ZnO NPs (< 100 nm), it is very important to directly investigate a main problem related to the intrinsic/inherent toxicity of these NPs and/or their incompatibility with biological objects. In the present study, we took advantage of the laser-assisted method called laser ablation for generation of TiO{sub 2} and ZnO NPs. NPs were prepared through a physical process of irradiating solid targets in liquid phase, enabling verification of the toxicity of ultra-pure NPs with nascent surfaces free from any contamination. Our results show that TiO{sub 2} NPs are essentially non-poisonous and ZnO NPs are more toxic than TiO{sub 2} NPs based on the cell viability assays.

  19. Electrochemical characteristics of coated steel with poly(N-methyl pyrrole) synthesized in presence of ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahmoudian, M.R., E-mail: M_R_mahmoudian@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Department of Chemistry, Masjed-Soleiman Branch, Islamic Azad University, Masjed-Soleiman (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Basirun, W.J.; Alias, Y. [Department of Chemistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Khorsand Zak, A. [Low Dimensional Materials Research Center, Department of Physics, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2011-10-31

    Poly(N-methyl pyrrole) (PMPy) coating was electrodeposited on steel substrates in mixed electrolytes of dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid with oxalic acid in the absence and the presence of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The morphology and compositions were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Electrode/coating/electrolyte system was studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. The comparison between the pore resistance (R{sub po}) of synthesized PMPy in the absence and presence of ZnO NPs indicated that the existence of ZnO increased the R{sub po} of the coating. The FESEM micrographs indicated that the size of micro-spherical grains in the morphology of PMPy is significantly reduced and the surface area of PMPy is increased with the presence of ZnO NPs. The increase of the ability to interact with the ions liberated during the corrosion reaction of steel and the increase of the rate probability for the occurrence of cathodic reduction of oxygen on the PMPy with the increase of the surface area can be considered as reasons for improvement of protective properties of synthesized PMPy in the presence of ZnO NPs.

  20. Thermoelectric properties of In{sub 0.2}Co{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} skutterudites with embedded PbTe or ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chubilleau, C.; Lenoir, B.; Candolfi, C.; Masschelein, P. [Université de Lorraine, CNRS, UMR 7198, Institut Jean Lamour, Parc de Saurupt, 54011 Nancy (France); Dauscher, A., E-mail: anne.dauscher@univ-lorraine.fr [Université de Lorraine, CNRS, UMR 7198, Institut Jean Lamour, Parc de Saurupt, 54011 Nancy (France); Guilmeau, E. [Laboratoire CRISMAT, UMR 6508, 6 boulevard Maréchal Juin, 14050 Caen Cedex (France); Godart, C. [ICMPE-CMTR, CNRS-UMR 7182, 2-8 rue H. Dunant, 94320 Thiais (France)

    2014-03-15

    Highlights: • Fabrication of nanostructured skutterudites ZnO or PbTe/In{sub 0.2}Co{sub 4}Sb{sub 12.} • Thermal conductivity modeling accounts for experimental results. • Greater lattice thermal conductivity decrease in In{sub 0.2}Co{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} than in CoSb{sub 3}. • A max ZT of 1.05 is obtained at 700 K in a 2 wt% ZnO-containing sample. -- Abstract: Transport properties of the skutterudite compound In{sub 0.2}Co{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} containing ZnO or PbTe nano-sized particles (2–12 wt%) were investigated by means of electrical resistivity, thermopower and thermal conductivity between 5 and 800 K. The composite powders were prepared by freeze-drying the nanoparticles with micron-sized In{sub 0.2}Co{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} powders. Densification was achieved by spark plasma sintering. All composites were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. All the transport coefficients show similar temperature dependences suggesting little influence of the nature, semiconducting or insulating, of the nanoparticles. Both the electrical and the thermal conductivities decrease with increasing the PbTe or ZnO content. The impact of ZnO and PbTe on the thermal conductivity was modelled based on the Debye model taking into account a relaxation time constant reflecting phonon scattering by spherical nanoparticles. A maximum dimensionless figure of merit ZT of 1.05 at 700 K was achieved in a sample containing 2 wt% ZnO, a value quite similar to that of the reference In{sub 0.2}Co{sub 4}Sb{sub 12} compound.

  1. Controlling growth rate anisotropy for formation of continuous ZnO thin films from seeded substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, R H; Slamovich, E B; Handwerker, C A

    2013-01-01

    Solution-processed zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films are promising candidates for low-temperature-processable active layers in transparent thin film electronics. In this study, control of growth rate anisotropy using ZnO nanoparticle seeds, capping ions, and pH adjustment leads to a low-temperature (90 ° C) hydrothermal process for transparent and high-density ZnO thin films. The common 1D ZnO nanorod array was grown into a 2D continuous polycrystalline film using a short-time pure solution method. Growth rate anisotropy of ZnO crystals and the film morphology were tuned by varying the chloride (Cl − ) ion concentration and the initial pH of solutions of zinc nitrate and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA), and the competitive adsorption effects of Cl − ions and HMTA ligands on the anisotropic growth behavior of ZnO crystals were proposed. The lateral growth of nanorods constituting the film was promoted by lowering the solution pH to accelerate the hydrolysis of HMTA, thereby allowing the adsorption effects from Cl − to dominate. By optimizing the growth conditions, a dense ∼100 nm thickness film was fabricated in 15 min from a solution of [Cl − ]/[Zn 2+ ] = 1.5 and pH= 4.8 ± 0.1. This film shows >80% optical transmittance and a field-effect mobility of 2.730 cm 2 V −1 s −1 at zero back-gate bias. (paper)

  2. Raman scattering and band-gap variations of Al-doped ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by a chemical colloid process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lo, Shih-Shou; Huang, Dison; Tu, Chun Hsiang; Hou, Chia-Hung; Chen, Chii-Chang

    2009-01-01

    This study synthesizes Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanoparticles using a chemical colloid process. Raman scattering analysis shows that Al doping increases the lattice defects and induces Raman vibration modes of 651 cm -1 . The Raman shift of the active mode E 2 (high) of AZO nanoparticles shows the presence and increase in the stress in nanoparticles when the Al dopant concentration increases. Room-temperature photoluminescence (RT-PL) spectra of synthesized AZO nanoparticles exhibit strong UV emissions near the band edges. The RT-PL peak shifts to a higher photon energy region as the Al concentration increases, indicating a broadening of the band gap.

  3. Morphologically controlled ZnO nanostructures as electron transport materials in polymer-based organic solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Kyu-Chae; Lee, Eun-Jin; Baek, Youn-Kyoung; Lim, Dong-Chan; Kang, Yong-Cheol; Kim, Yang-Do; Kim, Ki Hyun; Kim, Jae Pil; Kim, Young-Kuk

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Enhanced efficiency of solar cells using ZnO nanocrystals for charge transport. • Morphology of the charge transport layer is controlled. • Mixture of nanoparticles and nanorods are advantageous for cell efficiency. - ABSTRACT: The morphology of ZnO electron transport layers based on ZnO nanoparticles were modified with incorporation of ZnO nanorods via their co-deposition from mixed colloidal solution of nanoparticles and nanorods. In particular, the short circuit current density and the fill factor of the constructed photovoltaic device were simultaneously improved by applying mixture of ZnO nanoparticles and nanorods. As a result, a large improvement of power conversion efficiency up to 9% for the inverted organic solar cells having a blend of low band gap polymers and fullerene derivative as an active layer was demonstrated with the morphologically controlled ZnO electron transport layer.

  4. The Interactions between ZnO Nanoparticles (NPs and α-Linolenic Acid (LNA Complexed to BSA Did Not Influence the Toxicity of ZnO NPs on HepG2 Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yiwei Zhou

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Nanoparticles (NPs entering the biological environment could interact with biomolecules, but little is known about the interaction between unsaturated fatty acids (UFA and NPs. Methods: This study used α-linolenic acid (LNA complexed to bovine serum albumin (BSA for UFA and HepG2 cells for hepatocytes. The interactions between BSA or LNA and ZnO NPs were studied. Results: The presence of BSA or LNA affected the hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, UV-Vis, fluorescence, and synchronous fluorescence spectra of ZnO NPs, which indicated an interaction between BSA or LNA and NPs. Exposure to ZnO NPs with the presence of BSA significantly induced the damage to mitochondria and lysosomes in HepG2 cells, associated with an increase of intracellular Zn ions, but not intracellular superoxide. Paradoxically, the release of inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6 was decreased, which indicated the anti-inflammatory effects of ZnO NPs when BSA was present. The presence of LNA did not significantly affect all of these endpoints in HepG2 cells exposed to ZnO NPs and BSA. Conclusions: the results from the present study indicated that BSA-complexed LNA might modestly interact with ZnO NPs, but did not significantly affect ZnO NPs and BSA-induced biological effects in HepG2 cells.

  5. Structural properties of perovskite films on zinc oxide nanoparticles-reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-NPs/rGO) prepared by electrophoretic deposition technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bahtiar, Ayi; Nurazizah, Euis Siti; Latiffah, Efa; Risdiana, Furukawa, Yukio

    2018-02-01

    Perovskite solar cells highly believed as next generation solar cells to replace currently available inorganic silicon solar cells due to their high power conversion efficiency and easy processing to thin films using solution processing techniques. Performance and stability, however still need to be improved for mass production and widely used for public electricity generation. Perovskite solar cells are commonly deposited on Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) film as an effective electron transport layer (ETL). We used Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) as ETL in perovskite solar cells due to the low temperature required for crystallization and can be formed into different shapes of nanostructures. However, perovskite film can easily degrade into insulating lead iodide due to deprotonation of the methylammoniumcation at the surface of ZnO-NPs, in particular when it stored in ambient air with high relative humidity. The degradation of perovskite layer is therefore needed to be overcome. Here, we capped ZnO-NPs with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to overcome the degradation of perovskite film where ZnO-NPs is synthesized by sol-gel method. The average nanoparticle size of ZnO is 15 nm. ZnO-NPs and ZnO-NPs-rGO films are prepared using electrophoretic deposition technique, which can produce large area with good homogeneity and high reproducibility. The stability of perovskite layer can significantly be improved by capping ZnO with rGO, which is indicated by absence of color change of perovskite after storage for 5 (five) days in ambient air with relative humidity above 95%. Moreover, the X-Ray Diffaction peaks of perovskite film are more preserved when deposited on ZnO/rGO film than using only ZnO film. We strongly believe, by capping ZnO film with rGO, both the performance and stability of perovskite solar cells can be improved significantly.

  6. Effect of nanocomposite packaging containing ZnO on growth of Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter aerogenes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esmailzadeh, Hakimeh [National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sangpour, Parvaneh, E-mail: Sangpour@merc.ac.ir [Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Department, Materials and Energy Research Center, Karaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shahraz, Farzaneh [National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Hejazi, Jalal [Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khaksar, Ramin [National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-01-01

    Recent advances in nanotechnology have opened new windows in active food packaging. Nano-sized ZnO is an inexpensive material with potential antimicrobial properties. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the antibacterial effect of low density Polyethylene (LDPE) containing ZnO nanoparticles on Bacillus subtilis and Enterobacter aerogenes. ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized by facil molten salt method and have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nanocomposite films containing 2 and 4 wt.% ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by melt mixing in a twin-screw extruder. The growth of both microorganisms has decreased in the presence of ZnO containing nanocomposites compared with controls. Nanocomposites with 4 wt.% ZnO nanoparticles had stronger antibacterial effect against both bacteria in comparison with the 2 wt.% ZnO containing nanocomposites. B. subtilis as Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to ZnO containing nanocomposite films compared with E. aerogenes as Gram-negative bacteria. There were no significant differences between the migration of Zn ions from 2 and 4 wt.% ZnO containing nanocomposites and the released Zn ions were not significantly increased in both groups after 14 days compared with the first. Regarding the considerable antibacterial effects of ZnO nanoparticles, their application in active food packaging can be a suitable solution for extending the shelf life of food. - Highlights: • ZnO containing nanocomposites decreased growth of both B. subtilis and E. aerogenes. • B. subtilis was more sensitive to ZnO containing nanocomposites. • The migration of Zn ions from nanocomposites was negligible.

  7. Synthesis and characterization of Mg-doped ZnO hollow spheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hammad, Talaat M.; Salem, Jamil K.

    2011-01-01

    Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple chemical method at low temperature with Mg:Zn atomic ratio from 0 to 7%. The synthesis process is based on the hydrolysis of zinc acetate dihydrate and magnesium acetate tetrahydrate were heated under refluxing at 65 °C using methanol as a solvent. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the Mg-doped ZnO crystallizes in a wurtzite structure with crystal size of 5–12 nm. These nanocrystals self-aggregated themselves into hollow spheres of size of 800–1100 nm. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images show that each sphere is made up of numerous nanoparticles of average diameter 5–11 nm. The XRD patterns, SEM and TEM micrographs of doping of Mg in ZnO confirmed the formation of hollow spheres indicating that the Mg 2+ is successfully substituted into the ZnO host structure of the Zn 2+ site. Furthermore, the UV–Vis spectra and photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the ZnO nanoparticles were also investigated. The band gap of the nanoparticles can be tuned in the range of 3.36–3.55 eV by the use of the dopants.

  8. Growth and characterization of ZnO nanowires for optical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    AlSalhi, M S; Atif, M; Ansari, A A; Khun, K; Ibupoto, Z H; Willander, M

    2013-01-01

    In the present work, cerium oxide CeO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel method and used for the growth of ZnO nanorods. The synthesized nanoparticles were studied by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, these nanoparticles were used as the seed layer for the growth of ZnO nanorods by following the hydrothermal growth method. The structural study of ZnO nanorods was carried out by means of field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and XRD techniques. This study demonstrated that the grown ZnO nanorods are well aligned, uniform, of good crystal quality and have diameters of less than 200 nm. Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis revealed that the ZnO nanorods are composed only of zinc, cerium as the seed atom, and oxygen atoms, with no other impurities in the grown nanorods. Moreover, a photoluminescence (PL) approach was applied for the optical characterization, and it was observed that the near-band-edge (NBE) emission was the same as that of the zinc acetate seed layer, however the green and orange/red emission peaks were slightly raised due to possibly higher levels of defects in the cerium oxide seeded ZnO nanorods. This study provides an alternative approach for the controlled synthesis of ZnO nanorods using cerium oxide nanoparticles as the seed nucleation layer, improving both the morphology of the nanorods and the performance of devices based upon them. (paper)

  9. The study of structural and optical properties of (Eu, La, Sm) codoped ZnO nanoparticles via a chemical route

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lang, Jihui; Zhang, Qi; Han, Qiang; Fang, Yue; Wang, Jiaying; Li, Xiuyan; Liu, Yanqing [Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Siping, 136000 (China); Wang, Dandan [Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130033 (China); Yang, Jinghai, E-mail: jhyang1@jlnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Siping, 136000 (China); Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130033 (China)

    2017-06-15

    The (Eu, La, Sm) ions were doped into ZnO nanoparticles by a chemical route, and the substitution of (Eu, La, Sm) for Zn{sup 2+} ions was proved by analytic techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, transmission electron microscope (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The results revealed that the codoping did not change the wurtzite structure of ZnO nanoparticles, but the diameter of the nanoparticles decreased with increasing the rare earth (RE) doping concentrations. The optical bandgaps calculated through UV–visible absorption spectroscopy were found to decrease from 3.26 to 3.14 eV with increasing the RE doping concentrations, which also proved by the slight shift of UV positions in PL spectra. The sharp red emissions located at 578.2, 590.1 and 615.7 nm were originated from the 4f-4f transitions in Eu{sup 3+} ions under excitation of 325 nm. And these red emissions of Eu{sup 3+} ions showed a strong correlation with the energy storage centers of oxygen vacancies in the samples which was introduced by the other RE ions of La{sup 3+} and Sm{sup 3+} codoping. - Highlights: • Doping of (Eu, La, Sm) ions into ZnO nanoparticles is realized by a chemical route. • Eu{sup 3+}-related red emissions from intra-4f follow a similar trend as broad defect emission. • Red emissions of Eu{sup 3+} enhance with RE codoping due to oxygen vacancies as energy storage centers. • The bandgap can be tuned by RE codoping, which shows a prospect for the visible utilization.

  10. Noble metal nanoparticle-functionalized ZnO nanoflowers for photocatalytic degradation of RhB dye and electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hussain, Muhammad; Sun, Hongyu; Karim, Shafqat; Nisar, Amjad; Khan, Maaz; Ul Haq, Anwar; Iqbal, Munawar; Ahmad, Mashkoor

    2016-01-01

    Flower-like hierarchical Zinc oxide nanostructures synthesized by co-precipitation method have been hydrothermally functionalized with 8 nm Au NPs and 15 nm Ag nanoparticles. The photocatalytic and electrochemical performance of these structures are investigated. XPS studies show that the composite exhibits a strong interaction between noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) and Zinc oxide nanoflowers. The PL spectra exhibit UV emission arising due to near band edge transition and show that the reduced PL intensities of Au–ZnO and Ag–ZnO composites are responsible for improved photocatalytic activity arising due to increase in defects. Moreover, the presence of Au NPs on ZnO surface remarkably enhances photocatalytic activity as compared to Ag–ZnO and pure ZnO due to the higher catalytic activity and stability of Au NPs. On the other hand, Ag–ZnO-modified glassy carbon electrode shows good amperometric response to hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2), with linear range from 1 to 20 µM, and detection limit of 2.5 µM (S/N = 3). The sensor shows high and reproducible sensitivity of 50.8 μA cm"−"2 μM"−"1 with a fast response less than 3 s and good stability as compared to pure ZnO and Au–ZnO-based sensors. All these results show that noble metal NPs-functionalized ZnO base nanocomposites exhibit great prospects for developing efficient non-enzymatic biosensor and environmental remediators.Graphical abstractZnO nanoflowers functionalized with noble metal nanoparticles enhance photocatalytic degradation of RhB dye and electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide.

  11. Noble metal nanoparticle-functionalized ZnO nanoflowers for photocatalytic degradation of RhB dye and electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hussain, Muhammad [PINSTECH, Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division (Pakistan); Sun, Hongyu [Tsinghua University, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and The State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Department of Materials Science and Engineering Beijing, National Center for Electron Microscopy (China); Karim, Shafqat; Nisar, Amjad; Khan, Maaz [PINSTECH, Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division (Pakistan); Ul Haq, Anwar [PINSTECH, Non-destructive testing Group (Pakistan); Iqbal, Munawar [University of the Punjab, Centre for High Energy Physics (Pakistan); Ahmad, Mashkoor, E-mail: mashkoorahmad2003@yahoo.com [PINSTECH, Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division (Pakistan)

    2016-04-15

    Flower-like hierarchical Zinc oxide nanostructures synthesized by co-precipitation method have been hydrothermally functionalized with 8 nm Au NPs and 15 nm Ag nanoparticles. The photocatalytic and electrochemical performance of these structures are investigated. XPS studies show that the composite exhibits a strong interaction between noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) and Zinc oxide nanoflowers. The PL spectra exhibit UV emission arising due to near band edge transition and show that the reduced PL intensities of Au–ZnO and Ag–ZnO composites are responsible for improved photocatalytic activity arising due to increase in defects. Moreover, the presence of Au NPs on ZnO surface remarkably enhances photocatalytic activity as compared to Ag–ZnO and pure ZnO due to the higher catalytic activity and stability of Au NPs. On the other hand, Ag–ZnO-modified glassy carbon electrode shows good amperometric response to hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}), with linear range from 1 to 20 µM, and detection limit of 2.5 µM (S/N = 3). The sensor shows high and reproducible sensitivity of 50.8 μA cm{sup −2} μM{sup −1} with a fast response less than 3 s and good stability as compared to pure ZnO and Au–ZnO-based sensors. All these results show that noble metal NPs-functionalized ZnO base nanocomposites exhibit great prospects for developing efficient non-enzymatic biosensor and environmental remediators.Graphical abstractZnO nanoflowers functionalized with noble metal nanoparticles enhance photocatalytic degradation of RhB dye and electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide.

  12. Melanoma-Targeted Chemothermotherapy and In Situ Peptide Immunotherapy through HSP Production by Using Melanogenesis Substrate, NPrCAP, and Magnetite Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kowichi Jimbow

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Exploitation of biological properties unique to cancer cells may provide a novel approach to overcome difficult challenges to the treatment of advanced melanoma. In order to develop melanoma-targeted chemothermoimmunotherapy, a melanogenesis substrate, N-propionyl-4-S-cysteaminylphenol (NPrCAP, sulfur-amine analogue of tyrosine, was conjugated with magnetite nanoparticles. NPrCAP was exploited from melanogenesis substrates, which are expected to be selectively incorporated into melanoma cells and produce highly reactive free radicals through reacting with tyrosinase, resulting in chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic effects by oxidative stress and apoptotic cell death. Magnetite nanoparticles were conjugated with NPrCAP to introduce thermotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic effects through nonapoptotic cell death and generation of heat shock protein (HSP upon exposure to alternating magnetic field (AMF. During these therapeutic processes, NPrCAP was also expected to provide melanoma-targeted drug delivery system.

  13. Photogeneration and decay of charge carriers in hybrid bulk heterojunctions of ZnO nanoparticles and conjugated polymers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Quist, P.A.C.; Beek, W.J.E.; Wienk, M.M.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Savenije, T.J.; Siebbeles, L.D.A.

    2006-01-01

    The photogeneration and decay of charge carriers in blend films of ZnO nanoparticles (diam. 5 nm) and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MDMO-PPV) or poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were studied by means of microwave-photoconductance measurements. Excitation of the

  14. One pot synthesis of Ag nanoparticle modified ZnO microspheres in ethylene glycol medium and their enhanced photocatalytic performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian Chungui; Li Wei; Pan Kai; Zhang Qi; Tian Guohui; Zhou Wei; Fu Honggang

    2010-01-01

    Ag nanoparticles (NPs) modified ZnO microspheres (Ag/ZnO microspheres) were prepared by a facile one pot strategy in ethylene glycol (EG) medium. The EG played two important roles in the synthesis: it could act as a reaction media for the formation of ZnO and reduce Ag + to Ag 0 . A series of the characterizations indicated the successful combination of Ag NPs with ZnO microspheres. It was shown that Ag modification could greatly enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO microspheres by taking the photodegradation of Rhodamine B as a model reaction. With appropriate ratio of Ag and ZnO, Ag/ZnO microspheres showed the better photocatalytic performance than commercial Degussa P-25 TiO 2 . Photoluminescence and surface photovoltage spectra demonstrated that Ag modification could effectively inhibit the recombination of the photoinduced electron and holes of ZnO. This is responsible for the higher photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO composites. -- Graphical abstract: A 'one-pot' strategy was developed for preparing the Ag/ZnO microspheres in ethylene glycol. The composites exhibited superior photocatalytic performance for photodegradation of Rhodamine B dye in water. Display Omitted

  15. Morphology and Structure of ZnO Nanoparticles Produced by Electrochemical Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara STYPUŁA

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available This article presents studies of the morphology and structure of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the electrochemical method. Colloidal solutions of the nanoparticles are obtained by an anodic dissolution of metallic zinc in alcohol solutions of lithium chloride containing a small amount of water (5 % vol.. The parameters chosen for the synthesis are based on Zn polarization curves(obtained using the the potentiokinetic (Linear Sweep Voltammetry – LSV and the chronoamperometric method. The synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles is carried out in 0.05m LiCl + 5 % H2O alcohol (methanol or propanol solutions during galvanostatic polarization of Zn at 3 mA/cm2 current density. The process is performed in a two-electrode system, where both electrodes (the working anode and cathode are made of zinc. Optical properties, morphology and structure of the colloidal solutions and powders (obtained after evaporating the solvent were studied using the following spectroscopic and microscopic techniques: UltraViolet and Visible Spectroscopy (UV-VIS, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.1.4417

  16. Characterization and synergetic antibacterial properties of ZnO and CeO2 supported by halloysite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shu, Zhan; Zhang, Yi; Ouyang, Jing; Yang, Huaming

    2017-10-01

    A novel antibacterial nanocomposite, CeO2-ZnO/HNTs was prepared by a homogeneous co-precipitation method in ethanol solution. ZnO and CeO2 nanoparticles with sizes of approximately 8 and 4 nm, respectively, were dispersively precipitated onto the surface of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). HNTs served as a template for reducing the agglomeration of ZnO nanoparticles and improving the interface reactions between the nanocomposite and bacteria cells. CeO2 nanoparticles were introduced to suppress the recombination of electron-hole pairs, and narrow the energy gap of ZnO nanoparticles. The synergistic effects of ZnO, CeO2 nanoparticles and HNTs led to the superior antibacterial activity of the CeO2-ZnO/HNTs nanocomposite against gram-negative Escherichia coli.

  17. Uniform distribution of ZnO nanoparticles on the surface of grpahene and its enhanced photocatalytic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Bing; Zou, Yingquan

    2018-05-01

    Herein, a ZnO-graphene nanocomposite photocatalyst was obtained by a facile one-step photochemical method. Both the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) and uniform loading of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of graphene were achieved during the photochemical reaction process using GO as the precursor of graphene and zinc chloride (ZnCl2) as the single source of ZnO. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO/rGO composites was studied by the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The as-prepared ZnO/rGO photocatalyst possesses great adsorptivity of dyes (e.g., MB) and high charge separation properties. After receiving the photoelectrons from ZnO, graphene plane can effectively transfer the photoelectrons, thereby showing highly efficient photocatalytic degradation towards pollutants. The effective introduction of rGO significantly improved the photocatalysis and sensing properties of ZnO, and we believe that the as-prepared ZnO/rGO nanocomposite would be promising for practical applications in future nanotechnology.

  18. Complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles in culture medium and lymphocyte cells during toxicity testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Here, we present evidence on complete transformation of ZnO and CuO nanoparticles, which are among the most heavily studied metal oxide particles, during 24 h in vitro toxicological testing with human T-lymphocytes. Synchrotron radiation-based X-ray absorption near edge st...

  19. In vitro cytotoxicity tests of ZnO‐Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}‐Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}-based varistor fabricated from ZnO micro and nanoparticle powders on L929 mouse cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sendi, Rabab Khalid, E-mail: last-name3@hotmail.com, E-mail: shahromx@hotmail.com, E-mail: ameerah7@hotmail.com; Mahmud, Shahrom, E-mail: last-name3@hotmail.com, E-mail: shahromx@hotmail.com, E-mail: ameerah7@hotmail.com; Munshi, Ayman, E-mail: last-name3@hotmail.com, E-mail: shahromx@hotmail.com, E-mail: ameerah7@hotmail.com [Nano-optoelectronics Research and Technology Laboratory (N.O.R.), School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang (Malaysia); Seeni, Azman, E-mail: azanseeni@gmail.com [Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 13200, Bertam, Pulau Pinang (Malaysia)

    2014-10-24

    The present study investigated the cytotoxicity of ZnO‐Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}‐Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}-varistors. To this effect, ZnO‐Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3}‐Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} varistors fabricated from ZnO micro-and nanoparticle powders are prepared via conventional ceramic processing method. The effects of ZnO particle size on the properties of ZnO varistors are also investigated. The strong solid-state reaction during sintering may be attributed to the high surface area of the 20 nm ZnO nanoparticles that promote strong surface reaction. The intensity of XRD peaks reflected the high degree of crystallinity of the ZnO nanoparticles. However, the width of the peaks in case of ZnO nanoparticles has increased due to the quantum size effect. The cytotoxicity evaluation of ZnO varistor was conducted on mouse connective tissue fibroblast cells (L929) using Trypan Blue Exclusion Assay analysis. The results show that the four types of varistor samples lead to cellular mitochondrial dysfunction, morphological modifications and apoptosis at the various concentration range and the toxic effects are obviously displayed in high concentration samples. 20nm-VDR is the most toxic materials followed by 40nm-VDR, P8-VDR, and W4-VDR in a descending order.

  20. Effect of Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+) and Ba(2+) metal ions on the antifungal activity of ZnO nanoparticles tested against Candida albicans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haja Hameed, Abdulrahman Syedahamed; Karthikeyan, Chandrasekaran; Senthil Kumar, Venugopal; Kumaresan, Subramanian; Sasikumar, Seemaisamy

    2015-01-01

    The antifungal ability of pure and alkaline metal ion (Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Sr(2+) and Ba(2+)) doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by the co-precipitation method was tested against the pathogenic yeast, Candida albicans (C. albicans), and the results showed that the Mg-doped ZnO NPs possessed greater effect than the other alkaline metal ion doped ZnO NPs. The impact of the concentration of Mg doped ZnO sample on the growth of C. albicans was also studied. The Minimal Fungicidal Concentration (MFC) of the Mg doped ZnO NPs was found to be 2000 μg/ml for which the growth of C. albicans was completely inhibited. The ZnO:Mg sample (1.5mg/ml) with various concentrations of histidine reduced the fungicidal effect of the nanoparticles against C. albicans, which was deliberately explained by the role of ROS. The ZnO:Mg sample added with 5mM of histidine scavenged the ample amount of generated ROS effectively. The binding of the NPs with fungi was observed by their FESEM images and their electrostatic attraction is confirmed by the zeta potential measurement. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. Photocatalytic studies of electrochemically synthesized polysaccharide-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Simranjeet; Kaur, Harpreet

    2018-05-01

    The present work reports the electrochemical synthesis of polysaccharide-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles using sodium hydroxide, starch, and zinc electrodes for the degradation of cationic dye (Rhodamine-B) under sunlight. Physiochemical properties of synthesized sample have been characterized by different techniques such as XRD, TEM, FESEM, EDS, IR, and UV-visible spectroscopic techniques. The influence of various factors such as effect of dye concentration, contact time, amount of photocatalyst, and pH has been studied. The results obtained from the photodegradation study showed that degradation rate of Rhodamine-B dye has been increased with increase of amount of photocatalyst and decreased with increase in initial dye concentration. Furthermore, the kinetics of the degradation has been investigated. It has been found that the photodegradation of Rhodamine-B dye follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and prepared photocatalyst can effectively degrade the cationic dye. Thus, this ecofriendly and efficient photocatalyst can be used for the treatment of dye-contaminated water. This catalyst also showed the antibacterial activity against Bacillus pumilus and Escherichia coli bacterial strains, so the synthesized nanoparticles also have the pharmaceutical properties.

  2. Ether gas-sensor based on Au nanoparticles-decorated ZnO microstructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto López

    Full Text Available An ether gas-sensor was fabricated based on gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs decorated zinc oxide microstructures (ZnO-MS. Scanning electron microscope (SEM and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM measurements were performed to study morphological and structural properties, respectively, of the ZnO-MS. The gas sensing response was evaluated in a relatively low temperature regime, which ranged between 150 and 250 °C. Compared with a sensor fabricated from pure ZnO-MS, the sensor based on Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS showed much better ether gas response at the highest working temperature. In fact, pure ZnO-MS based sensor only showed a weak sensitivity of about 25%. The improvement of the ether gas response for sensor fabricated with Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS was attributed to the catalytic activity of the Au-NPs. Keywords: ZnO microstructures, Au nanoparticles, Ether, Gas sensor

  3. Influence of EDC/NHS coupling chemistry on stability and cytotoxicity of ZnO nanoparticles modified with proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keleştemur, Seda; Altunbek, Mine; Culha, Mustafa

    2017-05-01

    The toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) is a growing concern due to its increasing use in several products including sunscreens, paints, pigments and ceramics for its antibacterial, antifungal, anti-corrosive and UV filtering properties. The toxicity of ZnO NPs is mostly attributed to the Zn2+ release causing an increase in the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. The surface modification with a biocompatible ligand or a polymer can be a good strategy to reduce dissolution based toxicity. In two previous studies, the conflicting results with EDC/NHS coupling chemistry for ZnO NPs were reported. In this study, the same surface modification strategy with an emphasis on the stability of ZnO NPs is clarified. First, the density of -OH groups on the ZnO NPs is increased with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment, and then a silica coating on the ZnO NPs (Si-ZnO) surface is performed. Finally, a covalent attachment of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on three different concentrations of ZnO-Si is carried out by EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. ZnO NPs have a very high dissolution rate under acidic conditions of EDC/NHS coupling chemistry as determined from the ICP-MS analysis. In addition, the amount of ZnO NPs in coupling reaction has an important effect on the dissolution rate of Zn2+ and dependently BSA attached on the ZnO NP surfaces. Finally, the cytotoxicity of the BSA modified Si-ZnO NPs on human lung cancer (A549) and human skin fibroblast (HSF) is evaluated. Although an increased association of BSA modified ZnO NPs with cells was observed, the modification significantly decreased their cytotoxicity. This can be explained with the decreased active surface area of ZnO NPs with the surface modification. However, an increase in the mitochondrial depolarization and ROS production was observed depending on the amount of BSA coverage.

  4. Ion Transport across Biological Membranes by Carborane-Capped Gold Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grzelczak, Marcin P; Danks, Stephen P; Klipp, Robert C; Belic, Domagoj; Zaulet, Adnana; Kunstmann-Olsen, Casper; Bradley, Dan F; Tsukuda, Tatsuya; Viñas, Clara; Teixidor, Francesc; Abramson, Jonathan J; Brust, Mathias

    2017-12-26

    Carborane-capped gold nanoparticles (Au/carborane NPs, 2-3 nm) can act as artificial ion transporters across biological membranes. The particles themselves are large hydrophobic anions that have the ability to disperse in aqueous media and to partition over both sides of a phospholipid bilayer membrane. Their presence therefore causes a membrane potential that is determined by the relative concentrations of particles on each side of the membrane according to the Nernst equation. The particles tend to adsorb to both sides of the membrane and can flip across if changes in membrane potential require their repartitioning. Such changes can be made either with a potentiostat in an electrochemical cell or by competition with another partitioning ion, for example, potassium in the presence of its specific transporter valinomycin. Carborane-capped gold nanoparticles have a ligand shell full of voids, which stem from the packing of near spherical ligands on a near spherical metal core. These voids are normally filled with sodium or potassium ions, and the charge is overcompensated by excess electrons in the metal core. The anionic particles are therefore able to take up and release a certain payload of cations and to adjust their net charge accordingly. It is demonstrated by potential-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy that polarized phospholipid membranes of vesicles can be depolarized by ion transport mediated by the particles. It is also shown that the particles act as alkali-ion-specific transporters across free-standing membranes under potentiostatic control. Magnesium ions are not transported.

  5. Effects of torsional oscillation on tensile behavior of Sn–3.5 wt% Ag alloy with and without adding ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sobhy, M., E-mail: miladsobhym@yahoo.com

    2014-07-29

    Stress–strain characteristics of both Sn–3.5 wt% Ag and Sn–3.5 wt% Ag–0.3 wt% ZnO alloys were investigated using tensile testing machine. Different superimposed torsional oscillation frequencies ranging from 0 to 1.3 Hz at different deformation temperatures ranging from 303 to 363 K were performed. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transition electron microscopy (TEM) and optical microscopy were used to investigate the microstructures of both alloys. The mechanical parameters such as Young's modulus Y, yield stress σ{sub y}, fracture stress σ{sub f}, work hardening coefficient χ{sub p} and fracture strain ε{sub f} were calculated. The fracture stress of both alloys decreases with increasing the superimposed frequency of torsional oscillations as well as deformation temperatures. The fracture strain behaves in a different manner i.e. it increases with increasing the deformation temperature in the alloy containing ZnO nanoparticles while decreases in the alloy free from ZnO nanoparticles. With respect to the effect of the frequency of the superimposed torsional deformation, the fracture strain increases in both alloys.

  6. Biosynthesis and characterization of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles – An emphasis of zeta potential behavior due to capping

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sankhla, Aryan, E-mail: aaryansankhla@gmail.com [Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 302015 (India); Sharma, Rajeshwar; Yadav, Raghvendra Singh [Centre for Converging Technologies, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 302015 (India); Kashyap, Diwakar [Department of Biological Chemistry, Ariel University, Ariel, 40700 (Israel); Kothari, S.L. [Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Jaipur, 303002 (India); Kachhwaha, S. [Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, 302004 (India)

    2016-02-15

    Biological approaches have been amongst the most promising protocols for synthesis of nanomaterials. In this study, Cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) were synthesized by incubating their precursor salts with Escherichia coli and zeta potential (ζ-potential) measurement with varying pH was carried out to evaluate stability of the colloidal dispersion. Formation of CdS NPs was studied in synchrony with microbial growth. TEM analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of NPs. Average size (5 ± 0.4 nm) and electron diffraction pattern revealed polycrystalline cubic crystal phase of these nanoparticles. X-ray diffractogram ascertained the formation of CdS nanoparticles with phase formation and particle size distribution in accordance with the particle size obtained from TEM. Absorption edge of biosynthesized CdS NPs showed a blue shift at ∼400 nm in comparison to their bulk counterpart. A hump at 279 nm indicated presence of biomolecules in the solution in addition to the particles. FT-IR spectrum of capped CdS NPs showed peaks of protein. This confirms adsorption of protein molecules on nanoparticle surface. They act as a capping agent hence responsible for the stability of NPs. The enhanced stability of the particles was confirmed by Zeta potential analysis. The presence of charge on the surface of capped CdS NPs gave a detail understanding of dispersion mechanism and colloidal stability at the NP interface. This stability study of biosynthesized semiconductor nanoparticles utilizing microbial cells had not been done in the past by any research group providing an impetus for the same. Surface area of capped CdS NPs and bare CdS NPs were found to be 298 ± 2.65 m{sup 2}/g and 117 ± 2.41 m{sup 2}/g respectively. A possible mechanism is also proposed for the biosynthesis of CdS NPs. - Highlights: • Synthesis of CdS NPs utilizing reproducible molecular machinery viz. Escherichia coli biomass. • Uniform and Polydispersed NPs with high surface area

  7. Biosynthesis and characterization of cadmium sulfide nanoparticles – An emphasis of zeta potential behavior due to capping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sankhla, Aryan; Sharma, Rajeshwar; Yadav, Raghvendra Singh; Kashyap, Diwakar; Kothari, S.L.; Kachhwaha, S.

    2016-01-01

    Biological approaches have been amongst the most promising protocols for synthesis of nanomaterials. In this study, Cadmium sulfide nanoparticles (CdS NPs) were synthesized by incubating their precursor salts with Escherichia coli and zeta potential (ζ-potential) measurement with varying pH was carried out to evaluate stability of the colloidal dispersion. Formation of CdS NPs was studied in synchrony with microbial growth. TEM analysis confirmed the uniform distribution of NPs. Average size (5 ± 0.4 nm) and electron diffraction pattern revealed polycrystalline cubic crystal phase of these nanoparticles. X-ray diffractogram ascertained the formation of CdS nanoparticles with phase formation and particle size distribution in accordance with the particle size obtained from TEM. Absorption edge of biosynthesized CdS NPs showed a blue shift at ∼400 nm in comparison to their bulk counterpart. A hump at 279 nm indicated presence of biomolecules in the solution in addition to the particles. FT-IR spectrum of capped CdS NPs showed peaks of protein. This confirms adsorption of protein molecules on nanoparticle surface. They act as a capping agent hence responsible for the stability of NPs. The enhanced stability of the particles was confirmed by Zeta potential analysis. The presence of charge on the surface of capped CdS NPs gave a detail understanding of dispersion mechanism and colloidal stability at the NP interface. This stability study of biosynthesized semiconductor nanoparticles utilizing microbial cells had not been done in the past by any research group providing an impetus for the same. Surface area of capped CdS NPs and bare CdS NPs were found to be 298 ± 2.65 m 2 /g and 117 ± 2.41 m 2 /g respectively. A possible mechanism is also proposed for the biosynthesis of CdS NPs. - Highlights: • Synthesis of CdS NPs utilizing reproducible molecular machinery viz. Escherichia coli biomass. • Uniform and Polydispersed NPs with high surface area and

  8. Rapid one-pot propargylamine synthesis by plasmon mediated catalysis with gold nanoparticles on ZnO under ambient conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Béjar, María; Peters, Kate; Hallett-Tapley, Geniece L; Grenier, Michel; Scaiano, Juan C

    2013-02-28

    Surface plasmon excitation of gold nanoparticles on ZnO in the presence of an aldehyde, an amine and phenylacetylene led to rapid and selective formation of propargylamines with good yields (50-95%) at room temperature. Plasmon mediated catalysis is the best available route for this ternary coupling.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites ZnO / polypyrrole for anti corrosive application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valenca, D.P.; Bouchonneau, N.; Vieira, M.R.S.; Alves, K.G.B.; Melo, C.P. de; Urtiga Filho, S.L.

    2014-01-01

    Nanoparticles of metal oxides and conductive polymers have been investigated as alternative additives in corrosion protection of oxidizable metals. In this hybrid nanocomposites work Polypyrrole-ZnO were synthesized and characterized as a potential application as industrial paint anti corrosive additive. The different steps of the synthesis and characterization of nanocomposites are described. The nanocomposites were obtained from the emulsion polymerization of aqueous solutions of pyrrole and sodium dodecyl sulfate containing ZnO nanoparticles dispersed in the mass. The nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission, dynamic light scattering, diffraction of X-rays and techniques of infrared spectroscopy. From the characterization techniques, it was possible to determine the average size of nanoparticles of ZnO and ZnO-Polypyrrole. The peaks in the diffraction pattern of X-rays observed in the nanocomposite were the same as in ZnO, confirming the presence of ZnO in the composite. (author)

  10. Arginine-assisted immobilization of silver nanoparticles on ZnO nanorods: an enhanced and reusable antibacterial substrate without human cell cytotoxicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agnihotri, Shekhar; Bajaj, Geetika; Mukherji, Suparna; Mukherji, Soumyo

    2015-04-01

    Silver-based hybrid nanomaterials are gaining interest as potential alternatives for conventional antimicrobial agents. Herein, we present a simple, facile and eco-friendly approach for the deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on ZnO nanorods, which act as a nanoreactor for in situ synthesis and as an immobilizing template in the presence of arginine. The presence of arginine enhanced the stability of ZnO deposition on the glass substrate by hindering the dissolution of zinc under alkaline conditions. Various Ag/ZnO hybrid nanorod (HNR) samples were screened to obtain a high amount of silver immobilization on the ZnO substrate. Ag/ZnO HNRs displayed potent antibacterial ability and could achieve 100% kill for both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis strains under various test conditions. The hybrid material mediated its dual mode of antibacterial action through direct contact-killing and release of silver ions/nanoparticles and showed superior bactericidal performance compared to pure ZnO nanorods and colloidal AgNPs. No significant decline in antibacterial efficacy was observed even after the same substrate was repeatedly reused multiple times. Interestingly, the amount of Ag and Zn release was much below their maximal limit in drinking water, thus preventing potential health hazards. Immobilized AgNPs showed no cytotoxic effects on the human hepatocarcinoma cell line (HepG2). Moreover, treating cells with the antibacterial substrate for 24 hours did not lead to significant generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The good biocompatibility and bactericidal efficacy would thus make it feasible to utilize this immobilization strategy for preparing new-generation antibacterial coatings.Silver-based hybrid nanomaterials are gaining interest as potential alternatives for conventional antimicrobial agents. Herein, we present a simple, facile and eco-friendly approach for the deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on ZnO nanorods, which act as a

  11. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and small angle neutron scattering studies of thiol capped gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    de la Venta, J.; Bouzas, V.; Pucci, A.; Laguna-Marco, M.A.; Haskel, D.; te Velthuis, S.G.E; Hoffmann, A.; Lal, J.; Bleuel, M.; Ruggeri, G.; de Julian Fernandez, C.; Garcia, M.A.

    2009-01-01

    X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) measurements were performed on thiol capped Au nanoparticles (NPs) embedded into polyethylene. An XMCD signal of 0.8 · 10 -4 was found at the Au L 3 edge of thiol capped Au NPs embedded in a polyethylene matrix for which Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry yielded a saturation magnetization, M s , of 0.06 emu/g Au . SANS measurements showed that the 3.2 nm average-diameter nanoparticles are 28% polydispersed, but no detectable SANS magnetic signal was found with the resolution and sensitivity accessible with the neutron experiment. A comparison with previous experiments carried out on Au NPs and multilayers, yield to different values between XMCD signals and magnetization measured by SQUID magnetometer. We discuss the origin of those differences

  12. Rapid synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles using tryptone as a reducing and capping agent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehta, Sourabh M.; Sequeira, Marilyn P.; Muthurajana, Harries; D'Souza, Jacinta S.

    2018-02-01

    Due to its eco-friendliness, recent times have seen an immense interest in the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles. We present here, a protocol for the rapid and cheap synthesis of Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) using 1 mg/ml tryptone (trypsinized casein) as a reducing and capping agent. These nanoparticles are spherical, 10 nm in diameter and relatively monodispersed. The atoms of these NPs are arranged in face-centered cubic fashion. Further, when tested for their cytotoxic property against HeLa and VERO cell lines, gold nanoparticles were more lethal than silver nanoparticles, with a more or less similar trend observed against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. On the other hand, the NPs were least cytotoxic against a unicellular alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii implying their eco-friendly property.

  13. ZnO nanoparticles modulate the ionic transport and voltage regulation of lysenin nanochannels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Sheenah L; Eixenberger, Josh E; Rossland, Steven; Apsley, Holly; Hoffmann, Connor; Shrestha, Nisha; McHugh, Michael; Punnoose, Alex; Fologea, Daniel

    2017-12-16

    The insufficient understanding of unintended biological impacts from nanomaterials (NMs) represents a serious impediment to their use for scientific, technological, and medical applications. While previous studies have focused on understanding nanotoxicity effects mostly resulting from cellular internalization, recent work indicates that NMs may interfere with transmembrane transport mechanisms, hence enabling contributions to nanotoxicity by affecting key biological activities dependent on transmembrane transport. In this line of inquiry, we investigated the effects of charged nanoparticles (NPs) on the transport properties of lysenin, a pore-forming toxin that shares fundamental features with ion channels such as regulation and high transport rate. The macroscopic conductance of lysenin channels greatly diminished in the presence of cationic ZnO NPs. The inhibitory effects were asymmetrical relative to the direction of the electric field and addition site, suggesting electrostatic interactions between ZnO NPs and a binding site. Similar changes in the macroscopic conductance were observed when lysenin channels were reconstituted in neutral lipid membranes, implicating protein-NP interactions as the major contributor to the reduced transport capabilities. In contrast, no inhibitory effects were observed in the presence of anionic SnO 2 NPs. Additionally, we demonstrate that inhibition of ion transport is not due to the dissolution of ZnO NPs and subsequent interactions of zinc ions with lysenin channels. We conclude that electrostatic interactions between positively charged ZnO NPs and negative charges within the lysenin channels are responsible for the inhibitory effects on the transport of ions. These interactions point to a potential mechanism of cytotoxicity, which may not require NP internalization.

  14. Effect of poly-α, γ, L-glutamic acid as a capping agent on morphology and oxidative stress-dependent toxicity of silver nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevanović, Magdalena; Kovačević, Branimir; Petković, Jana; Filipič, Metka; Uskoković, Dragan

    2011-01-01

    Highly stable dispersions of nanosized silver particles were synthesized using a straightforward, cost-effective, and ecofriendly method. Nontoxic glucose was utilized as a reducing agent and poly-α, γ, L-glutamic acid (PGA), a naturally occurring anionic polymer, was used as a capping agent to protect the silver nanoparticles from agglomeration and render them biocompatible. Use of ammonia during synthesis was avoided. Our study clearly demonstrates how the concentration of the capping agent plays a major role in determining the dimensions, morphology, and stability, as well as toxicity of a silver colloidal solution. Hence, proper optimization is necessary to develop silver colloids of narrow size distribution. The samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential measurement. MTT assay results indicated good biocompatibility of the PGA-capped silver nanoparticles. Formation of intracellular reactive oxygen species was measured spectrophotometrically using 2,7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate as a fluorescent probe, and it was shown that the PGA-capped silver nanoparticles did not induce intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species. PMID:22131829

  15. Controlled morphologies and optical properties of ZnO films and their photocatalytic activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duan Jingjing [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China); Liu Xiaoheng, E-mail: xhliu@mail.njust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China); Han Qiaofeng [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China); Wang Xin, E-mail: wangx@mail.njust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Soft Chemistry and Functional Materials, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210094 (China)

    2011-09-15

    Highlights: > Gelatin acts as a capping reagent in the morphology synthesis of ZnO films. > The microstructures of ZnO films are hexagonal prisms, plates and rose-like crystals. > The hexagonal prisms and rose-like films exhibit excellent photocatalytic activities. - Abstract: ZnO films with three different microstructures including hexagonal prisms, plates and rose-like twinned crystals were fabricated using chemical bath deposition with different concentration of gelatin. The growth mechanisms of ZnO films were discussed, and the gelatin played a vital role as a polyelectrolyte capping the formation of microstructures. The photoluminescence and Raman properties were found sensitive to the crystal morphologies of ZnO films. Significantly, the photodegradation efficiencies of methylene blue under UV light irradiation in the presence of ZnO films consisted of hexagonal prisms and rose-like twinned crystals were 95% and 96%, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic activities can be ascribed to the high oxygen vacancies concentration and high percentage of polar planes, and this result was important in addressing the origin of high photocatalytic activity.

  16. Influence of temperature and precursor concentration on the synthesis of HDA-capped Ag{sub 2}Se nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mlambo, M. [Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark 1900 (South Africa); Molecular Science Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050 (South Africa); Moloto, M.J., E-mail: makwenam@vut.ac.za [Department of Chemistry, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark 1900 (South Africa); Moloto, N. [Molecular Science Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits 2050 (South Africa); Mdluli, P.S. [Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private Bag X3015, Randburg 2125 (South Africa)

    2013-06-01

    Graphical abstract: The temperature effect on the growth and size of silver selenide nanoparticles with the size distribution and XRD patterns. Highlights: ► The HDA-capped Ag{sub 2}Se nanoparticles were synthesized via the colloidal route. ► Temperature and monomer concentration of the reaction were varied. ► The concentration as a factor influenced particles with a decrease observed as the amount of Ag{sup +} ion source is increased. ► Temperature has expected influence on the growth of particles resulting in increase as the temperature is increased. ► TEM images shows spherical particles and their orthorhombic phase from structural analysis by XRD. - Abstract: The size dependent of temperature and precursor concentration on the synthesis of hexadecylamine capped Ag{sub 2}Se nanoparticles via the colloidal route were studied using the combination of optical and structural analysis. The as-prepared Ag{sub 2}Se nanoparticles showed the quantum confinement with all the obtained absorption band edges blue-shifted from the bulk and their corresponding emission maxima displaying a red-shift from band edges characterised by UV–vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The particle sizes were obtained from transmission electron microscopy analysis. The increase in precursor concentration resulted in a decrease in nanoparticle sizes. The increase in reaction temperature showed an increase in the nanoparticle sizes, when the critical temperature at 160 °C was reached, the nanoparticle sizes decreased.

  17. Constructing MnO{sub 2}/single crystalline ZnO nanorod hybrids with enhanced photocatalytic and antibacterial activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Weiwei [College of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Liu, Tiangui, E-mail: tianguiliu@gmail.com [College of Physics and Microelectronics Science, Hunan University, Changsha 410082 (China); Cao, Shiyi; Wang, Chen [College of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China); Chen, Chuansheng, E-mail: 1666423158@qq.com [College of Physics and Electronic Science, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114 (China)

    2016-07-15

    In order to improve the photocatalytic and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanorods, ZnO nanorods decorated with MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles (MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids) were prepared by using microwave assisted coprecipitation method under the influence of hydrogen peroxide, and the structure, photocatalytic activity and antibacterial property of the products were studied. Experimental results indicated that MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles are decorated on the surface of single crystalline ZnO nanorods. Moreover, the resultant MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids have been proven to possess good photocatalytic and antibacterial activity, which their degradated efficiency for Rhodamin B (RhB) is twice as the pure ZnO nanorods. Enhancement for photocatalytic and antibacterial activity is mainly attributed to the low band gap energy and excellent electrochemical properties of MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. - Graphical abstract: The MnO{sub 2}/single crystalline ZnO nanorods hybrids, which MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles are loaded on the surface of ZnO nanorods, were prepared by the step-by-step precipitation method under the assistance of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. Display Omitted - Highlights: • MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids were prepared by the step-by-step assembly method. • Single crystalline ZnO nanorods can be decorated by MnO{sub 2} nanoparticles. • MnO{sub 2}/ZnO nanorod hybrids possess good photocatalytic and antibacterial activity. • MnO{sub 2} can improve the photocatalytic activity of ZnO nanorods under visible light.

  18. OLED-based biosensing platform with ZnO nanoparticles for enzyme immobilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Yuankun; Shinar, Ruth; Shinar, Joseph

    2009-08-01

    Organic light-emitting diode (OLED)-based sensing platforms are attractive for photoluminescence (PL)-based monitoring of a variety of analytes. Among the promising OLED attributes for sensing applications is the thin and flexible size and design of the OLED pixel array that is used for PL excitation. To generate a compact, fielddeployable sensor, other major sensor components, such as the sensing probe and the photodetector, in addition to the thin excitation source, should be compact. To this end, the OLED-based sensing platform was tested with composite thin biosensing films, where oxidase enzymes were immobilized on ZnO nanoparticles, rather than dissolved in solution, to generate a more compact device. The analytes tested, glucose, cholesterol, and lactate, were monitored by following their oxidation reactions in the presence of oxygen and their respective oxidase enzymes. During such reactions, oxygen is consumed and its residual concentration, which is determined by the initial concentration of the above-mentioned analytes, is monitored. The sensors utilized the oxygen-sensitive dye Pt octaethylporphyrin, embedded in polystyrene. The enzymes were sandwiched between two thin ZnO layers, an approach that was found to improve the stability of the sensing probes.

  19. Cellular imaging and folate receptor targeting delivery of gum kondagogu capped gold nanoparticles in cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sathish Sundar Dhilip; Mahesh, Ayyavu; Antoniraj, M Gover; Rathore, Hanumant Singh; Houreld, N N; Kandasamy, Ruckmani

    2018-04-01

    In this study, the green synthesis of gum kondagogu capped gold nanoparticles (GK-GNPs) was prepared using a naturally available polysaccharide. The anionic gum capped GK-GNPs enabled the successful coupling of folic acid (FA) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to produce a fluorescently labelled GNP (F2-GNP). F2-GNPs were further characterized using different physicochemical methods Cellular viability, cellular imaging, and targeted delivery of F2-GNPs were further evaluated in both folate receptor positive (MCF-7) and folate receptor negative (A549) cancer cells. Physicochemical characterization revealed a nanoparticle with a small size (37 nm), smooth surface (surface charge of -23.7 mV), crystallinity of gold nanoparticles and existence of gum kondagogu in the F2-GNPs. Cellular uptake of F2-GNPs indicated a greater affinity towards folate receptor positive cells. This study shows that the F2-GNPs is as an effective nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery and cellular imaging via folate receptors. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Chemical bath deposition of ZnO nanowire-nanoparticle composite electrodes for use in dye-sensitized solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ku, C-H; Wu, J-J [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

    2007-12-19

    ZnO nanowire (NW)-layered basic zinc acetate (LBZA)/ZnO nanoparticle (NP) composite electrodes with different NP occupying extents have been synthesized using a simple wet-chemical route for use in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). By employing mercurochrome as the sensitizer, superior efficiencies ({eta}) of 1.27-2.37% are obtained using the ZnO NW-LBZA/ZnO NP composite electrodes composed of a 5.5 {mu}m thick NW array with different NP occupying extents in comparison with the ZnO NW DSSC ({eta} = 0.45%). It suggests that the ZnO NW-LBZA/ZnO NP composite films which possess a considerable enlarged surface area by NPs growth, without sacrificing electron transport efficiency of single-crystalline ZnO NWs at the same time, are promising photoanodes for use in DSSCs. In addition to the extent of NP occupation, the overall efficiency of the ZnO NW-LBZA/ZnO NP composite DSSC is also influenced by the thickness of the composite film as well as the LBZA fraction and the cracks within the composite. The fraction of LBZA affected by the NP growth period and post-annealing conditions is found to play a crucial role in electron transport through the composite anode. Up to now, a high efficiency DSSC of 3.2% is achieved using a mercurochrome-sensitized and 6.2 {mu}m thick NW-NP composite film.

  1. Interaction of PM2.5 airborne particulates with ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles and their effect on bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baysal, Asli; Saygin, Hasan; Ustabasi, Gul Sirin

    2017-12-21

    A significant knowledge gap in nanotechnology is the absence of standardized protocols for examining and comparison the effect of metal oxide nanoparticles on different environment media. Despite the large number of studies on ecotoxicity of nanoparticles, most of them disregard the particles physicochemical transformation under real exposure conditions and interaction with different environmental components like air, soil, water, etc. While one of the main exposure ways is inhalation and/or atmosphere for human and environment, there is no investigation between airborne particulates and nanoparticles. In this study, some metal oxide nanoparticle (ZnO and TiO 2 ) transformation and behavior in PM2.5 air particulate media were examined and evaluated by the influence on nanoparticle physicochemical properties (size, surface charge, surface functionalization) and on bacterium (Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus/Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria) by testing in various concentrations of PM2.5 airborne particulate media to contribute to their environmental hazard and risk assessment in atmosphere. PM2.5 airborne particulate media affected their toxicity and physicochemical properties when compared the results obtained in controlled conditions. ZnO and TiO 2 surfaces were functionalized mainly with sulfoxide groups in PM2.5 air particulates. In addition, tested particles were not observed to be toxic in controlled conditions. However, these were observed inhibition in PM2.5 airborne particulates media by the exposure concentration. These observations and dependence of the bacteria viability ratio explain the importance of particulate matter-nanoparticle interaction.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2013-01-01

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

  3. Size control synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanoparticles and its application as ZnO-water based nanofluid in heat transfer enhancement in light water nuclear reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharma, Deepak; Pandey, Krishna Murari [National Institute of Technology Silchar, Assam (India). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

    2017-03-15

    A novel and facile approach for size-tunable synthesis of ZnO nanoparticle (NPs) is reported. Size-tuning was attained by using PEG (polyethylene glycol) of molecular weights 400 and 4000. ZnO NPs was synthesized using homogeneous chemical precipitation followed by hydrothermal. Here triethylamine (TEA) was used as a hydroxylating agent. As-synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Synthesized ZnO nanoparticle was used for the preparation of ZnO-water based nanofluid and its application in heat transfer enhancement in light water nuclear reactor. In this work, ZnO-water based nanofluid of different volume concentration (1%, 2% and 3%) and particle size of 10 nm and 20 nm is used for enhancement in heat transfer in annular channel by using two phase approach. The particle size of 10 nm gives better result for enhancing the heat transfer rate in comparison to 20 nm particle size in nuclear reactor.

  4. Nanoparticle-specific changes in Arabidopsis thaliana gene expression after exposure to ZnO, TiO2, and fullerene soot

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Landa, Premysl; Vankova, Radomira; Andrlova, Jana; Hodek, Jan; Marsik, Petr; Storchova, Helena; White, Jason C.; Vanek, Tomas

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Exposure to different nanoparticles resulted in specific changes in gene transcription. ► Nano ZnO caused most dramatic changes in Arabidopsis gene expression. ► Nano ZnO was the most toxic and up-regulated most stress-related genes. ► Fullerene soot caused significant gene expression response – mainly stress-related. ► Nano TiO 2 had weak impact on Arabidopsis gene expression indicating minimal toxicity. - Abstract: The effect of exposure to 100 mg/L zinc oxide (nZnO), fullerene soot (FS) or titanium dioxide (nTiO 2 ) nanoparticles on gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana roots was studied using microarrays. After 7 d, nZnO, FS, or nTiO 2 exposure resulted in 660 up- and 826 down-regulated genes, 232 up- and 189 down-regulated genes, and 80 up- and 74 down-regulated genes, respectively (expression difference > 2-fold; p[t test] 2 exposure, which resulted in up- and down-regulation of genes involved mainly in responses to biotic and abiotic stimuli. The data clearly indicate that the mechanisms of phytotoxicity are highly nanoparticle dependent despite of a limited overlap in gene expression response.

  5. Amidase-responsive controlled release of antitumoral drug into intracellular media using gluconamide-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candel, Inmaculada; Aznar, Elena; Mondragón, Laura; Torre, Cristina De La; Martínez-Máñez, Ramón; Sancenón, Félix; Marcos, M. Dolores; Amorós, Pedro; Guillem, Carmen; Pérez-Payá, Enrique; Costero, Ana; Gil, Salvador; Parra, Margarita

    2012-10-01

    MCM-41 silica nanoparticles were used as inorganic scaffolding to prepare a nanoscopic-capped hybrid material S1, which was able to release an entrapped cargo in the presence of certain enzymes, whereas in the absence of enzymes, a zero release system was obtained. S1 was prepared by loading nanoparticles with Safranine O dye and was then capped with a gluconamide derivative. In the absence of enzymes, the release of the dye from the aqueous suspensions of S1 was inhibited as a result of the steric hindrance imposed by the bulky gluconamide derivative, the polymerized gluconamide layer and the formation of a dense hydrogen-bonded network around the pore outlets. Upon the addition of amidase and pronase enzymes, delivery of Safranine O dye was observed due to the enzymatic hydrolysis of the amide bond in the anchored gluconamide derivative. S1 nanoparticles were not toxic for cells, as demonstrated by cell viability assays using HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines, and were associated with lysosomes, as shown by confocal microscopy. Finally, the S1-CPT material loaded with the cytotoxic drug camptothecin and capped with the gluconamide derivative was prepared. The HeLa cells treated with S1-CPT underwent cell death as a result of material internalization, and of the subsequent cellular enzyme-mediated hydrolysis and aperture of the molecular gate, which induced the release of the camptothecin cargo.

  6. Effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles synthesized by a precipitation

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by a precipitation method in aqueous media from zinc nitrate hexahydrate and sodium hydroxide. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles exhibited a crystalline structure with hexagonal structure of the wurtzite. The morphology of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles presented a spherical ...

  7. Investigating the Implementation of ZnO Nanoparticles as a Tunable UV Detector for Different Skin Types

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosayebi, Pegah; Dorranian, Davoud; Behzad, Kasra

    A facile chemical reduction method was used to synthesize ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) in ethylene glycol solvent at two different calcination temperatures. As a result of variation in the calcination temperature, ZnO NPs with two different sizes were achieved. The NPs were investigated for their structural and optical characteristics using X-ray diffraction and ultraviolet (UV)-Vis spectroscopy. The synthesized ZnO NPs exhibited a hexagonal structure with sizes of 46 and 65nm. The synthesized NPs were then used to investigate dye photocatalytic behavior of products as a tunable UV detector for different skin types. The dye degradation and decolorization of methylene blue in the presence of ZnO NP, following UV radiation as a function of time, were studied at different pH levels. The optical absorption spectra were then taken every 15min for all samples. The UV-Vis spectroscopy spectra revealed that optical absorption of solution was decreased upon UV exposure as a function of time. Photocatalytic reaction indicated that the dye degradation and decolorization rate were accelerated with the increase of pH level. Therefore, a tunable UV detector for different skin types could be engineered by varying the pH level of solution to avoid human skin burning.

  8. Functionalization of Cellulose Fibres with Oxygen Plasma and ZnO Nanoparticles for Achieving UV Protective Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja Jazbec

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Low-pressure oxygen plasma created by an electrodeless radiofrequency (RF discharge was applied to modify the properties of cellulosic fibrous polymer (cotton in order to improve adsorption properties towards zinc oxide (ZnO nanoparticles and to achieve excellent ultraviolet (UV protective properties of cotton fabric. The chemical and physical surface modifications of plasma-treated cotton fabric were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The mechanical properties of plasma-treated samples were evaluated, measuring strength and elongation of the fabrics. The quantity of zinc on the ZnO-functionalized cotton samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS and the effectiveness of plasma treatment for UV protective properties of cotton fabrics was evaluated using UV-VIS spectrometry, measuring the UV protection factor (UPF. The results indicated that longer plasma treatment times cause higher concentration of oxygen functional groups on the surface of fibres and higher surface roughness of fibres. These two conditions are crucial in increasing the content of ZnO nanoparticles on the fibres, providing excellent UV protective properties of treated cotton, with UPF factor up to 65.93.

  9. A prototype Ultraviolet Light Sensor based on ZnO Nanoparticles/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Using Low Temperature Hydrothermal Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Fandi, M; Oweis, R; Khwailah, H; Al-Hattami, S; Al-Shawwa, E; Albiss, B A; Al-Akhras, M-Ali; Qutaish, H; AlZoubi, T

    2015-01-01

    A new prototype UV nanosensor using ZnO nanoparticles (NPs)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite (ZnO-NP/GO) on silicon substrate is reported in this paper. The hybrid nanocomposite structure has been developed by an optimized hydrothermal process at low growth temperature (∼50 °C). In this hybrid nanosensor, the ZnO nanoparticles act as UV- absorbing and charge carrier generating material, while graphene with its superior electrical conductivity has been used as a charge transporting material. Various nanostructure characterization techniques were intensively utilized including SEM, EDX, XRD, FTIR and UV-VIS. Also, the I-V measurement was employed to evaluate the prototype sensor. The morphological SEM analysis showed that the ZnO-NPs (average diameter of 20 nm) were dispersed evenly on the GO sheets. As well, the EDX spectra confirmed the exact chemical composition of the intended structure. The room temperature UV-VIS measurement revealed an enhanced optical absorption of UV-light at an absorption band centered on 375 nm. The improved optical and electrical properties were observed at an optimum relative concentration of 1:10. Under UV light illumination, the measured I-V characteristic of the prototype detector exhibited a considerable photocurrent increase of the ZnO-NP/GO nanocomposite compared to pristine ZnO nanostructure. These results can be promising for future enhanced UV- sensing applications. (paper)

  10. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and small angle neutron scattering studies of thiol capped gold nanoparticles.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    de la Venta, J.; Bouzas, V.; Pucci, A.; Laguna-Marco, M. A.; Haskel, D.; te Velthuis, S. G. E; Hoffmann, A.; Lal, J.; Bleuel, M.; Ruggeri, G.; de Julian Fernandez, C.; Garcia, M. A.; Univ.Complutense de Madrid; Inst. de Magnetismo Aplicado; Univ. of Pisa; Lab. di Magnetismo Molecolare

    2009-01-01

    X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) measurements were performed on thiol capped Au nanoparticles (NPs) embedded into polyethylene. An XMCD signal of 0.8 {center_dot} 10{sup -4} was found at the Au L{sub 3} edge of thiol capped Au NPs embedded in a polyethylene matrix for which Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry yielded a saturation magnetization, M{sub s}, of 0.06 emu/g{sub Au}. SANS measurements showed that the 3.2 nm average-diameter nanoparticles are 28% polydispersed, but no detectable SANS magnetic signal was found with the resolution and sensitivity accessible with the neutron experiment. A comparison with previous experiments carried out on Au NPs and multilayers, yield to different values between XMCD signals and magnetization measured by SQUID magnetometer. We discuss the origin of those differences.

  11. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and small angle neutron scattering study of thiol capped gold nanoparticles.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    de la Venta, J.; Bouzas, V.; Pucci, A.; Laguna-Marco, M. A.; Haskel, D.; Pinel, E. F.; te Velthuis, S. G. E.; Hoffmann, A.; Lal, J.; Bleuel, M.; Ruggeri, G.; de Julian, C.; Garcia, M. A.; Univ. Complutense de Madrid; Inst. de Magnetismo Aplicado UCM; Univ. Pisa; Univ. di Padova

    2009-11-01

    X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) measurements were performed on thiol capped Au nanoparticles (NPs) embedded into polyethylene. An XMCD signal of 0.8 {center_dot} 10{sup -4} was found at the Au L{sub 3} edge of thiol capped Au NPs embedded in a polyethylene matrix for which Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometry yielded a saturation magnetization, M{sub s}, of 0.06 emu/g{sub Au}. SANS measurements showed that the 3.2 nm average-diameter nanoparticles are 28% polydispersed, but no detectable SANS magnetic signal was found with the resolution and sensitivity accessible with the neutron experiment. A comparison with previous experiments carried out on Au NPs and multilayers, yield to different values between XMCD signals and magnetization measured by SQUID magnetometer. We discuss the origin of those differences.

  12. Experimental and theoretical investigations on magnetic behavior of (Al,Co) co-doped ZnO nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayakumar, O D; Achary, S N; Sudakar, C; Naik, R; Salunke, H G; Rao, Rekha; Peng, X; Ahuja, R; Tyagi, A K

    2010-08-01

    We present the structural and magnetic properties of Zn(0.95-x)Co(0.05)Al(x)O (x = 0.0 to 0.1) nanoparticles, synthesized by a novel sol-gel route followed by pyrolysis. Powder X-ray diffraction data confirms the formation of a single phase wurtzite type ZnO structure for all the compositions. The Zn(0.95)Co(0.05)O nanoparticles show diamagnetic behavior at room temperature. However, when Al is co-doped with Co with x = 0.0 to 0.10 in Zn(0.95-x)Co(0.05)Al(x)O, a systematic increase in ferromagnetic moment is observed up to x = 0.07 at 300 K. Above x = 0.07 (e.g. for x = 0.10) a drastic decrease in ferromagnetic nature is observed which is concomitant with the segregation of poorly crystalline Al rich ZnO phase as evidenced from TEM studies. Theoretical studies using density functional calculations on Zn(0.95-x)Co(0.05)Al(x)O suggest that the partial occupancy of S2 states leads to an increased double exchange interaction favoring the ferromagnetic ground states. Such ferromagnetic interactions are favorable beyond a threshold limit. At a high level doping of Al, the exchange splitting is reduced, which suppresses the ferromagnetic ordering.

  13. Synthesis of Alkanethiolate-Capped Metal Nanoparticles Using Alkyl Thiosulfate Ligand Precursors: A Method to Generate Promising Reagents for Selective Catalysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khin Aye San

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Evaluation of metal nanoparticle catalysts functionalized with well-defined thiolate ligands can be potentially important because such systems can provide a spatial control in the reactivity and selectivity of catalysts. A synthetic method utilizing Bunte salts (sodium S-alkylthiosulfates allows the formation of metal nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, and Ir capped with alkanethiolate ligands. The catalysis studies on Pd nanoparticles show a strong correlation between the surface ligand structure/composition and the catalytic activity and selectivity for the hydrogenation/isomerization of alkenes, dienes, trienes, and allylic alcohols. The high selectivity of Pd nanoparticles is driven by the controlled electronic properties of the Pd surface limiting the formation of Pd–alkene adducts (or intermediates necessary for (additional hydrogenation. The synthesis of water soluble Pd nanoparticles using ω-carboxylate-S-alkanethiosulfate salts is successfully achieved and these Pd nanoparticles are examined for the hydrogenation of various unsaturated compounds in both homogeneous and heterogeneous environments. Alkanethiolate-capped Pt nanoparticles are also successfully synthesized and further investigated for the hydrogenation of various alkynes to understand their geometric and electronic surface properties. The high catalytic activity of activated terminal alkynes, but the significantly low activity of internal alkynes and unactivated terminal alkynes, are observed for Pt nanoparticles.

  14. Effect of ZnO nanoparticles on Brassica nigra seedlings and stem explants: growth dynamics and antioxidative response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hira eZafar

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Nanoparticles (NPs have diverse properties in comparison to respective chemicals due to structure, surface area ratio, morphology, and reactivity. Toxicological effects of metallic NPs to organisms including plants have been reported. However, to the authors’ knowledge there is no report on the effect of NPs on in vitro culture of plant explants. In this study, ZnO NPs at 500-1500 mg/L badly affected Brassica nigra seed germination and seedling growth and raised antioxidative activities and antioxidants concentrations. On the other hand, culturing the stem explants of B. nigra on Murashige and Skoog (MS medium in presence of low concentration of ZnO NPs (1-20 mg/L produced white thin roots with thick root hairs. At 10 mg/L ZnO NPs shoots emergence was also observed. The developed calli/roots showed 79% DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl radical scavenging activity at 10 mg/L. While total antioxidant and reducing power potential were also significantly different in presence of ZnO NPs. Non enzymatic antioxidative molecules, phenolics (up to 0.15 µg GAE/mg FW and flavonoids (up to 0.22 µg QE/mg FW, also raised and found NPs concentration dependent. We state that ZnO NPs may induce roots from explants cultured on appropriate medium and can be cultured for production of valuable secondary metabolites.

  15. Improved performance of quantum dot light emitting diode by modulating electron injection with yttrium-doped ZnO nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingling; Guo, Qiling; Jin, Hu; Wang, Kelai; Xu, Dehua; Xu, Yongjun; Xu, Gang; Xu, Xueqing

    2017-10-01

    In a typical light emitting diode (QD-LED), with ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) serving as the electron transport layer (ETL) material, excessive electron injection driven by the matching conduction band maximum (CBM) between the QD and this oxide layer usually causes charge imbalance and degrades the device performance. To address this issue, the electronic structure of ZnO NPs is modified by the yttrium (Y) doping method. We demonstrate that the CBM of ZnO NPs has a strong dependence on the Y-doping concentration, which can be tuned from 3.55 to 2.77 eV as the Y doping content increases from 0% to 9.6%. This CBM variation generates an enlarged barrier between the cathode and this ZnO ETL benefits from the modulation of electron injection. By optimizing electron injection with the use of a low Y-doped (2%) ZnO to achieve charge balance in the QD-LED, device performance is significantly improved with maximum luminance, peak current efficiency, and maximal external quantum efficiency increase from 4918 cd/m2, 11.3 cd/A, and 4.5% to 11,171 cd/m2, 18.3 cd/A, and 7.3%, respectively. This facile strategy based on the ETL modification enriches the methodology of promoting QD-LED performance.

  16. Role of nickel doping on structural, optical, magnetic properties and antibacterial activity of ZnO nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vijayaprasath, G.; Murugan, R. [School of Physics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 004, Tamil Nadu (India); Palanisamy, S.; Prabhu, N.M. [Department of Animal Health and Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 004, Tamil Nadu (India); Mahalingam, T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 443-749 (Korea, Republic of); Hayakawa, Y. [Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu 432-8011 (Japan); Ravi, G., E-mail: gravicrc@gmail.com [School of Physics, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 004, Tamil Nadu (India)

    2016-04-15

    Highlights: • The XRD analyses revealed that the synthesizes nickel doped ZnO (Zn{sub 1−x}Ni{sub x}O, x = 0.0, 0.03, 0.06 and 0.09) nanostructures have hexagonal wurtzite structure. • The photoluminescence measurements revealed that the broad emission was composed of different bands due to zinc and oxygen vacancies. • X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the Ni incorporation in ZnO lattice as Ni{sup 2+} ions. • Room temperature ferromagnetism was observed due to the oxygen vacancies and zinc interstitials are the main reasons for ferromagnetism in Ni doped ZnO NPs. - Abstract: Zn{sub 1−x}Ni{sub x}O nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method. The crystallite sizes of the synthesized samples found to decrease from 38 to 26 nm with increase in nickel concentration. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of Zn−O stretching bands at 577, 573, 569 and 565 cm{sup −1} in the respective ZnO NPs. Optical absorption spectra revealed the red shifted and estimated band gap is found to decrease with increase of Ni doping concentration. The PL spectra of all the samples exhibited a broad emission at 390 nm in the visible range. The carriers (donors) bounded on the Ni sites were observed from the micro Raman spectroscopic studies. Pure and Ni doped ZnO NPs showed significant changes in the M–H loop, especially the diamagnetic behavior changed into ferromagnetic nature for Ni doped samples. The antiferromagnetic super-exchange interactions between Ni{sup 2+} ions is increased in higher Ni doped ZnO NPs and also their antibacterial activity has been studied.

  17. Water adsorbate phases on ZnO and impact of vapor pressure on the equilibrium shape of nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenmoe, Stephane; Biedermann, P. Ulrich

    2018-02-01

    ZnO nanoparticles are used as catalysts and have potential applications in gas-sensing and solar energy conversion. A fundamental understanding of the exposed crystal facets, their surface chemistry, and stability as a function of environmental conditions is essential for rational design and improvement of synthesis and properties. We study the stability of water adsorbate phases on the non-polar low-index (10 1 ¯ 0 ) and (11 2 ¯ 0 ) surfaces from low coverage to multilayers using ab initio thermodynamics. We show that phonon contributions and the entropies due to a 2D lattice gas at low coverage and multiple adsorbate configurations at higher coverage have an important impact on the stability range of water adsorbate phases in the (T,p) phase diagram. Based on this insight, we compute and analyze the possible growth mode of water films for pressures ranging from UHV via ambient conditions to high pressures and the impact of water adsorption on the equilibrium shape of nanoparticles in a humid environment. A 2D variant of the Wulff construction shows that the (10 1 ¯ 0 ) and (11 2 ¯ 0 ) surfaces coexist on 12-faceted prismatic ZnO nanoparticles in dry conditions, while in humid environment, the (10 1 ¯ 0 ) surface is selectively stabilized by water adsorption resulting in hexagonal prisms.

  18. Aminolysis of polyethylene terephthalate surface along with in situ synthesis and stabilizing ZnO nanoparticles using triethanolamine optimized with response surface methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poortavasoly, Hajar; Montazer, Majid, E-mail: tex5mm@aut.ac.ir; Harifi, Tina

    2016-01-01

    This research concerned the simultaneous polyester surface modification and synthesis of zinc oxide nano-reactors to develop durable photo-bio-active fabric with variable hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity under sunlight. For this purpose, triethanolamine (TEA) was applied as a stabilizer and pH adjusting chemical for the aminolysis of polyester surface and enhancing the surface reactivity along with synthesis and deposition of ZnO nanoparticles on the fabric. Therefore, TEA played a crucial role in providing the alkaline condition for the preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles and acting as stabilizer controlling the size of the prepared nanoparticles. The stain–photodegradability regarded as self-cleaning efficiency, wettability and weight change under the process was optimized based on zinc acetate and TEA concentrations, using central composite design (CCD). Findings also suggested the potential of the prepared fabric in inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria growth with greater than 99.99% antibacterial efficiency. Besides, the proposed treatment had no detrimental effect on tensile strength and hand feeling of the polyester fabric. - Highlights: • Durable photo-bio-active polyester with variable hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity • Simultaneous polyester surface aminolysis and ZnO ball-like nanoparticle production • Multi-role of TEA for polyester aminolysis and nanoparticle formation • Optimization of photoactivity and wettability by central composite design.

  19. Fate and behavior of ZnO- and Ag-engineered nanoparticles and a bacterial viability assessment in a simulated wastewater treatment plant

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Musee, N

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The fate and behaviour assessment of ZnO- and Ag-engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) and bacterial viability in a simulated wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) fed with municipal wastewater was investigated through determination of ENPs stability...

  20. Non-vacuum, single-step conductive transparent ZnO patterning by ultra-short pulsed laser annealing of solution-deposited nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Daeho; Pan, Heng; Kim, Eunpa; Grigoropoulos, Costas P. [University of California, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Berkeley, CA (United States); Ko, Seung Hwan [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hee K. [AppliFlex LLC, Sunnyvale, CA (United States)

    2012-04-15

    A solution-processable, high-concentration transparent ZnO nanoparticle (NP) solution was successfully synthesized in a new process. A highly transparent ZnO thin film was fabricated by spin coating without vacuum deposition. Subsequent ultra-short-pulsed laser annealing at room temperature was performed to change the film properties without using a blanket high temperature heating process. Although the as-deposited NP thin film was not electrically conductive, laser annealing imparted a large conductivity increase and furthermore enabled selective annealing to write conductive patterns directly on the NP thin film without a photolithographic process. Conductivity enhancement could be obtained by altering the laser annealing parameters. Parametric studies including the sheet resistance and optical transmittance of the annealed ZnO NP thin film were conducted for various laser powers, scanning speeds and background gas conditions. The lowest resistivity from laser-annealed ZnO thin film was about 4.75 x 10{sup -2} {omega} cm, exhibiting a factor of 10{sup 5} higher conductivity than the previously reported furnace-annealed ZnO NP film and is even comparable to that of vacuum-deposited, impurity-doped ZnO films within a factor of 10. The process developed in this work was applied to the fabrication of a thin film transistor (TFT) device that showed enhanced performance compared with furnace-annealed devices. A ZnO TFT performance test revealed that by just changing the laser parameters, the solution-deposited ZnO thin film can also perform as a semiconductor, demonstrating that laser annealing offers tunability of ZnO thin film properties for both transparent conductors and semiconductors. (orig.)

  1. Chemical synthesis of highly size-confined triethylamine-capped ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2018-03-23

    Mar 23, 2018 ... TiO2 nanoparticles and its dye-sensitized solar cell performance .... Figure 5. Formation mechanism of TEA-capped and uncapped TiO2 nanoparticles. ... this research work, synthesized TEA-capped TiO2 nanopar- ticles were ...

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2017-11-01

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

  3. New method for preparation of polyoxometalate-capped gold nanoparticles, and their assembly on an indium-doped tin oxide electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng, Y.; Zheng, J.; Wang, Z.; Liu, L.; Wu, Y.; Yang, J.

    2011-01-01

    Functionalized gold nanoparticles capped with polyoxometalates were prepared by a simple photoreduction technique where phosphododecamolybdates serve as reducing reagents, photocatalysts, and as stabilizers. TEM images of the resulting gold nanoparticles show the particles to have a relative narrow size distribution. Monolayer and multilayer structures of the negatively charged capped gold nanoparticles were deposited on a poly(vinyl pyridine)-derivatized indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) electrode via the layer-by-layer technique. The surface plasmon resonance band of the gold nanoparticles displays a blue shift on the surface of the ITO electrode. This is due to the substrate-induced charge redistribution in the gold nanoparticles and a change in the electromagnetic coupling between the assembled nanoparticles. The modified electrode exhibits the characteristic electrochemical behavior of surface-confined phosphododecamolybdate and excellent electrocatalytic activity. The catalysis of the modified electrode towards the model compound iodate was systematically studied. The heterogeneous catalytic rate constant for the electrochemical reduction of iodate was determined by chronoamperometry to be ca. 1. 34 x 10 5 mol -1 .L.s -1 . The amperometric method gave a linear range from 2. 5 x 10 -6 to 1. 5 x 10 -3 M and a detection limit of 1. 0 x 10 -6 M. We believe that the functionalized gold nanoparticles prepared by this photoreduction technique are advantageous in terms of fabrication of sensitive and stable redox electrodes. (author)

  4. Synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using tea leaf extract and its ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ZnO nanoparticles were further used to prepare thin film of composite material with natural ... 2.3 Characterization of ZnO nanoparticles. The ZnO nanoparticles ... change arises due to the excitation of surface plasmon res- onance in the metal ...

  5. Synthesis of aluminum nanoparticles capped with copolymerizable epoxides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomas, Brandon J. [Saint Louis University, Department of Chemistry (United States); Bunker, Christopher E. [Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Propulsion Directorate (United States); Guliants, Elena A. [University of Dayton Research Institute, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (United States); Hayes, Sophia E. [Washington University, Department of Chemistry (United States); Kheyfets, Arthur [Saint Louis University, Department of Chemistry (United States); Wentz, Katherine M. [Washington University, Department of Chemistry (United States); Buckner, Steven W., E-mail: buckners@slu.edu; Jelliss, Paul A., E-mail: jellissp@slu.edu [Saint Louis University, Department of Chemistry (United States)

    2013-06-15

    We report on the synthesis of air-stable aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) capped with 1,2-epoxy-9-decene. Long-chain epoxides have proven to be effective capping agents for Al NPs as the epoxide ring is highly susceptible to ring-opening polymerization, leading to the formation of putative polyether loops on the nascent Al NP surface. However, these materials are observed to degrade within several hours to days following exposure to ambient air. By inducing polymerization of the additional terminal alkene functionality on the epoxide, we have produced Al NPs that exhibit both a shelf life of {approx}6 weeks and a high active Al content. Transmission electron microscopy confirms that these spherical nanostructures, {approx}25 nm in diameter, are embedded in a covalently bound polymer matrix that serves as a prophylactic barrier against water/air (H{sub 2}O/O{sub 2}) degradation, and {sup 27}Al solid-state NMR is used to nondestructively confirm the presence of both metallic Al{sup 0} and oxidized Al{sup 3+}. In addition, we have induced polymerization of the epoxide terminal alkene functionality with a long-chain diene monomer, 1,13-tetradecadiene, leading to the formation of Al NPs protected by an extremely hydrophobic polymer matrix. These core-shell nanomaterials also have high active Al contents along with extremely long shelf lives (up to 6 months upon air exposure).

  6. Comparative toxicity assessment of CeO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles towards Sinorhizobium meliloti, a symbiotic alfalfa associated bacterium: Use of advanced microscopic and spectroscopic techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bandyopadhyay, Susmita [Environmental Science and Engineering PhD Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968 (United States); University of California Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (UC CEIN), The University of Texas at El Paso (United States); Peralta-Videa, Jose R. [Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968 (United States); Plascencia-Villa, German; Jose-Yacaman, Miguel [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Texas at San Antonio, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249 (United States); Gardea-Torresdey, Jorge L., E-mail: jgardea@utep.edu [Environmental Science and Engineering PhD Program, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968 (United States); Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968 (United States); University of California Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (UC CEIN), The University of Texas at El Paso (United States)

    2012-11-30

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First cytotoxicity study of CeO{sub 2} and ZnO nanoparticles to Sinorhizobium meliloti. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First report upon the mechanisms of CeO{sub 2} and ZnO NPs toxicity to S. meliloti. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer ZnO NPs were found to be bactericidal in lower concentration. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CeO{sub 2} NPs had bacteriostatic effect on S. meliloti. - Abstract: Cerium oxide (CeO{sub 2}) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are extensively used in a variety of instruments and consumer goods. These NPs are of great concern because of potential toxicity towards human health and the environment. The present work aimed to assess the toxic effects of 10 nm CeO{sub 2} and ZnO NPs towards the nitrogen fixing bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti. Toxicological parameters evaluated included UV/Vis measurement of minimum inhibitory concentration, disk diffusion tests, and dynamic growth. Ultra high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were utilized to determine the spatial distribution of NPs and macromolecule changes in bacterial cells, respectively. Results indicate that ZnO NPs were more toxic than CeO{sub 2} NPs in terms of inhibition of dynamic growth and viable cells counts. STEM images revealed that CeO{sub 2} and ZnO NPs were found on bacterial cell surfaces and ZnO NPs were internalized into the periplasmic space of the cells. FTIR spectra showed changes in protein and polysaccharide structures of extra cellular polymeric substances present in bacterial cell walls treated with both NPs. The growth data showed that CeO{sub 2} NPs have a bacteriostatic effect, whereas ZnO NPs is bactericidal to S. meliloti. Overall, ZnO NPs were found to be more toxic than CeO{sub 2} NPs.

  7. Solvothermal synthesis, characterization and optical properties of ZnO, ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO, mixed oxide nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aslani, Alireza; Arefi, Mohammad Reza; Babapoor, Aziz; Amiri, Asghar; Beyki-Shuraki, Khalil

    2011-01-01

    ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO mixed oxides nanoparticles were produced from a solution containing Zinc acetate, Mg and Ni nitrate by Solvothermal method. The calcination process of the ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO composites nanoparticles brought forth polycrystalline two-phase ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles of 40-80 nm in diameters. ZnO, MgO and NiO were crystallized into wuertzite and rock salt structures, respectively. The optical properties of ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles were obtained by solid state UV and solid state florescent. The XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopies of these nanoparticles were analyzed.

  8. Solvothermal synthesis, characterization and optical properties of ZnO, ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO, mixed oxide nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aslani, Alireza; Arefi, Mohammad Reza; Babapoor, Aziz; Amiri, Asghar; Beyki-Shuraki, Khalil

    2011-03-01

    ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO mixed oxides nanoparticles were produced from a solution containing Zinc acetate, Mg and Ni nitrate by Solvothermal method. The calcination process of the ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO composites nanoparticles brought forth polycrystalline two-phase ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles of 40-80 nm in diameters. ZnO, MgO and NiO were crystallized into würtzite and rock salt structures, respectively. The optical properties of ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles were obtained by solid state UV and solid state florescent. The XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopies of these nanoparticles were analyzed.

  9. Solvothermal synthesis, characterization and optical properties of ZnO, ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO, mixed oxide nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aslani, Alireza, E-mail: a.aslani@vru.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vali-E-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, PO Box: 77176 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Arefi, Mohammad Reza [Islamic Azad University, Yazd Brunch, Young researchers Club, Yazd (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Babapoor, Aziz [Department of Chemical Engineering, Ahar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ahar, PO Box: 54516 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Amiri, Asghar; Beyki-Shuraki, Khalil [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vali-E-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan, PO Box: 77176 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2011-03-15

    ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO mixed oxides nanoparticles were produced from a solution containing Zinc acetate, Mg and Ni nitrate by Solvothermal method. The calcination process of the ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO composites nanoparticles brought forth polycrystalline two-phase ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles of 40-80 nm in diameters. ZnO, MgO and NiO were crystallized into wuertzite and rock salt structures, respectively. The optical properties of ZnO-MgO and ZnO-NiO nanoparticles were obtained by solid state UV and solid state florescent. The XRD, SEM and Raman spectroscopies of these nanoparticles were analyzed.

  10. Influence of Mg doping on ZnO nanoparticles decorated on graphene oxide (GO) crumpled paper like sheet and its high photo catalytic performance under sunlight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labhane, P. K.; Sonawane, S. H.; Sonawane, G. H.; Patil, S. P.; Huse, V. R.

    2018-03-01

    Mg doped ZnO nanoparticles decorated on graphene oxide (GO) sheets were synthesized by a wet impregnation method. The effect of Mg doping on ZnO and ZnO-GO composite has been evaluated by using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Williamson-Hall Plot (Wsbnd H Plot), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The physical parameters of as-prepared samples were estimated by XRD data. FESEM and HR-TEM images showed the uniform distribution of nanoparticles on GO crumpled paper like sheet. Solar light photocatalytic activities of samples were evaluated spectrophotometrically by the degradation of p-nitrophenol (PNP) and indigo carmine (IC) solution. Mgsbnd ZnO decorated on GO sheets exhibit excellent catalytic efficiency compared to all other prepared samples under identical conditions, degrading PNP and IC nearly 99% within 60 min under sunlight. The effective degradation by Mgsbnd ZnO decorated on GO sheet would be due to extended solar light absorption, enhanced adsorptivity on the composite catalyst surface and efficient charge separation of photo-induced electrons. Finally, plausible mechanism was suggested with the help of scavengers study.

  11. Sol-gel synthesized ZnO for optoelectronics applications: a characterization review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harun, Kausar; Hussain, Fayaz; Purwanto, Agus; Sahraoui, Bouchta; Zawadzka, Anna; Azmin Mohamad, Ahmad

    2017-12-01

    The rapid growth in green technology has resulted in a marked increase in the incorporation of ZnO in energy and optoelectronic devices. Research involving ZnO is being given renewed attention in the quest to fully exploit its promising properties. The purity and state of defects in the ZnO system are optimized through several modifications to the synthesis conditions and the starting materials. These works have been verified through a series of characterizations. This review covers the essential characterization outcomes of pure ZnO nanoparticles. Emphasis is placed on recent techniques, examples and some issues concerning sol-gel synthesized ZnO nanoparticles. Thermal, phase, structural and morphological observations are combined to ascertain the level of purity of ZnO. The subsequent elemental and optical characterizations are also discussed. This review would be the collective information and suggestions at one place for investigators to focus on the best development of ZnO-based optical and energy devices.

  12. Remarkable fluorescence enhancement versus complex formation of cationic porphyrins on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Aly, Shawkat Mohammede

    2014-06-12

    Fluorescence enhancement of organic fluorophores shows tremendous potential to improve image contrast in fluorescence-based bioimaging. Here, we present an experimental study of the interaction of two cationic porphyrins, meso-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin chloride (TMPyP) and meso-tetrakis(4-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium)porphyrin chloride (TMAP), with cationic surfactant-stabilized zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) based on several steady-state and time-resolved techniques. We show the first experimental measurements demonstrating a clear transition from pronounced fluorescence enhancement to charge transfer (CT) complex formation by simply changing the nature and location of the positive charge of the meso substituent of the cationic porphyrins. For TMPyP, we observe a sixfold increase in the fluorescence intensity of TMPyP upon addition of ZnO NPs. Our experimental results indicate that the electrostatic binding of TMPyP with the surface of ZnO NPs increases the symmetry of the porphyrin macrocycle. This electronic communication hinders the rotational relaxation of the meso unit and/or decreases the intramolecular CT character between the cavity and the meso substituent of the porphyrin, resulting in the enhancement of the intensity of the fluorescence. For TMAP, on the other hand, the different type and nature of the positive charge resulting in the development of the CT band arise from the interaction with the surface of ZnO NPs. This observation is confirmed by the femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, which provides clear spectroscopic signatures of photoinduced electron transfer from TMAP to ZnO NPs. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

  13. A layer-by-layer ZnO nanoparticle-PbS quantum dot self-assembly platform for ultrafast interfacial electron injection

    KAUST Repository

    Eita, Mohamed Samir

    2014-08-28

    Absorbent layers of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) are now used as material platforms for low-cost, high-performance solar cells. The semiconductor metal oxide nanoparticles as an acceptor layer have become an integral part of the next generation solar cell. To achieve sufficient electron transfer and subsequently high conversion efficiency in these solar cells, however, energy-level alignment and interfacial contact between the donor and the acceptor units are needed. Here, the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique is used to assemble ZnO nanoparticles (NPs), providing adequate PbS QD uptake to achieve greater interfacial contact compared with traditional sputtering methods. Electron injection at the PbS QD and ZnO NP interface is investigated using broadband transient absorption spectroscopy with 120 femtosecond temporal resolution. The results indicate that electron injection from photoexcited PbS QDs to ZnO NPs occurs on a time scale of a few hundred femtoseconds. This observation is supported by the interfacial electronic-energy alignment between the donor and acceptor moieties. Finally, due to the combination of large interfacial contact and ultrafast electron injection, this proposed platform of assembled thin films holds promise for a variety of solar cell architectures and other settings that principally rely on interfacial contact, such as photocatalysis. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. RSM optimized Moringa oleifera peel extract for green synthesis of M. oleifera capped palladium nanoparticles with antibacterial and hemolytic property.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surendra, T V; Roopan, Selvaraj Mohana; Arasu, Mariadhas Valan; Al-Dhabi, Naif Abdullah; Rayalu, G Mokesh

    2016-09-01

    Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) are the very good catalytic agents in many coupling reactions, also these are very well biological agents against bacteria and fungus. M. oleifera capped Pd NPs were synthesized from microwave assisted methanolic extract of M. oleifera peel. To optimize the extraction process RSM (Response Surface Methodology) was applied. To get a good extraction yield BBD (Box-Behnken Design) was employed. The better optimized conditions for the extraction was found as 400W, 25mL of CH3OH at 65°C for 2min. We observed 61.66mg of extract yield from this method. Eco-friendly M. oleifera capped Pd NPs were synthesized using M. oleifera peel extract and confirmed using the different characterization techniques like UV- Vis spectroscopy, XRD, SEM and HR-TEM analysis. We found the size of the M. oleifera capped Pd NPs nanoparticles as 27±2nm and shape of the particles as spherical through the TEM analysis. M. oleifera capped Pd NPs exhibits good antibacterial activity against S. aureus (Staphylococcus aureus) and E. coli (Escherichia coli) bacterial strains and we found the zone inhibition as 0.6 and 0.7mm. The synthesized M. oleifera capped Pd NPs are screened for hemolytic activity and it proved the M. oleifera capped Pd NPs are non-toxic on RBCs cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. ZnO based potentiometric and amperometric nanosensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willander, Magnus; Khun, Kimleang; Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain

    2014-09-01

    The existence of nanomaterials provides the solid platform for sensing applications due to owing of high sensitivity and a low concentration limit of detection. More likely used nanomaterials for sensing applications includes gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, magnetic nanoparticles such as Fe3O4, quantum dots and metal oxides etc. Recently nanomaterial and biological detection becomes an interdisciplinary field and is very much focussed by the researchers. Among metal oxides ZnO is largely considered due to its less toxic nature, biocompatible, cheap and easy to synthesis. ZnO nanomaterial is highly used for the chemical sensing, especially electrochemical sensing due to its fascinating properties such as high surface to volume ratio, atoxic, biosafe and biocompatible. Moreover, ZnO nanostructures exhibit unique features which could expose a suitable nanoenviroment for the immobilization of proteineous material such as enzymes, DNA, antibodies, etc. and in doing so it retains the biological efficiency of the immobilized bio sensitive material. The following review describes the two different coatings (i.e., ionophore and enzyme) on the surface of ZnO nanorods for the chemical sensing of zinc ion detection, thallium (I) ion detection, and L-lactic acid and the measurement of galactose molecules. ZnO nanorods provide the excellent transducing properties in the generation of strong electrical signals. Moreover, this review is very much focused on the applications of ZnO nanostructures in the sensing field.

  16. Biosynthesised ZnO : Dy3+ nanoparticles: Biodiesel properties and reusable catalyst for N-formylation of aromatic amines with formic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy Yadav, L. S.; Raghavendra, M.; Sudheer Kumar, K. H.; Dhananjaya, N.; Nagaraju, G.

    2018-04-01

    ZnO nanoparticles doped with trivalent dysprosium ions (Dy3+) were prepared through the green combustion technique using E. tirucalli plant latex as a fuel. The fundamental and optical properties of the samples are examined via the X-ray diffraction, FTIR, UV-visible analytical methods and morphology by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. Rietveld refinement results show that the ZnO : Dy3+ were crystallized in the wurtzite hexagonal structure with space group P63mc (No. 186). The average particle size of ZnO : Dy3+ prepared with the different concentration of latex was found to be in the range 30-38nm, which is also confirmed by TEM analysis. A rapid and convenient method for the one-pot preparation of N-formamide derivatives aromatic amines and amino acid esters has been developed using Dy3+ doped ZnO as a catalytic agent. This method provides an efficient and much improved modification over reported protocols regarding yield, clean and work-up procedure milder reaction conditions. In this work, Pongamiapinnata oil was recycled for the preparation of biodiesel via Dy3+ doped ZnO as a catalytic agent.

  17. Two-dimensional ZnO ultrathin nanosheets decorated with Au nanoparticles for effective photocatalysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Jin; You, Ning; Yu, Zhe; Zhou, Gang [College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China); Xu, Xiaoyong, E-mail: xxy@yzu.edu.cn [College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China); State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096 (China)

    2016-08-21

    Two-dimensional (2D) materials, especially the inorganic 2D nanosheets (NSs), are of particular interest due to their unique structural and electronic properties, which are favorable for photoelectronic applications such as photocatalysis. Here, we design and fabricate the ultrathin 2D ZnO NSs decorated with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs), though molecular modelling 2D hydrothermal growth and followed by surface modification are used as an effective photocatalyst for photocatalytic organic dye degradation and hydrogen production. The ultrathin 2D nature enables ultrahigh atom ratio near surface to proliferate the active sites, and the Au plasmon plays a promoting role in the visible-light absorption and photogenerated charge separation, thus integrating the synergistic benefits to boost the redox reactions at catalyst/electrolyte interface. The AuNPs-decorated ZnO NSs yield the impressive photocatalytic activities such as the dye degradation rate constant of 7.69 × 10{sup −2} min{sup −1} and the hydrogen production rate of 350 μmol h{sup −1} g{sup −1}.

  18. Synthesis of Cu and Ce co-doped ZnO nanoparticles: crystallographic, optical, molecular, morphological and magnetic studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rawat Mohit

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available In the present research work, crystallographic, optical, molecular, morphological and magnetic properties of Zn1-xCuxO (ZnCu and Zn1-x-yCeyCuxO (ZnCeCu nanoparticles have been investigated. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA coated ZnCu and ZnCeCu nanoparticles have been synthesized by chemical sol-gel method and thoroughly studied using various characterization techniques. X-ray diffraction pattern indicates the wurtzite structure of the synthesized ZnCu and ZnCeCu particles. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that the synthesized ZnCu and ZnCeCu particles are of spherical shape, having average sizes of 27 nm and 23 nm, respectively. The incorporation of Cu and Ce in the ZnO lattice has been confirmed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO doped with Cu and co-doped Ce display two emission bands, predominant ultra-violet near-band edge emission at 409.9 nm (3 eV and a weak green-yellow emission at 432.65 nm (2.27 eV. Room temperature magnetic study confirms the diamagnetic behavior of ZnCu and ferromagnetic behavior of ZnCeCu.

  19. Cu-implanted ZnO nanorods array film: An aqueous synthetic approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, Ajaya Kumar, E-mail: ajayaksingh_au@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, Govt. VYT PG. Autonomous College Durg, Chhattisgarh (India); Thool, Gautam Sheel [Department of Chemistry, Govt. VYT PG. Autonomous College Durg, Chhattisgarh (India); Singh, R.S. [Department of Physics, Govt. D.T. College, Utai, Durg, Chhattisgarh (India); Singh, Surya Prakash, E-mail: spsingh@iict.res.in [Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Uppal road, Tarnaka, Hyderabad 500007 (India)

    2015-01-05

    Highlights: • Cu doped ZnO nanorods were synthesized using low temperature aqueous solution method. • We demonstrated the capping action of TEA via theoretical simulation. • Raman analysis revealed the presence of tensile strain in Cu doped ZnO nanorods. • Growth rate was found to be high in Cu doped ZnO nanorods. - Abstract: Pure and Cu doped ZnO nanorods array are synthesized via two step chemical bath deposition method. The seed layer is prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption reaction (SILAR) method. The synthesized materials have been systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDAX), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. SEM pictures show the existence of vertically well aligned hexagonal ZnO nanorods. EDAX spectrum confirms the presence of Cu in ZnO nanorods. High intense peak of (0 0 2) plane and E{sub 2}{sup high} mode for XRD and Raman spectrum respectively, suggest the ZnO nanorods are adopted c-axis orientation perpendicular to substrate. XRD and Raman analysis shows the presence of tensile strain in Cu doped ZnO nanorods. Effect of Cu doping on lattice constants, unit cell volume and Zn–O bond length of ZnO nanorods have also been studied. Room temperature PL measurement exhibits two luminescence bands in the spectra i.e. UV emission centered at 3.215 eV and a broad visible band. Theoretical investigation for capping action of triethanolamine is done by Hartree–Fock (HF) method with 3-21G basis set using Gaussian 09 program package.

  20. Antiproliferative effects of ZnO, ZnO-MTCP, and ZnO-CuMTCP nanoparticles with safe intensity UV and X-ray irradiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadjadpour, Susan; Safarian, Shahrokh; Zargar, Seyed Jalal; Sheibani, Nader

    2016-01-01

    In photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer both the light and the photosensitizing agent are normally harmless, but in combination they could result in selective tumor killing. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized and coated with the amino acid cysteine to provide an adequate arm for conjugation with porphyrin photosensitizers (meso-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin [MTCP] and CuMTCP). Porphyrin-conjugated nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, FTIR, and UV-vis, and fluorescence spectrophotometry. The 3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to measure cell viability in the presence or absence of porphyrin conjugates following UV and X-ray irradiation. The uptake of the porphyrin-conjugated ZnO nanoparticles by cells was detected using fluorescence microscopy. Our results indicated that the survival of T-47D cells was significantly compromised in the presence of ZnO-MTCP-conjugated nanostructures with UV light exposure. Exhibition of cytotoxic activity of ZnO-MTCP for human prostate cancer (Du145) cells occurred at a higher concentration, indicating the more resistant nature of these tumor cells. ZnO-CuMTCP showed milder cytotoxic effects in human breast cancer (T-47D) and no cytotoxic effects in Du145 with UV light exposure, consistent with its lower cytotoxic potency as well as cellular uptake. Surprisingly, none of the ZnO-porphyrin conjugates exhibited cytotoxic effects with X-ray irradiation, whereas ZnO alone exerted cytotoxicity. Thus, ZnO and ZnO-porphyrin nanoparticles with UV or X-ray irradiation may provide a suitable treatment option for various cancers. © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.