National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

This study addresses the deposition with improved adhesion of TiO2:N/SiO(2)mixture, with different concentrations of the nano-powders (NPs) (1:0,5; 1:1 and 1:1,5) on 100% cotton fabrics. The characteristics of the deposited thin films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Raman scattering, FTIR, and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. To improve the treatment durability to the external factors, the different crosslinking methods were used. Photocatalytic activity of functionalized textile fabrics was evaluated by determining the photodegradation efficiency of the methylene blue (MB) dye and forest juice, measuring the color difference of the irradiated samples compared with non-irradiated samples. Washing durability of the samples was achieved qualitatively by determining the photocatalytic activity remaining on the textile fabrics after 1 and 5 washing cycles. The samples treated with the mixture of TiO2:N/SiO(2)have demonstrated improved self-cleaning properties, the highest photocatalytic activity being obtained for the highest value of TiO2:N/SiO(2)NPs molar concentrations equal to 1:1.

Covalent immobilization of antibodies to protein G beads is a basic molecular biology method, although the beads present poor recovery results. Our aim was to reuse the immobilized antibody-protein G complex on a very small scale, therefore we optimized the crosslinking procedure to be used on the wells of a standard 96-well microplate. The method used involves the affinity binding of the antibody to the protein G surface, followed by the immobilization step using different crosslinking reagents, DMP and BS3, quenching the crosslinking reaction, and binding the antibody-specific antigen. By scaling down the procedure, we were able to reuse the anti-EGFR crosslinked wells more than 20 times. This method can be used to perform assays on a wide range of solid supports containing the protein G in an immobilized form, including functionalized nanosensors, for immunoprecipitation, protein and cell lysate purification, target protein enrichment.

The effects of 4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(morpholin-4-yl)-1,3-thiazole (Pr02), 1-(3,5-dibromo-2-hydroxyphenyl)-1-oxoethan-2-yl-N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (Pr04) and 1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)-1-oxoethan-2-yl-O- ethyl xanthate (Pr06) on the aqueous oxidation of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) in air-equilibrated solution at a temperature of 25 degrees C and a pH of 2.5 were studied. The effects were investigated by using potentiodynamic polarization, electro-chemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM/EDX) analysis, aqueous batch experiments, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman scattering and quantum chemical calculations. It is found that the anodic current densities decrease in the order of EtOH Pr02 > Pr04 > Pr06. These results, along with those of the EIS measurements, show that Pr02, Pr04 and Pr06 are effective anodic inhibitors of chalcopyrite aqueous oxidation. Both Raman scattering and FTIR spectroscopy indicate that the elemental sulfur, polysulfide and ferric oxyhydroxides that form on the surface of the mineral are not responsible when it comes to the aqueous oxidation inhibition of chalcopyrite. Quantum chemical calculations show that the adsorption of the tested compounds on the chalcopyrite surface is energetically favorable and so, it can explain the inhibiting effects that were observed.

In this study, we report on the structural, magnetic, and optical properties of Tb3+-doped CeF(3)nanocrystals prepared via a polyol-assisted route, followed by calcination. X-ray diffraction analysis and electron microscopy investigations have shown the formation of a dominant Ce(0.75)F(3)nanocrystalline phase (of about 99%), with a relatively uniform distribution of nanocrystals about 15 nm in size. Magnetization curves showed typical paramagnetic properties related to the presence of Ce(3+)and Tb(3+)ions. The magnetic susceptibility showed a weak inflexion at about 150 K, assigned to the cerium ions' crystal field splitting. Under UV light excitation of the Ce(3+)ions, we observed Tb(3+)green luminescence with a quantum yield of about 20%.

The objective of the present study is the valorization of natural resources and the recycling of vegetal wastes by converting them into novel plasmonic bio-active hybrids. Thus, a "green" approach was used to design pectin-coated bio-nanosilver. Silver nanoparticles were generated from two common garden herbs (Mentha piperitaandAmaranthus retroflexus), and pectin was extracted from lemon peels. The samples were characterized by the following methods: Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)-Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and zeta potential measurements. Microscopic investigations revealed the spherical shape and the nano-scale size of the prepared biohybrids. Their bioperformances were checked in terms of antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The developed plasmonic materials exhibited a strong ability to scavenge short-life (96.1% divided by 98.7%) and long-life (39.1% divided by 91%) free radicals. Microbiological analyses demonstrated an impressive antibacterial effectiveness of pectin-based hybrids againstEscherichia coli. The results are promising, and the obtained biomaterials could be used in many bio-applications, especially as antioxidant and antimicrobial biocoatings.

A new composite base on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and poly(5-amino-1-naphthol) (P5A1N) was synthesized by the electrochemical polymerization of 5-amino-1-naphthol (5A1N) in the presence of HClO(4)and H(4)SiW(12)O(40)onto the surface of Au electrode covered with the RGO sheets. The linear dependence of the current densities of the anodic and cathodic peaks with the scan rate of the potential range (0; 0.8) V vs. SCE, reported during electropolymerization of 5A1N, indicates an electron transfer that is controlled by diffusion. A covalent functionalization of the RGO sheets with P5A1N is argued by: (i) the simultaneous disappearance of the IR band at 1584 cm(-1)and the appearance of the new IR bands at 812, 976 and 3744 cm(-1), and (ii) the appearance of two Raman lines at 738 and 1428 cm(-1). An application of the RGO sheets covalently functionalized with P5A1N is demonstrated to support 1,4-phenylene diisothiocyanate (PDITC), a compound used as a cross-linking agent for various biological applications. The chemical adsorption of PDITC onto the RGO sheets covalently functionalized with P5A1N, which involves the appearance of new functional groups of the type thiourea, was proven by Raman scattering and IR spectroscopy.

In this work, new optical properties of composites based on polystyrene (PS) microspheres and graphene oxide (GO) are reported. The radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of benzoyl peroxide, pentane and GO induces the appearance of new ester groups in the PS macromolecular chains remarked through an increase in the absorbance of the infrared (IR) band at 1743 cm(-1). The decrease in the GO concentration in the PS/GO composites mass from 5 wt.% to 0.5 wt.% induces a diminution in the intensities of the D and G Raman bands of GO simultaneous with a down-shift of the D band from 1351 to 1322 cm(-1). These variations correlated with the covalent functionalization of the GO layers with PS. For the first time, the photoluminescent (PL) properties of PS/GO composites are reported. The PS microspheres are characterized by a PL band at 397 nm. Through increasing the GO sheets' concentration in the PS/GO composite mass from 0.5 wt.% to 5 wt.%, a PS PL quenching process is reported. In addition, in the presence of ultraviolet A (UVA) light, a photo-degradation process of the PS/GO composite having the GO concentration equal to 5 wt.% is demonstrated by the PL studies.

This work involves the synthesis and characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) layers. The films were prepared on Mo/glass substrates by single-step electrodeposition method followed by sulfurization at 500 degrees C under argon flow. The effect of boric acid concentration on the crystallographic structure, compositional and morphological properties of CZTS films was investigated, with the objective to understand the growth behavior and to enhance the film properties. Cyclic Voltammetry was used in order to estimate the adequate deposition potential for the CZT alloy. The x-ray diffraction analysis showed the formation of the kesterite phase in all the samples. The Raman and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirmed the existence of the CZTS phase. The scanning electron microscopy was employed to inspect the films structure. The results indicated that increasing the concentration of boric acid affects the physico-chemical properties of the films.

This paper presents some studies on the organic heterostructures realized by Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation in both bi-layer and mixed layer configurations on glass substrates covered by flat or nano-patterned ITO. The donor, a star-shaped arylenevinylene compound, 4,4',4 ''-tris[(4'-diphenylamino) styryl] triphenylamine, and acceptor, a non-fullerene compound, N,N'-bis-(1-dodecyl)perylene-3,4,9,10 tetracarboxylic diimide, were blended in three weight ratios: 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4. A grating of cylindrical pillars with a periodicity of 1.1 mu m has been developed by UV-Nanoimprint Lithography in a polymer layer. The shape of the nanostructures changed to cone trunk by the Pulsed Laser Deposition of ITO on this nanostructured surface. The effect of the nanostructures and composition on the optical and electrical properties of the heterostructures was analyzed. The nano-patterning affected both the UV-Vis transmission and photoluminescence through the multiple reflections inside the cavities and at interfaces and the particularities of the molecular arrangement. The patterning was preserved independently of composition, but the roughness increased with increasing acceptor amount. The I-V characteristics drawn at room temperature in dark revealed an ohmic contact behavior for all heterostructures. The nano-patterning had a similar effect on the current in the heterostructures with mixed layer (1:2) and stacked bi-layer.

The effect of UV light on the cationic photopolymerization of the SU8 negative photoresist is shown by photoluminescence (PL) studies. Our results demonstrate that the cationic photopolymerization reaction of the SU8 photoresist takes place predominantly under the influence of the UVA light. Using UVA light, the influence of carbon nanotubes [of the types single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), and SWNTs functionalized with carboxyl groups (SWNTs-COOH)] on the cationic photopolymerization process of the SU8 photoresist is shown by PL studies. The cationic photopolymerization of the SU8 photoresist is monitored by the variations of the two emission bands with maxima at similar to 400-429 nm and 523-556 nm. The increase in the relative intensity of the PL band at similar to 523-556 nm is dependent on (i) the carbon nanotube concentration in the SU8 photoresist matrix; (ii) the type of carbon nanotubes, i.e., SWNTs, DWNTs, and MWNTs; and (iii) the nonfunctionalized and functionalized state of SWNTs. The results reported in this work demonstrate that PL can be used as a complementary method to Raman scattering and IR spectroscopy in the investigation of the cationic photopolymerization reaction of the SU8 negative photoresist. A decrease in the wrapping angle of carbon nanotubes with the SU8 photoresist is highlighted by anisotropic PL studies.