Pericle Varasteanu

Bio: Pericle Varasteanu is an academic researcher from University of Bucharest. The author has contributed to research in topics: Surface plasmon resonance & Supercapacitor. The author has an hindex of 4, co-authored 15 publications receiving 68 citations.

High-performance solid state supercapacitors assembling graphene interconnected networks in porous silicon electrode by electrochemical methods using 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalen

Abstract: The challenge for conformal modification of the ultra-high internal surface of nanoporous silicon was tackled by electrochemical polymerisation of 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalene using cyclic voltammetry or potentiometry and, notably, after the thermal treatment (800 °C, N2, 4 h) an assembly of interconnected networks of graphene strongly adhering to nanoporous silicon matrix resulted. Herein we demonstrate the achievement of an easy scalable technology for solid state supercapacitors on silicon, with excellent electrochemical properties. Accordingly, our symmetric supercapacitors (SSC) showed remarkable performance characteristics, comparable to many of the best high-power and/or high-energy carbon-based supercapacitors, their figures of merit matching under battery-like supercapacitor behaviour. Furthermore, the devices displayed high specific capacity values along with enhanced capacity retention even at ultra-high rates for voltage sweep, 5 V/s, or discharge current density, 100 A/g, respectively. The cycling stability tests performed at relatively high discharge current density of 10 A/g indicated good capacity retention, with a superior performance demonstrated for the electrodes obtained under cyclic voltammetry approach, which may be ascribed on the one hand to a better coverage of the porous silicon substrate and, on the other hand, to an improved resilience of the hybrid electrode to pore clogging.

Comparative analysis of honey and citrate stabilized gold nanoparticles: In vitro interaction with proteins and toxicity studies.

Abstract: Gold nanoparticles of comparable size were synthetized using honey mediated green method (AuNPs@honey) and citrate mediated Turkevich method (AuNPs@citrate). Their colloidal behavior in two cell media DMEM and RPMI, both supplemented with 10% FBS, was systematically investigated with different characterization techniques in order to evidence how the composition of the media influences their stability and the development of protein/NP complex. We revealed the formation of the protein corona which individually covers the nanoparticles in RPMI media, like a dielectric spacer according to UV-Vis spectroscopy, while DMEM promotes more abundant agglomerations, clustering together the nanoparticles, according to TEM investigations. In order to evaluate the biological impact of nanoparticles, B16 melanoma and L929 mouse fibroblasts cells were used to carry out the viability assays. Generally, the L929 cells were more sensitive than B16 cells to the presence of gold nanoparticles. Measurements of cell viability, proliferation and apoptotic activities of B16 cells indicated that the effects induced by AuNPs@honey were slightly similar to those induced by AuNPs@citrate, however, the toxic response improved in the L929 fibroblast cells following the treatment with AuNPs@honey within the same concentration range from 1 μg/ml to 15 μg/ml for 48 h. Results showed that honey mediated synthesis generates nanoparticles with reduced toxicity trends depending on the cell type, concentration of nanoparticles and exposure time toward various biomedical applications.

Optimizing the Tin Selenide (SnSe) Allotrope/Gold-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors for Enhanced Sensitivity

Abstract: The 2D material tin selenide monolayer (SnSe) has attracted a lot of attention due to its excellent optoelectronic properties. This study focuses on the investigation of the potential improvement of the response of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors by coating the gold layer with SnSe allotrope (α, δ, e) monolayers. Using an optimization algorithm along with the transfer matrix method (TMM), we determined the optimal thickness of the gold layer as a function of the number of monolayers added to significantly increase the sensor’s response in terms of reflectivity and phase. With respect to reflectivity, sensitivity increased by 20% in comparison with the optimal bare gold structure, whilst with respect to phase, sensitivity was approximately two orders of magnitude greater than the bare gold structure. Our results demonstrate that SPR sensors modified with SnSe monolayers could be used in diagnostic applications where both high sensitivity and small concentration of analyte are required.

Unravelling the strain relaxation processes in silicon nanowire arrays by X‐ray diffraction

Abstract: Investigations performed on silicon nanowires of different lengths by scanning electron microscopy revealed coalescence processes in longer nanowires. Using X-ray diffraction (XRD), it was found that the shape of the pole figure in reciprocal space is ellipsoidal. This is the signature of lattice defects generated by the relaxation of the strain concentrated in the coalescence regions. This observation is strengthened by the deviation of the XRD peaks from Gaussianity and the appearance of the acoustic phonon mode in the Raman spectrum. It implies that bending, torsion and structural defects coexist in the longer nanowires. To separate these effects, a grazing-incidence XRD technique was conceived which allows the nanowire to be scanned along its entire length. Both ω and φ rocking curves were recorded, and their shapes were used to extract the bending and torsion profiles, respectively, along the nanowire length. Dips were found in both profiles of longer nanowires, while they are absent from shorter ones, and these dips correspond to the regions where both bending and torsion relax. The energy dissipated in the nanowires, which tracks the bending and torsion profiles, has been used to estimate the emergent dislocation density in nanowire arrays.

Transition Metal Dichalcogenides/Gold-Based Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensors: Exploring the Geometrical and Material Parameters

Abstract: In this study, we explored the geometrical and material parameters of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors, in order to gain insight about the mechanisms that control the sensors’ response when different 2D materials monolayers (MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, WSe2) are used to modify the surface. Accordingly, the surface plasmons’ (SPs) dispersion relations, the reflectivity maps and both reflectivity and phase responses for the visible and near-infrared wavelengths range (400–1400 nm), were systematically investigated by using COMSOL Multiphysics (RF Module) and transfer matrix method (TMM) algorithm considering a modified Kretschmann configuration. We showed that the sensitivity of the modified structures is enhanced for wavelengths between 600 and 1000 nm both in reflectivity and phase. By evaluating also the influence of the number of 2D material monolayers, the highest sensitivity in reflectivity was obtained at 700 nm when five monolayers of MoS2 were added, reaching 220 deg/RIU for a change in dielectric’s refractive index of 0.002 RIU, which is 45% higher than that of the standard bare structure. Regarding the phase response, it was shown that by adding only one monolayer of MoS2, a sensitivity of 9 × 105 deg/RIU is achieved for a refractive index change of 10−6 RIU.

Smart Gold Nanostructures for Light Mediated Cancer Theranostics: Combining Optical Diagnostics with Photothermal Therapy.

Abstract: Nanotheranostics, which combines optical multiplexed disease detection with therapeutic monitoring in a single modality, has the potential to propel the field of nanomedicine toward genuine personalized medicine. Currently employed mainstream modalities using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in diagnosis and treatment are limited by a lack of specificity and potential issues associated with systemic toxicity. Light-mediated nanotheranostics offers a relatively non-invasive alternative for cancer diagnosis and treatment by using AuNPs of specific shapes and sizes that absorb near infrared (NIR) light, inducing plasmon resonance for enhanced tumor detection and generating localized heat for tumor ablation. Over the last decade, significant progress has been made in the field of nanotheranostics, however the main biological and translational barriers to nanotheranostics leading to a new paradigm in anti-cancer nanomedicine stem from the molecular complexities of cancer and an incomplete mechanistic understanding of utilization of Au-NPs in living systems. This work provides a comprehensive overview on the biological, physical and translational barriers facing the development of nanotheranostics. It will also summarise the recent advances in engineering specific AuNPs, their unique characteristics and, importantly, tunability to achieve the desired optical/photothermal properties.

Nanoscale Assembly of 2D Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications.

Abstract: Rational design of 2D materials is crucial for the realization of their profound implications in energy and environmental fields. The past decade has witnessed significant developments in 2D material research, yet a number of critical challenges remain for real-world applications. Nanoscale assembly, precise control over the orientational and positional ordering, and complex interfaces among 2D layers are essential for the continued progress of 2D materials, especially for energy storage and conversion and environmental remediation. Herein, recent progress, the status, future prospects, and challenges associated with nanoscopic assembly of 2D materials are highlighted, specifically targeting energy and environmental applications. Geometric dimensional diversity of 2D material assembly is focused on, based on novel assembly mechanisms, including 1D fibers from the colloidal liquid crystalline phase, 2D films by interfacial tension (Marangoni effect), and 3D nanoarchitecture assembly by electrochemical processes. Relevant critical advantages of 2D material assembly are highlighted for application fields, including secondary batteries, supercapacitors, catalysts, gas sensors, desalination, and water decontamination.

Development of vertically aligned trimetallic Mg-Ni-Co oxide grass-like nanostructure for high-performance energy storage applications.

Abstract: Direct growth of nanostructured trimetallic oxide on substrate is considered as one of the promising electrode fabrication for high-performance hybrid supercapacitors. Herein, binder-free one-dimensional grass-like nanostructure was constructed on nickel foam by using electrodeposition approach. The admirable enhancement in rate capability was observed by the substitution of Mg and Ni in cobalt oxide crystallite. The prepared nickel cobalt oxide (NCO) and cobalt oxide (CO) electrode exhibited a rate capability of 57% and 58% (2 to 10 A g−1) respectively. Interestingly, the rate capability was increased to 87% by the substitution of Mg and Ni simultaneously. The novel vertically aligned trimetallic Mg-Ni-Co oxide (MNCO) grass-like nanostructure electrode exhibited a high specific capacity of 846 C g−1 at 2 A g−1, retained 97.3% specific capacity and showed an outstanding coulombic efficiency of 99% after 10,000 charge–discharge cycles. Moreover, we assembled hybrid supercapacitor (HSC) device for practical applications by using MNCO and activated carbon (AC) as the positive and negative electrode materials, respectively. HSC device exhibited a high specific capacity of 144 C g−1 at 0.5 A g−1. The high energy density of 31.5 Wh kg−1 and the power density of 7.99 kW kg−1 were achieved. All these interesting and attractive results demonstrate the significance of the vertically aligned electrode material towards practical applications.

Fabrication of piezoresistive Si nanorod-based pressure sensor arrays: A promising candidate for portable breath monitoring devices

Abstract: This paper reports on the controlled fabrication of a highly sensitive piezoresistive sensor by using Si nanorod (NR) arrays. An efficient, large-area, scalable strategy was adopted to fabricate the pressure sensors by incorporating chemically etched, high-aspect-ratio, vertical Si NR arrays between two thin Au layers. The piezoresistive properties corresponding to dimension- and position-controlled and randomly etched, closely packed, and thin Si NR arrays were exploited to fabricate the small, portable, and device-compatible pressure sensors. The Si-NR-based piezoresistive sensors exhibited a high sensitivity of 0.49 MPa−1, thereby demonstrating its superiority over other unconventional piezoresistive nanomaterials such as Si with different configurations of nanostructures. Furthermore, the sensors exhibited a large variation (~45%) in the current at a constant bias voltage of 2 V under a weak applied pressure corresponding to an inert gas flow of 5 sccm. The excellent pressure sensing performance of the piezoresistive Si NRs enabled the efficient detection of changes corresponding to the human breathing pattern. In particular, the key advantages of such pressure sensors is the simple, inexpensive, and scalable fabrication process; high sensitivity with ultra-low-pressure detection; and excellent ambient stability (>several months) with a high durability pertaining to more than 1,000 cycles of pressure loading/unloading. Furthermore, we demonstrated the ability of the pressure sensor to act as a portable human breath sensor to monitor respiratory parameters in a noninvasive and personalized manner. The results can provide direction for the realization of next-generation breath-sensing gadgets and other leading-edge applications in the domain of electronic and healthcare devices.

Food additives containing nanoparticles induce gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and alterations in animal behavior: The unknown role of oxidative stress

Abstract: Food additives such as titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxides and hydroxides (E172), silver (E174), and gold (E175) are highly used as colorants while silicon dioxide (E551) is generally used as anticaking in ultra-processed foodstuff highly used in the Western diets. These additives contain nanosized particles (1–100 nm) and there is a rising concern since these nanoparticles could exert major adverse effects due to they are not metabolized but are accumulated in several organs. Here, we analyze the evidence of gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and the impact of microbiota on gut-brain and gut-liver axis induced by E171, E172, E174, E175 and E551 and their non-food grade nanosized counterparts after oral consumption. Although, no studies using these food additives have been performed to evaluate neurotoxicity or alterations in animal behavior, their non-food grade nanosized counterparts have been associated with stress, depression, cognitive and eating disorders as signs of animal behavior alterations. We identified that these food additives induce gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity and alterations in gut microbiota and most evidence points out oxidative stress as the main mechanism of toxicity, however, the role of oxidative stress as the main mechanism needs to be explored further.