Studies on solution – growth thin films of CdS : Zn for photovoltaic application

Structural, optical, and electrical properties of thin films of CdS : Zn prepared by the solution – growth technique are reported as a function of zinc concentration. CdS are window layers influencing the photovoltaic response of CIS solar cells. The zinc doping concentration was varied from 0.05 to 0.5 wt %, zinc doping apparently increase the band gap and lowers the resistivity. All beneficial optical properties of chemically deposited CdS thin films for application as window material in heterojunction optoelectronic devices are retained. Heat treatment in air at 400 °C for 1h modify crystalline structure, optical, and electrical properties of solution growth deposited CdS : Zn films

Anticancer Activity of Copper-Chitosan Nanocomposite Conjugated with Folic Acid

Folic acid (FA) is used as target drug delivery for cancer cells by adding to copper/chitosan nanocomposite (Cu/CNC) to form FA-Cu-CS complex. Chitosan is a promising polymeric that has received a lot of attention recently. Chitosan nanoparticles have wide applications as a nanocarrier for different organic and inorganic substances. In the present study, chitosan nanoparticles (CNP), Cu/CNC, and FA-Cu-CS had been prepared and characterized. Structural, morphological, optical and anticancer activities of the nanoparticles were studied. X-ray diffraction study showed the formation of CNP, Cu/CNC, and FA-Cu-CS. FE-SEM showed the CNPs have spherical shape. While, FE-SEM image of Cu/CNC has aggregated and semi-spherical shapes, but the image of FA-Cu-CS showed aggregated, agglomerated, and irregular shapes. FTIR analysis resulted peak at 1026.13 cm–1 refer to the CNPs bonded with folic acid. UV/VIS spectroscopy showed absorbance peak at 530 nm due to presence of FA-Cu-CS. Moreover, anticancer activity of CNPs, Cu/CNC and FA-Cu-CS was tested by MTT assay against fibroblast, MCF-7 and ovarian cancer, then it was stained by DAPI to show the morphology of nucleus. FA-Cu-CS has higher cytotoxicity from other nanoparticles which was 54%, 65% and 83% against fibroblast, MCF-7 and ovarian cancer, respectively at concentration of 0.175 μL/mL. To our knowledge, there is no report on enhancing the anticancer activity of copper/chitosan nanocomposite by conjugated with folic acid and comparison of anticancer activity among CNPs, Cu/CNC and FA-Cu-CS