Defect-assisted synthesis of magneto-plasmonic silver-spinel ferrite heterostructures in a flower-like architecture.
12 Oct 2020-Scientific Reports (Springer Science and Business Media LLC)-Vol. 10, Iss: 1, pp 17015-17015
TL;DR: An oleate-based solvothermal approach to design silver-spinel ferrite flower-like NHs with magnetic and optical properties that are suitable for a wide range of applications is proposed.
Abstract: Artificial nano-heterostructures (NHs) with controlled morphology, obtained by combining two or more components in several possible architectures, make them suitable for a wide range of applications. Here, we propose an oleate-based solvothermal approach to design silver-spinel ferrite flower-like NHs. Small oleate-coated silver nanoparticles were used as seeds for the growth of magnetic spinel ferrite (cobalt ferrite and spinel iron oxide) nanodomains on their surface. With the aim of producing homogeneous flower-like heterostructures, a careful study of the effect of the concentration of precursors, the reaction temperature, the presence of water, and the chemical nature of the spinel ferrite was carried out. The magnetic and optical properties of the NHs were also investigated. A heterogeneous growth of the spinel ferrite phase on the silver nanoparticles, through a possible defect-assisted mechanism, was suggested in the light of the high concentration of stacking faults (intrinsic and twins) in the silver seeds, revealed by Rietveld refinement of powder X-ray diffraction patterns and High-Resolution electron microscopy.
Citations
More filters
••
23 Mar 2021
TL;DR: In this article, the formation mechanism of manganese ferrite-based core-shell NHSs is investigated, and the effects of the core size (8, 10, and 11 nm), the shell nature (cobalt ferrite and spinel iron oxide) and the polarity of the solvent (toluene and octanol) on the dissolution phenomena of nanocrystal materials are also studied.
Abstract: Multifunctional nano-heterostructures (NHSs) with controlled morphology are cardinal in many applications, but the understanding of the nanoscale colloidal chemistry is yet to be fulfilled. The stability of the involved crystalline phases in different solvents at mid- and high-temperatures and reaction kinetics considerably affect the nucleation and growth of the materials and their final architecture. The formation mechanism of manganese ferrite-based core–shell NHSs is herein investigated. The effects of the core size (8, 10, and 11 nm), the shell nature (cobalt ferrite and spinel iron oxide) and the polarity of the solvent (toluene and octanol) on the dissolution phenomena of manganese ferrite are also studied. Noteworthily, the combined use of bulk (powder X-ray diffraction, 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy, and DC magnetometry) and nanoscale techniques (HRTEM and STEM-EDX) provides new insights into the manganese ferrite dissolution phenomena, the colloidal stability in an organic environment, and the critical size below which dissolution is complete. Moreover, the dissolved manganese and iron ions react further, leading to an inverted core–shell in the mother liquor solution, paving the way to novel synthetic pathways in nanocrystal design. The MnFe2O4@CoFe2O4 core–shell heterostructures were also employed as heat mediators, exploiting the magnetic coupling between a hard (CoFe2O4) and a soft phase (MnFe2O4).
13 citations
••
TL;DR: In this paper , the same experimental conditions for the batch tests permitted a direct comparison among the sorbents, particularly between the oxyhydroxides, known to be among the most promising As-removers but hardly compared in the literature.
Abstract: Iron oxides/oxyhydroxides, namely maghemite, iron oxide-silica composite, akaganeite, and ferrihydrite, are studied for AsV and AsIII removal from water in the pH range 2–8. All sorbents were characterized for their structural, morphological, textural, and surface charge properties. The same experimental conditions for the batch tests permitted a direct comparison among the sorbents, particularly between the oxyhydroxides, known to be among the most promising As-removers but hardly compared in the literature. The tests revealed akaganeite to perform better in the whole pH range for AsV (max 89 mg g−1 at pH0 3) but to be also efficient toward AsIII (max 91 mg g−1 at pH0 3–8), for which the best sorbent was ferrihydrite (max 144 mg g−1 at pH0 8). Moreover, the study of the sorbents’ surface chemistry under contact with arsenic and arsenic-free solutions allowed the understanding of its role in the arsenic uptake through electrophoretic light scattering and pH measurements. Indeed, the sorbent’s ability to modify the starting pH was a crucial step in determining the removal of performances. The AsV initial concentration, contact time, ionic strength, and presence of competitors were also studied for akaganeite, the most promising remover, at pH0 3 and 8 to deepen the uptake mechanism.
6 citations
•
08 Nov 2021TL;DR: In this paper, the effect of different molecular coatings on the alternate magnetic field-induced heating properties of 15 nm maghemite nanoparticles (NPs) in water dispersions was studied at different frequencies (159-782 kHz) and field amplitudes (100-400 G).
Abstract: In this work, the effect of different molecular coatings on the alternate magnetic field-induced heating properties of 15 nm maghemite nanoparticles (NPs) in water dispersions was studied at different frequencies (159-782 kHz) and field amplitudes (100-400 G). The original hydrophobic oleate coating was replaced with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) or polyethylene glycol trimethoxysilane (PEGTMS), while cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) or stearic acid-Polaxamer 188 (SA-P188) were intercalated or encapsulated, respectively, to transfer the dispersions into water. Surface modification, based on intercalation processes, induced clustering phenomena with the formation of spherical-like assemblies (CTAB and SA-P188), while ligand-exchange strategies kept the particle isolated. The clustering phenomenon has detrimental effects on the heating performances compared with isolated systems, in line with the reduction of the Brown relaxation times. Furthermore, broader comprehension of the heating phenomenon in this dynamic system is obtained by following the evolution of the SPA and ILP with time and temperature beyond the initial stage.
3 citations
••
TL;DR: In this article , a critical overview of achievements made in the design and synthetic elaboration of colloidal nanocrystal heterostructures based on diverse associations of transition metals (with emphasis on plasmonic metals) and transition-metal oxides is presented.
Abstract: Composite inorganic nanoarchitectures, based on combinations of distinct materials, represent advanced solid-state constructs, where coexistence and synergistic interactions among nonhomologous optical, magnetic, chemical, and catalytic properties lay a basis for the engineering of enhanced or even unconventional functionalities. Such systems thus hold relevance for both theoretical and applied nanotechnology-based research in diverse areas, spanning optics, electronics, energy management, (photo)catalysis, biomedicine, and environmental remediation. Wet-chemical colloidal synthetic techniques have now been refined to the point of allowing the fabrication of solution free-standing and easily processable multicomponent nanocrystals with sophisticated modular heterostructure, built upon a programmed spatial distribution of the crystal phase, composition, and anchored surface moieties. Such last-generation breeds of nanocrystals are thus composed of nanoscale domains of different materials, assembled controllably into core/shell or heteromer-type configurations through bonding epitaxial heterojunctions. This review offers a critical overview of achievements made in the design and synthetic elaboration of colloidal nanocrystal heterostructures based on diverse associations of transition metals (with emphasis on plasmonic metals) and transition-metal oxides. Synthetic strategies, all leveraging on the basic seed-mediated approach, are described and discussed with reference to the most credited mechanisms underpinning regioselective heteroepitaxial deposition. The unique properties and advanced applications allowed by such brand-new nanomaterials are also mentioned.
3 citations
References
More filters
••
TL;DR: Silver nanoparticles have emerged up with diverse medical applications ranging from silver based dressings, silver coated medicinal devices, such as nanogels, nanolotions, etc, due to its capability of modulating metals into their nanosize.
5,014 citations
••
TL;DR: A unified approach to the synthesis of a large variety of nanocrystals with different chemistries and properties and with low dispersity is reported, based on a general phase transfer and separation mechanism occurring at the interfaces of the liquid, solid and solution phases present during the synthesis.
Abstract: New strategies for materials fabrication are of fundamental importance in the advancement of science and technology. Organometallic and other organic solution phase synthetic routes have enabled the synthesis of functional inorganic quantum dots or nanocrystals. These nanomaterials form the building blocks for new bottom-up approaches to materials assembly for a range of uses; such materials also receive attention because of their intrinsic size-dependent properties and resulting applications. Here we report a unified approach to the synthesis of a large variety of nanocrystals with different chemistries and properties and with low dispersity; these include noble metal, magnetic/dielectric, semiconducting, rare-earth fluorescent, biomedical, organic optoelectronic semiconducting and conducting polymer nanoparticles. This strategy is based on a general phase transfer and separation mechanism occurring at the interfaces of the liquid, solid and solution phases present during the synthesis. We believe our methodology provides a simple and convenient route to a variety of building blocks for assembling materials with novel structure and function in nanotechnology.
2,418 citations
••
TL;DR: In this paper, a method for measuring and mapping displacement fields and strain fields from high-resolution electron microscope (HREM) images is developed based upon centring a small aperture around a strong reflection in the Fourier transform of an HREM lattice image and performing an inverse Fourier transformation.
1,828 citations
••
TL;DR: The bacteriostatic/bactericidal effect of AgNPs is found to be size and dose-dependent as determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of silver nanoparticles against four bacterial strains.
Abstract: A systematic and detailed study for size-specific antibacterial efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized using a co-reduction approach is presented here. Nucleation and growth kinetics during the synthesis process was precisely controlled and AgNPs of average size 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 63, 85, and 100 nm were synthesized with good yield and monodispersity. We found the bacteriostatic/bactericidal effect of AgNPs to be size and dose-dependent as determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of silver nanoparticles against four bacterial strains. Out of the tested strains, Escherichia coli MTCC 443 and Staphylococcus aureus NCIM 5201 were found to be the most and least sensitive strains regardless of AgNP size. For AgNPs with less than 10 nm size, the antibacterial efficacy was significantly enhanced as revealed through delayed bacterial growth kinetics, corresponding MIC/MBC values and disk diffusion tests. AgNPs of the smallest size, i.e., 5 nm demonstrated the best results and mediated the fastest bactericidal activity against all the tested strains compared to AgNPs having 7 nm and 10 nm sizes at similar bacterial concentrations. TEM analysis of AgNP treated bacterial cells showed the presence of AgNPs on the cell membrane, and AgNPs internalized within the cells.
1,366 citations