Journal of Nano Research Vol. 22

Abstract: Microwave plasma techniques offered many advantages over conventional fabricating methods. However, few studies have used microwave plasma energy to sinter traditional ceramics. Thus, the aim of this work is microwave plasma Jet sintering system (MPJSS) and simulate analyze the electric field of ZnO films on Si (100) substrates. Ansoft HFSS consists of MPJSS modules for the calculation of ZnO films electromagnetic field. Sinter of ZnO films occurs at approximately N₂ with a 10 sccm gas flow rate for a process pressure of 35 Torr and several power of 300W, 600W, 900W and 1200W applied power. Optical emission spectroscopic (OES) studies of N₂ microwave plasmas, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Micro-Raman, and FESEM spectrometry were used to characterize the produced ZnO films. The results of XRD and Micro-Raman showed that the synthesized ZnO films had a high crystalline wurzite structure. The Zn₂SiO₄ peaks reveal an increase of the crystals dimensions with the increase of the E-field. Intensity of diffraction peak of ZnO films increases with increasing microwave powers in MPJSS.

Abstract: In this study, we successfully combined RF magnetron sputtering of a pure Ti metal target and one-stage oxidation process with a wider oxygen ratio (10%-90%) and total sputtering flow rate (16-24 sccm) to produce TiO₂ thin films on a glass substrate. The crystallization, morphology, roughness, and thickness of the thin films were examined using XRD, HR-FESEM, AFM, and a profilometer. Subsequently, the photocatalytic performance was examined using a spectrometer and video tensiometer. The experimental results show that the TiO₂ thin films with a majority of anatase and higher roughness exhibit superior photocatalytic performance; the total sputtering gas flow rate of 18 sccm and oxygen content at 10% is the optimal option. Finally, an empirical formula to correlate the film thickness with deposition time was conducted for the sputtering flow rate of 18 sccm and the oxygen content of 10%.

Abstract: Direct integration of ferroelectrics with semiconductors is critical to lower the cost and simplify the production procedures for data storage/processing components and miniature sensor/actuator development. By optimizing magnetron sputtering parameters, highly <001> preferential growth of BaTiO₃ thin films with reproducible ferroelectric responses have been achieved on Si (001) substrates. The thin film ferroelectric characteristics were systematically studied by piezoresponse force microscopy, and a piezoelectric coefficient d₃₃ of 24pm/V has been measured. It is found that the scanning tip sidewall angle and cantilever tilt affect the contour and size of polarized area.

Abstract: A new method of reversible association of melphalan (MEL) to magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles preparing MEL magnetic microspheres was developed for magnetically targeted chemotherapy. The efficacy of this approach was evaluated in terms of encapsulation efficiency (EE), drug loading content (DLC), delivery properties and cytotoxicity in vitro. Magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation methods and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and magnetization measurements. The MEL magnetic microspheres were obtained through emulsion cross-linking method and characterized by FTIR, magnetization measurements and scan electron microscopy (SEM). The EE and DLC were determined using a Spectro Vision DB-18805 spectrophotometer. The MEL magnetic microspheres showed good EE values, between 60.6% and 75.6%, as well as good DLC values, between 16.7% and 32.2%, and the magnetic properties were not significantly affected by incorporation of the drug. The in vitro drug release study was carried out in phosphate buffer solution (PBS), simulating physiologic body fluid conditions at 37^o C with pH = 7.4. The release profiles showed an initial fast release rate, which decreased as time progressed; about 60% of the drug was released in the first 4 h, and about 78.23 % had been released after 24 h. The results indicated that the prepared magnetic microspheres may be useful for potential applications of MEL for magnetically targeted chemotherapy.

Abstract: Recent experiments on polycrystalline materials show that nanocrystalline materials have a strong dependency to the strain rate and grain size in contrast to the microcrystalline materials. In this study, mechanical properties of polycrystalline materials in micro and nanolevel were studied and a unified notation for them was presented. To completely understand the rate-dependent stress-strain behavior and size-dependency of polycrystalline materials, a dislocation density based model was presented that can predict the experimentally observed stress-strain relations for these materials. In nanocrystalline materials, crystalline and grain-boundary were considered as two separate phases. The mechanical properties of the crystalline phase were modeled using viscoplastic constitutive equations, which take dislocation density evolution and diffusion creep into account, while an elasto-viscoplastic model based on diffusion mechanism was used for the grain boundary phase. For microcrystalline materials, the surface-to-volume ratio of the grain boundaries is low enough to ignore its contribution to the plastic deformation. Therefore, the grain boundary phase was not considered in microcrystalline materials and the mechanical properties of the crystalline phase were modeled using an appropriate dislocation density based constitutive equation. Finally, the constitutive equations for polycrystalline materials were implemented into a finite-element code and the results obtained from the proposed constitutive equations were compared with the experimental data for polycrystalline copper and good agreement was observed.

Abstract: Nanopore on a surface (e.g. the epidermis of a leaf) can absorb nanoparticles, and nanoparticles on a surface play a contrary role. Comparison of wild silk with Bombyx mori silk reveals that the former has obvious nanoparticle-like crystals, which can repel water or dust, resulting in waterproof and dustproof of wild silk.

Abstract: Blossman-Myer and Burggren (Comp. Biochem. Phys. A, 155, 2010,259-263) found that the cocoon of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, while creating a tough barrier offering mechanical protection to the pupa, imposes no barrier to the diffusion of oxygen or water vapor. In view of its mechanical properties, silk cocoon is an "emperor's new clothes" for pupa. A theoretical analysis is given to explain the fascinating phenomenon by a fractal hydrodynamic model for discontinuous membrane composed of hierarchical silk cascade. The model reveals that when the fractal dimensions of the microstructure of the cocoon meet a special condition, air and water vapor can flow through the cocoon as if there were no cocoon. However, at extremes of weather, the cocoon is an excellent thermal protection for both high and cool temperatures. A better understanding of the cocoon mechanism could help the further design of bio-mimetic artificial clothes for special applications.

Abstract: Adsorption of fine particles in air by a leaf is studied experimentally. It is found that each leaf can absorb only a kind of particles with almost same size, and it also exhibits high selectivity over other particles. The SEM study reveals that the size of nanopore on the epidermis is a main factor of the highly selective adsorption; the smaller nanopores can absorb larger nanoparticles in air. The morphology of a lotus leaf, which is waterproof and dustproof, has, on the other hand, many short nanofibrils instead of nanopores. It is concluded that the nanoscale geometrical structure of a surface affects its attraction/repulsion property. The experiment also shows that one square millimeter surface with nanopores in diameter of 18 nm can absorb 2 million nanoparticles of about 200 nm in diameter from air in 24 hours. A better understanding of the adsorption/repulsion mechanism could help the further design of bio-mimetic waterproof/dustproof artificial materials and artificial porous materials/fabrics/nonwovens for adsorption of nanoparticles in air.

Abstract: In-situ characterization of the mechanical behavior of geckos spatula has been carried out in detail using multi-mode AFM system. Combining successful application of a novel AFM mode, i.e. Harmonix microscopy, the more detail elastic properties of spatula is brought to light. The results obtained show the variation of the mechanical properties on the hierarchical level of a seta, even for the different locations, pad and stalk of the spatula. A model, which has been validated using the existing experimental data and phenomena as well as theoretical predictions for geckos adhesion, crawling and self-cleaning of spatulae, is proposed in this paper. Through contrast of adhesive and craw ability of the gecko on the surfaces with different surface roughness, and measurement of the surface adhesive behaviors of Teflon, the most effective adhesion of the gecko is more dependent on the intrinsic properties of the surface which is adhered.

Abstract: Copper-substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were prepared via a sol-gel route using citric acid as a chelating agent. The influence of copper concentration on the microstructure, crystal structure and antibacterial property of copper-substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles against E. coli and S. aureus has been systematically investigated. The results indicate that the substitution of copper influences strongly the microstructure, crystal structure, particle diameter and antibacterial property of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles.