Structure and enhanced antimicrobial activity of mechanically activated nano TiO2

Titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst, known not only for its ability to oxidize organic contaminants, but also for its antimicrobial properties. In this article, significant enhancement of the antimicrobial activity of TiO2 (up to 32 times) was demonstrated after its activation by ball milling. The antimicrobial activity was analyzed for one fungal and 13 bacterial ATCC strains using the microdilution method and recording the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values. In order to further investigate the correlation between the mechanical activation of TiO2 and its antimicrobial activity, the structure, morphology and phase composition of the material were studied by means of Electron Microscopy, X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded and the Kubelka-Munk function was applied to convert reflectance into the equivalent band gap energy (E-g) and, consequently, to investigate changes in the E-g value. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze the influence of mechanical activation on the Ti 2p and O 1s spectra. The presented results are expected to enable the development of more sustainable and effective advanced TiO2-based materials with antimicrobial properties that could be used in numerous green technology applications

Synthesis, structure and spectroscopic properties of luminescent GdVO4:Dy3+ and DyVO4 particles

Part of this research was done during visit of D.J. to IFN-CNR CSMFO Lab. and FBK Photonics Unit, Povo-Trento, Italy, in the framework of the STSM (Grant No. 38223) from the project: COST Action MP 1401 Advanced Fibre Laser and Coherent Source as tools for Society, Manufacturing and Lifescience” (2014e2018). The authors from Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Education, Science and Tech-nological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Project No: 45020 and 172056). L.T.N. Tran acknowledges the scholarship of the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam International Education Development. T. G. acknowledges the ERDF PostDoc project No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/215 (1.1.1.2/16/I/001).In this work, we focused on the syntheses, structure and spectroscopic properties of GdVO4:Dy3+ and DyVO4 (nano)particles of different sizes and shapes (spherical nanoparticles of 2 nm, 4 nm, and 20 nm in size, nanorods with a few nanometers in diameter and up to 10–20 nm in length and microparticles of 1–8 μm) obtained by four synthetic methods. The size effect on the structure, Raman active modes, and photoluminescence emission intensities was analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and diffuse reflection spectroscopy. All X-ray diffraction patterns clearly indicated presence of a single tetragonal zircon-type phase; absence of impurity phases indicate that the dopant Dy3+ ions were successfully and uniformly incorporated into the GdVO4 host lattice due to the equal valence and similar ionic radii. Micro-Raman measurements support the XRD measurements and showed Raman-active modes of the REVO4 systems (RE = Gd, Dy). The difference between the two hosts in the diffuse reflectance spectra was observed and it could be attributed to more effective Gd3+ ions on the charge transfer bands and different polarization (compared to bulk material) in smaller nanoparticles. Photoluminescence spectroscopy showed several bands in the visible and near-infrared regions which can be exclusively attributed to the f–f transitions of Dy3+ ions.STSM (Grant No. 38223); COST Action MP 1401 (2014e2018); Ministry of Education, Science and Tech-nological Development of the Republic of Serbia (Project No: 45020 and 172056); ERDF PostDoc project No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/215 (1.1.1.2/16/I/001); Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART

Antibacterial potential of electrochemically exfoliated graphene sheets

Electrochemically exfoliated graphene is functionalized graphene with potential application in biomedicine. Two most relevant biological features of this material are its electrical conductivity and excellent water dispersibility. In this study we have tried to establish the correlation between graphene structure and its antibacterial properties. The exfoliation process was performed in a two electrode-highly oriented pyrolytic graphite electrochemical cell. Solution of ammonium persulfate was used as an electrolyte. Exfoliated graphene sheets were dispersed in aqueous media and characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance, zeta potential, contact angle measurements and surface energy. Antibacterial assays have shown lack of the significant antibacterial activity. Major effect on bacteria was slight change of bacteria morphology. Membrane remained intact despite significant change of chemical content of membrane components.This is the peer reviewed version of the paper: Marković, Z. M., Matijašević, D. M., Pavlović, V. B., Jovanović, S. P., Holclajtner-Antunović, I. D., Špitalský, Z., Mičušik, M., Dramićanin, M. D., Milivojević, D. D., Nikšić, M. P., & Todorović Marković, B. M. (2017). Antibacterial potential of electrochemically exfoliated graphene sheets. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 500, 30–43. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2017.03.110][https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021979717303776?via%3Dihub

DUV fluorescence bioimaging study of the interaction of partially reduced graphene oxide and liver cancer cells

The interaction of partially reduced graphene oxide (prGO) and Huh7.5.1 liver cancer cells was investigated by means of DUV fluorescence bioimaging. The prGO sample was obtained by the reduction (to a certain extent) of the initially prepared graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets with hydrazine. The fluorescence of the GO nanosheets increases with time of the reduction due to a change in ratio of the sp(2) and sp(3) carbon sites and the prGO sample was extracted from the dispersion after 6 min, when the intensity of the fluorescence reached its maximum. The reduction process was left to proceed further to saturation until highly reduced graphene oxide (denoted here as rGO) was obtained. GO, prGO and rGO samples were investigated by structural (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (STEM-EDS)) and spectroscopic (UV-vis, photoluminescence (PL), Raman) methods. After that, Huh7.5.1 cells were incubated with GO, prGO and rGO nanosheets and used in bioimaging studies, which were performed on DISCO beamline of synchrotron SOLEIL. It was found that the prGO significantly enhanced the fluorescence of the cells and increased the intensity of the signal by similar to 2.5 times. Time-lapse fluorescence microscopy experiments showed that fluorescence dynamics strongly depends on the type of nanosheets used. The obtained prGO nanostructure can be easily conjugated with aromatic ring containing drugs, which opens a possibility for its applications in fluorescence microscopy monitored drug delivery

Characterization of rare-earth doped Lu2O3 nanopowders prepared with polymer complex solution synthesis

We explored a synthesis route based on the polymer complex solution method for the production of the rare-earth doped Lu2O3 crystalline nanopowders. In this type of synthesis polyethylene glycol is used both as fuel for the combustion reaction, and as nucleation agent for the crystallization process. Synthesized materials were characterized with X-ray diffraction technique, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, EDX technique and photoluminescence spectroscopy with steady state and time domain measurements. X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction analysis showed that presented synthesis procedure yields pure-phase, well crystallized Lu2O3 nanopowders with the particles dimensions in the 30-50 nm range, as observed from TEM images. Luminescence properties of Sm3+ and Tb3+ doped Lu2O3 exhibited characteristic red and pseudo-white emissions from these rare-earth ions, with an average emission lifetime of 0.8 and 0.6 ms, respectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

(Y0.5Lu0.5)2O3:Eu3+ nanopowders: Combustion synthesis, structure and optical properties

In this work we explored the possibility of obtaining nanocrystalline (Y0.5Lu0.5)2O3 powders, doped with europium and co-doped with praseodium, employing polymer complex solution synthesis. Polyethylene glycol, with average molecular weight 200, served both as a fuel and dispersing medium for nanocrystals formation. We investigated structure, morphology, luminescence emission and decay characteristics of obtained powders and how different concentrations of Pr co-dopant affect theirs optical characteristics

Fabrication of polycrystalline (Y0.7Gd0.3)(2)O-3:Eu3+ ceramics: The influence of initial pressure and sintering temperature on its morphology and photoluminescence activity

Nanocrystalline (Y0.7Gd0.3)(2)O-3 powder, synthetised via polymer complex solution method, was compacted into 25 pellets applying high pressures (173-867 MPa) for 30 s that were subsequently sintered at different temperatures (800-1400 degrees C) for 18 h. The morphology and optical characteristics of the starting powder and prepared ceramic samples were monitored and discussed in order to identify the changes induced with the variations of initial compacting pressure, which influence is often neglected, and with sintering temperature. The grain size tends to decrease significantly with increasing pressure, even when elevated temperatures are used for annealing, while low compacting pressure resulted in grain coarsening and, in some cases, even in anomalous morphology of ceramic samples. Luminescence emission in ceramic samples decays faster than in nanopowders, that is in complete agreement with the grain formation and gradual transformation to the bulk material. Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters and branching ratios were calculated taking into account the difference in effective refractive index for nanopowder and ceramic samples. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved

Preparation, structural and spectroscopic studies of (YxLu1-x)(2)O-3:Eu3+ nanopowders

Lutetium and yttrium oxides are promising scintillating materials suitable for use in medical planar X-ray imaging and mammography. In this paper the procedure for preparation of europium doped mixed lutetium-yttrium oxide nanopowders using polymer complex solution synthesis method is presented. Detailed information on nanopowder phase, morphology and crystallinity are obtained using X-ray powder diffraction. SEM and TEM while optical properties are investigated by photoluminescence and radioluminescence measurements. Constituting nanoparticles are 20-40 nm in size, and have excellent structural ordering in cubic bixbyite-type. Unit cell parameter, ionic coordinates, crystal coherence size and microstrain are determined from Rietveld analysis. All powders show strong Eu3+-characteristic red emission, with an average D-5(0) emission lifetime of 1.5 ms. Radioluminescence efficiency is about 15% of the commercial micron-sized Gd2O2S:Eu3+ powder while negligible level of afterglow is found. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Effect of resin and photoinitiator on color, translucency and color stability of conventional and low-shrinkage model composites

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of a low-shrinkage methacrylate monomer and monoacylphosphine oxide photoinitiator on color, translucency, and color stability of model resin-based composites (RBCs). METHODS: Four micro-hybrid RBCs were prepared containing barium-glass fillers in bisphenol A-glycidyl-methacrylate (BisGMA) and triethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) or urethane-based low-shrinkage monomer FIT-852 (FIT; Esstech Inc.) and TEGDMA matrix. Camphorquinone (CQ)/amine or Lucirin TPO were used as photoinitiators. Commercial low-shrinkage RBCs (Charisma Diamond, Heraeus Kulzer and N'Durance, Septodont) and conventional RBCs (Tetric EvoCeram, Ivoclar Vivadent and Filtek Z250, 3M ESPE) were used as controls. Color and translucency were measured using Thermo Scientific Evolution (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and SpectroShade™ Micro (MHT Optic Research) spectrophotometers. Color stability was evaluated after immersion in black tea (pure, with milk or lemon) and distilled water. Data were analyzed using analyses of variance with Tukey's post-test (α=0.05). RESULTS: Photoinitiators had no significant effect on baseline color. Initially whiter FIT-based RBCs showed greater staining in all staining solutions than BisGMA-based RBCs. TPO-containing RBCs showed better color stability than CQ-containing RBCs irrespective of the base monomer. Tea and tea with lemon induced greatest color changes. Adding milk to tea significantly reduced material staining. SIGNIFICANCE: Urethane-based low-shrinkage monomer FIT and conventional BisGMA affected color, translucency and color stability of their respective RBCs. Despite being used in posterior teeth, low-shrinkage RBCs are expected to have favorable optical and esthetic properties. Manufacturers are urged to provide information on optical properties of monomers and monomer mixtures in their low-shrinkage RBCs to allow understanding of interaction with fillers and photoinitiators.publisher: Elsevier articletitle: Effect of resin and photoinitiator on color, translucency and color stability of conventional and low-shrinkage model composites journaltitle: Dental Materials articlelink: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dental.2015.11.027 content_type: article copyright: Copyright © 2015 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.status: publishe