Control of nanomaterial self-assembly in ultrasonically levitated droplets

We demonstrate that acoustic trapping can be used to levitate and manipulate droplets of soft matter, in particular, lyotropic mesophases formed from selfassembly of different surfactants and lipids, which can be analyzed in a contact-less manner by X-ray scattering in a controlled gas-phase environment. On the macroscopic length scale, the dimensions and the orientation of the particle are shaped by the ultrasonic field, while on the microscopic length scale the nanostructure can be controlled by varying the humidity of the atmosphere around the droplet. We demonstrate levitation and in situ phase transitions of micellar, hexagonal, bicontinuous cubic, and lamellar phases. The technique opens up a wide range of new experimental approaches of fundamental importance for environmental, biological, and chemical research.

Histomorphometric Evaluation of Bioceramic Molecular Impregnated and Dual Acid-Etched Implant Surfaces in the Human Posterior Maxilla

Background: Physical and bioceramic incorporation surface treatments at the nanometer scale showed higher means of bone-to-implant contact (BIC) and torque values compared with surface topography at the micrometer scale; however, the literature concerning the effect of nanometer scale parameters is sparse. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of two different implant surfaces on the percentage bone-to-implant contact (BIC%) and bone osteocyte density in the human posterior maxilla after 2 months of unloaded healing. Materials and Methods: The implants utilized presented dual acid-etched (DAE) surface and a bioceramic molecular impregnated treatment (Ossean(R), Intra-Lock International, Boca Raton, FL, USA) serving as control and test, respectively. Ten subjects (59 1 9 years of age) received two implants (one of each surface) during conventional implant surgery in the posterior maxilla. After the non-loaded period of 2 months, the implants and the surrounding tissue were removed by means of a trephine and were non-decalcified processed for ground sectioning and analysis of BIC%, bone density in threaded area (BA%), and osteocyte index (Oi). Results: Two DAE implants were found to be clinically unstable at time of retrieval. Histometric evaluation showed significantly higher BIC% and Oi for the test compared to the control surface (p < .05), and that BA% was not significantly different between groups. Wilcoxon matched pairs test was used to compare the differences of histomorphometric variables between implant surfaces. The significance test was conducted at a 5% level of significance. Conclusion: The histological data suggest that the bioceramic molecular impregnated surface-treated implants positively modulated bone healing at early implantation times compared to the DAE surface.

A statistical evaluation of the field emission for copper oxide nanostructures

A statistical data analysis methodology was developed to evaluate the field emission properties of many samples of copper oxide nanostructured field emitters. This analysis was largely done in terms of Seppen-Katamuki (SK) charts, field strength and emission current. Some physical and mathematical models were derived to describe the effect of small electric field perturbations in the Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) equation, and then to explain the trend of the data represented in the SK charts. The field enhancement factor and the emission area parameters showed to be very sensitive to variations in the electric field for most of the samples. We have found that the anode-cathode distance is critical in the field emission characterization of samples having a non-rigid nanostructure. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ab Initio Calculations of Structural Evolution and Conductance of Benzene-1,4-dithiol on Gold Leads

By performing at) initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations and electronic transport simulations based on the OFT nonequilibrium Green`s functions method we investigate how the conformational changes of a benzene-1,4-dithiol molecule bonded to gold affect the molecular transport as the electrodes are separated from each other. In particular we consider the full evolution of the stretching process until the Junction breaking point and compare results obtained with a standard semilocal exchange and correlation functional to those computed with a self-interaction corrected method. We conclude that the inclusion of self-interaction corrections is fundamental for describing both the molecule conductance and its stability against conformational fluctuations.

Magnetic and optical characterization of Mn-doped PbS nanocrystals supported in oxide glass matrix

The evidence of successful growth of Mn-doped PbS (Pb(1-x)Mn(x)S) nanocrystals (NCs) in SiO(2)-Na(2)CO(3)-Al(2)O(3)-PbO(2)-B(2)O(3) template, using the fusion method, is reported on in this study. The as-grown Pb(1-x)Mn(x)S NC is characterized using optical absorption, electron paramagnetic resonance, and atomic force microscopy. The data are discussed in terms of two distinct scenarios, namely a core-doped and a shell-doped nanostructure. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Carbon Nanotubes Incorporated in Light-Addressable Potentiometric Sensors

The integration of carbon nanotubes in conjunction with a chemical or biological recognition element into a semiconductor field-effect device (FED) may lead to new (bio)chemical sensors. In this study, we present a new concept to develop field-effect-based sensors, using a light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) platform modified with layer-by-layer (LbL) films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. Film growth was monitored for each layer adsorbed on the LAPS chip by Measuring current-voltage (IIV) curves. The morphology of the films was analyzed via atomic force microscopy (AFM) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), revealing the formation of a highly interconnected nanostructure of SWNTs-network into the dendrimer layers. Constant current (CC) Measurements showed that the incorporation of the PAMAM/SWNT LbL film containing LIP to 6 bilayers onto the LAPS Structure has a high pH sensitivity of ca. 58 mV/pH. The biosensing ability of the devices was tested for penicillin G via adsorptive immobilization of the enzyme penicillinase atop the LgL film. LAPS architectures modified with the LbL film exhibited higher sensitivity, ca. 100 mV/decade, in comparison to ca. 79 mV/decade for all unmodified LAPS, which demonstrates the potential application of the CNT-LbL Structure in field-effect-based (bio)chemical sensors.

NMR study of slow motions of HDA hydrocarbons chains inside lamellar structures

Measurements of H-1 and C-13 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) for the nano-composite materials formed by the intercalation of hexadecylamine (HDA) in metal oxides (TiO2, V2O5 and MoO3), are reported. The H-1 NMR spin-lattice relaxation in the rotating frame was described by using the spectral density due to Davidson and Cole, which incorporates a distribution of correlation times characterized by a width parameter epsilon. The fitting of the data was obtained for epsilon = 0.74, indicating that the correlation times are distributed over a narrow range in this system. High-resolution C-13 NMR techniques were used to resolve the NMR lines of middle-chain methylene groups in the spectra and variable contact time cross-polarization {H-1-}C-13 experiments were employed to analyze the reorientation dynamics of the CH3 and CH2 groups in the HDA chains.

Using Polycarbonate Membranes as Templates for the Preparation of Au Nanostructures for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering

Polycarbonate membranes (PCM) of various pores sizes (400, 200, 100 and 50 nm) were used as templates for gold deposition. The electrodeposition from gold ions resulted in the formation of gold nanotubes when large pores size PCMs (400 and 200 nm) were used. On the other hand, gold nanowires were predominant for the PCMs with smaller pores size (100 and 50 nm). Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from the probe molecule 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MPy) was obtained from all these nanostructures. The SERS efficiency of the substrates produced using the PC M templates were compared to two commonly used SERS platforms: a roughened gold electrode and gold nanostructures electrodeposited through organized polystyrene spheres (PSS). The SERS signal of the probe molecule increased as the pore diameter of the PCM template decreased. Moreover, the SERS efficiency from the nanostructures produced using 50 nm PCM templates was four and two times better than the signal from the roughened gold electrode and the PSS template, respectively. The SERS substrates prepared using PCM templates were more homogenous over a larger area (ca. 1 cm(2)), presented better spatial and sample to sample reproducibility than the other substrates. These results show that SERS substrates prepared using PCM templates are promising for the fabrication of planar SERS platforms for analytical/bioanalytical applications.

The origin of the molecular interaction between amino acids and gold nanoparticles: A theoretical and experimental investigation

This study describes the synthesis of novel biological hybrid materials, where 3D structures were obtained using gold nanoparticles (AuNps) and methionine (Met) in a one-step procedure in aqueous media. The type of nanostructure can be controlled by tuning the intermolecular interactions between Met and AuNp, which strongly depends on the pH used for the synthesis. Computational simulation using the density-functional theory (DFT) showed that the AuNp - Met 3D structures are formed upon reorientation of Met molecules so that the backbone amine groups interact via H-bonds. These findings were experimentally confirmed using FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy. Crown Copyright (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.

Degradacao termica e catalitica da borra oleosa de Petroleo com materiais nanoestruturados al-mcm-41 e AL-SBA-15

Aiming to reduce and reuse waste oil from oily sludge generated in large volumes by the oil industry, types of nanostructured materials Al-MCM-41 and Al-SBA-15, with ratios of Si / Al = 50, were synthesized , and calcined solids used as catalysts in the degradation of oily sludge thermocatalytic oil from oilfield Canto do Amaro, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. Samples of nanostructured materials were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TG / DTG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), absorption spectroscopy in the infrared Fourier transform (FT-IR) and adsorption nitrogen (BET). The characterization showed that the synthesized materials resulted in a catalyst nanostructure, and ordered pore diameter and surface area according to existing literature. The oily sludge sample was characterized by determining the API gravity and sulfur content and SARA analysis (saturates, aromatics, resins and asphaltenes). The results showed a material equivalent to the average oil with API gravity of 26.1, a low sulfur content and considerable amount of resins and asphaltenes, presented above in the literature. The thermal and catalytic degradation of the oily sludge oil was performed from room temperature to 870 ° C in the ratios of heating of 5, 10 and 20 ° C min-1. The curves generated by TG / DTG showed a more accelerated degradation of oily sludge when it introduced the nanostructured materials. These results were confirmed by activation energy calculated by the method of Flynn-Wall, in the presence of catalysts reduced energy, in particular in the range of cracking, showing the process efficiency, mainly for extraction of lightweight materials of composition of oily sludge, such as diesel and gasoline

Exogenous Administration of 15d-PGJ(2)-Loaded Nanocapsules Inhibits Bone Resorption in a Mouse Periodontitis Model

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Análise do efeito do tempo da moagem de alta energia no tamanho de cristalito e microdeformação da rede cristalina do WC-Co

Hard metals are the composite developed in 1923 by Karl Schröter, with wide application because high hardness, wear resistance and toughness. It is compound by a brittle phase WC and a ductile phase Co. Mechanical properties of hardmetals are strongly dependent on the microstructure of the WC Co, and additionally affected by the microstructure of WC powders before sintering. An important feature is that the toughness and the hardness increase simultaneously with the refining of WC. Therefore, development of nanostructured WC Co hardmetal has been extensively studied. There are many methods to manufacture WC-Co hard metals, including spraying conversion process, co-precipitation, displacement reaction process, mechanochemical synthesis and high energy ball milling. High energy ball milling is a simple and efficient way of manufacturing the fine powder with nanostructure. In this process, the continuous impacts on the powders promote pronounced changes and the brittle phase is refined until nanometric scale, bring into ductile matrix, and this ductile phase is deformed, re-welded and hardened. The goal of this work was investigate the effects of highenergy milling time in the micro structural changes in the WC-Co particulate composite, particularly in the refinement of the crystallite size and lattice strain. The starting powders were WC (average particle size D50 0.87 μm) supplied by Wolfram, Berglau-u. Hutten - GMBH and Co (average particle size D50 0.93 μm) supplied by H.C.Starck. Mixing 90% WC and 10% Co in planetary ball milling at 2, 10, 20, 50, 70, 100 and 150 hours, BPR 15:1, 400 rpm. The starting powders and the milled particulate composite samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to identify phases and morphology. The crystallite size and lattice strain were measured by Rietveld s method. This procedure allowed obtaining more precise information about the influence of each one in the microstructure. The results show that high energy milling is efficient manufacturing process of WC-Co composite, and the milling time have great influence in the microstructure of the final particles, crushing and dispersing the finely WC nanometric order in the Co particles

Avaliação cinética e potencial do Nb2O5 obtido a partir de um complexo de nióbio para formação do oleato de metila através da reação de esterificação do ácido oleico

Among the heterogeneous catalysts materials made from niobium show up as an alternative to meet the demand of catalysts for biodiesel production. This study aims to evaluate the potential of a heterogeneous catalyst derived from a complex of niobium in the reaction of methyl esterification of oleic acid. The catalyst was synthesized after calcination at different temperatures of a niobium complex ((NH4)3[NbO(C2O4)3].H2O) generating a niobium oxide nanostructure with a different commercial niobium oxide used to synthesize the complex. The commercial niobium oxide, the complex niobium and niobium catalyst were characterized by thermogravimetry (TG and DTA), surface area analysis (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), showing the catalyst has researched morphological and crystallographic indicating a catalytic potential higher than that of commercial niobium oxide characteristics. Factorial with central composite design point, with three factors (calcination temperature, molar ratio of alcohol/oleic acid and mass percentage of catalyst) was performed. Noting that the optimal experimental point was given by the complex calcination temperature of 600°C, a molar ratio alcohol/oleic acid of 3.007/1 and the catalyst mass percentage of 7.998%, with a conversion of 22.44% oleic acid in methyl oleate to 60 min of reaction. We performed a composite linear and quadratic regression to determine an optimal statistical point of the reaction, the temperature of calcination of the complex at 450°C, the molar ratio of alcohol/oleic acid 3.3408/1 and mass percentage of catalyst of 7.6833% . Kinetic modeling to estimate parameters for heterogeneous catalysis it set well the experimental results with a final conversion of 85.01% with 42.38% of catalyst and without catalyst at 240 min reaction was performed. Allowing to evaluate the catalyst catalytic studied has the potential to be used in biodiesel production

Portable smart films for ultrasensitive detection and chemical analysis using SERS and SERRS

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Columnar microstructure of nanocrystalline Ga1-xMnxN films deposited by reactive sputtering

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)