Effect of mesoporosity of vanadium oxide prepared by sol-gel process as cathodic material evaluated by cyclability during Li(+) insertion/deinsertion

The effect of pore structure on the behavior of lithium intercalation into an electrode containing porous V(2)O(5) film has been investigated and compared with the electrode containing a non-porous V(2)O(5) film. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate a lamellar structure for both materials. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms, t-plot method, and Scanning Electronic Microscopy show that the route employed for the preparation of mesoporous V(2)O(5) was successful. The electrochemical performance of these matrices as lithium intercalation cathode materials was evaluated. The porous material reaches stability after several cycles more easily compared with the V(2)O(5) xerogel. Lithium intercalation into the porous V(2)O(5) film electrode is crucially influenced by pore surface and film surface irregularity, in contrast with the non-porous surface of the V(2)O(5) xerogel.

Sol-Gel Chemistry in Biosensing Devices of Electrical Transduction: Application to CEA Cancer Biomarker

Sol-gel chemistry allows the immobilization of organic molecules of biological origin on suibtable solid supports, permitting their integration into biosensing devices widening the possibility of local applications. The present work is an application of this principle, where the link between electrical receptor platform and the antibody acting as biorecognition element is made by sol-gel chemistry. The immunosensor design was targeted for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), an important biomarker for screening the colorectal cancer, by electrochemical techniques, namely electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and square wave voltammetry (SVW). The device displayed linear behavior to CEA in EIS and in SWV assays ranging from 0.50 to 1.5ng/mL, and 0.25 to 1.5ng/mL, respectively. The corresponding detection limits were 0.42 and 0.043 ng/mL. Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the surface modifications on the conductive platform (FTO glass). Overall, simple sol-gel chemistry was effective at the biosensing design and the presented approach can be a potential method for screening CEA in point-of-care, due to the simplicity of fabrication, short response time and low cost. - See more at: http://www.eurekaselect.com/127192/article#sthash.m1AWhINx.dpuf

Sol-gel biomimetic material designed to target CEA cancer biomarker

1st ASPIC International Congress

Elaboration and optimization of (Y,Er)Al(3)(BO(3))(4) glassy planar waveguides through the sol-gel process

In this work, a sol-gel route was used to prepare Y(0.9)Er(0.1)Al(3)(BO(3))(4) glassy thin films by spin-coating technique looking for the preparation and optimization of planar waveguides for integrated optics. The films were deposited on silica and silicon substrates using stable sols synthesized by the sol-gel process. Deposits with thicknesses ranging between 520 and 720 nm were prepared by a multi-layer process involving heat treatments at different temperatures from glass transition to the film crystallization and using heating rates of 2 degrees C/min. The structural characterization of the layers was performed by using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy as a function of the heat treatment. Microstructural evolution in terms of annealing temperatures was followed by high resolution scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Optical transmission spectra were used to determine the refractive index and the film thicknesses through the envelope method. The optical and guiding properties of the films were studied by m-line spectroscopy. The best films were monomode with 620 nm thickness and a refractive index around 1.664 at 980 nm wavelength. They showed good waveguiding properties with high light-coupling efficiency and low propagation loss at 632.8 and 1550 nm of about 0.88 dB/cm. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Er:YAl(3)(BO(3))(4) glassy thin films from polymeric precursor and sol-gel methods: Waveguides for integrated optics

This paper presents the characterization of single-mode waveguides for 980 and 1550 nm wavelengths. High quality planar waveguide structure was fabricated from Y(1-x)Er(x)Al(3)(BO(3))(4) multilayer thin films with x = 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5, prepared through the polymeric precursor and sol-gel methods using spin-coating. The propagation losses of the planar waveguides varying from 0.63 to 0.88 dB/cm were measured at 632.8 and 1550 nm. The photoluminescence spectra and radiative lifetimes of the Er(3+) (4)I(13/2) energy level were measured in waveguiding geometry. For most samples the photoluminescence decay was single exponential with lifetimes in between 640 mu s and 200 mu s, depending on the erbium concentration and synthesis method. These results indicate that Er doped YAl(3)(BO(3))(4) compounds are promising for low loss waveguides. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All fights reserved.

Método sol-gel modificado para obtenção de alumina nanoencapsulada com terras raras

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

Determinação de diagramas de bandas de energia e da borda de absorção em SnO2, depositado via sol-gel, sobre quartzo

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

Effect of aging on the stability of ceramic foams prepared by thermostimulated sol-gel process

This work presents a new route of preparation of zirconium ceramic foams based on the thermostimulated sol-gel process. This method produces gelled bodies with up to 90% of porosity in the wet gel and can be used to make complex-shaped components. Unfortunately, the shrinkage during the drying step allows to a catastrophic reduction (50%) of the foam porosity. To improve the foam stability we carried out a systematic study of the effect of gel foam aging on the drying process. Samples were aged in closed vessel at 25 C during different time period (from 6 to 240 h). The shrinkage and the mass loss during drying at 50 C were measured in situ, using a non-contact technique performed with a special apparatus. The results show that the total linear shrinkage decreases from 46% to 8% as the aging period increase from 6 to 240 h. This behavior is followed by a small change of total mass loss, from 42 to 54%. It indicates that by aging the structural stiffness of the foams increases due to secondary condensation reactions. Thus, by controlling the aging period, the porosity can be increased from 67 to 75% and the average size of mesopores of dried foams can be screened from 0.3 to 0.9 mum. Finally, these results demonstrate that the thermostimulated sol-gel transition provides a potential route to ceramic foams manufacture.

Formation of zirconia foams using the thermostimulated sol-gel transition

In this paper we describe the production of zirconia-based foams by a novel thermostimulated sol-gel route, that employs the foaming of colloidal suspensions prior to the sol-gel transition promoted by small increase of temperature (congruent to3 degreesC). This method produces gelled bodies having porosity >70% in the wet stage, and can be used to produce complex-shaped components. The effect of a foaming agent (Freon11 or CCl3F) and surfactant content on the formation and stability of the foams was analyzed. The rheologic measurements demonstrate that by increasing the surfactant concentration, the gelation time decreases increasing foam stability. As the surfactant concentration and quantity of foaming agent increase, the density decreases and the porosity increases. Hg porosimetry results show that the dry foam presents a bimodal pore size distribution. The family of sub-micrometer pores was attributed to the formation of a microemulsion between Freon11 and water. Scanning electron microscopy analysis shows that the foam structure consists of a three-dimensional network of spherical pores, which may be open and interconnected or closed, at larger or smaller porosities, respectively. Finally these results show that the thermostimulated sol-gel transition provides a potential route for ceramic foam manufacture. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterization of spherical silica-porphyrin catalysts obtained by the sol-gel methodology

This work describes the synthesis of a first-generation iron porphyrin catalyst entrapped in a silica matrix by the sol-gel route, leading to spherical particles. The catalyst was synthesized by the method of Stober, through hydrolysis and condensation of the alkoxysilane TEOS in a mixture of alcohol, water and ammonia, in the presence of the iron porphyrin Fe(TPP)Cl. The relation between particle morphology and catalytic activity of the different Fe(TPP)-SiO2, obtained using different H2O/silane molar ratios and ammonia concentrations in the xerogel syntheses, was studied.The obtained catalysts were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, NMR Si-29. thermogravimetric analysis and transmission electron microscopy. Their ability to catalyze (Z)-cyclooctene epoxidation and cyclohexane oxidation was tested using iodosylbenzene as oxygen donor; the oxidation products were analyzed by gas chromatography and the catalysts obtained in a form of particles spherical and monodispersed showed to be a promising catalytic system for selective oxidation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simulação numérica da fase líquida na deposição de filmes finos via sol-gel: aplicações para dióxido de estanho

Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia de Materiais - FC

Aplicação do processo sol-gel na produção de recobrimentos de hidroxiapatita sobre ligas a base de Ti empregadas em implantes odontológicos

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influence of the use of Aliquat 336 in the immobilization procedure in sol-gel of lipase from Bacillus sp ITP-001

Aliquat 336, a liquid hydrophobic material, was used at different concentrations (0.5-3.0%, w/v) as an additive in the preparation of encapsulated lipase from Bacillus sp. ITP-001 on sol-gel silica matrices using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as the precursor. The resulting hydrophobic matrices and immobilized lipases were characterized with regard to specific surface area (BET method), adsorption-desorption isotherms, pore volume (Vp) and size (dp) by nitrogen adsorption (BJH method) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The catalytic activities and the corresponding coupling yields were assayed in the hydrolysis of olive oil. In comparison with pure silica matrices, the immobilization process in the presence of Aliquat 336 decreased the values for specific surface area and increased the values for pore specific volume (Vp) and mean pore diameter (dp). This behavior may be related to the partial adsorption of the enzyme on the external surface of the hydrophobic matrix as indicated by scanning electron microscopy. Aliquat 336 concentrations in the range from 0.5 to 1.5% (w/v) provided immobilized derivatives with higher coupling yields and better substrate affinity. The highest coupling yield (Y-A = 71%) was obtained for the immobilized enzyme prepared in the presence of 1.5% Aliquat which gave the following morphological properties: specific surface area = 183 m(2)/g, pore specific volume (Vp) = 0.36 cc/g and mean pore diameter (dp)= 91 angstrom. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Osteoblast responses to different oxide coatings produced by the sol-gel process on titanium substrates

In order to improve the osseointegration of endosseous implants made from titanium, the structure and composition of the surface were modified. Mirror-polished commercially pure (cp) titanium substrates were coated by the sol-gel process with different oxides: TiO(2), SiO(2), Nb(2)O(5) and SiO(2)-TiO(2). The coatings were physically and biologically characterized. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed the absence of organic residues. Ellipsometry determined the thickness of layers to be approximately 100nm. High resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomice force microscopy revealed a nanoporous structure in the TiO(2) and Nb(2)O(5) layers, whereas the SiO(2) and SiO(2)-TiO(2) layers appeared almost smooth. The R(a) values, as determined by white-light interferometry, ranged from 20 to 50nm. The surface energy determined by the sessile-drop contact angle method revealed the highest polar component for SiO(2) (30.7mJm(-2)) and the lowest for cp-Ti and 316L stainless steel (6.7mJm(-2)). Cytocompatibility of the oxide layers was investigated with MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts in vitro (proliferation, vitality, morphology and cytochemical/immunolabelling of actin and vinculin). Higher cell proliferation rates were found in SiO(2)-TiO(2) and TiO(2), and lower in Nb(2)O(5) and SiO(2); whereas the vitality rates increased for cp-Ti and Nb(2)O(5). Cytochemical assays showed that all substrates induced a normal cytoskeleton and well-developed focal adhesion contacts. SEM revealed good cell attachment for all coating layers. In conclusion, the sol-gel-derived oxide layers were thin, pure and nanostructured; consequent different osteoblast responses to those coatings are explained by the mutual action and coadjustment of different interrelated surface parameters.

Sol-gel TiO2 nanoparticles prompt photocatalytic cement for pollution degradation

TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) prepared by the sol–gel method have been incorporated to cement paste with the aim of creating a photocatalytic system capable of compensating, through degradation of hazardous molecules, the envi- ronmental impact associated to the production of the clinker. Doping was carried out at different mass ratios with TiO2NPs precursor solutions within a fresh ce- ment paste, which was then characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic performance was evaluated by the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) using a 125W UV lamp as irradiating source. Main cement properties such as hydration degree and C-S-H content are affected by TiO2NPs doping level. Cement containing TiO2NPs exhibited an increasing photocatalytic activity for increasing doping, while the pure cement paste control could hardly degrade MB. The kinetics of the system where also studied and their second order behavior related to microstructural aspects of the system.