Biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles using diatoms-silica-gold and EPS-gold bionanocomposite formation

Novel synthesis of gold nanoparticles, EPS-gold, and silica-gold bionanocomposites by biologically driven processes employing two diatom strains (Navicula atomus, Diadesmis gallica) is described. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction analysis (SAED) revealed a presence of gold nanoparticles in the experimental solutions of the diatom culture mixed with tetrachloroaureate. Nature of the gold nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and TEM showed that the nanoparticles were associated with the diatom frustules and extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) excreted by the diatom cells. Due to its accessibility, simplicity, and effectiveness, this method of nanocomposites preparation has great importance for possible future applications

Composites with eutectic microstructure by hot pressing of Al2O3–Y2O3 glass microspheres

In the work we describe the use of Al2O3–Y2O3 glass microspheres with high alumina contents prepared by flame synthesis as a precursor for materials with binary eutectic microstructure and high hardness. XRD amorphous microspheres with eutectic composition in a pseudobinary system Al2O3–Y3Al5O12 (YAG) were prepared by feeding a crystalline powder precursor of respective composition into methane-oxygen flame. The microspheres with the mean diameter ≈10 μm were hot-pressed in vacuum under various conditions (temperatures 840-1600°C, pressure 30 or 40 MPa, isothermal dwell 0-120 min). Hot pressing at 1600 °C without isothermal dwell yielded fully dense bulk materials with fine two phase microstructure with Al2O3 and YAG phases percolating at submicrometre level and with hardness 15 GPa. Extension of the isothermal dwell resulted in undesirable coarsening of the resulting microstructure

Magnetically modified nanogold-biosilica composite as an effective catalyst for CO oxidation

The temperature-dependent biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) using diatom cells of Diadesmis gallica was successfully performed. The resulting biosynthesis product was a bio-nanocomposite containing AuNP (app. 20 nm) subsequently anchored on the silica surface of diatomaceous frustules. As-prepared nanogold-biosilica composite was tested as catalyst in the oxidation of carbon monoxide using gas chromatograph with thermal conductivity detector. For catalytic activity enhancement, bionanocomposite was magnetically modified by ferrofluid using two different methods, i.e., with and without the use of methanol. The oxidation of CO at 300 degrees C was 58-60% in the presence of nanogold-biosilica composites. CO conversion at 300 degrees C was only 15% over magnetically responsive sample modified in the presence of methanol. On the other hand, complete CO conversion was reached over direct (without methanol) magnetically modified nanogold-biosilica composite at 330 degrees C (GHSV = 60 l g(-1) h(-1)). Our results show, that the type of magnetic modification can influence the catalytic activity of bionanocomposite. The best catalytic effect in CO conversion established direct magnetically modified nanogold-biosilica composite.Web of Science1271158114

EFFECT OF GALLIUM FOCUSED ION BEAM IRRADIATION ON PROPERTIES OF YBa

We present initial investigation of the superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor (SFS) heterostructures of nanometer dimensions prepared by the gallium focused ion beam (FIB) technology. The SFS heterostructures were realized on the basis of high-Tc superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 Ox and ferromagnetic La 0.67 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 thin films. SFS weak link junctions require dimensions of the weak link connection in the range of nanometer size realizable by FIB patterning. On the other side the gallium focused ion beam might bring about unacceptable degradation of the superconducting as well as ferromagnetic thin film properties. The presented results show that FIB offers a suitable procedure for realization of nanometer size devices but some degradation of the ferromagnetic and superconducting properties was observed. Solution of this problem will be achieved in the next stage of our investigations

Magneto-optical studies of BaFe12O19 films grown by metallo-organic decomposition

M-type barium hexagonal ferrites BaFe12O19 (BaM) films considered for new devices that operate in the 40-70 GHz range with small or zero applied magnetic fields were characterized by magneto-optical (MO) complex polar “Kerr” effect (PKE) spectroscopy, MO magnetometry, and spectral ellipsometry (SE). The textured polycrystalline films were grown on Pt(111)/TiO2 template on Si wafer using metallo-organic decomposition technique (MOD) followed by rapid thermal annealing. In the films grown in one, two and three MOD iterations, the thickness was evaluated by SE and transmission electron microscopy. The film thickness ranged from 30 nm to 50 nm per MOD iteration. The best films display out-of-plane effective magnetic anisotropy field of 13 kOe, high perpendicular remanent magnetization and ferromagnetic resonance linewidth of 340 Oe at 60 GHz. The coercivity deduced from the MO hysteresis loops ranged between 0.25 kOe and 0.52 kOe. The SE and PKE spectra were taken at photon energies from 0.7 eV to 6.4 eV and from 1.2 eV to 4.8 eV, respectively. The PKE spectra display the structure observed on BaM single crystal natural faces normal to the c-axis. They are consistent with magnetoplumbite structure, with high degree of grain c-axis ordering, absence of foreign phases and Fe valence-exchange mechanism. Single phase nature of the films was further confirmed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and 57Fe nuclear magnetic resonance at 4.2 K.Web of Science561330132

Magnetic dot arrays modeling via the system of the radial basis function networks

Two dimensional square lattice general model of the magnetic dot array is introduced. In this model the intradot self-energy is predicted via the neural network and interdot magnetostatic coupling is approximated by the collection of several dipolar terms. The model has been applied to disk-shaped cluster involving 193 ultrathin dots and 772 interaction centers. In this case among the intradot magnetic structures retrieved by neural networks the important role play single-vortex magnetization modes. Several aspects of the model have been understood numerically by means of the simulated annealing method.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Functionalized porous silica&maghemite core-shell nanoparticles for applications in medicine: design, synthesis, and immunotoxicity

Aim To determine cytotoxicity and effect of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) on immune response, in particular lymphocyte proliferative activity, phagocytic activity, and leukocyte respiratory burst and in vitro production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Methods Maghemite was prepared by coprecipitation of iron salts with ammonia, oxidation with NaOCl and modified by tetramethyl orthosilicate and aminosilanes. Particles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Cytotoxicity and lymphocyte proliferative activity were assessed using [3H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA of proliferating human peripheral blood cells. Phagocytic activity and leukocyte respiratory burst were measured by flow cytometry; cytokine levels in cell supernatants were determined by ELISA. Results γ-Fe2O3&SiO2-NH2 MNPs were 13 nm in size. According to TEM, they were localized in the cell cytoplasm and extracellular space. Neither cytotoxic effect nor significant differences in T-lymphocyte and T-dependent Bcell proliferative response were found at particle concentrations 0.12-75 μg/cm2 after 24, 48, and 72 h incubation. Significantly increased production of IL-6 and 8, and GMCSF cytokines was observed in the cells treated with 3, 15, and 75 μg of particles/cm2 for 48 h and stimulated with pokeweed mitogen (PHA). No significant changes in TNF-α and IFN-γ production were observed. MNPs did not affect phagocytic activity of monocytes and granulocytes when added to cells for 24 and 48 h. Phagocytic respiratory burst was significantly enhanced in the cultures exposed to 75 μg MNPs/cm2 for 48 h. Conclusions The cytotoxicity and in vitro immunotoxicity were found to be minimal in the newly developed porous core-shell γ-Fe2O3&SiO2-NH2 magnetic nanoparticles

Fungus Aspergillus niger processes exogenous zinc nanoparticles into a biogenic oxalate mineral

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) belong to the most widely used nanoparticles in both commercial products and industrial applications. Hence, they are frequently released into the environment. Soil fungi can affect the mobilization of zinc from ZnO NPs in soils, and thus they can heavily influence the mobility and bioavailability of zinc there. Therefore, ubiquitous soil fungus Aspergillus niger was selected as a test organism to evaluate the fungal interaction with ZnO NPs. As anticipated, the A. niger strain significantly affected the stability of particulate forms of ZnO due to the acidification of its environment. The influence of ZnO NPs on fungus was compared to the aqueous Zn cations and to bulk ZnO as well. Bulk ZnO had the least effect on fungal growth, while the response of A. niger to ZnO NPs was comparable with ionic zinc. Our results have shown that soil fungus can efficiently bioaccumulate Zn that was bioextracted from ZnO. Furthermore, it influences Zn bioavailability to plants by ZnO NPs transformation to stable biogenic minerals. Hence, a newly formed biogenic mineral phase of zinc oxalate was identified after the experiment with A. niger strain's extracellular metabolites highlighting the fungal significance in zinc biogeochemistry.Web of Science64art. no. 21