Inherently conducting polymers (ICPs) are a specific category of synthetic polymers with distinctive electro-optic properties, which involve conjugated chains with alternating single and double bonds. Polyaniline (PANI), as one of the most well-known ICPs, has outstanding potential applications in biomedicine because of its high electrical conductivity and biocompatibility caused by its hydrophilic nature, low-toxicity, good environmental stability, and nanostructured morphology. Some of the limitations in the use of PANI, such as its low processability and degradability, can be overcome by the preparation of its blends and nanocomposites with various (bio)polymers and nanomaterials, respectively. This review describes the state-of-the-art of biological activities and applications of conductive PANI-based nanocomposites in the biomedical fields, such as antimicrobial therapy, drug delivery, biosensors, nerve regeneration, and tissue engineering. The latest progresses in the biomedical applications of PANI-based nanocomposites are reviewed to provide a background for future research.

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Progress in Conductive Polyaniline-Based Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications: A Review.

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Metal oxide nanostructures for sensor applications

Zinc oxide consumption has increased in today’s world. It is one of the most popular nanoparticles with photocatalytic activity under light illumination utilized in different industries, especially in textiles and polymers. Lately, textiles and polymers with new features have been produced through utilization of ZnO nanoparticles to create photocatalytic characteristics, UV absorption, self-cleaning, and antimicrobial properties. Various approaches have been introduced to synthesize and apply nanoparticles on the textile and polymer surfaces such as cotton, polyester, wool, and others. This review presents diverse aspects of nano zinc oxide application in textile and polymer industry and approaches used for in situ and ex situ synthesis and application of nano zinc oxide on different textiles and polymers. This also brings a brief overview on the several studies accomplished in this area.

ZnO Nano Reactor on Textiles and Polymers: Ex Situ and In Situ Synthesis, Application, and Characterization B

Journal of Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials: Introduction

Improving performance of device made up of CuO nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal over the reflux method

ZnO-CuxO core-shell radial heterojunction nanowire arrays were fabricated by a straightforward approach which combine two simple, cost effective and large-scale preparation methods: (i) thermal oxidation in air of a zinc foil for obtaining ZnO nanowire arrays and (ii) radio frequency magnetron sputtering for covering the surface of the ZnO nanowires with a CuxO thin film. The structural, compositional, morphological and optical properties of the high aspect ratio ZnO-CuxO core-shell nanowire arrays were investigated. Individual ZnO-CuxO core-shell nanowires were contacted with Pt electrodes by means of electron beam lithography technique, diode behaviour being demonstrated. Further it was found that these n-p radial heterojunction diodes based on single ZnO-CuxO nanowires exhibit a change in the current under UV light illumination and therefore behaving as photodetectors.

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Radial heterojunction based on single ZnO-Cu x O core-shell nanowire for photodetector applications.

ZnO nanowires grown directly on zinc foils by thermal oxidation in air: Wetting and water adhesion properties

Staggered gap radial heterojunctions based on ZnO-CuxO core-shell nanowires are used as water stable photocatalysts to harvest solar energy for pollutants removal. ZnO nanowires with a wurtzite crystalline structure and a band gap of approximately 3.3 eV are obtained by thermal oxidation in air. These are covered with an amorphous CuxO layer having a band gap of 1.74 eV and subsequently form core-shell heterojunctions. The electrical characterization of the ZnO pristine and ZnO-CuxO core-shell nanowires emphasizes the charge transfer phenomena at the junction and at the interface between the nanowires and water based solutions. The methylene blue degradation mechanism is discussed taking into consideration the dissolution of ZnO in water based solutions for ZnO nanowires and ZnO-CuxO core-shell nanowires with different shell thicknesses. An optimum thickness of the CuxO layer is used to obtain water stable photocatalysts, where the ZnO-CuxO radial heterojunction enhances the separation and transport of the photogenerated charge carriers when irradiating with UV-light, leading to swift pollutant degradation.

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Core-shell nanowire arrays based on ZnO and CuxO for water stable photocatalysts.

CuO-ZnO core-shell radial heterojunction nanowire arrays were obtained by a simple route which implies two cost-effective methods: thermal oxidation in air for preparing CuO nanowire arrays, acting as a p-type core and RF magnetron sputtering for coating the surface of the CuO nanowires with a ZnO thin film, acting as a n-type shell. The morphological, structural, optical and compositional properties of the CuO-ZnO core-shell nanowire arrays were investigated. In order to analyse the electrical and photoelectrical properties of the metal oxide nanowires, single CuO and CuO-ZnO core-shell nanowires were contacted by employing electron beam lithography (EBL) and focused ion beam induced deposition (FIBID). The photoelectrical properties emphasize that the p-n radial heterojunction diodes based on single CuO-ZnO core-shell nanowires behave as photodetectors, evidencing a time-depending photoresponse under illumination at 520 nm and 405 nm wavelengths. The performance of the photodetector device was evaluated by assessing its key parameters: responsivity, external quantum efficiency and detectivity. The results highlighted that the obtained CuO-ZnO core-shell nanowires are emerging as potential building blocks for a next generation of photodetector devices.

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Photodetecting properties of single CuO-ZnO core-shell nanowires with p-n radial heterojunction.

ZnO structures were deposited using a simple chemical bath deposition technique onto interdigitated electrodes fabricated by a conventional photolithography method on SiO2/Si substrates. The X-ray diffraction studies show that the ZnO samples have a hexagonal wurtzite crystalline structure. The scanning electron microscopy observations prove that the substrates are uniformly covered by ZnO networks formed by monodisperse rods. The ZnO rod average diameter and length were tuned by controlling reactants' concentration and reaction time. Optical spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that all the samples display bandgap values and emission bands typical for ZnO. The electrical measurements reveal percolating networks which are highly sensitive when the samples are exposed to ammonia vapors, a variation in their resistance with the exposure time being evidenced. Other important characteristics are that the ZnO rod networks exhibit superhydrophobicity, with water contact angles exceeding 150° and a high water droplet adhesion. Reproducible, easily scalable, and low-cost chemical bath deposition and photolithography techniques could provide a facile approach to fabricate such ZnO networks and devices based on them for a wide range of applications where multifunctionality, i.e., sensing and superhydrophobicity, properties are required.

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Camelia Florica

Papers

Radial heterojunction based on single ZnO-Cu x O core-shell nanowire for photodetector applications.

ZnO nanowires grown directly on zinc foils by thermal oxidation in air: Wetting and water adhesion properties

Core-shell nanowire arrays based on ZnO and CuxO for water stable photocatalysts.

Photodetecting properties of single CuO-ZnO core-shell nanowires with p-n radial heterojunction.

Superhydrophobic ZnO networks with high water adhesion