Publications

Dextran-coated zinc-doped hydroxyapatite (ZnHApD) was synthesized by an adapted sol-gel method. The stability of ZnHApD nanoparticles in an aqueous solution was analyzed using ultrasonic measurements. The analysis of the evolution in time of the attenuation for each of the frequencies was performed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigations exhibited that no impurity was found. The morphology, size and size distribution of the ZnHApD sample was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The TEM and SEM results showed that the ZnHApD particles have an ellipsoidal shape and a narrow distribution of sizes. The cell growth and toxicity of HEK-293 cells were investigated on the ZnHApD solution for four different concentrations and analyzed after 24 and 48 h. The ZnHApD solution presented a non-toxic activity against HEK-293 cells for all analyzed concentrations. The antibacterial assay revealed that all the tested microorganisms were inhibited by the ZnHApD dispersion after 24 and 48 h of incubation. It was observed that the effect of the ZnHApD solution on bacteria growth depended on the bacterial strain. The Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 bacterial strain was the most sensitive, as a growth inhibition in the presence of 0.075 mu g/mL ZnHApD in the culture medium was observed.

We report the structural, dielectric, elastic, ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties of multiferroic (Nd, Fe)doped PbTiO3 perovskite ceramics with composition (Pb-0.88 Nd-0.08 )(Ti-0.94 Fe-0 .04 Mn-0.02)O-3, prepared by different solid state reaction methods: the first one based on a single-stage calcination (Method I) and the second based on a double-stage calcination (Method II). Structural, dielectric and anelastic measurements evidenced a double phase transition for samples prepared by Method I, which has been attributed to phase separation. This phase separation has been confirmed also by TEM and HRTEM investigations. Samples prepared by Method II showed a single phase transition from paraelectric to ferroelectric phase. We found coexistent ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties, also at room-temperature, but only for ceramics prepared by Method II. The crucial role of calcination process for avoiding phase separation and obtaining homogeneous structures with ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order is underlined.

We report studies of quasi-remanent polarization states in Pb0.99Nb0.02[(Zr0.57Sn0.43)(0.94)Ti-0.06](0.98)O-3 (PNZST) anti-ferroelectric ceramics and investigation of their relaxation effects using unique in-situ electrically activated time-resolved Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SXPD) and Sn-119 Mossbauer Spectroscopy (MS). The SXPD patterns are consistent with a phase transition from quasi-tetragonal perovskite in 0 V relaxed anti-ferroelectric state to rhombohedral distortion in ferroelectric state under saturating applied voltages of +/- 2 kV. The observed quasi-remanent polarization relaxation processes are due to the fact that tetragonal to rhombohedral distortion does not occur at the applied voltage required to access the quasiremanent polarization states, and the tetragonal symmetry restored after the removal of the applied electric field is preserved. Since these quasi-remanent polarization states were seen as possibly suitable for memory applications, the implications of this study are that anti-ferroelectrics are more feasible for multi-state dynamic random access memories (DRAM), while their application to non-volatile memories requires development of more sophisticated "read-out" protocols, possibly involving dc electrical biasing.

We report on the fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells with a TiO2 buffer layer between the transparent conductive oxide substrate and the mesoporous TiO2 film, in order to improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the device. The buffer layer was fabricated by pulsed laser deposition whereas the mesoporous film by the doctor blade method, using TiO2 paste obtained by the sol-gel technique. The buffer layer was deposited in either oxygen (10 Pa and 50 Pa) or argon (10 Pa and 50 Pa) onto transparent conducting oxide glass kept at room temperature. The cross-section scanning electron microscopy image showed differences in layer morphology and thickness, depending on the deposition conditions. Transmission electron microscopy studies of the TiO2 buffer layers indicated that films consisted of grains with typical diameters of 10 nm to 30 nm. We found that the photovoltaic conversion efficiencies, determined under standard air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5G) conditions, of the solar cells with a buffer layer are more than two times larger than those of the standard cells. The best performance was reached for buffer layers deposited at 10 Pa O-2. We discuss the processes that take place in the device and emphasize the role of the brush-like buffer layer in the performance increase.

1-D coordination polymers, (1)(infinity)[Zn(fl)(2)]center dot 2EtOH and (1)(infinity)[Zn(fl)(2)]center dot 2MeOH, and a dinuclear complex, [{Zn(fl)(2)}(2)(dienpip)]center dot 4H(2)O center dot 4EtOH (dienpip= N,N '-bis(2-aminoethyl)piperazine), were obtained using Zn(II) ions and fluorescein anions (fl). Thermal analysis shows stability of the polymers after solvent removal up to more than 400 degrees C. Crystallization solvent molecules were removed under reduced pressure with the preservation of the polymeric structure, (1)(infinity)[Zn(fl)(2)]. Desolvated crystals were exposed to I-2 vapors and the crystal structure determination by X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of I-2 molecules in the channels generated in crystals by the metal-organic framework. The iodine content, evaluated by X-ray diffraction, corresponds to the overall formula (1)(infinity)[Zn(fl)(2)]center dot 0.3I(2). The optical properties of the coordination polymers and the dinuclear complex have been investigated. [GRAPHICS] .

Ruthenium-doped copper ferrite(Ru - CuFe2O4) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized using a simple and cost-effective wet chemical co-precipitation deposition method. The crystallographic scanning electron microscopy images confirm cubic crystal structure and agglomerated-type surface appearance. The crystallite sizes are 6-24 nm in the range. Dielectric measurement analysis estimates the dielectric constant and loss of Ru - CuFe2O4 NPs. In this connection, dielectric constant and loss are reduced virtue of air annealing for various temperatures. Also, the dielectric loss confirms the relaxation peak. From magnetic measurement results, the coercivity decreases whereas saturation and remanence magnetization are increased. These features have approved the soft magnetic nature in the Ru - CuFe2O4 NPs.

Growth of Ag films of up to 30 nm thickness on Si(1 1 1) 7 x 7 at room temperature is investigated by low energy electron diffraction (LEED), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). LEED revealed the coexistence of Ag and Si spots starting with 1 monolayer (ML) of Ag deposited. The Ag lattice constant, starting with 25 ML, is slightly higher than for bulk Ag and increase linearly with Ag thickness, reaching about 4.2 nm for the thickest films. The average terrace widths detected from LEED spot profile analysis are about 30 nm for clean Si(1 1 1) 7 x 7 and about 5.5 nm for the thickest Ag(1 1 1) film, in agreement with STM observations. The intensity variation of core levels analyzed by XPS is taken into account by a model assuming the initial formation of Ag islands with linear variation of coverage vs. the amount of Ag deposited, followed by growth in a quasi layer-by-layer mode. The interface barrier is in the range of 0.4 eV, lower than all values reported previously. Ag deposited on Si(1 1 1) 7 x 7 at room temperature provides flat Ag(1 1 1) for synthesis of 2D materials, and may be used for low barrier Schottky diodes.

Co-sputtering of tungsten-aluminum fusion relevant materials in a dual-High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering discharge, operated in different Ar-D-2 gas mixtures, was investigated in gas phase by means of energy-resolving mass spectrometry. Experimental results indicate that the total ion flux and its composition are strongly dependent on sputtering gas composition and the average power applied to the targets. During single HiPIMS operation with W target, the D- ions are the most abundant species. The measured D- ion flux shows an increase with the rising of D-2 content in Ar-D-2 gas mixture and a linear increase with the power applied to the W target. In contrast, during dual-HiPIMS operation, a decrease of D- ion flux was observed when the input power applied to the Al target was increased. The origin of different deuterium ion species and retention mechanisms are discussed. The surface morphology, microstructure and chemical composition of the W-Al coatings obtained in Ar-D-2, were investigated by means of, Atomic Force Microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy. GDOES depth profiles show the presence of a large amount of deuterium (up to 21 at.%) in the mixed W-Al layers and indicate that the D retention in the mixed W-Al layers is mainly related to the W in-depth concentration and less dependent on the Al one. The intense and energetic bombardment of the growing film with D- ions seems to be responsible for the large amount of D retained in the W-Al layers.

The development of coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) based electrochemical sensor for the detection of oxidative stress initiators is described for the first time. The sensor relies on CoQ(10) redox properties. CoQ(10) was immobilized at the surface of glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) in combination with cyclodextrins (CD), alpha-CD or beta-CD, that ensure the formation of a well dispersed CoQ(10) film. Nanostructured thin films of CoQ(10) alone and in complexes with alpha-CD or beta-CD at the electrode surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), enabling to identify the morphology of the films and the interactions between the CoQ(10) and CD. Nafion (R) was used to ensure sensor stability. The optimization of the CoQ(10) sensor configuration was made by assessing CoQ(10) redox properties through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), correlated with the results obtained from SEM and FTIR characterization. Next, the sensor in the optimized configuration, GCE/alpha-CD + CoQ(10)/Nafion (R), was applied for the detection of oxidant molecules, hydrogen peroxide and the superoxide radical, through the evaluation of the CoQ(10) redox properties monitored by fixed potential chronoamperometry and square wave voltammetry (SWV). (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thin films of (117) Bi2Sr2Ca2CuO8+ (Bi-2212) were grown by Molecular Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) on (110) SrTiO3 and (110) LaAlO3 substrates. Substrates were vicinal with off angles up to 20 degrees. Films are 3D epitaxial and X-ray diffraction phi- scans demonstrate that, while the films grown on a flat substrate are composed of twinned grains, the films on vicinal substrate are twin-free. A higher quality is obtained if growth is performed at two temperatures: Growth starts at 550-600 degrees C and continues at 700-750 degrees C. The twin-free film grown by the two-temperature method shows a zero-resistance critical temperature of 37 and 32 K when the measuring current is applied in-plane parallel and perpendicular to [001] direction of the substrate. Twin-free non c-axis thin films are promising for fabrication of novel planar THz devices.