Papers by Keyword: Hollow Nanoparticles

Abstract: The morphological and structural transitions in CdSe hollow nanoparticles (hNPs) with zinc blende structure have studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method under heating. The seven samples of CdSe-hNPs are constructed with different thicknesses from the solid NPs at 10nm and 15nm sizes. Morphological changes in CdSe-hNPs have presented by describing the first stage melting in hollow semiconductor NPs. The thermal effect on the atomic arrangement has also examined by the cubic zinc blende-to-wurtzite transformation occurred during the melting in hNPs. MD results show that the inner shells of those with thin walls have begun to melt at lower temperatures due to the thickness of the NPs. The first stage melting, which resulted in the filling of the void within the particle, takes place almost at the same temperature for hNPs with the thick wall thickness. Then, the melting of the particles is completed at higher temperatures. The cubic diamond structure disappears with the collapse of the inner cavity, and the hcp structure begins to appear at later temperatures.

Abstract: We report in vitro studies on radiotherapy enhancement of hollow gold nanoparticles (HAuNPs), which feature a 50 nm hollow core and a 30 nm thick polycrystalline shell. A clonogenic cell survival assay was used to assess radiation dose enhancement on breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Cells were cultured in a cell culture solution in which pegylated HAuNPs were added. No cytotoxicity of the HAuNPs was observed at the nanoparticle concentration up to 4.25×10⁹ nanoparticles/ml (350 μM Au concentration). A small animal X-ray irradiator and a clinical linear accelerator were used to irradiate HAuNP-treated and control groups. It shows that the radiation damage to the cells is significantly enhanced when the cells are exposed to HAuNPs. This is the first time that AuNPs with diameter larger than 100 nm has been studied for their radiosensitizing effects. In clinical settings, we envision that HAuNPs could be intratumorally injected into tumors, which is more realistic for practical usage of AuNPs as radiosensitizer than passive accumulation in tumors using the enhanced permeability and retention effect or active targeting. Larger particles are favored for the intratumoral injection approach since larger particles tend to be retained in the injection sites, less likely diffusing into surrounding normal tissues. So, this proof-of-concept evaluation shows a promising potential to use HAuNPs as radiation therapy sensitizer for cancers.

Abstract: The formation mechanisms of hollow metal oxide through the oxidation of several metal nanoparticles have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. For Zn, Al, Cu, Ni and Fe nanoparticles, hollow oxide nanoparticles were obtained as a result of vacancy aggregation in the oxidation processes. The formation of the hollow morphology is attributed to the faster outward diffusion of metal ions through the oxide layer in the oxidation processes. Further changes in morphology during the annealing of hollow Cu, Ni and Fe oxides at higher temperatures in air were examined.

Abstract: Formation of hollow structure through oxidation of Al nanoparticles was studied by applying transmission electron microscopy. Al nanoparticles 6~8 nm in diameter were observed to become hollow particles after having been exposed to air at 295 K for a few minutes. An analysis of the Debye-Sherrer rings in the selected area diffraction patterns before and after oxidation showed that hollow oxide nanoparticles are amorphous. The formation mechanisms of hollow oxide are discussed based on the low-temperature oxidation mechanism of Al and on the comparison with our previous results of hollow ZnO formation via oxidation of Zn nanoparticles.

Abstract: The influence of reaction temperature on phase evolution of iron oxide hollow nanoparticles during chemical vapor condensation (CVC) process using iron acetylacetonate was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that three iron oxide phases (α-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3, and Fe3O4) and a mixture of β-Fe2O3 and small amount of γ-Fe2O3 were synthesized at 700oC and 900oC, respectively. TEM observation disclosed that the iron oxide particles are almost composed of hollow structured nanoparticles of 10~20 nm in size and 3~5 nm in shell thickness. This result implies that reaction temperature determining various reaction parameters plays an important role for the phase- and structural evolutions of iron oxide hollow nanoparticles. Especially, the present investigation attempted to explain temperature dependence of the phase evolution of β-Fe2O3 hollow nanoparticles in association with the decomposition of iron acetylacetonate.