Electrospun nanosystems based on PHBV and ZnO for ecological food packaging

The electrospun nanosystems containing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and 1 wt% Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) (with the content of dopant in the range of 0–1 wt% Fe) deposited onto polylactic acid (PLA) film were prepared for food packaging application. They were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), antimicrobial analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS) techniques. Migration studies conducted in acetic acid 3% (wt/wt) and ethanol 10% (v/v) food simulants as well as by the use of treated ashes with 3% HNO3 solution reveal that the migration of Zn and Fe falls into the specific limits imposed by the legislation in force. Results indicated that the PLA/PHBV/ZnO:Fex electrospun nanosystems exhibit excellent antibacterial activity against the Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC-27853) due to the generation of a larger amount of perhydroxyl (¿OOH) radicals as assessed using electron para-magnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy coupled with a spin trapping method. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4@ZnS and Fe3O4@Au@ZnS core-shell nanoparticles

International audienceIn the present work we report new assets on the synthesis and characterization of magnetite based core-shell nanoparticles such as Fe3O4@ZnS and Fe3O4@Au@ZnS. The composites were prepared by seed mediated growth which consist in a sequential growth of a second or third component on a preformed magnetite seeds in the presence of sodium laurylsulphate additives with essential role in growth and aggregation of nanoparticles. Evolved gas analysis (EGA) coupled with FT-IR was used in order to evidence the stages of ZnS shell formation. XRD studies were used for the structural characterization while high resolution transmission electron microscopy gave information concerning morphology and size distributions of nanoparticles. Qualitative and quantitative compositional analysis of samples was made by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All the samples showed magnetic response due to the superparamagnetic behavior of magnetite cores. Increased saturation magnetization was determined for Fe3O4@ZnS samples. A significant photoluminescence (PL) enhancement was also observed as a result of Fe3O4:Zn2+ molar ratio decrease. Additional PL increased response was realized by inserting a gold shell between the magnetite core and ZnS outer shell. Considerations regarding both PL and magnetization enhancements are also presented. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

The influence of milling and annealing on the structural and magnetic behavior of Nd2Fe14B/alpha-Fe magnetic nanocomposite

International audienceExchange coupled Nd2Fe14B/22 wt% alpha-Fe hard/soft magnetic nanocomposite was obtained by mechanical milling and subsequent annealing. In order to improve the crystallinity of hard magnetic phase and in the same time to hinder the increase of crystallites size of the soft magnetic phase, the rapid annealing was performed at temperatures from 700 to 800 degrees C for duration up to 2.5 min. The structural and microstructural properties were determined from X-ray diffraction (XRD), the qualitative and quantitative composition was evaluated by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and magnetic behavior was estimated from hysteresis curves and dM/dH vs. H curves. The present results on soft/hard exchange coupling can be understood from the competition between the crystallinity of the hard phase and the crystallite size of soft magnetic phase resulting by annealing of milled nanocomposite. The best coercivity was obtained for samples annealed at 700, 750 and 800 degrees C for 2, 1.5 and 1 min respectively

Comparative study of core-shell iron/iron oxide gold covered magnetic nanoparticles obtained in different conditions

International audienceIn this study, we report the synthesis and characterization of the core-shell Fe covered with Au shells nanoparticles with mean diameters between 5 and 8 nm. The inverse micelles method was utilized to produce the samples. X-ray diffraction studies show that both core-shell systems have the expected crystalline structure. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomic emission spectroscopy techniques give additional information concerning the structure and composition of nanoparticles. An intermediate shell of amorphous oxidized iron was found between the magnetic Fe core and the external gold shell. The magnetic behavior of different core-shell samples shows no hysteresis loop indicating the superparamagnetic behavior of Fe@Au systems. The superparamagnetic behavior is also evidenced from FC and ZFC dependences of the magnetization versus temperature. By using the temperature dependence of the thermoremanent magnetization combined with magnetization versus applied magnetic field, the effective anisotropy constant was determined. The Fe/Au interface contribution to the effective anisotropy constant was calculated and discussed in relation with the combined shape and stress anisotropies

Interface charge transfer in polypyrrole coated perovskite manganite magnetic nanoparticles

International audienceDifferent hybrid structures were obtained by coating magnetic nanoparticles of perovskite type manganite at optimal doping (La0.67Sr0.33MnO3,LSMO) with different quantities of polypyrrole (PPy). The amorphous layer of polypyrrole surrounding the crystalline magnetic core was observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and analyzed by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements in near edge structure (XANES) techniques. By analyzing the magnetic behavior of the samples one can observe that the surface modification of magnetic nanoparticles by PPy results in an increase in the saturation magnetization of the composites. The process is ascribed to paired electrons transferred from the delocalized π states of the PPy into the outer disordered layers of the manganite. The analysis of pre-edge peak of the Mn K-edge XANES spectra in the case of PPy coated LSMO nanoparticles indicates that the charge transfer between polymer and nanoparticles is (directed) going to missing or distorted oxygen positions, hence increasing the 3d electrons' mobility and orbital hybridization between the neighboring manganese ion. As a consequence, within the surface layers of LSMO nanoparticles, both energy bands disrupted the structure, and the double exchange process between Mn ions was reestablished determining the saturation magnetizations and pre-edge features increase, respectively