Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University

About: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University is a education organization based out in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Catalysis & Dielectric. The organization has 1799 authors who have published 2703 publications receiving 34001 citations. The organization is also known as: Marathwada University & BAMU.

Williamson-Hall analysis in estimation of lattice strain in nanometer-sized ZnO particles

Abstract: ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by coprecipitation method at 450C. X-ray diffraction result indicates that the sample is having a crystalline wurtzite phase. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) result reveals that the ZnO sample is spherical in shape with an average grain size of about 50nm. X-ray peak broadening analysis was used to evaluate the crystalline sizes and lattice strain by the Williamson-Hall (W-H) analysis. All other relevant physical parameters such as strain, stress, and energy density values were also calculated using W-H analysis with different models, viz, uniform deformation model, uniform deformation stress model and uniform deformation energy density model. The root mean square strain was determined from the interplanar spacing and strain estimated from the three models. The three models yield different strain values; it may be due to the anisotropic nature of the material. The mean particle size of ZnO nanoparticles estimated from TEM analysis, Scherrers formula and W-H analysis is highly intercorrelated.

Biogenic selenium nanoparticles: current status and future prospects

Abstract: Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) are gaining importance in the field of medicine owing to their antibacterial and anticancer properties. SeNPs are biocompatible and non-toxic compared to the counterparts, selenite (SeO3 (-2)) and selenate (SeO4 (-2)). They can be synthesized by physical, chemical, and biological methods and have distinct bright orange-red color. Biogenic SeNPs are stable and do not aggregate owing to natural coating of the biomolecules. Various hypotheses have been proposed to describe the mechanism of microbial synthesis of SeNPs. It is primarily a two-step reduction process from SeO4 (-2) to SeO3 (-2) to insoluble elemental selenium (Se(0)) catalyzed by selenate and selenite reductases. Phenazine-1-carboxylic acid and glutathione are involved in selenite reduction. Se factor A (SefA) and metalloid reductase Rar A present on the surface of SeNPs confer stability to the nanoparticles. SeNPs act as potent chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents. Conjugation with antibiotics enhances their anticancer efficacy. These also have applications in nanobiosensors and environmental remediation.